Eye on Extremism
July 18, 2019
Reuters:
Syrian Rebels Say Moscow Deploys Ground Forces In Idlib
Campaign
“Russia has sent special forces in recent days to fight alongside
Syrian army troops in northwestern Syria where they have been
struggling for more than two months to seize the last opposition
bastion, senior rebel commanders said. Moscow, a staunch ally of
President Bashar al-Assad, denied on Thursday that it had sent special
forces to Idlib, maintaining that Russia has no ground troops in
Syria. The rebel commanders said Russian officers and troops had been
behind front lines directing the operation in northern Hama and
adjoining Idlib province since it began in April, using snipers and
firing anti-tank missiles. They said this was the first time Russian
ground forces had joined in the battle to seize the strategic Humaymat
hilltops which fell into rebel hands last week.”
The
Guardian: Manchester Arena Bomber's Brother Held In UK After
Extradition
“The brother of the Manchester Arena attacker, Salman Abedi, has
been extradited from Libya to the UK to face multiple murder charges
over his alleged role in the attack. Hashem Abedi, 22, landed at an
unspecified London airport on Wednesday, escorted by British police
officers. He has been charged with the murder of 22 people, the
attempted murder of others who were injured, and conspiracy to cause
an explosion. He remains in police custody in London and will appear
at Westminster magistrates court. Abedi was arrested in Libya shortly
after his older brother carried out the suicide bombing as thousands
of pop music fans left an Ariana Grande concert on 22 May 2017.
Counter-terrorism officers had been granted a warrant for Hashem’s
arrest but spent years negotiating his extradition with Libyan
authorities. The chief constable of Greater Manchester police, Ian
Hopkins, said: “Our thoughts have been with the families of those who
lost loved ones and the hundreds who are struggling with serious
physical injuries and deep psychological effects.”
The
Jerusalem Post: Argentina Takes Step Closer To Naming Hezbollah A
Terrorist Group
“Argentina took a step closer to declaring Hezbollah a terrorist
group. The government announced Tuesday that it was creating “a public
registry of persons and entities connected to acts of terrorism and
its financing.” While neither Hezbollah nor any other group or person
being considered for blacklisting are listed, Security Minister
Patricia Bullrich indicated that Hezbollah will be added. The
announcement comes two days before the 25th anniversary of the deadly
bombing of the AMIA Jewish center that Argentina and other countries
say was carried out by Hezbollah. President Mauricio Macri said last
week that Argentina will consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
The Argentine government and judiciary had been using the U.N.
Security Council registry, which does not include the Iran-linked
Shiite Muslim group. The United States considers Hezbollah a terrorist
organization, even though members of its political wing serve in the
Lebanese government.”
The
New York Times: Iran Says It Seized Foreign Oil Tanker, Escalating
Regional Tensions
“The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran has seized a
foreign oil tanker, Iranian news media reported on Thursday, days
after a United Arab Emirates vessel disappeared, raising the stakes in
the running conflict that has pitted Iran against some of its regional
neighbors and the United States. Several state news organizations in
Iran reported the seizure of the tanker, based on a statement from the
Revolutionary Guards, which claimed that the ship was smuggling one
million liters of oil. The Iranian state news agency Al Alam reported
that the Revolutionary Guards seized the ship on Sunday. The reports
did not identify the tanker or its nationality, so it was not
immediately clear whether the statement referred to the Emirati ship,
the Riah, which has not been heard from since it was traveling in the
Persian Gulf late Saturday.”
Yahoo
News: Militants Behead 4 People In Egypt's
Sinai
“Egyptian security officials say militants have beheaded four
people in the restive northern Sinai Peninsula. The officials say the
militants attacked a group of people in the small town of Bir al-Abd
on Wednesday, beheading four and kidnapping a fifth after accusing
them of cooperating with security forces. The officials spoke on
condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the
media. Egypt is battling an Islamic State-led insurgency in the Sinai
that intensified after the military overthrew an elected but divisive
Islamist president in 2013. The militants have carried out scores of
attacks, mainly targeting the security forces and minority
Christians.”
Reuters:
From Iraq To Yemen, Drones Raise U.S. Alarm Over Iranian
Plans
“The increased use of drones by Iran and its allies for
surveillance and attacks across the Middle East is raising alarms in
Washington. The United States believes that Iran-linked militia in
Iraq have recently increased their surveillance of American troops and
bases in the country by using off-the-shelf, commercially available
drones, U.S. officials say. The disclosure comes at a time of
heightened tensions with Iran and underscores the many ways in which
Tehran and the forces it backs are increasingly relying on unmanned
aerial vehicles (UAVs) in places like Yemen, Syria, the Strait of
Hormuz and Iraq. Beyond surveillance, Iranian drones can drop
munitions and even carry out “a kamikaze flight where they load it up
with explosives and fly it into something”, according to a U.S.
official who spoke on condition of anonymity.”
United States
Fox
35 Orlando: Jail: Inmate Detailed Plan To Join ISIS, Made Bomb Threats
In Note
“An inmate at the Volusia County Branch Jail is accused of
threatening to bomb several government buildings in Florida and around
the country. Ethan Russell, 18, faces a felony charge of making
written threats to kill after he handed a jail officer a five-page
handwritten note detailing his plans to join ISIS, the Taliban and
al-Qaeda, and bomb seven locations. Among his targets were the White
House, the U.S. Capitol building, the Pentagon, Orlando International
Airport, the Amway Center, Daytona International Speedway and the
Volusia County Courthouse in DeLand. Russell was in jail, awaiting
trial on unrelated charges. He remains in custody without bond.”
Fox
News: Muslim Reformer Shireen Qudosi: We Must Protect Children From
Radicalization By Extremists
“As a mother and as a Muslim reformer, I see no greater threat to
humanity’s potential for peace than the perversion of childhood. As I
write this, my own son is enjoying his summer vacation from school. He
spends time daydreaming and building an imaginary world that he
immerses himself in for hours at a time. But elsewhere, children are
not so fortunate. Summer camps in Gaza are teaching children as young
as 5 how to stab Jews. Move your finger a few inches on the map and
ideological fanatics are exploiting a child’s unconditional ability to
love by creating dangerous co-dependency to be deployed later as child
soldiers and suicide bombers. The worth of children is not seen in
their capacity for growth, but in their ability to comply and be
turned into weapons of war. This perversion is not only happening in
far-flung corners of the world. It’s happening right here in America.
According to the FBI, there are active cases linking individuals to
ISIS in all 50 states.”
NPR:
Trump Administration Turns To South America For Help With Anti-Iran
Coalition
“As the United States has struggled to build support among its
traditional allies in Europe to combat what it calls Iran's
aggression, it has been forced to look elsewhere for support, such as
Latin America. This week, the Argentinian government plans to
designate the militant group Hezbollah as a terrorist organization,
giving the Trump administration another ally in its push to build an
international coalition to confront Iran. Hezbollah, which is based in
Lebanon, is supported by Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will to
travel to Argentina later this week to take part in events honoring
the 25th anniversary of the bombing of a Jewish Center in the
Argentine capital, according to two sources familiar with details of
the visit. "This is going to make the United States very happy," said
Seth Jones, a former Pentagon adviser who studies counterterrorism at
the Center for Security and International Studies. "The U.S. is having
problems right now building a coalition against Iran." In Buenos
Aires, Pompeo will participate in the second Western Hemisphere
Counterterrorism Ministerial, aimed at highlighting challenges of
terrorism in the hemisphere.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Russia, Iran, North Korea Launch Hundreds Of
Cyberattacks On U.S. Political Groups, Microsoft Says
“Suspected nation-state hackers from Russia, Iran and elsewhere
have launched nearly 800 cyberattacks against political organizations
over the past year that have been detected by Microsoft Corp. , with
the vast majority of the attempts targeting groups based in the U.S.
Think tanks and nongovernmental groups that work with candidates or
political parties—or on issues important to their campaigns—have
suffered most of the attacks. The assaults could be a precursor to
direct attacks on campaigns and election systems, a trend in recent
election cycles in the U.S. and Europe, Microsoft said Wednesday. The
findings are the latest indication that foreign governments are laying
the groundwork ahead of the 2020 presidential election to potentially
disrupt American politics, as senior U.S. intelligence officials have
repeatedly warned. Federal agencies have dedicated more resources to
election security since 2016, but cash-strapped campaigns remain
broadly vulnerable, and the Republican-controlled Senate isn’t
expected to consider legislation tackling the issue before the
election.”
The
New York Times: U.S. Punishes Turkey By Canceling Sale Of
Jets
“The White House informed Turkey, a NATO ally, on Wednesday that
the United States would not sell it F-35 stealth fighter jets, in
retaliation for the country’s purchase of Russian S-400 surface-to-air
missile systems. President Trump had said a day earlier that Turkey’s
order for more than 100 American-made jets would be canceled. The
S-400 system is one of Russia’s most advanced antiaircraft weapons and
can target and attack aircraft at an average range of roughly 155
miles, flying to an altitude of 82,000 feet. “The F-35 cannot coexist
with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to
learn about its advanced capabilities,” the White House said in a
statement. “Accepting the S-400 undermines the commitments all NATO
allies made to each other to move away from Russian systems.” “This
will have detrimental impacts on Turkish interoperability with the
alliance,” the statement said.”
Syria
Daily
Sabah: Travel Route Of Daesh Suspects To Syria
Disclosed
“The travel route of three female Daesh suspects, who are on
Interpol's Most Wanted list and were captured in Turkey in January,
has been revealed following their hearings. Sought with a red notice,
Houda Z., along with two other women, Malika B. and Fatıha T., who
were sought under blue notices, were arrested in January by Turkish
security forces in a counterterrorism operation. While the three women
initially were arrested and sent to jail on charges of being members
of a terrorist organization, they were released under judicial control
after their first hearing. The judicial process revealed the route the
three women followed to reach Syria. Houda Z. left Paris with her
husband and two children to go to Syria by truck. The family traveled
from Italy to Greece by ship and continued from Greece to Turkey via
motorway, before finally entering Syria. Fatıha T. came to Istanbul
from Saudi Arabia, and then traveled to Turkey's southern border
province of Şanlıurfa and eventually into Syria. During the hearing,
Houda Z. denied the accusations, saying she has no relation to the
Daesh terrorist organization. “We lived in Syria with our husband. He
did not say anything about Daesh. After he was killed, I came to
Turkey with the help of smugglers,” she said.”
Iran
Associated
Press: US Sets Tight Travel Limitations For Iran’s UN
Diplomats
“The U.S. is tightly limiting travel by Iranian officials visiting
or assigned to the United Nations, sparking concern from the world
body. Representatives to the U.N. from Iran and some other countries
have long had some limitations on their movements. But the new rules
for Iranians — imposed as its foreign minister was preparing to arrive
for U.N. meetings this week — are particularly strict. Visiting
officials, Iranian diplomats posted at the country’s U.N. mission and
their families now can travel only among Kennedy airport and three
places in Manhattan: the mission, the Iranian ambassador’s residence
and a six-block radius that includes the U.N. headquarters, according
to a diplomatic note sent Saturday to Iranian officials and seen by
The Associated Press. The diplomats can seek waivers for housing or
hotels, but it is not known whether waivers would be granted or
whether they could apply to doctors’ appointments, children’s
schooling or other activities.”
The
New York Times: As Iran Vs. West Tensions Rise, So Does Uncertainty
Over Prisoners
“A Navy veteran from California seized in Iran a year ago has yet
to speak with his mother. A British-Iranian woman held in a Tehran
prison since 2016 has been moved to a hospital psychiatric unit,
incommunicado with her family. A French-Iranian scholar has been
arrested without explanation while visiting Iran, just as France is
exerting diplomacy to help save the nuclear agreement. Each case is
different, but all share the backdrop of an escalating confrontation
between Iran and the United States, and fury among hard-line Iranian
conservatives over what they see as Europe’s subservience to America.
The United States has long contended, since the Tehran hostage crisis
four decades ago, that the Iranians use foreign prisoners as pawns for
political leverage. Rights advocates say the prisoners are plunged
into a judicial system that is mysterious and arbitrary.”
The
National Review: House Passes Measure Allowing Access To Iranian Funds
To Families Of Over 200 Marines Killed In Terror
Attack
“The House on Wednesday passed a bipartisan measure freeing up
access to over a billion dollars in Iranian funds for the families of
over 200 U.S. Marines killed during an Iran-backed terror attack in
1983. The Our Obligation to Recognize American Heroes (OORAH) Act
passed in a 397 to 31 vote Wednesday evening as an amendment to the
Intelligence Authorization Act. On October 23, 1983, two suicide
bombers with the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah detonated
two truck bombs, one at the Marine base in Beirut, Lebanon, killing
241 American soldiers as well as French military personnel and several
civilians. The legislation, sponsored by Vice President Mike Pence’s
brother, Indiana congressman Greg Pence, makes $1.68 billion in
Iranian government assets kept in the Luxembourg-based bank
Clearstream available as “compensatory damages” to the families of the
victims. “I served my country as a United State Marine, and I
understand what it takes to keep our nation safe,” Representative
Pence told National Review. “This is the least we can do for the
families of those brave 241 American patriots who made the ultimate
sacrifice on behalf of our country."
Iraq
The
New York Times: Gunmen Kill Turkish Diplomat And Two Iraqis In The
Kurdish Region Of Iraq
“A Turkish diplomat and two Iraqis were killed Wednesday in a gun
attack in a restaurant in the Kurdish-controlled region of Iraq,
according to the Turkish and Iraqi governments. Turkey’s foreign
minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, confirmed the death of an official of the
Turkish consulate, and said that one Iraqi had been killed and another
seriously wounded. The second Iraqi died later. The two Iraqis worked
for the consulate, said Dr. Ahmed al-Sahaf, an Iraqi Foreign Ministry
spokesman. One was a guard for the Turkish diplomat. It was not
immediately clear who carried out the shooting or why. Iraqi and
Turkish authorities said they were investigating the attack. “The
first thing that comes to mind is whether this is a terror attack,”
Mr. Cavusoglu told reporters. “The fact that just on the next table
two Iraqis were attacked, one killed and one gravely injured, the fact
that it was an attack against them, too — to give clear, detailed
information, everything has to be revealed.” He said there were three
assailants, who had escaped. The second Iraqi citizen who was wounded
in the shooting died later in the hospital, hospital officials said.
The attack took place in the capital of Iraq’s Kurdish region, Erbil,
reportedly at the Huqqabaz restaurant, between the city center and the
main airport.”
The
National: Iraq’s Yazidis Remain Displaced Five Years After ISIS
Genocide
“Five years after ISIS launched its genocidal campaign against
Iraq’s Yazidi, the religious minority remain displaced from their
ancestral homeland. For centuries, the ethno-religious group – which
emerged from Iran 4,000 years ago – lived in relative obscurity in an
arid corner of northwest Iraq around the rugged Sinjar mountain. The
closed faith has no written book and reveres a peacock angel, which
ISIS interpreted as sacrilege. When the terrorists swept across
northern Iraq in summer 2014, they killed about 1,280 Yazidi and
kidnapped an estimated 6,400, mostly women and children. The rest of
the population was forcibly displaced in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
and beyond. Of the 550,000 Yazidis in Iraq before 2014, about 100,000
have emigrated and 360,000 remain internally displaced. ISIS and the
war to drive it out destroyed much of the region’s infrastructure and
agriculture, while hundreds of kidnapped women and children remain
missing. Only a few thousand have been able to return to Sinjar, where
most homes remain in ruins and services such as electricity, hospitals
and clean water are scarce. More than 70 grave sites have been
identified across Sinjar containing the remains of ISIS victims, 12 of
which have been exhumed as part of an inquiry carried out by the UN,
Iraq’s government and other agencies.”
Xinhua:
2 IS Militants Killed In U.S.-Led Coalition Airstrike In Northern
Iraq
“Two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Wednesday in an
airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition aircraft in Iraq's northern
province of Nineveh, the Iraqi military said. Acting on intelligence
reports from Nineveh's Operations Command, the coalition aircraft
attacked an IS tunnel at a desert in al-Baaj area near the border with
Syria, the media office of the Joint Operations Command said in a
brief statement. The airstrike resulted in the killing of two
extremist IS militants and the destruction of the tunnel, the
statement said. The security situation in Iraq was dramatically
improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS
militants across the country late in 2017. IS remnants, however, have
since melted in urban areas or resorted to deserts and rugged areas as
safe havens, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security
forces and civilians.”
Turkey
The
Wall Street Journal: U.S. Ejects Turkey From F-35 Fighter
Program
“The Trump administration formally ejected Turkey from the
American-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program over Ankara’s decision
to purchase a Russian air-defense system, prompting a protest from
Turkish officials. Pentagon officials on Wednesday said Turkey’s
purchase of the Russian S-400 air-defense system was incompatible with
participation in the F-35 program and declared an end to Ankara’s
involvement. The White House earlier Wednesday said Turkey’s
completion of the deal to buy the Russian system undermines its North
Atlantic Treaty Organization commitments, adding new strain to the
alliance and to Washington’s relationship with a longtime ally. The
Turkish Foreign Ministry said the U.S. decision didn’t comply with the
spirit of the NATO alliance and lacked legitimate grounds. “We call on
the U.S. to correct this mistake, which will irreparably damage our
relations,” the ministry said.”
BBC
News: Turkey Journalists And Activist Acquitted Of Terrorism
Charges
“A Turkish court has acquitted two journalists and a human rights
activist of terrorism charges. The three defendants had been accused
of spreading terrorist propaganda for their work with a Kurdish
newspaper, which has since been closed down. But the three maintained
they were defending free speech amid a clampdown by President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan. Applause erupted in the courtroom as the verdict was
read out, the BBC's Mark Lowen reported from Istanbul. Erol Onderoglu,
the Turkey representative for press freedom watchdog Reporters Without
Borders (RSF), journalist Ahmet Nesin, and Sebnem Korur Fincanci,
chairwoman of Turkey's Human Rights Foundation, were arrested in June
2016. RSF's annual press freedom index ranks Turkey 157th out of 180
countries, in part because Turkey is the world's largest jailer of
journalists. Last year, Turkey imprisoned 68 journalists in total -
the highest of any country in the world. Most of the imprisoned or
accused are of Kurdish origin. Mr Onderoglu, Mr Nesin and Ms Fincanci
guest-edited the Kurdish paper Ozgur Gundem in 2016, which saw them
accused by the authorities of making propaganda on behalf of the
banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK). They each faced 14 years in
prison.”
U.S.
News: Turkey Appears Poised To Retaliate Against The U.S., Prompting
Pentagon Warning
“The Pentagon on Wednesday warned against new military action in an
area of Syria where U.S. troops are deployed as Turkey appears to be
massing for an incursion against American-allied Kurdish forces there.
"Unilateral action into northeastern Syria by any party, particularly
as U.S. personnel may be present or in the vicinity, is of grave
concern. We would find any such actions unacceptable," Pentagon
spokesman Navy Cmdr. Sean Robertson says. The statement comes amid
heightened tensions between the U.S. and Turkey after the NATO member
began receiving Russian S-400 surface-to-air missiles last week in
defiance of months of U.S. warnings that could result in new sanctions
from the administration or from Congress. Analysts fear that Turkey
considers the credible threat of a military strike as its only
deterrent against U.S. retaliation and that roiling tensions may
overwhelm both sides' ability to prevent conflict.”
Afghanistan
Reuters:
Taliban Kill 18 Afghan Soldiers In Overnight Clashes, Officials
Say
“Taliban militants killed at least 18 Afghan soldiers in clashes
that erupted overnight when troops were trying to capture a senior
Taliban leader, government officials said on Wednesday. The clashes
started after several soldiers were airdropped into the Ab Kamari
district of western Badghis province to conduct a night raid on
Taliban hideouts and arrest a designate district governor of the
hardline Islamist group. Farid Akhizai, a provincial council member
in Badghis, said the Taliban encircled the soldiers, killed 18 and
captured 11. Ten were missing. The district governor of Ab Kamari
said a lack of coordination was to blame. “The operation was
conducted to raid a hideout used by several Taliban commanders, but
the insurgents had evacuated the area two days before,” said Khudad,
who goes by one name. The Taliban in a statement confirmed that they
had received a tip-off about the raid. They said their fighters killed
39 Afghan soldiers and captured 16. The Taliban continue to stage
major attacks against Afghan forces while they are engaged in a
dialogue with the United States to negotiate an end to the 18-year
long war. President Ashraf Ghani said in January that more than
45,000 members of the security forces had been killed by militants
since he took office in September 2014.”
NBC
News: Why Afghanistan Peace Talks Between The Taliban And U.S. Have
Promise — But More Potential Pitfalls
“The Korean War is sometimes called America’s forgotten war — but
that title really now belongs to the Afghanistan conflict, soon to be
18 years old. Several hundred thousand Americans have served there
since October 2001; more than 2,000 have died. The war has cost the
United States roughly $1 trillion, and the Department of Veterans
Affairs’ costs for the injured will add several hundred billion
dollars more in the decades to come. About 15,000 Americans (and
another several thousand foreign troops, most from NATO nations) still
serve in uniform in Afghanistan, with an estimated additional annual
cost to the American taxpayer of some $20 billion. We have
been suffering 10 to 20 fatalities annually in recent years, as well.
Afghan forces serve and fight bravely, and lose some 5,000 to 10,000
personnel a year. But they do not appear closer to being able to
protect their nation on their own, due to weak institutions, high
attrition rates and pervasive corruption in much of the country. Drug
production is once again high. Cities and most major roads remain in
government hands; much of the rural countryside is contested, and some
is even in Taliban hands. Yet, we don’t talk much about this war on
the cable shows or the campaign hustings or within the halls of
Congress.”
Voice
Of America: Taliban Shuts 42 Swedish-Run Health Clinics In
Afghanistan
“An International relief agency says the Taliban has forced them to
close dozens of clinics in an embattled central - eastern region of
Afghanistan, depriving hundreds of thousands of people, particularly
women and children, of receiving medical treatment and health
services. The Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) said in a
statement issued Wednesday the insurgents’ action in the Wardak
province had stemmed from last week’s deadly attack by Afghan security
forces against one of the agency’s health clinics. It noted that the
condemnable raid killed four people, including SCA doctors, and one
employee is still missing. “The Taliban forced SCA to close 42 out of
77 health facilities in six out of nine districts of Wardak province
so far, and due to this closure, an estimated number of over 5,700
patients are affected on daily basis,” the aid agency lamented.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid justified their action, alleging
the July 8th raid against the SCA hospital was jointly conducted by
American and Afghan forces. He told VOA the relief agency’s health
units have come under regular attack by pro-government forces but the
SCA has not effectively protested nor has the Swedish government taken
up the issue with Americans or the international community.”
Pakistan
The
New York Times: Hafiz Saeed, Founder Of Group Behind Mumbai Attacks,
Is Arrested In Pakistan
“Pakistan has arrested the founder of the terrorist group that
carried out the deadly 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, seizing him on
Wednesday just days before the Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan,
heads to Washington to meet President Trump. Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, the
terrorism suspect, has been arrested before and then released. Critics
of Pakistan’s government said his arrest on Wednesday was yet another
superficial tactic to placate the United States and others who have
grown frustrated with Pakistan’s halfhearted efforts to crack down on
militant groups. “Arrest. Free. Repeat,” Taha Siddiqui, a Pakistani
journalist living in exile, wrote on Twitter. On Tuesday, Pakistan
decided to reopen its airspace, which had been closed since
hostilities flared with India in February. The closure of the airspace
had caused difficulties for many international airlines, including
American ones, which canceled many long-haul flights because of the
complications of flying around Pakistan. This, too, was seen as a
good-will gesture by Pakistan before Mr. Khan sits down with Mr. Trump
next week. Their discussions are likely to center on the Afghan peace
talks between the United States and the Taliban that have been moving
forward, in fits and starts, in Doha, Qatar.”
Yemen
Reuters:
Yemen's Houthis Say They Launched Drone Attack On Saudi's Jizan
Airport
“Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group said it launched a drone attack
on Jizan airport in southwestern Saudi Arabia early on Wednesday, part
of an escalation of cross-border assaults in the 4-year-old conflict.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen said it had
intercepted and downed a Houthi drone heading towards civilian targets
in Jizan. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saria said the attack
disrupted operations at the airport. The Houthis, who control the
capital Sanaa, have in the past few months stepped up their attacks
against targets in Saudi Arabia. In response, the coalition has
targeted military sites belonging to the group, especially around
Sanaa. On Tuesday, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and
downed three Houthi drones launched towards the southwestern Saudi
cities of Jizan and Abha near the Yemeni border.”
The
Detroit News: Opinion: Houthi Militia, Mines Terrorize
Yemen
“While much of the world is aware of the terrible humanitarian
crisis that has enveloped the nation and people of Yemen, few have
focused on a primary actor in this crisis -- the Iranian-backed
Houthis. These extremists, whose flag calls for “Death to America,"
have inflicted every possible form of pain and suffering on the Yemeni
people while largely escaping the world’s attention. Right now, in
areas across Yemen controlled by the Houthis, innocent Yemenis are
forced to pay black market prices and bribes or give in to other
Houthi demands for just the hope of gaining access to supplies of
food, medicine, and other staples that relief organizations strive to
provide free of charge. KSrelief alone has distributed more than $2
billion in aid to Yemen over the past five years; however, the Houthis
are blocking access to humanitarian assistance and have essentially
turned food into a weapon to dominate and control the people who live
in militia-controlled areas.”
The
National: Houthis Launch Skirmishes In Hodeidah Days After Agreeing
De-Escalation At UN Meeting
“The Houthi militia has launched a skirmish against pro-government
forces in the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah in a move described as a
violation of the terms of a de-escalation agreement reaffirmed this
week. The head of the Redeployment and Coordination Committee, Lt Gen
Michael Lollesgaard, mediated a discussion between representatives of
the government and the rebels on-board a UN ship in international
waters between Hodeidah and Makah earlier this week. The two sides
agreed to work towards implementing troop withdrawals from the city as
laid out in December’s UN-brokered peace talks. But on Thursday, a
military official in the pro-government Joint Forces in Hodeidah told
The National that Houthi forces launched a push against their
positions around Kilo-16, a key supply route between the city and the
rebel-held capital of Sanaa. “The Houthi rebels tried to advance in
the outskirts of Kilo 16 through an intensified attack using different
types of weapons at 3 am on Thursday,” the official said. “The attack
aimed to take positions controlled by our forces in Kilo 16 but was
thwarted by our forces who clashed with the Houthi rebels as they
attempted to advance, killing a number of them."
Saudi Arabia
The
National: Saudi King Invites Families Affected By New Zealand Terror
Attack To Attend Hajj
“The King of Saudi Arabia has invited families and victims of the
terrorist attack in New Zealand earlier this year to attend Hajj next
month. In March, an armed Australian citizen stormed two mosques in
the city of Christchurch, murdering more than 50 people and wounding
dozens of others. King Salman instructed the Ministry of Islamic
Affairs to co-ordinate with the families of the victims and those
wounded to arrange their travel for Hajj. Several families told The
National that they had been in touch with the Saudi officials and some
said they planned to attend. Aya Al Umari, the sister of Hussein Al
Umari who was killed in the attack, said her family had been contacted
by a representative from the Muslim World League about the trip. She
said she would love to go if she has the opportunity. She was
initially hoping her mother, Janna Ezat, would join her, but she is
unable to do so this year. Ms Al Umari had already told her boss she
would probably need a few days off for the break. “You have to do it
yourself before you can go on behalf of someone, so I said to Mum:
‘I’ll go this year and when Mum goes next time I’ll do it then for
Hussein,’” she told The National. “But, honestly, Hajj is a distant
dream and if it wasn’t for Hussein I would never have been able to go
this year,” she said.”
The
New York Times: U.S. To Send About 500 More Troops To Saudi
Arabia
“The United States is sending hundreds of troops to Saudi Arabia in
what is intended as the latest show of force toward Iran, two Defense
Department officials said Wednesday. The roughly 500 troops are part
of a broader tranche of forces sent to the region over the past two
months after tensions between Washington and Tehran escalated. Since
May, a spate of attacks have left six oil tankers damaged in the Gulf
of Oman, with Washington accusing Tehran of inciting them. Iranian
officials have denied that claim. The downing of an American drone in
June by an Iranian surface-to-air missile only heightened tensions,
prompting President Trump to approve military strikes against Iran
before abruptly pulling back. In recent weeks, Iran has deliberately
violated parts of the 2015 international accord that restricted its
nuclear program. Last year, Mr. Trump withdrew from the pact, calling
it a “horrible deal.” CNN first reported the plans to deploy more
troops on Wednesday night. Defense Department officials confirmed the
plans, speaking only on the condition of anonymity because they were
not yet public.”
Egypt
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Egypt To Question Kuwait's 'Brotherhood
Cell'
“Egyptian government is set to begin questioning eight wanted
individuals belonged to a cell linked to the “Muslim Brotherhood.”
Earlier, KUNA reported that Kuwaiti authorities handed over to Cairo
eight Egyptians who it said had admitted to carrying out terrorist
operations in their home country and had fled to Kuwait after being
convicted in Egypt. Muslim Brotherhood officials and supporters
denounced the move and defended the detainees while attacking the
government for the arrest. The defendants received by the authorities,
included some convicted who had already been sentenced and they will
be retried as the Egyptian law stipulates, according to security and
legal sources in Egypt. The sources explained that only three of the
defendants are still wanted for investigation, while the remaining
five face sentences that are not final because they fled the country
before the authorities had the chance to finalize their trials. An
Egyptian legal source pointed out that the cases in which the suspects
are tried will take place within the courts of the Upper and Delta
governorates. He added that further investigations will reveal whether
the convicts are wanted in funding cases of the Brotherhood, which
could bring to new charges if confirmed by authorities.”
Nigeria
Premium
Times: Boko Haram: 2.8 Million In Dire Need Of Protection,
Intervention- UNDP
“The United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP) has said about
2.8 million people are in dire need of protection and humanitarian
intervention as the Lake Chad region continues to witness the ravages
of the Boko Haram insurgency. The UNDP Regional Director, Bureau for
Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa, said this on Tuesday during a regional
parley by representatives of the four affected nations in Niamey,
Niger Republic. Security experts, however, believe the figure is much
higher and is expected to increase. Eight governors and
representatives from Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad are currently
meeting in Niamey, Niger, on Wednesday alongside several CSOs and
stakeholders to deliberate on the crisis rocking the Lake Chad region.
The governors include the Governor of Extreme North, Cameroon;
Governor of North Region, Cameroon; Governor of Diffa, Niger; Governor
of Adamawa, Nigeria; Governor of Borno, Nigeria; Governor of Yobe,
Nigeria; Governor of Hadjer Lamis, Chad; and the Governor of Lac
Region, Chad. The event, organised by the Lake Chad Basin Commission
(LCBC), has technical support from the UNDP, African Union (AU) and
the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI).”
Somalia
The
National: Al Shabab Remains A Potent And Lethal Force In
Somalia
“Check into any big hotel in Somalia, and it’s not unusual to meet
a government minister in the dining room, an ex-warlord in the lift,
and a presidential candidate and his campaign team in the lobby. This
is not because of the quality of the hospitality. The average hotel in
Mogadishu, for example, is no Burj Al Arab. But after nearly 30 years
of war, car bombs and targeted assassinations, many VIPs feel safer in
an anonymous, heavily guarded block than they do in their own home or
office. Some live as guests for years. Yet, as last weekend's carnage
at the Medina Hotel in Kismayo proved, the sense of security is
sometimes illusory. In a combined suicide bomb and gun attack that
lasted 14 hours, Al Shabab militants stormed the hotel compound and
killed 26 people, including several foreigners and a number of local
politicians and elders. “Somalis have long used hotels as homes and
meeting places, and some of them almost feel like government
ministries,” says Mary Harper, the BBC's Africa Editor and a regular
visitor to Somalia. “But often it's a false sense of security, as Al
Shabab now knows exactly who is in these hotels and targets them
almost constantly.” Most big hotels in Mogadishu have been hit by the
militant group least two or three times, as have many supposedly
secure government compounds.”
All
Africa: Somalia: One Wounded In A Car Bomb Blast In Somali
Capital
“A witness says at least one civilian was wounded when a bomb
fitted into a vehicle detonated in Mogadishu, the Somali capital on
Wednesday morning. The explosion occurred outside Waberi police
station along the busy Makka Al-Mukarama road in the capital, the
scene of frequent car bombings by the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabab group.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack which
comes as police set up additional checkpoints in the seaside city to
enforce the security. The UN-backed Somali government is facing
security challenges as it is battling Al-Shabab militants with the
help of African Union forces [AMISOM] for a decade.”
Africa
Al
Arabiya: ISIS Video Calls For Attacks In
Tunisia
“The ISIS group has called for more attacks in Tunisia in a rare
propaganda video purportedly filmed by the militants in the North
African nation. It comes three weeks after a twin suicide attack
against police in the capital Tunis claimed by ISIS killed two people.
The video, shared on ISIS social media channels on Tuesday night,
shows armed men in balaclavas who pledge allegiance to the ISIS’
leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. “Your soldiers and your sons in the land
of Kairouan are doing well,” said one of those filmed who gave the
pseudonym Abou Omar al-Tounsi. The holy city of Kairouan lies in
central Tunisia. Another militant using the name Abou Khaled al-Tounsi
called for people to “sow terror” in Tunisia. The video, which was
circulated on messaging app Telegram and could not immediately be
verified, was said to have been filmed inside the country. Following
Tunisia’s 2011 revolution, the country saw a rise in extremism and
deadly attacks hit soldiers, police, civilians and foreign tourists.
While the security situation has improved in recent years, the state
of emergency implemented in 2015 is still in place.”
All
Africa: Kenya: State Says Mombasa Terror Suspect Was Going To Join
Isis
“The Kenyan government now claims that a suspected Al-Shabaab
member Salim Mohamed Rashid, who was arrested on May 14, 2019, was on
his way to join the Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (Isis) when he
was intercepted by Anti-Terror Police Unit (ATPU) officers at the Moi
International Airport in Mombasa. Through an affidavit seeking to deny
Mr Mohamed bond, the State says that investigations have established
that the suspect was in the process of travelling to Syria using an
Ethiopian Airlines flight via Sudan to join Isis. “Through
intelligence reports, the suspect is believed to be in contact with
people allied to Al-Shabaab and Isis terror groups. Releasing him on
bail might lead him to abscond court and proceed with his earlier
plan,” Police Constable Onesmus Kiema, who is investigating the
matter, told the court. In addition to the gravity of the offence,
which the State argues is serious and attracts grave penalties, it
(State) also asked the court to take judicial notice of the numerous
terror attacks at the Coast and around the country. Mr Kiema, who is
attached to the ATPU, asked Mombasa Resident Magistrate Rita Amwayi to
find that the reasons advanced seeking to deny the suspect bond are
compelling and order that he be held in custody until the conclusion
of his case.”
United Kingdom
The
Telegraph: Driver Guilty Of Terror Attack Outside
Parliament
“A student has been found guilty of trying to kill cyclists and
police officers outside the Houses of Parliament. Salih Khater, 30,
ploughed his Ford Fiesta into a pedestrian and a group of cyclists who
had stopped at a red light in Parliament Square on August 14 last
year. He then careered into a security lane and crashed into barriers
as two police officers jumped out of the way. The attack was caught on
CCTV footage which was played in court. The Old Bailey heard Khater,
of Highgate Street, Birmingham, wanted to cause maximum carnage and it
was “miraculous” that no-one was killed. But Khater claimed he came to
London to find the Sudanese embassy to get a visa, “got lost” around
Westminster and panicked. The jury deliberated over two days before
rejecting his explanation and finding him guilty of two charges of
attempted murder. During the trial, prosecutor Alison Morgan QC said
Khater's attack was “premeditated and deliberate”. She said: “He
caused widespread fear and chaos but miraculously, and contrary to his
intentions, he did not kill anyone that day. “Those who were faced
with a vehicle being driven at them at high velocity somehow, and
largely by their quick responses, managed to avoid death or very
serious injury.”
Reuters:
UK Arrests Manchester Bomber's Brother After Libya
Extradition
“The brother of a suicide bomber who attacked a concert in the
British city of Manchester in 2017 was extradited from Libya on
Wednesday and arrested in London on suspicion of helping plan the
blast, police said. Salman Abedi, a 22-year-old Briton born to Libyan
parents, blew himself up at the end of a show by U.S. singer Ariana
Grande in the deadliest militant attack in Britain for 12 years. The
explosion killed 22 people and injured more than 500. London had
sought the extradition of his brother Hashem after police issued an
arrest warrant for murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to cause an
explosion. But Tripoli had long stalled on the request, made in
November 2017. “He has today been successfully extradited, for
offences relating to the Manchester Arena attack,” Greater Manchester
Police Chief Constable Ian Hopkins said in a statement. “He was
handed over by Libyan authorities to British police officers this
morning. They escorted him on the flight back and he landed in the UK
a short while ago.” Police said Hashem Abedi, 22, would appear at
Westminster Magistrates Court on Thursday. A spokesman for the
Tripoli-based Special Deterrence Force (Rada), who asked not to be
named because of the sensitivity of the case, said he was extradited
in accordance with a court verdict.”
Europe
Associated
Press: Norway Holds Muslim Cleric For 4 Weeks After Italy
Trial
“An Iraqi-born Muslim cleric has been ordered held in custody for
four weeks after he was sentenced to 12 years in prison in Italy for
terror offenses. The Oslo District Court said Wednesday there is a
risk that Mullah Krekar could flee. Norwegian broadcaster NRK said an
Italian extradition request is expected soon. Krekar, who earlier
refused to travel to Italy, fearing extradition to Iraq, was Monday
found guilty in Bolzano of attempting to overthrow the Kurdish
government in northern Iraq and create an Islamic caliphate. “I have
no ties to terror. ... This is a political case,” Krekar said upon
arriving at the court in Norway, calling the Italian case “fake.”
Prime Minister Erna Solberg told the VG newspaper on Wednesday that
the reason for the arrest is so that Krekar can be sent out of the
country.”
Latin America
Fox
News: Emanuele Ottolenghi: To Fight Hezbollah, Latin American
Countries First Need To Acknowledge It Exists
“As Argentina prepares to commemorate Hezbollah’s terror attack in
July 1994 in Buenos Aires, the time has come to call a spade a spade.
Brazil and Paraguay need to join their neighbor in naming Hezbollah
a terror organization and passing measures to combat it illicit
finance networks within their territories. Later this week U.S.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will travel to Buenos Aires to attend a
Western Hemisphere ministerial conference dedicated to the fight
against terrorism, Hezbollah and its nefarious presence in the region
will take center stage. Argentina, the host nation, is creating a
public registry that will enable its government to blacklist terrorist
and terror financing entities. Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri,
will reportedly blacklist Hezbollah in time for the summit. Argentina
will be the first Latin American country to do so. Others should
follow its example, and the summit will be a test for all other
countries in attendance, to match words with action. Argentina has
good reasons to designate Hezbollah. Twice, in 1992 and 1994,
Hezbollah agents struck civilian targets in Buenos Aires. In February
1992, they blew up the Israeli embassy, killing 29. Then, instructed
by Iran and aided by local Hezbollah cells, on July 18, 1994, a
Hezbollah suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden truck in front
of the AMIA building, the local Jewish cultural center, in Buenos
Aires, killing 85 people and wounding more than 200.”
The
Buenos Aires Times: Government Creates Anti-Terrorism
Database
“The government created today the “Public Registry of Pesonas and
Entities Linked to Terrorism and it’s Financing,” or (RePET), a tool
that will permit Hezbollah’s designation as an extremist group in the
country. Through the Decree 289/2019, published this Tuesday in the
Boletiín Oficial, modified an existing policy from June 2012, and
established the creation of the registry. Until now Argentina only
abided the United Nations Security Council list of terror groups,
which does not include the Iran-linked Shiite militant group that blew
up the Israeli embassy in 1992 and the headquarters of
Jewish-Argentine Mutual Association in 1994. The government remarked
that RePET will “guarantee the correct identification and
individualisation” of terrorist groups. The registry will operate
within the Justice Ministry and intends to offer access and exchange
of information about people, representatives and entities tied to acts
of terrorism and its financing, faciliting domestic and international
cooperation to prevent, combat and erradicate terrorism and its
financing.”
Asia
Radio
Free Europe: Beware Of Extremists -- And Women! Uzbeks Get Islamic
Sermons At Airport Before Flying To Russia
“Airport passengers in the eastern Uzbek city of Namangan who are
flying to Russia are being force-fed Islamic sermons about loyalty,
the dangers of religious extremism -- and Russian women. The main aim
of Uzbekistan's campaign of “airport preaching imams” appears to be to
keep people from joining terrorist or extremist groups. A video on
Uzbek social media on July 15 shows an imam addressing passengers at a
departure gate before they board a Russia-bound plane. Accompanied by
a uniformed airport worker, the imam, Abduvosit, warns the passengers
against terrorist organizations that he describes as “one of the
greatest threats of our time.” He tells the crowd to be “vigilant
against terrorist groups who act in the guise of” Islam and try to
brainwash and recruit people, especially those looking for religious
knowledge online. “It has happened especially among [migrant workers]
in Russia,” Abduvosit says. “If you need information about Islam or
want to expand your religious knowledge, you can easily find such
information on the Uzbek [state-approved] websites, such as muslim.uz,
islom.uz, or our own ravza.uz,” the imam explained. Muslim.uz is the
official website of the state-backed Islamic Affairs Department, while
ravza.uz is run by the agency’s regional office in Namangan.”
Technology
The
New York Times: Facebook’s Cryptocurrency Faces Second Day Of Critical
Hearings
“Lawmakers said in a House hearing on Wednesday that Facebook’s
plan to enter the world of cryptocurrency and global finance could
threaten sovereign currencies or even destabilize governments. A day
after a similarly critical Senate hearing, it was the House Financial
Services Committee’s turn. David Marcus, a Facebook executive, faced
over four hours of questions about Facebook’s plans for a
cryptocurrency called Libra. As was the case on Tuesday, Mr. Marcus
was dogged by his company’s controversial reputation as well as
skepticism of the legal uses of cryptocurrencies. “This is the biggest
thing this committee will deal with this decade,” said Representative
Brad Sherman, a Democrat from California. “This is a godsend to drug
dealers and tax evaders.” When Facebook announced Libra in June, it
said it wanted to create a new global financial system. The
initiative, if successful, could put digital wallets in the hands of
the more than two billion people who use Messenger and WhatsApp, the
messaging platforms owned by Facebook.”
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