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Eye on Extremism
February 3, 2021
Associated Press: Afghan Officials: Bombings In Kabul Kill 2, Including Cleric
“A prominent cleric and his driver were killed in an explosion from a bomb stuck to their car, one of a series of bombings around Kabul on Tuesday that also wounded seven people. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani denounced the cleric’s death as a “terrorist attack on the dignity and bright future of Afghanistan.” No one immediately claimed responsibility for the Kabul attacks, which also wounded five people. The first bomb was attached to a military vehicle in central Kabul and wounded two military personnel, said Ferdaws Faramarz, spokesman for the Kabul police chief. An hour later, the second bomb, in the northern part of the city, killed two people, including cleric Mohammad Atef, and wounded two others. A third sticky bomb wounded one person in western Kabul and a fourth in the late afternoon in eastern Kabul wounded two. Faramarz said police were investigating. Ghani, in a statement released by the Presidential Palace, also said that Atef’s killing was the latest in a series of targeted crimes and assassinations. Atef headed the central council of Jamiat-e-Eslah of Afghanistan, an Islamist nonprofit organization based. Abdullah Abdullah, the chairman of the country’s High Council for National Reconciliation, also condemned Atef’s killing.”
Reuters: In Algerian Mountains, Army Operation Shows Persistent Militant Threat
“Algerian soldiers fired high-calibre rounds into a scrubby hillside of the Ain Defla mountains last week, part of an operation against the persistent threat of Islamist militants after they launched a fresh attack last month. They stalked in the rain between pine trees along muddy tracks, rifles raised, before dropping into a crouch, many of them too young to remember the 1990s jihadist insurgency that killed 200,000 Algerians. Two decades after that bloodshed ended, the militant threat in Algeria has mostly been contained. However, al Qaeda and other groups including an Islamic State branch still hold out in some remote areas, mostly in the vast desert border region with Sahel neighbours Mali and Niger. The operation in Ain Defla was aimed at a small group that the army believed to be hiding in the mountains, about 180 kms (112 miles) west of the capital Algiers. It had splintered from the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, one of Algeria’s oldest militant organisations and the forerunner of its al Qaeda franchise, the army said. Reuters and a local news agency were escorted during the operation by the military.”
Syria
Kurdistan 24: SDF Captures Another ISIS Suspect In Deir Al-Zor Countryside
“The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday arrested another suspected member of the so-called Islamic State in the rural Deir al-Zor province amid increased attacks in the area. The SDF’s media center said in a statement that its special units, along with forces from the Global Coalition, launched “a joint operation against an ISIS cell in the Albusayrah area in Deir al-Zor.” According to the statement, the special forces arrested a suspect “involved in terrorist activities and confiscated his technical equipment, documents, and weapons.” “Ongoing security operations ensure [the] safety of [the] local population and prevent ISIS networks from organizing in the region,” the SDF’s Coordination and Military Operations Center added in a tweet. Although the SDF and the US-led Coalition announced the territorial defeat of the Islamic State in Syria in March 2019, sleeper cell attacks persist, especially in liberated territories, in what appears to be a deliberate campaign to destabilize the area. Deir al-Zor has consistently been one of the most unstable regions in areas under SDF control, facing regular attacks and assassinations.”
Iran
The Jerusalem Post: Iran Diplomat On Trial For Terror Had Europe-Wide Network - Report
“Ahead of Thursday’s verdict in the trial for the Iranian regime diplomat Assadollah Assadi's alleged plot to blow up a dissident conference in France, the British Daily Express reported he crisscrossed European countries as part of a widespread Islamic Republic network. “A green notebook, found in Assadollah Assadi’s car when he was arrested in Germany, meticulously detailed 289 places across 11 European countries where he is believed to have made contact with agents of the regime,” reported the Express’s Defense and Diplomatic editor Marco Giannangeli on Sunday. “Though ostensibly a diplomat based at the Iran's Viennese embassy, only 38 were in Austria, barely 13 percent of the total. Germany featured most heavily, with 114 locations, followed by 42 locations in France, “ wrote Giannangeli. He added that “Other countries he visited include Italy, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and Luxembourg.” According to the British paper, “In reality, he was Europe bureau chief for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security.” The conference in France was attended by high-profile politicians and diplomats, including former president Donald Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former US speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, as well as 38 British MPs, and the former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper.”
Yemen
Al Monitor: US Terror Designation Of Houthis: A Fresh Ordeal In Yemen
“Yemen's Houthi group, officially known as Ansar Allah, is presently among the organizations the United States designates as terrorists. One day prior to new US President Joe Biden's inauguration, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared the Houthis a terrorist organization, unleashing conflicting sentiments in Yemen and abroad. On the local level, Yemenis are divided. Some welcomed the news, deeming it a step in the right direction. Others reacted with fury, calling it an extension of America's war on Yemen. On Jan. 25, thousands of protesters took to the streets in the Houthi-held capital, Sanaa, denouncing the former US administration's resolution listing the Houthi group as terrorists. Over the last six years, the United Nations has led peace talks between the Houthis and the internationally recognized government in a bid to resolve the Yemen conflict. Now, with the Houthis' new designation as terrorists, peace talks may face additional stumbling blocks. Plus, military victory against the Houthis has been unattainable over the last six years, and it seems a long road before Houthis lose the war. Houthis have showcased defiance in reaction to the US labeling, saying it will have no political or military influence.”
Nigeria
Africanews: Nigerians In Maiduguri Without Power For A Week After Jihadist Attack
“Locals in Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri have been without power for a week after jihadists blew up supply lines from the national electricity grid. It has caused water shortages disruptions to daily life and businesses. “The lack of light is seriously affecting our business. Our business is not going smoothly like before. People are coming to buy some things but now the business is not going, the business is so bad,” said Jefari Mamuda, an appliances saleswoman. The city of about two million inhabitants have been plagued by the Boko Haram insurgency for over a decade. A new faction of the group is also wreaking havoc. The attack was the third time in a month that the IS-linked Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group have plunged the entire city of three million into darkness for days by blowing up transmission lines. “There has been power failure for quite some time, there is total blackout in the city and you know for quite some time we have no light and I have to come and fix my generator,” said Joshua Blues, Maiduguri resident. Reports also say that over the last month the insurgents have carried out a series of attacks on villages leading up to Maiduguri.”
Africa
The Christian Post: Over 100 People, Largely Christians, Killed In Mass Attacks In DRC: Open Doors
“A militant Islamic group with an expansionist agenda has killed at least 100 people, mostly Christian, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent weeks, according to a report by the persecution watchdog Open Doors. More than 100 people were killed in three large attacks by the Islamic extremist group called Allied Democratic Forces in the Christian-majority country, Open Doors reported. On Jan. 14, about 46 people belonging to the Pygmy ethnic group were killed in Ituri province by suspected militants of the extremist group, which is known for attacking, kidnapping, and killing Christians, as well as training and sending jihadists to other countries in Africa. The roughly half a million Pygmy people face extensive persecution and discrimination in the country, Open Doors noted. On Jan. 4, about 22 civilians were estimated to be killed with guns and machetes in an overnight attack on Mwenda village in the Beni region of neighboring North Kivu province. Militants from the Allied Democratic Forces, which is based in neighboring Uganda, killed 25 more people in Tingwe village in the same region the same day. At least 17 nearby villagers had been murdered with machetes a week earlier in Mwenda village.”
United Kingdom
The Guardian: Terror Response Report 'Humbling', Police Chief Tells Manchester Arena Inquiry
“A report on four terror attacks in 2017 made 103 recommendations about how officials could have better performed, the public inquiry into the Manchester Arena bombing has heard. Its publication was a “humbling moment”, the Metropolitan police assistant commissioner, Neil Basu, said in evidence on Tuesday. The inquiry heard that nearly 90% of the review’s recommendations had since been delivered. On day 58, the inquiry heard from just one witness, Basu, who is the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for UK counter-terror policing. He was senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism policing on the night of the Arena bombing and it was his job to assume national strategic command of the events and the investigative response. He declared the incident a terrorist attack at 12.56am on 23 May 2017 and effectively took responsibility for national strategic command from this point. Basu told the inquiry that, after the attack, the then prime minister, Theresa May, told him “you need to break the momentum” of terror attacks in the UK. Although an operational improvement review made 103 recommendations for how UK counter-terror operations could be improved, Basu said he still felt “we have the best counter-terrorism machine in the world in this country.”
“Theresa May told police and MI5 to “break the momentum” of terror attacks in Britain following the Manchester Arena bombing, a senior officer has said. Speaking at a public inquiry into the attack, Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, who is now the head of UK counter-terrorism policing, recalled the then prime minister’s direction. The suicide bombing, which killed 22 victims, was the second terror attack to strike Britain in 2017 and was followed by two other fatal attacks within a month. Assistant Commissioner Basu, who was the senior national coordinator for counter-terrorism at the time, said: “Very shortly after [the Manchester attack], Prime Minister Theresa May had effectively turned to policing, my boss Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, others and the director-general of MI5, and used the phrase ‘You need to break the momentum.’” Giving evidence to the Manchester Arena inquiry on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner Basu said a “surge of activity” was triggered as police attempted to crack down on terrorist activity. He said assets were focused on pursuing known threats, which included 3,000 MI5 subjects of interest and 600 live operations.”
Germany
Deutsche Welle: Germany: 1,200 Right-Wing Extremists Licensed To Own Weapons
“While monitoring known and presumed far-right extremists, Germany's BfV domestic intelligence agency has discovered that 1,203 of them were licensed to possess firearms. According to December 2019 data released by the Interior Ministry, 528 license-holders were the so-called Reichsbürger — members of a right-wing organization which rejects Germany's democratic order. Furthermore, 17 cases of single or multiple-series shooting practices attended by far-right extremists between early 2019 and late 2020 had “become known” to the BfV, three-quarters of them taking place in other parts of Europe. Shooting range usage was in itself is “not a criminal offense,” the ministry added, citing Germany's federal police. Replying to a set of questions in parliament submitted by the opposition Left party, the ministry said a conclusive BfV count of rightist extremists with gun licenses in 2019 was not yet available. During gun law debate in the Bundestag parliament in December 2019, the Left's interiors affairs specialist Martina Renner gave an estimate that over 700 “neo-Nazis” still had weapons.”
Southeast Asia
Al Jazeera: Indonesia Detains British Woman On ‘Terror’ Suspect List
“Indonesia has detained a British woman named on a list of global terror suspects and plans to deport her for visa violations, authorities told the AFP news agency. Tazneen Miriam Sailar – a Manchester-born convert to Islam once married to a now-deceased Indonesian fighter – is not charged with terror offences. But she and her late husband are also on an Indonesian police list of suspected domestic and foreign fighters, which includes a Frenchman who appeared in the ISIL (ISIS) group’s beheading videos and another close to the brothers who massacred staff at French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Sailar, 47, and her 10-year-old Indonesia-born son were being held in Jakarta after they were picked up last year on allegations she did not have the required documents to remain in the Southeast Asian nation, according to her lawyer Farid Ghozali. “She was put (in detention) while awaiting her return which will be facilitated by the British Embassy,” Indonesian immigration directorate spokesman Ahmad Nursaleh told AFP, without elaborating. The British Embassy in Jakarta declined to comment and it was unclear when the deportation would happen.”
Technology
Forbes: U.S. Experiences Decline In Active Hate Groups As Far Right Extremism Moves Online
“The Southern Poverty Law Center, a prominent civil rights group, has released its annual report documenting the number of active hate groups across the United States. Despite 2020 proving one of the most politically divisive years in U.S. history with white nationalist ideology and conspiracy theories moving closer to the mainstream, there was actually a decline in the number of hate groups documented. 838 were identified by the SPLC last year, a decrease on the 940 groups seen in 2019 as well as the record-high of 1,020 operating in 2018. The report warns that the decline in active hate groups does not necessarily signal diminished extremist activity or a lower threat from domestic terrorism. The SPLC has conducted its annual census since 1990 and while it does serve as a barometer for extremism, it is not the only one. In recent years, the internet and social media in particular, have dramatically altered racism and bigotry in America. The SPLC states that “the proliferation of internet platforms that cater to extremists allows individuals to engage with potentially violent movements like QAnon and Boogaloo without being card-carrying members of a particular group.”
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