October 29, 2019

Voice Of America: Assault On Islamic State Leadership Not Over <[link removed]>

“Senior Islamic State leaders in Syria are coming under fire, part of what appears to be an urgent campaign to gut the terror group's brain trust. The U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces — credited with playing a key role in taking out IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and IS spokesman Abu Hassan al-Muhajir — said Wednesday it had carried out a series of raids aimed at getting the terror group's key players dead or alive. “Another successful raid targeting & arresting senior ISIS members,” SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali tweeted late Monday, using an acronym for the terror group which is also known as IS or by its Arabic acronym, Daesh. Word of ongoing operations against the terror group came shortly after a senior State Department official credited the SDF with playing a “key role” in enabling the U.S. raid on Baghdadi's compound in Bashira, Syria, which led to the IS leader's death. The official also confirmed SDF claims that its forces had killed the IS spokesman in a separate operation Sunday in the town of Jarablus, near the Syrian border with Turkey. Pentagon officials denied any involvement in the strike, in which a second IS fighter was killed and a third was captured, though the State Department said U.S. assets were involved.”

The New York Times: Intelligence From Al-Baghdadi Raid, Including 2 Prisoners, Could Reveal Trove Of ISIS Clues <[link removed]>

“Delta Force commandos took two Islamic State fighters as prisoners and a trove of intelligence from the now-destroyed compound where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the world’s most wanted terrorist, had been hiding, officials said Monday. The prisoners, who are being held in Iraq, are being questioned by the United States military. If the Trump administration follows its previous practice with captured Islamic State fighters, the men will eventually be turned over to the Iraqi government for prosecution. Both the captives and the documents taken from the compound during a two-hour search of the area following the nighttime raid in which Mr. al-Baghdadi was killed over the weekend could provide a trove of information for the military and intelligence agencies, current and former officials said. Officials said the intelligence is expected to underscore assessments that Mr. al-Baghdadi no longer exercised direct operational control over the group. Officials cautioned that the Pentagon, the C.I.A. and other intelligence agencies were still conducting a preliminary review of the confiscated documents and electronic records. The intelligence material that commandos seized from the compound in northwest Syria where Mr. al-Baghdadi was hiding is likely to contain new details about the group’s operations.”

CNN: After Baghdadi, A Candidate To Lead ISIS Emerges <[link removed]>

“What remains of ISIS -- the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria -- is yet to acknowledge the death of its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi who died in a raid by US forces in northern Syria on Saturday. At this early stage it's not clear who will succeed him, but a long-time Baghdadi companion and religious scholar would seem to be a leading candidate. He is known within jihadi circles as Abdallah Qardash, but the US government identifies him as Amir Muhammad Sa'id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla and is thought to have known Baghdadi for at least 15 years. They were both detained at a US-run prison known as Camp Bucca soon after the coalition's invasion of Iraq in 2003, though it's unclear if that's where they first met. Born in the 1970s, al-Mawla is thought to have been one of the many Baathist officers during Saddam Hussein's rule to go underground after the US invasion in 2003 and join forces with insurgents.”

Reuters: Sixteen Killed In Burkina Faso In Suspected Jihadist Attack <[link removed]>

“Suspected jihadists killed 16 villagers in northern Burkina Faso on Monday in an incident highlighting the increased presence of Sahel-based Islamists in the area, local and security sources said. The gunmen came to Pobe-Mengao, about 200 km (160 miles) north of the capital Ouagadougou, threatening to take way children and telling villagers to help them buy weapons, a security source told Reuters. When they refused, they were shot dead, the sources said. A security source told Reuters that the death toll had reached 16. An Islamist insurgency with links to Islamic State and al Qaeda has crossed into Burkina Faso this year from neighboring Mali, igniting ethnic and religious tensions, especially in northern regions. Attacks by Islamist militants as well as clashes between herding and farming communities have surged since, killing hundreds of civilians and soldiers in a country that used to be a pocket of relative calm in the Sahel. The government did not immediately comment on the killings.”

Al Jazeera: France Mosque Shooting: Man Arrested After Mosque Attack <[link removed]>

“French authorities have arrested a man suspected of shooting and seriously wounding two men in their 70s outside a mosque in southwest France, police have said. An 84-year-old man opened fire when the two victims, aged 74 and 78, found him trying to set fire to a mosque in Bayonne, a police statement said on Monday. The victims were brought to a nearby hospital with serious injuries, while the suspected shooter, identified as Claude Sinke, was later arrested near his home. Sinke also set fire to a car outside the Mosque. “I strongly condemn the heinous attack perpetrated in front of the Bayonne Mosque,” President Emmanuel Macron said on his Twitter account. “Everything will be done to punish the perpetrators, and protect our Muslim compatriots,” he added. Separately, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner confirmed the arrest, and offered his “solidarity and support to the Muslim community.” Marine Le Pen, the leader of a far-right National Rally party which has had links to violent anti-Muslim groups, also condemned the shooting. “The attack ... goes against all the values of our movement,” she said.”

Wired: The Curious Tale Of Julian, The Last King Of Brussels <[link removed]>

“Think of a hot-button technology issue: online radicalisation; counterterrorism; fake news; cybersecurity; 5G networks safety. There is a good chance that Julian King is the EU official in charge of that issue.  Of the 22 Security Union laws proposed under King’s stewardship, 15 have been passed and one was in the final stages of approval at the time of writing. Lucinda Creighton, a senior adviser from the Counter Extremism Project NGO says that King has “grasped the nettle”, often tapping into his diplomatic skills to build consensus among all the EU institutions around new regulation. “He came in as somebody who really wanted to put his mark on the commissioner job and to make it relevant,” Creighton says. “He wanted to create something of a legacy, and I think that that with at least two, three [measures he sponsored] he’s come very close to having done that.”

United States

The Washington Free Beacon: Group Demands Docs Related To Qatar’s Suspected Infiltration Of U.S. Public Schools <[link removed]>

“A legal organization has filed a series of requests to compel American universities to turn over documents that it suspects will shine light on efforts by Qatar to peddle influence and push anti-Israel bias in U.S. public schools, according to a copy of public records requests obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The Lawfare Project, a legal group that provides services to the pro-Israel community, has filed document requests to compel Middle Eastern studies departments at the University of North Carolina and Duke University to turn over documents related to the alleged promotion of curricula sponsored by Qatar Foundation International, a partially state-funded organization that has helped Doha spend an estimated $1 billion pushing the Middle Eastern nation's priorities. The Lawfare Project suspects these documents will reveal how Qatar has worked to spread its propaganda inside the American education system. The organization is seeking public records from UNC regarding any potential involvement by Qatar and its proxies in teacher training programs sponsored by the Duke-UNC Center for Middle Eastern Studies.”

The New York Times: Dissent Erupts At Facebook Over Hands-Off Stance On Political Ads <[link removed]>

“The letter was aimed at Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, and his top lieutenants. It decried the social network’s recent decision to let politicians post any claims they wanted — even false ones — in ads on the site. It asked Facebook’s leaders to rethink the stance. The message was written by Facebook’s own employees. Facebook’s position on political advertising is “a threat to what FB stands for,” the employees wrote in the letter, which was obtained by The New York Times. “We strongly object to this policy as it stands.” For the past two weeks, the text of the letter has been publicly visible on Facebook Workplace, a software program that the Silicon Valley company uses to communicate internally. More than 250 employees have signed the message, according to three people who have seen it and who declined to be identified for fear of retaliation."

The Hill: Poll: Majority Of Voters Are Deeply Concerned About Iran Obtaining Nuclear Weapons <[link removed]>

“A large majority of voters — 84 percent — are concerned about the prospect of Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, according to a Hill-HarrisX poll released on Monday. That's more than those who expressed concern over other foreign policy issues, including North Korea’s use of ballistic missiles, U.S. election security, Turkey’s military action in Syria and President Trump’s ongoing trade war with China. Voters across party lines expressed concern over Iran's nuclear capabilities. Of those polled, 89 percent of Democratic voters said they were either very or somewhat concerned about the Middle East country developing weapons of mass destruction, compared to 85 percent of Republican and 79 percent of independents who said the same. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated over the summer after the U.S. military confirmed that Iran shot down a Navy drone. Trump also accused Tehran of being behind attacks on two oil tankers, which prompted the administration to deploy an additional 1,000 troops to the Middle East.”

The Wall Street Journal: U.S. Recovered Valuable Intelligence In Baghdadi Raid <[link removed]>

“The U.S. military raid resulting in the death of Islamic State founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi also yielded an array of valuable intelligence concerning the militant group and its top leaders, defense officials said, providing details that likely will lead to future operations. The Defense officials and Pentagon leaders on Monday wouldn’t detail the intelligence recovered on Saturday, but said it consisted of data-storage devices and other files that will add to the understanding of Islamic State as the U.S. and allies continue pursuing its leaders and operatives. In a sign of the continuing nature of the operations, a senior State Department official on Monday said a second U.S. raid closely following the operation against Baghdadi resulted in the death of Islamic State’s top spokesman.”

ABC News: US Law Enforcement On Alert In Wake Of ISIS Leader Al-Baghdadi's Death <[link removed]>

“The death of the leader of one of the world’s most notorious terror groups may end a particularly brutal saga in the Middle East, but law enforcement and intelligence officials are on alert for possible retaliation from sympathizers or sleeper operatives in the U.S. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the founder and leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria -- or ISIS -- died on Sunday as a result of a raid executed by U.S. special forces in Syria. Authorities say, however, that despite a diminished physical caliphate and vacancy at its highest rank, ISIS has still been able to influence vulnerable populations abroad via online message boards and social media groups. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement Monday that its “operating at a heightened state of vigilance” as it and other agencies assess the potential for retaliation against al-Baghdadi’s death from terror cells or ISIS sympathizers in the U.S., though a specific threat has yet to be identified. “Our security posture will remain agile, we will continue to mitigate and respond to the ever evolving threat landscape,” a DHS spokesperson said. Authorities' concerns about reaction to al-Baghdadi's death come amid an already elevated level of alert for terrorist attacks.”

Associated Press: Flagging Rental Car Drivers Who Might Pose Terrorist Threat <[link removed]>

“A proposed bipartisan bill in Congress would help car rental companies identify customers who have been flagged by authorities for terrorism-related activities. The measure announced Monday by New Jersey Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer is named after a resident of the state killed two years ago in a truck attack in New York City. Thirty-two-year-old Darren Drake worked at the World Trade Center and was out for a bike ride when he was struck and killed on a bike path along the West Side Highway on the afternoon of Halloween 2017. Seven others died in the attack. Sayfullo Saipov is alleged to have used a rented truck in the attack. He was shot and wounded by an off-duty police officer and could face the death penalty when he goes on trial next year. He has pleaded not guilty to eight counts of murder and other charges, including providing material support to Islamic State group. Rented trucks and other vehicles have been used in numerous terror attacks, including the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and the Oklahoma City bombing two years later, as well as recent attacks in Nice, France; London; Edmonton, Alberta; and Chicago.”

Voice Of America: DHS At 'Heightened State Of Vigilance' After Baghdadi Death <[link removed]>

“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says it is operating at a “ heightened state of vigilance” following the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi but there are no plans to issue an (National Terrorism Advisory System) alert unless “we develop specific or credible threat information” to share with the public. “Our security posture will remain agile, we will continue to mitigate and respond to the ever evolving threat landscape,” the DHS said in a statement a day after President Donald Trump announced that  U.S. military special forces operation in northwest Syria successfully targeted and “violently eliminated” Baghdadi. The chief of the Islamic State group, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, purportedly appears for the first time in five years in a propaganda video in an undisclosed location, in this undated TV grab taken from video released April 29 by Al-Furqan media. “Last night the United States brought the world's number one terrorist leader to justice,” said Trump, speaking from the Diplomatic Room of the White House, explaining that the IS leader detonated a suicide vest in a tunnel, also killing three of his children.”

NBC New York:NYPD Steps Up Security For NYC Marathon After ISIS Leader Killed <[link removed]>

“New York City’s police department stepped up its show of force this week in Times Square, military installations, other tourist and transit hubs, following the death of the Islamic State group's leader. The department’s Chief of Counterterrorism tells News 4 that the unit’s Critical Response Command members outfitted with long guns, explosive detections, k-9 dogs and odor pursue dogs are out on the streets, in subways and all around major events. The increased patrol is a precaution to assure residents of safety and to deter any terrorism-related activities.  “There are resources around the entire city now. We're down in Wall Street, we're up in other parts of Manhattan and other parts of the city with our emergency service people and our Critical Response Command,” Counterterrorism Chief James Waters said. The NYPD says the added security will remain in place at least through the NYC Marathon on Sunday. At least three terror attacks in New York City have been linked to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the militant group's leader who had blown himself up after being cornered in a dead-end underground tunnel in Syria. The most recent incident was the 2017 pipe bomb explosion in the subway passage way near the Port Authority Bus Terminal.”

Syria

The New York Times: Syria Peace Talks To Open After A Long, Strange Month <[link removed]>

“The first United Nations mediator who tried to broker peace in Syria declared it “mission impossible” and abandoned the effort. That was seven years and hundreds of thousands of deaths ago. Now, as Mediator No. 4 prepares to try again, diplomats appear to be setting their sights lower and choosing their language carefully. In recent weeks, they spoke only of “a glimmer of hope” and of “a door opener to a political process. Despite the turmoil, for the first time in years, Syrian government and opposition delegates will meet this week to weigh the devastated country’s future. On Thursday, after months of intensive but low-key diplomacy, the United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, plans to bring 150 Syrians to Geneva. There, they will begin work on a constitutional committee intended to shift attention from the battlefield to what happens when, sooner or later, the fighting in their country stops.”

TIME: U.S. Spies Say Turkish-Backed Militias Are Killing Civilians As They Clear Kurdish Areas In Syria <[link removed]>

“Three weeks after President Donald Trump ordered U.S. forces to pull out of northern Syria, American spy agencies are seeing disturbing intelligence. Turkish-backed militias, armed by Ankara, have killed civilians in areas abandoned by the U.S., four U.S. military and intelligence officials tell TIME. The officials say they fear that the militias committing those potential war crimes may be using weapons that the U.S. sold to Turkey. These officials say they are concerned that worse could lie ahead. Turkey and its allies are deploying larger forces and bringing more significant weapons to the field than would be necessary to complete their publicly-stated mission. They have said that they plan only to maintain a security zone along a 18-mile wide ribbon of land south of Turkey’s border with Syria. “They’re far more than the Turks need to conduct the operations they’re supposed to be conducting,” one of the U.S. officials told TIME.”

The Guardian: US Deploying More Troops Around Syria Oil Fields After Killing Of Isis Leader <[link removed]>

“The US military has started reinforcing its positions around oil fields in eastern Syria, saying the new deployments are part of its continuing counter-terrorist mission after the killing of the Islamic State leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. General Mark Milley, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, said on Monday that US forces would remain in Tanf along the Iraqi border, and more were being sent to the oil fields operated by the US energy corporation ConocoPhillips around Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria. Video footage from the region showed US military convoys re-entering Syria, days after Donald Trump had ordered them out in advance of a Turkish invasion. The change of mind reportedly came after Pentagon officials persuaded the president that it was essential to protect east Syrian oil resources.”

U.S. News & World Report: What’s Next For ISIS And The U.S. Military Following Baghdadi’s Killing <[link removed]>

“The U.S. raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State group, has the potential to change circumstances drastically on the ground in Syria that have already faced violent shifts in recent weeks, both for the terrorist network and the American presence there. Killing Baghdadi serves as an essential component to defeating the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, which once controlled an area spanning Iraq and Syria the size of Portugal. Yet its future remained uncertain on Monday. The terrorist network had previously relied on its territorial control in the Middle East and ability to plan and orchestrate operations worldwide as a critical component of its ability to attract new recruits. Baghdadi became a symbol of its abilities, and he reportedly maintained some control over operations and contacts with affiliate groups worldwide.”

USA Today: What Happens To ISIS Now, And Other Things To Know Following Al-Baghdadi's Death <[link removed]>

“Eliminating the Islamic State group's elusive leader gives President Donald Trump a new argument for leaving Syria, but the U.S. military campaign against the extremists is far from finished. The killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi by U.S. forces leaves the Islamic State without an obvious leader, a major setback for an organization that in March was forced by American troops and Kurdish forces out of the last portion of its self-declared “caliphate,” which once spanned a swath of Iraq and Syria. But what does this mean for ISIS and what else should you know about his death? What happens now with ISIS?  The Islamic State, which arose from the remnants of al-Qaida in Iraq after that group's defeat by U.S.-led forces in 2008, has ambitions to regenerate again. And it remains a dangerous threat in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond. “The bottom line is: This puts the enemy on its heels, but the ideology — and this sounds so cliched — it is not dead,” said Chris Costa, a former senior director for counterterrorism for the National Security Council in the Trump administration. Key to the Islamic States is its “kill where you are” ethos, encouraging a far-flung network of followers, including those in the United States, to commit violence however and wherever they can."

CBS News: Despite Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi's Death, ISIS Is Still Very Much Alive <[link removed]>

“A Sunday raid by U.S. commandos in northwestern Syria ended a yearslong manhunt for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the most wanted terrorist in the world. President Trump said the longtime leader of ISIS killed himself during the attack on his location. U.S. Special Forces collected highly sensitive information at the scene, including future plans for ISIS, and took some of al-Baghdadi's associates prisoner. As CBS News correspondent Holly Williams reports, at the very least, this is a symbolic blow to ISIS because this is the man who stood up in a mosque five years ago in Iraq and declared himself the caliph, or leader, of his so-called Islamic state. After splitting from al Qaeda, he led ISIS to the peak of its violent rampage – ruling over an estimated 10 million people at one point, enslaving women, carrying out gruesome executions, and exporting its terror to Europe and the U.S. But ISIS was never about one man. It is an ideology, an extreme, and violent interpretation of Islam. Some say it is a perversion of Islam. That ideology doesn't end with al-Baghdadi or with ISIS. Other jihadist groups have replaced their leaders quickly when they've been killed – and ISIS will no doubt do the same.”

The New York Times: What Survivors Of ISIS Carnage Say About Al-Baghdadi’s Death <[link removed]>

“In the Islamic State strongholds in Syria and Iraq where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his allies lived, there was bitterness at the news that the head of the Islamic State had died — not that it had happened, but that it had not happened sooner. Mr. al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a nighttime raid by American Special Operations Forces in Syria early on Sunday, brought a trail of carnage into their lives through the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, destroying their homes and their cities and ultimately forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee. The chaos unleashed by the Islamic State’s rise and the battles to destroy it is far from over, and the fighting, displacement and destruction are likely to disrupt people’s lives for years to come, so it is perhaps not surprising that Mr. al-Baghdadi’s death gave the survivors little solace. “I lost my brother because of the ISIS organization and the despicable Baghdadi,” said Mohammad Salif al-Jaddi, an employee at the electricity department in the Iraqi city of Mosul. “I hope to see the Islamic State organization totally obliterated.” The raid was no doubt a serious blow to the Islamic State, which has been decimated by five years of fighting Iraqi and Syrian Kurdish troops working closely with the United States, though its reach has already spread beyond the region.”

The New York Times: As Kurds Tracked Isis Leader, U.S. Withdrawal Threw Raid Into Turmoil <[link removed]>

“When the international manhunt for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, zoomed in on a village in northwestern Syria, the United States turned to its local allies to help track the world’s most-wanted terrorist. The American allies, a Kurdish-led force that had partnered with the United States to fight ISIS, sent spies to watch his isolated villa. To confirm it was him, they stole a pair of Mr. al-Baghdadi’s underwear — long, white boxers — and obtained a blood sample, both for DNA testing, the force’s commander, Mazlum Abdi, said in a phone interview on Monday. American officials would not discuss the specific intelligence provided by the Kurds, but said that their role in finding Mr. al-Baghdadi was essential — more so than all other countries combined, as one put it — contradicting President Trump’s assertion over the weekend that the United States “got very little help.” Yet even as the Syrian Kurdish fighters were risking their lives in the hunt that led to Mr. al-Baghdadi’s death this weekend, Mr. Trump abruptly shattered America’s five-year partnership with them.”  

The Washington Post: Baghdadi Hid Among Rivals And Enemies In Rebel-Held Syrian Province <[link removed]>

“When U.S. forces found Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State militant group, he was not in some forgotten border town or remote patch of desert but in Syria’s Idlib province, a place where Baghdadi surely knew he was surrounded by enemies, and eyes. The province, a major battlefield in Syria’s civil war, is dominated by an Islamist militant movement hostile to the Islamic State. In the skies, Syrian and Russian warplanes are ever-present, carrying out bombing raids to help the government of President Bashar al-Assad recapture Idlib, Syria’s last rebel-held bastion. Observation posts manned by Turkish soldiers dot the province. Three million people live or shelter there, in a place only slightly larger than Delaware and nearly impossible to escape. It is unclear how long Baghdadi had been in Idlib or what he was doing there. But the province where he died — with its refugee camps, its front lines, its unshakable sense of dread — stands as a stark reminder of the misery and threats still radiating from Syria’s civil war. Western intelligence agencies are nervously monitoring the fighting in Idlib, which has become a proving ground for a new generation of extremists, in a war that has already bred thousands of hardened militants.”

The Washington Post: Baghdadi May Be Dead, But Groups Linked To Islamic State Continue To Pose Threat In Regions Far And Wide <[link removed]>

“With the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a U.S. raid in northern Syria this weekend, the militant group has suffered a serious setback. But it is, by no means, an insurmountable blow — neither in Syria nor elsewhere. Cells affiliated with or linked to the Islamic State have persisted in South Asia, Africa and other parts of the Middle East. Though inspired by the Islamic State — which is also known as ISIS — those groups have operated largely independently of the militant network, which was based out of Syria and Iraq, and are expected to continue to push ahead with plots and propaganda efforts. One key question will be to what extent global affiliates of the Islamic State or groups linked to it will remain loyal to a network that has lost all the territory it once held. These groups’ loyalty may differ from country to country. The Philippines: The country emerged as a key hot spot in the fight against the Islamic State, after extremists aligned with the group launched a battle for the city of Marawi in 2017. For months, the Philippine military tried to gain back ground, with material help from the United States and other countries. More than 1,000 people were killed — a figure that includes militants, soldiers and civilians, the military said.”

Foreign Policy: What Remains Of The Islamic State? <[link removed]>

“U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, had died in a raid by U.S. special operations forces in northern Syria—detonating a suicide vest during the pursuit. It’s a major success for the president—and his national security team—as he faces a mounting impeachment inquiry. “Last night the United States brought the world’s No. 1 terrorist leader to justice,” Trump said. Plans for the raid were underway well before the United States began withdrawing troops from the region, and the New York Times reports that the sudden decision to pull out of Syria earlier this month complicated the Pentagon’s ability to carry out the operation. Finding the ISIS leader was a top priority for Trump, and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces spent five months working to gather intelligence on his location before the Turkish incursion began this month. What remains of ISIS? Even without Baghdadi, the Islamic State still poses a threat in Syria and Iraq, particularly after the Turkish offensive reconfigured the situation in the country’s northeast—and led hundreds of former Islamic State fighters to escape Kurdish-run prisons.”

New York Post: ISIS Already Has A New Leader In Former Saddam Hussein Officer <[link removed]>

“ISIS already has a new leader — a feared former officer for Saddam Hussein known as “the Destroyer,” according to reports. Abdullah Qardash was reportedly already running day-to-day operations and kill campaigns for the terror group and formally took over its leadership after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s death on Saturday. “Baghdadi was a figurehead. He was not involved in operations or day-to-day,” a regional intelligence official told Newsweek in confirming the successor. “All Baghdadi did was say yes or no — no planning.” Qardash had been loyal to Baghdadi after they were held together at the Camp Bucca detention center in Basra after being jailed by US forces over their links to al Qaeda in 2003, the Times of London has said. Even before his death, Baghdadi was handing more power to Qardash, known as a brutal policymaker whose name is sometimes spelled Kardesh, the Times said. A former security analyst with the Iraqi government, Fadhel Abo Ragheef, told the paper in August that Baghdadi was understood to be “trying to prepare Qardash to lead ISIS in the future.”

The Telegraph: Syrian Kurds Beef Up Security In Isil Detention Centres In Anticipation Of Riots Over Baghdadi Killing <[link removed]>

“Syrian Kurdish forces said on Monday they are beefing up security in prisons and detention camps where tens of thousands of Isil militants and their supporters are held, fearing a reaction to the death of leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. An official with the Kurdish-led internal security agency said forces were “on high alert” in anticipation of possible riots or attacks on the guards. The news that the Islamic State chief died in a US special forces raid on Sunday morning has not been officially announced to the camps by Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), but many detainees have access to phones. Women interviewed by local journalists on Monday in the largest of the camps, al-Hol - which holds nearly 70,000 Isil wives and their children - said it would not kill the Isil ideology but only make it stronger. “Our faith will not change, and the day of revenge will come, and the Islamic State will remain,” one woman wearing a black facing-covering abaya said, using the Arabic word “Baqiya”, or remaining – a reference to the Isil slogan “remaining and expanding.”

Fox Business: Funding Terror: How ISIS Became A Billion-Dollar Extremist Group <[link removed]>

“While there is no clear answer as to how much money ISIS has, the caliphate was believed to control $2 billion at its peak, from a combination of private donations, tax, ransom payments and commercial revenue streams. It reportedly received a giant infusion of cash after seizing a Mosul, Iraq, bank in June 2014, pocketing $425 million. The added cashflow made ISIS the richest terror group ever. But its most reliable source of income has been tax revenue from loyalists and exploitation of Syrian and Iraqi oil fields, something that President Trump has said he intends to stop, even at the cost of American lives. The U.S. “may have to fight for the oil,” Trump said Sunday after announcing the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “It's OK.” “What we know is that they accumulated large amounts of cash and other assets,” Rand Corporation senior economist Howard Shatz told The Atlantic in March. “We don't know where it all went.” Some of the revenue came from selling stolen antiquities. Relics from Syria as old at 8,000 years fetched $36 million for the terrorist group on the black market in 2014, according to reports.”

Iran

Washington Examiner: Revealed: Iran Used Google Maps To Target Saudi Oil Facilities <[link removed]>

“Saudi officials believe that Iran’s accurate attack on its state-owned Aramco oil facilities in September was not coordinated by an insider but instead helped by Google Maps. According to West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, Saudi Aramco authorities said that the website’s satellite maps were so clear that the attacks could pinpoint a tiny target. During his trip there just two weeks after the attack, which the United States blamed on Iran, Manchin said he was shown video of the missile hits that sidelined the oil facility. "I asked [an] Aramco [official], I said, 'Aren’t you concerned about espionage, maybe somebody working for you in your plant who is able to get all of this intricate information and also the coordinates of where the missiles could hit?'" Manchin told the North American Infrastructure Leadership Forum in Washington. “He looked at me and said, ‘If we thought that was a problem, we would be, but basically it’s all Google, Google Maps.’ He said, ‘It’s so accurate.'”

Radio Farda: One Of Europe's Most Wanted Criminals 'Lives In Iran' - Dutch Media <[link removed]>

“The "most wanted criminal" in the Netherlands lives freely in Iran, a Dutch daily, De Telegraaf, reports. The 41-year-old Ridouan Taghi is a Morrocan drug and weapons smuggling kingpin accused of various crimes, including cooperation in killing an Iranian dissident, Mohammad Reza Kolahi Samadi, in 2015, in the Netherlands. Furthermore, Taghi has also allegedly assisted the Islamic Republic intelligence agents to assassinate other dissidents across Europe. Kolahi Samadi, 56, was gunned down in December 2015 in the Dutch town of Almere. He had fled Iran after the June 28, 1981 bombing of the Islamic Republic Party headquarters in Tehran, which left more than seventy dead. Among the victims was the nascent Islamic Republic's Republic's Chief-Justice Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, considered as the number two man of the newly established Islamic regime, after its founder Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.”

FP: To Make Maximum Pressure Work, Washington Should Cancel Iran Nuclear Waivers <[link removed]>

“From Syria to Ukraine, it is no secret that the Trump administration has its share of challenges coordinating messaging, policy goals, and the means to achieve them. But the White House’s approach to Iran and its nuclear program, long a fixture of the president’s speeches and an area the administration spent considerable time and political capital on, should not be so difficult. Despite leaving the nuclear deal in May 2018, the Trump administration is still pulling its punches on Iran’s nuclear program. The coming days offer an opportunity to correct course. This week, the Trump administration will move to either renew or cancel waivers for select Iranian nuclear projects. These waivers render Iran’s civil nuclear cooperation initiatives, which were authorized by the Obama administration and its European, Chinese, and Russian counterparts, immune from U.S. sanctions.”

Reuters: Netanyahu Says Iran Seeking Means To Attack Israel From Yemen <[link removed]>

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran on Monday of seeking the means to launch precision-guided missiles at Israel from Yemen, a signal that the war-torn Gulf Arab country could come under pre-emptive Israeli attack. Netanyahu made his allegations, which were short on details, as he hosted a senior U.S. delegation and following days of unusually voluble warnings in Israel that war could break out with Iran or its allies on more than one front. Neither Iran nor the Yemeni Houthi fighters it sponsors had an immediate response to Israel’s allegation. The Houthis use missiles and drones in their war against a coalition led by neighboring Saudi Arabia but there is scant public indication they possess weapons capable of traveling the some 2,000 km (1,240 miles) to Israel. “Iran wants to develop precision-guided missiles that can hit any target in Israel within five to ten meters,” Netanyahu said in a speech in Jerusalem. “Iran hopes to use Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen as bases to attack Israel with statistical missiles and precision-guided missiles. That is a great, great danger,” he said.”

Xinhua: Iran Says Death Of IS Leader Should End “U.S. Intervention In Middle East” <[link removed]>

“The death of Islamic State (IS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi should end U.S. interventions in the Middle East,” Iran's government Spokesman Ali Rabiee was quoted as saying by Press TV on Monday. “Washington's policies are the main reason for the proliferation of terror outfits in the region,” Rabiee said. He also said that al-Baghdadi's death is the end of a symbol of “destructive terrorism,” however, his death cannot be interpreted as an end to the ideology of extremism, like IS. The U.S. President Donald Trump announced Sunday morning in a televised address at the White House that the IS leader al-Baghdadi was killed by the U.S. forces' raid on his compound in northern Syria.”

Iraq

NPR: ISIS Leader's Death Met With Joy And Skepticism In Mosul <[link removed]>

“In the part of Iraq where ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared the so-called Islamic caliphate, people are reacting to the news of his death. ISIS ruled the city of Mosul for three brutal and devastating years. Some people there don't believe he's dead or that it would even matter if he is. NPR's Jane Arraf reports from Mosul. JANE ARRAF, BYLINE: Two years after ISIS was driven out of Mosul, a street outside the mosque where al-Baghdadi declared an Islamic State is slowly coming back to life. Between the damaged, shuttered shops, there's a bakery, a hardware store, even a shop selling songbirds. MAHMOUD SAEED: (Foreign language spoken). ARRAF: Mahmoud Saeed, a local imam, was in the nearby al-Nuri mosque the day that Baghdadi roared up with dozens of bodyguards and strode to the pulpit. Baghdadi told worshippers he was the latest successor to an Islamic ruler known as Abu Bakr 13 centuries ago.”

The New York Times: Iraqi Antigovernment Protests Grow, Part Battle Lines And Carnival <[link removed]>

“The Iraqi government announced a midnight-to-dawn curfew in Baghdad on Monday, as it struggled to contain growing antigovernment protests that have gained support around the country, including from a leading Shiite cleric who has called for early elections. Iraq’s Parliament met for the first time since the protests restarted — over corruption, unemployment and official accountability — and its first act was to dissolve provincial councils that have been widely criticized as corrupt. Lawmakers also pledged to reduce the salaries of high-ranking officials, including of members of Parliament themselves. It was not clear, however, how much the public was paying attention to anything the government was doing or saying. Despite considerable efforts to repel the protesters — including with pepper spray, tear gas and sound bombs — they have persisted for days, and now seem to be growing and attracting people from more walks of life.”

Turkey

The Jerusalem Post: Turkey Is “A Regional Hub For Terrorism,” Israeli Envoy Tells Unsc <[link removed]>

“Turkey is a “regional hub for terrorism,” Israel’s envoy told the United Nations Security Council on Monday, as he exchanged barbs with Ankara’s envoy Feridun Sinirlioglu. “For years now [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan has been destabilizing the region through violence and supporting terror organizations,” Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon told the 15-member UNSC in New York. Sinirlioglu in turn charged that Israel’s government had been “hijacked by a terrorist state of mind.” Danon who initially took the floor stated that, “Erdogan is dragging Turkey down a dangerous, neo-Ottoman, imperialist path” and added “Erdogan has turned Turkey into a regional hub for terrorism.” The Israeli envoy condemned Turkey’s military incursion into northeast Syria and its attacks on the Kurds and charges that Turkey’s actions have strengthened ISIS. “It was not enough for Erdogan to persecute the Kurdish citizens of his own country. He now sends his troops to massacre Kurdish people in Syria as well. He is responsible for the death of many innocent people, and for the displacement of tens of thousands,” Danon said.”

Afghanistan

Reuters: Afghanistan Says Death Of Islamic State Leader Delivers Big Blow To Afghan Faction <[link removed]>

“Afghanistan welcomed the killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as a major blow to terrorism that is expected to weaken the South Asian branch of the Middle Eastern militant group. The emergence of an Afghan affiliate of Islamic State emerged in recent years created another enemy for the U.S.-backed government, which has been fighting against the much larger Taliban insurgency since 2001. “The Afghan government strongly welcomes the U.S. forces’ operation that led to the death of ... Baghdadi,” a spokesman for President Ashraf Ghani said in a post on Twitter. “The death ... is the biggest blow to this group and to terrorism,” the spokesman, Sediq Sediqqi, said. Baghdadi, who had led the jihadist group since 2010, killed himself during a raid by U.S. special forces on his hideout in northwest Syria early on Sunday. His death was announced by U.S. President Donald Trump. The leadership of Islamic State in Khorasan (ISIS-K), named after an old name for the region that covered much of modern-day Afghanistan and parts of Central Asia, had pledged allegiance to Baghdadi but it was unclear what direct operational links the two groups had. The Afghan affiliate first appeared in 2014, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, where it retains a stronghold.”

Xinhua: Afghan Forces Kill 33 Militants In Eastern Province <[link removed]>

“As many as 33 militants have been killed as government forces backed by fighting planes struck Taliban hideouts in parts of the eastern Ghazni province over the past 24 hours, said an army statement released here Tuesday.In the operations, which have covered Muqar, Ab Band, Gero and Andar districts of the restive province, 11 more militants have been wounded, the statement further said. High amount of arms and ammunition and a number of the militants' vehicles have also been discovered and seized by security forces, added the statement. Without providing information on the possible casualties of the security forces, the statement said the security forces would continue to target the insurgents elsewhere in the country. Taliban militants have not commented on the report.”

South China Morning Post: US Welcomes China’s Offer To Host Talks Between Taliban And Afghan Government <[link removed]>

“The United States has welcomed China’s proposal to host a fresh meeting bringing together Afghan officials and the Taliban, after President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks with the insurgents. The Taliban last week said that China had invited a delegation to talks in Beijing, the second such meeting after a dialogue in Qatar in July that jointly arranged with Germany. Zalmay Khalilzad, the US special envoy on Afghan peace, met with his colleagues from China, Russia and Pakistan last week in Moscow, where the four countries renewed support for a “comprehensive and sustainable peace agreement.” The talks will include “a wide range of political figures” including “representatives of the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, other Afghan leaders and the Taliban,” it said. There was, however, some confusion about when the talks might take place. The Taliban last week said the conference would happen on October 29-30, but on Monday an insurgent spokesman denied a report that said a Taliban delegation was in Beijing. The Taliban have refused to negotiate formally with the Kabul government, but the Beijing and Doha gatherings are seen as fostering dialogue and planting the seeds of an eventual brokered solution.”

Lebanon

CNN: Lebanon 'Days' Away From Economic Collapse If No Political Solution To Protests Found, Says Central Bank Governor <[link removed]>

“Lebanon is on the verge of economic collapse unless an "immediate solution" can be found to end days of nationwide protests that have paralyzed the country, Central Bank Governor Riad Salame told CNN in an exclusive interview Monday. Lebanon's banks have been closed since the demonstrations, sparked by a series of proposed austerity measures including a tax on WhatsApp calls, began nearly two weeks ago. "It's a matter of days, because the cost is heavy on the country," said Salame, who called for an immediate solution to stave off the crisis while warning of longer-term damage to investor confidence. Protesters are demanding the resignation of the national unity government of Prime Minister Saad Hariri, forcing road closures throughout the country and filling the streets of its urban centers. The demonstrations are the largest in Lebanon in almost 15 years.”

Middle East

The New York Times: How To Really Make The Death Of ISIS’s Leader Bigger Than Bin Laden’s <[link removed]>

“When President Trump announced the death of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi following a raid in northwestern Syria this weekend, he made sure to take the opportunity to one-up his predecessor: Mr. al-Baghdadi’s death, Mr. Trump said, was bigger than Osama bin Laden’s. Mr. al-Baghdadi was “the biggest there is,” the president said, “the worst ever.” “Osama bin Laden was very big,” Mr. Trump said, but “this is a man who built a whole, as he would like to call it, a country, a caliphate, and was trying to do it again.” Mr. Trump might not know his Nusra Front from his Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, but in this case he’s not exactly wrong. The killing of Mr. al-Baghdadi could well prove more significant than the killing of Mr. bin Laden in 2011 — if the United States handles the next few critical months carefully.”

New York Post: ISIS Already Has A New Leader In Former Saddam Hussein Officer <[link removed]>

“ISIS already has a new leader — a feared former officer for Saddam Hussein known as “the Destroyer,” according to reports. Abdullah Qardash was reportedly already running day-to-day operations and kill campaigns for the terror group and formally took over its leadership after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s death on Saturday. “Baghdadi was a figurehead. He was not involved in operations or day-to-day,” a regional intelligence official told Newsweek in confirming the successor. “All Baghdadi did was say yes or no — no planning.”

The Wall Street Journal: A Battle Won In The War On Terror <[link removed]>

“The Washington Post may have hastily changed its embarrassing headline for its obituary of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi—“austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State”—but that won’t be the end of the West’s difficulties in understanding and responding to the multifaceted crisis in the Middle East. Movements like ISIS don’t spring from nowhere. It took centuries of decline, serial humiliations at the hands of arrogant European imperial powers, and decades of failed postcolonial governance to produce the toxic mixture of bigotry and hate out of which Baghdadi and his adherents emerged. That toxic brew won’t quickly disappear. Angry, alienated and profoundly confused people—many young and at best half-educated—will continue to find the message of ISIS and similar groups seductive. Baghdadi’s death isn’t the end of ISIS, and the collapse of the U.S.-backed order in northern Syria could provide conditions for its re-emergence as a serious military force.”

Egypt

Al Monitor: Can Egypt's Newest Search Engine Root Out Extremism? <[link removed]>

“Dar al-Ifta, Egypt's Islamic authority with the power to issue fatwas (religious edicts), recently launched a search engine to track fatwas from terrorist groups and extremists and to help Al-Azhar scholars tackle Islamophobia. The data collected will enable clerics to develop indicators to help decision-makers better understand terrorist networks and guide policymakers in formulating effective counterterrorism strategies. Monitoring online hate speech targeting Muslims will also allow Al-Azhar scholars to respond appropriately to bigotry and abuse. The search engine uses a web crawler program to systematically browse the web to look for keywords, such as “fatwa” and “halal” (permissible in Islam), to track extremist sites and detect Islamophobes. The data collected from news sites, social media and chat rooms are then classified according to topic, source and geographic location before being archived in a database for scholars, who can analyze the content to generate indicators to help policymakers decide how best to respond to threats. Speaking to Al-Monitor, Tarek Abu Hashima, head of Dar al-Ifta's Strategic Studies Unit and director of the Global Fatwa Index, noted how extremists groups such as the Islamic State (IS) use social media to spread radical ideas and recruit new members.”

Nigeria

Pulse Nigeria: How The Death Of ISIS Leader Baghdadi Affects Boko Haram In Nigeria <[link removed]>

“The fugitive leader of the Islamic State (IS), Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is dead. al-Baghdadi detonated his suicide vest in north-west Syria after fleeing into a tunnel, chased by US military dogs, according to United States President Donald Trump. Trump said al-Baghdadi was “whimpering and crying and screaming”, while being chased by the military dogs. Baghdadi took his own life and those of three of his children by igniting his suicide vest. Afterwards, the tunnel he had fled into, collapsed.  Trump says no US personnel were killed but one of the dogs was left seriously injured in the explosion. “The thug who tried so hard to intimidate others spent his last moments in utter fear, in total panic and dread, terrified of the American forces bearing down on him...he was a sick and depraved man. He died like a dog, he died like a coward,” Trump announced after the operation. Baghdadi was a ruthless, skilled, strategic, organised and ruthless battlefield tactician.  The Nigeria based Boko Haram faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has long pledged allegiance to the Syria based IS. Will Baghdadi’s death weaken ISWAP in any way, shape or form?  Who is ISWAP’s leader and how do they operate?”

Premium Times: Nigerian Army Needs More Funds To Tackle Boko Haram, Insecurity <[link removed]>

“The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Tukur Buratai, has called for improved funding for the Nigerian Army to meet with the current challenges in the fight against insurgency in the country. He made the call at the opening of the 12th Biennial Training Conference of the Nigerian Army Finance Corps in Uyo, on Monday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Buratai was represented by the General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Jamil Sarham. He said that the current funding for the army was inadequate in view of the roles it was playing in the internal security of the nation. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference was “Expanding Roles of the Nigerian Army in Internal Security Operations: Funding Imperatives.” He said that the public sector financial reforms, such as cashless policy, treasury single account and Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information (IPPIS), had prevented leakages in the sector. The army chief said that some of the policies would affect the optimal performance of the army and its core competencies, if not well managed. “The Nigerian Army will continue to ensure prudence and accountability in the utilisation of available resources.”

All Africa: Nigeria: 38 Aid Workers Killed In Boko Haram Conflict <[link removed]>

“The Boko Haram has killed 38 United Nations (UN) and non-governmental organisation (NGO) workers in Nigeria since 2011. Ten of the victims have been killed in the past 18 months. Six more are missing. Mark Lowcock, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, disclosed the figures in an update of the situation in northeast Nigeria. The area is under siege from the Boko Haram, an Islamist group involved in a violent campaign to overthrow the Nigerian government. Over 30 000 people have been killed while more than three million others displaced during the conflict that began ten years ago. “Ten years of conflict and violence perpetrated by Boko Haram and other non-state armed groups have devastated communities,” Lowcock lamented. More than 7 million people currently need humanitarian assistance in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Lowcock expressed concern that more than 140 000 people forced to move this year alone because of renewed violence. The Nigerian military has meanwhile been accused of violating the rights of civilians during the crackdown against the Boko Haram militants.”

Somalia

Xinhua: Somali, AU Security Partners Resolve To Curb Use Of Explosive Device <[link removed]>

“Stakeholders in Somalia's security sector have committed to end the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by al-Shabab militants to terrorize people in the horn of Africa nation. In a joint statement issued on Monday after a two-day meeting in Mogadishu, the stakeholders noted that IEDs remain a weapon of choice for terrorists who target African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) convoys, Somali security forces and civilians traveling along the main supply routes. "As a result, this hampers the movement of people, goods, and the delivery of humanitarian aid to communities in need," said the participants at the meeting organized by AMISOM, the UN Mine Action Service (UNMAS) and the British Army.”

All Africa: Somalia: Kenya Seeks To Cut Financial Flow To Al-Shabaab <[link removed]>

“Kenya is seeking international help to stop informal finances to the Al-Shabaab terror group that remains active despite military operations. Kenya's High Commissioner to the UK Manoah Esipisu ) said regional and international partners must come together with the federal and regional governments of Somalia to design and implement a framework for combatting Al-Shabaab's financing using strong Joint Investigation Teams linked to effective prosecution and incarceration in Somalia. These teams, he argued, must also take aim at its illicit taxation and protection rackets of thousands of businesses and many of the humanitarian organisations in Somalia. A big part of this requires that civilians and international humanitarian operations be much better protected by Somali regional and federal forces, he argued. He said it is also important that all countries exposed to this threat to domesticate and be in compliance with the binding counter-terrorism measures in UN Security Council resolutions such as 2178 on Foreign Fighters and others on combatting the financing and any form of support to terrorist groups.”

United Kingdom

The Guardian: UK Intelligence Services Step Up Monitoring After Death Of Isis Leader <[link removed]>

“British intelligence agencies are engaged in heightened monitoring of subjects of interest after the death of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to safeguard against the possibility of revenge attacks in the UK. The response covers about 3,000 people in the UK and abroad who are believed by MI5 to have connections to Isis or who could be inspired by the group to launch terrorist attacks in Britain. Rafaello Pantucci, a terrorism expert and director at the Royal United Services Institute thinktank, said: “The most immediate concern will be that major terrorism events often prompt actions by copycats or in revenge.” However, there are no plans to adjust the overall threat level, which remains at severe. That means a terrorist attack is considered highly likely by the intelligence agencies. The highest level, critical, when an attack is deemed “highly likely in the near future”, has only been briefly invoked in the past, most recently in 2017 after the Manchester Arena bombing and the bomb attack at Parsons Green tube station in London. Terrorist plots in the UK are still directed from the Middle East by Isis supporters, intelligence sources say, although the principal fear revolves around lone actors, who may not have any known Islamist links and who may not be on the security agencies’ watchlist.”

Express: ISIS Jihadi Brides In Secret Return To UK Despite No.10’s Promises <[link removed]>

“It is believed both the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office are against the move, which will take up a lot of resources. The news comes as the US dismantled the terror cell by taking out jihadi leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The evil mastermind died “whimpering all the way”, Donald Trump said yesterday. The cornered jihadi leader, whose venomous hate preaching inspired the Manchester Arena and London Bridge terror attacks, blew himself up in a Syrian cave. Holed up underground and living in fear, al-Baghdadi detonated his suicide vest, killing himself, three of his children and two of his wives. The coward was flushed out during a daring special forces raid on Saturday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson hailed the coup as “an important moment in our fight against terror” but warned the battle against Isis was not yet won. Announcing news of his death, President Trump said yesterday: “The United States brought the world’s number one terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead.”

Southeast Asia

Malay Mail: Islamic State Threat In South-East Asia Rises With Founder’s Death, Warn Police <[link removed]>

“The death of Islamic State (IS) founder Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi could prompt the terror group to relocate to South-east Asia, according to Bukit Aman’s counter-terorrism chief. Deputy Commissioner Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay told The Star that Malaysian securiy forces remain on high alert for potential terrorism threat in the country after the US announced Abu Bakr's death yesterday after raiding Raqqa, Syria. “IS will remain a dangerous group despite the loss of its leader and law enforcement agencies, especially the police, cannot afford to let their guard down. “We have detected IS’ plan to set up a new caliphate in the region since the fall of their stronghold in Raqqa, Syria, in 2017,” the Special Branch Counter Terrorism division head was quoted saying in the report published today. And the looming danger will likely come from lone-wolf attackers and self-radicalised militants instead of a well-coordinated large scale assault, now that the terror network's central leadership appear to have disintegrated. But Ayob said this raises the IS threat, and makes intelligence more paramount than before. Lone-wolf attacks are typically harder to predict and can be deadlier should security forces fail to prevent them.”



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The Counter Extremism Project - United States
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