“Al Qaeda-linked militants overran an African Union peacekeepers' camp in the
centre of Somalia, a security source and the group said on Tuesday, in w

 

 


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


May 4, 2022

 

Reuters: Islamist Militants Overrun African Union Camp In Somalia
<[link removed]>

 

“Al Qaeda-linked militants overran an African Union peacekeepers' camp in the
centre of Somalia, a security source and the group said on Tuesday, in what
appears to be one of the al Shabaab group's biggest attacks this year. A
resident said three civilians died in crossfire during the attack, while the
number of African Union soldiers killed or captured was unclear. The
chairperson of the AU commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat, said he paid tribute to
the Burundian peacekeepers who lost their lives, but did not say how many died.
Somalia is preparing to hold long-delayed presidential elections with political
rivalries having split the security services, distracting them from the fight
against the al Shabaab insurgency. Somalia's presidency condemned the attack on
the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) base near El Baraf,
about 130 km (80 miles) north of the capital Mogadishu, and called for
increased military support. “The mujahideen launched a pre-dawn raid on an
ATMIS military base in El Baraf,” an al Shabaab statement said. “After a fierce
firefight, the mujahideen managed to overrun the base and are now in complete
control of the entire military base.” Al Shabaab has been fighting for years to
topple the central government and implant its rule in the Horn of Africa
country based on its strict interpretation of Islam's sharia law.”

 

Associated Press: In Nigeria, UN Chief Welcomes Reintegration Of Extremists
<[link removed]>

 

“United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday lauded Nigerian
authorities’ ongoing reintegration of defectors from the jihadi Boko Haram
group, which has waged a decade-long insurgency, as “the best thing we can do
for peace.” Speaking to reporters in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state
where the insurgency is centered, Guterres also called for more global funding
to help rebuild lives in northeast Nigeria where the rebels are operating. “The
best thing we can do for peace is to reintegrate those who in the moment of
despair became terrorists but now want to ... contribute to the well-being of
their brothers and sisters,” the U.N. chief said after meeting with former
militants at a rehabilitation camp in Maiduguri. The Nigerian military said in
March that 1,629 of the former fighters have so far graduated from the
reintegration program. In the final leg of his three-nation tour of West
Africa, the UN chief is for the first time visiting Nigeria, Africa's most
populous country, where he called for donors worldwide to support humanitarian
assistance in the northeast. Boko Haram, Nigeria’s homegrown Islamic extremist
rebels, launched an insurgency in 2009, to fight against western education and
to establish Islamic Shariah law in Nigeria.”

 

United States

 

Associated Press: Man Charged In ISIS-Inspired Plot Found Mentally Competent
<[link removed]>

 

“A Maryland man has become mentally competent to stand trial more than two
years after he was charged with planning an Islamic State-inspired attack at a
shopping and entertainment complex near Washington, D.C., a federal judge ruled
Tuesday. Rondell Henry's attorneys notified the court last Friday that he
intends to pursue an insanity defense. Henry, 31, of Germantown, Maryland, was
charged in 2019 with attempting to provide material support to a foreign
terrorist organization, the Islamic State group. U.S. District Judge Paula
Xinis agreed Tuesday to order a psychiatric examination of Henry to determine
whether he was insane around the time of his alleged offenses. The judge also
ruled Henry is mentally competent to stand trial, can understand the charges
against him and is capable of assisting in his defense. Xinis had ruled in
February 2020 that Henry was not competent to stand trial. She repeatedly
extended Henry’s court-ordered hospitalization. But the judge said a March 31
report on Henry's medical condition found experts had restored his mental
competence and that he is “doing much better.” Defense attorney Christian
Lassiter, an assistant federal public defender, said he does not dispute that
finding.”

 

WNBC NBC: Accused Terrorist's Lawyer Denies Client Took Photos Landmarks For
Targets, Urges Exoneration
<[link removed]>

 

“A defense lawyer urged jurors Tuesday to reject a prosecutor’s claims that
his client is a terrorist who photographed U.S. landmarks as potential targets,
saying the government didn’t prove anything during a two-week trial. Attorney
Marlon Kirton said his client, Alexei Saab, is a victim of “a clear case of
government overreach.” He spoke during closing arguments after Assistant U.S.
Attorney Jason Richman repeatedly labeled Saab a terrorist, saying he came to
the U.S. to scope out potential targets for Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad
Organization from 2000 to 2005 even as he lived a double life, working as a
software engineer for technology companies. Among the potential targets
researched by Saab were Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Terminal, all three
New York area airports, the Brooklyn, Triborough and George Washington bridges
and the Lincoln and Holland tunnels connecting New Jersey to Manhattan. And
Richman noted one more target in his argument to convict in Manhattan federal
court. “He sits here in a courtroom inside a courthouse he once photographed
for Hezbollah,” the prosecutor said. The one-time Morristown, New Jersey,
resident pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges after his 2019 arrest, as
authorities disclosed that he had been interviewed by FBI agents during 11
sessions over several weeks.”

 

Syria

 

Kurdistan 24: 2 Shot By Suspected ISIS Members In Syria's Al-Hol Camp
<[link removed]>

 

“Suspected ISIS shooters opened fire on two people in the fourth section of
northeast Syria's notorious al-Hol camp, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights (SOHR) war monitor reported on Monday. Both were heavily injured
in the attack. SOHR said this was the second such incident in the camp in May.
On Sunday, Internal Security Forces ('Asayish' in Kurdish) also found the body
of an Iraqi refugee shot dead by ISIS cells in al-Hol's first section. SOHR
reported on Tuesday that the Asayish arrested 23 people in the camp on Monday.
They are charged with communicating with ISIS cells outside the camp. According
to data from the UN, al-Hol is the largest camp for refugees and internally
displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria, hosting about 56,000 people. Most of
al-Hol's residents are Iraqis and Syrians. However, the camp also houses many
foreign families thought to have ISIS links. On Monday, SOHR reiterated its
call for “a lasting solution” to the volatile situation in northeast Syria's
al-Hol camp after at least six people were killed there in April.”

 

Afghanistan

 

Fox News: Taliban’s Power Challenged By Afghan National Resistance Front,
ISIS-K
<[link removed]>

 

“The Taliban are finding it’s much more difficult being the governing
authority of Afghanistan than it was waging an insurgency campaign against the
previous internationally backed government of Ashraf Ghani. Since taking Kabul
in August 2021, the Taliban have had to consolidate power and assert control
over a weary and war-torn nation, battle an ISIS affiliate and tamp down the
resistance movement in Panjshir province. When the Taliban took Kabul, many
anti-Taliban forces within the US-trained armed forces and former members of
the Ghani government fled to the Panjshir Valley, a bastion of anti-Taliban
resistance north of Kabul where the Taliban had yet to exert full control.
Other leading opposition figures fled to neighboring Tajikistan, where the
government in Dushanbe has provided a safe haven. The rugged and mountainous
Panjshir Valley, which held firm against Soviet occupation in the 1980s and
Taliban rule in the 1990s, is the ideal location to lead an insurgency. Almost
immediately after the Taliban seized Kabul, anti-Taliban forces quickly
announced their opposition to the new government and initially were able to
hold off the Taliban’s advance on the valley.”

 

Middle East

 

The Jerusalem Post: Israel Remembers Its Fallen Soldiers And Victims Of
Terrorism <[link removed]>

 

“Israelis owe their fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism a commitment not
to let disagreements and political debates tear them apart, Prime Minister
Naftali Bennett said on Tuesday at a ceremony marking the beginning of
Remembrance Day. “I cannot speak on behalf of the fallen, but I believe if they
could, they would have told us: keep living together,” said Bennett. “Do not
let disagreements tear you apart from within. If we allow anger and hatred to
grip us, then our enemies will take advantage of it to harm us.” His speech
came just a few hours before Israelis stood in silence for one minute on
Tuesday night, remembering the service members who died protecting the state
and the victims of terrorism ahead of the country’s 74th Independence Day. In
total, 24,069 soldiers, police officers, prison wardens, Shin Bet (Israel
Security Service) and Mossad agents were killed defending the pre-state Yishuv
and Israel since 1860. That number also includes members of the pre-state
militias and the Jewish Brigade, who served in the British army during World
War II. There were 3,199 civilians killed in hostilities since the
establishment of the state, according to the National Insurance Institute.”

 

Nigeria

 

Africanews: UN Chief Urges Investment To Help Niger Fight Jihadists
<[link removed]>

 

“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday urged the international
community to “fully invest” to help impoverished Niger fight jihadist
insurgents threatening the government in Niamey and neighbouring countries.
“Today I believe, looking at the remarkable performance of Niger's army, the
international community must fully invest to strengthen the capacity of Niger's
army,” said Guterres, alongside the Sahel nation's President Mohamed Bazoum.
Equipment and training are needed, Guterres said. “Niger cannot face all these
multiple challenges alone,” he added, listing major organisations such as the
African Union and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) who are
key actors for peace and development in the region. Guterres acknowledged
however that the G5-Sahel, that brings together Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso,
Niger and Chad, “has been weakened by the coups d'Etat that took place in some
of your neighbours,” referring to Mali and Burkina Faso in the last two years.
“While terrorist attacks continue to increase in the Sahel and spread to the
states on the Gulf of Guinea, the international community has to understand it
is no longer just a regional African question, but really is a global threat,”
the UN chief said.”

 

Sahara Reporters: Breaking: Boko Haram Fighters Currently Attacking Chibok
Community In Borno
<[link removed]>

 

“Insurgents from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic
State West Africa Province formerly known as Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da'wah
wa'l-Jihād, are currently attacking Kautikari village of Chibok Local
Government Area of Borno State. SaharaReporters gathered that the insurgents
invaded the town on Tuesday, shooting sporadically as residents of the
community fled into the forest for safety. Soldiers stationed at a military
forward operation base (FOB) in Kada, just 2km away from Kautukari, were also
dislodged by the insurgents. “My community is under attack, this is the fourth
attack this year alone, please pray for us,” a resident told SaharaReporters.
In December 2021 and January 2022, Kautikari was experienced attacks by
insurgents who abducted many women and children. Also, a church in the
community was razed by the insurgents during the attacks. Attacks in Chibok
areas and particularly the recent one in January 2022 made the Borno State
governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, visit the area to encourage the
people as well as the security operatives stationed in the local government to
remain strong. During his visit, the governor met with the families of 22 women
and two men abducted by the insurgents and asked them to continue to trust in
God through prayers.”

 

United Kingdom

 

The Guardian: Former Publican In Court Accused Of Sending Covid Loans Cash To
Isis
<[link removed]>

 

“A former pub landlord has appeared in court accused of sending thousands of
pounds in coronavirus bounceback loans to fund the terrorist group Isis in
Syria. Tarek Namouz, a 42-year-old former pub landlord from London of no fixed
address, faces eight charges of entering into a terror funding arrangement on
dates between November 2020 and May 2021. He is also accused of two counts of
possessing terrorist information relating to videos. The chancellor, Rishi
Sunak, launched the bounceback loan scheme in May 2020, six weeks into the UK’s
first coronavirus lockdown, as part of a series of measures to prop up the UK
economy. The scheme was aimed at supporting small British businesses, with
£47bn paid out in loans from commercial banks guaranteed by the state. On
Monday, Namouz appeared at the Old Bailey in London by video link from
Wandsworth jail. Jonathan Polnay, prosecuting, said it was alleged that the
defendant sent “the proceeds of coronavirus bounceback funding loans to Isis”.
Mr Justice Sweeney said it was a “serious case” which would be heard by Judge
Peter Lodder, the recorder of Richmond, sitting at Kingston crown court. A plea
and case management hearing was set for 22 July, with a provisional two-week
trial from 21 November.”

 

Canada

 

The Jerusalem Post: Controversy In Canada Over Resident's Alleged Palestinian
Terrorism Ties <[link removed]>

 

“The status of a man living in Canada alleged to be a senior member of the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorist organization has become
the topic of concern for the Canadian Jewish community and the subject of
debate in the Canadian senate after an expose by The National Post. Khalid
Barakat, who resides in Vancouver, has been named by Israeli intelligence
services as a leader of PFLP, The Post's Terry Glavin reported. Barakat has
also been described as such by Palestinian news outlets, and at times, the PFLP
website. Supporters assert that he is a malaligned Palestinian rights activist.
"Khalid Barakat has been barred from the United States, he has been barred from
Germany, yet the Trudeau government still allows this individual to remain in
Canada, despite a Canadian law that forbids any individual with connections to
terrorist organizations from entering our country or receiving Canadian
Citizenship," said Senator Leo Housakos in a debate with Senator Marc Gold, the
representative of the Government in the Senate. "Why does your government allow
him to remain in the country?"”

 

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]>