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Eye on Extremism
June 15, 2021
Reuters: Canadian Man Accused Of Murdering Muslim Family Members To Face Terror Charges
“A Canadian man who is accused of deliberately running over five members of a Muslim family with his truck, killing four of them, now faces terrorism charges in addition to counts of first-degree murderand attempted murder, prosecutors said on Monday. Nathaniel Veltman, 20, was arrested shortly after the June 6 attack in a parking lot in London, Ontario, a short distance from the city's oldest mosque. He was wearing what appeared to be body armor and a helmet at the time, police said. Due to a publication ban, details from a hearing in which Veltman appeared by Zoom on Monday from jail cannot be revealed. Veltman has not yet retained a lawyer. However, provincial and federal prosecutors provided their consent to commence terrorism proceedings against him, alleging that the killings of Salman Afzaal, his wife, their daughter and Afzaal's mother, and attempted killing of the couple's son constituted terrorist activity, according to a statement from police in London, a city west of Toronto. The 9-year-old boy - the sole survivor of the attack - was released from the hospital on Monday, the London Free Press reported, citing a family friend.”
The National: Iran-Backed Militias Display Long-Range Drone Power In Regional Escalation
“Iran-backed militias in Iraq have revealed a collection of long-range drones that could hit other countries in the region, including Israel. On Sunday, video footage emerged of Iraqi groups in the Popular Mobilisation Forces, an umbrella organisation of militias, parading an array of apparently new unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs. Most PMF groups are trained, advised and equipped by Iran, although they have formal status in Iraq's armed forces. “What I found interesting is that they showed Sammad/UAV-X type drones. Depending on the version, these should have the ability to strike Israel from Iraq,” said Fabian Hinz, an independent expert on drone and missile technology proliferation. PMF groups have used drones since at least 2014, usually smaller ones, in the war against ISIS. Normally these are used for reconnaissance but small UAVs fitted with explosive charges – so-called kamikaze drones – have been used in at least three attacks on US bases in Iraq this year. Drones such as the Sammad, designed by Iran, used by the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen – and now paraded by the PMF, represent an entirely new threat, having a range in excess of 1,000 kilometres. Iran has long been suspected of equipping new, secretive militia organisations in Iraq with long-range drones that have been used for attacks against non-military targets, including oil infrastructure, in Saudi Arabia.”
United States
Voice Of America: US Intel Report Warns Of More Violence By QAnon Followers
“A new federal intelligence report warns that adherents of QAnon, the conspiracy theory embraced by some in the mob that stormed the U.S. Capitol, could target Democrats and other political opponents for more violence as the movement's false prophecies don't come true. Many QAnon followers believe former President Donald Trump was fighting enemies within the so-called “deep state” to expose a cabal of Satan-worshipping cannibals operating a child sex-trafficking ring. Trump's loss to President Joe Biden disillusioned some believers in “The Storm,” a supposed reckoning in which Trump's enemies would be tried and executed. Some adherents have now pivoted to believing Trump is the “shadow president” or Biden's victory was an illusion. The report was compiled by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security and released Monday by Senator Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat. It predicts that while some QAnon adherents will pull back, others “likely will begin to believe they can no longer “trust the plan” referenced in QAnon posts and that they have an obligation to change from serving as “digital soldiers” toward engaging in real-world violence.” As major social media companies suspend or remove QAnon-themed accounts, many followers have moved to less well-known platforms and discussed how to radicalize new users on them, the report says.”
“A new effort to track the extent to which extremists have infiltrated the U.S. military may be in trouble even before it has the chance to produce any results. Lawmakers created the all-new deputy inspector general for Diversity and Inclusion and Extremism in the Military (DIEM) as part of the fiscal year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which went into effect this past January. But a report Monday from Defense Department Acting Inspector General Sean O'Donnell warns the office is already facing what he describes as “significant challenges,” including funding shortfalls and potential conflicts of interest. “Without swift congressional action to address Section 554 legislative changes and additional funding, the DoD OIG is limited in its ability to fulfill the requirements of this mandate,” according to O'Donnell. Specifically, the Defense Department inspector general report calls for additional money to be allocated so it can hire up to about 80 people to work in the newly created office, more than the 10 to 12 staffers it is currently in the process of hiring. The report also warns that the independence of the new office is at risk because it is currently required to report directly to the U.S. secretary of defense.”
Vice: Leaked Chats Show Ex-Marine Wants To Make Maine Safe Space For Neo-Nazis
“A neo-Nazi and ex-Marine who coordinated a national counterprotest on the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, is making plans to turn Maine into an all-white ethnostate. VICE News obtained private chat logs dated to mid-February 2021 between Chris Pohlhaus—a 34-year-old man behind a popular far-right social media network with thousands of followers—and a loyal band of online neo-Nazis. The text exchanges center on what they portray as concrete plans for white men and women to move to Maine and make a “white future” for themselves. According to the transcripts, provided by the Counter Extremism Project, Pohlhaus (who says he lives in Texas), and his followers see Maine as a perfect spot: already one of the whitest places in America, with favorable gun laws allowing them to arm up and prepare for the collapse of society. Inside a private chat room on Telegram—an app combining a secure messaging function and a publishing capability that allows it to work as a sort of Twitter knockoff, and is popular among the far-right—Pohlhaus and several others (under aliases) have discussed the merits of moving to one of America’s remotest states, and singled out specific areas of Maine for future settlement.”
Syria
Yahoo News: Terrorists Carry Out 38 Attacks On Syria's Idlib De-Escalation Zone
“The Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group (banned in Russia) shelled Syria's Idlib de-escalation zone 38 times over the past 24 hours, Rear Adm. Vadim Kulit, deputy head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria, said at a briefing. “Thirty-eight shelling attacks from the positions of the Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group were registered in the Idlib de-escalation zone in the provinces of Idlib (23 attacks), Latakia (6), Aleppo (3) and Hama (6),” Rear Adm. Kulit said. He said the number of attacks according to the Syrian side's data totaled 31. Rear Adm. Kulit said no shelling on the part of illegal armed groups controlled by Turkey had been registered in the past day. The Russian Defense Ministry's Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides and Control over the Movement of Refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic was established in February 2016. Its tasks include the signing of agreements on illegal armed groups and individual settlements joining the regime of cessation of hostilities, as well as coordinating the delivery of humanitarian aid.”
Iraq
France 24: Iraq Opens Mass Grave To Identify Victims Of IS Group’s Badush Prison Massacre
“Iraqi authorities said Sunday the remains of 123 people killed by Islamic State group jihadists had been removed from a mass grave in a bid to identify them. The Badush prison massacre was one of the worst crimes IS carried out after it seized control of a third of Iraq in a lightning offensive in 2014. In June that year, IS fighters attacked the northwestern prison, freeing Sunni Muslim inmates and forcing 583 mainly Shiite prisoners into trucks, before driving them to a ravine and shooting them. In recent weeks, dozens of family members of the victims have given blood samples, which will be compared to the DNA of the remains, which were found in the mass graves in 2017. “Thousands of families are waiting to know what happened to their relatives,” Najm al-Jubburi, governor of the Nineveh province where the prison is located, told AFP. The mass grave, discovered after Iraqi forces took control of the area in March 2017, is one of more than 200 the extremist group left behind in its rampage of brutality, according to the United Nations. The remains of up to 12,000 people are believed to be buried in these graves, the UN says, which has accused IS of having committed genocide in Iraq.”
Turkey
Newsweek: Recep Tayyip Erdogan Disappointed NATO Allies Have Not Supported Turkey's Terrorism Fight
“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Brussels, expressed disappointment in NATO allies' lack of support in Turkey's fight against terrorism, the Associated Press reported. The comments were a veiled reference to Turkey's disappointment with U.S. military support for Syrian Kurdish fighters, which the Turks see as linked to a decades-long Kurdish insurgency in their country. “Turkey is on the frontline in the fight against terrorism in all relevant international platforms, especially NATO,” Erdogan said, adding that some 4,000 Islamic State group fighters were “neutralized” in Turkish cross-border operations. Erdogan, who is vying to mend Turkey's battered relations with its Western partners, said Monday that a revival of dialogue with fellow NATO member Greece to resolve long-standing disputes will serve “stability and prosperity” in the region. Erdogan is holding a series of one-on-one meetings with NATO leaders, including U.S. President Joe Biden. The Turkish strongman has recently toned down his anti-Western rhetoric as he seeks foreign investments for his country, which has been troubled by a currency crisis and an economic downturn made worse by the coronavirus pandemic.”
Daily Sabah: Turkey Nabs 13 Terrorist Suspects With Daesh Links
“Turkish security forces detained 13 suspects for allegedly aiding and abetting Daesh terrorists in Syria, the Interior Ministry said Monday. The ministry noted that the suspects carried out activities for the terrorist group in Syria’s al-Bab, Jarablus and Azez regions and provided financial support for the terrorists. Turkey was one of the first countries to declare Daesh a terrorist group in 2013. The country has since been attacked by Daesh terrorists multiple times. The group has carried out at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks and four armed attacks, killing over 300 people and injuring hundreds more. In response, Turkey launched anti-terror operations at home and abroad to prevent further attacks. Turkey detained Daesh's so-called “Turkey emir,” Mahmut Özden, in August. He was planning to carry out an attack on the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque and target politicians, nongovernmental organization (NGO) heads and other prominent figures in Turkey, according to the official investigation.”
Afghanistan
The Washington Post: Biden Administration Not Planning Airstrikes Against Taliban After Withdrawal
“The Biden administration is not planning to carry out airstrikes against the Taliban after the U.S. military withdrawal in Afghanistan is complete, but the policy may need to be revisited if militants threaten security at key U.S. and allied diplomatic facilities in Kabul, U.S. officials said. The Afghan defense minister, Asadullah Khalid, had said in a speech last month that it was possible air support could continue for Afghan forces battling the Taliban even after the U.S. military was gone. Marine Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, the chief of U.S. Central Command, said in an interview with Voice of America on Monday that U.S. plans call for airstrikes in Afghanistan after the withdrawal only in circumstances involving threats on the United States and its allies. “That would be the reason for any strikes that we do in Afghanistan after we leave,” McKenzie said, adding that it “would have to be that we’ve uncovered someone who wants to attack the homeland of the United States, one of our allies and partners.” Such a policy would effectively rule out airstrikes against the Taliban. For years, the United States has drawn a distinction between the militants and terrorist groups such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, finding that the Taliban does not pose a direct threat in the United States.”
Reuters: U.N. Readies For More Displaced Afghans After Troop Withdrawal
“The United Nations is preparing for a likely further displacement of civilians in Afghanistan after U.S. and international troops leave the country in September, U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi told Reuters on Monday. Violence has been rising as foreign forces begin withdrawing and efforts to broker a peace settlement between the Afghan government and insurgent Taliban have slowed. Grandi pointed to a deadly attack last week on an international demining organization in northern Afghanistan, which killed 10 people. “This is a tragic indicator of the type of violence that may be resurfacing in Afghanistan and with the withdrawal of the international troops this is possibly or likely going to become worse,” Grandi said. “Therefore we are doing contingency planning inside the country for further displacement, in the neighboring countries in case people might cross borders,” he said, without offering details of those plans. There are currently some 2.5 million registered refugees from Afghanistan globally, while another 4.8 million have been displaced within the country, according to the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR, which Grandi heads. After 20 years, the United States has started a withdrawal of its remaining 2,500 troops in Afghanistan and aims to be completely out of the country by Sept. 11.”
Pakistan
Associated Press: Pakistan Military: Bomb Kills 4 Soldiers Guarding Coal Mine
“A powerful bomb targeting government soldiers exploded at a coal mine in southwest Pakistan, killing four soldiers, the military said Monday. The attack happened at Marget Mines, about 75 kilometers (45 miles) east of Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, a statement released by the military said. It said the slain soldiers were guarding the coal mine and a search operation was still underway to track and arrest those who orchestrated the attack. No one claimed responsibility but militants and separatists have previously attacked coal miners and security workers in the region and elsewhere. Pakistan has deployed troops to ensure the protection of coal mines and oil workers in the region. Baluchistan has for years been the scene of a low-level insurgency by small separatist groups who complain of discrimination and demand a fairer share of their province’s resources and wealth, such as natural gas and mines. The Pakistani Taliban and the Islamic State group also have a presence.”
Egypt
France 24: Egypt Upholds Death Penalty For 12 Brotherhood Members: Judicial Sources
“An Egyptian court on Monday upheld death sentences for 12 Muslim Brotherhood members, concluding a trial linked to a 2013 mass killing by security forces at an Islamist sit-in, a judicial official said. The ruling, which includes two senior Brotherhood leaders, effectively ends a case which started with over 600 defendants in the aftermath of the military's 2013 overthrow of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. Following Morsi's ouster the July amid mass protests against his rule, his Muslim Brotherhood supporters staged a massive sit-in at Rabaa Al-Adawiya Square in eastern Cairo to demand his return. The following month, security forces raided the square and killed some 800 people in a single day. Authorities said at the time that protesters were armed and the forced dispersal was a vital counter-terrorism measure. It marked the start of a long crackdown against both Islamists and the secular opposition in Egypt. Those condemned to death on Monday were convicted of “arming criminal gangs which attacked residents and resisted policemen as well as possessing firearms ... ammunition... and bomb-making material,” the court of cassation said in its ruling.”
Nigeria
The Punch Nigeria: Boko Haram Releases Aid Workers, Others
“Several humanitarian workers and civilians abducted during attacks on the North East have been released by Boko Haram/Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Sources revealed to our correspondent that the aid workers were freed by the terrorist group on Monday alongside other civilian captives after negotiations. Among those released is a staff of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees abducted along the Damaturu-Maiduguri Road in January, Idris Alooma. The group also released a senior Christian cleric Reverend Zango and one Barka Wasinda, a former staff of the Nigerian Ports Authority and some aid workers abducted from a facility in Dikwa in March. Most of the released captives were abducted during attacks on parts of Borno State, the birthplace of Boko Haram between March and May, and recently in June. During some of the attacks, the terror group overran Dikwa, destroyed support facilities, including a primary health care centre, and also laid siege at the United Nations humanitarian hub, which forced aid workers to seek shelter in a bunker. The United Nations had to suspend its operations in response to the attacks on humanitarian operations in Dikwa and Damasak, affecting humanitarian assets and personnel.”
Mali
Associated Press: UN Envoy: More Insecurity In Mali Will Have ‘Drastic’ Impact
“The new U.N. special envoy for crisis-wracked Mali warned Monday that further insecurity, especially in the country’s center and north, will have “drastic consequences” for the immediate region and beyond, and urged the military-led transitional government to prepare for elections next February. El-Ghassim Wane told the U.N. Security Council that the West African nation “is at a critical juncture,” calling the situation “challenging, desperate and frustrating.” He said, “there are now more displaced Malians than at the peak of the crisis in June 2013,” many living in very difficult conditions amid disturbing reports of human rights violations. “The encroachment of violent extremism on many Malian communities presents a serious setback,” he said, including that “many extremist groups violate the rights of women and seek to remove women from the public sphere altogether.” Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the president of a decade. The power vacuum that was created ultimately led to an Islamic insurgency and a French-led war that ousted the jihadists from power in 2013. A peace agreement was signed in 2015 by three parties — the government, a coalition of groups who seek autonomy in northern Mali, and a pro-government militia.”
Africa
“Niger Delta militant group, 'Movement for the Emancipation and the Defence of the Niger Delta', (MEND), has vowed to launch what it called a disastrous reprisal on the faceless 'Fulani Jihadist' group which threatened to invade and bomb Asaba, the state capital and Agbor. The Fulanis of Usman Dan Fodio Leadership, which claimed responsibility for the fire incident that gutted the Federal Secretariat complex along Okpanam Road, Asaba, had on Sunday issued a letter with a threat to invade and bomb the state capital, Asaba and Agbor, headquarters of Ika South Local Government Area of the state. The group gave Governor Ifeanyi Okowa 72 hours to withdraw his stand and support for the ban of open grazing, which was collectively supported by Southern governors during a meeting held in May and hosted by Okowa in Government House, Asaba. The threat has however created palpable fear among residents of Delta state. The state police commissioner, Ari Muhammed Ali, has, however, assured that all modalities had been put in place to forestall such an occurrence.”
United Kingdom
The Independent: Police Issue Warning Over Terrorist Use Of 3D-Printed Guns As UK Neo-Nazi Jailed
“Police have issued a warning over the potential use of 3D-printed guns by terrorists after the first UK case involving the homemade weapons. Dean Morrice, 34, had parts of a 3D-printed firearm at his home near Bristol, alongside bomb components. The neo-Nazi was jailed for 18 years on Monday after being eight terror offences and two counts of possessing explosive substances. Kingston Crown Court heard that Morrice had shared the online manifesto of Stephan Balliet, who took a partly 3D-printed gun on a 2019 rampage targeting a synagogue and kebab shop in Germany. Balliet called the shooting “live testing” in a post ahead of the attack, and listed his primary objective as “proving the viability of improvised weapons”. Morrice, a former British army driver, had also shared manifestos by the Christchurch and Norway shooters, and ran his own social media channel that encouraged far-right terror attacks. Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, the head of Counter-Terrorism Policing South East, said Morrice had “terrorist intentions”. “This is the first terrorism case which has taken evidence obtained by use of a 3D printer to court. Police will continuously update knowledge and tactics to ensure the disruption of the wrongful use of new technology, as in this case,” she added.”
Arab News: Islamophobic British Teenage Extremist Wanted To ‘Bring About Revolution,’ Court Hears
“A British teenage extremist who “hated Jews and Muslims” hoped to spark a revolution based on his racist ideology, a court in central London has heard. Matthew Cronjager, 18, was alleged to have produced plans for a storage bunker and provided instructions for the manufacture of two firearms using a 3D printer. He transferred funds to help purchase materials to build weapons between Oct. 31 and Dec. 19, 2020, the court was told. “He wanted to bring about a change of government by violence,” said Alistair Richardson for the prosecution. “He wanted to bring about his own revolution based on his own racist ideology. To that end, he sought to produce a firearm using a 3D printer.” Among a collection of far-right material, Cronjager allegedly uploaded violent manuals that gave instructions on how to seriously maim and murder people. In one online group, he wrote: “Not sure which kind of racism you’re into but I’ll do all of them.” He added: “May dreams of Hitler and swastikas guide you to sleep.” In another group, Cronjager said: “I’d prefer pure whiteness in our country but if we had to compromise I’d want segregation.” He was then added to another messaging group on Telegram, a platform popular with terrorists. The new group was hosted by a user called Bull based in Spain.”
France
The National: French Army Chief Steps Down After Rogue Ex-Generals Raise Extremism Fears
“The French Army chief has resigned amid an ongoing row sparked by retired generals who raised the prospect of a military coup and accused President Emmanuel Macron of failing to get a grip on Islamist extremism. Gen Francois Lecointre, 59, said he would step down as chief of defence staff on July 21 to avoid being dragged into a political debate before next year’s presidential election, likely to be between Mr Macron and far-right leader Marine Le Pen. The row began after 20 retired generals in April said in an open letter that France risked a “civil war”, saying the country was “disintegrating” under pressure from “Islamism and the hordes of youths”. Gerald Darmanin said the anonymous signatories lacked courage. The letter, published in the far-right magazine Valeurs Actuelles, was signed by thousands of soldiers, almost all of whom withheld their names, although six retired generals revealed their identity. Gen Lecointre quit a day after it was reported Mr Macron’s government forced him to summon the six to a “higher disciplinary council” for their remarks. They risk losing their status as reserve officers. French newspaper Le Monde reported the government pressured Gen Lecointre to speak out against the signatories, even though military officials wanted the matter dealt with privately.”
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