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Eye on Extremism
February 5, 2021
Al Monitor: Islamic State Officials Behind Baghdad Bombing Killed, Prime Minister Says
“Two Islamic State officials who allegedly facilitated last month’s double suicide bombing in a crowded Baghdad marketplace have been killed, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi says. Abu Hassan al-Gharibawi, commander of IS forces in southern Iraq, and Ghanem Sabah Jawad, who had a role in transporting suicide bombers, were killed in an airstrike west of Baghdad on Tuesday near Abu Ghraib, Kadhimi said on Twitter the same day. The airstrike was carried out by the US-led international coalition to defeat IS on intelligence gathered by Iraqi authorities, Iraq’s Security Media Cell said. Members of an infantry unit from Iraq’s 17th Division later arrived on the scene and reportedly found suicide vests among the bodies. Brig. Gen. Yehia Rasool, a spokesman for Kadhimi on military matters, said Gharibawi — also known as Jabbar Ali Fayyad — supervised the Jan. 21 twin suicide bombings at Tayaran Square which killed more than 30 people and wounded more than 110. Jawad “was responsible for transporting the suicide terrorists,” Rasool said. The two are the latest senior IS officials killed by the international coalition since last month’s bombings.”
The New York Times: Prominent Lebanese Critic Of Hezbollah Is Killed
“A prominent Lebanese critic of the militant group Hezbollah was found dead on Thursday after being shot multiple times in what his friends called a political assassination. Lokman Slim, 58, was a publisher and filmmaker who was among a small group of political activists from the country’s Shiite Muslim minority who openly criticized Hezbollah, a Shiite extremist group, for its violent role in the country and the wider Middle East. Mr. Slim’s killing came at a time of multiple crises that have pushed Lebanon to the brink of collapse. Its political system is nearly paralyzed, its economy is in free-fall, and many of its people are still suffering the aftereffects of a huge explosion in the Beirut port in August that killed more than 200 people. For weeks, Lebanon has been under total lockdown, with a 24-hour curfew aimed at slowing the rapid spread of the coronavirus. The killing of Mr. Slim, which the Lebanese authorities said they were investigating, raised fears among his supporters that the country could slide into a new period of political killings similar to those it had suffered through in the past. Assassinations have been rare in recent years, but multiple killings of politicians, journalists and security officials mar the country’s history.”
United States
“An apparent bipartisan majority of the House Homeland Security Committee on Thursday endorsed the idea of new laws to address domestic terrorism in the wake of last month’s riot at the U.S. Capitol, as experts warned such internal threats would plague the country for decades to come. Elizabeth Neumann, a former assistant secretary of homeland security for counterterrorism during the Trump administration, warned lawmakers that there is a “high likelihood” that another domestic terrorist attack would occur in the coming months and that the problem would persist “for the next 10 to 20 years.” Jonathan Greenblatt, head of the Anti-Defamation League, told lawmakers that Jan. 6 had been a “watershed moment for the white supremacist movement,” and that its adherents viewed the Capitol breach as a “victory.” Their comments came during the committee’s first hearing in its investigation into the riot that has moved House Democrats and 10 Republicans to impeach the now-former president for an unprecedented second time. The panel’s chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), indicated that he expected its probe would result in concrete legislation to punish and dissuade such attacks, and better monitor and regulate the environments in which extremist ideologies proliferate.”
Iraq
Kurdistan 24: ISIS Attack Kills 2 Iraqi Soldiers In Disputed Territory Of Diyala Province
“Islamic State militants launched an attack on Thursday against Iraqi army forces in the town of Jalawla, killing two Iraqi soldiers and wounding more in Diyala province’s Khanaqin district, according to a military source. This is just the latest attack launched by those loyal to the group in areas disputed by Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Region, after a series of bloody attacks that left victims among the security forces, many of which were launched within Diyala. A source in the region's Peshmerga forces told Kurdistan 24 that members of the extremist group's “sleeper cells” surprised an Iraqi army force at the opening of a military headquarters along the outskirts of the village of Qaya in Jalawla, resulting in the fall of the two soldiers and the wounding of two others who were immediately taken to the hospital for treatment. In recent months, the Islamic State has carried out numerous attacks in areas between those controlled by Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmerga, taking advantage of the security vacuum in those territories. A security source stated that, over the past month, Islamic State militants have killed 25 soldiers, policemen, and members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias in disputed areas in Diyala province alone.”
Turkey
The Jerusalem Post: Turkey’s Government Calls Student Protesters 'Terrorists'
“Turkey’s far-right ruling party, which has imprisoned journalists and dissidents, continued its extremist slide on Thursday, calling student protesters “terrorists.” This is the latest group on Turkey’s list of “terrorists” after removing 60 of 65 opposition HDP mayors and imprisoning, or charging critics on Twitter and journalists as “terrorists.” For Turkey’s ruling AK Party, which has in the past been supported by the US, EU and NATO, any critic is now a “terrorist.” The latest outburst in Ankara comes from the Ministry of Foreign Relations which has now attacked peaceful student protests as “terrorists.” The statement came after days in which Turkey’s leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, bashed gay activists and condemned LGBT student protesters. Turkey’s ruling party has called gay people “deviants” and supported religious extremists who claimed gays spread “disease.” Turkey’s government, despite being a member of NATO and an ally of the US, and wanting to join the EU, is one of the most authoritarian in the world and has put the most journalists in prison, and frequently bashes gay rights. The current US administration has been following the student protests and is concerned about Turkey’s extremist rhetoric.”
Afghanistan
The New York Times: Inside The Shadowy Militias Luring Unsuspecting Afghans To Fight, Or Die
“A network of shadowy power brokers and warlords, bankrolled by the Afghan government and the national police force, is luring disadvantaged people into joining militias, sometimes under false pretenses, out of a growing desperation to hold territory around highways in the country’s north, according to former militia members and local officials. These key arteries, which are the few means of road travel between the provinces, have increasingly become the front line for an emboldened Taliban insurgency. To protect them, local officials in Balkh Province are manning highway outposts with often untrained Afghans, who are given little more than a rifle and the promise of a paycheck if they survive. Others have been offered construction jobs, only to arrive and realize there is no repair work to be done. The militia members are dropped in areas too dangerous to flee and only picked up weeks or months later, dead or alive. The crooked recruitment practice is the latest indication that Afghanistan’s security forces have been hollowed out by degrading morale and poor recruitment as Taliban attacks continue at an unrelenting pace across the country.”
Yemen
NBC News: Al Qaeda Leader In Yemen In Custody, U.N. Confirms
“The leader of Al Qaeda’s branch in Yemen has been under arrest since October, and the terror group has suffered an erosion of its ranks caused by desertions, according to a United Nations report released Thursday. Khalid Batarfi, aka Abu Miqdad al-KindiNew Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness. The report marked official confirmation that AQAP chief Khalid Batarfi had been detained, following unconfirmed reports. His arrest represents a propaganda embarrassment for the group, which promotes the idea of “martydom” among its followers, and could provide potentially invaluable intelligence to counterterrorism efforts led by the United States. Batarfi was arrested and his deputy, Saad Atef al Awlaqi, died during an “operation in Ghayda City, Al-Mahrah Governorate, in October,” according to the report to the U.N. Security Council from a U.N. monitoring team that tracks Al Qaeda, Islamic State and other extremist groups. The report did not offer further details about the arrest or where Batarfi is being held. The U.S. intelligence community and the Pentagon were not immediately available to comment.”
Nigeria
Agence France-Presse: Nigeria Troops Overrun Jihadist Camps In Northeast
“Nigerian troops backed by jets have taken control of several camps of IS-linked jihadists, with two senior commanders escaping after several other ranking militants were killed, two military sources told AFP Thursday. Troops overran Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) camps in an area straddling Yobe and Borno states in northeast Nigeria after a month-long military operation, the sources said. The operations have been ongoing as President Muhammadu Buhari replaced his four top military commanders after months of pressure over his government's failure to end the country's more than decade-long Islamist insurgency. On Wednesday, soldiers aided by fighter jets overran Dole camp, the last jihadist stronghold in the so-called “Timbuktu triangle”, the two military officers said. “With the fall of Dole the whole area is now under the effective control of Nigerian troops,” said one of the officers. The jihadists have been in control of the area since 2013 when they seized it and established a strong presence, especially in the Talala area, which became the second largest ISWAP camp outside the group's Lake Chad stronghold. Last month troops took over Talala after a fierce battle in which six soldiers were killed by a suicide bomber who detonated his explosive-laden vehicle among troops, military sources told AFP.”
Sahara Reporters: Boko Haram Terrorists Capture, Destroy Police Operational Vehicles In Borno
“Militants belonging to the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah wa'l-Jihād, have allegedly destroyed two operational patrol vehicles the group captured from the Nigeria Police Force. According to ISWAP in a statement sighted by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the vehicles were captured when the group attacked a police checkpoint along the Maiduguri-Chabal-Magumeri Road in Borno State. Chabal in the Magumeri Local Government Area is about 22km from Maimalari Cantonment, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Maiduguri. The insurgents also claimed that many policemen and civilians were kidnapped during the attack. SaharaReporters had earlier reported how the insurgents killed two policemen and a civilian at Chabal. “We just received a signal that Boko Haram terrorists attacked some police officers at Chabal community. A civilian Joint Task Force member was also shot dead. Soldiers from Maimalari Cantonment, 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri have been mobilised to the area,” a military source had told SaharaReporters on Sunday.”
Somalia
The Nation: Somalia: Target In Mogadishu Attack Was Retired Army General, Say Al-Shabaab
“Somalia militant group Al-Shabaab says it laid a siege on a Mogadishu hotel because it was hosting a former military general they were targeting. The group said on Tuesday that the primary motive of attacking Afrik Hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu on Sunday was to kill Maj-Gen (rtd) Mohamed Nur Galaal, a veteran of the Somali army during Siad Barre's days. “The prime target of our assault mission on Afrik Hotel was to eliminate General Mohamed Nur Galaal,” the group said in a statement. Around 5pm on Sunday, a huge explosion was heard across the city, followed by exchange of gunfire between three attackers and the hotel's security personnel. About 2am in the morning of Monday, the Spokesman of Somalia Police Force Sadik Adan Ali told the media that the operation to stop the attack and siege on the hotel was concluded. He said nine people died. “The siege has been concluded and the nine persons we have witnessed as dead included the four attackers (suicide car bomber and three gunmen) and five civilians including retired General Galaal,” said Ali. Al-Shabaab said its mission to attack the hotel had achieved its aim, having killed General Galaal.”
Africa
Reuters: Burkina Faso Government Says It Is Open To Talks With Jihadists
“Burkina Faso's government said for the first time on Thursday that it was open to talks with Islamist militants to try to end a growing insurgency, echoing a position taken by authorities in neighbouring Mali. Nearly a decade after militants linked to al Qaeda briefly seized control of northern Mali, governments across West Africa's Sahel region again find themselves struggling to contain the jihadists, leading some to reconsider prior opposition to talks. “If we want to end the security crisis, we will need to find paths and ways to talk with those responsible for terrorist attacks so that we are in peace,” Prime Minister Christophe Dabire said in response to a question in parliament. Attacks in Burkina Faso by fighters linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State have surged in Burkina Faso since 2018, contributing to a humanitarian crisis that has forced more than one million people to flee their homes. Mali's former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said a year ago that his government was prepared to negotiate with the local al Qaeda affiliate, and the current government has reaffirmed that position. It is not clear if any progress has been made since then.”
France 24: Algerian Court Delays Trial Of Jihadist Suspects In French Hiker’s Murder
“The trial of fourteen suspects in the 2014 beheading of French mountaineer Hervé Gourdel has been postponed until February 18, a court in Algiers ruled on Thursday, citing the main suspect's poor health. Herve Gourdel, 55, was abducted on September 21, 2014 while hiking in Djurdjura National Park in the Kabylie region, a popular destination for hikers that has long been a sanctuary for jihadists. Three days after he disappeared, gunmen from militant group Jund al-Khilafa published a video of his gruesome killing. The French government had rejected their demand to halt air strikes against the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria. Gourdel's body was found in a booby-trapped grave three months later, following a massive manhunt involving thousands of soldiers. In total, 14 people face charges over the case. Only one is known to be in custody: suspected jihadist Abdelmalek Hamzaoui, who appeared in court in a wheelchair on Thursday after undergoing hip surgery. The presiding judge decided to postpone the start of the trial, citing Hamzaoui's poor health. Seven others will be tried in absentia, but no details have been made public on what charges they face.”
Germany
Reuters: German Watchdog Orders Goldman Sachs To Comply With Money Laundering Rules
“Germany’s financial watchdog has ordered Goldman Sachs’ European arm to comply with rules to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, it said on Thursday. The watchdog, BaFin, said it had asked Goldman Sachs to comply with due diligence obligations regarding customers and risk analysis requirements under Germany’s anti-money laundering laws. Goldman Sachs said in a statement that BaFin’s order followed an audit undertaken by BaFin in 2020. “The required implementation is already underway,” the bank said. People familiar with the matter said that Goldman Sachs had not fully complied with German know-your-customer standards when transferring British customers to Germany. The data on the transferred customers did not always provide sufficient clarity on which persons were linked to certain accounts, the people said. They also said that BaFin could impose fines if Goldman Sachs did not address the issue sufficiently. Goldman Sachs is moving customers with roughly $60 billion in assets to Germany from the United Kingdom because of Brexit, people familiar with the matter have said.”
Technology
The Guardian: 'It Let White Supremacists Organize': The Toxic Legacy Of Facebook's Groups
“Mark Zuckerberg, the Facebook CEO, announced last week the platform will no longer algorithmically recommend political groups to users in an attempt to “turn down the temperature” on online divisiveness. But experts say such policies are difficult to enforce, much less quantify, and the toxic legacy of the Groups feature and the algorithmic incentives promoting it will be difficult to erase. “This is like putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” said Jessica J González, the co-founder of the anti-hate speech group Change the Terms. “It doesn’t do enough to combat the long history of abuse that’s been allowed to fester on Facebook.” Facebook launched Groups, a feature that allows people with shared interests to communicate on closed forums, in 2010, but began to make a more concerted effort to promote the feature around 2017 after the Cambridge Analytica scandal cast a shadow on the platform’s Newsfeed. In a long blogpost in 2017 February called Building Global Community, Zuckerberg argued there was “a real opportunity” through groups to create “meaningful social infrastructure in our lives.”
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