The United States on Thursday carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria against
buildings belonging to what the Pentagon said were Iran-backed militias

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


February 26, 2021

 

The New York Times: U.S. Airstrikes In Syria Target Iran-Backed Militias That
Rocketed American Troops In Iraq
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“The United States on Thursday carried out airstrikes in eastern Syria against
buildings belonging to what the Pentagon said were Iran-backed militias
responsible for recent attacks against American and allied personnel in Iraq.
President Biden authorized the strikes in response to the rocketing in Iraq and
to continuing threats to American and coalition personnel there, said John F.
Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, who spoke with reporters traveling with
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III in California. A rocket attack on Feb. 15
on the airport in Erbil, in northern Iraq, killed a Filipino contractor with
the American-led military coalition and wounded six others, including a
Louisiana National Guard soldier and four American contractors. American
officials said the strikes were a relatively small, carefully calibrated
military response: seven 500-pound bombs dropped on a small cluster of
buildings at an unofficial crossing at the Syria-Iraq border used to smuggle
across weapons and fighters. The strikes were just over the border in Syria to
avoid diplomatic blowback to the Iraqi government. The Pentagon offered up
larger groups of targets but Mr. Biden approved a less aggressive option,
American officials said.”

 

The Wall Street Journal: Cayman Islands, Morocco Placed On Terror-Financing
Watch List
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“Four jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands and Morocco, will undergo
increased monitoring as they face pressure from a global watchdog to address
deficiencies in their anti-money-laundering efforts. The Financial Action Task
Force, a Paris-based organization that sets anti-money-laundering law
standards, on Thursday added Burkina Faso, the Cayman Islands, Morocco and
Senegal to its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, joining 15
other countries. The identified deficiencies vary for each jurisdiction, but
they include maintaining comprehensive beneficial ownership information and
expanding the operations of countries’ financial intelligence units, according
to FATF. For instance, FATF in a report said the Cayman Islands government
needs to impose effective administrative penalties and enforcement actions
against entities involved in money-laundering violations, as well as implement
adequate sanctions in cases where accurate and timely beneficial ownership
information isn’t provided. “The Cayman Islands are a major financial center;
we expect from countries who have higher risks, we expect commensurate measures
against these risks,” FATF President Marcus Pleyer said during a virtual press
conference Thursday.”

 

United States

 

The Washington Post: Capitol Police Chief Says Extremists Have Discussed
Attack On Congress During Biden’s First Joint Address
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“The acting chief of the U.S. Capitol Police warned lawmakers Thursday that
militia members involved in the Jan. 6 riot “want to blow up the Capitol and
kill as many members as possible” during President Biden’s first congressional
address. The stark warning about another potential threat to Congress — which
has not been corroborated by other law enforcement agencies — comes as a date
for Biden’s first address on Capitol Hill has not been set. New presidents
typically deliver a speech to a joint session of Congress in February. Acting
chief Yogananda D. Pittman told lawmakers there was “a direct nexus” between
the threats and a Biden speech. She cited that intelligence to explain why
National Guard members who were deployed and the tall security barriers that
were erected around the Capitol after the insurrection have not yet been
removed. “Based on that information, we think that it’s prudent that Capitol
Police maintain its enhanced and robust security posture until we address those
vulnerabilities going forward,” Pittman said. It was not clear whether other
agencies have also identified threats to the Capitol during Biden’s first
congressional address. An FBI spokeswoman declined to comment.”

 

NBC News: New DHS Grants Allocate $77 Million To Target Domestic Violent
Extremism
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“The Department of Homeland Security announced Thursday that it is allocating
more than $1.8 billion in grants to state and local jurisdictions to protect
against terrorism and other disasters, with at least $77 million going to
protect specifically against domestic violent extremism. Homeland Security
Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the most significant terrorism threat now
comes from “small groups of individuals who commit acts of violence motivated
by domestic extremist ideological beliefs.” “While we continue to lawfully
protect against threats posed by foreign terrorist organizations, we also must
ensure adequate focus and funding is provided to combat domestic terrorism,
some of which is motivated by false narratives and extremist rhetoric spread
through social media and other online platforms,” Mayorkas said in a statement.
Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman testified Thursday before
Congress that members of militia groups who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 “want
to blow up the Capitol and kill as many members as possible” when President Joe
Biden addresses Congress.”

 

Yahoo Finance: US Lawmakers To Examine Crypto’s Role In Domestic Terrorism
Funding
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“Members of Congress on Thursday will discuss whether and how cryptocurrencies
and decentralized systems may be used to fund domestic terrorism. The House
Financial Services Committee’s Subcommittee on National Security, International
Development and Monetary Policy published additional details about its hearing
on domestic terror financing late Wednesday, including witness testimony. While
cryptocurrencies won’t be the sole fundraising method discussed, their
inclusion may indicate lawmakers are giving crypto similar importance as more
traditional funding methods, as well as new-but-established tools such as
PayPal. Other government officials have likewise drawn a connection between
terrorism and cryptocurrencies recently. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has
said she is concerned by crypto use by extremists, while members of Congress on
the House Select Committee on Intelligence want more information on how
extremists might have used streaming platform DLive, a unit of BitTorrent that
is tied to the Tron Foundation, which rewards streamers in crypto, to raise or
transfer funds using crypto.”

 

Al Jazeera: Trial Of US Citizen Charged With Terrorism In Venezuela To Begin
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“A Venezuelan criminal court in a Wednesday hearing ordered that a trial begin
for Matthew Heath, a US citizen detained in the South American country on
terrorism charges and accused of being a US spy, Heath’s lawyer said on
Thursday. Heath, 39, was detained in September 2020 in northwestern Venezuela
and charged with terrorism and arms trafficking. His defence lawyer, Guillermo
Heredia, said he rejected the “false” charges in the Wednesday hearing, which
lasted until midnight. President Nicolas Maduro at the time of Heath’s arrest
said he was spying on the OPEC nation’s oil refineries, and that he had been
carrying “specialised weapons”. US officials at the time said Heath was not
sent to Venezuela by Washington. No further court date had been set, Heredia
said, adding that Heath was being held in the headquarters of Venezuela’s
military counterintelligence directorate, known as DGCIM. Heath was arrested
along with National Guard Sergeant Major Darwin Urdaneta, Marcos Garces and
Daeven Rodriguez, the driver of the vehicle. The three Venezuelans were charged
with treason, terrorism, arms trafficking and conspiracy.”

 

Iran

 

Arab News: New Iran-Based Al-Qaeda Head ‘A Potential Asset To Tehran’
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“A former general in the Egyptian military could be the new leader of
Al-Qaeda, but his confinement in Iran and potential value as a pawn in US-Iran
negotiations mean that his vast military and terrorist experience may not
herald a resurgence of the group to 9/11-era levels, according to an expert.
Saif Al-Adel, one of the most senior members of Al-Qaeda, has been tipped to
take over from Ayman Zawahiri, who has not been seen in years and is rumored to
be dead. Al-Adel has been an active terrorist for over 30 years, and the US has
placed a $7.5 million bounty on his head for his role in the 1998 US embassy
bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, which killed 224. He is also said to have been
involved in the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” battle in the Somalian capital
Mogadishu, as well as having been instrumental in building the network behind
the 9/11 attacks in New York.  Philip Riding, lead analyst for Middle East and
Africa at intelligence firm Sibylline, told Arab News that, while Al-Adel’s
reputation as a skilled leader and military strategist remains cause for
concern, his confinement in Iran is likely to hamper his leadership capacities.
“Whatever Al-Adel’s considerable military experience — as a former Egyptian
general — his isolation in Iran and ability to communicate with the remnants of
his organization scattered across the world are much more pertinent,” he said.”

 

Turkey

 

Daily Sabah: Turkey Nabs 14 Daesh Terrorists, Dismantles Sleeper Cell In Adana
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“Counterterrorism police nabbed 14 terrorists, dismantling a Daesh sleeper
cell in Turkey’s southern Adana province, reports said Thursday. The police
carried out the raid after the Adana Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued
detention warrants for nine suspects who participated in Daesh activities in
Iraq and Syria. Five of the terrorists were Syrian nationals and the remaining
four were Iraqis, Ihlas News Agency (IHA) reported. The terrorists from Syria
were identified as Ahmed Al M., 21; Muhammad Walid Al A., 24; Rabia O., 46;
Ahmad Sh., 24 and his brother Muhammad Sh., 29. The Iraqis included Abdurrahman
Raad B., 22; Sabet Tabban Mari M., 47; Abdurrahman H., 21 and his brother Ali
H., 37. They reportedly fought for Daesh in Afrin and Azaz. Muhammad Sh. was a
so-called Daesh police officer, while Muhammad Walid Al A. was responsible for
teaching Arabic to the terrorist group's foreign fighters. Five of the suspects
were arrested by the court and sent to jail, while four of them were released
pending trial. In a separate operation, police nabbed five other suspects who
vandalized 79 tombs, including those of police officers Ahmet and Mehmet Oruç,
who were killed during the bloody coup attempt carried out by the Gülenist
Terror Group (FETÖ) in 2016.”

 

Daily Sabah: Turkish Police Catch Daesh Terrorist Spying On Military Post In
Istanbul
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“Turkish security forces caught a Daesh terrorist red-handed as he was
secretly observing a command post in Istanbul early Thursday. Police received a
tipoff that a man had climbed up a tree and was spying on the Military Police
Command Post in Istanbul’s Yenibosna district at 2 a.m. local time (11 p.m.
GMT), Demirören News Agency (DHA) reported. The suspect, identified as Muhammed
Yahya E., was immediately detained. Police found Daesh-linked images and
documents on the suspect, the report said. He was arrested and sent to jail
after procedures, the report added. Turkey recognized Daesh as a terrorist
group in 2013, and has since been attacked numerous times, including 10 suicide
bombings, seven bombings and four armed assaults, which have killed 315 people
and injured hundreds more. In response, Turkey launched military and police
operations both inside and outside the country, capturing top Daesh members in
counterterrorism efforts at home and in Syria. The terrorist group has been
trying to reestablish itself in Turkey after being dealt a heavy blow in Iraq
and Syria. According to testimony by terrorists detained in previous operations
in Adana province, Daesh had been trying to kidnap judges, prosecutors and
tourist groups as ransom in return for Daesh terrorists held in Iraq and Syria.”

 

Afghanistan

 

The New York Times: Afghan Government Backs Repatriation Of Guantánamo Detainee

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“The government of Afghanistan has filed a petition in federal court
supporting the return of a citizen who has been held for a third of his life at
Guantánamo Bay and now argues that, based on a series of peace agreements in
his fractious country, his war is over. The 24-page brief was submitted by
Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry in the case of Asadullah Haroon Gul. It is
believed to be the first time a foreign government has stepped into a habeas
corpus case in two decades of detention challenges in federal court by the
wartime prisoners held at the United States military base in Cuba. Earlier
repatriations were the result of diplomacy, not litigation. The American
military says Mr. Haroon, who is about 40, is a former commander of an Islamic
militia that attacked coalition forces in Afghanistan and was a go-between for
Al Qaeda. He was captured in 2007. Mr. Haroon is one of 40 prisoners at
Guantánamo. Twelve are charged with crimes, but he is not one of them. Periodic
reviews of his case by a national security panel have deemed him too great a
threat to the United States to be released. But the request by the Afghan
government comes as American policy toward the release of the prisoners could
be shifting.”

 

Pakistan

 

Bloomberg: Pakistan Again Gets Extension To Make Case For Exiting FATF List
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“A global anti-money laundering watchdog gave Pakistan time until June to show
the nation had done enough to be removed from a monitoring list for
terror-financing. Pakistan has addressed 24 of the 27 action items assigned to
it, the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force said in a statement on
Thursday. This is the second extension after the nation failed to meet four
previous deadlines. Four months ago it was asked to see through the action plan
by February. Pakistan has made significant progress but deficiencies remain,
Marcus Pleyer, FATF president said at a briefing. “All of these deficiencies
are related to terror financing.” Pakistan was placed on the FATF’s “grey”
monitoring list in 2018 after a campaign by the U.S. and European nations to
get the country to do more to combat militancy and close financing loopholes to
terrorist groups. China, Turkey and Malaysia have lobbied in the past to
prevent severe penalties against Pakistan, while India, which accuses Islamabad
of funding militant groups operating in its portion of Kashmir, had sought a
downgrade. But the South Asian nation has done enough to escape being put in a
blacklist along with North Korea and Iran.”

 

Lebanon

 

The Jerusalem Post: IDF Gets Ready For Hezbollah Along The Israeli-Lebanese
Border
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“The IDF has reorganized the way it responds to alerts and deploys troops
along the border with Lebanon amid growing concern of a possible confrontation
with Hezbollah, senior officers told The Jerusalem Post. The IDF changes — led
by the 91st Galilee Division – were done in recent months, in which the unit
carried out significant measures to step up its preparedness. The purview of
the 91st Division, which consists of the 300th Brigade in the West and the
769th Brigade in the East, spans the entire Israeli-Lebanese border. As part of
its preparation, the division rearranged the way it deploys its troops. It
formed new tactical units of infantry, tanks, missile batteries, engineering
corps, and others in order to increase its firepower capabilities, and to
“exact a higher price” when it responds to an enemy attack. In order to more
rapidly respond to incidents, the division recently created a new mechanism to
tighten cooperation between different units, including the Navy and the Air
Force units that operate in the area. This new deployment was practiced in the
recent “Lightning Storm” division drill completed two weeks ago. A major part
of the drill was joint work on the “Circle of Fire” – the ability to have
multiple units focus on a target and attack it at the earliest possible time.”

 

Nigeria

 

Agence France-Presse: Boko Haram Claims Deadly Rocket Attack On Nigerian City
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“The Boko Haram jihadist group on Thursday claimed responsibility for a rocket
attack earlier in the week on Nigeria's northeastern city of Maiduguri that
left 16 dead and dozens injured. In a six-minute propaganda video released on
Thursday, a voice claiming to be the group's leader Abubakar Shekau spoke over
footage of militants firing rockets outside the city. “We heard that our
brothers carried out an attack on Tuesday in Maiduguri,” the voice said. “We
are happy. News has reached me our boys carried out the attack.” Officials said
previously that 10 people were killed and 47 were injured when insurgents fired
rocket-propelled grenades on the densely-populated capital of Borno state on
Tuesday. Two self-defence militia leaders told AFP on Wednesday that the death
toll had risen to 16, including nine boys who were playing football in a field.
Eyewitnesses said the jihadists crossed the ditch fortification around
Maiduguri, accessing the city's outskirts from where they fired rockets into
busy neighbourhoods. Boko Haram has previously made incursions into Maiduguri,
one of the last secure strongholds in Borno State, using heavy guns and suicide
bombers. Such attacks are usually foiled in fierce gun battles with Nigerian
troops.”

 

Somalia

 

Dalsan Radio: Somalia: Suspected U.S. Airstrike Destroys Al-Shabaab Training
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“A suspected US airstrike hit Al-Shabaab training base in Burta Kumba
approximately 12 kilometres Jamame town in the Lower Jubba region. According to
Somali National Army Radio, the airstrike killed 15 Al-Shabaab militants at
training the training camp on Wednesday afternoon. An unknown number of
militants were also wounded in the attack. Meanwhile, the Somali military on
Thursday morning captured four Al-Shabaab operatives in a joint operation with
Southwest forces in Awdigle Bay region. The military said the operation was
conducted after a tip-off from the residents that the four militants were in
the area. Al-Shabaab which is linked to Al-Qaeda is fighting in Somalia to
overthrow the internationally recognised government and establish strict Sharia
law based in their own interpretation. The militants were driven out of the
capital Mogadishu in 2011 by AMISOM and the Somali military but they still
control rural areas in central and southern regions, conducting ambushes and
planting landmines.”

 

United Kingdom

 

Evening Standard: Man Arrested On Suspicion Of Terrorism Charge In East London
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“38-year-old man has been arrested in east London on suspicion of sharing
terrorist material. Scotland Yard counter terrorism officers swooped on an
address in the capital on Thursday morning. The suspect was held on suspicion
of dissemination of terrorist publications, as well as publishing or
distributing written material contrary to Section 19 of the Public Order Act
1986. He was taken to a south London police station where he remains in
custody. The arrest was made under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.”

 

Germany

 

Reuters: Germany Bans Salafist Muslim Group
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“German authorities carried out raids in several locations in Berlin and
Brandenburg on Thursday after banning a Berlin Salafist Muslim group, police
said. Berlin’s senate department for interior affairs on Thursday said it had
banned a “jihad-salafist” association Jama’atu Berlin, also known as Tauhid
Berlin, and that police had undertaken the raids, without giving further
details. German newspaper Tagesspiegel said the group glorified “Islamic State”
fighting on the internet and called for the killing of Jews, adding that
criminal proceedings were pending against some of its members. The newspaper
added that the group had contact with Anis Amri, a failed Tunisian asylum
seeker with Islamist links, who hijacked a truck and drove it into a Christmas
market in Berlin, killing 12 people in 2016. Salafists - strict Sunni Muslims -
include peaceful private people, activists seeking the implementation of Sharia
law and militants advocating violence to establish states they might regard as
representing true Islam. The number of Salafists had risen in Germany to an
all-time high of 12,150 in 2019, Germany’s domestic intelligence said in its
annual report last year, listing them among “Islamist extremists.”

 

Europe

 

Radio Free Europe: Former Islamic State Militant Sentenced To Six Years In
Bosnia Court
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“The top court in Bosnia has found a Bosnian Muslim man guilty of fighting
with the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria and sentenced him to six
years in prison. The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina also found Jasmin
Keserovic guilty on the second count of having published an incitement to
murder on the Internet in 2016. Judges who announced the sentence on February
25 said that by publicly calling on Muslims to kill Christian soldiers and
civilians alike, the defendant “demonstrated specific ruthlessness.” Judges
rejected defense claims that Keserovic was in Syria for charity work to help
the local population amid the war. The defense can appeal the sentence.
Keserovic was part of a group of seven Bosnian men flown back from Syria on a
U.S. Air Force flight in December 2019 along with 18 women and children. Bosnia
became the first country in Europe in 2014 to announce prison terms for its
citizens who fought abroad. Some 42 suspected IS fighters who have since
returned to the country were tried and, in most cases, sentenced to prison.”



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