“The British lawmaker David Amess who was murdered last year was “assassinated
for terrorist purposes” by a man who had carried out surveillance on ot

 

 


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Eye on Extremism


March 22, 2022

 

Reuters: Man Accused Of Killing UK Lawmaker Had Plotted Attack On Minister,
Court Hears
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“The British lawmaker David Amess who was murdered last year was “assassinated
for terrorist purposes” by a man who had carried out surveillance on other
targets, including cabinet minister Michael Gove, a London court was told on
Monday. Ali Harbi Ali, 26, a British citizen and son of an ex-media adviser to
a former prime minister of Somalia, denies the murder of Amess, who was knifed
to death in a church in Leigh-on-Sea, east of London. Prosecutors said the
killing was revenge for the lawmaker's support for air strikes on Syria after
parliament approved the bombing, which began in 2015 targeting Islamic State.
Ali had hoped police would shoot him dead at the scene so he would become a
martyr, the court was told. Ali had spent years planning an attack and had
previously carried out reconnaissance on the home of Gove and the office of
Conservative lawmaker Mike Freer, the court heard. Amess was murdered “because
of a warped and twisted” Islamist ideology, Tom Little, a lawyer for the
prosecution, told the court on the opening day of the trial. “This is a case
involving a cold and calculated murder.” The killing of 69-year-old Amess, a
married father of five children, sent shockwaves through Westminster and led to
calls for better security for members of parliament, coming five years after
another lawmaker was murdered on the street.”

 

CNN: Hatchet-Wielding Attacker At Canada Mosque Charged For Possible
Hate-Motivated Attack, Police Say
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“The man who allegedly discharged bear spray while brandishing a hatchet at a
mosque in the Canadian city of Mississauga is now facing multiple charges for
what is “believed to be a hate-motivated incident,” Peel Regional Police said
in a news release Monday. The charges against Mohammad Moiz Omar, a 24-year-old
Mississauga resident, include assault with a weapon; administering noxious
substance with intent to endanger life or cause bodily harm; possession of a
weapon for a dangerous purpose; utter threat to cause death or bodily harm;
carrying concealed weapon; and mischief to religious property, according to the
release. The attempted attack took place Saturday around 7 a.m. local time at
Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre during the dawn prayer of Fajr, police said. The
mosque said in a Facebook post the suspect who walked in was also armed with
“numerous other sharp edged weapons.” Noonrani Sairally, who's been attending
the mosque for more than a decade, told CNN Monday he heard a noise about seven
to 10 minutes after the congregation started morning prayers. “I heard a
hissing noise over the sound system followed by a scream and when I turned
around, I saw this man with a can of bear spray and a hatchet in his hand,” he
said.”

 

Iran

 

The Wall Street Journal: Iran Nuclear Deal’s Final Hurdle Is Lifting Terrorism
Sanctions On Revolutionary Guards
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“The effort to revive the 2015 nuclear deal agreement now hinges on perhaps
the most politically sensitive issue in the negotiations: whether to remove the
U.S. terrorism designation for Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards, the country’s
powerful security force, diplomats said. The issue is galvanizing opposition to
the nuclear deal in Washington and among Middle East allies such as Israel,
where the government issued stinging public criticism of any attempt to remove
the terrorism designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Senior U.S.
officials say a failure to find a compromise with Iran on the issue quickly
could cause a breakdown in negotiations that—over almost a year—have resolved
nearly every other disagreement. The U.S. has accused the Guard of killing
hundreds of Americans, while its elite Quds Force has arranged weapons and
support for proxy forces throughout the region and for pro-Iranian groups that
fought in Syria. The Guard has long faced U.S. sanctions for its
ballistic-missiles programs and alleged human-rights violations and was placed
on the counterterror sanctions list in 2017. Those backing compromise argued
that other sanctions on the Guard would still keep foreign companies away from
dealing with Guard-linked Iranian firms, damping the economic benefits of any
nuclear deal for Iran.”

 

Iraq

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: Turkey To Pull Out Hundreds Of Soldiers From Syria To Fight
PKK In Iraq
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“Some 400 Turkish forces deployed in the de-escalation zone in northwestern
Syria would likely redeploy in northern Iraq to fight the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK), reliable sources told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on
Sunday. “Four hundred Turkish troops have packed up and finished their
preparations to withdraw from the de-escalation zone as part of an initial
batch that will exit the area,” the sources said. There are more than 13,500
Turkish soldiers deployed in 60 military points across the de-escalation zone
in Idlib and the countryside of Aleppo, Hama and Latakiya. Last year, the
Turkish army carried out ground and air raids against the PKK in northern Iraq.
Meanwhile, Syrian regime forces have targeted areas in Al-Fatirah, Safuhan,
Fulayfil and Baynnin in Jabal Al-Zawiyah in the southern countryside of Idlib
and they fired heavy artillery shells on Al-Ankawy and Al-Fatatra villages in
Sahl Al-Ghab area. Also in the past three days, the Turkish military and the
Syrian National Army (SNA) factions, loyal to Ankara, escalated their attacks
on the countryside of Tal Tamr in the north of Hasakah, an area controlled by
the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The shelling damaged cables and caused
electricity outages in the area.”

 

Pakistan

 

Associated Press: Army: Militants In NW Pakistan Kill 2 Soldiers, 3 Civilians
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“Militants armed with assault rifles attacked security forces in northwest
Pakistan near the Afghan border Monday, triggering a shootout that killed two
soldiers, three civilians and four insurgents, the army said. The attack
happened in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. No group
immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Bajur which is a former
militant stronghold. In a statement, the military said the three civilians were
killed by militant fire. The statement said the Pakistani army was “determined
to eliminate the menace of terrorism and (that) such sacrifices of our brave
soldiers and innocent citizens further strengthen our resolve.” Pakistan's
northwestern tribal regions, which share a lengthy porous border with
Afghanistan, for years served as a safe haven for militants until the military
carried out massive operations to try to clear the area. That forced the
militants to escape into Afghanistan or hide in other areas near the border.
But such militant attacks on troops have continued in recent years in the
region.”

 

Middle East

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: Israel Arrests Hezbollah Cell Plotting To Kidnap Israelis
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“Four Arab Israelis arrested last month were indicted on Sunday over their
ties to Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Four of them are residents of northern Israel's
Galilee, the Shin Bet security service and the police disclosed. According to
the Shin Bet, they were asked to smuggle weapons into Israel and to establish a
terror cell to kidnap Israelis, provide information on targets for missile
attacks, and locate possible locations for crossing the border from Lebanon
into Israeli territory. Israeli officials have pointed toward a senior
Hezbollah official by the name of Hajj Khalil Harb as the one responsible for
coordinating weapons smuggling attempts into northern Israel. Harb is accused
of personally directing a Hezbollah operative who met with two of the suspects
in Turkey in November. “This affair illustrates the efforts of Iranian and
other terror elements to exploit the Arab and Druze citizens of Israel,” a
senior Shin Bet official said. “Citizens who receive inquiries from terror
elements are called upon to report this to authorities and to avoid a situation
in which they find themselves involved in serious security activities.” The
military said in a separate statement that “Israel’s security forces will
continue to operate to maintain security in the region and act against any
attempt to violate the sovereignty of the state of Israel.”

 

Egypt

 

Asharq Al-Awsat: Egypt Sets May 15 To Deliver Verdict On 8 Defendants Accused
Of Collaborating With ISIS
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“Egypt's Supreme Emergency State Security Court (SESSC) has set May 15 as the
date for delivering its verdict in the case of eight suspects accused of
collaborating with the terrorist ISIS group and plotting attacks against state
institutions. The Supreme State Security Prosecution (SSSP) had ordered the
defendants to be referred to the SESSC. They are accused of committing crimes
in Egypt and abroad between 2012-2018, including collaborating with ISIS and
agreeing with other terrorists abroad to fund members of an extremist group
associated with the group in Egypt. Investigations revealed that the defendants
agreed to collect data concerning vital facilities in the country, such as the
Gargoub Port, Sidi Gaber Railway Station, and Ramsis Railway Station. In
addition, they provided funds for terrorist operations targeting them.
According to investigators, the defendants used Telegram for money transfer and
for sending information. Furthermore, the defendants are accused of membership
to a terrorist group that targets the nation's national security and public
order as well as the safety and interests of the community. They face charges
of disturbing public order, endangering the safety and security of society,
disrupting the law, and causing social unrest.”

 

Nigeria

 

The Defense Post: At Least 16 Villagers Killed In Attack In Nigeria
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“Police in northwest Nigeria said gunmen from gangs of cattle thieves on
Sunday killed 16 people in an attack on a remote village, in the latest raid by
the militants in the region. Northwest and central Nigeria are a hub of
criminal gangs of cattle thieves and those kidnapping for ransom who raid
villages, killing and abducting residents after looting and burning homes. The
criminals who are known as bandits and who maintain camps in a vast forest,
straddling Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states have recently intensified
mass abductions of students in schools for ransom. Dozens of bandits on
motorcycles invaded Ganar-Kiyawa village in Bukkuyum district, shooting dead 16
residents, according to Mohammed Shehu, the Zamfara state police spokesman.
“The terrorists killed 16 people in the attack and fled before the deployment
of police personnel,” Shehu said Monday. “The police and the military are in
the area to forestall further attacks and pursue the bandits.” A statement from
the Zamfara state governor’s office confirmed the attack, saying “many lives
were reportedly lost and many others got injured”, without giving details.
However, local media put the death toll as high as 37, including the village
chief, with dozens kidnapped from the village which has been repeatedly
targeted by the gangs.”

 

Somalia

 

All Africa: Somalia: U.S. Offers U.S.$5 Million For Information On Key Al
Shabaab Leader Jehad Serwan Mostafa
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“The United States has announced a $ 5 million reward for information leading
to the capture of Jehad Serwan Mostafa, also known as Ahmed Gurey, a senior
member of the Somali militant group al-Shabab. The U.S. Department of Justice
said in a statement that Mostafa, a former California resident, had been
involved in al-Qaeda-linked attacks in East Africa, including in Kenya and
Somalia. The United States says Mostafa, 41, a member of the FBI's Most Wanted
Terrorist List, graduated from a college in San Diego, California, before
moving to Somalia in 2005. He is believed to have taken part in attacks against
Ethiopian forces before joining al-Shabaab in 2008. “Mostafa who is a
Al-Shabaab member worked in a number of sensitive positions, including as a
military trainer in the group's training camps, leading foreign fighters, and
working in the media wing of the group, working as a mediator between
al-Shabaab and other terrorist organizations and leading a terrorist attack
team, “said the State Department's Justice Department. The U.S. State
Department designated al-Shabab a terrorist organization in 2008; in 2012, the
organization merged with al-Qaeda.”

 

Africa

 

Associated Press: Suspected Militants Kill 13 Soldiers In Eastern Burkina Faso
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“At least 13 soldiers were killed and eight others wounded in Burkina Faso’s
eastern Gourma province in an ambush by suspected Islamic extremists, the army
announced Monday. A number of the attackers were killed in the incident,
according to the army statement. With air support, the military has secured the
area, it said. The army has for several days been carrying out large-scale
operations to regain control of several areas that had been held by Islamic
extremists, including Pama, Madjoari and Foutouri, said the statement. Burkina
Faso's military seized power in a coup in January, overthrowing President Roch
Marc Christian Kabore saying that he had failed to stem growing jihadi violence
in the once peaceful West African nation. Kabore has been under house arrest in
the capital, Ouagadougou, since his ouster. The junta has vowed to secure
Burkina Faso from growing jihadi violence linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic
State group that’s killed thousands and displaced more than 1.5 million people.”

 

Voice Of America: International Community Trains Ivorian Forces In Preparation
For Terror Threat
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“While much of the world is focused on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, analysts
warn that nations should not ignore Islamist militants, who are increasing
attacks in Africa's Sahel region and spreading to West Africa's coastal states.
Since 2020, terror groups linked to Islamic State and al-Qaida have carried out
attacks against Ivorian forces. In response to the threat, French security
forces are training the region's militaries. One Ivorian commando, who declined
to give his surname, said the threat is real and they are preparing to face it
in every way possible. “In Ivory Coast, we are really, really focused on
terrorism, because in the north part of our country, we are facing terrorism,
so we're talking about sea, air and land. That's why we are here,” William
said. International Community Trains Ivorian Forces in Preparation for Terror
Threat Security analysts say terrorism is spreading to the north of coastal
states like Ivory Coast, Ghana, Benin and Togo — the next phase in the western
Sahel's decade-long conflict. Large parts of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger are
experiencing daily attacks targeting military and civilians alike. Since 2020
began, there have been 17 incidents — including gun battles and roadside bombs
— in the north of Ivory Coast linked to al-Qaida-affiliated groups, according
to the U.S.-based Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project.”

 

The North Africa Post: Tunisia: Terror Attack On National Guard Barrack Foiled
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“A group of terrorists Saturday exchanged shots with members of Tunisia’s
National Guard in Kairouan, North of the North African country. The police said
in a statement that gunmen in a car opened fire but were repelled by a
“massive” retaliatory barrage, without any casualties reported in the exchange.
Those responsible for “this cowardly attack were probably … part of a terrorist
cell,” operating between Kairouan and Sousse in eastern Tunisia, that had been
dismantled with arrests made, the police added in the statement. The attack
came on Tunisia’s independence day and with the country plunged in political
crisis. Also, counter-terrorism forces arrested Tuesday six men forming a
terror cell, in Tataouine, southern Tunisia. The cell, led by a terrorist not
known to the security services, indoctrinated youth in the region and had plans
to manufacture explosives and poisons to be used in terror operations. Tunisia
has been in a state of emergency since November 2015 after the country suffered
its bloodiest attacks in history. Three terror attacks that year claimed by the
Islamic state group killed over 70 people, mostly foreign tourists.”

 

United Kingdom

 

BBC News: St Albans Boy, 15, Denies Five Terror Charges
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“A 15-year-old boy has denied five charges of terrorism, including sharing a
bomb-making video in an online chat group. He is alleged to have twice posted a
video titled “must fight them or move ahead” in a chat group on the Discord
platform in February. The video contained instructions on how to make a
homemade explosive, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard. The schoolboy was
arrested in St Albans, in Hertfordshire, on 7 March. He is also charged with
one count of possessing the video and two counts of possessing documents titled
“cooking recipes” and “explosive 111”. Scotland Yard previously said the
charges relate to alleged Islamist extremism. The boy, who cannot be named
because of his age, was remanded into secure accommodation ahead of his next
appearance for an interim hearing at the same court on 13 April.”

 

Technology

 

Reuters: Russia Finds Meta Guilty Of 'Extremist Activity' But Whatsapp Can Stay

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“A Moscow court said on Monday that Meta (FB.O) was guilty of "extremist
activity", but the ruling will not affect its WhatsApp messenger service,
focusing on the U.S. firm's already-banned Facebook and Instagram social
networks. Meta did not respond to requests for comment after Moscow's Tverskoi
District Court said in a press statement that it had upheld a lawsuit filed by
state prosecutors on banning the company's activities on Russian territory.
Meta's lawyer Victoria Shakina had earlier told the court that the company was
not carrying out extremist activities and was against Russophobia, the Interfax
news agency reported. It was not clear whether Meta would appeal the outlawing
of the activities of Facebook and Instagram in Russia "on the grounds of
realising extremist activity", a ban TASS cited judge Olga Solopova as saying
would be enforced immediately.”

 

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