Eye on Extremism
December 17, 2019
Haaretz:
ISIS Is Still Alive And Well In Sinai, And Israel Fears A Major Attack
On Its Egypt Border
“Although the American-led coalition has successfully put down the
Islamic State and forced most of its operatives out of the last areas
they controlled in northern Iraq and eastern Syria, the group’s branch
in the Sinai Peninsula is continuing to function without any
noticeable problems. More than a year after the collapse of Islamic
State strongholds and its main command centers of Mosul in Iraq and in
Raqqa in Syria, there may have been somewhat of a drop in the scope of
the attacks by the organization in Sinai but it continues to battle
the Egyptian army and its police force, causing them numerous
casualties. The rise in activity by global jihad organizations in
Sinai began in the last decade. At the beginning of this decade the
most prominent among them was Ansar Beit al-Maqdis. In 2014, not long
after ISIS declared the establishment of its “caliphates” in broad
territories of Iraq and Syria, the operatives of the Sinai
organization swore allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, and changed the name of their group to Wilayat Sinai
(“Sinai Province”). Among the serious attacks attributed to them was
planting a bomb on a Russian aircraft flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to
St. Petersburg in October 2015, which exploded and crashed the plane,
killing 224 passengers and crew members.”
CNN:
US Defense Secretary Asks Iraqi PM To Help Prevent Iranian-Linked
Attacks On US Troops
“US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper has asked Iraq to help prevent
attacks on US personnel that both countries have attributed to groups
backed by Iran. Esper spoke with Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on
Sunday, asking for the Iraqi leader's assistance in preventing the
attacks . "On the call, Secretary Esper reiterated United States
support for a secure and sovereign Iraq and the people of Iraq. He
also called on our Iraqi partners to continue to assist in preventing
attacks on US and coalition personnel and facilities in the country,"
Pentagon spokesperson Cmdr. Sean Robertson told CNN in a statement.
The call comes as US officials have grown increasingly concerned about
a series of rocket attacks on military installations in Iraq where US
and coalition personnel are stationed. There are some 5,000 US troops
in Iraq, in addition to personnel from several other members of the
anti-ISIS military coalition, part of a mission aimed at bolstering
Iraq's security forces as they battle the remnants of the terrorist
group.”
Quartz:
West Africa’s Sahel Struggles To Contain Deadly Jihadist Groups
That’ve Infiltrated Communities
“Leaders of G5 Sahel countries gathered for emergency talks in
Niamey on Sunday after Niger faced the most spectacular military
attack on its soil since jihadists gained a foothold in the region.
Reportedly executed by dozens of men on motorcycles, on a base just
124 miles outside of the capital, near the border with Mali, the
attack that killed 71 soldiers was claimed by the Islamic State and is
being read as a warning that group is fast expanding its territory
throughout the region. “These endless attacks carried out by terrorist
groups in our region remind us not only of the gravity of the
situation, but also the urgency for us to work more closely together,”
said Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, the president of Burkina Faso, a
nation that has now become the epicenter of the security crisis that
has its roots in neighboring Mali’s conflict that began in 2012.
Burkina Faso and Niger are part of the G5 Sahel, a regional military
initiative that includes Mali, Mauritania, Chad and Niger, that was
formed in 2014 to rout out jihadist groups affiliated with Al-Qaeda
and the Islamic State. The body is backed the United States, the
United Nations and the former colonial power France, who some
activists in Mali and neighboring Burkina Faso blame for the
escalating violence.”
Deutsche
Welle: Germany: Number Of Right-Wing Extremists Rose By A Third In
2019
“The number of right-wing extremists active in Germany rose
significantly in 2019, the Berlin-based Tagesspiegel newspaper
reported on Monday. Germany's federal domestic intelligence service
(BfV) and the state-level intelligence services identified over 32,200
right-wing extremists this year, the paper reported, citing
information gathered from security sources. That figure is a third
higher compared to 2018, when authorities counted 24,100 people
involved in right-wing extremist networks. One of the main reasons for
the spike is due to the BfV including groups affiliated with the
far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) for the first time in its
count of right-wing extremists. In January this year, the BfV took aim
at the extreme-right faction of the AfD known as “Der Flügel” (The
Wing) as well as the party's youth wing “Junge Alternative” (Young
Alternative) over suspected extremism. According to Tagesspiegel,
authorities included 7,000 members of the “Der Flügel” in its
right-wing extremist count, as well as 1,000 members of the “Junge
Alternative.” In January, the BfV declared both AfD-affiliated groups
"suspected cases" of right-wing extremism, increasing observation to
investigate whether they pose a threat to constitutional
order.”
The
Times Of Israel: Austrian Authorities Foil IS-Inspired Terror Attack
On Christmas Market
“Austrian authorities have foiled a plot to carry out a series of
terror attacks, including bombing one of Vienna’s Christmas markets,
local media reported Monday. The plot involved three men, including a
24-year-old ringleader who had been influenced by the ideology of the
so-called Islamic State (IS) group, according to the APA news agency.
The main suspect is thought to have hatched a plot to target the
Christmas market in front of St Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna city
center between Christmas and New Year. Other possible targets are
said to have included Salzburg and locations in Germany, France and
Luxembourg. An anonymous tip-off led to the ringleader, who was
already in jail following two attempts to reach Syria and join IS.
However, the report said he was able to remain in contact with his
alleged accomplices via mobile phone — contrary to prison regulations.
Part of the plot was a plan to help the ringleader escape. The two
other suspects, aged 25 and 31, were taken into custody at the end of
last week. All three men are ethnic Chechens. While Austria has been
spared the major terror attacks that have hit other European countries
including France, Britain and Germany in recent years, a relatively
high number of Austrians have gone abroad to participate in Islamic
extremism.”
NBC
News: How Do You Spot A Deepfake? A Clue Hides Within Our Voices,
Researchers
“Hany Farid is part of a team of researchers at the University of
California, Berkeley who have developed a computer algorithm that they
say may help to detect deepfakes. Farid has a track record of pushing
tech companies to do more to remove problematic material. In a
previous project to fight online extremism, he developed software for
social media services to use to flag images and other posts supporting
the Islamic State militant group and others.”
United States
Associated
Press: Feds: Connecticut Man Wanted To Fight For Islamic
State
“A Connecticut man who allegedly expressed interest in fighting for
the Islamic State group in Syria was arrested as he prepared to leave
the U.S. by boat, federal authorities said Monday. Ahmad Khalil
Elshazly, 22, of West Haven, was arrested Sunday in the shoreline town
of Stonington, where he expected to board a boat and begin a trip to
Turkey, prosecutors said Sunday. He was ordered to be detained during
a federal court hearing Monday in New Haven. Elshazly is charged with
attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist
organization. His public defender, Tracy Hayes, declined to comment.
Federal authorities including Connecticut U.S. Attorney John Durham
allege Elshazly, a U.S. citizen, began telling other people last year
that he wanted to travel to Syria and the surrounding area to fight
for the Islamic State. In October, he told others he wanted to kill
100 “kaffirs,” or infidels, prosecutors said. Authorities said
Elshazly made numerous other statements including, “God willing! May
this country (the U.S.) burn the same way they burned Muslims! May
they burn in fire at the end!” Elshazly was worried about being
stopped by law enforcement at an airport and arranged to travel by
ship to Turkey, giving someone $500 to pay for a portion of his trip,
prosecutors said.”
The
New York Times: American Student Freed By Iran Calls For Nations To
Release Political Hostages
“An American graduate student from Princeton University who had
been imprisoned for three and a half years in Iran called on Monday
for all nations to free their political prisoners. The student, Xiyue
Wang, was released by Iran on Dec. 7 in a prisoner swap in
Switzerland. In exchange, the United States handed over Masoud
Soleimani, an Iranian scientist. The exchange took place after weeks
of negotiations involving diplomats in the United States and Iran,
which do not have formal relations, and Switzerland, which regularly
acts as an interlocutor between the other two powers. In a statement,
the first since that day, Mr. Wang and his wife, Hua Qu, a Chinese
citizen, thanked the governments, individuals and organizations that
helped in the release. The two also posted photographs showing Mr.
Wang smiling with his 6-year-old son, Shaofan. “Our family is doing
well, and we are overjoyed and filled with deep gratitude for all the
support we have received,” they said. “That said, our joy is tempered
as our thoughts turn to all those who are still unjustly imprisoned
and to their loved ones, who remain without them.” They added that
“Xiyue’s release is a victory of humanity and diplomacy across nations
and political differences.”
Syria
The
Washington Post: Russia Eyes Major Commercial Projects In
Syria
“Russia is considering a slew of major commercial projects in
Syria, a senior Russian official said Tuesday. Deputy Prime Minister
Yuri Borisov said after meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad in
Damascus that Russia will spend $500 million to modernize Syria’s
commercial port of Tartus. Borisov said in remarks carried by Russian
news agencies that the four-year modernization program envisages an
overhaul of the old port in Tartus and the construction of a new one.
He added that there is also a plan to build a railway across Syria and
Iraq that will link Syria’s Mediterranean coast with the Persian Gulf.
Russia has a Soviet-era naval base in Tartus, the only such facility
outside the former Soviet Union. In 2017, Moscow struck a deal with
Assad’s government to extend its lease on Tartus for 49 years. The
agreement allows Russia to keep up to 11 warships there, including
nuclear-powered ones. Russia has waged a military campaign in Syria
that helped shore up Assad’s hold on power and allowed his government
to reclaim control over most of the country following a devastating
civil war. Speaking during Tuesday’s meeting with Assad in Damascus,
Borisov noted that Russia helped restore a fertilizer plant in Homs
and plans to invest $200 million to expand its
capacity.”
The
New York Times: Finland Aims To Repatriate Islamic State Children From
Syria 'As Soon As Possible'
“Finland will try to repatriate children of Finnish mothers who
traveled to Syria to join Islamic State “as soon as possible”, Prime
Minister Sanna Marin said on Monday. Finland is one of a number of
European Union member states facing a decision over whether to bring
home citizens with IS links who are trapped at the al-Hol camp
displacement camp controlled by Kurds in northeastern Syria. More than
30 children born to 11 Finnish women are at al-Hol, according to
Finnish media, and the fate of the mothers has caused divisions in
Finland's five-party coalition government that took office last week.
The Centre Party, a coalition ally of Marin's Social Democrats,
opposes letting the wives of IS fighters back into Finland but
supports repatriating their children. The Centre Party is worried by
the rise in the polls of the opposition nationalist Finns Party, which
says repatriating Islamic State detainees could endanger Finland's
security. Marin said that, in an attempt to resolve the dispute in the
coalition, the government had decided each case should be judged on
its own merits. “The aim of the authorities' actions is to protect the
interests of the child in all circumstances,” Marin said, leaving the
door open for the repatriation of some of the mothers with their
children.”
The
National: Centre Deradicalising 15,000 Syrian Children Warns ISIS Is
Regaining Ground
“A children’s rehabilitation centre in north-eastern Syria has
warned of an ISIS revival unless the international community battles
the militants' ideologies imprinted in youths. The group’s dogma will
be hard to erase and may re-emerge, especially as diplomatic efforts
to end the Syrian war have faltered, paving the way for an ISIS
resurgence, Together of Algarnya said. “ISIS’s ideology still exists,”
Mahmoud Al Mabrook, a Syrian activist and manager of Together for
Algarnya told The National. “Although it has been defeated militarily,
the threat it poses is evident in north-eastern Syria. The centre, in
the city of Raqqa, has hosted nearly 15,000 children since its launch
in 2017. It aims to rehabilitate children back into normal society and
give them the opportunity to enrol in primary or secondary schooling.
At the centre, children are taught about morality, peaceful
co-existence and how to interact with one another. It also hosts
reading, maths and psychological support programmes. But Mr Al Mabrook
says the centre prioritises helping children whose parents were ISIS
members. “Since 2017 we received 603 children who were illiterate, 434
children who were innumerate, 995 children who needed psychosocial
support,” he said.”
Xinhua:
Explosive Device Wounds 1 Civilian In Syria's
Damascus
“An explosive device wounded one civilian on Monday when it ripped
through his vehicle in Syria's capital of Damascus overnight, state
news agency SANA reported. The explosive device was affixed under the
car and went off in the Nahr Aysheh area south of Damascus, said SANA.
SANA branded the explosion as an act of terror, stopping short of
giving further details about the targeted person, who, it said, was
transported to a hospital nearby. The capital has remained largely
calm since the army secured its vicinity and eastern countryside
following the withdrawal of the rebels in May of 2018. In a separate
context, SANA said a number of civilians were wounded in the northern
city of Aleppo as a result of a fresh rebel mortar fire on the city
from the northwestern countryside of Aleppo.”
Iran
The
Independent: Iran Protests: Over 300 Killed And Thousands Arrested In
Violent Crackdown, Amnesty Says
“At least 304 people were killed and thousands more injured during
anti-government protests across Iran last month, according to Amnesty
International. The UK-based human rights organisation said the latest
death toll was based on credible reports and eyewitness testimonies it
had compiled. But the real number is likely even higher as security
forces used lethal force to crush the protests. The high death toll
over a period of only a few days may to be the highest casualty rate
for any protests in the history of the Islamic Republic in the past 40
years. Iranian officials have acknowledged that a number of people,
including what they referred to as innocent bystanders, have been
killed, but they have not yet announced the total figure. Authorities
have stated that over 7,000 people were arrested during the protests.
They include journalists, activists, and students, and now human
rights groups are raising an alarm that the detainees could be subject
to ill-treatment and abuse. Philip Luther, Middle East and North
Africa director at Amnesty International told The Independent that
detainees included children as young as 15, who are being held with
adult detainees in facilities notorious for torture, such as
Fashafouyeh prison in Tehran province.”
Iraq
Kurdistan
24: ISIS Intensifies Attacks In Diyala, Killing And Injuring 10 Iraqi
Security Forces
“Both Iraqi security forces and Kurdish Peshmerga forces have been
involved in clashes with the so-called Islamic State in Iraq’s
northeast Diyala Province. The area lies within the territory disputed
between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraq’s federal
government, and it has seen a resurgence in terrorist activity. Iraqi
security sources announced on Monday that five soldiers had been
killed and another five wounded in two separate attacks by the Islamic
State on two different Iraqi military bases in the northeastern part
of Diyala Province. According to Iraqi Security Cell Media, the first
attack took place in Nofel village in the town of Miqdadiyah, as “the
assailants directly attacked the military base killing two soldiers
and injuring several others.” The statement from the security cell
also explained that the second attack targeted a military force in the
town of Baldarus, killing three soldiers and injuring four others,
including an officer. Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) previously conducted
a multi-phased, joint military campaign in coordination with the Iraqi
air force and the International Coalition to neutralize remnants of
the Islamic State. However, the terrorist organization remains active
in the area.”
Turkey
The
Hill: Turkey Doubles Region's Troubles — First In Syria, And Now In
Libya
“When a country’s diplomatic style is confrontational, what do you
get? Confrontations. It has become Turkey’s signature style. But
winning confrontations, or giving the appearance of doing so, can be a
challenge. And Ankara may have been wrong-footed in a swiftly
worsening crisis, prompted by a new stage in the Libyan civil war. Two
weeks ago, the new twist in the crisis looked like a fracas based on
rival claims to potential offshore reserves of natural gas in the
Mediterranean. Ankara and Tripoli signed an agreement delineating a
maritime border. Until then, few realized the two countries had such a
border — the Greek island of Crete was in the way. But Turkey does not
regard islands as having economic exclusivity stretching up to 200
miles beyond territorial waters. Tripoli now shares this view, even
though the administration clutching to power in the Libyan capital
controls much less than half of territorial Libya at present, and not
even the bit of Mediterranean coastline used to justify the claim. At
the time of this cartographic surprise, some speculated that Turkey
wanted to annoy Greece — yet again — in order to claim what it regards
as its share of potential lucrative natural gas reserves at the
eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. Way to the south, Egypt already
is an established producer. Israel’s Leviathan field, which comes on
stream this month, will mean that that country now is self-sufficient
and can export the surplus, initially via Egyptian gas liquefaction
plants.”
Afghanistan
Xinhua:
22 Wounded In Bomb Attack In Afghanistan: Official
“At least 22 people were wounded in a bomb attack in
Mazar-i-Sharif, capital of Afghanistan's northern Balkh province on
Tuesday, a provincial health official confirmed. “Twenty-two people
were admitted to the Balkh Regional Hospital's emergency department
following an explosion in Mazar-i-Sharif Tuesday morning,” Shafequllah
Shafeq from the hospital told Xinhua. The incident triggered panic
among the patients but none of the wounded suffered life-threatening
wounds, the official noted. In the meantime, Adil Shah Adil, the
provincial police spokesman, told Xinhua that the blast was caused by
an improvised explosive device (IED) attached to a bicycle parked at a
sidewalk in Alokozai Square of the city at around 9:00 a.m. local
time. One Afghan National Police (ANP) officer and five traffic police
personnel were among the affected people, Adil added. Security forces
have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures. No group has
claimed responsibility for the attack yet. Over the past months, big
Afghan cities have witnessed a spate of terror attacks by the Taliban
insurgents and Islamic State outfit opposing the government.”
Yemen
The
National: Yemen's Houthis Kill Five After Village Rejects Conscription
Campaign
“Five civilians including a woman were killed and dozens injured
after male villagers in central Yemen refused to let Houthi rebels
forcefully conscript them. The rebels arrived in the village of Al
Masaqira in Al Hada district of central Yemen’s Damar province last
Thursday, a government source told The National, but locals refused to
join them. “The Houthi rebels attacked Al Masaqira and clashed with
residents who refused to send their sons to the fronts to fight with
them,” the source said. “The Houthi militia have killed five civilians
and injured others so far in a campaign going on for three days.” The
source said the militia sent more than 300 fighters backed by military
vehicles to the village. “The militia forces imposed a siege around
the village, arrested 146 villagers and forcibly displaced women and
children, shelling residences.” Three homes were brunt down and
several others were damaged by indiscriminate shelling in the village.
On Saturday, the Yemeni Minister of the Human Rights, Dr Mohammed
Askar, condemned the campaign against the residents of Al Masaqira. Dr
Askar called on the international community to deal seriously with the
Houthi crimes.”
Lebanon
Wall
Street Journal: Protests Paralyze Lebanon’s Search For New Prime
Minister
“An upswell in Lebanon’s protests has paralyzed the search for a
new prime minister, as political gridlock deepens the country’s
economic crisis. President Michel Aoun postponed Monday a series of
meetings with members of parliament who appeared poised to name Saad
Hariri as prime minister. Mr. Hariri had quit the same post in October
in the face of growing protests, but re-emerged after Lebanon’s ruling
parties failed to find an alternative compromise candidate acceptable
to political elites and protesters. Mr. Aoun’s decision came as
clashes between security and protesters escalated over the weekend.
The clashes were the most violent yet in the two-month standoff in
cities across the small Mediterranean nation. In Beirut, dozens of
protesters were injured this weekend after confrontations near
Parliament Square with security forces who fired rubber bullets and
tear gas. The president’s delay has preserved a combustible status
quo. Lebanon’s political elite have been reluctant to make concessions
that would sacrifice long-held privileges. Protesters have called for
a complete overhaul of the sectarian-based political system.”
Reuters:
Lebanese Army Clashes With Supporters Of Hezbollah, Amal In
Beirut
“Lebanese troops lobbed tear gas on Tuesday to disperse supporters
of Shi’ite groups Hezbollah and Amal who tried to storm a square in
Beirut in response to a video that purportedly offended Shi’ite
figures, witnesses and media reports said. Hundreds of youths on
motorcycles waving their party and religious flags gathered in
downtown Beirut chanting “Shi’ites, Shi’ites” and setting fire to
tires. They hurled stones and fireworks at security forces standing
nearby, witnesses said. Ignoring calls for restraint by politicians,
the youths tried to break a security cordon to storm the square where
demonstrators have set up tents as part of an anti-government protest
that has been going on for weeks. In the vicinity of the area close to
a main road that links the capital’s eastern and western sections,
scores of youths had burnt tires, smashed office buildings and torched
several cars, live coverage by local television stations showed. The
protesters camped in the square have been targeted by Shi’ite groups
in the past angered by chants against their political leaders,
although Tuesday’s violence was of an overtly sectarian nature. The
video, which inflamed passions in a country where sectarian divisions
run deep, was purportedly made by an expatriate Lebanese Sunni from
the northern city of Tripoli and released on social
media.”
The
Times Of Israel: In 3rd Night Of Violence, Hezbollah Supporters Clash
With Security Forces
“Supporters of Lebanon’s two main Shiite groups Hezbollah and Amal
clashed with security forces and set fires to cars in the capital
early Tuesday, apparently angered by a video circulating online that
showed a man insulting Shiite figures. Police used tear gas and water
cannons trying to disperse them. It was the third consecutive night of
violence, and came hours after Lebanon’s president postponed talks on
naming a new prime minister, further prolonging the turmoil and unrest
in the Mediterranean country. President Michel Aoun postponed the
binding consultations with leaders of parliamentary blocs after the
only candidate — caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri — failed to win
the backing of the country’s largest Christian groups amid a worsening
economic and financial crisis. The postponement followed a violent
weekend in the small nation that saw the toughest crackdown on
demonstrations in two months. Lebanese security forces repeatedly
fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons to disperse hundreds
of protesters in downtown Beirut in the worst violence since
demonstrations against the political elite erupted in
mid-October.”
Middle East
Asharq
Al-Awsat: Jordan Says Foiled Terrorist Isis Plot
“A Jordanian military court revealed on Sunday that authorities had
foiled a terrorist attack by ISIS that had been planned for August.
The plotters sought to bomb the intelligence bureau headquarters in
the southern Maan province and target general security and police
patrols. A judge at the court said the mastermind, who had been
previously charged in another ISIS case, formed a terrorist cell soon
after serving his sentence for plotting a terror attack. He has since
been detained by authorities. The five suspects in the case are
residents of Maan. One is a shop owner whose two employees are
involved in the plot. The cell had met in Maan in July and started to
become radicalized through ISIS media. They planned to carry out
attacks in Maan in the name of the organization. Maan is known as a
Salafist hotbed in Jordan. Since the eruption of the conflict in
Syria, dozens of locals traveled to the neighboring country to join
the fight. Many were tried and sentenced upon their return to their
home country.”
Al
Jazeera: Qatar's Emir Meets Hamas Leader Ismail Haniya In
Doha
“Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met Hamas leader
Ismail Haniya in Doha on Monday to discuss the latest developments in
Palestinian affairs. It was Haniya's first official visit to Qatar
since he succeeded Khaled Meshaal as the head of the Hamas political
bureau in the May 2017 elections, after Egypt granted him permission
to travel for the first time in three years. His previous position of
prime minister was filled by Yahya Sinwar, a former Palestinian
prisoner who spent 22 years in Israeli jails. Sheikh Tamim expressed
his country's steadfast and supportive stance to the Palestinian
people in achieving their legitimate national rights. According to the
Qatar News Agency (QNA), Haniya briefed Sheikh Tamim on the latest
developments in Palestinian affairs, with special focus on the 12-year
blockade on the Gaza Strip. Other issues of importance discussed
included Jerusalem, the rampant Jewish settlement building in the
occupied West Bank, and the status of Palestinian refugees and their
right of return. The Hamas leader also thanked the emir for Doha's
efforts in supporting the Palestinian people.”
Egypt
Egypt
Independent: Egypt’s Endowments Ministry Cuts Ties With 7 Imams Linked
To ‘Terrorist’ Groups
“Egypt’s Ministry of Endowments terminated on Monday the contracts
of seven Imams, or preachers in the Islamic faith, after they were
convicted of joining “terrorist groups.” The ministry clarified that
the imams, all of whom were based in Ismailia, were terminated on
December 16, with the Ministry asking that mosques in the area
prohibit the preachers in question from delivering sermons and/or
leading the congregation during prayer times. The termination of their
contracts was in accordance with Civil Service Law no 81 of 2016 and
the executive regulation, the ministry clarified, adding that the
decision was circulated throughout the ministry’s directorates and a
copy of the notice was received by the ministry’s inspectors and
staff. In November, the ministry terminated the contracts of nine
imams in Sohag and Qalyubiya and prohibited them from giving Friday
sermons in mosques, again over charges that they had joined a
“terrorist” organization.”
Libya
Al
Jazeera: Egypt's El-Sisi Says Militias Holding Libyan Government
'Hostage'
“Libya's UN-supported government has been held hostage by
“terrorist militias” in the capital, Tripoli, Egypt's leader Abdel
Fattah el-Sisi has said. The comments came as the Libyan army denied
reports of the imminent fall of Tripoli to forces led by renegade
commander Khalifa Haftar. President el-Sisi said in televised comments
on Sunday the internationally recognised Government of National Accord
(GNA) “is not able to have a free and real will because they have been
taken hostage”. He did not elaborate and there was no immediate
comment from the Tripoli authorities. El-Sisi said the Libyan conflict
posed a threat to Egypt's national security because fighters and
weapons spill over the border into Egypt. He said Cairo had a right to
interfere in Libya “but did not take this step to maintain the
relationship and brotherhood with the Libyan people”. Haftar's Libyan
National Army (LNA), which supports a rival government in the
country's east, has besieged the capital since April, vowing to oust
the GNA from power. Libya descended into chaos after the 2011 civil
war involving NATO air strikes ousted and killed longtime ruler
Muammar Gaddafi. On Monday, the Libyan army denied recent media
reports that Tripoli could soon fall into the hands of Haftar's
forces.”
Nigeria
Pulse:
NAF Disrupts Boko Haram Meeting, Kills Scores Of
Terrorists
“NAF said the insurgents were obliterated as they assembled for a
meeting at same area. Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of
Public Relations and Information made this known in a statement on
Monday in Abuja. Daramola said the operation was conducted through the
Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE on Saturday. ‘The
operation was executed on Dec. 14, following credible intelligence
reports indicating that some of the ISWAP leaders had assembled for a
meeting in one of two buildings at the centre of the settlement.’ ‘The
Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets dispatched by the ATF to attack the
location scored accurate hits on the target building completely
obliterating it and killing its terrorists’ occupants,’ he said.”
Xinhua:
Nigerian Military Airstrikes Hit Boko Haram Meeting
Venue
“Airstrikes by the Nigerian military have hit a meeting venue of
terror group Boko Haram, killing an unknown number the militants on
the fringes of Lake Chad in the northeastern state of Borno. In a
statement made available to Xinhua on Monday, the Nigerian air force
said the Boko Haram militants were regrouping and holding a meeting in
one building at the center of Kollaram, a settlement in Borno, when
military fighter jets were deployed to the location on Saturday. The
airstrike which followed credible intelligence was part of ongoing
efforts by the military to get rid of remnants of the Boko Haram group
in the northeast region of Nigeria, the air force said. Boko Haram,
which launched attacks in Nigeria's northeast region a decade ago, is
known for its agenda to maintain a virtual caliphate in the most
populous African country.”
Somalia
All
Africa: Somalia: Key Alshabaab Facilitator To Spend 10 Years In Jail
For Aiding The Terror Group
“A key al-shabab figure in Mogadishu has been sentenced to 10 years
in prison by military court in Mogadishu. Ahmed Ali Aybakar will serve
the prison for being a key al Shabaab facilitator in Mogadishu. The
court acquitted him of belonging to the terror organization but termed
him as a key al Shabaab sympathizer in Somalia's capital. Aybakar was
accused of renting houses for members of al Shabaab in his name
allowing them free movement within the capital as they plan and
execute attacks. Somalia and Turkey host a joint trade exhibition
aimed at sensitizing locals on how they can gain entry in the... He
was arrested at a Mogadishu hospital in July of this year as he
attempted to secure treatment for a wounded al Shabaab member. He had
presented the wounded terrorist as his cousin as revealed by court
documents as well as that not being the first terrorist he had helped
seek treatment. Al-Shabab which is an Al Qaeda affiliate to Somalia
has been waging wars against the government and the African Union
mission to Somalia in an attempt to overthrew and impose their strict
version of the Sharia.”
Air
Force Times: AFRICOM’s 60th Airstrike In Somalia This Year Takes Out
Terrorist
“U.S. Africa Command, in coordination with the government of
Somalia, conducted an airstrike targeting an al-Shabaab terrorist in
the vicinity of Dujuuma, Somalia, Dec. 16. The one terrorist was
killed, according to a news release from AFRICOM, and no civilians
were injured or killed in the attack. “The removal of al-Shabaab
terrorists increases the security of the Somali people as these
terrorists indiscriminately attack and extort innocent civilians and
destabilize the elected government,” said Marine Corps Brig. Gen.
Bradford J. Gering, AFRICOM’s deputy director of operations. “The
Somali National Army and their partners have made significant strides
in targeting al-Shabaab terrorists in order to deny them the ability
to plot attacks against the people of Somalia.” Townsend is slated to
visit Somali President Mohamed Abdullah Farmaajo and Chief of Defense
Brig. Gen. Odawa Yusuf Raage on Nov. 5, according to AFRICOM. He
visited Djibouti on Monday. U.S. Africa Command has conducted 60
airstrikes in 2019 against ISIS-Somalia and al-Shabaab militants,
leadership, infrastructure, fighting positions and equipment — eight
against ISIS-Somalia and 52 against al-Shabaab, said Col. Christopher
Karns, AFRICOM’s director of public affairs.”
United Kingdom
Express:
Christmas Terror Fears: Undercover Police To Patrol British Festive
Fairs
“The security specialists will be armed and positioned in popular
locations across the UK. A security source said: “You have the SAS
working in a covert capacity at these key locations. They will react
and respond accordingly should something happen. “They are there to
identify any hostile reconnaissance or suspicious behaviour.” The
country's terror threat level remains at substantial – which is the
middle of the five-tier system. It was reduced to “severe” just weeks
before convicted terrorist Usman Khan's multiple murders on London
Bridge. This means an attack remains “likely” amid the ongoing threat
from lone wolf terrorists and ISIS. Experts said terrorists consider
it a major coup if they can successfully carry out an attack during
the Christmas period. Professor Anthony Glees, from the University of
Buckingham, told Daily Star Online: “The markets are seen as iconic
sites to attack by jihadists because they're about Christmas and
Christianity, they are markets that attract a lot of people and they
are usually in sites that are hard to defend and usually undefended.”
Security expert Will Geddes added: “Attacks at Christmas are symbolic,
but it's also due to the open crowded public spaces.”
France
The
National: French Foreign Minister Warns Of Terror Threat 'Arc' From
Mali To The Middle East
“French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned of an
emerging “arc of terrorist groups” running from West Africa to the
Middle East. His comments came after 71 soldiers were killed in Niger
in an attack carried out by hundreds of extremists and claimed by
ISIS. Mr Le Drian, speaking to French broadcaster France Inter, said:
“What is at stake in the Sahel [sub-Saharan Africa] is … the stability
of the territory, but also our own security.” France’s military
presence in sub-Saharan Africa from August 2014 has been criticised by
some of its African partners. In the wake of a helicopter collision
that killed 13 French soldiers, President Emmanuel Macron called on
leaders of the G5 Sahel group to “clarify” their position on continued
French military operations. Defending the French military presence in
the region, Mr Le Drian said: “We are only there to fight terrorism.”
Describing a terror threat stretching from war-torn Mali and the
sub-Saharan region of Africa to the Middle East, the foreign minister
said that ISIS remained a significant threat. “Daesh [ISIS] is not
dead. Daesh has suffered defeats, but the fact remains that this
threat is permanent,” he said. “We greatly underestimate the risk
posed by Daesh fighters,” he added.”
Germany
Radio
Free Europe: Germany Charges Kosovar Man With Supporting Islamic
State
“German prosecutors say they have charged a man from Kosovo with
supporting the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria. The
suspect, identified only as Hasan B. in line with German privacy
regulations, was charged in Hamburg earlier this month, federal
prosecutors said on December 16. A statement said the suspect has been
in custody since his arrest in June. Prosecutors said Hasan B. was
charged on December 4 with supporting a foreign terrorist organization
on allegations he facilitated the transfer of funds to an IS fighter
in Syria 11 times in 2016 and 2017 and contributed “a three-digit
amount” from his own money, as well. He is also accused of
transferring money to a Macedonian national in 2015 to help him travel
to Syria to fight alongside the IS group. Also in 2015, the accused is
said to have opened a Facebook account for an IS member before helping
him use the account to spread the group’s propaganda. The statement
did not provide further details. Since 2012, some 400 citizens of
Muslim-majority Kosovo have gone to Syria and Iraq to fight on the
side of IS. Dozens of them have been killed.”
Europe
Al
Jazeera: Refugees Or Hijackers? Teenagers Charged With Terrorism In
Malta
“In March this year, a group of more than 100 migrants embarked
upon an already deflating raft to cross the Mediterranean Sea from
Libya. Their rescue story would later become a landmark case in Malta,
a key first port of entry for migrants hoping to reach Europe. Three
teenagers are now facing life imprisonment for their part in the
story. According to radio transcripts documenting the rescue mission,
an aircraft deployed by the European Union's naval operation to combat
refugee smuggling in the Mediterranean spotted the sinking raft and
called upon the El Hiblu 1, a commercial oil tanker on its way from
Istanbul to Tripoli, to take the migrants back to Tripoli. Those
rescued said the ship's chief officer swore on the Quran to take them
to Europe. However, the next day, they woke up to see the coastline
not of Europe, but of Libya - a country widely condemned for abuses
against migrants including detention, rape, torture and human
trafficking. They began to shout in protest and, according to some
media reports, bang tools on the side of the boat. The chief officer
communicated to Maltan authorities that he was turning the boat
towards Valletta after he had lost command of his ship - rhetoric that
was reinforced by the media and politicians, who described the
migrants as “pirates” and “hijackers.”
Southeast Asia
Voice
Of America: Indonesia Steps Up Investigation After Militant Attack On
Police
“Police in Central Sulawesi say they are continuing their hunt for
members of a militant group suspected of attacking local police
officers last week.Authorities in the Indonesian province said Sunday
the attack that killed one police officer was carried out by a group
known as the East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT). Five gunmen ambushed
villagers and held them and police officers hostage. The officers had
just returned from Friday prayers at a small mosque near a police
station in Central Sulawesi's Salubanga village, according to local
police. Local officials said the attackers immediately fled from the
vicinity. “Our members who were in the bulkhead post had a chance to
fight back and ask for help from the closest post. As a result … one
of our personnel on duty at the post by the name of Muhamad Saepul
Muhdori has died,” said Sugeng Lestari, Central Sulawesi's police
commissioner. The hostages reportedly managed to escape the scene as
the militants exchanged gunfire with police. MIT, a U.N.-designated
terrorist group, is mostly active in Indonesia's Java and Sulawesi
province, with some presence in eastern provinces. While it is unclear
how many fighters are in MIT, the group reportedly has ties with other
terrorist groups in the country and abroad.”
The
Straits Times: Indonesia Boosts Christmas Security Over Potential
Terror Threat
“Muslim-majority Indonesia will deploy nearly 200,000 security
personnel nationwide ahead of Christmas to guard against potential
terror attacks, police said on Tuesday (Dec 17). The South-east Asian
archipelago of 260 million has significant numbers of Christians,
Hindus and Buddhists who have been targeted by radical Islamist
groups. On Tuesday, the authorities said some 192,000 police and
military personnel would be deployed to secure Christmas and New
Year's Eve celebrations across the country - including in easternmost
Papua, a predominantly Christian region. The deployment, which comes
after a recent spate of attacks, is more than the 167,000 personnel
deployed last year. “As many as 10,000 personnel will be deployed in
Jakarta” alone, said National Police spokesman Argo Yuwono. “Based on
intelligence data, there are potential risks... so we're taking
preventive measures but we are also ready to take proactive action,”
he added. Many past attacks in Indonesia, which has dozens of groups
loyal to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria's (ISIS) violent
ideology, have been against police and other state symbols. The
authorities routinely arrest suspected ISIS-linked militants ahead of
alleged planned attacks.”
Technology
Axios:
The FTC's Preemptive Strike On Facebook
“News that the Federal Trade Commission is weighing immediate
action to block Facebook's effort to integrate its messaging products
casts a pall over the company's plans, whether or not regulators
actually follow through. The big picture: CEO Mark Zuckerberg
announced in January, 2019 that Facebook would integrate the technical
foundations of its messaging services — Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp,
and Instagram. Facebook described the plan as motivated by engineering
and business concerns, but critics noted that it would set roadblocks
for any future effort to break Facebook up by unwinding its
acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram. Driving the news: The Wall
Street Journal reported late last week that the FTC was considering
seeking a preliminary injunction to bar Facebook from proceeding with
its integration plan. The FTC has not commented publicly.”
Yahoo
Finance: Terror Group ISIS Testing Blockchain Messaging
App
“The terror group ISIS is reportedly trying out a blockchain-based
messaging app to escape scrutiny from its enemies. And chillingly, the
use of blockchain could bring with it the ability to transfer
cryptocurrency anywhere in the world. Until a recent law enforcement
crackdown, the jihadists used Telegram to spread propaganda and send
orders. But now it appears the extremists are exploring using the
anonymous and encrypted BCM app. “The app’s core features of
anonymity, encryption, and large group chat sizes also pose a great
risk for adoption,” Brenna Smith, a cryptocrime researcher, wrote in
her Cryptosint newsletter last week. “Extremists covet technologies
that can get their message out to thousands all while concealing their
identity.” She added: “A critical aspect of BCM is that it has a
cryptocurrency wallet that lets users send, store, and receive Bitcoin
and Ethereum — a feature that could easily be abused by extremists.”
“It’s been widely reported that crypto platforms with no user
identification become cesspools for criminal activity. “Compounded
with BCM potentially launching its own exchange platform in the
future, what would stop the app from becoming a major hub for terror
financing?”
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