“A global watchdog on Thursday added Turkey to its list of countries requiring
special regulatory oversight for failing to stop money laundering and t

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


October 22, 2021 

 

The Wall Street Journal: Global Finance Watchdog Censures Turkey Over Money
Laundering, Terrorist Financing
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“A global watchdog on Thursday added Turkey to its list of countries requiring
special regulatory oversight for failing to stop money laundering and terrorist
financing, a designation analysts say will rattle Ankara’s already shaky
economy. The action means Turkey joins a group of 23 countries—including
Zimbabwe, Haiti and Syria—that the Financial Action Task Force determined “have
strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist
financing, and proliferation financing.” The designation by FATF, an
intergovernmental body that audits the ability of nations to detect and disrupt
illicit finance, is a political blow to longtime Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, both domestically and diplomatically, analysts say. Turkey’s finance
ministry called the action undeserved in a statement, saying that it had made
progress in meeting FATF standards since its last review in 2019. The ministry
said it would take all the necessary steps to remove the country from FATF’s
list as soon as possible. The Turkish embassy in Washington didn’t respond to a
request for comment. Marcus Pleyer, the German finance ministry deputy director
general who serves as FATF’s head in a rotating presidency, said that despite
Ankara’s progress, serious issues remain, including supervision of high-risk
sectors such as banks, gold and precious-stone dealers and real estate.”

 

The New York Times: Syria Executes 24 People For Setting Wildfires, Calling It
‘Terrorism’
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“The Syrian government has executed 24 people and sentenced 11 others to life
in prison with hard labor for lighting wildfires that burned across the
country’s northwest last year, the Syrian justice ministry announced in a
statement on Facebook on Thursday. The people convicted were accused not of
arson but of terrorism, the government said, because their actions caused
death, as well as extensive damage to infrastructure, private and public
property, farmland and forests. The harshness of the sentences, which were
imposed on Wednesday, shocked even human rights campaigners who have tracked
the brutality of the country’s 10-year civil war. During that time, the
government of President Bashar al-Assad has bombed Syria’s own cities, imposed
suffocating sieges on rebellious communities and disappeared an unknown number
of people into its prisons. “The idea that 24 people were executed in relation
to wildfires just smacks of the farce that Bashar al-Assad has made of the
justice system over the last decade,” said Sara Kayyali, a Syria researcher
with Human Rights Watch. She noted that the fires were centered in parts of the
country’s northwest that are generally loyal to Mr. al-Assad, and where
residents have some leeway to criticize the state.”

 

Syria

 

Associated Press: Attack Hits Syria Base That Houses US Troops; No U.S.
Injuries
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“A military outpost in southern Syria was hit by a coordinated attack on
Wednesday, but U.S. officials said no American troops stationed there were
injured or killed. Initial reports said the attack appeared to include two
drone strikes and a small number of rockets. One official said one of the drone
strikes hit the U.S. side of the al-Tanf garrison, while one may have hit the
side where Syrian opposition forces are based. The officials spoke on condition
of anonymity to discuss military operations. In a statement, Central Command
spokesman Capt. Bill Urban confirmed “a deliberate and coordinated attack.
Based on initial reports, the attack utilized both unmanned aerial systems and
indirect fire.” “All U.S. personnel have been accounted for, and we are not
aware of any injuries to U.S. personnel at this time. We continue to work with
our partners to confirm whether they suffered any casualties as a result of
this deliberate attack.” “We maintain the inherent right of self-defense and
will respond at a time and place of our choosing.” U.S. and coalition troops
are based at al-Tanf to train Syrian forces on patrols to counter Islamic State
group militants. It is the only position with a significant U.S. military
presence in Syria outside the Kurdish-controlled north.”

 

Afghanistan

 

The Washington Post: Taliban Tells Kabul’s Female City Government Employees
Not To Come To Work
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“The Taliban imposed further restrictions on female city government employees
in Afghanistan’s capital on Thursday, barring many from returning to work next
week in a sign that the group will continue to restrict women’s rights despite
two decades of freedoms under the previous government. Neamatullah Barakzai,
the Taliban’s head of public awareness for the Kabul municipality, said many
female city employees were told not to come to their jobs while officials
prepare a new plan to allow women to work in government offices. The order does
not include women in the health and education sectors. The salaries of all
female government employees will continue to be paid, Barakzai added. The
Taliban has long enforced an extreme interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia,
in territory the militant group controls, forcing women to wear head-to-toe
coverings in public, restricting girls’ access to education and requiring women
to be accompanied by a male relative when outside the home. When the group
controlled Kabul and the rest of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001, such
restrictions were imposed nationwide. Since retaking all of Afghanistan, the
Taliban has suggested the group could allow women more freedom within the
framework of Islamic law.”

 

Pakistan

 

Gulf News: Pakistan 6 Pakistani Security Personnel Die In 3 Terror Attacks
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“Six Pakistani security personnel were killed in three attacks in different
parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan in two days. Four personnel
including two FC soldiers Lance Naik Mudassir and Sepoy Jamshed and two police
constables Abdul Samad and Noor Rehman lost their lives in an improvised
explosive device (IED) attack, the military media wing ISPR said on Thursday.
The attack took place in Mamund area of Bajaur district which borders
Afghanistan. After the incident, security forces and police cordoned off the
blast site and launched a search operation to trace those involved in the
blast. KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan strongly condemned the attack and vowed
to bring culprits to justice. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the
bombing. In another attack on October 20 in Thall, Hangu district of KP,
terrorists fired at a military post. Sepoy Waqas, the resident of Mansehra,
lost his life, during the exchange of fire that lasted several hours. Troops
initiated a prompt response and effectively engaged the terrorists, the ISPR
said. Meanwhile, terrorists also fired at a security forces post in Kech
district of Balochistan in which Sepoy Muhammad Qaiser sustained serious
injuries and lost his life.”

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: Pakistani Police Says 3 Afghans From ISIS Group Killed Near
Border
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“Pakistani counter-terrorism forces say they have killed three Afghan
militants who belonged to the ISIS group during a raid on a hideout near the
country's border with Afghanistan. The gun battle was the latest episode of
violence in Pakistan involving extremist groups that appear to have been
emboldened by the return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan, The Associated
Press said. The dawn raid was carried out in Peshawar, capital of the
northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Javed Khan, an officer with the
provincial Counter-Terrorism Department. The branch is a special police unit
that fights local and foreign militant groups. Khan said the slain militants
were Afghans, and that the raid foiled a possible terrorist attack. Two other
fighters managed to flee, he said, giving no further details. Pakistan has
witnessed scores of terrorist attacks in recent years, most of which were
claimed by the Pakistani Taliban and the ISIS group. Both organizations have
been emboldened by Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan, where Pakistani militants
are still believed to be hiding.”

 

Nigeria

 

BBC News: Why Separatists In Cameroon And Nigeria Have United
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“Cameroon's five-year conflict could be taking a significant new turn with
reports that its English-speaking separatist groups are getting help from an
armed group in neighbouring Nigeria. After two attacks by Anglophone militants
which cost the lives of 15 Cameroonian soldiers last month, the army issued a
statement declaring that "the separatists have used heavy weapons for the first
time, in violation of international humanitarian law". It went on to add that
"the rise in power of these terrorist groups... is largely due to their
co-operation with other terrorist entities operating outside the country".
Contacted by the BBC, Cameroonian defence forces spokesperson Col Cyrille
Atonfack Nguemo did not specify which foreign groups were allegedly working
with the Anglophone separatists, who say they face discrimination in the
country dominated by French-speakers. It is therefore unclear whether the
military believes it is one or several armed groups, and also where they are
located. But the separatist Ambazonia Defense Forces (ADF) has confirmed an
alliance with the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob), an ethnic Igbo group
waging a sometimes violent campaign for autonomy in south-eastern Nigeria, some
of which lies just 150km (90 miles) from the border with Cameroon's
English-speaking regions.”

 

Al Jazeera: Nigerian Separatist Leader Kanu Denies Terrorism Charges In Court
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“Nigerian separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu has pleaded not guilty to seven
charges including “terrorism” and treason in an Abuja court, three months after
his trial was delayed when authorities failed to produce him in court. The
charges against Kanu, a British citizen, also included calling for secession,
knowingly broadcasting falsehoods about President Muhammadu Buhari, and
membership in an outlawed group. Leaving the courtroom on Thursday, Kanu’s
lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor told AFP news agency that he urged the court “to dismiss
the seven-count charges … acquit our client and discharge him” before the case
was adjourned to November 10. The military considers Kanu’s Indigenous People
of Biafra (IPOB) a “terrorist” organisation. IPOB wants a swathe of the
southeast, the homeland of the Igbo ethnic group, to split from Nigeria. An
attempt to secede in 1967 as the Republic of Biafra triggered a three-year
civil war that killed more than one million people. Security services barred
journalists from entering the court and forcibly dispersed crowds of supporters
who gathered nearby. In selfies with his lawyer circulating in local media,
Kanu looked healthy and in good spirits.”

 

Mali

 

Reuters: Mali Has Not Asked Any Group To Negotiate With Islamist Militants
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“The Malian government on Thursday said it had not officially asked any
organisation to negotiate with Islamist insurgents on its behalf. This week, a
spokesperson for the ministry of religious affairs said it had asked the High
Islamic Council (HCI) to open peace talks with leaders of al Qaeda's local
affiliate in an effort to end a decade of conflict. "The Government informs the
national and international public that to date, no national or international
organisation has been officially mandated to carry out such an activity," the
government said in a statement. Malian authorities have endorsed the idea of
talks and have quietly backed local peace initiatives with the militants as
security deteriorates and Islamist groups expand beyond their traditional
strongholds. But the strategy is opposed by Mali's chief military ally, France.
French President Emmanuel Macron said in June that his troops would not conduct
joint operations with countries that negotiate with Islamist militants.”

 

Africa

 

Reuters: Suspected Islamists Kill 16 In Eastern Congo Village
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“Suspected Islamist militants killed 16 people and burned down houses late on
Wednesday in a village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a witness and a
civil society leader said. An army spokesman in the area said early on Thursday
that a combat patrol unit had clashed with the rebels, but gave no further
details. "We were having a drink with friends and all of a sudden we heard
gunshots. Our first instinct was to flee. This morning we found 16 bodies, the
victims including my eldest son," said Luc Kakule Messo, a resident of the
village of Kalembo, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the city of Beni.
Mumbere Meleki Mulala, coordinator of a local human rights network, confirmed
the death toll and blamed the attack on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a
Ugandan armed group active in the region. The ADF has operated in the dense
forests near the Ugandan border for more than three decades and began killing
civilians in large numbers in 2014. In late 2019 Congo's army launched a
large-scale operation against them, sparking a violent backlash. "It is
regrettable and it is frustrating because every day we are counting the dead,"
said Mulala.”

 

Reuters: French Army: Leading Member Of African-Based Al Quaeda Affiliate
Killed
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“Nasser Al Tergui, a leading member of the African-based Al Quaeda affiliate
Katiba Serma, was killed last week in Mali after an air strike by Barkhane
military forces, said the French army on Thursday. Katiba Serma is an armed
group affiliated with al Qaeda. Operation Barkhane, under which France has
about 5,100 soldiers deployed across five countries in the Sahel region, south
of the Sahara desert, was launched in 2014 to combat the jihadi insurgency
there.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Wall Street Journal: U.K. Charges Ali Harbi Ali With Terrorist Murder Of
Lawmaker David Amess
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“British authorities charged a 25-year-old London man, Ali Harbi Ali, with
murder and terrorism in the stabbing to death of lawmaker David Amess last
week. Mr. Ali faces trial over the killing of the Conservative lawmaker while
he was meeting constituents in the middle of the day on Friday. Mr. Ali
appeared in court Thursday wearing a gray tracksuit and glasses. He spoke only
to confirm his identity and was remanded in custody until a hearing this
Friday. “Today’s charge is a significant milestone in the case, but the work
from my colleagues in the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command will continue apace,”
said Matt Jukes, assistant commissioner for specialist operations at London’s
Metropolitan Police. He said police aren’t releasing further information about
Mr. Ali’s exact motivations or background at this stage. Mr. Ali was
apprehended at the scene of the attack and police said they weren’t seeking any
other individuals in relation to the killing. “We will submit to the court that
this murder has a terrorist connection, namely that it had both religious and
ideological motivations,” the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service, which prosecutes
cases on behalf of the police, said in a statement. The stabbing of Mr. Amess
sent shock waves through Britain’s political class, coming just five years
after another lawmaker was murdered in public.”

 

The Washington Post: Scarred By Mass Shooting, Britain To Check Social Media,
Medical Records Of Gun License Applicants
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“Britain’s first mass shooting in more than a decade occurred in August. Just
over two months later, London is requiring British police to check medical
records and in some cases delve into applicants’ social media history before
issuing gun licenses. Jake Davison killed five people including his mother and
a 3-year-old girl in a shooting rampage in the southwestern seaside city of
Plymouth in August, before taking his own life. The attack stunned a nation
where gun violence is rare. The 22-year-old posted YouTube videos filled with
despair and self-loathing ahead of the rampage, and reportedly showed interest
in the involuntary celibate, or “incel,” male supremacist subculture that has
been linked to a number of violent acts around the world. Britain has one of
the lowest gun homicide rates in the world and some of the strictest gun laws,
including comprehensive background checks. But the Aug. 12 attack raised
questions about whether those checks are sufficient, after Davison had his
previously confiscated gun and firearms license returned to him just weeks
before the mass slayings. Davison, who had admitted to assaulting two people,
participated in an initiative that aims to keep offenders out of the criminal
justice system.”

 

Germany

 

Vice: Far-Right ‘Berserker Clan’ Accused Of Prepping For Armed Uprising In
Germany
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“German police have carried out raids across the country against a far-right
group that was allegedly prepping for an armed uprising against the state,
amassing guns, knives and ammunition. According to the authorities, the
right-wing extremist group, known as the Berserker Clan, had been discussing
preparations for a so-called “Day X” – a concept prevalent in German far-right
circles which refers to an unspecified date when extremists will violently rise
up against the establishment.  Prosecutors have accused 15 people of belonging
to the group, which they allege is a criminal organisation. About 130 police
officers were involved in Wednesday’s searches at 14 properties linked to the
group in the states of Berlin, Schleswig-Holstein, Baden-Württemberg and Hesse.
A spokesperson for the Berlin Attorney General’s office told VICE World News
that they could not provide any information on the number of weapons seized.
Nobody had been arrested in the raids, which were part of a preliminary
investigation into the group. The Berserker Clan’s Facebook page shows photos
of members wearing T-shirts featuring the group’s logo: an axe-wielding warrior
wearing a skull helmet. The page also features references to a “revenge full of
horror and terror,” as well as the slogan: “Through bloodshed, the gods reveal
their will to us.”



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