Eye on Extremism
October 31, 2022
Associated Press: At Least 100 Killed In Mogadishu Car Bombings, Says Somalia’s President
“Somalia’s president says at least 100 people were killed in Saturday’s two car bombings at a busy junction in the capital and the toll could rise in the country’s deadliest attack since a truck bombing at the same spot five years ago killed more than 500. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, at the site of the explosions in Mogadishu, told journalists that nearly 300 other people were wounded. “We ask our international partners and Muslims around the world to send their medical doctors here since we can’t send all the victims outside the country for treatment,” he said. The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, which often targets the capital and controls large parts of the country, claimed responsibility, saying it targeted the education ministry. It claimed the ministry was an “enemy base” that receives support from non-Muslim countries and “is committed to removing Somali children from the Islamic faith.” Al-Shabab usually doesn’t make claims of responsibility when large numbers of civilians are killed, as in the 2017 blast, but it has been angered by a high-profile new offensive by the government that also aims to shut down its financial network. The group said it is committed to fighting until the country is ruled by Islamic law, and it asked civilians to stay away from government areas. Somalia’s president, elected this year, said the country remained at war with al-Shabab “and we are winning.”
Daily Mail: Hate Cleric Anjem Choudary Returns To Twitter After Ban With New Account, Telling Elon Musk: 'If You're True To Your Word, I'll Keep Preaching Online’
“Islamic hate preacher Anjem Choudary is back on Twitter and has praised its new owner Elon Musk for giving him the opportunity to reach a global audience. Choudary, 55, was jailed in 2016 for five-and-a-half years for inviting support for ISIS. The former lawyer was released from jail on licence having served half of his sentence but was subjected to stringent conditions, including a ban from preaching in person or online. He was banned permanently from Twitter less than a week after he rejoined the social network in 2019. But now he believes he can resume his career. Speaking to MailOnline, Choudary said he will continue preaching online. When asked if he will be banned again, he replied: 'Who knows... if what Elon says about free speech holds true then it should stay up.' The Twitter account has several links to sermons as well as an upcoming online debate being hosted on Telegram. In a series of tweets posted over the past 24 hours, Choudary criticises the PM Rishi Sunak and condemns the up-coming FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He also calls on King Charles III to convert to Islam. Before it was banned, Choudary was a leading member of al-Muhajiroun which was accused of radicalising youths. Before being jailed, he helped to radicalise Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, the killers of Fusilier Lee Rigby in South-East London in 2013; and Khuram Butt, the ringleader of the London Bridge attacks of 2017.”
United States
The New York Times: U.S. Releases Guantánamo’s Oldest Prisoner
“The United States has released the U.S. military’s oldest prisoner of the war on terror, a 75-year-old businessman who was held for nearly two decades as a suspected sympathizer of Al Qaeda but was never charged with a crime. The man, Saifullah Paracha, a former legal resident of New York, was one of Guantánamo’s most unusual and better known “forever prisoners.” Military prosecutors never sought to put him on trial, but review panels considered him too dangerous to release until last year. His transfer, in a secret military mission announced by the Pakistani government on Saturday, culminated months of negotiations to arrange his return. The Pentagon declined to comment. It was not known if Biden administration officials imposed any security restrictions on Mr. Paracha, but a lawyer swiftly released a photo of the former prisoner sitting in a McDonald’s in Karachi, Pakistan. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Saturday that it had “completed an extensive interagency process to facilitate repatriation of Mr. Paracha” and that it was “glad that a Pakistani citizen detained abroad is finally reunited with his family.” Mr. Paracha arrived at Guantánamo in the early days of detention operations, when hundreds of young men captured abroad filled cellblocks at the seafront compound.”
CNN: Feds Warn That Domestic Violent Extremists Pose Heightened Threat To Midterm Elections
“Federal officials on Friday warned that domestic violent extremists pose a heightened threat to the 2022 midterm elections, in a joint intelligence assessment sent to state and local officials and obtained by CNN. The bulletin, released by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, US Capitol Police and National Counterterrorism Center, says that perceptions of election fraud will likely result in heightened threats of violence. The bulletin did not list any specific credible threats. “Following the 2022 midterm election, perceptions of election-related fraud and dissatisfaction with electoral outcomes likely will result in heightened threats of violence against a broad range of targets―such as ideological opponents and election workers,” it states. Enduring perceptions of election fraud related to the 2020 general election continue to contribute to the radicalization of some violent extremists, and likely would “increase their sensitivity to any new claims perceived as reaffirming their belief that US elections are corrupt,” according to the assessment. The joint federal assessment comes as election workers are increasingly concerned about physical threats to themselves and election infrastructure, and foreign actors seek to widen divisions in the United States. “We assess that election-related perceptions of fraud and [domestic violent extremist] reactions to divisive topics will likely drive sporadic [domestic violent extremist] plotting of violence and broader efforts to justify violence in the lead up to and following the 2022 midterm election cycle,” the bulletin states.”
ABC News: Domestic Violent Extremism Investigations Doubled From 2020 To 2021: FBI, DHS
“Investigations involving a domestic violent extremism nexus doubled from 2020 to 2021, according to a new report released Thursday by the Department of Homeland Security and FBI. The law enforcement agencies say that in 2020, the FBI was conducting 1,400 domestic terrorism investigations, and by the end of 2021 they were conducting 2,700. The agencies say a large part of the increase was due to the events and investigations surrounding the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. “One of the most significant terrorism threats to the Homeland we face today is posed by lone offenders and small groups of individuals who commit acts of violence motivated by a range of ideological beliefs and/or personal grievances,” the report says. “Of these actors, domestic violent extremists represent one of the most persistent threats to the United States today. These individuals are often radicalized online and look to conduct attacks with easily accessible weapons.” The congressional mandated report was released nearly two years late by the FBI and DHS but no reason was provided. Although there is no federal domestic terrorism charge, the report explains that there are a myriad of charges that can be brought and the case still have a domestic terrorism nexus.”
Iraq
Reuters: At Least Eight Killed, More Than 20 Wounded In Explosion In Baghdad
“At least eight people were killed and more than 20 wounded in an explosion in east Baghdad on Saturday, according to security and medical sources. The explosion took place near a football stadium and a café, the sources said. The cause of the explosion is still unknown.”
Pakistan
Associated Press: Shootout With Militants In Northwest Pakistan Kills 2 Troops
“A shootout with militants in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday killed two soldiers, authorities said as a counterterrorism task force arrested a suspect involved in the recent killing of a former top judge of the country's restive southwestern Baluchistan province. According to a military statement, the shootout took place in the Darazinda area, in the district of Dera Ismail Khan in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which for many years had been a stronghold of various Islamic militant groups. The statement said that during an intensive exchange of fire, two soldiers were fatally wounded. A military action was then undertaken to eliminate the fleeing militants, it added. Separately, the country's counterterrorism task force announced the arrest of the man behind the killing of Baluchistan's former chief justice, Noor Mohammad Meskanzai. Senior officer Aitizaz Goraya told reporters that Shafqatullah Yalanzai was arrested in Kharan, where the judge was killed in a gun attack near a mosque two weeks ago. The officer said the suspect was a member of the outlawed Baluchistan Liberation Army, which had claimed the responsibility for the killing. Goraya claimed the suspect allegedly confessed to his role in the slaying and also revealed details about the group. Baluchistan, which is rich in mineral resources, has been a scene of low-level insurgency by separatist groups for over two decades. Pakistan’s military has claimed it quelled the insurgency but violence persists in the area.”
Middle East
CNN: West Bank Militants Threaten Israel, Urge Palestinian Leaders To Join Resistance As Tensions Rise
“Four US-made M4 Carbine rifles lean against the back of the sofa. The young men, mostly dressed in black civilian clothes, are relaxed and chatty. Neighbors pop their heads in to say hello through a door open to the street. Which is odd. Because these men are being hunted, targeted for kill-or-capture in a new Israeli military campaign to try to stamp out a fast-growing armed insurrection in the north of the West Bank. The six men sip tea. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it’s hunting them because they’re members of an armed militant group that’s planning more attacks against Israeli targets. “Martyr posters” cover most of the back wall. Young men from the Jenin Brigade, most of them killed in fighting with Israeli troops, smile from their photographs at their living comrades across the room. The men now fiddling with their phones know they themselves may move from the sofa to that wall. An Israeli military strike team could attack at any time. This is Jenin Refugee Camp. It’s less than half a kilometer square, home to about 12,500 people and a hotbed of armed resistance against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank – and the existence of the Jewish state itself – for more than 20 years. Its tight alleys and ramshackle homes are densely packed, and crackle with tension. At midday it’s shuttered while the neighboring town of Jenin is raucous with life. Locals say people mostly sleep during the day because at night there’s often fighting.”
The Jerusalem Post: WATCH: Terrorist Kills Israeli 50-Year-Old, Injures Three In Saturday Terror Attack
“IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi on Sunday toured the scene of the deadly terrorist attack that took place in Kiryat Arba late Saturday night and ordered forces to increase security in the area. Ronen Hanania, a 50-year-old resident of the Jewish community, was shot dead by the Palestinian terrorist outside a convenience store on Saturday vening. Kohavi was presented with additional steps to increase security in the area, including the deployment of additional troops and the blocking of roads in the area of Hebron. The Chief of Staff visited after Israeli troops mapped the terrorist’s home ahead of its possible demolition. The terrorist, identified as Hebron resident Muhammed Kamel al-Jaabari, was run over by the settlement’s military security coordinator after opening fire with an M-16 rifle in a store near the Ashmoret checkpoint. He was then shot dead by an off-duty IDF officer. According to reports, several members of Jaabari’s family are associated with Hamas, including his brother who was released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal and exiled to Gaza. Jaabari, who was a teacher in Hebron affiliated with Hamas, was said to be terminally ill with cancer. The victim was identified as 50-year-old Ronen Hanania, a resident of Kiryat Arba. His 19-year-old son and Magen David Adom medic Ofer Ohana were seriously wounded.”
Nigeria
Voice Of America: Anxiety Grows In Abuja As Fear Of Terror Attack Looms
“Nigerian security forces dismantled a terror cell and arrested 35 suspected members of the militant group Islamic State West Africa Province, including five commanders, Nigerian daily newspapers reported Friday. Abuja, the capital, remained on guard, with some shops closing temporarily as a precaution. Australian and Canadian embassies in the city were the latest to issue terror warnings; U.S. and British embassies on Sunday had told their citizens to be on alert and avoid crowds across Nigeria but especially in Abuja. The foreign missions said government buildings, places of worship, schools, markets, shopping malls, bars and hotels were among possible terrorist targets. The U.S. State Department ordered family members of U.S. employees to leave the Nigerian capital. Security guards patrolled Friday near a huge shopping complex in Abuja’s Jabi district. The complex had closed Thursday because of security threats. Workers and shoppers were not allowed into the premises, and the street was blocked off to car and foot traffic. Abuja Police Public Relations Officer Josephine Adeh said authorities were stepping up security measures. “We're doing all we can. ... We've strengthened our security, even though there's no cause for concern, no cause for alarm. We don't have any threat in our country,” she said. Concerns about terror attacks have been growing in Nigeria. Militant groups have been pushing their operations beyond bases where they have been active for years.”
Daily Post Nigeria: Boko Haram Attack: Army Kills Eight Terrorists In Niger
“At least eight suspected Boko Haram members were allegedly killed during an attack on Army Barracks in New Bussa, Borgu Local Government of Niger State. It was gathered the gunmen stormed the barracks in an effort to rescue some of their members held in captivity. DAILY POST learnt the incident occurred on Saturday at about 12 midnight. Eyewitness said during the attack eight were killed, apprehended while some of the military men sustained minor injuries. “During the fight, the soldiers gave the terrorists a good fight. The Army called on the Air Force for assistance. They exchanged fire with the well armed Boko Haram members who came in their numbers to the barracks. “Many of the Boko Haram members escaped with various degrees of injuries.” DAILY POST further learnt that security has been beefed up around the barracks in order to counter any reprisal attack by the armed gunmen.”
Sahara Reporters: Terror Alert: 15 Extremist Groups Targeting Nigeria, May Disrupt 2023 General Elections – Intersociety
“A human rights organisation, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has warned that at least 15 terror groups are targeting Nigeria and currently in the country with the aim of also disrupting the forthcoming general elections. The organisation which was reacting to the Western terror alert warning in the Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, stated that the riotous situation going on in the country by Islamic jihadists with subtle support of the government was clearing road for emergence of Biafra Republic and others. Intersociety stated this in a release made to SaharaReporters titled: “Terror Threats And 2023: Government Of Nigeria Is Making Peaceful Change Impossible And Violent Change Inevitable And Riotously Clearing Road For Emergence Of Biafra Republic And Others.” The organisation warned that if jihadist succeeded in capturing Abuja, Nigerians would be left with three choices of the “Valvet Revolution, the Berlin Wall or the Yugoslav Fragmentation”. The statement was signed by principal officers of the organisation; Emeka Umeagbalasi Chidinma Udegbunam Chinwe Umeche and Obianuju Joy Igboeli. The statement reads: “It is our further observation that the rising jihadist terror threats ahead of Nigeria’s crucial Presidential Poll and others are not accidental as the present Nigerian Government had since its inception in 2015 behaved through its policies and actions as if its cardinal governance mission is to promote State Jihadism.”
Africa
Reuters: Militants Kill 15 In Attack On Burkina Faso Military Supply Mission - Army
“Islamist militants killed 15 Burkinabe soldiers and volunteer militiamen on Saturday as they returned from a supply mission in eastern Burkina Faso, the army said on Sunday. A further four soldiers were wounded in the attack in Gourma province, while 11 are still missing, it said in a statement. Burkina Faso has been battling militants, some with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State, since 2015. The worsening violence spurred soldiers last month to overthrow the government in the country's second coup this year. The crisis has displaced almost 2 million people in Burkina Faso alone and killed thousands across West Africa's Sahel region, where an insurgency that took root in Mali has spread over the past decade.”
United Kingdom
BBC News: The UK Terror Survivors Tracked Down By ‘Disaster Trolls’
“Conspiracy theorists, who claim UK terror attacks have been staged, are tracking down survivors to their homes and workplaces to see if they are lying about their injuries, a BBC investigation has found. Martin Hibbert, who was paralysed from the waist down when he and his daughter Eve were caught in the blast of the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing, told the BBC he is now preparing to bring libel action against a man who says he spied on Eve from a vehicle parked outside her home. Richard D Hall, a conspiracy theorist based in Wales, has described how he physically tracks down survivors of the attack - in which 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured - to determine whether it was faked. In a video shared with his followers online, he demonstrates setting up a camera to film Eve, now profoundly disabled and in a wheelchair, to see whether she can in fact walk. “I'm all for freedom of speech,” Martin Hibbert told me. “But it crosses the line when you're saying I'm an actor or I've not got a spinal cord injury or Eve's not disabled, she's not in a wheelchair. “You don't know how far he's going to go to get answers.” Mr Hall suggests that those who were killed in the attack are really alive and living abroad. He also promotes theories that several other UK terror attacks were staged. A former engineer and website designer, he makes money from selling books and DVDs outlining his theories, as well as speaking at events and posting videos online.”
Australia
CNN: Australia Repatriates Families Of ISIS Fighters From Syria
“Australia has repatriated a group of women and children who were left stranded in refugee camps in northeastern Syria after the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group lost control of the area in 2019. In a statement issued on Saturday, Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’Neil said that the group, made up of four Australian women and their 13 children, had arrived in New South Wales. “The focus has been the safety and security of all Australians as well as the safety of those involved in the operation,” she said. “The government has carefully considered the range of security, community and welfare factors in making the decision to repatriate.” Earlier this month Canberra said it hoped to rescue from refugee camps in Syria dozens of Australian women and children who belonged to the families of dead or jailed ISIS fighters. The four women had allegedly traveled from Australia to the Middle East to marry ISIS fighters. O’Neil added that Australian law enforcement agencies would “continue to engage with” and investigate other members of the group. A woman walks carrying a child at the Kurdish-run al-Hol camp, which holds relatives of suspected Islamic State (IS) group fighters, in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh governorate on August 18, 2021. “Allegations of unlawful activity will continue to be investigated,” she said. “Any identified offenses may lead to law enforcement action being taken.”
ABC News Australia: Adelaide Schoolboy Who Allegedly Possessed Extremist Material To Be Sentenced As An Adult
“A 15-year-old Adelaide schoolboy who allegedly possessed extremist material and coached others online about how to make bombs will be sentenced as an adult, meaning he could face up to 15 years in prison. Prosecutors asked the Adelaide Youth Court to sentence the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as an adult where a bigger penalty could be imposed. Judge Penny Eldridge today allowed that application, which means he faces a maximum of 15 years' detention instead of three. In her redacted judgement, Judge Eldridge said she agreed with prosecutors that the “gravity of the offending” meant he should be sentenced as an adult. “The offences for which the youth has been charged are at the most serious end of the scale of criminality and the circumstances of them are extreme and of significant concern,” she stated. “The charges are clearly intended to intercept and prevent terrorist acts at an early stage.” Judge Eldridge redacted information from her judgement that outlined the precise allegations against the boy, before releasing it to the media. The boy will reappear in the court in December where he is likely to plead guilty to possessing extremist material and taking steps to manufacture an explosive. Prosecutor Aimee Winra previously told the court that the “gravity of the offending” meant the boy should be sentenced as an adult.”
Technology
The New York Times: Antisemitic Campaign Tries To Capitalize On Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover.
“A coordinated campaign to spread antisemitic memes and images on Twitter resulted in more than 1,200 tweets and retweets featuring the offensive content, according to an analysis by the Anti-Defamation League. The tweets identified by the A.D.L. added to a flurry of racist, transphobic and rule-breaking content that coursed through Twitter on Friday after Elon Musk, the chief executive of Tesla, had officially taken control of the platform. Mr. Musk has promised to loosen content moderation rules in the name of “free speech,” worrying many who believe the changes will allow offensive content to spread on the platform. The A.D.L. said the antisemitic tweet campaign was hatched on 4chan, the fringe message board that is loosely moderated and where hate speech has thrived. On Thursday, an anonymous 4chan user posted instructions for sharing antisemitic content on Twitter after Mr. Musk’s takeover was made official. The post was circulated on Telegram, the chat app popular with the far right, according to the A.D.L. “Now that Elon is taking over Twitter it’s time to finally put our skills to use,” read the post, which told users to argue with Jewish users and “like” tweets from other participants.”
Reuters: Hate Speech, Online Extremism Fed Pelosi Attack, Terror Experts Believe
“The frequent targeting of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi by online extremists and political opponents likely contributed to the violent attack on her husband Paul, terrorism and extremism experts said. The intruder at the Pelosis' home yelled "Where's Nancy?" before assaulting Paul Pelosi with a hammer, according to a person briefed on the incident. An internet user with the same name as the man arrested at the scene, David Depape, expressed support for former President Donald Trump and embraced the cult-like conspiracy theory QAnon in online posts that referenced "satanic paedophilia." Police have yet to comment on a motive in the attack. But terrorism and extremism experts believe it could be an example of the growing threat of so-called stochastic terrorism, in which sometimes unstable individuals are inspired to violence by hate speech and scenarios they see online and hear echoed by public figures. "This was clearly a targeted attack. The purpose was to locate and potentially harm the speaker of the house," said John Cohen, a former counterterrorism coordinator and head of intelligence at the Department of Homeland Security, who is currently working with state and local law enforcement across the country on the issue. "This is a continuation of a trend that we have been experiencing over the past several years. It is a threat dynamic that has law enforcement extraordinarily concerned.’”
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