“The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group threatened Israel with
military escalation Wednesday if a future deal over the disputed maritime bor











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Eye on Extremism


July 14, 2022



Associated Press: Hezbollah Threatens Israel With Escalation In Border Spat
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“The leader of Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group threatened Israel with
military escalation Wednesday if a future deal over the disputed maritime
border between the two countries is not in Lebanon’s favor. Sayyed Hassan
Narallah said in a televised speech that Lebanon should be able to extract oil
and gas in Lebanese waters. He warned that sending unarmed drones over the
Karish gas field in the Mediterranean earlier this month was “a modest
beginning to where the situation could be heading.” On July 2, the Israeli
military said it shot down three drones before Hezbollah issued a statement
saying they were unarmed and were sent on a reconnaissance mission. “The
mission was accomplished and the message was received,” a Hezbollah statement
said at the time. Israel and Hezbollah are bitter enemies that fought a
monthlong war in the summer of 2006. Israel considers the Iranian-backed
Lebanese group its most serious immediate threat, estimating it has some
150,000 rockets and missiles aimed at Israel. “The message of the drones meant
that we are serious and we are not after a psychological war but we are
gradually moving in our steps,” Nasrallah said, adding that Lebanese officials
should take advantage of his group’s strength to use it in indirect talks.
Nasrallah added that “whatever we are supposed to do, we will without any
hesitation. This message was understood by the Israelis and by the Americans.”



Reuters: Ahead Of Mali Withdraw, France Prepares Future Sahel Strategy
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“French officials head to Niger on Friday to redefine the country's strategy
to fight Islamist militants in the Sahel as thousands of troops complete a
withdrawal from Mali and concerns mount over the growing threat to coastal West
African states. Coups in Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso have weakened France's
alliances in its former colonies, emboldened jihadists who control large
swathes of desert and scrubland, and opened the door to greater Russian
influence. Concerns have grown that the exit of 2,400 French troops from Mali -
the epicentre of violence in the Sahel region and strongholds of both al Qaeda
and Islamic State affiliates - is worsening violence, destabilising neighbours
and spurring migration. With the withdrawal expected to be completed by the end
of the summer, France's new Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and Defence
Minister Sebastien Lecornu arrive in Niger on Friday to seal a regional
redeployment.”



Syria



Fox News: State Dept Official: ISIS 'Resurgence' More Likely If American,
Other Foreign Fighters Stay Detained In Syria
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“A State Department official warned that the large number of non-Syrian
fighters currently detained in Northeast Syria would pose less of a risk to
global security if they went back to their home countries – including the U.S.
– than if they stayed there. Speaking to the Middle East Institute on
Wednesday, acting State Department Coordinator for Counterterrorism Timothy
Betts said there are roughly 4,000 to 5,000 non-Syrian fighters detained in the
region, with tens of thousands of their family members in displaced persons
camps. “These staggering numbers point to a serious and ongoing security and
humanitarian threat for the region and the broader global community,” Betts
said. Betts acknowledged that this is a “difficult” situation that cannot be
solved easily, but he suggested that sending these people to their home
countries is the best option. “We believe the only durable solution to the
challenge we face in Northeast Syria is for each country to take back its
nationals from detention facilities and displaced persons camps,” he said,
noting that this includes people who fought for ISIS. Betts argued that sending
these people back to their home countries is better than keeping such a large
number of them in Syria, where so much fighting has taken place.”



Kurdistan 24: SDF Continues Operations Against ISIS In Deir Ez-Zor
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“The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday said that they targeted two
ISIS members in Deir Ez-Zor (Deir al-Zor). “Our SDF Special Units, enabled by
air and field support by the International Coalition forces, conducted
yesterday a precise security operation in the al-Zir village , al-Busayrah
town, the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor,” the SDF Media Centre said. One of
the ISIS members was killed while refusing to surrender, whereas another one
was arrested. “The operation targeted two ISIS members who were responsible for
recruiting new terrorists, manufacturing IEDs (improvised explosive devices)
for the terrorist cells, and conducting terrorist attacks against our forces in
Deir Ezzor,” the SDF said. The SDF said that the operations with the support of
the US-led coalition will continue against ISIS to ensure the enduring defeat
of ISIS. Also on Tuesday, the SDF said it arrested 12 ISIS suspects in Hasakah,
al-Hol, Tal Hamis, Tal Brak, and Derik in coordination with the International
Security Forces (Asayish). While the SDF continues operations against ISIS,
Turkey has continuously threatened to launch a new operation against the SDF.
However, so far, both Russia and the US have opposed a new Turkish operation.”



WTOP: The Hunt: Who Was The Shadowy ISIS Leader Killed In A US Drone Strike?
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“On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that a U.S. drone strike killed a leader
of the Islamic State group in Syria. On this week’s episode of “The Hunt” with
WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green, the senior director at the
Counter Extremism Project, Hans-Jakob Schindler, explains who he was and why he
was so important.”



Iran



Bloomberg: Biden Says Iranian Military Unit Will Remain On US Terrorist List
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“President Joe Biden said in an interview with an Israeli TV station that an
elite Iranian military unit would remain designated a terrorist group by the
US, even if that means he can’t secure a return to the multinational deal
intended to restrain Iran’s nuclear program. He also said he wouldn’t rule out
US military action to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon “if that was
the last resort.” Biden answered “yes” after he was asked in the interview with
Channel 12 news whether he was committed to keeping the Iranian Revolutionary
Guards Corps on the US list of foreign terrorist organizations. Iran has
demanded that the designation be lifted, as talks on the nuclear agreement
remain stalled. But Biden said he would also continue to pursue a return to the
nuclear accord with Iran, despite opposition by Israel’s government. “The only
thing worse than the Iran that exists now is an Iran with nuclear weapons,”
Biden said. “And if we can return to a deal and hold them tight -- I think it
was a gigantic mistake for the last president to get out of the deal. They’re
closer to a nuclear weapon now than they were before.” Former President Donald
Trump scrapped the nuclear agreement with Iran that was reached by President
Barack Obama and other world leaders.”



Lebanon



Axios: 30 Countries Took Part In U.S.-Led Meeting On Countering Hezbollah
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“Diplomats, law enforcement officers and intelligence experts from Israel,
Saudi Arabia, four other Gulf states and two dozen additional countries
gathered in late June for a two-day meeting, organized by the U.S. State
Department, on countering Hezbollah's illicit activities, according to U.S. and
Israeli officials. Why it matters: The meeting of the Law Enforcement
Coordination Group, which was established in 2014, was part of an effort led by
the U.S. to mobilize countries to counter Hezbollah’s activities outside of
Lebanon in order to block its terror, finance and procurement networks, a State
Department official told Axios. Driving the news: 30 countries attended the
meeting on June 29-30, which was held in Europe and was the first such meeting
since President Biden took office. Officials from Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and many European, African and Latin American
countries took part, according to sources with direct knowledge. Hezbollah, a
political and militant organization based in Lebanon, has been declared a
terrorist group by about 20 countries as well as the Arab League and EU. There
was a push during the meeting for more countries — particularly in Africa and
Latin America — to join them, according to a State Department official who
attended the meeting.”



Nigeria



Premium Times Nigeria: We’re Not Aware Ex-Boko Haram Terrorist Is Employed As
Prison Official, Controller-General Says
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“The Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Haliru Nababa,
has said he was not aware a former Boko Haram fighter, Wilberforce Yohanna, is
a staffer of the New Yola Custodial Centre. Mr Nababa said this on Monday
during an interactive session on the Twitter Space organised by PREMIUM TIMES
on the recent Kuje prison attack. A PREMIUM TIMES investigation, published on
Saturday, exposed how an ex-terrorist was recruited into a prison facility in
Yola without proper vetting. The story, based on leaked official documents and
interviews with insiders, said that the presence of Mr Yohanna has created the
fear of possible security compromise at the custodial centre. The
Controller-General said the information did not reach him that Mr Yohanna, an
Assistant Cadre (ASC11) at the Yola Custodial Centre, was an ex-Boko Haram
member until a PREMIUM TIMES investigation revealed it. He, however, said the
correctional service has launched a probe into the matter. “Nothing of such was
brought to the attention of the controller-general,” Mr Nababa said. “Nobody
like a former Boko Haram member in Yola.” Although Mr Nababa claimed he is not
aware of such a report, PREMIUM TIMES has seen an internal document circulated
within the service on February 18, 2022, raising an alarm about the presence of
the former Boko Haram fighter as an official in the prison facility.”



Premium Times Nigeria: 61,000 Boko Haram Suspects Detained In Northeast
Nigeria – Official
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“About 61,000 persons suspected to be members of Boko Haram and other
criminal gangs are being held in Nigerian prisons in the North-eastern part of
the country, an official has said. Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola said this
Tuesday when he paid a visit to the Kirikiri Maximum and Medium Security
Custodial Centres in Kirikiri, Lagos, according to his spokesperson, Sola
Fasure. The Boko Haram insurgency across Nigeria has caused over 100,000 deaths
and led to the displacement of millions of people, according to official
figures. Mr Aregbesola’s remarks came barely one week after the Kuje Custodial
Center, Abuja, was attacked by suspected members of Boko Haram. Over 60 Boko
Haram members are among the hundreds of inmates who escaped from the Kuje
prison and are still at large. “Today, a core of the criminal elements and
insurgents across the country are on a path to defeat, they have been heavily
degraded. Over 61,000 of them are in our custody in the North-East,” Mr
Aregbesola said. He said Nigeria is on the path to totally defeating Boko Haram
and other criminals across the country. PREMIUM TIMES reported how various
prisons were attacked between 2020 and 2021, leading to the escape of over
5,000 inmates. Last Tuesday, Kuje Custodial Center was attacked by suspected
members of Boko Haram.”



Africa



Reuters: Suspected Islamists Kill Seven In East Congo City Of Beni
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“Suspected Islamist militants killed seven people in an attack on the city of
Beni in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday night, an army
spokesman said on Wednesday. The army had received intelligence that members of
the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) were planning to break into Beni's central
prison and dispatched troops to stop them, according to army spokesman Antony
Mwalushayi. The ADF fighters staged a diversion by attacking the neighbourhoods
of Rwangoma and Paida, where they killed civilians and kidnapped at least one
person, said Mwalushayi. The prison break was averted and the assailants fled
into Virunga National Park, he told Reuters. The ADF is a Ugandan armed group
that has operated in the dense forests of eastern Congo for decades. “It was
around 8 p.m. local time that the ADF enemy surprised us yesterday, while I was
at the table with the children,” said Kavira Malekani, a resident of the
neighbourhood of Paida. “We survived in a miraculous way by leaving the food on
the table and spending the night on a balcony in town. Other people including
my cousin were kidnapped.” Uganda has sent at least 1,700 troops to
neighbouring Congo to help fight the ADF after accusing the group of
responsibility for a string of bombings in Kampala last year.”



Voice Of America: Togo Experts Aim To Prevent Islamist Insurgents From
Recruiting Youth
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“Authorities in Togo are working to prevent their small, West African nation
from becoming the next country in the region to struggle with a violent,
spreading, Islamist insurgency. Saturday’s deadly explosion could mark a
turning point if it’s confirmed that the seven minors killed were the first
civilian casualties in the conflict. Togo’s military did not immediately
confirm the cause but local media reported the victims were killed when an
improvised explosive device went off. In June, Togo declared a state of
emergency in its northern Savanes Region after Islamist militants attacked near
the border with Burkina Faso in May, killing eight troops and wounding 13. They
were the first recorded deaths from terrorism in Togo, a country of 8 million
people wedged between Ghana and Benin on the West African coast. An
al-Qaida-affiliated group fighting in Burkina Faso and Mali claimed
responsibility for the attack. But Togo authorities are also concerned that
Islamists are recruiting disaffected youth for domestic terrorism and have
formed the Inter-ministerial Committee for the Prevention and Fight Against
Violent Extremism (CIPLEV). Ouro-Bossi Tchacondoh, the committee’s rapporteur,
said the group exists to capitalize on the thoughts and requests of the local
population. He said it centralizes information and sends it to a committee of
ministries that analyzes it and delivers its conclusions to the government.”



All Africa: Ghana: Collective Action Needed To Prevent Terrorist Attack
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“As part of efforts to avert any acts of terrorism in the country, personnel
of the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) stationed at Magnori have intensified
patrols on the stretch of the Ghana-Burkina Faso border under their
jurisdiction, while those in Bawku in the Upper East Region are patrolling
Ghana-Togo border portion under their control. The patrols have been occasioned
by a suspected terrorist attack that claimed two lives, including an Imam based
at a village called Benyayile in neighbouring Burkina Faso. In the Monday
attack, the assailants were said to have targeted influential people such as
Imams and other leaders of the various religious denominations. As a result of
the attack near Bawku, hundreds of Burkinabes tried to cross over to Mognori,
but they were restrained by both the personnel of the GIS detailed there and
the overflow of a river which had cut off the foreign nationals from crossing
over to Ghana. Even though no militant group has claimed responsibility of the
killings and sporadic gunshots in Burkina Faso, judging from recent happenings,
security sources suspect the attack might have been carried out by the al-Qaeda
and Boko Haram, Islamist groups who have in recent years wreaked havoc on lives
and property in neighbouring Burkina Faso. It is good security personnel can
conjecture about who might have carried out the attack.”



United Kingdom



The Guardian: MI5 Needs More Funds To Tackle Rightwing Terror Threat, Says
Watchdog
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“MI5 should be given increased funding to help tackle the rising threat of
extreme-right terrorism, which now accounts for approaching a fifth of the spy
agency’s investigations, a parliamentary watchdog has said. MPs and peers on
the intelligence and security committee said the agency had been forced to
progress other work – almost certainly relating to Islamist terrorism – more
slowly and had been unable to expand other activities as it had hoped. “This
situation is untenable,” the committee concluded in a report released on
Wednesday. “MI5 must be given additional funding to enable it to conduct these
cases without other areas of work suffering as a consequence.” The domestic spy
agency gradually took on responsibility for tackling extreme rightwing
terrorism from 2018, after a review in the aftermath of the murder of the
Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016. It rapidly became a significant area of work.
According to the committee report, in July 2020 a fifth of MI5’s investigations
in Britain were devoted to extreme rightwing terrorism plus a lesser focus on
leftwing, anarchist and single-issue terrorism. Although the committee was
careful to redact from the report which areas of MI5’s work were affected, it
is likely to be in areas relating to Islamist terrorism, which shares many of
the resources, staffing and techniques used to thwart extreme rightwing
attacks.”



Europe



Associated Press: Man Who Placed Explosive In Warsaw Probed For Terrorism
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“Prosecutors in Poland’s capital said Wednesday that a 31-year-old man is
facing allegations of having posed a threat to the life and health of many
people in Warsaw with the use of an artillery shell that he possessed
illegally. Poland’s top National Prosecutor’s Office said it was treating the
case as an act of terrorism because a threat was posed to a large number of
people and involved an explosive. The man, identified only as Lukasz K., was
questioned Wednesday and could face up to eight years in prison. Additionally,
he faces allegations of illegal possession of a 80 mm artillery shell. He
allegedly placed the projectile in a busy street in downtown Warsaw on Monday
as a rally attended by over 300 people was being held. Prosecutors want him to
remain under arrest during the investigation. No one was reported injured, and
the object did not explode.”



Southeast Asia



Yahoo News: Greater Risk Of ISIS-Inspired Attacks In Region Due To ‘Cyber
Jihad’: Singapore ISD
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“The region is facing a greater risk of attacks by home-grown extremists who
are inspired by “cyber jihad” linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria
(ISIS), said Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD) on Wednesday (13
July). In its “Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment 2022” report, ISD flagged
the continuous ability of Islamist terrorist groups like ISIS to radicalise and
inspire attacks among their followers. Through a “thriving” pro-ISIS network on
social media, ISIS supporters have been circulating ISIS materials alongside
self-produced propaganda. “This facilitates the radicalisation and recruitment
of a virtual ‘caliphate of believers’ who remain loyal to ISIS, notwithstanding
the group’s leadership losses and operational setbacks,” ISD said. The online
network also facilitates communication between regional supporters and ISIS
core in Syria and Iraq including the coordination of terror activities across
borders and exchange of operational knowledge like weapons-making. Regional
authorities have taken action to combat this threat such as the arrest of five
members of a pro-ISIS media group in Indonesia. “As travel restrictions ease,
online collaboration between extremists could manifest as real-world attacks,”
ISD said. ISIS affiliates pose the “most immediate threat” through their
ability to mount ISIS-inspired attacks, with militant factions in southern
Philippines persistently engaging security forces in armed clashes and Jemaah
Ansharut Daulah (JAD) elements in Indonesia remaining active in plotting
attacks, according to ISD.”



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