“An assailant killed four people and seriously injured two others in southern
Israel Tuesday, stabbing several people and ramming his car into a cycli

 

 


<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>
Eye on Extremism


March 23, 2022

 

The Wall Street Journal: Suspected Terrorist Attack In Israel Leaves Four Dead
<[link removed]>

 

“An assailant killed four people and seriously injured two others in southern
Israel Tuesday, stabbing several people and ramming his car into a cyclist in
one of the deadliest suspected terrorist attacks against Israelis in recent
years. The assailant, who was identified as an Arab Bedouin in his 30s from a
town in southern Israel, was known to security services, Israeli police said. A
security official said the assailant had been imprisoned in 2015 for supporting
Islamic State, and was arrested before trying to join the Islamist militant
group in Syria. “To the best of our knowledge, he operated alone,” Israel’s
police commissioner Kobi Shabtai said in televised media statement. He
described the incident as a terrorist attack but didn’t explain the attacker’s
motivation. The attack comes at a time of increasing tension between Israelis
and Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem. As the Muslim holy month of
Ramadan approaches, Israeli security services are worried about the possibility
of a larger escalation. Palestinian assailants also carried out stabbings in
Jerusalem on Saturday against a civilian jogger, and again on Sunday against
two policemen, though neither incident resulted in fatal injuries. Tension also
has risen between Bedouin communities and Israeli authorities in the Negev
Desert, where land and building disputes are frequent.”

 

Reuters: UK Cuts Threat Level For Northern Ireland Attacks
<[link removed]>

 

“The United Kingdom lowered its Northern Ireland-related terrorism threat
level for the first time in more than a decade on Tuesday, with police saying
operations against Irish nationalist militants were making attacks less likely.
The threat in the region from domestic groups has been lowered to “substantial”
from “severe”, according to an independent assessment by the MI5 domestic spy
service, the British government's minister for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis
said in a statement. That means at attack is considered “likely” rather than
“highly likely.” It is the first time it has changed since 2010. Several groups
of dissident Irish nationalists remain active and carry out occasional attacks,
but their capacity is tiny compared with the Irish Republican Army (IRA), which
decommissioned its weapons after a 1998 peace deal. That deal ended a
three-decade conflict between Irish nationalist militants seeking unification
with the Republic of Ireland and the British Army and pro-British loyalists
determined to keep the region of Northern Ireland under British rule. Britain's
decision to leave the European Union and the subsequent introduction of trade
restrictions between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom have
triggered angry rhetoric from politicians in Northern Ireland but it has not
translated into any significant violence.”

 

United States

 

Boston.com: Hate Group Displays Neo-Nazi Symbols, ‘Keep Boston Irish’ Sign At
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
<[link removed]>

 

“…The group stood on the sidelines on West Broadway and displayed a sign that
read “keep Boston Irish.” They also wore masks with the number 131, a calling
card for the Nationalist Social Club, which has been identified as a neo-Nazi
group by both the Counter Extremism Project and the Anti-Defamation League
(ADL). The number is the alphanumeric code for ACA, or Anti Communist Action,
and is frequently used by the group. One member of the group carried a black
flag with a white plus sign inside a circle. The symbol, which is sometimes
called a sun cross or incorrectly called a Celtic cross, is a commonly used
white supremacist symbol, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The actual
Celtic cross is not a hate symbol, and is a symbol of Christianity used in
Ireland, Cal Farley, an investigative researcher with the Anti-Defamation
League’s Center on Extremism told The Boston Globe. The version of it used
Sunday, in which the cross is squared off instead of tapered ornately within
the circle, is oft-used by white supremacist groups. Parade organizers told the
Globe that the group was “neither invited, nor welcome at our parade.” “As a
Jewish American, it hits especially close to home for me,” Dave Falvey,
commander of South Boston Allied Veterans Council, said in an e-mail to the
Globe Monday.”

 

Fox News: House Republicans Push Biden Admin For Information On Migrants On
Terrorist Database
<[link removed]>

 

“Republicans on the House Oversight and Homeland Security committees are
pushing the Biden administration for information on the number of migrants
encountered at the southern border who are on the Terrorist Screening Database
(TSDB). Reps. James Comer and John Katko, who serve as ranking members on the
Oversight and Homeland Security committees respectively, wrote to DHS Secretary
Alejandro Mayorkas requesting details on the apprehension of foreign nations
with potential terror concerns. “It is no secret that terrorists and other bad
actors attempt to exploit weakness in border security and vetting to enter the
United States,” the letter, first obtained by Fox News Digital, says.
“Reporting indicates that multiple individuals with terrorist ties have been
recently apprehended after illegally crossing the border, and that such
encounters may be increasing,” they write. “The American people deserve to know
whether President Biden’s weak border policies are allowing terrorists to enter
our homeland.” The Terrorist Screening Database (TSDB) contains information
about the identities of those who are “known or reasonably suspected” of being
involved in terrorist activities. Republicans lawmakers have repeatedly called
for the number of those encountered at the border to be made public.”

 

Syria

 

Eurasia Review: The Death Of Islamic State (Is) Leader Abu Ibrahim Al-Qurashi:
A Window To Stop The Cycle Of Violence Ideology – Analysis
<[link removed]>

 

“In February 2022, IS so-called second caliph Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi
al-Qurashi was killed during an operation by US Special Operation Forces in
Syria’s Idlib province. To reinforce unity, online chatter, especially in the
Indonesian pro-IS community, stresses the importance of preserving the bai’at
to al-Qurashi and continuing with their routine of spreading propagandas or
mounting attacks. Earlier this month, IS announced the appointment of Abu
Hassan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as the third caliph. Hundreds of pro-IS supporters
in Western Africa Province (ISWAP), Somalia, The Levant, Iraq, Yemen, Libya,
Afghanistan (ISKP) and East Asia have pledged their allegiance to the new
leader. It is important to note that the starting point of support is usually
preceded by a bai’at. Bai’at is an Arabic term that symbolizes a pledge of
allegiance and loyalty. The importance of the bai’at for terrorist groups can
be discerned from Bin Laden pledging his allegiance to the former Taliban’s
leader Mulla Omar in response to United Nations imposition of sanctions on the
group in February 2001. It is similar to the notion and practice of pledging
allegiance and loyalty to a state. Contrary to conventional wisdom, bai’at
predated Islam and was common among Arabs in pre-Islamic Arabia. It usually
preluded a pact between tribes to establish security in the absence of state
power.”

 

Iran

 

Axios: Pompeo: Removing Iran's IRGC From Terror List Would Be “Dangerous
Capitulation”
<[link removed]>

 

“Removing the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) from a U.S. terror list
would be “a dangerous capitulation,” three former senior Trump administration
officials, including former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, said in a joint
statement exclusively shared with Axios. Why it matters: The status of the IRGC
is one of the last remaining sticking points in talks to revive the 2015
nuclear agreement. The Biden administration is considering removing the group
from the Foreign Terrorist Organization list in return for a public commitment
from Iran to de-escalation in the region, according to U.S. officials and
Israeli officials. The big picture: Former President Trump pulled out of the
nuclear deal in 2018 and imposed a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. A
year later, the Trump administration designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist
organization. What they are saying: Removing the IRGC from the terrorism
blacklist would be “a denial of the basic reality that the IRGC's core mission
is to spread terror,” Pompeo, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien
and former director of national intelligence John Ratcliffe said in a joint
statement. The three former Trump officials quoted the U.S. Intelligence
Community Annual Threat Assessment issued last month, which said that Iran is a
direct and indirect threat to U.S. persons and “previously attempted to conduct
lethal operations in the United States.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Foreign Policy: As The World Watches Ukraine, Afghanistan Goes Full Taliban
<[link removed]>

 

“While the world’s attention is focused on Ukraine, Afghanistan has plunged
into darkness. The Taliban are tightening their control amid growing reports of
detentions, rapes, and summary executions of minorities, rights advocates,
women, and people associated with the old government or the new resistance. In
the weeks since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine, the Taliban have extended
bans on many parts of what was once normal life before they took over the
country last summer. Clampdowns on media, entertainment, and traditional
holidays have been extended as the Taliban revive old practices, such as
kidnapping foreigners for political leverage. Journalists continue to be
detained and beaten, and hundreds of media organizations have been closed down,
ensuring that Taliban activities—including arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial
killings—are not reported. A high-ranking Afghan security source, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, said China is helping the Taliban build a TV station.
Celebrations to mark the Zoroastrian new year on March 20 were canceled. The
Afghan flag has been replaced with the Taliban’s white banner. Television
networks are not permitted to air foreign programs, and music and dancing are
banned.”

 

Mali

 

The Defense Post: Four Mali Soldiers Killed In Twin Attacks: Army
<[link removed]>

 

“Four Malian troops were killed in separate suspected jihadist attacks Monday,
the army said, two in the east and two in the country’s center. In central
Boni, the army said it “recorded two dead and seven wounded” following an
ambush while 13 attackers were killed and two “terrorists” arrested, the
statement said. In Tessit, close to the borders with Burkina Faso and Niger,
there were “two dead and 10 wounded” after an attack on an outpost. The
military said it “vigorously repelled the attack.” “Nine dead (attackers) were
counted on the spot and several wounded terrorists were intercepted and
annihilated by an aerial intervention,” it added. “The sweep continues at full
speed to clear these sectors.” Two-thirds of Mali’s territory is beyond the
control of the state. The spread of jihadists, affiliated with al-Qaeda or the
Islamic State group, is beginning to reach further south, into Ivory Coast and
Benin Jihadist activities, combined with communal violence, crime, and army
abuses, have resulted in thousands of civilian and military deaths and hundreds
of thousands of displaced persons. The Malian army has claimed to have killed
dozens of jihadists in recent months. A recent statement said that “fear (had)
changed sides, the enemy is on the run towards the borders or hiding among the
population.”

 

Africanews: EU Suspends Combat Training For Soldiers In Mali
<[link removed]>

 

“The European Union’s top diplomat said Monday that he has ordered the
suspension of combat training for soldiers in Mali until he receives guarantees
from the government there that the trainees will not be working with Russian
mercenaries. Rebel Malian troops have launched two military coups in recent
years. The junta has postponed elections meant to usher in civilian rule, and
the EU is concerned that Mali's leaders are working with mercenaries from the
Wagner Group, which is accused of rights abuses in Africa and the Middle East.
The 27-nation bloc has been training the Mali armed forces since 2013. It had
planned to continue to do so despite the severe instability and political
upheaval that has wracked the country since 2012. “Clearly, our training
mission cannot be implicated, in any way, in activities that could call into
question the European Union’s reputation,” EU foreign policy chief Josep
Borrell told reporters after chairing a meeting of the bloc’s foreign
ministers. Borrell said he’s still waiting for guarantees from Mali's junta,
and until then he has ordered the commander in charge of the EU training “to
adapt the activities of the mission to the circumstances they are facing.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Guardian: UK Campaigners Call For Support Scheme For Victims Of Terrorism
<[link removed]>

 

“A group of people who survived or were bereaved by terrorist attacks is due
to meet the home secretary on Tuesday to call for a state-funded support
scheme. Brendan Cox, widower of the murdered MP Jo Cox and co-founder of the
Survivors Against Terror (SAT), will tell Priti Patel that granting terror
victims minimum guarantees of support should be a key part of the UK’s
counter-terrorism strategy. Speaking to the Guardian before the meeting, he
said: “Part of our way of saying ‘fuck you’ to terrorists is to show that
survivors won’t be left to stew, but will be properly supported by the state.”
He added: “Whenever a terror attacks happens, ministers get up and talk about
how we will look after the survivors, but in reality that isn’t happening.” SAT
will present Patel with a proposed terrorist survivors’ charter that guarantees
them immediate financial support, rapid access to psychological support and a
compensation fund. The eight-point charter also includes guaranteed legal
support and a national memorial day for terrorist survivors. It was drawn up in
consultation with SAT’s network of 300 people caught up in terrorist incidents
including the Manchester Arena bombing, the Fishmonger’s Hall stabbings, and
the London Bridge attack.”

 

Europe

 

Irish Examiner: Lisa Smith's Lawyers Claim 'No Evidence' That She Joined Or
Funded Isis
<[link removed]>

 

“Lawyers for Lisa Smith have said there is no evidence that the former soldier
was a member of Isis or that she funded the terrorist organisation and have
asked the Special Criminal Court to dismiss the charges against her. Michael
O'Higgins SC, for Ms Smith, described the prosecution case as “unique and
unprecedented” and said they were trying to suggest that by answering her
religious obligation to travel to the Islamic State, she was “somehow subsumed”
into a terrorist organisation without her knowledge. Counsel said it is unknown
in Irish law for a person to be convicted of an offence without being aware
they are committing an offence. Sean Gillane SC, for the prosecution, responded
that Ms Smith answered the call from Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and
became the “life blood” of Isis as a propaganda tool and as a woman who would
help to build the Islamic State. Mr Justice Tony Hunt, presiding at the
three-judge, non-jury court, will rule on the defence application to have the
charges dismissed on Thursday. Ms Smith (40), from Dundalk, Co Louth, an
Islamic convert and former Irish soldier, travelled to Syria after terrorist
leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi called on all Muslims to travel to the Islamic
State. She has pleaded not guilty to membership of an unlawful terrorist group,
Islamic State, between October 28, 2015 and December 1, 2019. She has also
pleaded not guilty to financing terrorism by sending €800 in assistance, via a
Western Union money transfer, to a named man on May 6, 2015.”

 

Southeast Asia

 

Al Jazeera: Sri Lanka Softens ‘Terror’ Law After EU Trade Pressure
<[link removed]>

 

“The Parliament of Sri Lanka has amended controversial “anti-terror”
legislation after a European Union threat to withdraw lucrative trading status,
but opposition lawmakers said the changes would not stop abuses under the law.
The EU last year warned that the island nation could again lose its generalised
system of preferences (GSP Plus) designation – a favourable trade scheme to
encourage developing nations to respect human rights – if Colombo did not
improve its rights record. Tuesday’s vote to tweak the Prevention of Terrorism
Act (PTA) comes after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa told a delegation from
Brussels in October that he had committed to urgent reforms of the law. But Sri
Lanka’s main opposition parties withheld support for the amendments, saying
they did not go far enough in stopping the arbitrary arrest of dissidents.
“What is needed is a complete scrapping of the PTA and not cosmetic changes,”
opposition legislator Anura Dissanayake told Parliament. The changes reduce
detention without trial limits from 18 to 12 months, but still allow
confessions coerced from suspects to be used against them in criminal
proceedings. International rights organisations have accused Rajapaksa’s
government of persecuting minorities and targeting rights activists.”

 

The Counter Extremism Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If
you value what we do, please consider making a donation.
DONATE NOW
<[link removed]>


Click here to unsubscribe.
<[link removed]>