Eye on Extremism
July 24, 2019
The
Hill: FBI's Wray Says Most Domestic Terrorism Arrests This Year
Involve White Supremacy
“FBI Director Christopher Wray said Tuesday that the agency has
made about 100 domestic terrorism-related arrests since October, and
the majority were tied to white supremacy. “I will say that a majority
of the domestic terrorism cases that we’ve investigated are motivated
by some version of what you might call white supremacist violence, but
it does include other things as well,” Wray said at a Senate Judiciary
Committee hearing, referring to cases in fiscal 2019, which began Oct.
1. The FBI is “aggressively” investigating domestic terrorism and hate
crimes, Wray said, noting that the bureau is focused on investigating
the violence, not the ideology motivating the attacks. Wray
distinguished between what he termed homegrown violent extremism,
wording he said the FBI uses to refer to people in United States who
are inspired by global jihadists, and domestic extremism, which Wray
described as broader to include racially motivated extremists,
anarchists and others.”
Reuters:
Dutch Court Convicts Islamic State Militant Of War
Crimes
“Dutch judges on Tuesday convicted an Islamic State militant of war
crimes in Iraq and Syria and sentenced him to 7-1/2 years in prison
after he posed with a crucified body and shared images of dead victims
online. Netherlands-born Oussama Achraf Akhlafa, 24, was found guilty
of membership of a terrorist organization. He fought alongside IS
militants in Mosul in Iraq and in Raqqa, Syria, between 2014 and 2016.
Prosecutors had sought a sentence of 7 years, 8 months. The court
said Akhlafa had posed smiling next to the crucified body of a man who
had been executed by IS, and had posted the picture on Facebook. ”He
violated the personal dignity of the deceased, thereby breaching the
Geneva Convention”, the court said, in a reference to the treaties
protecting the rights of war victims. Akhlafa was tried under
so-called universal jurisdiction, which enables war crimes to be
prosecuted regardless of where they were committed, in the first trial
in the Netherlands dealing with war crimes committed by an IS
militant. A second defendant, Dutch-born 24-year-old Reda Nidalha,
was sentenced to 4-1/2 years in prison for membership of a terrorist
organization.”
The
Jerualem Post: House Passes Bill That Calls To Sanction Palestinian
Terror Groups
“The House of Representatives approved a bill on Tuesday that calls
to sanction Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist groups. House
Resolution 1850, the Palestinian International Terrorism Support
Prevention Act, sponsored by Rep. Brian Mast (R-Florida-18) is asking
“to impose sanctions with respect to foreign support for Palestinian
terrorism, and for other purposes.” The bill directs the president to
submit an annual report to Congress, identifying “each foreign person
or agency or instrumentality of a foreign state that... knowingly
assists in, sponsors, or provides significant financial or material
support” for “Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad or any affiliate.” The
legislation directs the president to impose at least two different
financial sanctions on the people or agencies that are identified as
assisting these terror groups. The bill also requires the president to
report to Congress on each government that provides support for acts
of terrorism and provides material support to Hamas, the Palestinian
Islamic Jihad or any affiliate organization. A foreign government that
would support the terror organizations could face its foreign aid
being cut off. The president could waive the obligation for imposing
sanctions on a case-by-case basis.”
The
New York Times: Indonesian Couple Carried Out Philippines Cathedral
Bombing, Police Say
“A deadly cathedral bombing in the Philippines in January was a
suicide attack carried out by an Indonesian couple who once tried to
reach Islamic State territory and were deported from Turkey, the
Indonesian police said on Tuesday. The married couple, identified as
Rullie Rian Zeke and Ulfah Handayani Saleh, went to Turkey in 2016
with hopes of crossing the border into Syria, the police said.
Instead, they were arrested in January 2017 and sent back to
Indonesia. The bombing, consisting of two detonations, struck the
Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the southern island of Jolo,
where the government has long fought Muslim insurgents. At least 23
people were killed and more than 100 wounded in the assault, which
took place just as worshipers gathered for Mass. Through various
online bulletins, the Islamic State claimed responsibility. Terrorism
officials and independent experts have warned that Indonesia and other
Southeast Asian nations face a serious threat from hundreds of
returnees who traveled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State.
The attack in January showed that they must also be wary of those who
were deported from other countries before they could reach their
destination.”
The
Times Of Israel: Israel: Iran Smuggling Dual-Use Items For Hezbollah
Weaponry Via Beirut Port
“Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations on Tuesday accused Iran
of exploiting civilian companies and maritime channels to smuggle
weapons manufacturing equipment to its Lebanese proxy group,
Hezbollah. In the quarterly meeting on the Middle East, Ambassador
Danny Danon told the Security Council that Israeli intelligence has
uncovered evidence showing Iran’s Quds Force has been using the port
of Beirut to ship items to the terror group since last year. “In the
years 2018-2019, Israel found that dual-use items are smuggled into
Lebanon to advance Hezbollah’s rocket and missile capabilities,” he
said. “Iran and the Quds Force have begun to advance the exploitation
of the civilian maritime channels, and specifically the Port of
Beirut,” Danon said. “The Port of Beirut has become the Port of
Hezbollah.” In a statement, the Israeli mission said “Syrian agents”
purchased the dual use items from foreign companies under false
pretenses, and handed it over to the terrorist group after picking up
the shipments from the port.”
The
Hill: Social Media Companies Are Failing To Stop The Spread Of
Terrorism Online
“The Christchurch terrorist exploited the extraordinary power of
social media to broadcast his message of violence and hate across the
world. As he brutally murdered 51 people and wounded 49 more in two
mosques in New Zealand, his livestream on Facebook ran
uninterrupted—and before it was ultimately pulled down from Facebook,
it was quickly posted and shared millions of times across Twitter,
Facebook, YouTube and other platforms. This is the new age of
terrorism, defined by the rise of extremist communities online and
terrorists who carry out real-life violence inspired by virtual
content. And every time a successful terrorist attack is broadcasted
online, it risks inspiring copycats attempting to unleash similar
terror in their own communities. We as a nation need to adapt to this
new reality. Which is why it is incumbent upon social media and tech
companies to step up to the plate and take these threats seriously.
Gone are the days of unicorns and The Next Big Thing—tech companies of
today have become critical institutions in our society in the same way
that banks, telecom and utilities matured in the last century.”
United States
The
Huffington Post: The FBI Counted 100 Domestic Terrorism Arrests In The
Past 9 Months
“Arrests of the FBI’s domestic terrorism targets are on the rise
this year, bureau Director Christopher Wray indicated in testimony
before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. Wray said that about
100 targets of FBI domestic terrorism investigations were arrested in
the first three quarters of the federal government’s 2019 fiscal year,
which ran from October 2018 through June 2019. That would put the
current year on track to outpace the 120 domestic terrorism arrests
the FBI recorded in fiscal 2018, but potentially below the 150
domestic terrorism arrests of fiscal 2017. An FBI official
said previously that about half of these arrested targets whose
efforts the FBI seeks to “disrupt” are charged with state and local
crimes, while others are charged with federal crimes that would appear
on their face to be unrelated to terrorism. Wray told the Judiciary
Committee that the individuals in the “majority” of the domestic
terrorism cases investigated by the bureau “are motivated by some
version of what you might call white supremacist violence.” The
bureau takes domestic terrorism “extremely seriously,” Wray said,
regardless of ideology. After the anti-Muslim terrorist attack in New
Zealand in March, President Donald Trump said that he did not believe
white nationalism was a rising global threat.”
CBS
News: Behind The Scenes Of The Air Force's Anti-Terrorism Drone
Program
“Amid reports that Iran shot down a U.S. Navy drone last month and
that the U.S. downed an Iranian drone last week, remotely piloted
aircraft are getting new attention. Many of the drones the U.S. Air
Force flies overseas are piloted from Creech Air Force Base in Nevada
– and “CBS This Morning” got a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the
operations. Creech is in a remote stretch of the desert about an
hour's drive from Las Vegas, and it's filled with a fleet of the Air
Force's drones. The military doesn't like the word drone – it prefers
remotely piloted aircraft. But whichever term you use, one specific
aircraft – the Reaper – has become a major part of the military's
anti-terrorism arsenal. Six hundred pilots and 350 sensor or camera
operators work in teams around the clock, averaging six air strikes
and 1,000 combat hours every day. “The act of taking a human life, the
act of supporting guys on the ground, is as stressful as it was
sitting in an F-16 regardless of the distance in between the two air
frames,” one employee said. Major Bryce is a combatant in the sky
eight hours a day, sometimes dropping hellfire missiles or precision
guided bombs on high-value targets. “Our job is to be in the mental
model knowing that we could jump right into the seat and something
could happen,” he said.”
The
New York Times: Why A Black Preacher Is Fighting For Control Of A
Neo-Nazi Group
“A pitched leadership battle is taking place inside one of the
country’s oldest neo-Nazi groups. On one side, a true believer is
pushing to attract new members and expand the ranks. On the other, a
black former Baptist preacher is hoping to destroy the hate-spewing
group from the inside. James Hart Stern, the 55-year-old preacher from
Los Angeles, took control of the group, the National Socialist
Movement, in January. He is now struggling with Burt Colucci, 43, a
longtime member, over leadership of the group. The fight has thrown
the organization into upheaval during a time when far-right extremism
is on the rise and other white supremacy groups are gaining ground.
The two men are fighting over who has control over the group’s
official website. That site is now more important than ever, as more
hate groups recruit with memes than marches. The N.S.M., as the group
is known, has struggled to keep up as its membership dwindles.”
NBC
Washington: Extremist Reported By Family Pleads Guilty To Gun
Charge
“A man whose relatives reported concerns about his behavior and
far-right extremist rhetoric after last year's Pittsburgh synagogue
massacre pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge Tuesday. Jeffrey Clark
Jr., 30, of Washington, D.C., faces a maximum of 10 years in prison
after pleading guilty to one count of illegal possession of firearms
by a person who is an unlawful user of a controlled substance.
Estimated sentencing guidelines call for a sentence ranging from 10 to
16 months, but U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who is scheduled to
sentence Clark on Sept. 13, isn't bound by those guidelines. The judge
refused to release Clark before sentencing. The FBI said Clark is a
self-described white nationalist who followed Pittsburgh synagogue
shooting suspect Robert Bowers on the Gab social media platform and
referred to him as a “hero” in a post after the Oct. 27, 2018,
shooting. Bowers spewed anti-Semitic hatred on his Gab account before
killing 11 people inside the synagogue, authorities said. Clark was
arrested after relatives called the FBI on Nov. 2 to report their
concerns that he could be a danger to himself or others. Relatives
told FBI agents that Clark became “really riled up” after his younger
brother, Edward, shot and killed himself within hours of the
Pittsburgh attack.”
Syria
Reuters:
Syrian State TV Reports Israeli Attack In Southern
Syria
“Syrian state television said on Wednesday that Israel struck a
strategic area in southern Syria overlooking the Golan Heights where
Western intelligence sources previously said Iranian-backed militias
are known to be based. The newsflash on state-owned Ikhbariyah did
not give details, but said the strike was directed on Tel Haraa, which
had long been an outpost for Russian forces but was later taken by
Iranian-backed militias, according to Western intelligence
sources. State news agency SANA later said damages were only material
and referred to the last Israeli attacks at the end of last month when
it said its air defences repelled a major attack on some of its
outposts on the outskirts of the capital and Homs province. Diplomatic
sources familiar with Syria said at the time these overnight attacks
outside Damascus on Iranian-backed forces, including bases of
Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah group, were among the largest strikes
attributed to Israel in recent years. They came only days after the
national security advisers of Israel, the United States and Russia met
in Israel, with Washington and Jerusalem demanding that Moscow ensure
the withdrawal of Iran’s forces from the region, according to
intelligence sources.”
The
Independent: More Than 11,000 Women And Children Related To Isis
Suspects Held In 'Appalling Deadly Conditions' In
Syria
“More than 11,000 foreign women and children related
to Isis suspects are being held in “appalling” and “deadly conditions”
in a locked desert camp in northeast Syria, a leading human rights
organisation has warned. Human Rights Watch found overflowing
latrines, sewage seeping into tattered tents, and inhabitants
of al-Hol camp drinking wash water from tanks which contained worms.
The organisation, which carried out several visits to the part of the
camp which holds foreign women and children last month, urged
countries to take back the thousands of foreign women and children
being held by the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration for northeast
Syria in the camp. At least seven thousand of the children are under
the age of 12, most of whom are survivors of heavy fighting and are
highly vulnerable. Human Rights Watch witnessed young children with
skin rashes, emaciated limbs, and swollen bellies sifting through
mounds of stinking garbage in the blazing sun or lying limp on tent
floors. The United Nations estimate at least 240 children have died en
route or upon arrival to al-Hol. Aid groups and camp mangers said
children are “regularly” dying from acute diarrhoea and flu-like
infections, but warned the exact number may not be known as children
are dying in tents rather than in hospitals and so may not be
recorded.”
The
Jerusalem Post: Hezbollah Operative Killed In Southern Syria Was Part
Of Golan File
“The Hezbollah operative killed in Syria was part of the group’s
clandestine “Golan File” which aims to establish and entrench a covert
force in the Syrian Golan Heights that is designed to act against
Israel when given the order. Mashour Zidan, a resident of the Druze
village of Hader in the Syrian Golan Heights, was killed Monday after
an IED planted in his car exploded as he was driving near the Syrian
town of Sasa in southern Syria. While Syria’s official news agency
SANA blamed his death on an IED, Syrian opposition reports stated that
he was killed in an airstrike by an Israeli unmanned aerial vehicle.
Israel, which does not comment on foreign reports, has remained mum on
his death. Hezbollah has also remained quiet and has not blamed Israel
for his death. According to the Lebanese news site al-Modon, Zidan was
believed to have been killed fighting in Syria’s eastern Ghouta after
he “mysteriously disappeared four months earlier.” But, according to
the report Zidan had been summoned to Lebanon before he returned to
Syria with a new identity. His “mysterious” disappearance came around
the time Israel announced that it uncovered Hezbollah’s Golan File
network.”
Iran
Al
Jazeera: Iran Warns Against International Naval Coalition In The
Gulf
“Senior Iranian officials have warned against any attempt to form
an international coalition to protect shipping in the Gulf, with the
Islamic republic's first vice president saying the move will only
bring insecurity to the region. The response comes after Italy,
Denmark, the Netherlands and France on Tuesday backed the UK's
proposal for a European naval force after Tehran seized a
British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Relations between the
UK and Iran have been strained since British authorities detained an
Iranian tanker earlier this month off the coast of Gibraltar on
suspicion it was shipping oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions. Iran
has accused the UK of acting at the behest of the US and demanded the
immediate release of the ship. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif congratulated Boris Johnson, who is set to take
over as the next prime minister from Theresa May amid the diplomatic
standoff between the two countries. “Iran does not seek confrontation.
But we have 1,500 miles of Persian Gulf coastline. These are our
waters & we will protect them,” he tweeted.”
The
Jerusalem Post: UK Fears Iran-Backed Terror Cells Could Attack Europe
In Case Of Escalation
“British intelligence fears that Iranian-supported terrorist cells
in Europe could launch attacks on the UK and the rest of the continent
if the situation in the Persian Gulf escalates, according to The
Telegraph. Iran ranks behind Russia and China as the nation posing
the greatest threat to British national security, according to senior
intelligence officers, and the seizure of the British flagged Sten
Impero only deepened concerns about Iranian aggression in MI5 and MI6.
Intelligence agencies believe that Iran has organized and funded
sleeper terrorist cells throughout Europe, including the UK, and could
order them to carry out attacks in response to an escalation in the
Gulf conflict. The cells are linked to the Lebanese Hezbollah
terrorist group, according to The Telegraph. One such cell was
uncovered by counter-terrorism police in 2015, with tons of explosive
materials at businesses on the outskirts of London. “Iran uses proxies
and they have control of a network of individuals linked to
Hezbollah,” said one source to The Telegraph. “Iran has Hezbollah
operatives in position to carry out a terrorist attack in the event of
a conflict. That is the nature of the domestic threat Iran poses to
the UK.” Although MI5 and the Metropolitan Police are sure that raids
in 2015 severely disrupted Iranian terrorist activities in the UK,
there are still widespread cells throughout Europe.”
Al
Jazeera: Iran Warns Against International Naval Coalition In The
Gulf
“Senior Iranian officials have warned against any attempt to form
an international coalition to protect shipping in the Gulf, with the
Islamic republic's first vice president saying the move will only
bring insecurity to the region. The response comes after Italy,
Denmark, the Netherlands and France on Tuesday backed the UK's
proposal for a European naval force after Tehran seized a
British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. Relations between the
UK and Iran have been strained since British authorities detained an
Iranian tanker earlier this month off the coast of Gibraltar on
suspicion it was shipping oil to Syria in breach of EU sanctions. Iran
has accused the UK of acting at the behest of the US and demanded the
immediate release of the ship. On Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister
Mohammad Javad Zarif congratulated Boris Johnson, who is set to take
over as the next prime minister from Theresa May amid the diplomatic
standoff between the two countries.”
The
New York Post: US ‘May Have Brought Down’ Second Iranian Drone In
Strait Of Hormuz
“A US military commander said a Navy ship may have downed a second
Iranian drone last week in the Strait of Hormuz. “As always it was a
complex tactical picture, we believe two drones. We believe two drones
were successfully — there may have been more that we are not aware of
— those are the two that we engaged successfully,” Marine Corps Gen.
Kenneth McKenzie told CBS News on Tuesday. Speaking aboard the USS
Boxer, the ship that targeted the drones, McKenzie said they are
“confident we brought down one drone, we may have brought down a
second.” CBS said the incidents took place about an hour apart after
the Navy believed the two aircraft were flying too close to the ship.
The USS Boxer was monitoring Iranian boats and helicopters in the
region. Iran claimed the US brought down its own drone, a notion that
President Trump dismissed by saying during a White House event Monday
that the US used “new technology that’s actually quite amazing.”
Yahoo
News: Iran Warns Brazil Over Stranded Ship Barred From
Refueling
“Iran has threatened to cut its imports from Brazil unless it
allows the refueling of at least two Iranian ships stranded off the
Brazilian coast, in a sign of the global repercussions of U.S.
sanctions on the Islamic republic. Iran’s ambassador in Brasilia,
Seyed Ali Saghaeyan, told Brazilian officials on Tuesday that his
country could easily find new suppliers of corn, soybeans and meat if
the South American country refuses to permit the refueling of the
vessels. Brazil exports around $2 billion to Iran a year, mostly
commodities like corn, meat and sugar. Tehran buys one third of all
Brazil’s corn exports. “I told the Brazilians that they should solve
the issue, not the Iranians,” Saghaeyan said in a rare interview at
the Iranian Embassy in Brasilia. “If it’s not solved, maybe the
authorities in Tehran may want to take some decision because this is a
free market and other countries are available.”
Iraq
The
Stars And Stripes: Iraqi Forces Clear Farmland Near Baghdad Of ISIS
Militants
“Iraqi security forces were sweeping villages and farmland north of
Baghdad on Tuesday as part of an operation aimed at clearing remnants
of Islamic State from around the capital. A military helicopter soared
overhead as troops searched for weapon caches and bombs in Tarmiyah
and Iraqi river police combed the Tigris River. The area is about 30
miles north of Baghdad. The dragnet is part of the operation dubbed
“Will to Victory,” which started two weeks ago along the border with
Syria and was extended last week to areas north of Baghdad and in the
Diyala, Salahuddin and Anbar provinces. Iraq declared victory against
ISIS in July 2017, but the extremists, who once controlled much of
northern and western Iraq, have continued to carry out attacks,
including ambushes and kidnappings. Maj. Gen. Jalil al-Rubaie,
commander of the Baghdad Operations Command, described it as a “well
planned operation” and urged residents of Tarmiyah to cooperate with
security forces. Much of the area is sparsely populated farmland,
which militants have used to launch attacks on security forces.
Al-Rubaie said the operation was meant to reassure the population in
and around Baghdad about security in the region.”
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Court Sentences Two Men To Death For Joining Islamic
State
“An Iraqi court has sentenced two men to death after finding them
guilty of joining the Islamic State group, a judicial council said.
One of them was found implicated in terrorist attacks against security
forces near the Baiji oil refinery and the University of Tikrit in the
Sunni-majority province of Salahuddin, Baghdad Today website quoted
the Supreme Judicial Council as saying in a press statement on
Thursday. The other convict confessed to running a workshop for
booby-trapping Islamic State vehicles in 2014, the statement read. The
court rulings were issued pursuant to article no. ¼ of the
anti-terrorism law, it added. Iraq’s anti-terrorism law empowers
courts to convict people who are believed to have helped jihadists
even if they are not accused of carrying out attacks. The exact number
of detained Islamic State militants is still unknown, however, it’s
estimated to be at thousands. It’s also unclear how many members are
likely to face death sentences. The UN, the European Union and
international human rights groups always criticize mass killings in
Iraq and call for abolishing the death penalty, which was suspended on
June 10, 2003, but was reinstated on August 8, 2004.”
Iraqi
News: Iraqi Security Arrest 7 Islamic State Members In
Mosul
“Iraqi security forces arrested seven Islamic State members in the
group’s formerly-declared capital, as authorities continue to hunt for
the extremist group’s vestiges across its former havens. The Interior
Ministry said in a statement that the seven were apprehended in three
neighborhoods of Mosul. It explained that some of those arrested
worked for the group’s Hisbah (religious vigilantes) division, while
the others worked as personnel officers. Iraq declared victory over IS
late 2017, but security continues to arrest and eliminate runaway
members at the group’s former strongholds.”
Turkey
Al
Jazeera: Turkish Banker Jailed In US Over Iran Sanctions
Repatriated
“A Turkish banker convicted for plotting to help Iran evade United
States sanctions on Iranian oil proceeds has arrived in Istanbul,
according to state media in Turkey. Mehmet Hakan Atilla on Wednesday
landed in the Turkish city following his departure from New York's
John F. Kennedy International Airport the previous day, Anadolu Agency
said. The former deputy director-general of Turkish lender Halkbank
was arrested in March 2017 and convicted the following year on five
counts of bank fraud and conspiracy following a five-week trial in New
York. He was sentenced to 32 months in prison, but was released from
prison early, on July 19, due to good behaviour. Prosecutors had
wanted a 20-year sentence for the 48-year-old banker. Atilla claimed
that he had only played a minor role in the scheme and acted as
executor of instructions by the bank's director- general - an argument
accepted by the court.”
Afghanistan
The
Washington Post: Pakistan PM Says Taliban May Soon Release 2
Hostages
“Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan says militants may soon release
two Western hostages as negotiations on a peace deal for Afghanistan
make progress with his country’s help. Khan, who was in the middle of
a three-day U.S. visit Tuesday, has repeatedly said the men, an
American and Australian, could be freed from the Taliban-linked
militants who have held them for nearly three years. “We will be
giving you good news about the two hostages,” Khan told President
Donald Trump in their meeting Monday at the White House. The prime
minister did not mention them by name at the White House but in a
later interview said he was referring to an American and an Australian
kidnapped by the Taliban. “Pakistan is playing its part,” he told Fox
News with Brett Baier. “And I think we’re very close. We hope to give
some good news in the next 48 hours.” In its ongoing negotiations with
the Taliban, the U.S. has been pressing for the release of American
Kevin King, 62, and Australian Timothy John Weeks, 50, of Sydney. It’s
unknown where King grew up in the United States, but the FBI said he
speaks both English and Thai. The men, both English teachers at the
American University of Kabul, were abducted August 2016 as they
returned to the campus in the Afghan capital.”
Reuters:
Pakistan Prime Minister Khan Says He Will Try To Persuade Taliban To
Meet Afghan Government
“Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said he would try
meet with the Taliban in an effort to persuade the group to meet with
the Afghan government, as the United States seeks to end the nearly
18-year old war. “I will meet the Taliban and I will try my best to
get them to talk to the Afghan government,” Khan said during an
appearance at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington. Khan said a
Taliban delegation had wanted to meet him a few months back but he did
not because of opposition from the Afghan government. The United
States and the Taliban are getting closer to a deal that is expected
to be centered on a U.S. pledge to withdraw troops in exchange for a
Taliban promise not to let Afghanistan be used as a base for
terrorism, officials say. However, the Taliban have refused to
negotiate with the government, denouncing it as a U.S puppet, but in
an effort to foster Afghan reconciliation, a 60-strong delegation of
citizens met the Taliban for two days of talks in Qatar from
Sunday. Pakistan’s role in the peace negotiations is a delicate
one. Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of supporting the Taliban, a charge
Pakistan denies, saying it has suffered heavily from the fighting. The
United States has also pressed Islamabad to do more to curb militant
groups based in its territory.”
Yemen
Gulf
News: Arab coalition foils Al Houthi threats to
shipping
“The Arab coalition fighting Iran-allied Al Houthis in Yemen has
helped thwart the militants’ attempts to imperil sea navigation, an
official said. “On July 7, there was an Al Houthi attempt to target a
commercial ship through an explosive-loaded boat,” coalition spokesman
Turki Al Maliki said in a press briefing in Riyadh. “The alliance
forces tackled the boat before it could reach the ship.” In recent
weeks, Iran has been accused of attacking commercial vessels in the
region amid heightened tensions with the US.On Friday, the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard seized Britain-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero and
towed it to the Iranian port of Bandr Abbas for an investigation over
an alleged incident with an Iranian boat. Iran is the sponsor of Al
Houthis, who plunged Yemen in a devastating conflict in late 2014 when
they unseated the internationally recognised government there and
seized the capital Sana’a. In recent weeks, they have stepped up their
attacks into neighbouring Saudi Arabia. “Al Houthi militias continue
to violate the international humanitarian law, perpetrate grave
violations that amount to war crimes and attempt to target civilians
inside Saudi Arabia,” Al Maliki said.”
The
National: Yemen Government Condemns Houthi Killing Of Tribal
Leader
“Yemen’s internationally recognised government condemned on Tuesday
the killing of a tribal leader by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
Fighting between two tribal groups loyal to the rebels resulted in the
deaths of at least 10 people in the northwestern Amran province on
Sunday. Sheikh Mujahed Kashira, a tribal leader who once fought
alongside the Houthis, was killed after being accused of defecting. A
video shared online showed gunmen attacking Kashira's lifeless body as
they dragged it through a street. “The assassination of Sheikh Mujahed
Kashira and the abuse of his dead body is compared to ISIS and those
extreme groups,” Yemen’s human rights minister, Mohamed Askar,
said.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Saudi MASAM Clears 77,000 Houthi Landmines In
Yemen
“King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center's (KSrelief)
project for clearing mines (MASAM) announced that it had removed 1,318
landmines planted by Houthi militias in the third week of July. MASAM
Program Manager Osama al-Gosaibi said that “the engineering teams had
removed 599 anti-tank and three antipersonnel mines. The teams also
removed 714 unexploded ordnance and 42 explosive devices.” Gosaibi
pointed out that 3,014 mines and unexploded ordnance in total have
been removed since the beginning of July. The total number of mines,
explosive devices and unexploded ordnance cleared since the launch of
the project until July 18 reached 77,129, he stressed. Further, scores
of insurgents were killed and injured in clashes with the Yemeni
National Army and Arab Coalition airstrikes on the fronts of Saada,
which is the Houthi stronghold, and Maarib, east of Sanaa.”
Qatar
Gulf
News: Revealed: Qatari Involvement In Somalia Bombing
“When a small car bomb exploded outside a courthouse in the
bustling port city of Bosaso in northern Somalia, local news reports
chalked it up to Islamist militants retaliating for US air strikes. At
least eight people were wounded, and a local affiliate of Daesh
claimed responsibility. Now, in an in-depth report, the New York Times
has revealed that Qatar was behind the attack. In an audio recording
obtained by The New York Times of a cellphone call with the Qatari
ambassador to Somalia, a businessman close to the emir of Qatar said
the militants had carried out the bombing in Bosaso to advance Qatar’s
interests by trying to driving out UAE. DP World manages the port in
Bosaso. “The bombings and killings, we know who are behind them,” the
businessman, Khalifa Kayed Al Muhanadi, said in the call May 18, about
a week after the bombing.”
Middle East
Express:
Israeli Artillery And Aircraft Strike 'Iran-Backed' Militias In
Syria
“The Ikhbariyah news report said the strike was in Tel Haraa in
southern Syria where western intelligence believe Iranian backed
militias operate. The area was previously used as an outpost for
Russian forces. Last month, the Syrian army said it she down a number
of Israeli missile targeting the location. Israel is believed to have
target the area before. The Benjamin Netanyahu Government has poor
relationships with both Tehran and Damascus, neither of whom recognise
Israel. Israel has launched strikes across the border into Syria
during the current Civil War engulfing the state. The strikes have
targeted both Iran and Lebanese militant and political group
Hezbollah, whom it regards as a threat to its borders.”
Egypt
The
Wall Street Journal: Egyptian Families Accuse Security Forces Of
Killing Detainees
“Egyptian security forces arrested Mohamed Abdelsatar at the school
where he worked as a teacher in April 2017. Another man, Sabry Salah,
was arrested the next month. Mr. Salah’s wife and Mr. Abdelsatar’s
school asked the government for information about their whereabouts in
the days after their arrests. None was forthcoming. The month after
each man disappeared, however, the government said they were
dead—killed by security forces in exchanges of gunfire. Those deaths
and others like them are fueling allegations that Egypt’s security
forces are killing detainees and later claiming they died in clashes
with police, according to the accounts of Western security officials,
victims’ relatives and documents seen by The Wall Street Journal. The
killings are among hundreds carried out by the Egyptian Interior
Ministry as it wrestles with attacks by Islamic State and other
militant groups. Those attacks have claimed the lives of hundreds of
Egyptians in recent years. The militant attacks and the increasingly
lethal response by security forces have resulted in more scrutiny on
the human rights record of the Egyptian government, a key U.S. ally
and the recipient of billions in American military aid.”
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Sisi: We Can Curb Terrorism, Defeat Hotbeds
Of Terrorism
“Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that the threat of
terrorism was at the top of challenges faced by his country during the
past years. Sisi was addressing military graduates on the anniversary
of the revolution of July 23rd, 1952. “The threat of terrorism was at
the forefront of the challenges we faced over the past years, but
thanks to the sacrifices of the great Egyptian army and its valiant
police, we were able to besiege it, destroy its infrastructure and
defeat extremists’ hotbeds,” he said. Egypt has been witnessing since
the ousting of former President Mohamed Morsi, in 2013, terrorist
attacks targeting mainly the army and police forces, killing hundreds
of people. Most of these attacks are limited in the north of the Sinai
Peninsula, but some have extended to Cairo and other cities. Sisi said
that the graduation ceremony came in conjunction with the anniversary
of the July Revolution, “which represents the beginning of a new phase
in the Egyptian history.” “It defended the nation’s future… making a
radical change in the history of modern Egypt,” he stressed, referring
to late President Gamal Abdel-Nasser’s revolution. The president also
praised the Egyptian people for their steadfastness and commitment to
preserve their country throughout all difficult stages.”
Libya
Bloomberg:
Libya Chaos Is Threat To West Africa, Niger Minister
Says
“The chaos in Libya, where strongman Khalifa Haftar has vowed to
capture the capital from the internationally recognized government, is
threatening to further destabilize its West African neighbors, Niger’s
interior minister said. Several countries in the Sahel, a semi-arid
region on the southern fringe of the Sahara desert, are already
struggling to cope with Islamist militant violence and a surge in
inter-communal conflict that’s being stoked by the jihadists’
presence. The conflict in Libya is “fuel on the fire,” Niger Interior
Minister Mohamed Bazoum said in an interview in the capital, Niamey.
“The situation in Libya boosts the development of transnational border
crime and the circulation of arms that reinforces armed actors and
feeds into the conflicts across the Sahel,” Bazoum said in his office
in a neighborhood protected by police checkpoints and spike barriers.
The rapid spread of Islamist militant insurgencies in West Africa was
triggered by the 2011 ousting of Libyan leader Moammar al-Qaddafi and
the subsequent disintegration of the state. Weapons and ammunition
from Libyan stockpiles, including anti-aircraft artillery and
explosives, were smuggled into Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, mainly by
former soldiers in the Libyan army that originally hailed from Mali
and Niger.”
Nigeria
All
Africa: Africa: Where Will Boko Haram Go Next After Ten Years Of
Moving Around?
“The August 2011 Boko Haram bombing outside the UN building in
Nigeria's capital Abuja killed at least 21 people. Credit: Gbemiga
Olamikan. Ten years ago in July 2009, Nigeria's security forces
cracked down on what was then a relatively little-known Islamic group
in the north east of the country. At the time, that group's focus was
preaching, although it believed al-Qaeda's path would bring Nigerian
Muslims out of their abyss. The military operation led to the deaths
of hundreds of its members, including the group's leader and cleric
Muhammed Yusuf. Following this deadly attack, few expected Boko Haram
to rebuild. Even fewer could have predicted that a decade later, the
group would have the capability to raid military barracks not just in
Nigeria but across the Lake Chad region. In the past year alone, the
Islamist militants have attacked bases in Baga, Nigeria, Darak,
Cameroon, and Dangdalla, Chad, while attacks in Niger continue to
escalate. In the ten years since the insurgency began, the death toll
from the conflict is at least 30,000 people, though observers suggest
the real total could be closer to 70,000. Today, a decade since it was
almost wiped out, Boko Haram has an estimated 6,000 fighters broken
into two factions.”
Anadolu:
Boko Haram Abducts 5 Women In Troubled Nigerian Town
“At least five women and girls have been abducted by Boko Haram in
Nigerian troubled northeast town. Multiple security sources and
residents told Anadolu Agency that some Boko Haram insurgents in a
4-wheel vehicle attacked Dikwa town, some 90 kilometers (about 53.4
miles) to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on Tuesday morning. "The
insurgents came at about 8:30am (local time), abducted seven women but
found out one of them was a lactating mother, another one also
escaped, while five were forcefully taken away," a military source in
the area said. Ali Bulama, a resident, said the insurgents fired
several shots while escaping the area. "The woman that ran away from
the Boko Haram as they were going was hit with gunshot on her back,"
Ali said in a message. Military did not immediately respond to request
for confirmation from Anadolu Agency in Maiduguri. The General Officer
Commanding (GOC) 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri could
not be reached on his telephone.”
Somalia
All
Africa: Somalia: Al-Shabaab Clash With Somali And AU Troops In Central
Somalia
“Heavy fighting reported between Somali troops backed by Djibouti
peacekeepers and Al-Shabaab in Hiran region of central Somalia on
Tuesday, residents, and officials said. The battle erupted after the
militants ambushed a military camp outside Bulo-Burde airstrip which
is protected by Djibouti soldiers serving under AU mission in Somalia
[AMISOM]. Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group has claimed
responsibility for the military base attack, saying it killed two
government soldiers during the clash. The allied troops have launched
operations against Al-Shabaab militants in southern Somalia, in an
attempt to drive out the group from the entire regions of the country.
The death toll in the Monday Bombing in the vicinity of Mogadishu
airport has increased to 21.”
Africa
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Hezbollah Agent Arrested In Uganda
“Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency has contributed to the arrest
of a Lebanese Hezbollah agent in Uganda, Ugandan media reported this
week. Hussein Mahmood Yassine, an undercover agent working for the
Iranian-backed group, was arrested on July 7 by a Ugandan security
team at Entebbe International Airport before boarding a plane to
Lebanon, the Kampala Post reported. Yassine, who had worked in Uganda
since 2010, was held incommunicado, the Post reported, according to
Israeli media. He was reportedly tracked for months before his arrest.
According to an intelligence source, Hezbollah instructed Yassine to
identify potential US and Israeli targets for attacks in Uganda and to
recruit other Lebanese nationals for the party. The source also
revealed that Yassine had already identified at least 100 Lebanese
citizens living in the country for potential recruitment. Media
reports in southern Lebanon had said earlier this month that Yassine’s
family lost contact with him on July 7 while he was returning to his
home country. Another family member named Ali Yassine has also gone
missing, they said.”
United Kingdom
BBC
News: UK Terror Threat Level: Risk From Right-Wing Extremists To
Inform System
“Risks posed by right-wing extremists in the UK are to be included
in the terror threat level system from now on. Previously the system
only assessed the threat from “international terrorism”. Home
Secretary Sajid Javid said the assessment will now cover all forms of
terrorism “irrespective of the ideology that inspires them” -
including right-wing, Northern Ireland, and Islamist. The changes do
not affect the current threat level of “severe”, meaning an attack is
“highly likely”. The threat from Northern Ireland-related terrorism in
Northern Ireland is also currently “severe”. It remains separate from
the national threat level. Both levels are determined independent of
government ministers. Mr Javid said the purpose of a threat level
system is to allow security services and police forces to determine
what security measures to undertake, and to help the public understand
why these measures are necessary. He said the levels are kept under
constant review and are based on “the very latest intelligence,
considering factors such as capability, intent and timescale”. “There
remains a real and serious threat against the United Kingdom from
terrorism and I would ask the public to remain vigilant and to report
any suspicious activity to the police regardless of the threat level,”
Mr Javid added.”
The
National: UK Denounces ‘Appalling’ Day Of Attacks Killing Scores Of
Civilians In Syria’s Idlib
“The UK government condemned “appalling attacks” in which more than
50 civilians died in Syria’s north-west Idlib province on Monday.
Britain’s special envoy to Syria, Martin Longden, said the attacks on
markets in Maarat Al Numan and Saraqeb were “one of the deadliest
days” in the months’ long offensive by the Syrian regime and its
allies against Idlib. Idlib is one of the last remaining enclaves
under the control of fighters opposed to the regime of President
Bashar Al Assad. “We have continuously called on Russia and the regime
in the UN Security Council to explain the repeated attacks on civilian
infrastructure such as hospitals and schools – all places in which
civilians should be safe," Mr Longden said. "We are yet to receive an
adequate or reasonable explanation." Over 24 weeks, Damascus and its
Russian allies have regularly bombed schools, hospitals and other
civilian buildings in Idlib. The onslaught has caused an outcry from
the international community and activists.”
Australia
The
Washington Post: Australian Parliament To Ban Extremists From Coming
Home
“Australia is set to pass laws as early as Wednesday that would
allow the government to prevent suspected extremists from returning
home for up to two years while Australian supporters of the Islamic
State group are demanding to be repatriated from crowded Syrian
refugee camps. The bills based on British law are scheduled for debate
in the Senate on Wednesday after they were passed Tuesday night in the
House of Representatives where the conservative government holds a
majority. The center-left Labor Party opposition wants the legislation
made more consistent with the British model with amendments that would
allow a judge rather than Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to decide
which Australians are banished. But the opposition supported the
legislation in the House, indicating that their misgivings were not
sufficient to attempt to block its passage. Dutton argues he needs the
flexibility to act quickly to prevent extremists returning. He also
argues that some of Labor’s proposed amendments set the threshold for
preventing Australians from returning too high. The so-called
Temporary Exclusion Order was “designed to ensure that authorities can
manage these returns in a way that keeps the Australian community
safe,” Dutton told Parliament.”
7News.Com.Au:
Terrorists Jailed For More Than A Decade Over Melbourne Mosque
Firebombing
“Three convicted terrorists will spend more than a decade each
behind bars for firebombing a Melbourne mosque in an attack motivated
by hate, intolerance and malevolence. Ahmed Mohamed and Abdullah
Chaarani attempted once to burn the Imam Ali Islamic Centre at Fawkner
in November 2016, before succeeding in a second attempt a month later,
helped by Hatim Moukhaiber. Mohamed and Chaarani must serve at least
17 years of a 22-year sentence, while Moukhaiber will be eligible for
parole after 12 years of his maximum 16-year prison term. The trio was
found guilty in the Victorian Supreme Court in May of engaging in a
terror act by firebombing the Imam Ali Islamic Centre at Fawkner in
December 2016. Mohamed and Chaarani were previously convicted for
their roles in planning a terror attack for Christmas Day 2016,
targeting Melbourne's Federation Square, St Paul's Cathedral and
Flinders Street station.”
New Zealand
Homeland
Security Today.US: Far-Right Terrorism And New Zealand’s ‘Loss Of
Innocence’
“The Counter Extremism Project has identified European
Ethno-nationalist and white supremacy groups. Its report found that:
“More than 70 years after the defeat of Nazi Germany,
ethno-nationalist and white supremacist movements in Europe continue
to thrive. They include far-right political parties, neo-Nazi
movements, and apolitical protest groups. Some groups openly espouse
violent white supremacy, while others have propagated their radical
stances under the guise of populism. Such populist groups claim that
they are striving to protect average hardworking Europeans by
preserving their livelihoods and heritages from economic and cultural
threats posed by immigrants and ethnic minorities.”
Europe
Radio
Free Europe: Russian Supreme Court Upholds Sentence For Ukrainian
Convicted Of 'Promoting Terrorism'
“Russia's Supreme Court has upheld a six-year prison sentence given
to 20-year-old Ukrainian national Pavlo Hryb. The North Caucasus
Regional Court on March 22 convicted Hryb of “promoting terrorism,” a
charge he contends was fabricated by the Federal Security Service
(FSB). Hryb’s lawyers appealed the verdict, but in a ruling on July 23
the Supreme Court said it found no grounds to reverse the verdict.
Hryb’s father, Ihor Hryb, condemned the March verdict as a “death
sentence for Pavlo...who needs an urgent medical operation in order to
live.” Ukraine denounced the verdict, calling it “unlawful,” and Hryb
announced a hunger strike to protest the ruling as well as his
treatment in jail. Hryb said he had been “denied medical treatment”
while in custody. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demanded the
“immediate reversal of the unlawful sentence” and called for Hryb's
“release and unimpeded return to Ukraine.” Hryb went missing in August
2017 after he traveled to Belarus to meet a woman he met online.
Relatives believe he walked into a trap set by the FSB, which later
told Ukraine that Hryb was being held in a detention center in Russia
on suspicion of promoting terrorism.”
Southeast Asia
Reuters:
Indonesia Says Militant's Arrest Reveals Plots, New Islamic State
Links
“Indonesian police said on Tuesday a suspected militant arrested
last week was plotting Independence Day bomb attacks and they suspect
he was part of a network behind violence in the Philippines that also
has ties to Islamic State in Afghanistan. Officers from Indonesia’s
anti-terrorism unit, Densus 88, arrested the suspect in the province
of West Sumatra last Thursday, national police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo
told a news conference. The suspect, identified as Novendri, was a
member of the Islamic State-inspired Jemaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD)
group, which was banned in Indonesia last year for “conducting
terrorism” and being affiliated with foreign militants. Authorities
believe Novendri was planning bomb attacks including two police
headquarters in the city of Padang in West Sumatra province and other
police posts on Independence Day on Aug. 17, Prasetyo said. Police
displayed a chart at the news conference, setting out the suspected
foreign links of Indonesian militants including a leader, identified
as Saefulah, who is believed to be based in an area of Afghanistan
where Islamic State militants operate. According to Prasetyo, some
Indonesian militants had tried to reach Afghanistan after the defeat
of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.”
The
Straits Times: Foreign Terrorists In Mindanao Grooming Suicide
Bombers
“Philippine security officials yesterday confirmed that at least
seven foreign terrorists were training local militants for suicide
attacks in the country's restive south, and there could be dozens
more. “They are doing the usual. They are training bombers, grooming
suicide bombers, as manifested by the recent incident. They are also
training (Filipinos) on other terrorist actions,” Lieutenant-General
Cirilito Sobejana, head of the military's Western Mindanao Command,
told reporters. He said these foreign extremists were behind the first
suicide attack carried out by a Filipino. On June 28, Norman Lasuca,
23, set off one of two bombs that exploded inside a temporary camp of
a special army counter-terrorism unit in Indanan town, Sulu province.
Three soldiers manning the camp's gate were killed, along with three
civilians. Lt-Gen Sobejana said the seven foreign terrorists were
scattered across war-torn Mindanao Island, which is the size of South
Korea. They were with the small but brutal Abu Sayyaf group in the
island provinces of Sulu and Basilan, 1,000km south of Manila, or the
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters in central Mindanao. Both groups
have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)
terrorist group.”
Technology
The
Wall Street Journal: Facebook Settlement Requires Mark Zuckerberg To
Certify Privacy Protections
“Facebook Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg will have to personally certify
that the company is taking steps to protect consumer privacy under a
settlement expected to be announced with the Federal Trade Commission
on Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter said. The deal
includes a requirement that Mr. Zuckerberg make the certification to
the FTC quarterly based on his personal knowledge, the person said. A
false statement in such a certification would be subject to potential
penalties, this person said. Another person familiar with the matter
said Mr. Zuckerberg will have to certify that Facebook has privacy
controls in place. The Wall Street Journal has previously reported
that the settlement includes a roughly $5 billion fine for Facebook
and other requirements around how Facebook treats users’ privacy.
Facebook doesn’t admit or deny guilt for previous privacy missteps as
part of the deal, according to people familiar with the matter.”
CNBC:
Facebook And Amazon Lead Tech Lobbying Spend As Antitrust Scrutiny
Mounts
“Facebook and Amazon each spent more than $4 million on lobbying in
the second quarter of 2019 as antitrust regulators have taken steps to
scrutinize Big Tech. The two firms outspent their tech peers including
Google, which was the biggest tech lobbying spender of 2018. Google
reported $2.9 million in lobbying spend for the quarter, according to
newly released lobbying disclosures, continuing a trend of reduced
spending on such activity. Earlier this year, Google fired several of
its biggest lobbying firms as it restructured its policy operations,
The Wall Street Journal reported in June. Facebook spent $4.1 million
on lobbying activity in the second quarter of 2019, outspending almost
all other tech firms. Amazon followed closely behind, spending just
over $4 million, although its filing does not include lobbying spend
for its cloud division, Amazon Web Services, which could put it in the
lead.”
The
New York Times: Justice Department Opens Antitrust Review Of Big Tech
Companies
“The federal government has turned its full investigative powers
toward examining the world’s biggest technology companies, building on
a backlash against the industry that has been growing for over a year.
The Justice Department said on Tuesday that it would start an
antitrust review into how internet giants had accumulated market power
and whether they had acted to reduce competition. Similar inquiries
are underway in Congress and at the Federal Trade Commission, which
shares antitrust oversight responsibilities with the Justice
Department. The action is the clearest sign yet that the longtime
arguments that helped shield the tech giants from antitrust scrutiny
are eroding. Since the 1970s, a consensus in antitrust circles has
been that if companies were focused on consumer welfare — for example,
by offering low prices — they were not likely to attract federal
intervention. Since companies like Google and Facebook largely provide
free services, the thinking went, they were not subject to federal
antitrust examination.”
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