Eye on Extremism
October 3, 2022
Reuters: Suicide Attack At Tutoring Centre In Afghan Capital Kills 19
“A suicide attack at a tutoring centre in the Afghan capital Kabul killed at least 19 people and wounded dozens, police said on Friday, but there was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast. Many of those living in the western area where the blast occurred are Hazara, an ethnic mostly Shi'ite Muslim minority targeted in past attacks launched by the ultra-radical Islamic State and others. Kabul police spokesperson Khalid Zadran said the official toll was 19 people dead and 27 wounded. He said the attack took place at a private tutoring centre where an exam was taking place. Schools are usually closed in Afghanistan on Fridays. “Attacking civilian targets proves the enemy's inhuman cruelty and lack of moral standards,” he said, without specifying who was believed to be behind the attack. The official death toll is likely to rise. A hospital source said 23 people had been killed. A Taliban source said 33 people had been killed and that female students were among the casualties. Ghulm Sadiq, a local resident, said he was at home when he heard a loud sound and went outside to see smoke rising from the centre where he and neighbours rushed to help. “My friends and I were able to move around 15 wounded and 9 dead bodies from the explosion site ... other bodies were lying under chairs and tables inside the classroom,” he said.”
Associated Press: Libyan Authorities: 42 Bodies Discovered In Mass Grave
“Libya’s Missing Persons Authority announced Sunday the discovery of 42 bodies buried in a mass grave in the central coastal city of Sirte, a former stronghold of the ousted Islamic State group. In a statement, the authority’s spokesperson said the 42 bodies had been exhumed from a school site in the city following a “tip off” from an investigation conducted with captured Islamic State fighters. Sirte, the birthplace of former longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi, fell under Islamic State control between 2015 and 2016, as the extremist group sought to profit from the chaos that engulfed the oil-rich nation since the fallout of the 2011 revolution. The Islamist group were eventually expelled from the city in December 2016 by forces fighting for the former U.N.-backed Government of National Accord. Hundreds of alleged former Islamic State fighters remain incarcerated in Libyan prisons, many of whom are awaiting trial. The spokesman for the Missing Persons Authority, Abdulaziz El Mabrouk, said all 42 bodies had since been transferred to a nearby hospital and that samples of their blood, teeth and bones were collected to identify the missing victims. A further 11 corpses were found near the same site in May, he added.”
Syria
Reuters: Australia To Rescue Families Of Islamic State Fighters From Syria
“Canberra is set to rescue dozens of Australian women and children of Islamic State fighters from refugee camps in Syria, following a secret mission by the country's security intelligence agency, media reported on Monday. The government did not immediately confirm reports that 16 women and 42 children of dead or jailed Islamic State fighters who have been held in camps for three and a half years would be repatriated. “The Australian Government's overriding priority is the protection of Australians and Australia's national interests, informed by national security advice,” a spokesperson for Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said in emailed comments. “Given the sensitive nature of the matters involved, it would not be appropriate to comment further.” O'Neil had no immediate response to a call by her opposition counterpart for the government to assure Australians that anyone who may have been radicalised posed no threat on their return to Australia. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said on Monday that there are around 40 Australian children living in a camp in Syria, and some of their mothers were tricked and married off to Islamic State fighters when they were very young.”
Kurdistan 24: Dutch Government Planning To Repatriate 41 ISIS Women And Children From Syria
“The Dutch government is planning to repatriate 12 ISIS women and 29 children from northern Syria, the Dutch broadcaster RTL reported on Friday. The Dutch government has earlier repatriated women and children, but this will be the biggest group repatriated as a result of a court decision. In May, a Dutch court ruled that if the women are not returned to the Netherlands, criminal proceedings in the case against the women would risk being closed and they can never be prosecuted in the Netherlands. Moreover, earlier the court has given the government a deadline of four months to repatriate the ISIS families. So far it's unclear when the government will repatriate the families due to the large number of the group. “While it’s unfortunate that the Netherlands had to be forced by a court to act, its planned repatriation of 41 more Dutch women and children marks a significant step toward ending foreign countries’ unconscionable abandonment of their nationals in northeast Syria,” Letta Tayler, associate director of the Crisis and Conflict Division at Human Rights Watch, told Kurdistan 24. “Thanks to court rulings and concerted efforts from detainees’ families and rights groups, the cracks in the wall of resistance to repatriations continue to widen.”
Iraq
Associated Press: Turkey Says 23 Kurdish Militants Killed In Iraq Airstrikes
“Turkish warplanes “neutralized” 23 Kurdish militants in a raid 140 kilometers (90 miles) inside Iraq, the Turkish Defense Ministry said Sunday. The ministry usually refers to killed militants as “neutralized.” It said the number of casualties in the mission in the Asos region of northern Iraq, which is controlled by the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government, was expected to rise. A video accompanying the ministry’s tweet showed F-16 fighters taking off and a number of explosions in a mountainous area. The ministry referred to a statement from Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday in which he said airstrikes had hit 16 targets in the Asos region. Turkey has been conducting a series of operations in northern Iraq since 2019, saying the military is targeting the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, to prevent it from launching cross-border attacks on Turkey. In April, Operation Claw-Lock was launched, which involves ground and air forces. The PKK has waged an on-again, off-again insurgency against the Turkish state since 1984, a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people. The group is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.”
Turkey
Associated Press: Turkish Minister Says Deadly Gun Attack Was 'America-Based'
“Turkey’s interior minister on Saturday described a gun attack that killed a police officer in the country’s south as an “America-based” operation. Two suspected Kurdish militants opened fire on security force lodgings in the Mediterranean province of Mersin late Monday, killing one officer and wounding a second officer and a civilian. The female attackers, who Turkish authorities said were affiliated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, later killed themselves by detonating suicide bombs. “This action is an America-based action,” Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu told ruling party officials in the Black Sea province of Giresun, according to the private Demiroren news agency and other outlets. Soylu also said U.S. authorities had requested the serial numbers of the firearms used in the attack from the Turkish police, without specifying which U.S. agency made the request. Turkish government officials have previously accused Washington of supporting the PKK by arming and training the group’s Syrian branch, known as the YPG. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the 38-year on-off conflict between the PKK and the Turkish state. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union.”
Al Monitor: Turkish Opposition Revives Questions Over Islamic State Burning Execution
“Turkey’s main opposition has revived questions over the gruesome execution of two Turkish nationals by the Islamic State (IS) in Syria, almost six years after a video showing the pair being burned alive shook the nation to its core. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of the Republican People’s Party, visited the family of one of the victims this week, pledging to take the issue to parliament. “What upsets me the most is that the army and the government made no statement about the incident after it reverberated on social media,” he said. The authorities responded with silence to the execution video, shared by IS-linked accounts in December 2016, that showed two young Turkish-speaking men clad in military camouflage being burned alive. One of the victims — Sefter Tas, a soldier abducted from a border area the year before — has been confirmed dead. According to official records, the other victim — Fethi Sahin — is still alive. Authorities have yet to shed light on the execution and punish its perpetrators, even though several suspects — most of them Turkish nationals — have emerged from IS-related court cases over the years.”
Middle East
The Jerusalem Post: Islamic State Cell Plan To Attack Nazareth Muslim School Thwarted By Israeli Forces
“An Islamic State (ISIS) cell in Nazareth was broken up a few weeks ago when six suspects were arrested by the Shin Bet and Israel Police, the Shin Bet announced on Sunday morning. The ISIS cell had planned to attack a variety of targets. One of the main targets was a local Muslim high school, which according to the suspects, “operates in the way of 'the infidels.'“The Shin Bet investigation found plan outlines and research on terrorist targets such as bus stops, a nearby police station, and a park that was frequented by Jews. Israeli intelligence said that the group attempted to spread its ideology among Israeli citizens and residents through the internet and social media. The suspects themselves were radicalized by online ISIS content. The suspects are Mahmoud Ahab Suleiman, 25 — Who was previously known by security forces for his previous connections to ISIS — A-Jafar Suleiman, 21; Muman Nijam, 20, Ahmed Balel Suleiman, 18; Jihad Baqr, 20. The sixth member of the cell was identified only as a minor. “The Shin Bet and Israel Police will continue to do everything in their power and use all measures at their disposal to deal with phenomena related to radical Islamic ideologies, and preemptively eliminate intentions to harm the security of the State of Israel,” said the Shin Bet.”
Nigeria
Sahara Reporters: We’ll Support Nigeria To Counter Terrorism, Conduct Credible Elections In 2023 – US Government
“The United States government has stated that it is committed to supporting Nigerian efforts to counter terrorism and insecurity in the country. The US said it joined Nigerians to celebrate the country’s 62nd Independence Day, even as it pledged to also support free and fair elections in 2023. In a press statement on Saturday, the US Secretary, Antony Blinken, said the partnership between both countries was built on shared values of democracy, diversity, and a spirit of entrepreneurship. According to Blinken, the US is committed to supporting Nigerian efforts to counter terrorism, insecurity, and as well as free and fair elections. The statement read, “On behalf of the USA, I extend best wishes to the people of Nigeria on the 62nd anniversary of their independence. “The partnership between our two countries is strong and is built on our shared values of democracy, diversity, and a spirit of entrepreneurship. “The US is committed to supporting Nigerian efforts to counter terrorism and insecurity, improve health systems, strengthen democratic institutions, promote respect for human rights, and bolster economic growth including through bilateral trade and investment between the US and Nigeria.”
The Christian Post: Killings At 'Epidemic Levels': Nigerian Christians Slaughtered By Radical Fulani Herders, ISWAP Terrorists
“Suspected Fulani herdsmen killed two Christians in Plateau state, Nigeria, a day after Islamic State terrorists allegedly killed two others in the city of Kano last Saturday, sources said. In northern Nigeria’s Kano state, suspected members of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) shot the two Christians to death at about 8 p.m. local time on Sept. 25 in the state capital, said area resident Chukwudi Iwuchukwu. He identified the slain Christians as Ifeanyi Ilechukwu, 41, and Chibuke Emannuel, 33. Iwuchukwu said ISWAP terrorists approached them at their shop in Kano city’s predominantly Christian area of Sabon Gari in Fagge County. “The terrorists came to the business shop of Ifeanyi Ilechukwu, where the Christians were sitting, and shot them at close range,” Iwuchukwu told Morning Star News in a text message. “Ilechukwu died instantly, while Emannuel, who was shot in his leg, died in the hospital on Sunday.” The killing followed a Sept. 18 bomb attack on a Christian-owned business in Taraba state’s Jalingo town, in northeast Nigeria, by suspected ISWAP members. The terrorists detonated an Improvised Explosive Device on the shop in the ATC area of the city in Ardo Kola County at about 9:30 p.m., damaging some shops and residential buildings, said area resident James Galvo.”
Sahara Reporters: Nigerian Army Confirms Having Over 80,000 Ex-Boko Haram Terrorists In Custody
“Major General Chris Musa, the Theatre Commander for Operation Hadin Kai, stated on Saturday that there are approximately 80,000 former Boko Haram militants being held by the military. He said this in an interview on Channels TV to commemorate Nigeria's 62nd Independence Day. He responded, “80,000 now,” when asked how many former Boko Haram fighters and their families had turned themselves in and were being held by the military. He claimed that the total was 30,000 more than the initial 50,000 ex-insurgents who decided to lay down their weapons and start over last year. “The strategy now is an all-government activity, the military, Operation Hadin Kai working together with the state government,” Musa who appeared on the programme via Zoom in Maiduguri stated. “When the terrorist comes out from the bush, he reports to the closet unit. The commander takes him with his men, and then he is profiled and disarmed. “The state government provides the transport that they take them into Maiduguri where we have three camps. The fourth camp is being constructed. We are not the ones directly in charge of the administration and management. The state government takes care of all of them.”
Somalia
Reuters: Al Shabaab Fighters Kill Crew Drilling Well In Southern Somalia
“Islamist militants from al Shabaab on Friday killed 12 people drilling a well in drought-ravaged southern Somalia, a local resident and official said. Conflict between the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, which wants to implement a strict implementation of sharia, or Islamic law, and the central government has killed thousands of people since 2006. Somali security forces say they have made gains on the battlefield in recent weeks while fighting alongside local self-defence groups, but al Shabaab has continued to conduct deadly raids. The latest attack happened in the town of Gariley in the southern Gedo region when the militants attacked the crew at its work site, burning their bodies and drilling equipment, said Mahad Abdi, a local resident who visited the scene and counted the bodies. The area is suffering from the Horn of Africa's worst drought in 40 years, leading the United Nations to warn of a looming famine. “I am very sorry that al Shabaab is causing such trouble for us while we are suffering from drought and lack of water in our area and we don't want water 100 km away from us,” Abdi told Reuters. Mahmoud Abdel Warsame, the mayor of Gariley, confirmed the death toll and said security forces also killed six al Shabaab fighters.”
Africa
Associated Press: Military: Gunmen Kill Pakistani UN Peacekeeper In East Congo
“A Pakistani soldier serving as a U.N. peacekeeper in the Democratic Republic of Congo was killed in a militant attack in the country’s volatile east, the military said. A group of six militants reached the United Nations’ permanent operation base in the district of Minembwe, ostensibly to surrender their weapons as part of a U.N. initiative. But the group’s leader started firing indiscriminately, Pakistan’s military said in a statement late Saturday. A Pakistani soldier serving as a guard at the weapons surrender point was shot in the head, the statement said. Pakistani peacekeepers responded to the fire immediately, it said, without offering details. The badly wounded soldier, identified only as 35-year-old Babar, was rushed to the nearest Pakistani army medical unit but he later died. The U.N. identified the gunmen in Friday’s attack as suspected Twirwaneho combatants. The Pakistani military said they were linked to the Banyamulenge, a Tutsi community in the eastern province of South Kivu. Pakistan is part of a U.N. peacekeeping force of more than 16,000 troops and police called the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in The Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO). It began in July 2010 and is aimed at protecting civilians, deterring armed groups and helping build state institutions and services.”
United Kingdom
BBC News: Pair Accused Of Terror Offences And 5G Mast Damage Set For Trial
“A man and a woman are set to go on trial accused of terror offences and plotting to destroy a 5G mast.
Darren Reynolds and Christine Grayson are charged with conspiring to commit criminal damage between May and June. Mr Reynolds is accused of six counts of possessing material containing information likely to be useful to a person committing a terrorist act. He is also accused of three offences of disseminating a terrorist publication on the messaging app Telegram. On Friday, Mr Reynolds, 59, of Newbould Crescent, Sheffield, appeared at the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Sweeney for a preliminary hearing. Representing himself in court, he spoke to confirm his identity by video-link. Ms Grayson, also 59, of Boothwood Road, York, is also charged with publishing a statement on Telegram encouraging the preparation of acts of terror. Mr Justice Sweeney said the earliest available trial date at Leeds Crown Court was 24 April, with a plea and case management hearing due on 27 January.”
Europe
The Independent: Security Forces Audio Recordings Allowed As Evidence In Terror Trial
“Recordings from covert listening devices have been allowed as evidence in a long-running terror trial in Belfast. However a portion of voice recognition evidence which attributes the recordings to three suspects has been excluded in the trial, which has been running for almost a decade. Colin Duffy, of Forest Glade in Belfast, Henry Fitzsimmons of Dunmore Mews, Belfast, and Alex McCrory of Sliabh Dubh View in Belfast, are charged with directing terrorism and membership of an illegal organisation, namely the IRA. Fitzsimmons and McCrory are also charged with attempting to murder police officers in a gun attack on the Crumlin Road in north Belfast on December 5, 2013, and with possessing two firearms and ammunition used in the attack. They have denied the charges. The trio were granted bail in 2016 after spending more than two years on remand. The key evidence being used by the prosecution is a quantity of audio which was recorded by the security forces from listening devices planted at various points in Demesne Park in Lurgan, Co Armagh. The devices picked up a conversation which the prosecution contends was an incriminating discussion between the three defendants. The prosecution argues the recordings show Fitzsimmons and McCrory were “intimately involved” in the Crumlin Road gun attack and that they knew of it, approved it and, in effect, signed off on it before it took place.”
European Eye On Radicalization: EER Webinar: Is There A Way To Resolve Europe’s Problem In Repatriating Jihadist Fighters And Their Families?
“…The ECtHR decision could have legal implications for other states that have put themselves under its jurisdiction, and in the meantime has renewed the debate, among academics and practitioners, as well as the public, about the wisdom of repatriating jihadists. To discuss these complexities, EER gathered a panel of experts: Abigail Thorley, Researcher at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT). Liam Duffy, Researcher, speaker and trainer in counter- terrorism based in London. Sharon Weill, Associate Professor of International law, American University of Paris. Associate Researcher, CERI, Sciences PO Paris. Sofia Koller, Senior Research Analyst, Counter Extremism Project (CEP), Germany.”
Southeast Asia
Associated Press: Indonesian Police Kill Militant Suspected In Farmers' Deaths
“Indonesia’s elite counterterrorism police have killed a militant who was the last remaining member of an organization that pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, police said Friday. Police said Al Ikhwarisman, also known as Jaid, was a key member of the East Indonesia Mujahideen network. The East Indonesia Mujahideen, known by the Indonesian acronym MIT, has claimed responsibility for the killings of police officers and minority Christians, some by beheading, and has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group. Provincial police chief Rudy Sufahriadi said Jaid conducted at least 10 of the group’s executions, including the killing of four Christian farmers in May 2021. He was killed by the Densus 88 counterterrorism unit in a shootout late Thursday in mountainous Kawende village in Poso district, an extremist hotbed in Central Sulawesi province, Sufahriadi said. Thursday’s shootout occurred four months after security forces killed the other remaining member of MIT in a jungle shootout, police said. “He was the last remaining suspected member of the group,” Sufahriadi said. “We have managed to eliminate a dangerous militant group that has disturbed peace in Poso.” Security operations in Central Sulawesi were intensified last year to capture MIT members, particularly Ali Kalora, the group’s leader and Indonesia’s most wanted militant.”
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