Eye on Extremism
October 4, 2022
CNN Politics: US Airstrike Killed An Al-Shabaab Leader In Somalia On Saturday
“A US airstrike in Somalia killed an al-Shabaab militant leader on Saturday in coordination with the Somali government, US Africa Command said in a statement. The US said the initial assessment of the strike was that an al-Shabaab militant leader had been killed and there were no civilian casualties. Although the statement did not identify the militant, the Somali Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism said on Twitter an operation on Saturday with international partners killed Abdullahi Nadir. In late-September, a US airstrike in Somalia killed 27 members of al-Shabaab, the US said, part of increased support for the Somali government in the wake of President Joe Biden’s decision in May to approve the redeployment of US troops to the east African nation. “Al-Shabaab is the largest and most kinetically active al Qaeda network in the world and has proved both its will and capability to attack US forces and threaten US security interests,” Africa Command said.”
Reuters: Burkina Faso President Resigns On Condition Coup Leader Guarantees His Safety
“Burkina Faso's self-declared military leader Captain Ibrahim Traore has accepted a conditional resignation offered by President Paul-Henri Damiba to avoid further violence after Friday's coup, religious and traditional leaders said on Sunday. According to the deal, announced at a press conference, Traore had agreed to seven conditions, including a guarantee of Damiba's safety and the security of soldiers who backed him, and the honouring of promises made to the West Africa regional bloc to return to constitutional rule by July 2024. Damiba could not be reached for comment. A close family member told Reuters he left the country on Sunday. Traore said earlier that order was being restored after violent protests against the French embassy and days of fighting as his faction moved to topple the government. Splits have emerged within the army, with many soldiers appearing to seek Russian support as the influence of former colonial power France wanes.”
United States
CBS News: Supreme Court Will Hear Two Cases Seeking To Hold Social Media Companies Financially Responsible For Terrorist Attacks
“The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear two cases seeking to hold social media companies financially responsible for terrorist attacks. Relatives of people killed in terror attacks in France and Turkey had sued Google, Twitter and Facebook, accusing the companies of helping terrorists spread their message and radicalize new recruits. The court will hear the cases this term, which began Monday, with a decision expected before the court recesses for the summer, usually in late June. The court did not say when it would hear arguments, but the court has already filled its argument calendar for October and November. One of the cases the justices will hear involves Nohemi Gonzalez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen studying in Paris. The Cal State Long Beach student was one of 130 people killed in ISIS attacks in November 2015. The attackers struck cafes, outside the French national stadium and inside the Bataclan theater. Gonzalez died in an attack at La Belle Equipe bistro. Her friend, Cal State student Niran Jayasiri, may have been the last to see Gonzalez alive, standing next to her at the café as a terrorist opened fire. “First I thought it was firecrackers because it sounded like firecrackers,” Jayasiri told CBS News in 2015. “When I looked into the direction where the noise was coming, I saw a gunman just walking on the sidewalk, just shooting everybody.”
Fox News: House Dem Wants To Freeze Financial Assets Of Domestic Extremists, Including Some Jan. 6 Rioters
“Democratic Rep. Josh Gottheimer on Monday announced the introduction of new legislation that would freeze the financial assets of a range of potential terrorist threats, from those inspired by ISIS to some groups involved in the Jan. 6 riot on Capitol Hill. The Democrat from New Jersey described his bill, the Freezing Assets of Suspected Terrorists and Enemy Recruits Act, or the FASTER Act, as one that would allow authorities to “freeze the assets of ISIS-inspired lone-wolf terrorists or other domestic extremists that are arrested on U.S. soil.” “We simply can’t run the risk of funds being utilized by an ISIS-inspired terrorist or domestic extremist to carry out another attack, whether that’s at Ground Zero, a shooting in Jersey City targeting the Jewish community, in temples, at schools…” Gottheimer said. Gottheimer said “ISIS-inspired” terrorist threats remain a top priority of federal law enforcement, but also said homegrown groups such as those that participated in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol are a rising threat that must also be addressed. “Over the last year, we’re also witnessing an alarming spike in activity from domestic extremist groups threatening our communities with violence and hate, in person, online, and deep in our communities,” he said.”
Reuters: Trial Begins For Three Men Accused Of Plotting To Kidnap Michigan Governor
“A state trial was set to start on Monday for three men accused of taking part in an elaborate plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 over her COVID-19 restrictions, with the hopes of starting a civil war. Jury selection was scheduled to begin in a Jackson County courtroom where Joseph Morrison, 28, his father-in-law Pete Musico, 44, and Paul Bellar, 23, are charged with firearm violations, gang membership and providing material support for terrorism. They could face 20 years in prison if they are convicted. The three are among 13 men who were arrested in October 2020 and charged with state or federal crimes in the alleged kidnapping conspiracy. Prosecutors say the plot was motivated by opposition to state coronavirus restrictions imposed by the governor and grievances related to the 2020 presidential election.”
Afghanistan
Voice Of America: Afghan Protests Continue Against School Attack As UN Raises Death Toll To 53
“Female students in Afghanistan took to the streets for a third day in a row Monday to seek justice for victims of last week’s suicide bombing of an education center in Kabul, as the death toll continues to rise. The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said Friday’s powerful blast in the capital, Kabul, had killed at least 53 people, including 46 girls and women, and wounded more than 110 others. “Girls and young women [were] the main victims. Casualty figures likely to rise further,” the UNAMA tweeted Monday. “Our human rights team continues documenting the crime: verifying facts & establishing reliable data to counter denial & revisionism.” The attack targeted the private Kaaj tutoring center in Dasht-e-Barchi, a western Kabul neighborhood home to the Afghan minority Shia Hazara community. Survivors said there were 400 boys and girls, separated by a curtain, in line with Taliban instructions, taking a mock university entrance exam when the bomber detonated his explosives in the girls’ section. The Islamist Taliban government has come under severe criticism for failing to provide security to what rights groups see as the most persecuted Afghan minority group. The violence has sparked domestic and international outrage, prompting Afghan female students in several cities to stage protests.”
India
Reuters: Prison Chief Killed In Indian Kashmir, Militants Claim Responsibility
“The chief of the prison service in Indian Kashmir has been murdered, police said on Tuesday, as the powerful interior minister visited the disputed Himalayan region that has been riven by a decades-long insurgency. The body of Hemant Kumar Lohia, 57, the region's director general of prisons, was found at his home on Monday night in the Jammu region, police said. Police said a household helper was the main suspect but an Islamist militant group said it had targeted and killed Lohia. Muslim-majority Kashmir is divided between mostly Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan which both claim it in full. Separatist Muslim groups have fought against Indian security forces in its part of Kashmir since the late 1980s. Senior police officer Mukesh Singh said Lohia's throat had been cut and his body bore burns. The initial investigation suggested it was not a "terror act" but police were investigating, he said. The People's Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), a militant group that emerged after India's government reorganised its only Muslim-majority state into two federally administered territories in 2019, said it had assassinated Lohia.”
Middle East
Asharq Al-Awsat: Israel Arrests 6 Young Men From Nazareth For Alleged ISIS Ties
“The Shin Bet arrested six young Arab Israelis known as Palestinians of '48, for alleged affiliation with ISIS and plans to commit terror attacks against Jewish and Israeli targets, according to indictments filed on Sunday to the District Court of Nazareth. The Israeli internal security service identified five of the suspects as Muhammad Ihab Suleiman, 25, Jafar Suleiman, 21, Muamen Nijam, 20, Ahmed Belal Suleiman, 18, Jihad Bakr, 20. The name of the sixth suspect, a minor, was barred from publication. According to the list of accusations based on the suspects’ confessions, the Shin Bet said that in recent weeks, it arrested the six men for alleged affiliation with ISIS and plans to commit terror attacks. Investigations revealed that the six suspects were exposed to ISIS ideologies online and had regularly accessed terrorist content. Accordingly, they planned to attack the high school in their neighborhood in Nazareth because its curriculum includes sex education. Also, they planned to attack a busy bus stop in northern Israel, a police station in Nazareth, a forest where Jewish Israelis often visit, and other areas. The six men admitted, according to the Shin Bet statement, of meeting secretly and of planning attacks of various types.”
AFP: Israel Forces Kill Two Palestinians In Latest West Bank Raid
“Israeli forces shot dead two Palestinians during an operation Monday targeting alleged militants near Ramallah, raising the year's mounting death toll in the occupied West Bank. Israeli forces have been conducting near daily raids in the Palestinian territory since March, with Palestinian fatalities reaching levels not seen since in years. The latest deaths were in the central West Bank, at the Jazalone refugee camp near Ramallah, where the army said it was pursuing “an individual suspected of terror activity”. During the operation, Israeli troops killed 19-year-old Basel Basbous and Khaled Anbar, 20, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Raafat Habash, 19, was seriously injured, the ministry said. The army confirmed it had “neutralised” two people who had “attempted to carry out a ramming attack against (Israeli) soldiers” with a vehicle. In Ramallah, seat of the Palestinian Authority, a general strike was called in response to the unrest and shut down much of the city, with youths patrolling the streets demanding businesses close for the day. Amid the unrelenting army raids, Israel's comptroller general Matanyahu Englman issued what he called an “urgent report” on Sunday, warning that the pace of the military activity mandated new resource planning.
Somalia
Associated Press: Al-Shabab Attack Kills 20, Wounds 36 In Town In Somalia
“Islamic extremist fighters on Monday targeted the local Somali government headquarters in the Hiran region, leaving 20 people dead and 36 wounded in a town at the center of a recent mobilization against the extremists, officials and witnesses said. The Somalia-based al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack in Beledweyne, a town more than 300 kilometers (186 miles) north of Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu. Somalia’s government earlier Monday announced that it and international partners had killed a top al-Shabab leader, Abdullahi Nadir, over the weekend. The U.S. military said it conducted an airstrike on Saturday in southwest Somalia but didn’t name the al-Shabab leader killed. The Hiran governor, Ali Jayte Osman, who survived Monday’s attack, told The Associated Press that the health minister of Hirshabelle state and the deputy governor of Hiran in charge of finance were among those killed in Monday’s attack. At least 36 others were hurt. “The first explosion occurred at the entrance gate, and after a few minutes a big truck rushed toward the headquarters building and exploded, killing many civilians who came to the office to receive services,” the governor said. “This attack was carried out by cowards, but their brutal acts will never distract from the public uprising against them.”
Africa
The North Africa Post: More Than Dozen Killed In North-Eastern Congo
“At least 14 people were killed Sunday in Ituri, North-eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in an attack by Allied Democratic Forces, Islamist rebel group originally based in neighboring Uganda, authorities have announced. Lingasa Benago, a leader of civil society in Irumu told Turkish news agency Anadolu that the attack killed 14 people, including two women, and injured about 20 others at dawn. “After executing people with machetes, they burned 36 houses before looting the population’s property,” added Babanilau Etienne, head of the chieftaincy. The death toll of 14 may change because many other people are missing, Benago added. The Congolese army reportedly deployed in the area to protect the territory. Both Congo and Uganda are mobilized fighting the group affiliated to the Islamic state group. ADF is considered a terrorist organization by the Ugandan government.”
United Kingdom
BBC News: Man Made Islamic State Grenade Threat On 999 Call
“A man who phoned 999 and made a grenade threat while citing the Islamic State group has received a community order. Amarik Gangar, 29, of Whitehall Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, made a number of calls to emergency services on the morning of 17 August. Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard he repeatedly swore and was abusive. On one of the calls, he said: “Bro, Islamic State is coming to the country in two days with grenades.” He had pleaded guilty to the charge of communicating false information with the intention of inducing someone to believe there was danger of explosives. Gangar, who is unemployed, also admitted communicating through an electronic information network false messages for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety. Sam Christopher, defending, said Gangar was intoxicated at the time of the offence and suffered from drug misuse issues. He said his client had “been watching documentaries about Ukraine and Russia” before making the calls. Magistrate Fiona Williams sentenced Gangar to an 18-month community order, including 30 days of rehabilitation. He was also told to pay a total of £296 through a fine, victim surcharge and prosecution costs.”
Express: British Military Recruits Referred To Anti-Terror Prevent Scheme Over Far-Right Ideology
“The UK military is being targeted by far-right extremists as a shocking number of new recruits are referred to the terrorist prevention programme. Following a Freedom of Information request by the Times, the Ministry of Defence revealed that 40 soldiers, sailors and air force personnel had been investigated over concerns of extremism since records began in 2019. Twenty of these were referred to the government’s Prevent strategy due to extreme right-wing activity, and the number is only increasing - sparking fears that far-right extremists' long-term fascination with military hardware is fuelling their desire to place recruits at the heart of British defence. Referrals doubled from five in 2019, to 10 between January 2021 and April 2022. Around 20 further Prevent reports were made in the same period, across the categories of Islamist extremism, “no clear ideology” and “counterterrorism-related activity”. The alarm had previously been raised about the Royal Navy in 2020, when it was revealed the Navy had not disciplined two sailors who supported the Generation Identity white nationalist group, which spreads the “great replacement” conspiracy theory. They had been referred to Prevent, but were allowed to remain in the military.”
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