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Eye on Extremism
July 1, 2021
Al Monitor: Kurdish-Led Forces Intensify Crackdown On Islamic State Cells In Northeast Syria
“After the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) cracked down on cells affiliated with the Islamic State (IS), the latter’s activity seems to have diminished, especially in June, which was the quietest month in terms of IS operations in the SDF-held areas in northern Syria. This decline was particularly evident in the city of Raqqa and its countryside, while IS cells are still active in the countryside of Deir ez-Zor where they target the SDF or civilians cooperating with it almost on a daily basis. IS also targets some tribal sheikhs loyal to the SDF, in addition to clerics who either support the SDF or attack IS through their sermons in mosques. On June 25, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that three members of the SDF’s self-styled security forces were killed and six others wounded in an ambush carried out by unknown gunmen, who are likely to be affiliated with IS. The latter targeted a bus in the town of Jazra al-Milag in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor. On June 22, SOHR reported, “The SDF cordoned off at midnight the city of al-Busaira in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, and imposed a curfew, coinciding with the ongoing raids and arrests [of IS suspects]. A man and his wife who were on their roof were shot at during an SDF raid.”
BBC News: Afghanistan: US Military 'Days Away' From Completing Pull-Out
“The US military could complete its withdrawal from Afghanistan within days, reports say, amid increasing Taliban battlefield gains. US officials told Reuters that some US forces were expected to stay to protect the US embassy and Kabul airport. The reports came as a top US commander warned the country risked sliding into civil war as the last US troops leave. Fighting has surged since the US began withdrawing last month, with the Taliban seizing swathes of territory. CNN quoted US officials corroborating the Reuters report. “This week could be a critical week in the withdrawal and end of the retrograde process,” an unnamed defence official told the network. About 650 US troops are expected to remain to help secure the US embassy in Kabul, and several hundred more may be stationed at the city's airport. President Biden has set a deadline of 11 September for US troops to fully withdraw. But recent reports had suggested most of the more than 4,000 troops deployed in recent months would be out by mid-July, well ahead of time. The pace of the pull-out now appears even faster. On Tuesday, Gen Scott Miller said Afghanistan could face “very hard times” if its leadership was unable to unite once international troops leave.”
United States
“More than a dozen arrests in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot were announced or unsealed Wednesday, revealing charges against alleged supporters of extremist right-wing groups including the Oath Keepers, Proud Boys and Boogaloo Bois, and individuals accused of attacking the property of news media. The arrests ranked among the most made public in a single day and came as an alleged Oath Keepers member reached an unexpected plea deal with prosecutors in the largest conspiracy case brought against those accused of obstructing Congress as it met to confirm the 2020 election results. Mark Grods, 54, of Mobile, Ala., became the second from the anti-government group publicly to flip in the 16-defendant conspiracy case and cooperate with prosecutors in the latest sign of movement in the investigation. In court Wednesday, he admitted to two federal counts of conspiracy and aiding and abetting the obstruction of an official proceeding. The surge of at least 13 new or unsealed arrests came as the FBI and Justice Department highlighted developments in the criminal probe nearing six months after the event, and the House voted to create a select committee to investigate the Capitol breach.”
Reuters: U.S. Says 'Pipe Bomb' Found In Home Of Ex-Cop Charged In Capitol Attack
“A Virginia man awaiting trial on criminal charges stemming from the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol recently procured a pipe bomb and other weapons, a violation of his parole, federal prosecutors said on Wednesday. U.S. Justice Department lawyers said in a court filing that they discovered a “loaded M4 rifle” and a “partially assembled pipe bomb,” among other weapons, during a search of Thomas Robertson's home in Ferrum, Virginia. Robertson is a former police sergeant in Rocky Mount, Virginia. The town's police department fired him and another officer, Jacob Fracker, and photographs surfaced of them inside the Capitol building during the deadly attack. The two were charged on Jan. 13 with unlawful entry into a restricted area and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. A judge released Robertson from jail while he awaits trial, prohibiting him from possessing firearms. Prosecutors said in Wednesday's court filing that the release order should be revoked immediately because Robertson violated the judge's orders and “presents a danger to the community that no release conditions will adequately mitigate.” Prosecutors did not say if Robertson planned to use the weapons, but alleged he recently made comments on an internet forum that suggest he is capable of violence.”
“A Harrisburg man who is serving a federal prison term for trying to aid the ISIS terrorist group at the height of its reign of horrors is seeking an early “compassionate release,” citing fears he might catch COVID-19. The decision on that plea by Jalil Ibn Ameer Aziz will be up to U.S. Middle District Judge Christopher C. Conner, who sentenced Aziz to 13.3 years behind bars in 2017. Aziz, now 24, has been in prison since federal agents raided his Fulton Street home in December 2015. At the time, ISIS controlled a large swath of Iraq and Syria and was freely beheading its opponents. Aziz was accused of, among other crimes, retweeting an ISIS “kill list” that urged the terror group’s backers to kill 100 U.S. service people, preferably by beheading them in their own homes. Many federal prisoners have been petitioning for compassionate early release amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Aziz’s lawyer, Kathy Manley, cited that concern in her petition to Conner, but also portrayed her client as an immature and socially inept dupe of ISIS. “Certainly, the offense was very serious, but…Mr. Aziz was very young at the time, and had been kept isolated from the world by an overly controlling mother,” Manley wrote.”
“The Department of Homeland Security said it will be on 'heightened alert' this July 4th weekend for white supremacists looking to exploit states' rollback of COVID-19 restrictions and attack a range of possible targets, officials told DailyMail.com. The warning comes as officials say they've been monitoring a spike in online chatter that could indicate white supremacist-motivated attacks. Homeland Security issued a National Terrorism Alert System (NTAS) Bulletin, which it it said it won't release to the public at this time, but ABC News obtained it. 'In recent weeks, domestic violent extremists (DVEs) motivated by various violent ideologies have continued to advocate violence and plan attacks,' the bulletin said, according to ABC News. 'As of 16 June, racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist-white supremacists (RMVE-WSs) were sharing downloadable links to a publication discussing targeting mass gatherings, critical infrastructure and law enforcement officers,' it said. The Fourth of July weekend will likely have the highest number of large gatherings in 15 months, with more than 30 states rolling back nearly all of its COVID-19 restrictions. There were 183 domestic terrorism prosecutions filed by U.S. Attorney's offices around the country from October 2019 to October 2020, according to Department of Justice figures.”
Syria
Reuters: Red Cross Reveals That Children Held In Northeast Syria Prisons
“Hundreds of children are incarcerated in adult prisons in northeastern Syria, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday, disclosing their plight as inmates for the first time. The children, mostly boys, have been removed to prisons from al-Hol, a desert camp run by Syrian Kurdish forces for 60,000 people from more than 60 countries, the aid agency said. Most are women and children who fled there after Islamic State’s last enclaves collapsed two years ago. Local authorities have said that many are associated with Islamic State fighters. “Hundreds of children, mostly boys, some as young as 12, are detained in adult prisons, places they simply do not belong,” Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC regional director for the Middle East, told a news briefing. The ICRC made 36 visits to places of detention across Syria last year, the only agency with such access. It requires private talks with inmates on their treatment and conditions, but its confidential findings are shared only with the authorities. It has access to some places of detention in northeast Syria - a Syrian Kurdish-controlled area - a spokeswoman said, declining to give details. The ICRC also renewed its appeal for countries to repatriate their nationals from the al-Hol camp and keep families together, “as international law requires.”
Iraq
Reuters: Explosion Injures 11 In Baghdad’s Sadr City
“At least 11 people were wounded in an explosion on Wednesday in Baghdad’s Sadr City neighbourhood, Iraqi police and medical workers said. A military statement said an explosion took place in Sadr City but gave no details. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. It was the second attack to hit Sadr City and the third to target a busy market this year in Baghdad. In April four people were killed and 20 wounded in a car bomb attack in the same neighbourhood. And in January a suicide attack killed at least 32 people in a crowded market. Both attacks were claimed by Islamic State militants. Large bomb attacks, once an almost daily occurrence in the Iraqi capital, have halted since Islamic State fighters were defeated in 2017, part of an overall improvement in security that has brought normal life back to Baghdad. Wednesday’s attack comes during an election year, a time when tension between rival Iraqi political groups has often caused violence. The populist cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, after whom Sadr city is named and who commands a following of millions of Iraqis, counts among his enemies both Islamic State and rival Shi’ite parties with militias backed by Iran.”
Turkey
Al Monitor: Turkey's Mixed Record Against Islamic State
“Turkish security operations against networks linked to the Islamic State (IS) appear on the rise, but how efficient they are remains open to question amid a number of shortcomings, including the lack of adequate cooperation with foreign counterparts. According to open-source research conducted by this author on the basis of more than 450 Turkish media reports, Turkish security forces carried out at least 105 operations targeting IS from Dec. 1, 2020, to June 1, detaining around 930 suspects, the overwhelming majority of whom were foreigners, mostly from Iraq and Syria. A Turkish security expert who worked with the security forces until recently said the nationality of IS-affiliated foreigners apprehended in Turkey is often withheld because their home countries request so, citing two reasons — operational security and concerns to avoid negative publicity. “We have received files on nearly 5,000 IS suspects from various countries and caught about 2,300 of them in the past four years. That figure excludes suspects who have been captured after being identified by us,” he told Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity. “But is this enough? No. New files have kept coming about members, sympathizers, supporters and financial backers,” he added.”
Afghanistan
The New York Times: Security In Afghanistan Is Decaying, U.S. General Says As Forces Leave
“The commander of the U.S.-led mission in Afghanistan warned on Tuesday that the country could be on a path to chaotic civil war as American and other international troops prepare to leave in the coming weeks. His assessment, in a rare news conference at the headquarters of U.S. and NATO command in Kabul, will likely be one of the last publicly delivered by an American four-star general in Afghanistan, where recent events have included a Taliban offensive that has seized around 100 district centers, left dozens of civilians wounded and killed, and displaced thousands more. “Civil war is certainly a path that can be visualized if it continues on the trajectory it’s on,” the commander, Gen. Austin S. Miller, told reporters during the news conference. “That should be a concern for the world.” With some intelligence estimates saying that the Afghan government could fall in six months to two years after a final American withdrawal, General Miller’s comments were a window into recent tension between the White House and the Pentagon. For months, Pentagon leaders argued for some sort of lasting American military presence in Afghanistan, citing counterterrorism concerns and the need to provide a check on the Taliban’s advance.”
Forbes: One Month, 700 Trucks: Afghanistan’s U.S. Military Vehicles Fall Into Taliban Hands
“An investigation of imagery posted on social media concludes that in the month of June alone the Taliban has captured a staggering 700 trucks and Humvees from the Afghan security forces as well as dozens of armored vehicles and artillery systems. Those shocking numbers reflect that local defense forces in some districts are evaporating in the face of Taliban pressure—sometimes without a fight, due in part to the perception that the government is doomed due to the imminent U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan later this year. And that in turn implies huge volumes of military equipment donated or sold to Afghanistan to help it fight the Taliban may instead continue pouring into that very group’s hands. The tally come from a open-source investigative report published at the Oryx blog by Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans. The continuously updated talley has catalogued hundreds of photos posted online by the Taliban of destroyed or captured Afghan military equipment. The blog was earlier distinguished for its detailed open-source investigation on equipment losses in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
Pakistan
RFI: Kashmir Drone Attacks Raise Fears Of New Turn In Terror Tactics
“A drone attack on air force station in the city of Jammu in Indian-administered Kashmir reflects a shift in terror tactics, according to experts, which leaves Delhi looking at strong countermeasures to tackle the new threat. Three days after the Jammu attack, investigators are still not sure whether the drone was a crude, commercially available version that had been rigged to drop an explosive charge or was one that could fly longer distances and attack with greater accuracy. Two low-intensity explosions were reported early Sunday in the technical area of Jammu air force station. One caused minor damage to the roof of a building while the other exploded in an open area. Since the attack, three more drones were spotted in the Kaluchak area of the region. The drones were flying high and disappeared after briefly hovering over the establishment. The security establishment says the attacks represent a new threat and a dangerous sign of things to come. Despite multiple warnings, and the lack of real damage, the attack on the airbase shows how unprepared India was in combating this threat. Experts believe that India should have woken up to the exponential proliferation of new technologies and artificial intelligence long back, and thus makes the task of combating terror even more challenging.”
Nigeria
All Africa: Nigeria: Terrorism, Greatest Threat To Human Existence
“The National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), has stated that beyond the COVID-19 and climate change, terrorism remains the greatest threat to human existence. He also added that to deal decisively with the complex nature of terrorism and other transnational organised crimes, the international community must see the threat of terrorism to a particular country as a threat to global peace and security. Monguno said this on Monday at the ongoing Second United Nations High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of members states, convened by the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The NSA said terrorism has continued to manifest itself as a vicious and relentless global threat, recognising no border, nationality and all religions; adding that it has become a contemporary weapon of violence for non-state actors in this era of globalisation. He said, “I can say with total conviction that apart from pandemics, natural disasters and the climate itself, today the greatest threat to the existence of human race is the global scourge of terrorism.”
“The National Security Adviser, Maj Gen Babagana Monguno (retd.), has raised the alarm that terrorist organisations like the Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province are recruiting and radicalising vulnerable Nigerian youths through the social media. Monguno raised the alarm at the ongoing second United Nations High-Level Conference of Heads of Counter-Terrorism Agencies of member-states, convened by the United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, in New York. He declared that the intention of the terrorist groups was to portray the Federal Government as incapable of protecting the population, Tribune reports. The NSA said, “The Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists are also using the social media to instil fear in the target communities, as well as to deflate the morale of defence and security forces.” He added that terrorism had continued to manifest itself as a vicious and relentless global threat, recognising no border, nationality and religion. The NSA stated that in order to deal decisively with the complex nature of terrorism and other organised transnational crimes, the international community must see the menace as a threat to global peace and security.”
United Kingdom
Express: Shamima Begum Should Return To Britain, Says Ex-US Ambassador – ‘Not A Dangerous Person’
“…Speaking to Express.co.uk, Liam Duffy, a strategic advisor to the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), argued against the “celebritisation” of western ISIS volunteers. He contrasted “the plight of the Yazidis and the situation they’re living in now” with “westerners who joined ISIS, who in some cases are living in much more comfortable conditions than their victims”. Mr Duffy added: “I just wish as much attention was given to the people they tormented as to the tormenters. “I think there’s a real problem of celebritisation of people who joined ISIS. “We’ve inverted the victim/aggressor relationship a little bit to make these people sound more like the victims. “They were recruited therefore they’re a victim which is really morally unserious.” Hundreds of British ISIS volunteers are already believed to have returned to the UK. Whilst it has been seriously damaged, ISIS continues to mount an insurgency in Syria and Iraq whilst gaining strength in parts of Africa.”
“A 13-year-old boy who was taught to use a gun by ISIS fighters aged eight is locked up at a prison for 'Caliphate Cubs' and says he wants to come 'home' to Britain. Abdullah, who says he is a fan of Chelsea and McDonald's, claims he grew up in London with his family, who are originally from Pakistan. When he was eight, his mother and father took him to live under the Islamic State in Syria, along with his younger sister and two brothers. They are all now dead. Most of his family were killed at Baghouz, the final stronghold of ISIS which was obliterated by US airstrikes in the last days of the so-called 'caliphate' in March, 2019. He is now being kept at the Kurdish-run Hori Centre, a rehabilitation facility for boys accused of carrying out atrocities on behalf of ISIS, in the northeastern town of Tal Marouf. Abdullah is one of scores of children ISIS sought to indoctrinate as 'Caliphate Cubs' to further their twisted ideology in a similar model to that used by the Hitler Youth. Abdullah, who speaks good English with a slight accent, said he had been in Syria for less than a year when he was taught how to use an AK-47 assault rifle. He claims to have never used it, but that ISIS wanted him and other children to do so.”
Germany
“Far-right police, soldiers and civilians in Germany have held military exercises to prepare for 'Day X' - when they believe they must seize power to save the country, shocking new evidence has revealed. New photos show members of the secret group Nordkreuz, or Northern Cross, dressed in camouflage and carrying weapons as they lug equipment through forests, fast-rope off bridges and clamber through underground tunnels. The images were retrieved from a hard drive, along with maps and plans, which was was obtained by investigative reporter Dirk Laabs. It is not clear who gave him the drive. It contains plans for Day X, a date when Nordkreuz claims the German state will collapse and the far-right will seize power to re-establish order. Laabs spoke to PBS Frontline to reveal the trove of intelligence, telling the US broadcaster that these were 'big training drills' which involved professional 'soldiers who would train civilians.' 'So, it was really thought-through. It was a military operation,' Laabs added. The group spawned from an online chatroom which was set up by a member of Germany's elite special forces, the KSK, for servicemen with far-right sympathies.”
Canada
“Since his release from immigration detention almost two years ago, Othman (Adam) Hamdan has been living in limbo. The Canada Border Services Agency has been trying to deport him, calling him a risk to Canadians. He says he has been trying to clear his name and get on with his life. “I'm trying to go forward; I'm trying to be the model citizen,” Hamdan told The National in his first televised interview. “And still, the Canadian government has the audacity to say I'm dangerous.” Hamdan, a Jordanian citizen, arrived in Canada in 2002 seeking a better life, and settled in Fort St. John, B.C. But the politically minded, outspoken man caught the attention of the RCMP in 2014 in the wake of the Parliament Hill shootings. As part of Project Scollop, which investigated online extremism in Canada after that attack, RCMP approached Hamdan about Facebook posts he had made that seemed to support ISIS. Hamdan said he was told the topics he was posting about were “very sensitive” and could be offensive to some. But, he says, they did not tell him to stop Eight months later, Hamdan was arrested and charged with four terrorism-related offences.”
Technology
The National: Extremists Use Minecraft And Roblox To Recreate Christchurch Attack
“…The Counter Extremism Project, which monitors extremist activity online, said: "CEP researchers identified a video posted on Streamable consisting of a recreation of the Christchurch terrorist attack video in the online video game Roblox, as well as a map of one of the mosques targeted in the attack in the game Minecraft, which was then shared on an image board that promotes violent white supremacism." "The video included a weapon made to resemble the attacker’s rifle and included music originally used in the attack video. The link was posted on 4chan and had 23 views when it was located. "CEP also located a map and video recreation in the game Minecraft depicting one of the mosques targeted in the terrorist attack. The map had been online for two months when it was located and had received over 330 views."
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