Eye on Extremism
July 22, 2019
CBS
News: American Citizen Accused Of Becoming ISIS Sniper And Weapons
Trainer
“An American citizen was arrested in Syria after becoming a sniper
and weapons trainer for the Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS),
federal authorities in New York said Friday. Ruslan Maratovich
Asainov, 42, was transferred to FBI custody Wednesday and brought to
the United States after his detention overseas by the Syrian
Democratic Forces. Asainov, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in
Kazakhstan, appeared in federal court in Brooklyn on Friday. According
to investigators, in December 2013, Asainov traveled to Istanbul, a
common transit point to gain entry into Syria. After entering Syria,
he joined the ISIS terrorist organization, became a sniper and rose to
the rank of "emir" in charge of training other ISIS members in the use
of weapons. From 1998 to 2013, Asainov lived in Brooklyn.”
The
Washington Post: Hundreds Of Islamic State Militants Are Slipping Back
Into Iraq. Their Fight Isn’t Over
“Islamic State militants who escaped the defeat of their
self-declared caliphate in Syria earlier this year have been slipping
across the border into Iraq, bolstering a low-level insurgency the
group is now waging across the central and northern part of the
country, according to security officials. About 1,000 fighters have
crossed into Iraq over the past eight months, most of them in the
aftermath of the caliphate’s collapse in March, said Hisham
al-Hashimi, a security analyst who advises Iraq’s government and
foreign aid agencies. These fighters, mostly Iraqis who followed the
Islamic State into Syria, are returning home to join militant cells
that have been digging into rugged rural areas, sustained by intimate
knowledge of the terrain, including concealed tunnels and other hiding
places. The militants move under the cover of darkness to carry out
sniper attacks and rudimentary roadside bombings several times a week.
Their attacks, occurring outside major cities, are often opportunistic
and primarily target community leaders and security forces involved in
efforts to root them out. An explosion earlier this month in the
northern city of Kirkuk killed two motorcyclists. A separate attack in
Diyala, in eastern Iraq, targeted militiamen assigned with hunting
down militants.”
Arab
News: Russian Air Strike Kills 16 Civilians In Northwest
Syria
“A Russian air strike on a market in northwest Syria killed 16
civilians on Monday, a monitor said, in the latest violence to plague
the country’s last major opposition bastion. At least 35 other people
were wounded in the raid that hit “a wholesale vegetable market in the
town of Maaret Al-Numan,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
said.”
BBC:
Iran 'Seizes British-Flagged Oil Tanker'
“There will be "serious consequences" if Iran does not release a
British-flagged tanker seized in the Gulf, Foreign Secretary Jeremy
Hunt has said. The Stena Impero's owners say they have been unable to
contact their vessel, which had 23 personnel on board and was "heading
north towards Iran". It was surrounded by four vessels and a
helicopter, Mr Hunt said. A second British-owned Liberian-flagged
tanker was boarded by armed guards but is now free to continue its
journey. The Mesdar's Glasgow-based operator Norbulk Shipping UK said
communication had been re-established with the vessel after it was
boarded by armed guards at around 17:30 BST on Friday and its crew was
"safe and well". There were 25 personnel on board the Mesdar when it
was surrounded by 10 speedboats, Mr Hunt said.”
The
New York Times: Taliban Attack Security Checkpoint And Hospital In
Pakistan
“At least nine people were killed and at least 30 others wounded on
Sunday in Taliban attacks on a security checkpoint and a hospital in
northwestern Pakistan, breaking a lull in militant violence in the
country, officials said. A spokesman for the Taliban said the attacks
— by gunmen on motorbikes and a suicide bomber — had been carried out
to avenge the killing of one of its militants last month in the
district of Dera Ismail Khan. A senior police official said the
suicide attacker had been female, but the Taliban later released a
photograph of a longhaired man whom the group identified as the
bomber. The two-pronged attack on Sunday took place in the same
district, Dera Ismail Khan, which is in the province of
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. In the first attack, two police officers at a
security checkpoint in the town of Kotla Saidan were shot dead. The
assailants escaped after the shooting, and the security forces
cordoned off the area to search for them. Shortly after the bodies of
the two officers were taken to the hospital, an explosion ripped
through the emergency and trauma center there, killing four other
police officers and three civilians. The suicide bomber detonated
about seven kilograms of explosives near an entrance to the hospital,
according to a preliminary police investigation.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Exclusive - Turkey, Qatar And The Return Of ISIS To
Libya
“Are Turkey and Qatar openly backing terrorists in Libya? And if
so, why has the international community remained silent over the
issue? Why hasn’t it taken serious action to address the situation and
resolve the Libyan crisis once and for all? As it stands, the Libyan
National Army (LNA) is trying to rid the country of terrorism and
terrorists. Simultaneously, intense efforts are underway to bring in
ISIS members, who have fled Syria and Iraq, into Libyan regions that
are controlled by militias. International intelligence agencies have
the evidence to prove this. It is no secret that Turkey and Qatar are
behind the developments in Libya. Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, who failed in spreading his Islamist agenda during the
so-called Arab Spring, is now attempting to make up for his losses by
meddling in Libya. It represents his last hope to revive his
illusions. He believes that if extremists succeed in Libya, then their
influence may spread to neighboring Tunisia in the west and Egypt in
the east. Egypt, he believes, spoiled his plans in recent years when
the people revolted in June 2013. Developments in Libya have exposed
Ankara’s supplying of weapons to militias in flagrant violation of the
arms embargo imposed on the country since 2011.”
United States
The
Washington Post: Two Senators Want Antifa Activists To Be Labeled
‘Domestic Terrorists.’ Here’s What That Means.
“Two Republican senators have introduced a nonbinding resolution
that would label antifascists — known as antifa — as “domestic
terrorists,” doubling down against radical activists who have drawn
criticism from conservatives and President Trump. “Antifa are
terrorists, violent masked bullies who ‘fight fascism’ with actual
fascism, protected by Liberal privilege,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)
said in a statement. “Bullies get their way until someone says no.
Elected officials must have courage, not cowardice, to prevent
terror.” Hina Shamsi, director of the national security project at the
American Civil Liberties Union, told The Washington Post that she
opposes labeling groups as domestic terrorists. “It is dangerous and
overly broad to use labels that are disconnected [from] actual
individual conduct,” she said. “And as we’ve seen how ‘terrorism’ has
been used already in this country, any such scheme raises significant
due process, equal protection and First Amendment constitutional
concerns.” The resolution, which also is sponsored by Sen. Ted Cruz
(R-Tex.), would not change U.S. law. It cites antifa activists
occupying the road outside an Immigration and Customs Enforcement
office and “doxing” ICE officials by posting their personal
information online.”
Extra.IE:
This Is The Us-Born Jihadi Believed To Have Radicalised ISIS Bride
Lisa Smith
“This is the man who is believed to have radicalised Dundalk Isis
bride Lisa Smith in the months before she travelled to Isis terror
capital Raqqa. John Georgelas, 35, a Greek/American convert to Islam,
climbed the Isis ranks to become one of the most high-profile foreign
Isis members and is described by some as ‘the Isis Goebbels’.
Georgelas produced English-language propaganda for Isis on the terror
organisation’s English language publications Dabiq and Rumiyah and
organised material for Isis’s radio station. Known by his kunya — or
Arabic name — ‘Yaya Abu Hassan’, Ms Smith spoke to the American
convert via Facebook before travelling to the Islamic State in autumn
2015. From Ayn Issa refugee camp in northern Syria — where this
reporter travelled on assignment with RTE — Ms Smith admitted knowing
the US jihadi well and said FBI agents had travelled to the camp to
quiz her on the most high-profile American in Isis.”
Associated
Press: US Citizen Charged With Training Islamic State Group
Members
“A U.S. citizen from Kazakhstan facing terrorism charges after he
became a sniper and weapons trainer for the Islamic State group once
boasted that he supports “the worst terrorist organization in the
world,” authorities said as they announced his arrest Friday. Ruslan
Maratovich Asainov, 42, was transferred to FBI custody Wednesday and
brought to the United States after his detention overseas by the
Syrian Democratic Forces, federal authorities said in a release.
“Asainov traveled overseas, joined ISIS, and became a fighter and a
sniper for the terrorist organization,” said Assistant Attorney
General John C. Demers. “He was ultimately detained overseas, turned
over to the FBI, and will now face justice in an American courtroom.”
Asainov was detained without bail following an appearance Friday in
Brooklyn federal court. Outside court, defense attorney Susan Kellman
said her client was “very pleasant, very forthcoming” but was
reluctant to speak up when a judge asked him if he understood his
rights. “He answers to a higher authority,” the lawyer said. “He says
his ruler is Allah.”
Voice
Of America: More White Extremist Propaganda Appearing At US
Colleges
“Signs, fliers and other notices with racist language are
increasingly being found at colleges and universities in the United
States, a new report finds. The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported
recently that examples of white supremacist propaganda on U.S.
college campuses rose during the most recent school year. The ADL
watches hate groups, including those who believe that white people are
better than members of other races. The group says its aim is to
secure justice and fair treatment for all people. It adds that white
supremacist propaganda on campuses has increased in each of the past
two years. The report noted a sharp increase in documented cases in
the 2017-2018 school year. Examples included white supremacist fliers,
stickers and other material. More extremist propaganda was found
during the spring term of 2019 than any term in the past, the ADL
said. There were 161 incidents on 122 different college and university
campuses across 33 states, and in Washington, D.C. The report
documented 313 cases of white supremacist propaganda on U.S. campuses
between September 2018 and the end of May 2019. The cases were tied to
organizations linked to what has become known as
the alternative right, or “alt-right,” movement.”
The
New York Post: Brooklyn ‘ISIS Sniper’ Came To US From Kazakhstan
Through Diversity Lottery: Official
“The Kazakhstan-born Brooklyn man who the feds say betrayed
America — by becoming a top ISIS sniper in Syria — had come to the
US through the diversity lottery, the head of US Citizenship and
Immigration Services revealed in an angry tweet. Ruslan Maratovich
Asainov “was born in Kazakhstan on June 28, 1976,” tweeted USCIS
Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “He entered the U.S. on a DIVERSITY
LOTTERY VISA (!!!) on February 27, 1999, and he became a naturalized
U.S. Citizen on September 1, 2006.” Cuccinelli called the lottery
“very dangerous,” and said that both he and President Trump want to
see it ended. “Time for a more merit-focused immigration system w/o
dangerous holes like the diversity lottery,” he tweeted.”
Syria
The
Jerusalem Post: Air Strikes Kill 18 In Syria's Idlib
“Air strikes killed at least 18 people, including seven children,
in rebel-held Idlib region in northwestern Syria on Sunday, the Syrian
Observatory for Human Rights reported. The northwest is the last major
foothold of the rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad, who has
vowed to recover the whole country but has made little or no gains in
more than two months of military operations in the area.State media
also said that a train carrying phosphate in central Syria was
derailed by a bomb blast east of Palmyra, causing injuries among the
crew. It did not identify the perpetrators. Islamic State is still
active in that area. In the northwest, the Observatory said Syrian
government air strikes killed 12 people, including five children, in
the village of Urum al-Jawz in western Idlib province. Four more
people, including two children, were killed in strikes on Kfarouma in
the south of the province.”
Iran
The
National: Iran-Backed Terror Cells Could Be Used In UK Attacks If
Situation Worsens
“Iran-backed terrorist cells could be used to launch attacks in the
UK if the crisis between the two countries worsens, intelligence
sources warn. MI5 and MI6 officials consider Iran to be the third
greatest threat to Britain’s security. They believe Tehran has
organised and funded sleeper cells across Europe, including the UK,
and could allow them to attack in response to conflict in the Gulf.
The cells are linked to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group,
intelligence sources told The Telegraph. “Iran has Hezbollah
operatives in position to carry out a terrorist attack in the event of
a conflict,” a source said. “That is the nature of the domestic threat
Iran poses to the UK.” Tehran has been publicly blamed for several
cyber attacks in the UK, including one on MPs in 2017 and another on
post office, local government and private sector emails at the end of
last year. Tension has risen between the two countries after oil
tankers have been seized by both London and Tehran. On Friday,
the Steno Impero vessel was seized in Omani waters before it was
re-routed by Revolutionary Guard special forces to be detained in
Iran. The British Government described the incident, a response to the
seizure Iran vessel Grace I by the British navy in Gibraltar, as
illegal.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Iran Pairs Diplomacy With Military Pushback As
Gulf Tensions Soar
“Ships plying the Strait of Hormuz are getting caught in the middle
as Iran pushes back against U.S. sanctions and maneuvers around a more
muscular American regional presence, raising the risk of direct
military confrontation. A British-flagged oil tanker Iran seized on
Friday became the latest casualty of an Iranian response to perceived
aggression that stops short of full conflict. Iran initially said it
impounded the British vessel after it collided with a fishing boat.
But the move was widely seen as retaliation for British forces this
month seizing an Iranian tanker off the coast of Gibraltar that was
allegedly transporting oil to Syria. The Iranian seizure came a day
after the U.S. Navy said it had shot down an Iranian drone over the
Persian Gulf—which Iran denied—and involved Revolutionary Guard forces
rappelling onto the deck from a helicopter.”
The
New York Times: Iran Claims To Have Arrested And Executed U.S.
Spies
“Iran said on Monday that it had arrested 17 Iranian citizens on
charges of spying for the United States and had already executed some
of them, Iranian and Western news media reported. At a news conference
in Tehran, an official who identified himself as a director of
counterespionage in the Intelligence Ministry described the arrests of
people he said had been trained by the C.I.A., but he did not name
them and gave few details of their alleged spying. The official
declined to give his name, The Associated Press reported, and did not
say how many of those arrested had been killed. Iran has previously
claimed, without elaboration or supporting evidence, to have broken up
American spy rings. It made similar announcements in April and again
in June this year. The latest claim comes at a moment of rising
tensions between Iran and the West.”
The
Times Of Israel: There Would Be No Al-Qaeda Without Iranian
Support
“Rami Dabbas was Interviewed with The Greater Middle East which is
a bipartisan, policy research organization Based in Baku, Azerbaijan.
“There is a serious suspicion that Iran cooperates, supports, and
funds a large number of terrorist organizations all over the Middle
East. Perhaps, one of the most dangerous and oldest organizations
between them is Al-Qaeda. Although Iran positions itself as a
protector of Shias, it doesn’t prevent Iran from maintaining relations
with Al-Qaeda. We asked Rami Dabbas, Jordanian Writer, and Political
Analyst, to comment on this matter.”
Haaretz:
Iran Working To Arm Syria And Hezbollah By Sea
“Tehran prefers sea route due to recent attacks aimed at preventing
it from entrenching in Syria and transferring equipment to Lebanon,
Israeli officials say.”
Forbes:
Warning As Iran 'Ready To Strike' In The West Using Sleeper Terror
Cells: Report
“Last month, news emerged that a devastating cache of explosives
had been discovered in London by security agencies back in 2015. The
three tons of ammonium nitrate was "more than was used in the Oklahoma
City bombing that killed 168 people," the Daily Telegraph reported.
The lethal stockpile was linked to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi'a group
that has been designated as a terrorist organization—in whole or
part—by much of the West. Hezbollah is sponsored by Iran, and back in
2015, the U.K. had just signed on to the Iranian nuclear deal. Nothing
was made public. Fast forward to 2019. Tensions continue to escalate
in the Gulf between the U.S., its allies and Iran. The Iranians have
seized a British oil tanker in a move designed to test London's
patience and restraint. The primary response to the incident has
played out in the media. And, as I've written before, the media plays
its part beyond just reporting events.”
Forbes:
Warning As Iranian State Hackers Target LinkedIn Users With Dangerous
New Malware
“As I reported over the weekend, the multidimensional cyber warfare
playing out in the Middle East has taken a shape we have not seen at
this scale before—a mix of military offensive and defensive
capabilities with state-sponsored attacks on civilian targets. With
cyber warfare becoming "an interchangeable battlefield tool," an
attack in one domain can lead to retaliation in another. And the
catalyst has been the continuing escalation of tensions between the
U.S. (and its allies) and Iran. Iran understands that retaliation
against the U.S. military in the cyber domain "might be akin to
throwing rocks at a tank," but it can hit the vast and under-protected
U.S. corporate sector at will. Two weeks after U.S. Cyber Command hit
Iran's command and control structure in the aftermath of the downing
of a U.S. surveillance drone, came a warning that an Iranian-led hack
was targeting the millions of unpatched Microsoft Outlook
systems.”
The
New York Times: As Conflict With U.S. Grows, Some Iran Hard-Liners
Suggest Talking To Trump
“Iran’s most revered Revolutionary Guards commander says talking
with President Trump would be admitting defeat. The country’s supreme
leader has ruled out any dealings with Washington. But now, in a
surprising split among Iranian hard-liners, some are expressing a
different opinion: It’s time to sit down and resolve 40 years of
animosity with the United States, by talking directly to Mr. Trump.
And the most striking voice in that contrarian group is former
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, largely known in the West for his
anti-American bombast, Holocaust denial, and suspiciously lopsided
victory in a disputed vote a decade ago that set off Iran’s worst
political convulsions since the Islamic revolution. “Mr. Trump is a
man of action,” Mr. Ahmadinejad said in a lengthy telephone interview
with The New York Times. “He is a businessman and therefore he is
capable of calculating cost-benefits and making a decision. We say to
him, let’s calculate the long-term cost-benefit of our two nations and
not be shortsighted.”
The
New York Times: Iran Claims To Have Arrested And Executed U.S.
Spies
“Iran said on Monday that it had arrested 17 Iranian citizens on
charges of spying for the United States and had already executed some
of them, Iranian and Western news media reported. At a news conference
in Tehran, an official who identified himself as a director of
counterespionage in the Intelligence Ministry described the arrests of
people he said had been trained by the C.I.A., but he did not name
them and gave few details of their alleged spying. The official
declined to give his name, The Associated Press reported, and did not
say how many of those arrested had been killed. Iran has previously
claimed, without elaboration or supporting evidence, to have broken up
American spy rings. It made similar announcements in April and again
in June this year. The latest claim comes at a moment of rising
tensions between Iran and the West.”
Iraq
The
Washington Post: Iraqi Forces Launch Anti-IS Operation North Of
Baghdad
“Iraq’s military said Saturday its troops in partnership with
security agencies and paramilitary forces launched the second phase of
an operation aimed at clearing remnants of the Islamic State group
from north of Baghdad and surrounding areas. This is the second phase
of the operation dubbed “Will to Victory,” which started two weeks
earlier and targeted the area along the border with Syria. The
military said the new target area is north of Baghdad and in the
Diyala, Salahuddin and Anbar provinces. Although Iraq declared victory
against IS in July 2017, the extremists have turned into an insurgency
and continue to carry out deadly attacks in the country. The military
said Iraqi troops, Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces, the
federal police and others are taking part in the operation supported
by the Iraqis and the U.S-led international coalition. On Saturday,
Iraq’s Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi visited the operation room
alongside the deputy head of the PMF, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Earlier
this month, the Iraqi government moved to place the Iranian-backed
militias under the command of the armed forces. The move was believed
to be an attempt to curb the powerful militias, particularly amid
rising tension between Iran and the U.S., the power brokers in
Iraq.”
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Army Kills Seven Islamic State Terrorists In
Nineveh
“Seven Islamic State terrorists were killed Sunday in a military
operation in Nineveh province, the Security Media Cell said in a press
statement. The operation was carried out by a joint force of the
Nineveh Operations Command and Tribal Mobilization Forces, the
statement read. The troops also destroyed 23 terrorist hotbeds of
Islamic State and four explosive charges, it added. The Iraqi army
launched on Saturday the second phase of a military operation to
pursue Islamic State (IS) militants in northern the country. The “Will
of Victory” operation aims to attain security and stability in the
desert area between Nineveh, Salahuddin and Anbar provinces on the
Iraqi-Syrian border, in addition to preventing IS remains from
sneaking into that region or even using it as a stronghold for their
terrorist acts.”
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Security Arrest Three Islamic State Members In
Mosul
“The Iraqi Interior Ministry announced on Saturday that its troops
arrested three Islamic State terrorists in Mosul city. The three
militants worked for the Islamic State religious police (al-Hisbah)
during the terrorist group’s capture of Mosul, Spokesman for the
Interior Ministry Maj. Gen. Saad Maan told the Arabic-language Alghad
Press website. According to the spokesman, the trio confessed that
they took part in fighting against security forces in the eastern and
western sides of Mosul. Former Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi
announced in July 2017 liberation of the second largest Iraqi city of
Mosul from IS militants, who had captured it in 2014. More than 25,000
militants were killed throughout the campaign, which started in
October 2016. The campaign was backed by paramilitary troops and a
U.S.-led international coalition. Iraq declared the collapse of
Islamic State’s territorial influence in Iraq in November 2017 with
the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria,
which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq.”
The
National: Kurdish Officials Vow Region Will Not Turn Into Terror Hub
Following Erbil Shooting
“The Kurdistan Region of Iraq will not become a hub for terrorism,
Kurdish officials said on Sunday, after authorities arrested the man
suspected of shooting dead a Turkish diplomat last week. The Turkish
official was one of three people shot dead last Wednesday when a
gunman opened fire in a restaurant in the Iraqi Kurdish regional
capital, Erbil. The suspect in the assassination of the diplomat is
the brother of a female member of the Turkish parliament, according to
reports. A statement from a Iraqi Kurdish security force, the Counter
Terrorism Department, gave the suspect's name as Mazlum Dag. Turkey's
pro-Kurdish People's Democratic Party (HDP) later confirmed that the
man who had been arrested was the brother of one of its lawmakers,
Dersim Dag. “Kurdistan will never become the headquarters of
terrorism…criminals will never be able to hide,” Masoud Barzani, the
former president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, said in a statement.
“I commend the security and anti-terror forces of the Kurdistan Region
for arresting the suspects,” the official said, calling for all
parties to not bring their disputes to the northern region of Iraq.
The Kurdistan region will remain a “safe haven,” vowed Prime Minister
Masrour Barzani, son of former president Masoud.”
Afghanistan
NBC
News: The U.S. Is Eager To End Its Longest War. In Interview, Taliban
Gives Little Sign It's Ready To Change.
“After years in which efforts at resolving America’s longest war
ambled slowly forward, if at all, they now appear to be galloping
toward the finish line. American and Taliban negotiators are thought
to be close to a deal that would see the 14,000 American troops
remaining in Afghanistan return home, after they lost more than 2,400
of their ranks and had thousands more maimed. But the Trump
administration’s rush to withdraw will leave Afghanistan at the mercy
of an extremely ascetic Islamist movement that has done little to
change its ways since the U.S. invaded nearly 18 years ago. “I think
that at the beginning they were arrogant,” said Sohail Shaheen, a
senior Taliban spokesman, referring to the American-led armies that
toppled the Taliban after the militants sheltered the author of the
Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Osama bin Laden. “I think now they
understand, you know, the ground realities … that it is a meaningless
war.” Shaheen spoke to NBC News in Doha, the capital of the glittering
Gulf Arab kingdom of Qatar, where U.S. and Taliban negotiators are
deep into the seventh round of talks. On two crucial issues — respect
for women’s rights and recognition of Afghanistan’s U.S.-backed
government in Kabul — Shaheen either hewed to Taliban policies dating
back decades before the U.S. invasion or deferred to further
negotiations or future decisions by Islamic courts.”
Xinhua:
Airstrike Kills 28 Militants In N. Afghanistan
“At least 28 Taliban militants have been killed following an
airstrike in Afghanistan's northern Faryab province, a military source
said on Sunday. “Based on a confirmed tip-off, an Afghan Air Force
A-29 aircraft targeted a Taliban hideout in Bilchiragh district,
Faryab province on Saturday evening, leaving 28 armed Taliban killed,”
Hanif Rezai, spokesman of army Corps 209 Shaheen based in the region,
told Xinhua. The targeted militants were meeting for planning attacks
against security forces. Violence has escalated in the previously
peaceful northern region over a past few years as Afghan security
forces push against the militants in the south and east regions. The
Taliban militant group has not responded to the report so far.”
The
Times: Isis Takes On Taliban As US Looks For Afghan
Exit
“The first wedding guests had just begun to arrive when the father
of the groom noticed a stranger. Malik Toor Jan was immediately
suspicious of the teenage boy who appeared alone, wearing a waistcoat
and scarf despite the heat of the summer morning. As an influential
local militia commander who had spent much of the past three years
fighting Islamic State in the mountains above his village in eastern
Afghanistan, Toor Jan had learnt to spot the signs of threat fast.
Guests watched as he approached the boy and asked him who he was.
“Then suddenly he realised that we had a suicide bomber in our midst,”
Mohammed Qayum, 18, one of Toor Jan’s nephews, said.”
The
New York Times: Suicide Bombing At University Kills 10 As Violence
Surges In Afghanistan
“As law students waited outside Kabul University to take
fourth-year exams shortly after daybreak on Friday, a suicide bomber
drove up and detonated an explosive device, killing 10 people and
wounding 33. The bombing was the latest in an aggressive series of
attacks by insurgents in the 10 days since American and Taliban
negotiators suspended peace talks in Doha, Qatar, that were aimed at
reaching a political settlement and a cease-fire in the 18-year-old
war. The Interior Ministry blamed the Taliban for Friday’s attack,
which killed students and a traffic officer. A Taliban spokesman
denied that the group was involved in the bombing, although it has
claimed responsibility for many recent attacks. In a burst of violence
noteworthy even by Afghan standards, the Taliban have launched a
number of sophisticated attacks aimed at government security forces
and compounds, in some cases killing and maiming civilians.”
Pakistan
Associated
Press: Pakistani Hospital Hit By Female Suicide Bomber, 9
Killed
“A female suicide bomber struck outside a hospital in Pakistan on
Sunday as the wounded were being brought in from an earlier shooting
against police, in a complex assault claimed by the Pakistani Taliban
that killed a total of nine people and wounded another 30. Salim Riaz
Khan, a senior police officer in Dera Ismail Khan, said gunmen on
motorcycles opened fire on police in a residential area, killing two.
He says the bomber then struck at the entrance to the hospital,
killing another four police and three civilians who were visiting
their relatives. He said eight police were among the wounded, and that
many of the wounded were in critical condition. Inayat Ullah, a local
forensics expert, said the female attacker set off 7 kilograms (15
pounds) of explosives packed with nails and ball-bearings.”
Reuters:
U.S. To Press Pakistan PM On Afghan Peace, Terrorism
Crackdown
“U.S. President Donald Trump is likely to press Pakistani Prime
Minister Imran Khan for help on ending the war in Afghanistan and
fighting militants when the two leaders meet at the White House on
Monday amid their countries’ strained relations. Last year, Trump cut
off hundreds of millions of dollars in security assistance to
Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of offering “nothing but lies and deceit”
while giving safe haven to terrorists, a charge angrily rejected by
Islamabad. Khan, who arrived in Washington on Saturday, is expected
to try to mend fences and attract much-needed U.S. investment, hoping
the arrest last week of a militant leader with a $10 million U.S.
bounty on his head will lead to a warmer reception. “The purpose of
the visit is to press for concrete cooperation from Pakistan to
advance the Afghanistan peace process and to encourage Pakistan to
deepen and sustain its recent effort to crackdown on militants and
terrorists within its territory,” a senior U.S. administration
official said. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
said the United States wants to make clear to Pakistan that it is open
to repairing relations if Pakistan changes how it handles “terrorists
and militants.”
Voice
Of America: Pakistan Holds Historic Vote In Former 'Epicenter' Of
Terror
“Pakistan organized its first ever provincial elections Saturday in
a northwestern region along the mountainous border with Afghanistan
that until a few years ago was condemned as the “epicenter” of
international terrorism. Pakistani officials said the elections in the
seven districts of what were formerly known as the Federally
Administered Tribal Area (FATA) are central to steps the government
has taken to supplement regional and global efforts to bring peace to
Afghanistan and counter violent extremism. Pakistani election
officials said some 2.8 million registered voters were to choose from
285 candidates for 16 seats in the legislative assembly of Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province. The contestants, including two women,
represented major mainstream political parties. The election was held
under tight security and no incidents of violence were reported. The
historic vote came on a day when Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan
left for the United States for his first meeting with President Donald
Trump at the White House on Monday, where the two leaders will discuss
counterterrorism measures among a range of other issues.”
Yemen
The
National: Yemen's Houthi Rebels Raise Nearly $300,000 For
Hezbollah
“Houthi rebels in Yemen have announced that they have raised nearly
$300,000 in the latest stage of their campaign for Hezbollah. In a
video published late on Saturday, the director general of Houthi radio
station Sam FM posed with wads of cash as the team celebrated raising
74,010,00 Yemeni riyals (Dh1.1 million, or $296,000) for the Lebanese
militants. “From Yemen the faith to Lebanon’s resistance, salute to
the well-being of Yemen,” they yell. “Death to America, death to
Israel, curse the Jews.” Yemeni Houthi Radio Sam FM publishes video at
end of 3rd phase of fundraising campaign for Lebanese Hezbollah. They
shout: “From Yemen’s faith to Lebanon’s Resistance! God is great!
Death to America! Death to Israel” The funds would “support, aid and
assist the resistance in Lebanon”, said a statement published by Sam
FM alongside the video. The donations for Hezbollah from the third
stage of the “Live for the good of Yemen” campaign add to some
$200,000 raised this year and in 2018 for the Houthis’ general
military spending in Yemen, according to documents seen by The
National. If the Houthis’ self-reported figures are accurate, it means
more than half of the fundraising by the Iran-backed rebels has gone
to Tehran’s Lebanese proxy."
Saudi Arabia
Voice
Of America: Saudi Coalition Says It Destroyed Houthi Ballistic
Missiles Around Yemeni Capital
“Saudi-coalition spokesman Col. Turki al Maliki says that coalition
fighter jets took out at least five Houthi air defense sites around
the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, early Saturday. Amateur video showed a
number of explosions rocking Sanaa, overnight. Amateur video broadcast
by Arab media showed a series of explosions around the Yemeni capital
Sana'a, early Saturday, followed by loud percussive explosions.
Saudi-owned media, quoting coalition spokesman Turki al Maliki,
indicated that at least five Houthi air defense sites were bombed by
Saudi warplanes. Maliki claimed that a number of Houthi ballistic
missiles were destroyed in the air attacks. The Saudi-owned
Asharqalawsat newspaper quoted Maliki as saying the "operation
[overnight] targeted the Houthis air defense capabilities, as well as
their ability to launch aggressive attacks." Maliki went on to say the
coalition raids "conformed with international human rights law.”
Lebanon
The
Arab Weekly: In Siding With Iran, Hezbollah Could Put Lebanon’s Future
At Serious Risk
“While Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Israeli
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu have been quick to use the Gulf’s
escalating tensions to rattle sabres, analysts downplayed the
likelihood that the exchange of threats would develop into full-scale
conflict in the immediate future. That the situation across the Gulf
is tense cannot be denied. Iran claimed to have seized the British oil
tanker Stena Impero as it navigated the Strait of Hormuz on July 19,
an apparent retaliation against the British impounding of the Iranian
vessel Grace 1 in early July. It was the second possible seizure of a
foreign vessel by Iranian forces after the UAE-registered Riah was
intercepted July 14 in the Gulf. Adding to an already febrile mix was
the downing of an Iranian drone by a US vessel in the strait the day
before the Stena Imperio’s interception, an incident denied by
Tehran. Ratcheting tensions up further has been the deployment of a
third British warship to the region, ostensibly to replace the frigate
HMS Montrose but unlikely to be viewed in Tehran as anything but
Western provocation. Nasrallah, speaking July 12 on Al-Manar TV, said:
“Are we going to sit back and watch? Iran won’t be alone in the war,
that is clear.”
Egypt
The
National: Egyptian Air Force Kills 20 Militants After Deadly Suicide
Blast
“Egyptian officials say that at least 20 militants have been killed
in an air strike in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula. The air
force hit more than 100 mountainous hideouts used by the militants
near the city of El Arish and the small town of Bir Al Abd late of
Friday. The strikes came after a suicide bombing killed a soldier and
a civilian on Thursday in the Sinai town of Sheikh Zuweid. ISIS said a
militant named Abu Omar El Seedy had detonated his explosive-laden
vest near a military checkpoint at dawn on Thursday. Egyptian security
officials had said the bomber targeted an armoured vehicle near the
local market of Sheikh Zuweid. They added that as well as the soldier
and a civilian, three other soldiers were wounded. A day earlier,
militants beheaded four people and kidnapped a fifth in Bir Al Abd
after accusing them of co-operating with the security services. A
group tied to ISIS claimed responsibility for both attacks. The
military has been battling a bloody insurgency in the remote desert
peninsular for several years but in 2018, the government announced a
massive offensive aimed at destroying the extremists. The move has
degraded the ability of the tribal and extremist groups to launch
attacks into the rest of the country, but they still pose a deadly
threat.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Egypt Minister Of Endowments Warns Of ‘Muslim Brotherhood
Terrorism’
“Egyptian Minister of Endowments Mohammed Mokhtar Jomaa warned of
the threat of the Muslim Brotherhood, officially classified as a
terrorist group since November 2014. Egypt accuses the group of
stoking chaos and violence in the country following the ouster of
former president Mohamed Morsi in July 2013, but the group usually
denies the accusation. The minister reiterated his rejection of the
Brotherhood and its rhetoric, pointing out in a statement that the
group’s slogan is “either to rule or kill and destroy.” Morsi ruled
the country for a year before his ouster, after which he was
imprisoned. He died while standing trial in June this year. Jomaa said
members of the Brotherhood claim they are “God's chosen group”, noting
that since its establishment, the terrorist organization has been
threatening Egypt. It is driven by its treasonous collaboration with
enemies of the Arab world and its belief that its authority can only
be built on the ruins of its nations.”
Nigeria
Premium
Times: 72 Hours After Kidnap, Aid Workers Still With Boko
Haram
“The abductors of the six humanitarian workers who went missing
after their convoy was attacked in northern Borno State are yet to
make any demand, 72 hours after the incident, sources within the UN
and security agencies have said. The aid workers are employees of the
Action Against Hunger, otherwise known as Action Contre La Faim (ACF)
On Thursday seven personnel of the ACF came under Boko Haram attack
while on their way from Maiduguri to a remote local government area.
The driver of one of the attacked vehicles was killed instantly while
the insurgents reportedly forced away six others. A source in the
Nigeria military had in a report published by PRNigeria claimed
knowledge of where the six abductees are being held. “The special
force was able to detect the location of the humanitarian aid workers
after some arrests were made, “ PRNigeria quoted an undisclosed
military source as saying. The source did not, however, say if any
action has been taken towards rescuing the abductees. The ACF
programme advocacy manager, Lucy Chizo, also confirmed reading the
claim. She declined comments on whether the abductors have made any
contact or demands. “As far as we at the ACF are concerned, we have
no information other than what we put out on Friday, “ she said.”
United Kingdom
The
Independent: Neo-Nazi ‘Impatient For War On Jews’ Jailed Over
Far-Right Terror Group Links
“A self-described fanatic ”impatient for a war on Jews” has been
jailed for three years over links to the far-right terrorist
group National Action. Daniel Ward, 28, was sentenced on Friday at
Birmingham Crown Court, where the prosecutor described him as being
“so full on that even Nazi extremists took a step back”. National
Action became the first organisation to be banned by the government
since World War Two in December 2016, following the murder of MP Jo
Cox. Police discovered a cache of air rifles, ammunition and neo-Nazi
propaganda during a raid on Ward’s home in September. The court heard
that he told fellow members he was “100 per cent committed” to
fighting a war and had searched the internet for methods of building
tear gas grenades and obtaining semi-automatic weapons. Prosecutor
Barnaby Jameson QC read aloud Ward’s initial email to National Action,
which read: ”We are at war and it’s time for me to fight for my
children’s future and the future of our people. “... All I have to
offer is my thirst for gratuitous violence!” Further email
correspondence revealed Ward was “impressed with National Action’s
military channels”. ‘You seem almost militarised in your actions and
sabotage,” he wrote.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Boris Johnson’s Iran Test
“Boris Johnson is expected to become Prime Minister of the United
Kingdom this week with a mandate to deliver Brexit. But before he can
even say Brussels, the new leader will confront an international
crisis started by Iran. This is an opportunity for Mr. Johnson to
display independence and strength while nudging Europe toward a new
approach to the Islamic Republic. On Friday Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps seized a British-flagged oil tanker and its
23 crew members in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians claimed to board
the ship for “security reasons” but this was clearly retaliation. The
British recently impounded an Iranian tanker off the coast of
Gibraltar because the ship was suspected of bringing oil to Syria in
violation of European Union sanctions. The Brits have offered to
release the ship as long as it won’t go to Syria, but Iran refuses
anything but an unconditional release.”
Germany
BBC
News: Merkel Marks Hitler Assassination Attempt With Anti-Extremism
Appeal
“German Chancellor Angela Markel has used the 75th anniversary of
the most famous plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler to call on citizens
to counter rising right-wing extremism. Ms Merkel thanked the German
officer, Claus von Stauffenberg, and other plotters who tried in 1944
to kill the Nazi dictator with a briefcase bomb. Stauffenberg and some
200 co-conspirators were caught and executed. Mrs Merkel urged people
to join programmes for strengthening democracy. “This day is a
reminder to us, not only of those who acted on July 20, but also of
everyone who stood up against Nazi rule,” she said in her weekly video
podcast. “We are likewise obliged today to oppose all tendencies that
seek to destroy democracy. That includes right-wing extremism.” The
right-wing party Alternative for Germany in May became the country's
largest opposition party in parliament with an anti-immigrant and
nationalist agenda. In recent years there has been a rise in far-right
attacks, including the murder of a German politician, whose death
prosecutors believe was politically motivated and carried out by
assassins with neo-Nazi extremist links. According to government
figures, there are 24,000 right-wing extremists in Germany. Nearly
13,000 are believed to have a tendency to violence.”
Deutsche
Welle: German Military Rejects Dozens Of Candidates Over Extremist
Links
“Germany's armed forces, the Bundeswehr,
have rejected 63 candidates over the past two years due to their
apparent links to extremism, the Funke Media Group reported on Sunday.
Funke's newspapers cited a response from the Defense Ministry to a
parliamentary inquiry from left-wing parties. It revealed that the
applicants included 21 neo-Nazis and so-called Reichsbürger (Reich
citizens), 12 Islamists, two left-wing extremists and several people
convicted in the past of violent offenses. Reichsbürger members reject
the authority of the German state and refuse to pay taxes, fines and
social security contributions. Additional scrutiny was put on two
other applicants over their membership of the Identitarian Movement —
also classified as a right-wing extremist group. The report revealed
that 43,775 new recruits were checked by the Military
Counterintelligence Service (MAD) between July 2017 and June 2019. The
applications of 1,173 men and women were subsequently looked at more
closely. The increased security measures followed what authorities
believe was a neo-Nazi terrorist plot within the Bundeswehr to
assassinate senior government figures and lay the blame for the
murders on asylum seekers.”
Australia
The
Daily Mail: Security Fears As 40 Jihadis Who Fled Australia To Join
Islamic State Return Home
“Forty jihadis who fled Australia to join Islamic State have since
returned home. The men pose a 'significant' security concern,
government officials told The Sunday Telegraph. Up to 230 Australians
joined extremist groups to fight in Syria and Iraq since 2012. Among
those who have returned from the Middle East are Sydney man Belal
Betka, 25, who has pleaded guilty to foreign incursion. Also returned
is Isaak el Matari, 20, who spent nine months in jail in Lebanon for
trying to join ISIS. He was charged earlier this month for allegedly
planning terror attacks around Sydney landmarks in the city's CBD. It
comes as Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton prepares to push a
controversial bill that will ban high security risk individuals from
coming back home for up to two years. If passed, the tough new Counter
Terrorism Bill will allow government to delay proceedings of bringing
radicalised jihadists back into Australia so officials can fully
investigate their security risk. If allowed to be brought back into
the country, certain conditions may be placed, meaning authorities
will be aware of their whereabouts, employment and
associations. While the bill strives to keep Australians safe, there
are concerns it may be applied to innocent people.”
Europe
Algemeiner:
Mourning Families Call On Bulgaria To Designate Hezbollah A Terrorist
Group Seven Years After Bus Bombing
“Seven years after a bus bombing in at the Burgas airport in
Bulgaria killed five Israelis and wounded 32 others, those affected by
the tragedy are calling on Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, to designate
Hezbollah, which is believed to have been behind the attack, a
terrorist group. “Three years ago … four years after the attack, the
criminal trial opened. … In the indictment … only two attackers [were
charged],” said Kobi Price, one of the affected relatives. “We, the
mourning families, ask the government of Bulgaria to rise above narrow
political considerations and to add the terrorist organization
Hezbollah to the indictment without delay.” He continued, “Without
Hezbollah, there is no morality in the trial. Without Hezbollah, the
trial is ineffective. Without Hezbollah, there is no justice for the
murdered victims.” “Bulgarian state prosecution had decided not to
charge Hezbollah as an organization with involvement in the 2012
bombing at the Burgas airport,” according to The Jerusalem Post.”
Southeast Asia
The
Japan Times: Philippines Adopts Strategy Against Violent
Extremism
“The Philippines has officially adopted a strategy to prevent and
counter violent extremism as officials seek to avoid a repeat of one
of the country’s most prominent acts of terrorism in recent history,
the May 2017 siege of Marawi City by pro-Islamic State fighters.
Philippine National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said Wednesday
that the government’s Anti Terrorism Council has approved the National
Action Plan on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (NAP PCVE),
with the Department of the Interior and Local Government tasked to
lead its implementation. “We have to take care of our population,
especially in some areas, so that there will no longer be terrorists
in the future,” Esperon said in a forum organized by the government in
the lead-up to President Rodrigo Duterte’s fourth State of the Nation
Address on Monday. “The PCVE will take care of potential terrorists”
by addressing sectors in society where they are likely to breed,
including certain communities, schools or learning institutions, jails
and social media, he added. Other groups to be focused on are
Filipinos working overseas especially those who go to certain
countries where they can become radicalized, and religious leaders who
have a big influence on ordinary people, Interior Secretary Eduardo
Ano said.”
Technology
Gizmodo:
How A Horrific Murder Exposes The Great Failure Of Facebook's AI
Moderation
“Though nonprofits like the Counter Extremism Project say it’s not
as many cases as they’d like you to think. But then there’s the
mounting list of seemingly obvious failures: The terrorist videos
Theresa May excoriated Facebook for in the aftermath of the 2017
London Bridge attack. The Christchurch shooting videos, which were
allowed onto Facebook 20 percent of the time—making for hundreds of
thousands of posts—when users shared them on the platform, according
to the company.”
Al
Jazeera: Why Is The Violent Far Right Still Able To Organise
Online?
“Shoot. Pause. Shoot. Pause. I remember thinking it had to be one
shooter," says Ole Martin Juul Slyngstadli. The then 17 year old had
been hiding beneath a cliff with a girl who he had seen get shot four
times. He had wrapped his T-shirt around her chest and placed rocks on
the wound to stop the bleeding. "I remember the shooter saying 'I'm
the police, come out, you're safe'. One boy walked out and he shot
him," says Slyngstadli, who survived the Norway massacre. Eight years
ago, on July 22, 2011 - a day known as 22/7 - Anders Breivik set off a
car bomb at the main office complex of the Norwegian government,
leaving eight people dead and several seriously injured. Less than two
hours later, he arrived at the Labour Party's youth summer camp on the
Norwegian island of Utoeya.”
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