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Eye on Extremism
May 13, 2021
NBC New York: Brooklyn Man Sentenced To 20 Years For Aiding ISIS, Encouraging Attacks In NYC Subways
“A Brooklyn man who prosecutors say twice pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group and encouraged deadly “lone-wolf” attacks in New York City’s subways and elsewhere was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison. Zachary Clark’s penalty was announced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald. The judge said she wanted to send the message that “provide or attempt to provide materials or support to a foreign terrorist organization and you will spend a very long time in jail.” Beginning in at least March 2019, Clark was accused of distributing ISIS propaganda through encrypted chatrooms intended for members, associates, supporters and potential recruits of ISIS. One of the chatrooms for which he served as administrator “was among the most popular and well-known sources of ISIS media and recruitment propaganda online,” the a criminal complaint said. The bearded Clark, in an orange prison jumpsuit and black glasses, tried along with his lawyer to persuade Buchwald that he had reformed himself behind bars since his November 2019 arrest, in part by attending drug and anger-management programs. But the judge remained unconvinced. “I have no confidence Mr. Clark can be a productive and law abiding citizen,” Buchwald said as she ordered supervision for life once he is freed.”
New York Post: Hamas Official Reportedly Urges People To ‘Cut Off The Heads Of Jews’
“A senior Hamas official has reportedly called on Jerusalem residents to buy “five shekel knives” to “cut off the heads of Jews” in a recent video. “People of Jerusalem, we want you to cut off the heads of the Jews with knives. With your hand, cut their artery from here,” Fathi Hammad, Hamas Political Bureau member and former interior minister, says in the clip, which was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute. “A knife costs five shekels [about $1.50]. Buy a knife, sharpen it, put it there, and just cut off [their heads]. It costs just five shekels. With those five shekels, you will humiliate the Jewish state,” he said. “The Jews have spread corruption and acted with arrogance, and their moment of reckoning has come. The moment of destruction at your hands has arrived,” Hammad added. Several people cited the Hamas honcho’s call to arms in the context of his militant group’s firing of rockets into Israel and the clashes between Palestinian rioters and Israeli forces in Jerusalem, the Jewish Journal reported. “This week’s events are part of a wave of terror led by the terrorist organization Hamas, resulting from reckless and irresponsible incitement to commit violence,” Dov Hikind, a former Democratic New York assemblyman from Brooklyn and head of Americans Against Antisemitism, said in a tweet.”
United States
“Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas told senators on Wednesday that the greatest domestic threat facing the United States came from what they both called “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists.” “Specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race,” Mr. Garland told the Senate Appropriations Committee. The cabinet secretaries’ comments reflected a dramatic shift in tone from the Trump administration, which deliberately downplayed the threat from white supremacists and similar groups, in part to elevate the profile of what former President Donald J. Trump described as violent threats from radical left-wing groups. Last year, a former head of the Department of Homeland Security’s intelligence branch filed a whistle-blower complaint in which he accused the department of blocking a report about the threat of violent extremism and described white supremacists as having been “exceptionally lethal in their abhorrent targeted attacks in recent years.” Mr. Mayorkas told senators on Wednesday, “The department is taking a new approach to addressing domestic violent extremism, both internally and externally.”
“A man suspected of shooting three bystanders in New York’s Times Square was arrested Wednesday in Florida, four days after the gunfire wounded people including a 4-year-old girl out toy shopping in the tourist haven known as the “Crossroads of the World.” Farrakhan Muhammad was taken into custody while eating lunch in a McDonald’s parking lot near Jacksonville, police said. Muhammad, 31, was listed Wednesday in an inmate database for the sheriff’s office in Bradford County, Fla. Muhammad is suspected of wounding the three victims with stray bullets during a dispute in Times Square at about 5 p.m. Saturday. Wendy Magrinat, a 23-year-old tourist visiting from Rhode Island, was shot in the leg. A 43-year-old woman from New Jersey was shot in the foot. The 4-year-old girl, from Brooklyn, was also shot in the leg. Muhammad was apparently aiming for his brother, but investigators haven’t yet pinpointed the motive, chief of detectives James Essig said. He said the brothers apparently both sold CDs in the Times Square area. Police released videos and photos of Muhammad and asked the public for help tracking him down. His family made a public plea for him to turn himself in.”
CNBC: Hacker Group Behind Colonial Pipeline Attack Claims It Has Three New Victims
“The hacker group DarkSide claimed on Wednesday to have attacked three more companies, despite the global outcry over its attack on Colonial Pipeline this week, which has caused shortages of gasoline and panic buying on the East Coast of the U.S. Over the past 24 hours, the group posted the names of three new companies on its site on the dark web, called DarkSide Leaks. The information posted to the site includes summaries of what the hackers appear to have stolen but do not appear to contain raw data. DarkSide is a criminal gang, and its claims should be treated as potentially misleading. The posting indicates that the hacker collective is not backing down in the face of an FBI investigation and denunciations of the attack from the Biden administration. It also signals that the group intends to carry out more ransom attacks on companies, even after it posted a cryptic message earlier this week indicating regret about the impact of the Colonial Pipeline hack and pledging to introduce “moderation” to “avoid social consequences in the future.” One of the companies is based in the United States, one is in Brazil and the third is in Scotland. None of them appear to engage in critical infrastructure.”
“President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed an executive order aimed at improving the nation's cybersecurity on the heels of a ransomware attack on the Colonial Pipeline that shut its operations down for days. “Recent cybersecurity incidents such as SolarWinds, Microsoft Exchange and the Colonial Pipeline incident are a sobering reminder that U.S. public and private sector entities increasingly face sophisticated malicious cyber activity from both nation-state actors and cyber criminals,” the Biden administration wrote in a fact sheet on the order. The order creates a standardized cybersecurity playbook to “ensure all federal agencies meet a certain threshold and are prepared to take uniform steps to identify and mitigate a threat.” The administration hopes that companies in the private sector will use it as a template for their response efforts. The order makes clear that information technology service providers who sell to federal agencies must share certain breach information with the government. It also “establishes a Cybersecurity Safety Review Board, co-chaired by government and private sector leads, that may convene following a significant cyber incident to analyze what happened and make concrete recommendations for improving cybersecurity,” according to the fact sheet. “For too long we failed to take the necessary steps to modernize our cybersecurity defenses because doing so takes time, effort and money, and instead we've accepted that we'll move from one incident response to the next,” a senior administration official said Wednesday on a call with reporters.”
Syria
“The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday finished a four-day operation to clear areas in Syria located near the Iraqi border area province of various stores of weapons, tunnels, and other resources used by ISIS in its ongoing campaign of violence there. During the operation, which focused on areas near Wadi al-Ajij in the province of Deir al-Zor, some 12 ISIS hideouts were demolished. “A number of smuggling routes & TUNLs (tunnels) were located & destroyed & WPN (weapon) caches were seized,” said Col. Wayne Marotto, a spokesperson for the US-led Coalition to Defeat ISIS, in a Twitter post on Wednesday. “There’s no safe place for Daesh (ISIS) in NE (Northeast) Syria,” he added. The SDF’s Coordination and Military Operations Center said in a Tuesday statement that “weapons caches and smuggling routes have been found.” The SDF’s media center announced on Wednesday that the offensive had ended, explaining, “The operation lasted for four days accompanied by the continuous flight of international coalition aircraft that conducted missile strikes targeting specific positions used by Daesh (ISIS) cells in the area.” “The forces were able to sweep parts of the Wadi al-Ajij area in order to detect smuggling routes used by Daesh to infiltrate inside northern and eastern Syria and to move terrorist cells to and from Iraq.”
Iraq
“A United Nations investigation into atrocities committed by the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq found “clear and convincing evidence” of genocide against the Yazidis, according to a UN Security Council briefing on Monday. The road to genocide recognition began in September 2017 when the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2379 establishing an investigative team to hold IS accountable for their actions. That team would later be referred to as the UN Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da’esh (UNITAD). Da’esh (or Daesh) is the Arabic reference to IS. Five UN staff members were sent to Iraq in October 2018. Since then, a reported “mountain of information” was compiled by that team that included testimonies, forensic evidence from mass grave sites and digital data extracted from IS phones and hard drives. Over the next two-and-a-half years, the investigation grew to six field teams, including a gender unit, children's unit, financial and tracking unit, and witness protection support unit. Together, they painted a clearer picture for international officials of the targeted actions by the extremist group.”
Afghanistan
Reuters: Afghan Forces Fight To Recapture Taliban-Held District Outside Kabul
“Afghan security forces mounted an operation to recapture a Taliban-held district outside the capital Kabul on Wednesday just before the start of a three-day ceasefire at midnight, a local official said. Taliban insurgents had killed or captured some government soldiers and forced others to retreat after storming the district centre, which lies in Wardak province less than an hour's drive from Kabul. Government forces have been struggling against stepped-up attacks by the insurgents as U.S. troops withdraw after two decades of fighting in the country. Wardak mayor Zarifa Ghafari said that if the district was not taken soon, fighting would reach the gates of Kabul in a few days. The defence ministry said on Wednesday special forces have been deployed in the area to retake the district after troops made a “tactical retreat” on Tuesday. A senior government official said they aimed to regain control before a three-day ceasefire announced by the Taliban for the Muslim religious holiday of Eid, which starts on Thursday. “We will have to do it today because after the ceasefire, it will give the Taliban enough time to dig in and will complicate the operations and increase our casualties,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.”
Middle East
Associated Press: Israel Steps Up Gaza Offensive, Kills Senior Hamas Figures
“Israel on Wednesday pressed ahead with a fierce military offensive in the Gaza Strip, killing as many as 10 senior Hamas military figures and toppling a pair of high-rise towers housing Hamas facilities in airstrikes. The Islamic militant group showed no signs of backing down and fired hundreds of rockets at Israeli cities. In just three days, this latest round of fighting between the bitter enemies has already begun to resemble — and even exceed — a devastating 50-day war in 2014. Like in that previous war, neither side appears to have an exit strategy. But there are key differences. The fighting has triggered the worst Jewish-Arab violence inside Israel in decades. And looming in the background is an international war crimes investigation. Israel carried out an intense barrage of airstrikes just after sunrise, striking dozens of targets in several minutes that set off bone-rattling explosions across Gaza. Airstrikes continued throughout the day, filling the sky with pillars of smoke. At nightfall, the streets of Gaza City resembled a ghost town as people huddled indoors on the final night of Islam’s holiest month of Ramadan. The evening, followed by the Eid al-Fitr holiday, is usually a time of vibrant night life, shopping and crowded restaurants.”
Nigeria
The Defense Post: Nigeria Repels Boko Haram Attack On Northeastern City Of Maiduguri
“Nigerian troops repelled an incursion by Boko Haram jihadists into the northeastern city of Maiduguri late on Tuesday, killing five insurgents, military sources and residents told AFP. The attack, which happened as Muslim residents observing Ramadan were about to break their fast, was the latest violence in a more than decade-long insurgency in the region. Around 1700 GMT, militants in several trucks fitted with machine guns and on motorcycles stormed Jiddari Polo, an area on the outskirts of the capital of Borno state, firing indiscriminately. Troops from a nearby base engaged them in a fierce gun battle, forcing residents to flee the area. “The terrorists came through Jiddari Polo, firing shots and engaged troops from Giwa barracks in a fight which led to the killing of five terrorists,” a military officer said, asking to remain anonymous. “With aerial support, they were subdued and forced to retreat” and a gun truck was seized from the jihadists, he added. “We have all left our homes due to the fighting between the insurgents and soldiers,” said Jiddari Polo resident Aisa Galadima. “We left the food and drinks we prepared to break our fast, we were frightened by the sounds of guns and explosives,” said another resident, Ibrahim Bukar.”
All Africa: Nigeria: Govt Set To Prosecute 400 Suspected Terrorist Financiers
“Abuja — The federal government has described the deadly attacks against the country's security personnel and outfits as a declaration of war against the nation that will be countered with overwhelming force. This is even as the government said the act is to instill fear and evoke a sense of pervasive insecurity among the people, adding that whether known or unknown gunmen, those engaged in this dastardly act will pay dearly for their actions. The minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this while addressing a press conference on National Security in Lagos yesterday, also acknowledged the security challenges facing the nation from terrorism to kidnapping, banditry, and farmer/herder conflict. He said in the days ahead, it will confront the challenges headlong and restore law and order, peace, and security in the country. On suspected sponsors of terrorism, the minister said the move to prosecute 400 suspects arrested for allegedly funding terrorism is unprecedented and it's a testament to the government's determination to decisively tackle terrorism and other violent crimes. He also recalled the Attorney-General of the Federation and minister of Justice announcement that the federal government is ready to prosecute them.”
Somalia
Associated Press: 3 Police Reservists Killed In Attacks In Kenya Near Somalia
“Three police reservists were killed early Wednesday after Islamic extremists attacked cell phone towers near the border with Somalia in an effort to cripple communication. Al-Qaida-linked militants from the al-Shabab group first attacked a cell phone tower located in northern Mandera County around 2 a.m., leaving two police reservists dead, according to a police report. A few hours later, jihadists killed one other police reservist while trying to blow up another cell phone tower in Wajir County with a rocket-propelled grenade, a police official said. “We repulsed them as they attempted to destroy the masts. Our forces are pursuing them,” said Rono Burnei, the regional police boss. Two other police reservists were wounded in the attack. Al-Shabab has vowed revenge on Kenya for sending troops into Somalia to fight the militants. Kenyans troops have been actively engaged in the conflict in Somalia since 2011 when they were deployed following a series of kidnappings of Europeans in Kenya blamed on the militants. The kidnappings threatened Kenya’s vital tourism industry.”
United Kingdom
The National: Britain To Harness New Cyber Powers In Pursuit Of Hostile States And Terrorists
“The British government is going on a cyber offensive against rogue states and ISIS terrorists, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced. The campaign will focus on shutting down the ability of ISIS to spread its “poisonous propaganda”, he said. He declared £22 million ($31m) in funding to help a number of African countries start joint operations against cyber crime in a continent where extremists have gained a foothold. Britain’s offensive capabilities have developed through the National Cyber Force (NCF). Set up a year ago, it employs personnel from MI6, GCHQ surveillance and the military for the first time under a unified command. Mr Raab said the unit's offensive cyber capabilities have already been tested. “We’re not just going to guard against attacks, we are going to target and impose costs on those who are taking aim at us,” he said. The unit took the online fight to ISIS in Syria, where it had “impaired the ability of Daesh to produce and spread their poisonous propaganda.” The NCF also conducted attacks on military operations that disrupted “Daesh’s battlefield communications.”
Germany
Reuters: Germany Detains Suspects For Stoning Synagogue, Burning Israeli Flags
“German police have detained more than a dozen men in three cities suspected of damaging a synagogue with stones, burning Israeli flags and starting a fire at a memorial for a Jewish house of prayer destroyed during the Nazi pogroms of 1938. German politicians on Wednesday condemned the three separate incidents as anti-Semitic attacks, which coincided with escalating cross-border violence between the Israeli military and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. Police said three men in their early 20s were detained on Tuesday night and released after admitting to throwing stones at the window of a synagogue in the city of Bonn and burning an Israeli flag. The suspects told police the Gaza-Israel violence had motivated them to throw stones at a synagogue. Civilians on both sides took cover as Israel carried out hundreds of air strikes in Gaza on Wednesday and Palestinian militants fired multiple rockets at Tel Aviv and the southern city of Beersheba. At least 49 people in Gaza and six in Israel have been killed in the region's most intense hostilities since a 2014 war.”
Reuters: German Watchdog Orders N26 To Safeguard Against Terrorist Financing
“German financial regulator BaFin has ordered online bank N26 to put in place internal controls and safeguards to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing, BaFin said on Wednesday. The regulator said it has appointed a special commissioner to monitor the implementation of this order and N26’s progress in resolving other shortcomings identified. Sources had told Reuters earlier this year that BaFin was extending its oversight of N26 to cover the whole company as it tightened controls following the collapse of payments firm Wirecard.”
“The anti-Islam far-right protest movement Pegida will try to exploit its new official designation as an extremist organisation in its home state to rally supporters as Germany's coronavirus restrictions are eased. German intelligence said last week that surveillance of Pegida in Saxony would be intensified after it took an “increasingly right-wing extremist orientation”. Pegida responded by urging its supporters to gather for a socially-distanced rally in Dresden, the capital of Saxony, next week. Online footage of a Pegida event on Monday in Zittau, Saxony, showed speakers addressing about 20 people. Pegida, which campaigns against what it calls the “Islamicisation” of the West, was created in October 2014 and became known for its marches every Monday that grew in size during the refugee crisis of the following year. During its heyday, the group's marches attracted more than 20,000 people. The movement's popularity coincided with the rise of the far-right AfD political party, which entered parliament in 2017 on an anti-refugee and anti-immigration platform. When large gatherings were banned because of the coronavirus, numbers fell to about 1,500 at fortnightly events as Pegida, or Patriotic Europeans against Islamicisation of the Occident, struggled to maintain relevance.”
Southeast Asia
The Defense Post: IS-Linked Militants Kill Four Farmers In Indonesia
“Islamic State-linked extremists have killed four farmers in a remote village on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, police confirmed Wednesday, with one of the victims reportedly beheaded. Five sword-wielding attackers ambushed a group of farmers who were harvesting their coffee plantation in Kalimago village in Poso regency on Tuesday morning, Central Sulawesi police spokesperson Didik Supranoto said. The police blamed the attack on the Sulawesi-based East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT), one of dozens of radical groups across the Southeast Asian archipelago that have pledged allegiance to IS. “Five eyewitnesses recognized one of the perpetrators as (a man named) Qatar, who is an MIT member,” the police spokesperson said. Locals were made aware of the MIT members by their pictures, distributed by the police in their hunt for suspected terrorists in the area. The attack was motivated by “terrorism as well as robbery,” according to the police. “Everything the victims had was taken away by the perpetrators including rice, money, and other belongings they kept in their huts,” he added. Local media reported that the victims were from Christian-majority ethnic group Toraja, and one was beheaded. These reports haven’t been confirmed by the police.”
Yahoo News: Muslim Militants Killed In Philippines
“Four suspected Muslim militants have been killed in a clash with government soldiers in the southern Philippines, an army commander says. The militants were among a group that occupied a part of a public market in the town of Datu Paglas in Maguindanao province, 960km south of Manila, at the weekend, said Major General Juvymax Uy, an army infantry division commander. The firefight broke out in the village of Talingko in the outskirts of Datu Paglas, where soldiers encountered almost 50 militants, he added. The two-hour clash left four militants killed, Uy said. On Saturday, the militants occupied a part of the public market in Datu Paglas as they fled an offensive by the military. They left the area after six hours when more soldiers arrived. No civilians or soldiers were killed or hurt in Saturday's incident. The militants were members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter, a splinter group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which signed a peace agreement with the government in 2014. It has allied itself with the Islamic State militant group and has been blamed for bombings, extortion and attacks on government troops in the province of Maguindanao.”
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