“A second man is now wanted on suspicion of involvement in a mass shooting that
killed two people and wounded 21 in and around an Oslo gay bar in June,
Norwegian police said on Friday. "The hypothesis that it was an act of
terrorism has now been strengthened," police lawyer Boerge Enoksen told a news
conference. He said the second suspect was a Norwegian citizen in his 40s
previously known to police for criminal activity and who was currently abroad.
Only one suspect, named by police as Zaniar Matapour, was arrested at the scene
of the June 25 shooting. An international arrest warrant has now been issued
for the second suspect, who was not publicly named.”











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Eye on Extremism


September 23, 2022



Reuters: Second Suspect Wanted Over Oslo Gay Bar Shooting, Police Say
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“A second man is now wanted on suspicion of involvement in a mass shooting
that killed two people and wounded 21 in and around an Oslo gay bar in June,
Norwegian police said on Friday. "The hypothesis that it was an act of
terrorism has now been strengthened," police lawyer Boerge Enoksen told a news
conference. He said the second suspect was a Norwegian citizen in his 40s
previously known to police for criminal activity and who was currently abroad.
Only one suspect, named by police as Zaniar Matapour, was arrested at the scene
of the June 25 shooting. An international arrest warrant has now been issued
for the second suspect, who was not publicly named.”



CNN: ISIS Attempts Suicide Attack On Al-Hol Camp In Syria
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“A group of ISIS militants in two vehicles rigged with suicide explosives
attempted to attack the al-Hol camp in Syria which holds around 60,000
displaced persons, according to US Central Command. One of the vehicles
exploded prematurely about 12 miles northeast of the camp, which alerted the
nearby US partnered forces, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), said CENTCOM
spokesman Col. Joe Buccino. When the SDF arrived at the scene, two men got out
of the second vehicle. One man detonated a suicide vest, Buccino said, while
the second was shot and killed by SDF forces. Another ISIS militant is in SDF
custody. The second vehicle was rigged with approximately 110 pounds of
explosives, Buccino said. A total of four ISIS militants were killed in the
engagement, including in the first vehicle which detonated prematurely. “The
response of our partnered forces highlights not only dedication to their
people, but also their tenacity and commitment to the enduring defeat of ISIS,”
Buccino said. Earlier this month, Gen. Erik Kurilla became the first commander
of US Central Command to visit the al-Hol camp and the most senior US official
to ever speak with the camp’s residents in person, Buccino said.”



Afghanistan



Reuters: Western Nations Concerned By Presence Of Extremist Groups In
Afghanistan
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“Some western countries expressed grave concern about the presence and
operations of extremist groups in Afghanistan and said the Taliban were not
meeting their counter-terrorism commitments. Special envoys and representatives
for Afghanistan of the European Union, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, the
United Kingdom and the United States met last week and released a joint
communiqué on Thursday in which they said the presence of Al Qaeda leader Ayman
al-Zawahiri, who was recently killed in a U.S. strike, showed the Taliban was
not keeping its commitment.”



Lebanon



Asharq Al-Awsat: US House Of Representatives Urges EU To Designate 'Hezbollah'
In Its Entirety As Terrorist
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“The US House of Representatives approved a resolution “urging the European
Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.” The
draft proposed by Democratic and Republican representatives aims to pressure
the EU to follow the US and include Hezbollah's political wing in its terrorist
lists. The bill's sponsor, Representative Ted Deutch, said: “Hezbollah is a
proxy for Iran. It's time for the EU to join the US, Germany, Argentina, the
Arab League, and others in saying […] that it is one, a unified terrorist
organization.” Deutch said that the approval of the House of Representatives of
this resolution sends an “important message to our European allies: more can
and must be done to counter the Iranian proxy (Hezbollah), which begins with
calling them what they are: a terrorist organization in its entirety that is
committed to the destruction of our ally Israel and continues to undermine the
values and interests of both US and Europe.” The Rep. reiterated there is no
difference between Hezbollah's branches, and the military wing cannot be
separated from the political wing. The Democratic representative called on the
European Union to stop allowing Hezbollah's political wing to operate freely in
some EU countries and join the United States in targeting the terrorist group
and its global criminal networks.”



Middle East



The Jerusalem Post: Security Forces On High Alert As Terror Attack Threat
During Holidays Rises <[link removed]>



“The IDF has sent reinforcements to the northern West Bank ahead of the High
Holy Days, as violence continues to rage in the West Bank and Israeli cities.
As security forces increase their alert level, an extra battalion of Golani
forces will be immediately deployed to the northern West Bank in the face of a
rise in shooting attacks in the area by Palestinian gunmen. “Starting from
Saturday night, police vigilance will be raised to the highest level throughout
the country until the end of the holiday period.” Though the defense
establishment does not believe the high number of attacks can be described as
an intifada, security forces, including the IDF, police and Shin Bet (Israel
Security Agency), have increased their level of alertness due to the high
threat level. There have been about 10 attacks this past week, with at least
two shooting attacks identified in the northern West Bank early on Thursday.
Shots were fired toward the settlement of Har Bracha near Nablus, as well as
toward a nearby military post. The shooter managed to escape, but the IDF found
at least 60 shell casings during sweeps. The Palestinian terrorist group Lions
Den later claimed responsibility for the shootings, posting a video on Twitter.”



The Times Of Israel: Eight Lightly Hurt In Suspected Terror Stabbing Near
Modiin; Assailant Shot Dead
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“Eight Israelis were lightly hurt in a suspected terror stabbing attack near
the central Israeli city of Modiin on Thursday evening, medics and police said.
Officials said the assailant stopped his vehicle at a traffic light, close to
the Shilat junction, and began to open car doors and attack people with a knife
and pepper spray. According to the Magen David Adom ambulance service, two men
in separate cars — aged 39 and 23 — were treated for minor stab wounds to their
hands. Another five people — passengers of the two cars — were treated by MDA
medics after being maced with pepper spray. The attacker was shot dead by an
off-duty Border Police officer who was in the area, police said. MDA added that
the officer was also treated for a minor injury. Police officials said the
assailant was a 22-year-old Palestinian from the Ramallah area. In a separate
statement, police said he was a resident of East Jerusalem. Police described
the incident as a terror attack. The Shilat Junction is close to the West Bank
security barrier. Speaking to Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai, the
Border Police officer, Sgt. Maj. ‘Dalet’ — identified only by his rank and
initial of his first name in Hebrew — said he saved his partner from being
stabbed.”



Africa



AFP: Mozambique, Tanzania Pen Deals To Fight Terrorism
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“Leaders of Mozambique and Tanzania said on Wednesday they had signed defense
and security deals aimed at fighting terrorism and crime along their shared
border. No details were released about the agreements, which were signed during
a visit to Maputo by Tanzania’s President Samia Suluhu Hassan. A deadly
insurgency erupted in northern Mozambique, near the Tanzanian border, five
years ago. It has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands. But
life now was “gradually returning to normal” after thousands of foreign troops
from several African countries were deployed more than a year ago to quell the
unrest, said Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi. “The enemy is now operating in
small groups trying to descend into the southern districts,” Nyusi said during
their talks. President Hassan said as the two neighbors share a “very long”
boundary, “we need a good security system in which we can protect our border.”
“We have been seeing… cross-border crimes (and) terrorism,” she said. Nyusi on
Tuesday toured the recovered port of Mocimboa da Praia, previously the de-facto
headquarters of the jihadists. In October 2017, about 30 armed men launched a
dawn raid on three police stations in Mocimboa da Praia — marking the start of
the insurgency.”



United Kingdom



Evening Standard: Man Charged With 14 Terror Offences After Arrest At Stansted
Airport
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“A man has been charged with terrorism offences after he was arrested at
Stansted airport following an investigation by the Met’s Counter Terrorism
Command. Ismail Kissa, 23, of east London, was charged on Thursday with 13
counts of dissemination of a terrorist publication under section 2 of the
Terrorism Act 2006. He also faces one charge of possessing a document
containing information likely to be useful for terrorism under section 58 of
the Terrorism Act 200. Kissa was remanded in custody over the charges which
relate to alleged Islamist terror and was due to appear at Westminster
Magistrates’ Court. on Thursday Kissa was arrested by counter terrorism
officers at Stansted Airport on 29 March 2022. A police statement said: “The
investigation is related to Islamist terrorism.”



Germany



Associated Press: Germany: Teen Arrested For Alleged Extremist Attack Plans
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“A teenager accused of planning an Islamist-motivated attack in Germany was
arrested Thursday, the federal prosecutor’s office said. The dual
German-Kosovar citizen detained in the western town of Iserlohn allegedly was
under the influence of an Islamic State group follower who posted propaganda on
online messaging services, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement. The
teenager’s exact age was not given, and he was identified only as Etrit P. for
privacy reasons, according to the statement. Investigators accused him of
preparing a serious act of violence threatening the state and supporting a
foreign terrorist organization. “In implementation of this decision, he already
had himself taught how to build an unconventional explosive and incendiary
device,” the statement said. Prosecutors think the suspect worried his alleged
bombing plans would be foiled. They said he had therefore decided to attack
police officers with a knife instead but was arrested before before doing so,
the statement said.”



India



The National: India's Anti-Terror Agency Arrests 100 Members Of Alleged
Extremist Organisation
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“India’s federal anti-terror agency has arrested more than 100 members of an
alleged Islamist organisation, during a nationwide clampdown on the group over
allegations of terror funding and radicalising people. The National
Investigation Agency on Thursday morning raided the offices and homes of senior
members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) across 10 states. These included
Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the south. The
NIA called the operation the “largest ever to date” in the country, alleging
the group promotes radicalisation, anti-government activities and fans communal
troubles. Indian security forces have in the past arrested members of the PFI,
who they say were in possession of weaponry and extremist propaganda materials.
Kerala police said that in 2017, six members of the group were identified as
having joined ISIS. The highest number of arrests — 42 ― were made in Kerala.
The NIA raided at least 10 locations across Bengaluru city in Karnataka,
including the residence of the state PFI president Nazeer Pasha. Supporters of
the organisation staged a protest against the raids in Mangaluru city, also in
Karnataka. The PFI has a strong presence in southern states and calls itself a
“neo-social movement to empower people from marginal communities and ensure
justice.”



Europe



The Guardian: Icelandic Police Arrest Four People Over Alleged Terror Attack
Plans
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“An unprecedented investigation into an alleged terrorist plot in Iceland has
led to the arrest of four men suspected of targeting “various institutions of
society” and “citizens of the state”. Several semi-automatic weapons, including
3D-printed ones, were seized at nine locations, as well as “thousands” of
rounds of ammunition, by a large police operation involving 50 officers. Karl
Steinar Valsson, the national commissioner of the Icelandic police, declined to
expand further on the nature of the targets but suggested they may have
included the parliament and police. Local media reported that officers were
exploring potential links to Nordic far-right groups and that the police were
the central target. Valsson said: “It is safe to say that our society is safer
than it was.” He added: “We are just starting some work and are seizing a large
amount of phones and computers and other such things. All that work is in the
very early stages. “We took certain measures while we were getting the
situation under control. Of course, we don’t want to reveal what the exact
response of the police is. “At its peak, there were about 50 police personnel
who took part in the police operation. With them, we think we’ve covered what
we’re investigating and don’t think there’s any danger in travelling.”



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