“A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander urged Iraqi Shi'ite militias to
step up attacks on U.S. targets during a meeting in Baghdad last week,

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


July 14, 2021

 

Reuters: Iranian Commander Urged Escalation Against US Forces At Iraq Meeting,
Sources Say
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“A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander urged Iraqi Shi'ite militias
to step up attacks on U.S. targets during a meeting in Baghdad last week, three
militia sources and two Iraqi security sources familiar with the gathering
said. American forces in Iraq and Syria were attacked several times following
the visit by an Iranian delegation led by Revolutionary Guards intelligence
chief Hossein Taeb, which came after deadly U.S. air strikes against
Iran-backed militias at the Syrian-Iraqi border on June 27. While encouraging
retaliation, the Iranians advised the Iraqis not to go too far to avoid a big
escalation, three militia sources briefed on the meeting said. The Iranians
did, however, advise them to widen their attacks by retaliating against U.S.
forces in Syria, according to one of the three militia sources, a senior local
militia commander briefed on the meeting. The flare-up comes as significant
differences cloud diplomatic efforts to revive the Iranian 2015 nuclear
agreement, which was abandoned by former U.S. President Donald Trump but which
Iran wants reinstated to allow it to resume key exports of oil.”

 

CNN: Taliban Fighters Execute 22 Afghan Commandos As They Try To Surrender
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“Over clear but unsteady video, the words ring out: “Surrender, commandos,
surrender.” Several men emerge from a building; they are clearly unarmed.
Gunfire erupts. At least a dozen men are seen shot to death amid cries of
“Allahu Akhbar” -- God is Great. The victims were members of an Afghan Special
Forces unit: their executioners, the Taliban. The summary killings took place
on June 16 in the town of Dawlat Abad in Faryab province, close to
Afghanistan's border with Turkmenistan. CNN has obtained and verified several
videos of the incident and has spoken with witnesses. Videos show the
commandos' bodies strewn across an outdoor market. After a fierce battle to
hold the town, the commandos had run out of ammunition and were surrounded by
the Taliban fighters, witnesses said. In one video, about 45 seconds long, a
bystander can be heard saying in Pashto, the local language: “Don't shoot them,
don't shoot them, I beg you don't shoot them.” The bystander then asks: “How
are you Pashtun killing Afghans?” The Pashtuns are the main ethnic group in
Afghanistan. At the end of the video, another voice off-camera says: “Take
everything off them.”

 

United States

 

Roll Call: House Appropriators Want Pentagon To Get Tough On Extremists In The
Ranks
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“The House Appropriations Committee would require Defense Secretary Lloyd J.
Austin III to report to lawmakers soon on progress in keeping violent
extremists out of the U.S. military. The panel said in a report made public
Monday that it would direct the Pentagon to report on how it is implementing
proposals to solve the problem, including recommendations from an internal
Defense Department study that was sent quietly to Congress in October and
disclosed publicly by CQ Roll Call in February.  The Pentagon study described
in detail appeals that white supremacists and other extremists have made to
recruit military members — and their periodic successes.  “Despite a low number
of cases in absolute terms, individuals with extremist affiliations and
military experience are a concern to U.S. national security because of their
proven ability to execute high-impact events,” the study stated. “Access to
service members with combat training and technical weapons expertise can also
increase both the probability of success and the potency of planned violent
attacks.” The Defense Department's efforts to grapple with violent extremism,
particularly white supremacism, sped up last year in the wake of the George
Floyd protests.”

 

The Charlotte Observer: Who Are The Three Percenters? What Experts Say
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“On Monday, the Columbia Police Department confirmed one of its officers had a
Three Percenters sticker on his personal vehicle. That officer was taken off
patrol and placed on administrative duty while the department conducts a
review. But who are the Three Percenters, and why did the presence of their
logo on a police officer’s car cause an uproar? The Three Percenters are a
right-wing militia organization who have recently targeted political leftists,
Muslims and immigrants, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The Three
Percenters logo includes a Roman numeral III, often surrounded by a field of
thirteen stars. After forming in 2008 on a blog run by an anti-government
extremist involved in the militia movement, Three Percenters have established a
track record of criminal activity ranging from weapons violations to terrorist
plots and attacks, the Anti-Defamation League said. On June 25, the Canadian
government listed Three Percenters as a terrorist organization, calling it a
ideologically motivated violent extremist group. It is considered an
anti-government militia movement, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.”

 

Syria

 

BBC News: Islamic State Children In Syria Face A Lifetime In Prison
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“Thousands of foreign children, including British kids, are facing a lifetime
of imprisonment in camps and jails in north-eastern Syria, with little hope of
being released. A BBC investigation has found that the children, whose parents
supported the Islamic State Group, are being moved from desert camps, to secure
children’s homes, and onto adult prisons, in a conveyor belt of incarceration.
Britain has repatriated only a handful of children from Syria, most of whom
were orphans. The Kurdish authorities who run the facilities say they can’t
cope, and that IS terror cells are recruiting and radicalising children as
young as eight. The BBC's Middle East correspondent Quentin Sommerville reports
from north-east Syria.”

 

Kurdistan 24: 8 Killed At Infamous Northeast Syrian Displacement Camp In June:
SDF
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“At least 8 people were killed last month at the sprawling al-Hol displacement
camp that holds thousands of female ISIS suspects and their children in
northeastern Syria. The announcement came from the US-backed Democratic Forces
(SDF), which run the facility that has seen alarming numbers of murders in
recent months seen to be at the hands of residents loyal to the extremist group
following its territorial defeat in the country. “ISIS terrorist cells
continued their activity inside al-Hol camp by carrying out more killings of
residents who seek to get away from the extremist ideas of the group,” read the
SDF’s latest monthly report released by its Military Observation Desk (MOD).
“During June, MOD recorded the killing of eight people of Syrian and Iraqi
nationalities (that were committed) by shooting them in the head, and the
wounding of a Russian woman.” Moreover, the Kurdish-led SDF also said it had
recently arrested 85 men, women, and children while they were attempting to
escape from the camp. The number of targeted killings at al-Hol has fallen
slightly over the previous few months following a sweeping SDF security
operation in late March aimed at identifying and capturing those responsible
for the deaths and other crimes.”

 

Iraq

 

Kurdistan 24: Kurdistan Releases Video Of Suspects Confessing To Plan For Eid
Terrorist Attacks In Erbil
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“The Kurdistan Region Security Council (KRSC) announced on Tuesday that
security forces had arrested members of a terrorist group affiliated with ISIS
that was planning attacks in Erbil ahead of next week's Eid al-Adha
celebrations. In a video released by the KRSC, five males describe their roles
as part of a cell that planned to launch attacks in the capital city of the
autonomous Kurdistan Region using both suicide bombers and gunmen at a major
government building and another unspecified location they said was frequented
by foreigners. The accompanying statement added that the General Directorate of
Counter Terrorism in Erbil had thwarted the plot and arrested all five members
of the cell, noting that they had “been recruited at the beginning of this year
by the organization (ISIS) to carry out the attack.” The statement also pointed
out that the cell members surveyed the places they intended to attack,
including Erbil's governorate building, the site of a previous deadly ISIS
attack in 2018. One of the men in the video who gave his name as Mazin Rasheed
said that he is “from Anbar province, worked with ISIS as the head of
machinery, and then went to live in Turkey after the terrorist group’s defeat.”

 

Turkey

 

The Wall Street Journal: Turkey, U.S. Make Progress In Kabul Airport Talks,
Prompting Taliban Threat
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“U.S. and Turkish officials have made progress in talks on a plan for Turkish
troops to run Kabul’s international airport, something that would enable
foreign embassies to remain in Afghanistan after the American military
withdrawal, Turkey’s defense minister said. “A framework was drawn and work
continues in specified fields,” Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said in remarks
reported by Turkey’s official news agency on Tuesday. “We made quite
constructive, quite positive talks. There are other countries that want to help
Afghanistan, we are talking to them as well. It is a versatile process.” Talks
were continuing with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and other U.S. officials,
he added. The Taliban reacted to the news by condemning Turkey for “extending
the occupation of our country at the behest of and in agreement with America,”
and the group warned that the Turkish troops that remain in Afghanistan will be
considered occupiers and be dealt with accordingly. “Responsibility for all
consequences shall fall on the shoulders of those who interfere in the affairs
of others and make such ill-advised decisions,” the Taliban said Tuesday.”

 

Pakistan

 

Associated Press: Shootout In NW Pakistan Leaves 2 Soldiers, 3 Militants Dead
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“Security forces raided a militant hideout in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday,
triggering an intense shootout that killed two soldiers and three militants,
the military said. According to a military statement, security forces launched
a search operation following the shootout in the district of Kurram in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. It provided no further
details, and the identity and nationality of the slain militants were not
immediately known. Kurram, a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban, is
located near the Afghan border. Since 2017, Pakistan has been fencing the
country's northwestern regions along the border to contain the movement of
militants and to curb smuggling and illegal border crossings. Pakistan says it
has completed 91% of the fence along the 2,611-kilometer (1,622-mile) boundary
with Afghanistan known as the Durand Line.”

 

Middle East

 

The Jerusalem Post: Palestinian Terror Group Calls For 'Resistance' After
Jerusalem Demolitions
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“The Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) movement called on Tuesday for
Palestinians to respond to a string of home demolitions that were ordered by
Israel in the past week in Jerusalem which it called “terrorism that targets
Jerusalemites.” PIJ spokesperson Tariq Salmi stated that there has been an
“escalation” of the Israeli policy of demolishing Palestinian buildings built
without a permit, adding that it is “an aggressive policy aimed at continuing
pressure on Jerusalemites and besieging them in all aspects of life, leading to
their displacement and deportation from Jerusalem.” “These crimes and terrorism
targeting Jerusalemites require action to activate all required measures to
protect and rescue them, and to strengthen their steadfastness in the face of
ethnic cleansing policies and all the crimes committed by the terrorist
occupation against them,” said Salmi, calling for the activation of the
“resistance in all its forms” in response. Salmi's comments come just hours
after Muhammad Nassar Al-Husseini was forced to demolish his home in the Silwan
neighborhood of east Jerusalem on Tuesday morning due to the fact that he
lacked a permit when he built the building.”

 

Egypt

 

Arab News: Egypt Passes Bill To Dismiss Terrorist-Linked Govt Employees
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“Egypt’s parliament has passed a bill that allows authorities to dismiss
employees affiliated with the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood (MB) and other
terrorist organizations from government positions. The move follows a string of
deadly rail accidents blamed on the MB, lawmakers said. Public employees who
have “failed to meet their duties as part of a bid to harm public services or
the economic interests of the state” will be fired, the legislation said. An
Egyptian government source said in a statement that the law will be implemented
within weeks. The source added that the government is working to keep employees
belonging to terrorist organizations away from high-profile positions within
the state after it was found that a clandestine group within the government was
involved in schemes aimed at harming the state. He said: “Cleansing state
institutions of MB members is complicated and not easy, because most of them do
not clearly declare their affiliation. “The law will define the mechanisms for
dealing with each case and indicate the extent of its involvement in actions
that threaten the stability of the country.”

 

Nigeria

 

All Africa: Nigeria: Islamic State Fortifies Its Position In The Lake Chad
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“The death of Abubakar Shekau, long-time leader of Jama'atu Ahlis Sunnah
lid-Da'wati wa'l-Jihad (JAS), has opened the space for a reconfiguration of
forces in the Lake Chad Basin. It could allow Islamic State (IS) to consolidate
its position in the region through its local affiliate, Islamic State West
Africa Province (ISWAP). According to ongoing Institute for Security Studies
(ISS) research, IS proposes to set up four caliphates in Borno State,
north-east Nigeria, to oversee its activities in the Lake Chad Basin area and
beyond. The proposal to ISWAP was reportedly made in June, with plans for new
caliphates (states) in Lake Chad, Sambisa, Timbuktu and Tumbuma. Each will have
its own wali (governor) and 'governing' structure. However all four caliphates
will be under the control of the Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi-led IS core,
suggesting a closer control of franchising rights by IS central. Some positions
will therefore remain central in the Lake Chad Basin and not be replicated in
each caliphate. These include the Shura Council (consultative assembly) and
Amirul Jaish (military leader) positions. Each caliphate will have at least two
representatives at the Shura Council and military commanders of its own.”

 

The News Nigeria: Troops Rescue 17 Commuters From Boko Haram Terrorists In
Borno
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“The troops of Sector 1 Operation Hadin Kai, deployed at the Forward
Operational Base (FOB) along Maiduguri-Damaturu road, have rescued 17 civilians
from being kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists in Borno. The Director, Army
Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, disclosed this in a statement on
Tuesday in Abuja. He said the terrorists had attempted to infiltrate Auno
village through the Rail Line adjacent to the community, but were quickly
intercepted by troops in a fierce gun duel. According to him, further
exploitation conducted by troops of 7 Division Garrison and 212 battalion,
resulted in the successful rescue of the commuting civilians, who were abducted
during the attack at Kontori along Maiduguri-Damaturu road. He said that the
rescued civilians have been adequately documented and handed over to officials
of Rapid Response Squad for further action. “Recall that it was during the said
attack that our troops were involved in a road traffic accident, while
responding to a distress call from the area. “The Chief of Army Staff (COAS),
Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, commended the troops’ commitment and decisive operations
against the terrorists.”

 

Somalia

 

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Slows Anti-Terrorist Campaign In Somalia As It
Considers New Policy
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“On Jan. 19, a U.S. aircraft opened fire on a vehicle driving near Jamaame,
Somalia, killing a commander of the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab, the
local al Qaeda affiliate. That mission and another the same day brought to 203
the number of airstrikes former President Donald Trump carried out in Somalia
during his term in office, according to military records. On Jan. 20, Joe Biden
was sworn in as president. Since then, there hasn’t been a single U.S.
airstrike on al-Shabaab. The U.S. war against al-Shabaab, conducted largely
behind a veil of secrecy since 2007, remains in limbo as Mr. Biden weighs his
national-security priorities and wrestles with the last-minute decisions of his
predecessor. “We’re committed to Somalia,” said a senior U.S. official. “What
exactly that will look like is still under discussion.” In the final weeks of
his presidency, Mr. Trump ordered a hurried withdrawal of roughly 650 U.S.
special-operations and other troops from Somalia, where they had been training
an elite local commando unit to fight al-Shabaab. The military moved most
American troops to neighboring Djibouti and Kenya, sites within commuting
distance of Somali government training camps.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Guardian: Threat To UK From Hostile States Could Be As Bad As Terrorism,
Says MI5 Chief
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“The chief of MI5 is to warn that the activities of China, Russia and other
hostile states could have as large an impact on the public as terrorism,
marking a significant shift in emphasis from the UK’s domestic spy agency.
Giving his annual threat update on Wednesday, Ken McCallum is expected to say
that the British public will have to “build the same public awareness and
resilience to state threats that we have done over the years on terrorism”. But
while the threat from Russia, as demonstrated by the poisoning of the Skripals
in Salisbury, is familiar to the British public – the spy chief will argue that
threats that typically come from China are not. McCallum will say that
universities and researchers risk “having their discoveries stolen or copied”
if they are not vigilant and that businesses could be “hollowed out by the loss
of advantage they’ve worked painstakingly to build”. “Given half a chance,
hostile actors will short-circuit years of patient British research or
investment. This is happening at scale. And it affects us all. UK jobs, UK
public services, UK futures,” McCallum will say.”

 

France

 

France 24: Five Years On, Nice Remains Haunted By Memory Of Bastille Day Truck
Attack
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“For most French people, Bastille Day is synonymous with military pomp and
parties, but in the southern city of Nice the country’s national holiday also
conjures up visions of horror. On Wednesday, the Mediterranean city will pause
to mark five years since a man drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd of people
celebrating Bastille Day on the waterfront, killing 86 people. Dozens of
nationalities were among the victims who were out to enjoy a fireworks show on
the palm-fringed Promenade des Anglais with friends and family when Mohamed
Lahouaiej-Bouhlel struck. The Tunisian-born assailant, who is believed to have
been spurred by jihadist propaganda, was shot dead by police after a
two-kilometre rampage. Fifteen of his victims were minors, with the youngest
aged just two-and-a-half. At the city’s Lenval hospital, around 300 children
are still being monitored by psychiatrists for the trauma suffered from that
night, with around 100 needing regular consultations. “Five years on, we still
have patients who have recurring nightmares, which are flashbacks to the
attack,” Florence Askenazy, head of the service, told AFP. “These are primary
school children who witnessed severed limbs and other terrible things when they
were little, who have nightmares about heads being cut off and trucks coming
from all directions,” she explained.”

 

Germany

 

Deutsche Welle: German Spy Chief Warns Of Islamic State's Strength
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“The head of Germany's foreign intelligence agency, the BND, has given a rare
interview specifically to warn that despite appearances, terrorism remains a
real threat to world order, even 20 years after 9/11. Speaking to the
Süddeutsche Zeitung on Monday, Bruno Kahl said that though Europe and the US
had not seen any more major terrorist attacks like those of two decades ago,
“Islamist terrorism has developed further and cost very many human lives. The
number of terrorist actors and the danger they pose has increased.”   There
have of course been major successes in the fight against the Islamic State in
the past few years — especially the 2019 killing of the group's self-proclaimed
caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and the destruction of the “caliphate” in Syria
and Iraq as a quasi-state entity. But since then, said Kahl, IS has turned into
a decentralized network, much like al-Qaida, whose suborganizations “are even
spreading out.”  This isn't exactly news, according to Mirna El Masri, a
radicalization and terrorism researcher at the Hamburg-based German Institute
for Global and Area Studies (GIGA). “There had been indications in 2019 after
the loss of its territories that IS had strengthened considerably,” she told
DW.”

 

Technology

 

The Washington Post: Why Facebook Really, Really Doesn’t Want To Discourage
Extremism
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“Last year, the Wall Street Journal reported Facebook executives allegedly
shut down internal research showing the platform increased political
polarization and declined to make changes that might make the platform less
divisive. Why might Facebook be reluctant to reduce polarization on its
platform? Our study, recently published in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, might offer an answer. We analyzed nearly 3 million
U.S.-based tweets and Facebook posts to examine what social media posts that go
“viral” have in common. We specifically looked at political posts, including
those by members of Congress or left- and right-leaning media outlets. The
results were stark. The most viral posts tended to be about the opposing
political party. Facebook posts and tweets about one’s political out-group
(that is, the party opposed to one’s own) were shared about twice as often as
those about one’s own political group. Posts about the opposition were almost
exclusively negative. Furthermore, each additional word about the opposing
group (for instance, in a Republican’s post, that might include “Democrat,”
“leftist,” or “Biden”) in a social media post was associated with a 67 percent
increase in social media shares.”



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