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Eye on Extremism
March 3, 2022
“The Justice Department has accused telecommunications giant Ericsson of violating a billion-dollar legal settlement by failing to fully disclose evidence of alleged corruption and possible payments to terrorists in Iraq, the company said Wednesday. The revelation raises substantial legal risks for the Swedish company, including the possibility of steep fines or a new criminal investigation three years after Ericsson paid more than $1 billion to avoid prosecution in other cases. The disclosure came three days after The Washington Post and other news organizations published details of an internal Ericsson probe that had uncovered evidence of extensive fraud by company officials, decisions to send workers into territory controlled by terrorists and the use of contractors who may have paid off Islamic State militants. A report on the findings of an internal probe was obtained by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and shared with The Post as part of an international reporting project. In a statement posted on its website, Ericsson said that it had been notified by the Justice Department on Tuesday that its disclosures to U.S. investigators on the Iraq matter had been “insufficient” and that the company had “breached” terms of its 2019 settlement with the U.S. government. Shares of Ericsson stock plunged 13 percent in value after the release, marking the latest in a series of sharp declines for a company that analysts at Citibank wrote earlier in the week had risked becoming “uninvestible.”
“The Islamist militants who have rampaged through the heart of West Africa in recent years are now spreading toward the Gulf of Guinea coast, including some of the continent’s most stable and prosperous countries, according to African and U.S. officials. The past year has seen an uptick in violence instigated by al Qaeda affiliates along the northern borders of Benin and Togo, with militant cells infiltrating as far as Ghana and Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producers. The attacks on countries along the bend in Africa’s Atlantic coast appear to confirm warnings that U.S. military commanders have issued for several years: Unless stopped, militant violence won’t remain contained in the landlocked nations of the Sahel, the semiarid expanses directly south of the Sahara. “It does look like the jihadists have the aim of getting to the sea,” said Ghanaian army Brig. Gen. Felicia Twum-Barima. The jihadists’ southward push marks a new chapter in a decadelong security crisis that has claimed thousands of lives since al Qaeda-linked fighters swept through northern Mali in 2012, triggering the deployment of thousands of troops by France to reinforce its former colony. The fighting ebbed, then surged again across the Sahel, with jihadist factions loyal to al Qaeda and Islamic State attacking local and allied forces, as well as each other.”
Syria
Asharq Al-Awsat: Internal Divisions To Stall ISIS Appointing New Leader
“An Egyptian monitor predicted that the ISIS terror group would witness internal divisions after the death of its leader, Abu Ibrahim al Qurashi. The Cairo-based Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Terrorism confirmed that ISIS had always been preoccupied with internal divisions after losing its leaders. The group hopes to reorganize and appoint a successor for al-Qurashi. “This time around, finding a new leader for the organization may prove more difficult than other times,” said the Observatory. ISIS has lost several leaders in air raids before. Some of the terror group’s slain leaders include Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, Abu Muslim al-Turkmani, and Hafez Saeed Khan. While al-Adnani was responsible for ISIS’ foreign operations and media activities, Khan headed the terrorist group’s offshoot in Afghanistan. Observers emphasized that the killing of leaders may have an impact in the short term; Because after choosing the new leader, ISIS is left busy forming the new organizational structure and obtaining so-called pledges of allegiance from all branches of the “caliphate.” This was the case when al-Baghdadi was killed in a US raid in 2019. Last month, US President Joe Biden announced the killing of al-Qurashi in an air raid on northwestern Idlib province in Syria.”
The Defense Post: 4 Dead In Rare Syria-Kurdish Clash: Monitor
“Clashes in Syria’s northeast between regime troops and forces aligned with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces killed two from each side on Tuesday, a war monitor said. Syria’s Kurds set up a semi-autonomous administration in the country’s northeast in 2013 after government troops withdrew. The SDF, a key US partner in fighting the Islamic State jihadist group, is the Kurdish administration’s de-facto army. Clashes between Kurdish and regime forces are rare in the region. “Two regime soldiers were killed and others were wounded” while two members of an SDF-affiliated “military council” in Tal Tamr died after an “armed clash” in the area, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The official SANA news agency said that a “patrol of US forces accompanied by members of the SDF militia tried to penetrate points controlled by the Syrian army” in Hasakeh province. It did not mention whether there were victims but said the SDF attacked after soldiers blocked the patrol’s passage. US troops are in Syria as part of an anti-jihadist coalition. The SDF confirmed the toll in a statement. It did not mention the presence of Americans, and called the incident “a dangerous provocation by the Syrian regime.”
Kurdistan 24: ISIS Could Attack Syria's Al-Hol Camp: Reports
“Intelligence indicates that ISIS is plotting a full-scale attack on northeast Syria's al-Hol camp, the Syria-based North Press Agency reported on Wednesday. “Last Monday, a group of ISIS cells were planning for a full-scale attack in the camp, and it is possible that this group is the first one to plan for such attacks,” a high-ranking security source told North Press. “We noticed a crowd of people in the first sector and when the security forces headed to the scene to question the reason for the gathering, ISIS cells started shooting,” the source added. During the clash, two ISIS members were killed, the report said. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor also reported that a security member was injured by gunfire from unknown assailants in the al-Hol camp on Monday evening. The SOHR report said unidentified individuals presumed to be ISIS militants opened fire in the first sector of the al-Hol camp, injuring a member of the Internal Security Forces. On Feb. 7, a ten-year-old child was killed after unknown attackers attempted to kidnap two guards from camp. The UK-based SOHR issued an appeal on Wednesday calling on the international community to find an immediate and lasting solution for the crisis in al-Hol camp and rehabilitate the camp's children and women affected by ISIS's violent ideology.”
Afghanistan
The New York Times: Taliban Search Operation Echoes Resented U.S. Tactics
“Trucks with heavy machine guns stopped at street corners, unloading men in camouflage carrying radios and assault rifles. Going door to door, they barged into homes, tossed open drawers and pored through cellphones — looking for any connection to an armed insurgency. These soldiers carrying out a cordon and search operation in Afghanistan’s capital were not American troops, who for nearly 20 years conducted similar operations that drove many Afghans into the arms of the Taliban. They were the Taliban. The sweep, which began on Friday, has spanned several provinces and remains underway, is the largest operation of its kind since the Taliban seized power in August and the first carried out in daylight. The searches stoked alarm among many Afghans, some of whom reported mistreatment and property damage by Taliban forces, and offered the latest evidence that the new Taliban, like the old ones, were relying on police-state tactics to assert their authority and stamp out dissent. In recent months, the Taliban have issued restrictions on local media and cracked down on peaceful protests. They have also been accused of detaining female activists and arresting people associated with the former government despite having declared a blanket amnesty.”
Pakistan
Voice Of America: Deadly Bomb Hits Pakistan Police Convoy
“Authorities in southwestern Pakistan said Wednesday a roadside bomb explosion had killed at least three people, including a senior officer, and wounded 24 others. Initial police reports found the bomb was hidden in a motorbike, parked along a main road, and targeted a police convoy in central Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province. A hospital spokesman, Waseem Baig, said several of the wounded victims were in “critical condition” and he feared the death toll could increase. At least 10 policemen were among the injured. There were no immediate claims of responsibly for the deadly attack. Outlawed ethnic Baluch militant groups and the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), routinely carry out attacks against security forces and civilians in Baluchistan. Last month, two major Pakistan army bases came under attack in the sparsely populated province and the ensuing clashes had lasted three days, killing nine soldiers and 20 assailants. The Baluch Liberation Army, or BLA, designated as a terrorist group by Pakistan and the United States, took responsibility for the simultaneous assaults. That attack came just days after militants ambushed and killed 10 Pakistani soldiers in one of the deadliest attacks in years in Baluchistan. The BLA claimed credit for the violence.”
Yemen
Asharq Al-Awsat: Hadi Meets With UN, US Envoys And Stresses Need To End Houthi Terrorism
“Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi stressed on Tuesday the need to stop the terrorism of Iranian-backed Houthi militias and affirmed his country’s commitment to reaching a sustainable peace solution based on the Gulf initiative, its executive mechanism, outcomes of the national dialogue and relevant UN resolutions, mainly resolution 2216. Hadi’s remarks came during his reception of the US Envoy for Yemen, Timothy Lenderking, and UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg in the Saudi capital Riyadh. His meeting with Lenderking and Grundberg followed the UN Security Council passing a resolution that imposed an arms embargo on the Houthis as an entity. Hadi affirmed to the envoys Yemen’s keenness on peace in line with the three references that are inevitable to achieve a comprehensive, just, and sustainable peace. The president reiterated his full support for Grundberg and his efforts to reach a comprehensive ceasefire. The UN envoy to Yemen and Lenderking had returned to the region again in the context of efforts to find a UN plan to bring peace. For his part, Hadi clarified that the militias are waging their war against the Yemeni people, who are defending their country against hostile acts that affect innocent people and the displaced in cities and camps.”
Lebanon
“Lebanese President Michel Aoun informed Tuesday a visiting US Treasury delegation that Lebanon continues to combat corruption, money laundering and terrorist financing operations. “Lebanese laws are applied firmly and accurately in this field,” Aoun told the delegation during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Baabda. He indicated that Lebanon actively participates in international efforts to combat money laundering, and plays its role in the Financial Action Group in the Middle East region. “Accordingly, Lebanon established the National Coordination Committee for Combating the Financing of Terrorism and the National Anti-Corruption Commission,” the President said. The US delegation visiting the Lebanese capital includes First Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury responsible for combating the financing of terrorism and financial crimes, Paul Ahren, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the US Treasury Eric Meyer. US Ambassador to Lebanon Dorothy Shea also attended the Baabda meeting. The Lebanese presidency in a statement said Aoun informed members of the US delegation that the fight against corruption will continue unabated in the remainder of this term.”
Middle East
The National: Minister: 'Heinous' Terrorist Attacks On UAE Show Value Of Investing In Defence
“The UAE's artificial intelligence minister stressed the importance of the country's investment in its defence capabilities in light of “heinous” terrorist attacks launched against it earlier this year. Omar Al Olama, Minister of State for AI, Digital Economy and Remote Work Applications, said it was vital the Emirates did not take its security lightly and saw the value in every dirham it spent on protecting itself from enemies who would use “any means necessary”. He was speaking during the first day of the International Defence Industry, Technology and Security Conference in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The two-day event brought together defence officials from more than 30 countries across the globe. “We understand the future of defence is a future where defence is built on proactive measures rather than reactive measures and the events that take place around us and the world are testimony to that,” he said. “We also know that in the battlefield, the technology is being used and the restrictions that we put on ourselves are no longer relevant. We know that the enemy might use any and every means necessary. “In a very short period... we started seeing the importance of defence through some of the heinous acts that some terrorist organisations took against our country.”
Africa
Reuters: Cameroon Government Says Seven Killed In Separatist Ambush
“Seven people including a senior Cameroon government administrator and a mayor were killed in an ambush that involved an improvised explosive device (IED) on Wednesday in the country's restive southwest, the region's governor said. Bernard Okalia Bilai, Governor of the South West Region, said the Sub-prefect of Ekondo Titi was on a tour of his jurisdiction when his convoy hit an IED, and was then attacked by separatist fighters. "It was a terrorist attack. It was an ambush," Bilai told journalists, adding that the situation was under control. The region is one of two English-speaking regions in the Central African nation, where insurgents are seeking to form a breakaway state called Ambazonia. They began fighting the military in 2017 after civilian protests calling for greater representation for the country's English-speaking minority were violently repressed.”
United Kingdom
The National: Briton's Lawyers Try To Restrict Evidence From ISIS Slave
“Defence lawyers for a Briton accused of helping ISIS to torture and behead American hostages are trying to block evidence from a Kurdish girl who was kept as a slave. The girl, identified as Jane Doe in court documents, was kidnapped at the age of 15 from Kurdistan in August 2014 and held by ISIS. She spent weeks in captivity with American Kayla Mueller, whose death at the hands of ISIS will be a key issue at this month’s trial. El Shafee Elsheikh, is charged with playing a key role in Ms Mueller’s abduction, ransom and eventual death, and the deaths of three other Americans — journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid worker Peter Kassig. In court papers filed late on Tuesday, Elsheikh’s lawyers say Jane Doe was told after her abduction to forget about her family because she would be “selected for marriage” by an ISIS fighter. Ms Doe escaped but was caught the next morning and beaten with sticks, belts and hoses. It was then that she was taken to the prison where Ms Mueller was also held, the defence memo said. After a month, they and two other girls were taken into captivity by a senior ISIS leader named Abu Sayyaf. They were locked in a bedroom when they were not cleaning or gardening.”
Europe
France 24: Lawyers For Ex-Irish Soldier Hit Out At Facebook In IS Terror Case
“Lawyers for a former Irish soldier accused of being a member of the so-called Islamic State jihadist group on Wednesday criticised Facebook for breaching users' privacy. Lisa Smith, 40, from Dundalk, on Ireland's east coast, has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group between October 28, 2015 and December 1, 2019. She has also denied funding terrorism by sending 800 euros ($900) to aid medical treatment for a Syrian man in Turkey. At the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, her lawyer, Michael O'Higgins, objected to the use of Facebook messages that the prosecution is relying on. And he told a panel of three judges hearing the case that the social networking giant was involved in a “wholesale breach” of privacy rights. The prosecution has sought to submit as evidence messages Smith sent using Facebook to known Islamist terrorists in Australia dating back to 2012. “The idea that private conversations can be produced 10 years later and decanted into a court case is a very, very significant incursion on people's right to communicate with each other,” O'Higgins said. “My client has the constitutional right to discuss her political and religious beliefs without someone storing every utterance and storing it so it might be used years later.”
European Eye On Radicalization: Interview With Hans-Jakob Schindler
“In a recent interview with EER, Hans-Jakob Schindler gave his take on the evolution of Al Qaeda and its changing role in the current world of Islamist terrorism. According to the analyst, Al Qaeda was, until 2019, a very hierarchically organized centralized organization, where it had its center in Afghanistan, with all the terror infrastructure that the Taliban had helped them to build up in order for them to train fighters for the Taliban. Schindler believes that the group will transform into a networked organization, with groups and affiliates outside of Afghanistan. This has already happened in Africa and Southeast and Central Asia with groups like the Islamic Maghreb (JNIM), Abu Sayyaf, and the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan emerging. At first, these groups formed a network linked to the main Al Qaeda group under Osama Bin Laden and then, after his death, Ayman Al Zawahiri, simply out of personal loyalty. But the central organization became less and less involved in the operational decisions of the affiliates. For example, AQAP was doing what it wanted to do, keeping the central leadership informed of what they were doing. During this time many affiliates sprung up and attacked foreign targets. For example, Moqta bin Moqta, one of the leaders of AQIM was famously kidnapping foreigners and Abu Sayyaf were kidnapping for ransom.”
Southeast Asia
Eurasia Review: Philippines: Military Identifies Is Extremist Group’s New Regional Leader
“The Filipino military said Wednesday that it had identified the Islamic State extremist group’s new emir for Southeast Asia as the leader of a local militant faction being targeted in an offensive underway in the southern Philippines. Abu Zacharia (also known as Jer Mimbantas and Faharudin Hadji Satar) is believed to have survived the military operation in Lanao del Sur province that was launched on Tuesday and involved air strikes and ground troops. “We have information that Abu Zacaria was designated as (IS) emir for Southeast Asia,” Brig. Gen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II told reporters on Wednesday. Cuerpo is the commanding officer of 103rd Infantry Brigade, which led the assault. The offensive overran Zacharia’s base in a hinterland village in Maguing town, the military said. It announced that another suspected militant had died, bringing the death toll to three militants and one soldier. Lanao del Sur is where hundreds of pro-IS militants laid siege to Marawi, the provincial capital, for five months in 2017. On Tuesday, the military launched pre-dawn airstrikes while sending ground troops to attack positions of Zacharia and his men. The military has been pursuing Zacharia’s group since January, Cuerpo said, adding that a recent intelligence report warned that his group might be preparing for a new round of hostilities.”
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