Eye on Extremism
October 1, 2019
ABC
News: Afghan Officials: Taliban Attack Kills At Least 11
Policemen
“The Taliban launched a multi-pronged attack on a district
headquarters in a remote district in northern Afghanistan early on
Tuesday, killing at least 11 policemen and triggering a gunbattle that
was still underway hours later, officials said. The attack on the
Shortepa district headquarters in northern Balkh province started
early in the morning, according to Munir Ahmad Farhad, spokesman for
the provincial governor. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the
insurgents had overran the compound. Farhad denied the claim, saying
Afghan security forces were still in control of the district
headquarters and that reinforcements were on their way to Shortepa.
The district is very remote, said Mohammad Afzel Hadid, head of the
Balkh provincial council, adding that he fears the casualty toll could
rise further unless reinforcement arrives promptly. “I hope
reinforcements arrive sooner rather than later, it is a remote area
with very poor communications,” he said. Taliban attacks have
continued unabated even as Afghanistan held presidential elections on
Saturday and the U.S.-Taliban talks over a peace deal collapsed last
month. There were at least 68 attacks by the Taliban across the
country during election day, most of them rockets fired from distant
outposts.”
The
Times: Time Bomb Jail Packed With 5,000 ISIS Fighters
“The cells smelt of stale sweat, prison grime and something that
could have been the death of hope. On the crowded floors thin,
shaven-headed men in orange suits lay on their sides crammed together,
the chest of each pressed into the back of the next, so that no other
phrase than “tinned sardines” could better describe the wretchedness
of their situation. These are the vanquished of Islamic State: 5,000
men in a single improvised prison, citizens of Britain, France,
Belgium and the United States among them. All had heeded the call of
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and flocked to join the caliphate in Syria and
Iraq before it was finally crushed this year. Another 7,000 men
languish in similar conditions near by, in six other prisons…”
CNN:
Saudi-Led Coalition In Yemen Denies 'Theatrical' Houthi Ambush
Claims
“The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen has dismissed claims by
Iranian-backed Houthi rebels that they carried out a large-scale
ambush that led to hundreds of deaths and the capture of thousands of
prisoners of war. In a Monday news conference, coalition spokesman
Col. Turki al-Malki called the Houthi announcement "theatrical,"
describing it as part of "attempts to mislead" international and
regional media. On Sunday, Houthi rebels released video purporting to
show the apparent aftermath of an August attack that they said killed
hundreds of Saudi-backed troops and led to the capture of 2,000
others.”
Independent:
Iran-US Tensions Threaten Fragile Stability In Iraq, Amid Army
Dismissals And Restructuring
“Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saadi was the great Iraqi
military hero of the war against Isis, leading the assault on Mosul
which recaptured the de facto Isis capital after a nine-month siege in
2017. But at the weekend he was suddenly removed as the commander of
the Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) shock troops, the elite corps of
the Iraqi armed forces, by Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi. He was
instead given what the general considered to be a non-job at the
Defence Ministry.”
Fox
News: Iran’s Top General Says Wiping Israel Off Map Is An ‘Achievable
Goal’
“Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander on Monday said
that wiping Israel off the map is now an “achievable goal” thanks to
the country’s technological advances. Gen. Hossein Salami’s comments,
delivered before an audience of IRGC leaders, were carried by multiple
news outlets, including the state-funded IRNA agency. “This sinister
regime must be wiped off the map and this is no longer … a dream (but)
it is an achievable goal,” Salami said. He added that the country has
“managed to obtain the capacity to destroy the imposter Zionist
regime,” four decades after the Iranian Revolution. “The second step
of the revolution is the step that rearranges the constellation of
power in favor of the revolution. Iran’s Islamic evolution will be on
top of this constellation,” Salami said, adding, “In the second step,
we will be thinking of the global mobilization of Islam.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: US Demands Release Of 128,000 Prisoners Held By Syrian
Regime
“The United States demanded on Monday the release of nearly 128,000
people who have been arbitrarily detained by the Syrian regime. “This
practice is unacceptable,” US Ambassador Kelly Craft told the UN
Security Council at its monthly meeting on the conflict in Syria. “The
Assad regime must release detainees and provide international monitors
access to detention centers,” she said. Syrian regime leader Bashar
Assad has declared several amnesties of prisoners since the conflict
began in 2011 -- notably in 2014, 2018, and in
mid-September.”
United States
New
York Post: Chicagoland Mall ‘Terrorist’ Did Obsessive Research Before
Attack: Prosecutors
“The driver of an SUV that plowed through a Chicagoland mall
obsessively researched the center online prior to the mayhem that
sparked more than 100 terrified calls to 911, prosecutors said. Javier
Garcia, 22, has been charged with terrorism and held without bond for
the Sept. 20 carnage that was caught on a now-viral video viewed more
than 10 million times. In the day before his attack, Garcia conducted
124 internet searches on Woodfield Mall in suburban Schaumburg,
including the stores inside and street and aerial views, prosecutors
said in Leighton Criminal Court on Sunday. The bipolar suspect also
searched a former teacher at least 21 times, although no further
explanation was given in court, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Garcia had smashed his black Chevrolet Trailblazer through double
doors into a Sears — prompting more than 100 calls to 911, according
to the reports. “The shattering of the glass sounded like multiple
gunshots, causing patrons to initially believe that there was an
active shooter in the mall,” Assistant State’s Attorney Annalee
McGlone told the court. “Hysterical patrons were running and jumping
in attempts to evade the vehicle’s path. Stores were locking their
gates and sheltering people in the rear of stores for safety
purposes.”
CBS
Chicago: Do Terrorism Charges Fit The Crime Of Driving Through A
Mall?
“Police said the man who caused chaos inside Woodfield Mall earlier
this month when he stormed through Sears and into the concourse faces
a judge Tuesday. But when 22-year-old Javier Garcia stands in court,
he’ll face a charge some experts are confused by: terror charges. CBS
2’s Chris Tye reports why some aren’t so sure the charges fit the
crime. It’s not a shock that his attorney said there’s no terror
connection to his client. But independent experts CBS 2 sought out
also think it’s a stretch. It’s the rarely used state law that helps
prosecutors attach terror charges where you’d least expect them. Six
hours after police said Javier Garcia gave Woodfield Mall its scariest
day in years, Schaumburg police quickly ruled one thing out. “There is
no indication that this incident is related to any type of terrorist
act.” That’s according to Schaumburg Police Chief Bill Wolf on
September 20. So when Garcia was charged over the weekend with
terrorism, it left some questions. “This doesn’t fit any reasonable
definiution of terrorism,” said Tom Mockaitis of DePaul University. He
wrote a book this summer on violent extremism. He said terror charges
typically attach to those with extreme ideas.”
Truthout:
Why Haven’t Police Departments Investigated Cops In Extremist Facebook
Groups?
“Prison guard Geoffery Crosby was a member of more than 50
extremist groups on Facebook, including scores of racist groups
dedicated to the Confederacy. Missouri Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Crites
was — and still is — posting anti-Muslim rants on his personal
Facebook page. In Georgia, despite warnings from his chief, Abbeville
police Officer Joel Quinn continues to post a steady stream of
conspiracy theories and right-wing memes on Facebook, including
recently sharing an anti-Semitic meme. In June, Reveal from The Center
for Investigative Reporting identified hundreds of police officers
across the country who were members of closed racist, Islamophobic,
misogynistic or anti-government militia groups on Facebook. We sought
reaction from more than 150 law enforcement departments about their
officers’ involvement in these extremist groups. Yet only one
department — the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, which fired a
detective for racist posts — has publicly taken any significant
action. More than 50 departments promised investigations, but few have
taken any other steps. The Portland Police Bureau said “no
jurisdiction existed” for it to take any action against an officer
whose Islamophobic comments were posted before he joined the
agency.”
Tulsa
World: Man Arrested On Terrorism Complaint After Allegedly Threatening
To Blow Up Midtown Apartment
“A Tulsa man was arrested on a terrorism complaint early Monday
after he reportedly threatened to blow up his midtown apartment Sunday
night with a propane tank from an outdoor grill. Tulsa police
initially responded to the French Villa Apartments, 4752 S. Harvard
Ave., about 11:45 p.m. on a report of a domestic assault in progress.
The victim told police Charles Fox was “very intoxicated” and
assaulted her before grabbing a propane tank from an outdoor grill and
bringing it inside, saying he was going “to blow the apartment up,”
according to a news release. Officers evacuated nearby apartments, but
when firefighters detected a high level of propane gas in the area,
all apartments in the affected building were evacuated, the release
states. The bomb team and Special Operations Team commander responded
to the scene and breached the apartment’s back sliding-glass door with
12-gauge beanbag rounds. Fox came outside about 3:50 a.m. Monday and
was taken into custody. Other residents were allowed back into their
apartments about 4 a.m. Upon a search of the apartment, officers found
two propane tanks modified to release with a handheld nozzle and an
air hose and sprayer.”
Des
Moines Register: 14-Year-Old Charged With Threat Of Terrorism Over Job
Posting For 'School Shooter'
“A 14-year-old male faces a terrorism felony after creating a job
posting in Fort Dodge for a “school shooter.” Fort Dodge police were
made aware of the “concerning online job” on Indeed.com, a search
engine for job postings, according to a news release. Though the post
offered little content to identify the poster, police eventually
contacted Indeed for records that led them to the Fort Dodge teen.
Police discovered the post had been public since Friday afternoon,
according to the release. Police charged the boy with threat of
terrorism, a class “D” felony. He is in custody at the Central Iowa
Juvenile Detention facility in Eldora. “With student safety being of
utmost importance, we always are working in collaboration with the
Fort Dodge Community School District anytime a potential threat or
concern is raised,” the release states. “This incident was no
different. Once information was gathered, we worked closely with the
school staff to identify the individual involved and hold them
accountable.” The defendant's name is being withheld due to his age.
The Fort Dodge police continue to investigate leads related to this
case.”
Syria
Associated
Press: UN Envoy Says Syria Charter-Drafting Panel A 'Sign Of
Hope'
“The U.N. special envoy for Syria said Monday that the convening of
a committee to draft a new constitution for Syria on Oct. 30 "should
be a sign of hope for the long-suffering Syrian people" — but it will
matter only if it becomes a step out of the more than eight-year
conflict. Geir Pedersen told a U.N. Security Council meeting on the
sidelines of the annual gathering of world leaders at the General
Assembly that the committee alone cannot resolve the conflict, saying
that actions to de-escalate violence and move toward a nationwide
cease-fire “are absolutely essential.”
The
National: British ISIS Fighter Thought Dead Is Found Alive In Secret
Syrian Prison
“One of the first British men to join ISIS has been found alive in
prison in northern Syria and wants to return to his previous life in
Cardiff, Wales. Former ice cream seller Aseel Muthana travelled to
Syria in 2015, aged 17, and was believed to have died. He was
following his brother Nasser and their friend Reeyad Khan, who fled
from the UK to join the terrorist group in 2013. The other two men are
also presumed to be dead. But Aseel is alive in a secret prison along
with about 5,000 other inmates and he reportedly misses his mother in
Wales, ITV News reported on Monday. Nasser and Khan featured in one of
ISIS's first propaganda videos aimed at recruits in the West. Inside
the prison, Aseel told the British broadcaster he was lured to Syria
by ISIS propaganda, which said that joining the group would mean he
would be helping poor people in the country. “Back then when I first
came to ISIS, you have to understand I came way before the caliphate
was pronounced,” he said. “Before all of these beheading videos,
before all of the burnings happened, before any of that stuff. “We
came when ISIS propaganda and ISIS media was all about helping the
poor, helping the Syrian people.” “We stuck with the people from the
UK and from Wales ... me and my brother and Reeyad.”
The
Telegraph: Female Isil Supporter Killed In Row Over Makeshift Sharia
Court In Syrian Camp
“A female Isil supporter was killed and seven others injured during
an exchange of gunfire over a secret Sharia court set up in a Syrian
camp holding displaced women and children. The row broke out when a
group of female Isil supporters ordered that several other women in
the foreigners' section of al-Hol camp be given lashes for refusing to
attend an informal Koranic studies class. Guards from the Kurdish-led
Syrian Democratic Forces, who run the camp, intervened and opened fire
after one of the Isil members pulled out a pistol that had reportedly
been smuggled into the camp. The women claimed they had also taken
hostage employees of Medecins Sans Frontieres, though this was denied
by the aid agency, which said it had treated four women for gunshot
wounds. The incident has refocused attention on the need to find a
workable legal solution for the 10,000 foreigners living in squalid
conditions in the camp, which holds some 73,000 displaced from former
Isil territory. Several reports have said groups of women are
attempting to impose Isil law on others in the camp. “The situation
in [al-Hol] camp is deteriorating sharply as Daesh militants have
stepped up their regrouping efforts through women in the camp
recently,” said SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali.”
Iran
Fox
News: Iran Dissidents Claim To Have Intel Proving Regime's Involvement
In Saudi Oil Attacks
“Iran’s main resistance group claimed Monday to have intelligence
detailing how Tehran was behind the recent attacks on a Saudi oil
facility -- just days after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani
challenged the international community to provide such evidence of its
involvement. The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) said it
has received information from within the government that detailed the
missile and drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities on Sept. 14.”
Foreign
Policy: The U.S. Navy Isn’t Ready to Take On Iran
“Whatever lay behind the indecisive Trump administration response
to the alleged Sept. 14 Iranian missile and drone strike on Saudi oil
facilities, one thing is clear. The United States’ ability to project
power into the Persian Gulf region via carrier strike groups, the
go-to U.S. option in such situations for decades, is not what it used
to be, nor what it might have been. Not long ago, a modern version of
gunboat diplomacy—dispatching carriers or guided missile cruisers to
the region to loiter menacingly offshore—could have decisively
influenced events. In the 1981, carrier aircraft slapped down a
territorial grab by Libyan leader Muammar al-Qaddafi in the Gulf of
Sidra by downing two of his fighters. Parking a carrier off Lebanon
the next year pressed a cease-fire on Israel and Lebanese factions
long enough to affect a U.S.-organized evacuation of the Palestine
Liberation Organization, removing at least one source of the country’s
chaos. And similarly, in 1996, U.S. President Bill Clinton reacted to
provocative Chinese war games off Taiwan by sending two carriers to
the Taiwan Strait, leading Beijing to back down in a humiliation cited
frequently today as a reason for China’s own naval buildup.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Saudi Prince Backs Away From Military Clash With
Iran
“Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has edged away
from a possible military confrontation with Iran despite its
devastating attack on Saudi oil facilities, as the kingdom seeks to
cool regional tensions and rehabilitate its image a year after the
killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The crown prince, Saudi
Arabia’s de facto leader, voiced support for a political solution to
relations with its regional rival in comments during an interview with
CBS’ “60 Minutes” aired on Sunday. He also welcomed the possibility of
a meeting between President Trump and Iranian President Hassan
Rouhani.”
Reuters:
Iran Sentences Man To Death For Spying For The CIA
“Iranian courts have sentenced one person to death for spying for
the CIA and jailed two others for 10 years for the same crime, as well
as imprisoning a fourth person for 10 years for spying for Britain,
the judiciary said on Tuesday. The verdicts come amid spiraling
tensions between Tehran and the United States since President Donald
Trump last year withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with major
powers and reimposed sanctions that have crippled Iran’s economy in
order to force Tehran to renegotiate the pact.”
Iraq
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Police Arrest Two Islamic State Militants In
Mosul
“The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced on Monday that its forces
arrested two members of the Islamic State militant group in the
northern province of Nineveh. “The pair worked as fighters for the
group’s Jund (soldiers) diwan,” Mawazin News quoted the ministry’s
spokesman, Maj. Gen. Saad Maan, as saying in a press statement. They
were arrested in Hamam al-Alil district, south of Mosul city, the
spokesman added. Iraq declared the collapse of Islamic State’s
territorial influence in November 2017 with the recapture of Rawa, a
city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, which was the group’s last
bastion in Iraq. IS declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of
Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a
U.S.-led international coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched
in 2016 to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most
notably the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed
capital.”
Turkey
Al-Monitor:
Erdogan's Syria Plan: Resettling The Syrian Refugees Or Ousting Kurds
From Their Land?
“Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the rostrum at the
United Nations General Assembly and delivered a colorful address full
of theatrics and accompanied with maps. In his speech, he contested
the legitimacy of Israel’s frontiers and also disclosed Turkey’s
project to create a safe zone in northeastern Syria that would
seemingly resolve, in a radical way, the problem of Syrian refugees.
Erdogan sounded consistent with his previous statements regarding the
creation of a Turkish-controlled safe zone about 20 miles (32
kilometers) deep that would extend parallel to Turkey’s border with
Syria for about 480-490 kilometers (some 300 miles).”
Afghanistan
The
Wall Street Journal: Brave Voting In Afghanistan
“The voting totals won’t be known for weeks, yet the two leading
candidates for Afghan president are both declaring victory. The
current occupant, President Ashraf Ghani, last week ruled out a
renewed power-sharing deal, such as the one brokered after the
disputed 2014 election. His rival, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah,
warned Thursday about electoral fraud. As messy as this young
democracy can be, Saturday’s election is also a hard reminder of the
stakes. Hundreds of polling places could not be opened amid threats of
violence by the Taliban. Despite security measures, there were reports
of scattered violence and casualties, including a bomb blast in
Kandahar, according to the Associated Press.”
Associated
Press: Afghanistan To Taliban: Peace Or ‘We Will Continue To
Fight’
“As Afghans await the results of a presidential election roiled by
Taliban threats, the government used its platform at the U.N. General
Assembly on Monday to tell the insurgents: “Join us in peace, or we
will continue to fight.” Afghanistan was not the only country sending
a message: North Korea had one for the United States , saying it was
up to Washington whether now-stalled nuclear negotiations “become a
window of opportunity or an occasion that will hasten the crisis.” And
even in the final hour of this year’s U.N. gathering of world leaders,
Iran and Saudi Arabia traded barbs sharpened by a recent missile and
drone strike on major Saudi oil facilities. Monday’s speeches wrapped
up a meeting marked by global worries over the rising tensions in the
Persian Gulf region , the changing climate and the very future of the
idea of large-scale international cooperation that the U.N.
represents. As General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande put
it in his closing remarks, “The world will not survive for long unless
we cultivate the give-and-take spirit” of multilateralism.
Afghanistan’s national security adviser, Hamdullah Mohib, spoke two
days after his countrymen voted in a presidential election in which
hundreds of polling centers weren’t opened because the country
couldn’t secure them against the Taliban.”
Vice
News: The Taliban Made Sure Afghans Were Too Terrified To Vote On
Election Day
“An armored Land Cruiser sped by, flanked front and rear by Afghan
police Humvees with machine gunners in their turrets. They were the
only vehicles on the typically chaotic 20-mile stretch of road that
connects Kabul with Wardak’s capital city Maidan Shahr. It was
Election Day, and motorists had heeded the Taliban’s warning to stay
home. “The Taliban told people you’ll be killed or have your fingers
cut off,” Rahmatullah, a 19-year-old from Maidan Shahr, told VICE
News. Machine gun fire in the distance sounded like fingernails
wrapping on a tabletop. According to preliminary tallies, as few as
2.5 million of the 9.6 million registered voters turned out. But it
wasn’t just the Taliban who interfered in Afghanistan’s presidential
election; the fraud that marred previous votes also dissuaded many
from taking part this time around. The historically low turnout has
once again cast doubt over the future of the government, but few are
surprised by the turmoil. Less than a month ago, the election wasn’t
expected to happen at all. The vote had been on a collision course
with the potential signing of a preliminary peace agreement between
U.S. and Taliban representatives after months of negotiations in Doha,
Qatar.”
Xinhua:
Afghan Airstrikes Kill 17 Militants In Southern Zabul
Province
“A total of 17 militants had beem confirmed dead as fighting planes
struck Taliban hideouts in parts of Shahjoy district of Afghanistan's
southern Zabul province on Monday, said an army statement on Tuesday.
According to the statement, 15 more militants were wounded in the air
raids. Five motorbikes belonging to the insurgents had also been
destroyed, the statement said. Taliban militants have not
commented.”
Pakistan
The
Washington Post: Suicide Bomber Kills Policeman In Pakistan’s
Southwest
“Pakistan’s police say a suicide bombing has killed a policeman and
wounded three others in the country’s restive southwest. Local police
chief Mohammad Zaman says Monday’s attack took place in the town of
Loralai in the Baluchistan province. Zaman said the bomber rode his
motorcycle into a police vehicle, killing himself in the blast. No
group immediately claimed the attack. Baluchistan is the scene of a
low-level insurgency by separatists demanding more autonomy and a
greater share in the region’s natural resources such as gas and oil.
The province also has a strong presence of militants, sharing a border
with war-torn Afghanistan.”
Lebanon
Xinhua:
2 IS Suspects Arrested In Lebanon
“Lebanon's state security arrested on Monday two Syrian nationals
belonging to the extremist Islamic State (IS) group, the National News
Agency reported. The two Syrians, who were arrested in Nabatieh in
southern Lebanon, admitted to have fought in Syria for the IS before
entering illegally to Lebanon. The arrested people were referred to
military judicial bodies for investigations. Lebanon's state security
had also arrested last Tuesday a Syrian who was suspected for
belonging to IS in Nabatieh. The IS claimed responsibility for an
attack on the northern city of Tripoli on June 3, killing two members
of the Lebanese security forces and two others from the Lebanese
Army.”
Libya
Bloomberg:
U.S. Steps Up Strikes On Islamic State Militants In
Libya
“The U.S. has stepped up airstrikes on Islamic State militants in
southern Libya, where a breakdown in security has allowed the
extremists who once controlled parts of the North African country to
regroup. An American strike that killed seven suspected Islamic State
members on Sept. 29 was the fourth in a month, with a total of 43
militants dead, according to a tally of casualties from statements
released by the U.S. military’s Africa Command. The forces of
eastern-based strongman Khalifa Haftar swept through the oil-rich
southwest at the start of 2019, saying they wanted to restore security
and fight terrorism. But the intervention set off a deadly ethnic war
between the Tebu people and Arab tribes allied with Haftar’s Libyan
National Army. The country has seen almost constant conflict since a
2011 NATO-backed revolt ousted Muammar Qaddafi, allowing extremists
and traffickers to thrive. “The sheer number of casualties suggests
that Islamic State had definitely benefited from the contemporary
situation to significantly recruit and build alliances. So this is a
preemptive measure,” said Emad Badi, a Libya expert and non-resident
fellow with the Middle East Institute. Africom said it conducted the
strikes in coordination with the Tripoli-based government.”
Nigeria
Reuters:
Islamic State Claims Attack On Soldiers In Northeast
Nigeria
“Militants in northeastern Nigeria killed at least nine people in
an attack on Sunday, sources told Reuters on Monday. It was the latest
in a series of attacks in the northeast that has coincided with the
Nigerian military’s implementation of a new strategy of withdrawing to
“super camps” that the military says can be more easily defended
against Islamist insurgents. Some security experts have expressed
concerns that the areas vacated under the strategy announced by
President Muhammadu Buhari in July are being filled by insurgents,
leaving civilians vulnerable in a region that is grappling with a
decade-long insurgency that has killed more than 30,000 people. One
military source and one resident in the town of Gubio, in Borno state,
said the attack on the area began around 4:30 p.m. (1530 GMT) and
lasted until 9 p.m. On Monday, Islamic State claimed responsibility
for the attack via its Amaq news agency, saying it killed and wounded
18 Nigerian soldiers and took vehicles and weapons before fleeing. The
group said the attack was carried out on Nigerian army barracks in
Gubio where militants clashed with soldiers before the insurgents
withdrew from the town. Two military spokesmen did not immediately
respond to phone calls and text messages seeking comment.”
The
Punch Nigeria: Army Arrests Eight Foreign Nationals Working For Boko
Haram
“Troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a bus driver and seven
passengers who are illegal immigrants and believed to be working for
the Islamic State West Africa Province and the Boko Haram fighters
along Yola Road in Borno State. The eight suspects were rounded up by
troops of 331 Artillery Regiment deployed at a checkpoint along the
road. The army identified only the driver as Musa Ibrahim. According
to a release from the army headquarters, Abuja, on Monday, the arrest
was made between September 25 and 28, after troops also arrested one
“notorious logistics supplier of the criminal insurgent group, Alhaji
Kolomi Modu, at Ndollori area of Maiduguri.” The army operations media
coordinator, Col Aminu Iliyasu, said the troops on operations Lafiya
Dole, Mesa and Swift Response would continue to conduct more arrests
ahead of the 2019 yuletide season to deny criminals and bandits a
freedom of action. He said, “Within September 25 and 28, the troops
deployed in the North-East continued to dominate the areas with
aggressive fighting patrols and ambushes to fix and neutralise the
fleeing Boko Haram and ISWAP elements.”
Somalia
The
Washington Post: Twin Al-Shabab Attacks In Somalia Target U.S. And
European Armed Forces
“Al-Shabab, a Somali militant organization affiliated with
al-Qaeda, claimed two attacks in Somalia on Monday, both targeting
Western forces backing the government. The U.S. Africa Command and the
Somali government said no coalition members were injured or killed,
but the brazenness of the attacks highlighted the insurgent group’s
continued ability to destabilize the country. One attack, apparently
led by an explosives-laden vehicle and followed by foot soldiers, took
place at the gates of Baledogle airfield, where the U.S. military
stations drones and trains Somali soldiers. The second took place in
the capital, Mogadishu, and involved the bombing of an Italian
military convoy returning to base from a training exercise as part of
a European Union training mission in Somalia.”
CNN:
Double Attack Hits US Military Base And Italian Convoy In
Somalia
“A US base and an Italian military convoy were targeted in separate
attacks in Somalia on Monday. Al-Shabaab militants staged a
simultaneous car bomb and gun attack on the Baledogle US facility,
while the Italian vehicles were hit by an explosion in the country's
capital of Mogadishu, according to officials. The US base is located
in the south of the East African nation, about 100 kilometers (62
miles) northwest of Mogadishu. American forces use the base to train
Somali commando units. Abdifitah Haji Abdulle, deputy governor of the
Lower Shabelle region, said fighters detonated explosives at the
entrance of the base before attempting to storm the premises. He added
that fighting took place outside the camp, which houses US and Somali
soldiers. There was no immediate report of casualties. Somali National
Army Radio reported that Somali forces and their US partners had
“repelled” the coordinated terrorist assault. Separately, the Italian
Defense Ministry said two of its light armored vehicles were hit by a
blast in the capital on Monday morning, after returning from training
with Somali security forces. “At the moment, there are no consequences
for the Italian personnel,” the ministry said. Reuters also reported
seeing a seriously damaged armored vehicle displaying a small Italian
flag sticker.”
CNN:
US Airstrikes Help Repel Al-Shabaab Attack On US Base In
Somalia
“The US military carried out two airstrikes and exchanged small
arms fire with al Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab fighters in Somalia after a
base used by US personnel was attacked by a vehicle-borne bomb Monday,
US Africa Command said in a statement to CNN. The al-Shabaab attack on
the Baledogle Military Airfield complex in Baledogle, Somalia, did not
result in any deaths or injuries to US or Somali personnel, according
to the statement. “In response to this attack and in self-defense, US
Africa Command conducted two airstrikes and used small arms fire
targeting al-Shabaab terrorists. It is assessed US and partner forces
killed 10 terrorists and destroyed one vehicle involved in the
attack,” the statement added. “This attack, though ineffective,
demonstrates the direct threat al-Shabaab poses to Americans, our
allies, and interests in the region,” Maj. Gen. William Gayler, Africa
Command's director of operations, said in the statement. The US has
approximately 600 personnel in Somalia where they train and advise
local Somali forces battling al-Shabaab and the local ISIS affiliate.
US Special Operations forces in Somalia's primary task is to train and
build a Somalia specialized light infantry force known as Danab.”
Africa
France
24: Boko Haram's Escalating Cruelty In Lake Chad
Region
“Earlier this year, an image of three women holding babies whose
ears had been brutally severed made the rounds on social media. The
image pointed to escalating levels of cruelty practiced by Boko Haram.
The group, which pledged their allegiance to the IS group, has killed
thousands and displaced nearly two million people. Boko Haram
continues to defy local armies around the region of Lake Chad, with
its activities now also impacting the region's local economies.”
The
Defense Post: Mali: ‘Terrorists’ Attack Military Posts At Boulkessi
And Mondoro
“Insurgents conducted attacks against two military posts in the
Mopti region of Mali near the border with Burkina Faso, killing at
least two civilians and burning 22 vehicles, the army and local
officials said. Two military posts were attacked early Monday,
September 30, the Malian Armed Forces (FAMa) tweeted. A post at
Mondoro was attacked around at 1 a.m, followed by an assault on a post
at Boulkessi – also spelled Boulkessy – at 4:30 a.m., FAMa said.
Boulkessi is around 70 km (40 miles) east of Mondoro. Minister of
Communication Yaya Sangare later said in a statement that a FAMa camp
at Boulkessi and a military post at Mondoro had been the “subject of a
violent jihadist attack.”
Newsweek:
Kenyan Police On High Alert Over Potential Terrorist Attacks Around
Mombasa
“Kenyan police are on high alert after recovering intelligence
suggesting that several operatives had been sent into the country by
al-Shabaab, a Somali jihadist group affiliated with al-Qaeda. Police
believe seven operatives have been sent into Kenya to carry out
attacks on several key counties. Both Kwale and Kilifi counties are
located along the country's coast on the Indian Ocean and both border
Mombasa, Kenya's second-largest city by population, to the southwest
and north. Police told media that they believe the al-Shabaab
militants intend to carry out attacks on several important
institutions in the two counties and Mombasa, including Moi
International Airport, Kenya Ports Authority and the Standard Gauge
Railway terminus. “It is likely that the operatives may use the
opportunity to target social places including hotels and beaches along
the Kenyan Coast,” a September 28 letter obtained by Kenyan newspaper
The Daily Nation that was addressed to police commanders read. Police
believe that the terrorists are likely to use United Nations-branded
vehicles in carrying out the attacks to avoid suspicion. For now,
Kwale County police commander Alexander Munyao cautioned officers in a
letter obtained by the Nation to be vigilant and wary of any
government vehicles.”
France
24: Forsaken In Terror War, Kenyan Islands Await Doctors By
Boat
“Laden with medicines, the speedboat sets off before dawn, its path
lit only by the full moon as it cuts between miles of thick mangroves
towards Kenya's border with Somalia, where few dare to go. Two hours
later at sunrise, the boat arrives at Kiangwe village, one of several
remote coastal communities whose only healthcare comes from these
monthly visits by the Safari Doctors mobile medical team. Volunteer
doctors and nurses roll up their trousers and heave containers full of
medical supplies onto their shoulders before wading ashore and hiking
up a hill to a building that will serve as their clinic for a few
hours. Kiangwe and surrounding villages have been hard-hit by the
Kenyan government's war with Somali extremist group Al-Shabaab, whose
militants operate from within the nearby Boni Forest which straddles
the border. In the distance, between stick-and-mud houses topped with
palm fronds, stands a shuttered clinic that was built but never
occupied. “We have several buildings laying dormant because we have
personnel (professional nurses and doctors) that don't want to get
posted” to the region, said Umra Omar, the 36-year-old who founded
Safari Doctors four years ago.”
Xinhua:
Algeria Army Arrests Terrorist, Finds Bodies, Weapons
“A terrorist was arrested in an operation in southern Algeria while
bodies of two others were found in another operation, Algeria's
defense ministry announced in a statement on Monday. According to the
statement, the army arrested a man who joined terrorist groups in 2016
in an ambush in the border region of Ain Qazam in the southern
province of Tamanrasset. The army also seized a Kalashnikov
machine-gun, ammunition and 1.5 kg of explosives and detonation
devices. The army also found bodies of two terrorists who were
eliminated in an earlier operation in Awana region in the coastal
province of Jijel. Meanwhile, army forces in the southernmost region
of Tamanrasset found a cache of weapons and ammunition containing an
RPG-2 rocket launcher with two shells and two improvised explosive
devices, a machine-gun and five BM-21 surface-to-surface missiles. The
security situation in Algeria has remarkably improved in the last
decade but clashes between security forces and terrorist groups are
still occasionally reported. A few militants affiliated to al-Qaida in
the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and Islamic State-affiliated groups are
still taking refuge in the dense woods in northern Algeria, and remote
desert areas near Libya, Niger and Mali.”
North Korea
The
New York Times: Bolton Criticizes Trump’s Courtship Of North
Korea
“In his first public comments since leaving the White House, John
R. Bolton, the former national security adviser, delivered a stark
warning on Monday about President Trump’s approach to North Korea,
undercutting the president’s insistence that its leader, Kim Jong-un,
wanted to make a denuclearization deal with him. Without mentioning
Mr. Trump by name, Mr. Bolton said he wanted to “speak in unvarnished
terms about the threat posed by North Korea,” and made it clear that
he thought the president’s outreach to Mr. Kim had benefited only one
side. And while Mr. Trump has made a deal with Mr. Kim one of his
signature foreign policy goals, Mr. Bolton asserted that there had
been no gains with his approach.”
Germany
Yahoo
News: Far-Right 'Terror' Group In Dock In Germany Over Attack
Plot
“The trial of a neo-Nazi “terrorist” cell accused of plotting a
violent political uprising in Germany opened on Monday amid signs the
country's far-right scene is growing more militant. Eight members of
the so-called Revolution Chemnitz group aged between 21 and 32 are
answering to charges of “forming a right-wing terrorist organisation”.
“They wanted to change the history of the Federal Republic of Germany
and bring about a transformation of the political system,” federal
prosecutor Kai Lohse told Dresden's superior regional court. They
allegedly sought to carry out “armed and deadly attacks” against
immigrants, political “opponents”, reporters and members of the
economic establishment. Authorities believe the group's members were
trying to acquire semi-automatic weapons and draw militants from
across Europe to carry out a potential bloodbath last year in Berlin
on October 3, Germany's National Unity Day. “This is one of the most
important trials to date dealing with far-right terrorism,” chief
federal prosecutor Peter Frank said. Security agencies hope the trial,
which is set to last until at least April and hear around 75
witnesses, will reveal what exactly was being plotted and the scope of
the network.”
Europe
New
York Daily News: 7 Catalans Jailed As Judge Opens Probe On Terrorism
Charges
“Seven Catalan separatists have been jailed as Spain's National
Court probes whether their alleged plans to commit violent acts with
explosives amount to terrorism. An investigating judge on Thursday
found signs that the activists could be part of a pro-secession
organization that allegedly intends to use “any means, including
violent ones” to establish an independent republic in Catalonia, a
court statement said. It added that no bail has been granted for the
seven and that details of the investigation will remain under judicial
secrecy. Word of the jailing led to tense scenes at the Catalan
parliament in Barcelona, where separatist lawmakers including the
regional president disrupted a debate Thursday evening. “Freedom!”
they shouted. Some walked out of the chamber to protest the court's
decision. Pro-independence supporters consider that the Spanish probe
of the activists is an attempt to criminalize their movement. Hundreds
demonstrated in Sabadell, a town near Barcelona that is home to some
of the activists. The arrests come as the Supreme Court prepares to
rule, possibly next month, in the case of a dozen Catalan politicians
and activists tried for their 2017 push for independence.”
Breitbart:
Jihadis Given Dutch Passports After Citizenship Revocation
Cancelled
“Five Moroccan jihadists are set to get their Dutch passports back
after the government withdrew the process to strip them of
citizenship. The five men had initially travelled to the Middle East
in 2013 and 2014 to join jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq with former
State Secretary for Justice and Security Mark Harbers having ordered
that their passports and citizenships be revoked, Nederlandse Omroep
Stichting reports. The reason for the revocation was that the groups
the jihadis had joined were classified as prohibited groups, however,
they were not classified as such under Dutch law at the time the men
joined them. As a result, the Council of State reversed the decision
to revoke their passports and citizenship, though one of the five
jihadists, Driss Daouayry, was reported to have died in Syria in 2015
due to American bombings in the city of Kobani. The stripping of
citizenships of Islamic State and other jihadi fighters has been an
issue for many countries across Europe with some, such as the UK,
having stripped jihadists such as “Jihadi Jack” Jack Letts and
ISIS-bride Shamima Begum of their citizenships.”
Technology
The
Wall Street Journal: Facebook To Exempt Opinion And Satire From
Fact-Checking
“Facebook Inc. FB 0.55% plans to exempt opinion pieces and satire
from its fact-checking program, according to people familiar with the
matter, as the social-media giant grapples with how to stop the spread
of falsehoods while maintaining its own neutrality. As part of the new
rules, Facebook will allow publishers of information found to be false
by outside fact-checkers to appeal to the company, said the people
familiar with the changes. Posts that Facebook deems to be either
opinion or satire won’t be labeled as false even if they contain
information the fact-checkers determined was inaccurate, the people
said.”
Bloomberg:
Amazon, Facebook And Google To Face Another House
Inquiry
“Big tech firms are about to face yet another congressional
headache. House Small Business Committee Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez
plans to invite Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Facebook
Inc. to face questions from her committee on how the companies may be
damaging the competitive landscape for small businesses.”
The
Hill: Former White Supremacist: Kicking Extremists Off Social Media
Plays Into 'Victimhood Narrative'
“A former white supremacist turned anti-hate activist said Friday
that kicking extremists off social media platforms when they violate
company policy just plays into their “victimhood narrative.” “I don’t
believe de-platforming works,” author and motivational speaker Arno
Michaelis told Hill.TV during an appearance on “Rising.” “All violent
extremism ideologies are rooted in victimhood, and when you
de-platform someone you’re feeding that victimhood narrative,” he
added. However, Michaelis said that removing users for violating hate
speech or participating in online harassment can be effective in some
cases, pointing to conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.”
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