Eye on Extremism
June 6, 2022
CNN: Mass Shooting At Nigeria Church Kills Dozens, Says Local Lawmaker
“A church in southwestern Nigeria became the site of a bloody attack on Sunday, according to local lawmakers. Attackers stormed into the church in the city of Owo and began “shooting sporadically,” Adeyemi Olayemi, the legislator representing the Owo constituency in the Ondo State House of Assembly, told CNN. At least 28 people were killed, Olayemi said. “The attackers came in motorcycles and started shooting sporadically,” he said. “They killed many people inside the church.” Victims are being are taken to Federal Medical Center in Owo, Olayemi said. State police could not confirm the total number of casualties at St. Francis Catholic Church, a police spokesperson told CNN, nor could they identify those behind the attack. Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Akeredolu said he was “shocked” by the attack and called it a “black Sunday in Owo.” “I am deeply saddened by the unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St. Francis Catholic Church, today,” he said on Twitter, adding that “the vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.” The governor vowed to “commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay.”
Associated Press: Online Pro-Gun Extremism: ‘Cool For Active Shooter Stuff’
“The young man in the jeans and sunglasses proudly shows off his gun in the YouTube video, then instructs his 1 million subscribers how to fit extra ammo on his belt, and offers a chilling observation. “Pretty cool for active shooter stuff, if you need extra mags.” It’s a typical video, one of thousands teaching military-style training and tactics to civilian gun owners, offering instructions on silencers and grenade launchers, on shooting from vehicles or into buildings. Other websites sell ghost gun kits, gas masks and body armor. “You shouldn’t be scared of the NRA. You should be scared of us,” one online ghost gun dealer Tweeted last week. As Americans reel from repeated mass shootings, law enforcement officials and experts on extremism are taking increasing notice of the sprawling online space devoted to guns and gun rights: gun forums, tactical training videos, websites that sell unregistered gun kits and social media platforms where far-right gun owners swap practical tips with talk of dark plots to take their weapons. It’s an ecosystem rich with potential recruits for extremist groups exploiting the often blurry line separating traditional support for a Constitutional right from militant anti-government movements that champion racism and violence.”
United States
Reuters: New York Man Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison For Support To Islamic State
“A Uzbekistan citizen who is a resident of New York City who was convicted of conspiring to and attempting to provide material support to Islamic State was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Friday, the U.S. Justice Department said. Dilkhayot Kasimov, 34, was convicted of both counts following a trial in 2019. He was charged in 2015. “Kasimov is an ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) supporter who collected and gave money to another individual to fund his travel to join the terrorist group. With this sentence, Kasimov is being held accountable for his crimes,” Matthew Olsen, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement. The United States brands Islamic State a “foreign terrorist organization.” “Kasimov was part of a group of individuals who sought to travel to Syria to join ISIS or to fund others who sought to become foreign fighters for ISIS,” Olsen said. A representative of Kasimov could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday. In 2015, Kasimov's co-conspirators, Abdurasul Juraboev and Akhror Saidakhmetov, planned to travel to Syria to fight on behalf of Islamic State, the Justice Department said, adding that Kasimov provided money to help fund Saidakhmetov’s travel and expenses.”
Syria
The Wall Street Journal: How The War Against ISIS Was Won
“In mid-April 2017, I was a fly on the wall for a top-level meeting that helped cement the defeat of Islamic State. Nearly three years earlier, Islamic State militants had taken the city of Mosul, rocking the Middle East and spurring the U.S. to send its military forces back to Iraq. The American mission this time wasn’t to do the fighting on the ground but to back up Iraqi forces with U.S. firepower and advise them as they battled their way forward. The name of the military campaign was “Operation Inherent Resolve,” and in the spring of 2017, that resolve was being put to the test. The campaign against Islamic State militants defeated an enemy, thrust local partners to the lead and held U.S. casualties to a minimum. Die-hards from Islamic State, also known as ISIS, were determined to make a last stand in Mosul. Hundreds of thousands of civilians were trapped in the city, which is bisected by the Tigris River, and Iraqi advances had been stalled on its western side. I had traveled with Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend to an Iraqi base south of the city when word came that Iraq’s then-Prime Minister, Haider al-Abadi, was gathering his commanders there for an impromptu council of war. Wearing the black fatigues of Iraq’s Counterterrorism Service, Mr. Abadi sought to rally his generals in an enormous tent whose walls were lined with photos of Iraqi Federal Police officers who had died in the war.”
Iraq
National Herald: Iraqi Forces Kill 13 IS Militants In 3 Provinces
“Iraqi security forces have killed 13 Islamic State (IS) militants during a series of operations in the provinces of Kirkuk, Nineveh and Diyala, the military has said. Iraqi Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS), backed by helicopters, managed to kill 13 IS militants during an attack on their hideout during operations conducted over the past week, Yahia Rasoul, spokesman of the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi forces, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement. The statement did not reveal the location of the hideout and when the militants were killed. The CTS forces also found a number of caches containing weapons, explosives, and communication devices during the operations in the Hamrin mountain range in northern Diyala and a village in Kirkuk, Rasoul added. Over the past few months, Iraqi security forces have conducted operations against the extremist militants to crack down on their intensified activities. The security situation in Iraq has improved after Iraqi forces defeated the IS militant group in 2017. However, the IS remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against the security forces and civilians.”
Pakistan
Associated Press: Pakistan Army Says 7 Militants Killed Near Afghan Border
“Pakistan’s military says security forces killed seven militants in two different operations near the Afghan border on Sunday. Five militants were killed in raid on a hideout in the Jani Khel area of Bannu district — the gateway to North Waziristan, they said in a statement. Two other militants were killed in a shootout in a tribal district of North Waziristan. Security forces seized arms and ammunition from both areas, and said the militants had been involved in attacks on security forces in recent months. North Waziristan and its surroundings were a militant sanctuary for years until a massive military operation to clear the area in 2014. Militants still show their presence by sporadically attacking forces there.”
Somalia
Voice Of America: Somalia Hails US Airstrike Against Al-Shabab
“The United States has targeted al-Qaida-linked fighters in Somalia, launching its first airstrike since announcing U.S. special operations forces would again be based in the Horn of Africa nation. Somalia's Ministry of Information announced the airstrike Friday on Twitter, saying it had targeted al-Shabab militants near Beer Xaani, west of the southern city of Kismayo, after they had attacked Somali forces. Initial estimates indicated that five al-Shabab fighters were killed and that there were no civilian casualties, the Somali announcement said. So far, neither the Pentagon nor U.S. Africa Command has shared any details about the incident. Friday's airstrike against al-Shabab is the first since the U.S. announced in mid-May that it would reestablish what it described as a “small, persistent U.S. military presence” in Somalia, following a December 2020 decision by the previous U.S. administration to pull out troops that had been stationed in the country. Senior U.S. administration officials last month called the decision by former President Donald Trump to end the persistent U.S. presence in Somalia a mistake, arguing it gave al-Shabab, already seen as the largest, wealthiest and most dangerous al-Qaida affiliate, a chance to regenerate.”
Africa
AFP: Al-Qaida Affiliate Claims May Attack In Togo
“A Mali-based coalition of al-Qaida-aligned militants has claimed responsibility for an attack in Togo last month, the SITE Intelligence monitoring group said Friday. The Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM) has been expanding geographically, threatening northern parts of coastal Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Togo. Togo's government had confirmed a “terrorist attack” on May 11 in the northern town of Kpekankandi, near the border with Burkina Faso, where the insurgents are also present. Officials had said that eight Togolese soldiers were killed and 13 others were wounded. JNIM, according to SITE Intelligence, which monitors jihadist activities worldwide, said it had killed eight soldiers, stolen some weapons and damaged two cars. A senior security source in Togo told AFP that the soldiers were attacked by a group of 60 gunmen who arrive on motorbikes. “They exchanged fire for more than two hours … and then a reinforcement unit was hit by an improvised explosive device,” he added. Togolese soldiers foiled an attack last November in the northern village of Sanloaga, making the May attack the first to cause casualties. The statement from JNIM also claimed attacks in Mali and in Burkina Faso.”
United Kingdom
Morning Star: 2017 London Terror Attacks Could Have Resulted From Intelligence Failures, Counter-Terrorism Expert Says
“The 2017 London terror attacks could have resulted from a failure of the intelligence community, according to a counter-terrorism expert. Eight people were killed and 48 more injured on June 3 2017, when terrorists in a hired van ploughed into pedestrians then ran amok with 12-inch knives through London Bridge and Borough Market. Today, London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted: “London remembers those whose lives were taken during the 2017 London Bridge terror attack. “We also pay tribute to the bravery of our emergency services, who ran towards danger whilst helping others to safety.” But Sir Ivor Roberts, from the Counter Extremism Project and former head of counter-terrorism in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said the attack could be attributed “in significant part to the failure of the intelligence community to monitor appropriately subjects of interest.” He said: “The primary perpetrator of the attack, Khuram Shazad Butt, was known to both the police and MI5 from as early as 2015. “At that time he was investigated, but the investigation was quickly ‘moved into the lower echelons’ and his file was classed as ‘low priority.’ “The government’s subsequent official enquiry into the numerous terrorist attacks which occurred in the UK in 2017 specifically identified this as an area of counter terror policy in need of significant reform.”
Lancashire Telegraph: Policy Change Urged To Stop Those With Radical Views Carrying Out Terror Attacks
“A counter terror expert says lessons have not been learned from terror attacks where perpetrators with radical views have ‘slipped through the cracks’. Sir Ivor Roberts, from the Counter Extremism Project, and former head of counter-terrorism in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was speaking on the fifth anniversary of the London Bridge and Borough Market terror attack this weekend. He referred to the case of Malik Faisal Akram, originally from Blackburn, who carried out an attack on a Texas synagogue in January. Akram, 44, was shot dead when the FBI entered the place of worship in Colleyville following a 10-hour stand-off. He held four people hostage during the incident, but they were later released unharmed. Sir Ivor said: “Despite Akram’s radical views and support of the 9/11 attacks, he had been unsuccessfully referred to Prevent on two separate occasions in 2016 and 2019, MI5 ultimately concluded that he was not a terrorist threat. “This is a disappointing development from the security services, who do such incredible work on a day-to-day basis to keep us safe. I encourage MI5 to develop new policies and thorough checks and balances to ensure dangerous individuals don’t slip through the cracks again.”
France
Washington Examiner: French Police Arrest Suspected Neo-Nazis Involved In 'Jew Hunt' And Find Machine Gun Stash
“French police uncovered a stockpile of deadly weapons and machine guns believed to belong to a neo-Nazi group that took part in a “Jew hunt” in the northeastern part of the country, officials announced on Friday. Four men, between ages 45 and 53, were apprehended on Tuesday after intelligence services found they were looking for Jewish people to attack during a soccer game in Strasbourg, AFP reported. Police discovered an “alarming” amount of firepower when they made the arrests, said Prosecutor Edwige Roux-Morizot during a press conference. The suspects allegedly possessed equipment to produce bullets and $26,800 worth of euros in cash. They have been charged with arms trafficking and could face up to 10 years behind bars. Some 41 guns and ingredients for explosive devices were discovered near their homes, Roux-Morizot revealed on Friday. Of the discovered guns, 18 were legal and 23 were illegal. Roughly 167 magazines and 30 kilograms of gun powder were also found. Officials believe the four men have ties to a neo-Nazi group in the eastern Alsace region of France. Material laced with antisemitism and Holocaust-denialism were discovered at the scene. Computer equipment seized from the suspects is being reviewed by French officials.”
RFI: Final Words At Paris Attacks Trial And Complaints Over Compensation
“Lawyers for the victims of the November 2015 terrorist attacks are continuing their concluding remarks. The Special Criminal Court is a theatre of contradiction, with the black robes offering everything from flamboyant rhetoric to dignified common sense. The 14 accused who are physically present show rare signs of attention. Salah Abdeslam woke up at the mention of his name. A lawyer called him a liar, saying that Abdeslam, the sole survivor of the terrorist squads whose actions cost 132 people their lives, had not renounced on his murderous mission as a suicide bomber out of human sympathy, as he has claimed, but simply because his explosive jacket did not explode. “He told his friends that it had failed to go off,” the court was reminded. “How could he have known if he hadn't tried?” Several lawyers on Thursday rejected Abdeslam's earlier claim that he appeared before the court as “a warrior of Allah”. “I have seen no warriors at this trial,” said one. “I have, however, seen heroic men and women of peace who have told us of their struggles to stay upright, to keep going.” Another black robe explained that he had himself fought in the Croatian National Guard. “There's a code of honour among fighters. You don't touch civilians, especially civilians who have done absolutely nothing against you.”
Europe
The Times: Lisa Smith Made Anti-Extremism Videos In Islamic State Camp In Syria
“Time was running out for Lisa Smith when she was found living among the hundreds of Islamic State brides being held at the Ein Issa camp by the Syrian Democratic Forces. It was August 2019 and the sprawling camp was full of danger. Living among the ragged detainees were jihadists who threatened to kill anyone who spoke out against Isis. Smith had lost everything by the time she was interviewed by Anne Speckhard and a team from the International Centre for the Study of Violent Extremism (ICSVE), a research body at Georgetown University in Washington. Speckhard recalls meeting a frightened woman who was wary of strangers and just wanted to return home. “Lisa was terrified. She didn’t care if she went to prison if she…”
Technology
PBS: Examining The Warning Signs Of Online Extremism Targeting Young People
“After the racist rampage that killed 10 Black people in Buffalo last month, the shooter admitted he had been radicalized online. As young people spend more time in virtual networks, parents and guardians are looking for ways to keep them safe. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, director of research at American University's Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab, joins Ali Rogin to discuss.”
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