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Eye on Extremism
November 1, 2021
“A Houthi ballistic missile attack on a mosque and a religious school killed and injured 29 civilians, including women and children, in the Yemeni province of Marib, the country's information minister said in a statement on Twitter on Monday. Two ballistic missiles were used in the attack late on Sunday, Marib governor's office said in a statement. There was no immediate claim of responsibility by the Iranian-backed Houthis. Fighting between government forces and Houthis has escalated in recent months. The United Nations says some 10,000 people were displaced in September by fighting in Marib, the internationally recognised government's last northern stronghold. It is calling for a humanitarian corridor for aid. The war in Yemen and ensuring economic collapse as well as restrictions on imports to Houthi-held areas have caused what the United Nations says is the world's biggest humanitarian crisis, with 16 million people facing starvation. A coalition of forces led by Riyadh intervened in Yemen in March 2015 after the Iran-aligned Houthis ousted the Saudi-backed government from the capital Sanaa in late 2014. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system and foreign aggression. The Houthi movement said in October they had seized new territory in the energy-rich provinces of Shabwa and Marib, gains confirmed by sources, as it presses an offensive likely to further complicate international peace efforts.”
“Some former members of Afghanistan’s U.S.-trained intelligence service and elite military units—now abandoned by their American patrons and hunted by the Taliban—have enlisted in the only force currently challenging the country’s new rulers: Islamic State. The number of defectors joining the terrorist group is relatively small, but growing, according to Taliban leaders, former Afghan republic security officials and people who know the defectors. Importantly, these new recruits bring to Islamic State critical expertise in intelligence-gathering and warfare techniques, potentially strengthening the extremist organization’s ability to contest Taliban supremacy. An Afghan national army officer who commanded the military’s weapons and ammunition depot in Gardez, the capital of southeastern Paktia province, joined the extremist group’s regional affiliate, Islamic State-Khorasan Province, and was killed a week ago in a clash with Taliban fighters, according to a former Afghan official who knew him. The former official said several other men he knew, all members of the former Afghan republic’s intelligence and military, also joined Islamic State after the Taliban searched their homes and demanded that they present themselves to the country’s new authorities. A resident of Qarabagh district just north of Kabul said his cousin, a former senior member of Afghanistan’s special forces, disappeared in September and was now part of an Islamic State cell.”
United States
The Washington Post: Dutch Woman Accused Of Financing Terror Group Appears In Va. Court
“Seven years after she was accused of raising money for a Somali terrorist group, a Dutch woman appeared for the first time in Virginia federal court. Farhia Hassan, 38, is one of a group of more than a dozen women whom authorities say gathered online from at least 2011 through 2014 to raise money for al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaeda that has battled U.S.-backed governments in Somalia and Kenya. Two U.S.-based women were convicted of related charges in 2016; both were sentenced to more than a decade in prison. Two other suspects remain at large overseas. Hassan fought extradition from the Netherlands and was only brought to the United States this week. She will have a detention hearing Thursday. Some women were told the money would go to feed orphans or build mosques, according to court records, rather than fueling terrorist attacks. The amounts of money Hassan and others are accused of gathering are small, sent in chunks of $50 or $100. But at trial and in sentencing in the earlier case, prosecutors James P. Gillis and Danya E. Atiyeh argued that even a few thousand dollars could have a devastating impact in Somalia. “They financed the suicide vests and the machine guns; they fed, equipped, and gave shelter to the al-Shabaab fighters as they prepared to carry out their attacks; they provided the machinery that permitted the al-Shabaab fighters to return to kill again,” they wrote in a sentencing memorandum.”
“A Canadian neo-Nazi was one of two people sentenced to nine years each in prison for plotting civil war in the US, the Associated Press reported. Canadian Armed Forces reservist Patrik Mathews and US Army veteran Brian Lemley Jr. were sentenced on Thursday. NBC News reported that FBI agents arrested Mathews, Lemley, and William Bilbrough, members of a fringe neo-Nazi group called The Base, a few days before a January 2020 pro-gun rally in Virginia. The FBI at the time said they were under surveillance for months, NBC reported. Surveillance equipment that was installed in their apartment in Delaware recorded Mathews and Lemley discussing an attack on the Virginia State Capitol, the AP reported. Mathews crossed into the US without proper documents and was a main recruiter for The Base, The New York Times reported. He was discharged from the Canadian Army after they learned he had ties to white supremacists. According to the Counter Extremism Project, an organization that tracks far-right extremists, The Base works to train members to fight in a race war and also encourages the "onset of anarchy so it can then impose order from chaos."
“A former Al-Qaeda recruiter and a former white supremacist are the keynote speakers at a presentation Thursday at Carthage College. Jesse Morton and Tony McAleer will share their experiences of engaging in and eventually leaving behind violent extremism during the “Out of Hatred” presentation that begins at 7 p.m. in the A.F. Siebert Chapel. Morton, a former Al-Qaeda recruiter, co-founded Parallel Networks, an organization dedicated to combating extremism. He currently is working on the development of Naseeha, an experimental intervention hotline for potential cases of radicalization of American Muslims. In addition, Morton also serves as an adviser to the Counter Extremism Project, which provides research, funding and outreach to help fight and prevent extremism around the world. A former recruiter for the White Aryan Resistance, McAleer is the co-founder of Life After Hate, an organization that helps others leave radical organizations. He also is the author of “The Cure for Hate: A Former White Supremacist’s Journey from Violent Extremism to Radical Compassion.” McAleer also serves as an instructor for the Safe Communities Institute at USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. The presentation is sponsored by the Carthage Religion Department, Peace Catalyst International, Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, Center for Faith and Spirtuality, Carthage Sociology Department/Division of Arts and Humanities and the Office of College Culture for Inclusion.”
“Joshua Fisher-Birch, with the Counter-Extremism Project in New York City, said while the sentence is shorter than what the prosecution was asking for, it's important to remember that Mathews did receive the additional sentencing with the terrorism enhancement. "This is incredibly important because of the intention behind the crimes that Mathews [pleaded] guilty to and his association in a violent neo-Nazi organization that being The Base," said Fisher-Birch. "I think that this is a good precedent going forward for members of violent white supremacist groups." Fisher-Birch called this case a win for the FBI and federal law enforcement. "They were able to disrupt this plot, they were able to arrest these members of this violent group," he said. Fisher-Birch noted that The Base is still recruiting and there are still multiple similar organizations to The Base that exist. "The threat certainly is not over," he said.”
Turkey
Associated Press: Turkey Deported 8,500 Terror Suspects Since Syrian War Began
“More than 8,500 foreign fighters have been deported from Turkey since the start of the Syrian civil war 10 years ago, the Turkish Interior Ministry said Saturday. Terror suspects from 102 countries were expelled, including 44 from the U.S. and 1,075 from EU states, according to a ministry statement. In the first 10 months of this year, 61 suspects from eight EU countries were deported. The ministry said a total of 8,585 fighters were “deported as a result of Turkey’s efforts to secure its security within and beyond the border” since 2011. The deportees had left their home countries to join groups such as the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, as well as its affiliate in Syria. Turkey has carried out three military campaigns in north Syria since 2016 and maintains a military presence in the northwest province of Idlib as well as other areas inside the Syrian border. It is currently conducting operations against the PKK in northern Iraq. The Islamic State group carried out a number of major terror attacks on Turkish soil in 2015 and 2016 after Ankara joined the international coalition to fight the militants. The bomb and gun attacks left hundreds dead. The conflict with the PKK has caused tens of thousands of deaths since the group launched its armed campaign in southeast Turkey in 1984. The PKK is considered a terrorist organization by the U.S. and most Western states.”
Afghanistan
The Washington Post: LGTBQ Afghans Land In Britain As Taliban Official Says No Space For Gay Rights
“A group of LGBTQ Afghans who fled their home country have arrived in Britain, the first in a wave that London says it will evacuate, as advocates warn they have received calls from hundreds more people who fear Taliban persecution. The 29 people, including students and activists who spoke out about their rights in Afghanistan, are the first of many more vulnerable LGBTQ Afghans who will arrive “in the coming months,” the Foreign Office said Saturday. It did not detail how they managed to leave. The refugees landed Friday, just as a Taliban ministry official, appealing for the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves, emphasized that the militants did not recognize gay rights. A spokesman for the Finance Ministry told Reuters that the Taliban would respect human rights and allow women to get an education within its version of Islamic law, but added: “LGBT … That’s against our sharia law.” Afghanistan’s new leaders, who seized control in August, want foreign governments to “just give us our own money,” he said as the country grapples with a battered economy and rising hunger. While some aid has trickled in, the United Nations warns the country is on the verge of a starvation crisis, and experts say untangling terrorism sanctions on the militants that limit aid would be tricky. The United States and European nations have frozen key sources of funding, wary of Taliban promises that it has changed its harsh ways.”
Reuters: 'Just Give Us Our Money': Taliban Push To Unlock Afghan Billions Abroad
“Afghanistan's Taliban government is pressing for the release of billions of dollars of central bank reserves as the drought-stricken nation faces a cash crunch, mass starvation and a new migration crisis. Afghanistan parked billions of dollars in assets overseas with the U.S. Federal Reserve and other central banks in Europe, but that money has been frozen since the Islamist Taliban ousted the Western-backed government in August. A spokesman for the finance ministry said the government would respect human rights, including the education of women, as he sought fresh funds on top of humanitarian aid that he said offered only "small relief". Under Taliban rule from 1996-2001, women were largely shut out of paid employment and education and normally had to cover their faces and be accompanied by a male relative when they left home. "The money belongs to the Afghan nation. Just give us our own money," ministry spokesman Ahmad Wali Haqmal told Reuters. "Freezing this money is unethical and is against all international laws and values." One top central bank official called on European countries including Germany to release their share of the reserves to avoid an economic collapse that could trigger mass migration towards Europe.”
“...Varied political organisations have been accused of using terrorism to achieve their objectives. These organisations include right-wing and left-wing political organisations, nationalist groups and religious groups. It has also been revealed recently by the Counter Extremism Project that many pro-Islamic State comments that promote violent extremism have remained on social media websites, mainly Facebook, as late as the first week of October. New IS video has also been found on multiple websites. Similarly white supremacist, anti-Semitic and anti Muslim contents have been found on the steam platform. Although legislation declaring terrorism as a crime has been adopted in many states, as yet, there does not appear to be consensus as to whether or not terrorism should be regarded as a war crime. It may be noted here that in November 2004, a report prepared by the UN Secretary General described terrorism as any act "intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government or an international organisation to do or abstain from doing any act". Nevertheless, the international community has been slow to formulate a comprehensive universally agreed, legally binding definition of this crime. The failure to agree appears to originate from difficulties arising from the fact that the term "terrorism" is politically and emotionally charged. The same appears to be true in the context of fundamentalism.”
Yemen
BBC News: ‘Terrorist Bombing’: Nine Killed, 12 Injured In Yemen Car Bomb
“At least nine people have been killed in a car bombing near an airport in Yemen's temporary capital, Aden. Another 12 people are believed to have been injured in Saturday's explosion - described as a "terrorist bombing" by Prime Minister Mueen Abdulmalek Saeed. Eyewitnesses say women and children are among the casualties. So far, no one has claimed responsibility. Local media note the attack coincided with the arrival of Aden's former governor at the airport. He is unhurt. The current governor was himself a target of a car bombing three weeks ago which left another six people dead, news agency AFP reports. Saturday's bombing is the deadliest attack in the city since at least 22 people were killed at the same airport last December. The country's internationally recognised government have been based in Aden since 2014, when Houthi rebels forced them from the capital, Sanaa. The conflict escalated in 2015, when a Saudi-led coalition of Arab states launched a military operation to defeat the Houthis and restore President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi's rule. The fighting has reportedly left more than 110,000 people dead; triggered the world's worst humanitarian disaster, with millions on the brink of famine; and left the country even more vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Lebanon
Reuters: Crisis With Lebanon Rooted In Hezbollah Dominance - Saudi Minister
“Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Saturday the latest crisis with Lebanon has its origins in a Lebanese political setup that reinforces the dominance of the Iran-backed Hezbollah armed group and continues to allow endemic instability. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries expelled Lebanese envoys in a diplomatic spat that risks adding to Lebanon's economic crisis, following critical comments about the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen by Lebanon's Information Minister George Kordahi. "I think the issue is far broader than the current situation," Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told Reuters in a phone interview. "I think it's important that the government in Lebanon or the Lebanese establishment forges a path forward that frees Lebanon from the current political construct, which reinforces the dominance of Hezbollah." He said this setup "is weakening state institutions within Lebanon, in a way that makes Lebanon continue to process in a direction against the interests of the people of Lebanon." The row has triggered calls by some Lebanese politicians for the resignation of Kordahi, while others opposed such a move, which could undermine the government as a whole. "We have no opinion about the government in Lebanon.”
Mali
Reuters: Seven Mali Soldiers Killed In Separate Convoy Attacks: Army
“Seven Malian soldiers were killed on Saturday in two separate attacks on patrols in the centre-west of the country, the army said, the latest bloodshed to indicate violence is shifting southward into previously peaceful areas. At around 11:20 GMT an army escort was ambushed near the town of Mourdiah, around 200 km (120 miles) north of the capital Bamako, killing two and injuring three, the army said in a statement published on Facebook. Two hours later an army truck hit a roadside bomb near Segou, around 200 km (120 miles) north-east of Bamako, killing all five passengers, the army said. "A sweep of the area where the incident took place led to the arrest of two suspects who were immediately handed over to the gendarmerie," the army said, without accusing a group of responsibility for either attack. Armed attacks by Islamist militants and other groups are common across vast swathes of Mali and its neighbours Burkina Faso and Niger, despite a heavy presence of international troops. Thousands of civilians have been killed and millions displaced.”
Africa
Reuters: Armed Group Kills Five Policemen In Northern Burkina Faso
“Unidentified armed men killed five police officers in an attack on security forces in northern Burkina Faso in the early hours of Sunday, in which around 15 of the attackers died, the security ministry said in a statement. The incident occurred in Sourou province in the borderlands near Mali, where Islamist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State have increased attacks in recent years despite international efforts to stamp them out. The attackers struck at 5 a.m. and around 15 of them were killed in the ensuing fight, the ministry said. Islamist attacks have surged across Africa's Sahel region, killing thousands and driving millions from their homes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. About 1.2 million people have been displaced by the violence in Burkina Faso alone.”
Reuters: Convoy Carrying Borno State Governor Attacked -Sources
“A convoy carrying Borno state governor Babagana Zulum came under fire from militants this week, forcing him to cut short a trip to the northern town of Malam Fatori, three military sources and a security source told Reuters on Saturday. The attack, which raises questions about the governor's pledge to close displaced persons camps and send those in them back to their villages, took place on Thursday, the sources said. "Troops battled for nearly an hour," one military source said, adding that all those in the convoy laid on the ground during the fighting. Malam Fatori sits near the border with neighbouring Niger. Spokespeople for Zulum and for the military did not respond to requests for comment. Zulum said earlier this month that he would shut the camps that hold thousands of internally displaced persons in the state capital, Maiduguri, by the end of the year, citing improved security. Borno state is the centre of Nigeria's 12-year battle against Islamist insurgents, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province. The fighting has killed nearly 350,000 people and displaced millions more, according to United Nations Development Programme estimates.”
United Kingdom
The Independent: Police Warn Of Threat Of Pre-Christmas Terror Attacks In London
“Londoners have been warned to be on alert to the potential threat of a pre-Christmas extremist attack, as Cressida Dick described the murder of Sir David Amess “a chilling reminder” of the continuing terrorist danger. Writing in the Evening Standard, the Metropolitan Police commissioner said it was important the public showed the “courage and confidence” to report suspicious behaviour and said contacting police “won’t ruin lives, but it might just save them”. The warning came with the number of counter-terrorism investigations across the UK at a record level, with 800 probes currently live, on top of 31 foiled plots since 2017. A significant proportion of the alleged plots are connected to London. “We recently saw in Essex yet another terrorist attack with the terrible murder of Sir David Amess MP, and with it, a chilling reminder that the threat of terrorism is very real,” wrote Ms Dick. “So it’s vitally important that Londoners continue to be alert and vigilant. This is particularly true as we continue to enjoy regaining our freedom in the run-up to Christmas,” she added. “This is particularly true as we continue to enjoy regaining our freedom in the run-up to Christmas. If you see or hear anything suspicious then I urge you to report it to us.” On Friday, Ms Dick and City of London Police commissioner Ian Dyson attended a ceremony in the capital to honour emergency workers and members of the public for their courage in responding to the Fishmonger’s Hall attack on 29 November 2019.”
Europe
Radio Free Europe: Belarus Blocks Three News Sites In Latest Crackdown On 'Extremist' Media
“Belarusian authorities have blocked access to Germany's state-backed international broadcaster Deutsche Welle and Current Time, the Russian-language network run by RFE/RL in cooperation with VOA, amid an intensifying crackdown on the media and civil society following last year’s disputed presidential election. The Information Ministry said on October 28 that the two news websites as well as that of Belarusian newspaper Novy Chas had been blocked for spreading material containing links considered “extremist” by Belarusian courts. Internet users reported that the news sites did not open and later a message appeared indicating access was limited. However, the sites can still be accessed through virtual private networks (VPNs), which people can use to circumvent government restrictions on the web. “The Information Ministry, within its powers, will continue to monitor compliance with national regulations and intends to continue to make decisions aimed at protecting the country's information space,” First Deputy Information Minister Andrey Kuncevic told state news agency BelTa. RFE/RL President Jamie Fly condemned the move to block Current Time and vowed to continue providing information to the Belarusian people. The Lukashenka regime’s attempts to criminalize journalism know no bounds and are now depriving the Belarusian people of yet another independent source of news and information.”
Southeast Asia
Reuters: Philippine Islamist Militant Leader, Wife Killed In Clash, Says Military
“Philippine troops killed a militant leader and his wife on Friday, in what military officials described as a major blow to an Islamist group suspected of carrying out a series of bombings and attacks in the country's south. Salahuddin Hassan, the "overall emir" of the group, Daulah Islamiyah - Philippines, and his wife Jehana Minbida, were killed in a special operation in Talayan town, in Maguindanao province, the military said. More than two dozen militants, who were with the couple, managed to escape during the 30-minute gunbattle with troops, according to the military. "With the death of their leader, we are certain that the group will crumble," said Major General Alfredo Rosario Jr., chief of the military's Western Mindanao Command. "This is a significant breakthrough in our campaign against terrorism in central Mindanao." The bodies of Hassan and his wife were recovered along with a R4 rifle, bandolier, and ammunition magazines, military chief General Jose Faustino Jr said in a statement. Hassan's group was also involved in a night market bombing in President Rodrigo Duterte's hometown Davao City in September 2016 that left 15 people dead and dozens injured, the military said. The military said Hassan's wife ran the group's finances. Several Islamist militant groups have been active in the southern island of Mindanao, including Abu Sayyaf, a group that has proclaimed allegiance to Islamic State and is known for kidnapping for ransom.”
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