Eye on Extremism
July 5, 2022
Associated Press: European Force Battling Extremists Withdraws From Mali
“A European military task force that helped Mali’s government fight Islamic extremists has formally withdrawn from the West African country amid tensions with its ruling military junta. The French military, which spearheaded the Takuba task force, announced Friday that it officially ended its work Thursday. The move was tied to France’s decision earlier this year to withdraw troops from Mali after nine years helping Malian forces fight violent extremists who had threatened to seize power. The European departure comes after at least 132 people were killed in several villages in central Mali in recent weeks in attacks blamed on jihadi rebels linked to al-Qaida, and after a contractor for the U.N. peacekeeping force in Mali was killed Thursday. It also comes as Mali’s junta has grown closer to Russia, as Moscow has looked to build alliances and gain sway in Africa. The European Takuba force was composed of several hundred special forces troops from 10 countries: Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden. It aimed at training and protecting Malian combat forces.”
Politico: Belgium Paves Way To Send Convicted Terrorist To Iran
“Belgium’s parliament on Tuesday will debate whether to ratify a proposed treaty with Iran that could allow an Iranian convicted of terrorism in Belgium to be sent back to Tehran. Iran has loudly demanded that Belgium release Assadollah Assadi, an Iranian diplomat who was convicted on terrorism charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a bomb plot targeting a rally by opponents of the Iranian regime in France. The Belgian government has refused to explain the immediate need for the treaty, although Belgian media reported Monday night that Iran has been holding a Belgian national in jail since February, potentially as leverage. The treaty could also pave the way for a future political deal on Ahmadreza Djalali, who was sentenced to death by an Iranian court in 2017 on charges of spying for Israel. Djalali, a former researcher at the medical university Karolinska Institute in Stockholm and a guest lecturer at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), denies the charges. Belgium and Sweden have lobbied for his release for years. However, he would not immediately be covered by the treaty, as he doesn’t have Belgian nationality.”
United States
Fox News: Texas Man Arrested After Making 'Terrorist Threat' Toward Supreme Court
“A man in Texas was arrested after he allegedly made a “terrorist threat” toward the Supreme Court following the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Mikeal Archambault, 20, was arrested on June 25 by The Colony Police Department in Texas after allegedly making a “terrorist threat” toward the Supreme Court online on Twitter. A spokesperson for the police department told Fox News Digital that they were contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations following the threat that Archambault allegedly made on Twitter. After an investigation by the department's criminal investigative division, police obtained “probable cause for an arrest warrant.” Archambault was then arrested at his residence in The Colony, Texas, according to the spokesperson. “TCPD was contacted by the FBI regarding on-line Twitter threats toward the Supreme Court. In conjunction with the FBI, TCPD Criminal Investigative Division conducted an investigation and obtained probable cause for an arrest warrant. The suspect was arrested at his residence,” the spokesperson said. He was charged with making a terroristic threat and booked into the Denton County Jail on June 25 and was released on June 26 on a $25,000 surety bond.”
San Antonio Express-News: ISIS Supporters Who Distributed Instructions For Making Bombs Sentenced To About Two Decades In Federal Prison
“Two men have been sentenced to about two decades in federal prison for their involvement with the terrorist organization ISIS, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. Kristopher Sean Matthews, 36, of South Carolina, and Jaylyn Christopher Molina, 24, of Cost, in Gonzales County, both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham/Syria, better known as ISIS. Molina also pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography. Matthews, aka Ali Jibreel, received a 20-year prison term while Molina, also known as Abdur Rahim, will serve 18 years. Molina also received an 18-year sentence on the child pornography charge. The sentences will be served concurrently, the Justice Department said. “This sentencing serves as a reminder that terrorist organizations such as ISIS and their affiliates remain a threat to the United States in the homeland and abroad,” San Antonio FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. said in the release. “Addressing this threat continues to be the highest priority of the FBI and our Joint Terrorism Task Force partners.” Court documents state that Matthews and Molina provided a range of services to ISIS starting in May 2019, according to the news release. “
Syria
Al Monitor: Syrian Forces Crack Down On Islamic State In Syrian Desert
“The Syrian desert known as the Badia region has been recently witnessing violent battles between the Syrian government forces and Islamic State (IS) militants, while Russian warplanes are raiding the group’s hideouts and military vehicles in the main clash area of Jebel Bishri, which extends over large areas south of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces in the east of the country. Jebel Bishri in the Badia region is the same area where the government forces lost dozens of their members in separate attacks carried out by IS fighters during the past few weeks. On June 21, IS attacked the government's military barracks in Jebel Bishri, south of Raqqa province, killing and wounding several soldiers. A day early, on June 20, the group launched one of the deadliest attacks against government forces in the area. Syria’s state news agency SANA quoted a military source as saying, “At around 6:30 this morning, a civilian passenger bus was subjected to a terrorist attack on the Raqqa-Homs road in al-Jira area, which led to the death of 11 soldiers and two civilians, while three soldiers were injured.” IS claimed responsibility for the attack on the same day. IS’ Amaq news agency said that IS fighters ambushed a bus carrying Syrian government soldiers, targeting it with heavy fire using light and medium machine guns, killing 13 soldiers and wounding others.”
WTOP News: The Hunt: Explaining A US Terror Strike In Syria
“A drone strike by the U.S.-led coalition in northwestern Syria killed a senior member of an al-Qaida-linked group. His name was Abu Hamza al-Yemeni. On this week’s episode of “The Hunt with WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green,” Dr. Hans Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, explains who he was.”
Afghanistan
CNN: Taliban Labels Islamic State Affiliate A 'False Sect'
“The Taliban has declared the Islamic State affiliate ISIS-K a corrupt “sect” and forbidden Afghans from contact with it. “We call out to the nation that the seditious phenomenon called ISIS-K is void of today's age and a false sect that spreads corruption in our Islamic country. It is forbidden to have any kind of help or relationship with them,” the Taliban said in a resolution on Saturday. The resolution follows a three-day conference of religious leaders and elders in Kabul, according to Afghanistan's state-run news agency, Bakthar. ISIS-K (the k stands for Khorasan, the name of a historical region that covered parts of modern Afghanistan and Pakisan) has been operating in Afghanistan for the last few years. It is a branch of ISIS -- the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria -- according to the Wilson Center, a non-partisan policy forum. It has carried out numerous attacks on Afghan civilians and is thought to be responsible for thousands of deaths since its 2015 formation. The Taliban's resolution said that Afghanistan follows an Islamic system of rule and that “armed opposition to this system is considered rebellion and corruption.”It added that “any kind of opposition to this Islamic ruling system, which is in conflict with Islamic Sharia and national interests, is corruption and illegal action.”
CNN: Taliban Supreme Leader Warns Foreigners Not To Interfere In Afghanistan
“The Taliban's supreme leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada has once again warned foreigners not to interfere in Afghanistan during a rare speech at a gathering of Islamic clerics in Kabul on Friday, according to state media. The reclusive leader told the conference that Afghanistan “cannot develop without being independent,” according to state-run Bakhtar News Agency. “Thank God, we are now an independent country. (Foreigners) should not give us their orders, it is our system, and we have our own decisions,” Akhundzada added In the speech, Akhundzada praised the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan last August, almost two decades after they were driven from Kabul by US troops, saying: “The success of the Afghan jihad is not only a source of pride for Afghans but also for Muslims all over the world.” The speed of the takeover, just weeks after the starts of the withdrawal of US troops, took the world by surprise and led to the dissolution of the foreign-backed government of Ashraf Ghani, who had fled the country. Akhundzada made the comments in an audio recording during a three-day religious gathering of 3,000 attendees -- all of whom were male, according to state media. The meeting was not open to the media, but CNN listened to the recording of Akhundzada's speech.”
Voice Of America: US, Taliban Agree To Continue Talks
“The United States and Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban concluded a two-day meeting in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, the first in-person talks between the two sides in more than three months. Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi led their respective delegations at the negotiating table. The U.S. halted the dialogue in March when the hard-line Islamist group abruptly decided against allowing all teenage Afghan girls to resume secondary school education. Muttaqi’s spokesman, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, wrote on Twitter after the Doha meeting that West was accompanied by senior U.S. Treasury Department and White House representatives. The U.S. side discussed, among other issues, the status of frozen Afghan reserves with the Taliban team, which included Finance Ministry and officials from the central bank of Afghanistan. “FM Muttaqi expressed gratitude to the U.S. for announcing $55 million in humanitarian aid to earthquake victims, reiterating release of Afghan assets & lifting of sanctions,” Balkhi’s tweet said. Balkhi said the foreign minister stressed that engagement with his government “should be cooperative and positive instead of pressure tactics to achieve progress.”
Lebanon
Al Arabiya: Over 30 Governments Gather To Discuss Hezbollah’s ‘Ongoing Global Terrorist’ Plots
“A group of over 30 governments met this week to discuss the global terrorist threat posed by Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah, the State Department said on Friday. “Participants discussed Hezbollah’s ongoing global terrorist plotting, weapons procurement, and financial schemes, and outlined how Hezbollah may adapt in the future to evade law enforcement detection,” according to a statement. The Law Enforcement Coordination Group (LECG) also looked at ways to disrupt “Hezbollah terrorist and criminal activities, and associated networks.” “LECG participants noted that these actions demonstrate the growing recognition among our partners about the need to cooperate on our efforts to counter Hezbollah’s global terrorist networks,” the statement read. This was the group’s ninth meeting, which gathered countries from the Middle East, South America, Central America, Africa, Indo-Pacific and North America. Europol was also present at the meeting in Europe, but the State Department did not specify where it was held. Several countries have designated Hezbollah as a terror group in recent years, following Washington’s lead. Others have banned or limited Hezbollah’s activities in their respective countries, including participating in pro-Hezbollah parades.”
Middle East
The National: NATO Says Its Fight Against Terrorism In Middle East Is Intensifying
“The threat of terrorism remains a pressing challenge for Nato as it increases its ties with Arab states, a senior alliance official told The National on Thursday. The western alliance has been developing its “building defence capacity” programmes over the years with countries such as Jordan, Tunisia and more recently Mauritania. The programmes underpin Nato’s partnerships, he said. This week, Nato member states met in Madrid to discuss a new strategy for countering international threats, and to adapt an evolving security response. In Jordan, the alliance has been assisting the government in its fight against terrorism since 2014. The latest updates to the region's defence capabilities demonstrate “Nato’s commitment to Jordan and to the region, and that the fight against terrorism is growing and becoming more intense and in-depth,” the official said. “The most recent update of Jordan’s package emphasises special operations forces, border security and other key counterterrorism capabilities,” said the official. “It’s one of a good set of success stories,” he said. In terms of capacity building, Nato has been assisting Jordan's National Centre for Security Crisis to “achieve full operational capacity. For example, it helped co-ordinate the country's Covid-19 pandemic response,” said the official.”
Nigeria
Reuters: At Least 30 Nigerian Soldiers Killed In Ambush After Mine Attack
“At least 30 Nigerian soldiers were killed in an ambush after gunmen attacked a mine in the Shiroro area of Niger state earlier this week, three sources said on Saturday. The troops were among security forces deployed to search for mine workers, including four Chinese nationals, said to have been kidnapped during the attack on Wednesday. Emmanuel Umar, the commissioner for state security in northwestern Niger, initially said an unknown number of people had been killed during the mine attack in Ajata Aboki village. When the security forces responded to the attack, the gunmen ambushed them and opened fire, killing 30 soldiers travelling in three trucks, two army sources in Shiroro and Minna, the Niger state capital, said on Saturday. “It's heartbreaking to lose our men who went for reinforcements. It weakened us but we shall not relent,” said the soldier from an army base in Shiroro, who cannot be named because he is not authorised to speak to the press. The Nigerian army, which rarely comments on losses in battle, acknowledged that “a number of personnel paid the supreme price in fierce firefight that ensued”. A local leader in Shiroro told Reuters by phone that the gunmen had arrived on motorbikes and a truck at the mine before opening fire, killing seven policemen on guard.”
Sahara Reporters: 21 Terrorists Killed As Boko Haram, ISWAP Fighters Clash Again In Borno
“About 21 insurgents have been reportedly killed when Boko Haram fighters clashed with members of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction of the terrorists. A counter-insurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, disclosed this in a series of tweet on Friday. The rival groups have been attacking communities in the North-East region since both camps fell apart over leadership issues. The groups have also since been having clashes, and Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram, was reportedly killed during one of such clashes in 2021. According to Makama, ISWAP terrorists on five guntrucks and motorcycles attacked Boko Haram acclaimed Caliphate in Gazuwa village on Thursday, June 30. The caliphate formerly known as Gabchari, Mantari and Mallum Masari, is located about nine kilometres from Bama Local Government Area of the State. The counter-insurgency expert added that the attack triggered a fierce gunbattle between the terror groups, which lasted for about three hours. According to him, the Boko Haram faction later overpowered ISWAP, and killed 18 of them and recovered three of their trucks, while other terrorists on two trucks and motorcycles took to their heels Three Boko Haram terrorists were also killed while many others were injured in the coordinated attack, Makama added.”
Africa
Reuters: Armed Men Kill At Least 22 In North Burkina Faso Attack
“Armed assailants killed at least 22 civilians in northwest Burkina Faso on Monday, a local official said, the latest deadly attack in an area marred by militant activity. The attackers raided a rural commune in the province of Kossi, around 55 kilometres from the border with Mali, in the hours between late Sunday night and early Monday morning, regional governor Babo Pierre Bassinga said in a statement. “The provisional death toll of this terrorist attack is 22 dead, several wounded and material damage,” it said. Military forces have been deployed to the scene and measures are in place host those who fled to nearby cities, the statement added. Burkina Faso has been battling Islamist militants active in northern regions, some with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State, since 2015. The fighting has displaced more than 1.85 million in the West African country alone and killed thousands across the Sahel, where militant activity that took root in Mali has spread over the past decade. Army officers angry about the escalating attacks overthrew Burkina Faso's president in January and vowed to improve security, but levels of violence have remained high. Armed men killed at least 100 civilians in another rural district in northern Burkina Faso last month, the deadliest attack the country has seen in at least a year.”
All Africa: Kenya: 10 Al-Shabaab Militants Killed By Kenyan Forces In Boni Forest
“Kenyan military forces said they had killed 10 suspected Al-Shabaab militants following a security operation in Sarira and Kolbio areas in the vast Lamu's Boni Forest. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) said in a statement Friday that other suspected Shabaab terrorists escaped with injuries during the operation conducted near the Lamu-Somalia border. According to the KDF, the Al-Qaeda-linked militant group are suspected to be part of the Jeysh Ayman team led by Maalim Ayman who had allegedly planned to carry out attacks within the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor. “During the operation, ten newly graduated Al Shabaab terrorists were killed as others escaped with multiple injuries,” it said in a statement. One Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher (RPG), several assault weapons, assorted ammunition as well as personal effects were recovered during the operation. The KDF said that its troops have been actively engaged in a number of operations along the border areas to prevent further attacks from the Somalia-based militant group. “KDF troops continue with operations along the Kenya-Somalia border, along with other security agencies and support from local residents, to pacify the area in a bid to get rid of Al Shabaab terrorists,” they said.”
United Kingdom
The National: Alleged ISIS Beatle Faces Deportation To Britain As Turkey Jail Term Ends
“A terrorist alleged to be one of the ISIS Beatles execution squad is facing deportation from Turkey to Britain now that he has served his jail term. UK officials are being questioned as to why Aine Davis, from west London, has not been stripped of his citizenship, a move which would have blocked his deportation. Davis, 38, was jailed for seven years in Turkey in 2015. He had been discovered hiding out in a villa near Istanbul after being smuggled out of Syria by ISIS and was convicted of being a senior member of the terrorist group. He is believed to be the fourth member of the brutal squad known as the ISIS Beatles due to their English accents, along with ringleader Mohammed Emwazi, El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey. Emwazi was killed in a drone strike and this year Elsheikh and Kotey were convicted in the US of executing hostages. The group was responsible for the killings of a number of western hostages, including Alan Henning and David Haines from Britain, and four Americans, journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig. Davis has admitted attending the same London mosque as Emwazi and of knowing him but denies seeing him in Syria or being part of the group.”
The Independent: 19-Year-Old Man Charged With Terrorism And Explosives Offences After Arrest In Cheshire
“A teenager has been charged with possession of explosives and terrorism offences, following his arrest in northwest England. Vaughn Conrad John Dolphin, from Aldridge in Walsall, was arrested on the night of 27 June at an address in Cheshire on suspicion of terror offences, West Midlands Police said. Police listed a total of 10 charges levelled against him on Monday, including eight counts under the Terrorism Act and two under the Explosive Substances Act. The 19-year-old will appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates Court on Tuesday to face the charges, the force said. He is accused of being in possession of explosive substances, and faces six counts of possessing documents likely to be useful to someone committing or preparing an act of terrorism, police said. He also faces two counts of sharing material online which could encourage acts of terrorism. In February, the UK’s security services lowered their assessment of the threat posed by terrorism to “substantial” from “severe”, meaning a future attack is judged to be likely but not highly likely. In its statement on Monday evening, West Midlands Police said: “Our Counter Terrorism Unit has charged a teenager with possessing explosive material and manuals on how to make improvised explosives and firearms.”
Canada
CBC: Do More To Counter Violent Extremism In Canada, MPs Recommend
“The federal government has to do more to counter the threat of ideologically motivated violent extremism in Canada, including strengthening terrorist financing laws to counter it, the House of Commons public safety committee has recommended. In a report tabled before the House of Commons rose for the summer, the committee also recommended the federal government work with provinces to prevent what it described as a rising threat in Canada and to take steps to hold online companies more accountable for extremist or hateful content circulating on their platforms. However, the committee also acknowledged that there are issues surrounding any move to limit free speech. “Each member of this committee is sensitive to the charter issues that are implicated in responding to the threat of [ideologically motivated violent extremism], IMVE,” the committee wrote. “Any limitations on freedom of expression must be reasonable and justified in a free and democratic society.” The committee report comes after Canada saw a number of ideologically motivated violent extremist attacks in recent years — a phenomenon that experts told the committee was on the rise and fuelled by pandemic lockdowns that prompted people to spend more time online.”
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