“A divided U.S. appeals court on Tuesday said HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA.L) was
not liable to the families of two American contractors killed in an al-Qaeda
suicide bombing of a CIA base in Afghanistan, after the bank allegedly evaded
U.S. sanctions targeting sponsors of terrorism. Dane Paresi and Jeremy Wise
were among nine killed when Humam Khalil al-Balawi, a doctor, blew himself up
by detonating hidden explosives at Camp Chapman on Dec. 30, 2009. Their
families accused HSBC of violating federal anti-terrorism laws through its
dealings with Iran's state-controlled Bank Melli and Bank Saderat and Saudi
Arabia's Al Rajhi Bank, each with alleged financial ties to al-Qaeda or other
U.S.-designated terrorist groups. But in a 2-1 decision, the D.C. Circuit Court
of Appeals said the families did not plausibly allege that HSBC aided and
abetted al-Qaeda terrorism, or was "generally aware" it played a role, through
its years of dealings with intermediary banks.”











<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>



Eye on Extremism


September 7, 2022



Reuters: HSBC Not Liable For Al-Qaeda Suicide Attack At CIA Base -US Appeals
Court
<[link removed]>



“A divided U.S. appeals court on Tuesday said HSBC Holdings Plc (HSBA.L) was
not liable to the families of two American contractors killed in an al-Qaeda
suicide bombing of a CIA base in Afghanistan, after the bank allegedly evaded
U.S. sanctions targeting sponsors of terrorism. Dane Paresi and Jeremy Wise
were among nine killed when Humam Khalil al-Balawi, a doctor, blew himself up
by detonating hidden explosives at Camp Chapman on Dec. 30, 2009. Their
families accused HSBC of violating federal anti-terrorism laws through its
dealings with Iran's state-controlled Bank Melli and Bank Saderat and Saudi
Arabia's Al Rajhi Bank, each with alleged financial ties to al-Qaeda or other
U.S.-designated terrorist groups. But in a 2-1 decision, the D.C. Circuit Court
of Appeals said the families did not plausibly allege that HSBC aided and
abetted al-Qaeda terrorism, or was "generally aware" it played a role, through
its years of dealings with intermediary banks.”



Associated Press: Suspects In Bastille Day Attack Trial Deny Terrorist Ties
<[link removed]>



“The defendants on trial for the 2016 Bastille Day truck attack in Nice that
killed 86 people denied any links to terrorism and told the court Tuesday that
they had been trapped or fooled by the driver at fault for the massacre. The
driver, Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, was killed by police after the attack on the
Mediterranean city’s storied beachfront, where 25,000 people had gathered to
celebrate France's national holiday. The eight people who went on trial in
Paris this week are accused of helping him, though investigators didn’t find
evidence that they were directly involved in the carnage. While the Islamic
State group claimed responsibility and Bouhlel had been inspired by its
propaganda, investigators found no evidence that IS orchestrated the attack.
The suspects on trial, in their opening testimony Tuesday, sought to distance
themselves from the attacker and any extremist ideas. “I saw nothing coming and
I found myself caught in the gears,” said Mohamed Ghraieb, charged with
association with a terrorist criminal. “It was a scumbag who did this.
Terrorism frightens me.”Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, 31, was perceived by his family as a
violent person, but not religious. He ate pork and drank alcohol.”



United States



Military.com: Soldier Who Said He Wanted Combat Experience To Kill Black
People Booted After FBI Probe
<[link removed]>



“A former paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division who has been arrested
said he enlisted to become more proficient at killing Black people and made
overt references to white supremacy. Spc. Killian Ryan was taken into custody
Aug. 26 on a charge related to lying on his secret security clearance and was
kicked out of the Army the same day, according to the service. An investigation
by the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force discovered ties to white nationalism and
threats of violence against minorities on social media accounts, according to
court records. “I serve for combat experience so I'm more proficient in killing
n-----s,” Ryan wrote in one social media post on May 27, 2021. That comment was
posted roughly two weeks after he enlisted in the Army. His personal email
address at the time was “NaziAce1488,” a reference to Adolf Hitler and American
white supremacy. The Pentagon has vowed a crackdown on extremism in the ranks,
taking measures such as modifying the vetting process to join the military and
asking whether an applicant subscribes to any extremist ideology. But that line
of questioning may rely heavily on the honesty of recruits. Ryan also filled
out a Standard Form 86, or SF 86, a questionnaire for his security clearance.
In it, he was asked whether he ever advocated for any acts of terrorism.”



Afghanistan



Human Rights Watch: Afghanistan: ISIS Group Targets Religious Minorities
<[link removed]>



“The Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), the Islamic State’s (ISIS)
affiliate in Afghanistan, has repeatedly attacked Hazaras and other religious
minorities at their mosques, schools, and workplaces, Human Rights Watch said
today. The Taliban authorities have done little to protect these communities
from suicide bombings and other unlawful attacks or to provide necessary
medical care and other assistance to victims and their families. Since the
Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, the Islamic State affiliate has
claimed responsibility for 13 attacks against Hazaras and has been linked to at
least 3 more, killing and injuring at least 700 people. The Taliban’s growing
crackdown on the media, especially in the provinces, means additional attacks
are likely to have gone unreported. The United Nations Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan (UNAMA) reported that recent attacks by the group on Shia
gatherings in Kabul killed and injured more than 120 people. “Since the Taliban
takeover, ISIS-linked fighters have committed numerous brutal attacks against
members of the Hazara community as they go to school, to work, or to pray,
without a serious response from the Taliban authorities,” said Fereshta Abbasi,
Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch.”



Pakistan



AFP: Five Pakistan Soldiers Killed In Clash With Taliban
<[link removed]>



“Pakistan's Taliban accused the military Tuesday of breaking a fragile
ceasefire, after the army said five soldiers and at least four militants died
in a gun battle in the country's northwest. Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)
declared an indefinite ceasefire in June to facilitate peace talks being
brokered by neighbouring Afghanistan, but there have been regular clashes since
then despite both sides saying the truce was still on. In the latest clash on
Monday, the Pakistan military said it raided a militant hideout in Boyya, North
Waziristan, following an intelligence tip-off. “Intense fire exchange took
place between own troops and terrorists,” the military's public relations wing
said in a statement. It said four militants were killed, and five soldiers,
including an officer, “embraced martyrdom”. On Tuesday a TTP commander
confirmed the clash and accused the government of bad faith, saying troops had
attacked them in six districts recently, including Peshawar, the capital of
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. “The government was not honouring its commitment
regarding the ceasefire,” the commander told AFP. A government official who has
been party to negotiations with the group accused them of “targeted killings”
and “increasing their movements” in parts of the country.”



Yemen



Associated Press: Yemeni Officials: Militants Attack Security Post, 27 Killed
<[link removed]>



“Suspected al-Qaida militants on Tuesday attacked a security post in southern
Yemen, sparking clashes that killed at least 21 troops and six militants,
military officials said. The early morning attack in Ahwar, in the province of
Abyan, targeted a post manned by troops from the Security Belt, a security
force loyal to the secessionist Southern Transitional Council. The separatist
council is backed by the United Arab Emirates and controls much of Yemen’s
south. It is at odds with the internationally recognized government. The
officials said at least 21 troops were killed in the attack and the clashes
that ensures for hours. Four more troops were also wounded, they said. The
officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to
brief media. Among the dead troops was Yasser Nasser Shaea, a senior commander
in the force fighting terror groups in Yemen, the Security Belt said in a
statement. It said six militants were killed and others were detained. It
posted images showing bodies it said were the dead militants. No group claimed
responsibility for the ambush. But it bore the hallmarks of al-Qaida in the
Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP. AQAP has long been considered the global network’s
most dangerous branch, and has attempted to carry out attacks on the U.S.
mainland.”



Nigeria



Daily Post Nigeria: Airstrikes: Hundreds Of Boko Haram Fighters Flee To New
Location
<[link removed]>



“Hundreds of Boko Haram fighters have reportedly fled Gaftari village to a
new location in Bazamri, close to Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State,
northeast Nigeria. Gaftari village is located between Bama and Konduga local
government areas of Borno State where military operations had hindered the
operations of the terrorists recently. The two local government areas are
within a distance of 35km and 60km away from Maiduguri, the Borno State
capital. According to information from security sources, over 400 Boko Haram
fighters and their families on Sunday night relocated to Bazamri after a
massive defeat by troops of Operation Hadin Kai of the Nigerian Army. A counter
insurgency’ expert, Zagalola Makama informed DAILY POST last week that over 70
of the Boko Haram fighters were drowned in a river, after intense military
airstrikes in Gaftari and Shehuri, two villages located between Bama and
Konduga. It was reported that the remaining terrorists, along with their
families, relocated to a new settlement at Bazamri, few hours after they buried
over 40 of their drowned members, who they had recovered from a river
intersecting the village. They were believed to have drowned in the river while
escaping airstrikes, as most of them had already sustained injuries that were
difficult to survive.”



Mali



Reuters: German Military Resumes Reconnaissance Mission In Mali
<[link removed]>



“The German military resumed its reconnaissance mission in Mali on Tuesday
after a suspension of more than three weeks following a spat with Mali's
government over flight clearances. Berlin has deployed some 1,000 troops to
Mali, most of them near the northern town of Gao where their main task is to
gather reconnaissance for the U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA. "The troops
can resume their patrols beyond Gao," the German military said on Twitter,
lifting the suspension announced in mid-August. MINUSMA was established in 2013
to support foreign and local troops battling Islamist militants, but in recent
months there have been repeated instances of tensions between the Malian
authorities and the mission. The longer-term future of German participation is
in doubt after the latest dispute with the ruling junta in Bamako and reports
of Russian forces arriving in Gao, adding to Berlin's unease over the
increasing Russian military presence in Mali.”



Africa



AFP: Burkina Junta Chief Vows To Defeat Armed Groups After Attack
<[link removed]>



“The head of Burkina Faso's ruling junta Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba vowed
Tuesday that his country would defeat armed groups, a day after a blast left
dozens dead. At least 35 civilians were killed and 37 wounded Monday when an
improvised explosive device struck a convoy carrying supplies in Burkina Faso's
jihadist-hit north, the governor of the Sahel region said. “This umpteenth
cowardly and barbaric attack is proof that we must continue the fight against
all those who reject the extended hand,” Damiba said, as he paid tribute to the
“memory of all the innocent victims”. “I firmly believe that we will defeat
them, it's only a matter of time,” he said, referring to armed groups. The
landlocked African state is in the grip of a seven-year-old insurgency that has
claimed more than 2,000 lives and forced some 1.9 million people to leave their
homes. The fighting has been concentrated in the north and east, led by
jihadists suspected to have links with Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group. The
military-led supply convoy, including civilians, drivers and traders, had left
the north for Ouagadougou, security sources said.”



France



RFI: Nice Terror Trial: No Killer, No Accomplices, Few Bereaved Families
<[link removed]>



“The man who drove a truck into the crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice in
2016, killing 86 people, injuring hundreds of others, is himself dead, shot by
security forces at the scene. The eight accused in this trial are suspected of
relatively low levels of complicity. Few bereaved families have made the trip
to Paris. The Nice trial is being held in the central Paris courtroom specially
built to accommodate the so-called Bataclan hearings, the trial of twenty men
involved in the planning and perpetration of the November 2015 Paris massacres
which cost 132 people their lives. If the physical surroundings and the
security precautions are identical to those in place for the earlier trial, the
atmosphere at the start of this Nice hearing could hardly be more different. As
the presiding judge, Laurent Raviot, officially opened proceedings on Monday
afternoon, fewer than one third of the seats reserved for bereaved relatives
and injured survivors were occupied. Daily newspaper Le Monde reports that, in
Nice itself, where a retransmission service has been established for the
families of victims in the Acropolis conference centre, fewer than 30 of the
700 seats were occupied at the opening. One thing which has not changed is the
place which French justice accords to the survivors and bereaved families, the
so-called parties civiles or civil witnesses.”



Europe



Counter Punch: Ukraine’s Azov Battalion: Neo-Nazis Or Russian Propaganda?
<[link removed]>



“…However, according to all available information on Asov, to argue that the
battalion is a monolithic Neo-Nazi, ultra-nationalist, and anti-Semitic unity
is unjustified. German-extremism researcher, Alexander Ritzmann at Berlin’s
Counter Extremism Project said recently, the Azov Battalion is definitely not a
right-wing extremist Battalion in the Ukrainian army. Riztmann noted that many
of Asov’s right-wing extremist founding members had, in fact, left the Azov
Battalion in the course of its integration into Ukraine’s National Guard. Once
outside, they founded the right-wing extremist Azov movement. Finally, the Azov
Battalion and other right-wing extremists operating at Ukraine’s national level
are insignificant for Ukraine as a whole. For example, all right-wing extremist
parties combined received only 2.15% of public support in the last election.”



Technology



Financial Express: How Is Cryptocurrency Funding Terrorism Across The Globe
<[link removed]>



“At a time when the world is going through digital evolution, with currencies
too being traded in the form of cryptocurrency, this has led to a rise in
concern about insurgents using the same to mobilise terrorism. Case in point,
when the Taliban a fundamentalistic Islamic group came into power on August 15,
2021, in Afghanistan, it was perceived that a lot of the money will be routed
via cryptocurrency. However, the Taliban regime has banned cryptocurrency and
claims to have arrested 16 local exchanges in the city of Herat in the
northwest, according to the regional news website ATN-News. Furthermore, as per
a report by the Israeli Anti-money laundering (I-AML) website, in the year
(August 2020-August 2021), terror organisations received Ethereum (ETH), ERC20
tokens, and XRP donations. Da Afghanistan Financial Institution (the central
bank) stated in a letter that the trading of digital currency has caused
several problems including fraud and hence it needs to be shut down. Sayed Shah
Sa’adat, the head of the Herat police’s counter-crime squad, told
ATN-Information, “We acted and detained all of the exchangers involved in the
business and shut down their shops.” Meanwhile, the United Nations
Counter-Terrorism week in June 2021 stated that the Covid-19 pandemic increased
the potential for terrorist organisations to obtain money through online
sources.”



Bloomberg Law: Extremism Concerns Raised Against Bill To Empower Local News
<[link removed]>



“Digital rights advocates are warning that a bill to aid local journalism
could force technology platforms to carry and pay for extreme content. The
Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider the bipartisan bill (S.
673) Thursday. It’s intended to empower small news organizations to negotiate
compensation from technology giants such as Meta Platforms Inc.‘s Facebook and
Alphabet Inc.‘s Google. Allowing media companies to take legal action against
tech platforms if they limit offensive or extreme content would violate the
First Amendment and increase the amount of disinformation, hate speech, and
harassment online, 21 groups told committee leaders in a Sept. 2 letter, made
public Tuesday.”



The Counter Extremism Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If
you value what we do, please consider making a donation.

DONATE NOW
<[link removed]>




Click here to unsubscribe.
<[link removed]>