January 13, 2020

The Telegraph: Somali Terrorist Group, Al-Shabaab, Threatens To Attack Us Targets Around The World <[link removed]>

“The Somali terrorist outfit al-Shabaab has threatened to strike at American targets around the world days after it mounted a deadly and unprecedented attack on US forces stationed in Kenya. Emboldened by the unexpected success of last Sunday’s assault on a military base in northern Kenya’s Manda Bay region, the jihadist group, a franchise of al-Qaeda, promised “further bloodshed” against American soldiers and civilians alike. The attack, which exposed a troubling lack of security, leaves the Trump administration struggling to deal with a significant and growing military challenge at a time when it is already preoccupied by its face-off with Iran. The US Army’s Africa Command (AFRICOM) has scrambled to respond to the attack, sending combat-ready reinforcements from the 101st Airborne Division to northern Kenya and stepping up airstrikes against al-Shabaab in neighbouring Somalia. But it has yet to explain how a lightly-armed detachment of Islamist fighters, probably numbering no more than 15, managed to cross into Kenya, advance unspotted on foot across 50 miles of bush before killing three Americans and wrecking six hi-tech surveillance aircraft.”

The Washington Post: U.S. Plans Expulsions Of At Least A Dozen Saudi Military Students Whose Colleague Killed Three At Pensacola Naval Base <[link removed]>

“At least a dozen Saudi military trainees in the United States could be sent back to their home country after an FBI investigation found connections to extremist rhetoric, possession of child pornography, and a failure by a small number of people to report alarming behavior by the gunman who killed three people last month at a Pensacola, Fla., military base, according to people familiar with the matter. Federal law enforcement and military officials are preparing to announce developments in the case in a matter of days. The FBI has been treating the shooting as a terrorist incident, particularly after discovering an anti-American screed posted by the gunman just before the December shooting, according to the people familiar with the matter. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss decisions by government officials. Several of the Saudis were found to possess child pornography, while others were found to have been a part of a social media conversation that included alarming support for extremism, according to one of the people familiar with the matter. A spokeswoman for the Justice Department and a spokeswoman for the FBI declined to comment. The planned expulsions of the Saudi trainees were first reported by CNN.”

United States

Los Angeles Times: To This Man, Islamic State’s Ideology ‘Just Made Sense.’ Now, He Rejects Extremism <[link removed]>

“On a rainy morning, Imran Rabbani returned to the Essex County Juvenile Detention Center so he could reunite with his former keepers. Four years before, Rabbani had arrived at the facility in shackles after being swept up in an Islamic State-inspired plot to set off a pressure-cooker bomb in New York. He was 17. Now, just starting his third semester at New York University, the 22-year-old Rabbani wanted to give thanks to the people who guided him away from Islamist extremism. As he waited in the library last summer, glancing at books that had proved crucial to his transformation, the room slowly filled with city officials, staff and guards. Rabbani spotted Capt. Robert Woodson and leaned in for a hug. After they embraced, Rabbani began sharing memories. The room quickly fell silent as people fixed their eyes on the pair. “Remember how you’d allow me and other inmates to eat snacks while we watched ‘The Wire’ inside the library? And that other time you allowed me to pray in private and then call my mom?” Rabbani asked. “I remember,” Woodson replied. “You and the other inmates were like my children. I love all of you.” Rabbani placed his hand on Woodson’s shoulder as tears fell down both their faces.”

Boston Globe: Modeling Terrorist Organizations As Business Startups <[link removed]>

“Business startups are sparked by a creative solution to a problem, but only a rare few will become spectacularly successful, while many others flame out. It turns out terrorist organizations follow a similar pattern. In a new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Brian Uzzi and his team at the Kellogg School of Business at Northwestern University present a method to predict which incipient terror organizations are likely to turn dangerously lethal by conceptualizing them as business startups. Business analysts have developed tools to evaluate startups and try to predict their future returns. Usually, analysts look at a company’s balance sheet, evaluating the startup’s capabilities and resources. Businesses with a lot of resources plan the deployment of those resources carefully. The converse is also true: Businesses that deploy their products in a haphazard manner typically have unstable resources.”

The Jerusalem Post: It’s Time To Call Violent Antisemitism What It Is: Domestic Terrorism <[link removed]>

“The end of 2019 should have been a time of joy for Jewish Americans celebrating Hanukkah and ushering in a new decade. Instead, Hanukkah was marred by numerous acts of violence and other forms of antisemitism, leaving Jews questioning how it’s possible that, in 2020, we’re less safe today than ever before in America. As American Jews grapple with how to combat rising hatred and bigotry, one thing is clear: The perpetrators of antisemitic violence must be brought to justice, and our government should ensure not only that they are apprehended and punished, but that we prevent and deter future attacks. Even in this era of partisan polarization, one would hope and expect that our elected officials could agree on the necessity of fighting the scourge of antisemitism and other forms of bigotry with meaningful legal action. This must be a multi-pronged effort, both short and long-term, that includes ensuring that the perpetrators of domestic terrorism are punished as terrorists. Recently, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo accurately described the antisemitic knife attack in Monsey, New York as an act of “domestic terrorism.”

Syria

The Washington Post: Is ISIS Defeated Or A Danger? Trump Delivered Mixed Message With Iran Speech. <[link removed]>

“In his speech this past week after the Iranian missile strikes against U.S. targets in Iraq, President Trump offered his version of the adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. The Islamic State “is a natural enemy of Iran,” the president said Wednesday at the White House. “The destruction of ISIS is good for Iran. And we should work together on this and other shared priorities.” Trump’s remarks appeared to help tamp down tensions that had skyrocketed after the U.S. strike that killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, last week in Baghdad. But security officials and analysts say Trump may have sent a mixed message: In the same speech, the president spoke about Iran’s “destructive and destabilizing behavior in the Middle East and beyond,” calling the country “the leading sponsor of terrorism.” “We don’t understand what President Trump really wants,” said a European official, who like others interviewed for this report spoke on the condition of anonymity due to persistent sensitivities over the United States’ handling of the Iran crisis. “Is he going to confront Iran’s meddling in the Middle East and push back on the al-Quds Force’s power? Does he want to prevent that the U.S. would have to carry a larger burden in the Middle East again?”

The Washington Post: The World Must Do Something About The Children Of ISIS Fighters <[link removed]>

“Among the many still-festering issues in the Middle East that may be worsened or neglected as a result of the rise in U.S.-Iran tension, none is more poignant than the plight of thousands of small children from outside the region who are languishing in camps across northeastern Syria. They are sons and daughters of foreign Islamic State fighters, and there were approximately 8,000 of them as of December 2019, according to United Nations data. They have been gathered — usually with their mothers but often unaccompanied — in these squalid tent cities, the largest of which, al-Hol, contains more than 68,000 people, since the last Islamic State strongholds in Syria fell to U.S.-backed Kurdish forces roughly a year ago. Both humanitarian values and security considerations require that their home governments in Europe and elsewhere find new, safe places for them to live as soon as possible. Admittedly, it is a very difficult problem, an especially cruel variant of the wider unresolved matter of what to do about the thousands of left-behind foreign Islamic State fighters whose native countries are reluctant to take them back, out of an understandable fear that they would return to terrorism. Yet half of the children living in three northern Syrian camps are under the age of 5, according to the United Nations; 80 percent are under 12.”

The New York Times: Russian-Led Air Strikes Suspended In Idlib After Ceasefire: Residents <[link removed]>

“Russia and its allies halted air strikes in Syria's Idlib region on Sunday as a ceasefire agreed with Turkey came into force, residents, rebels and respondents said, although few were optimistic the truce would hold. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Idlib province in recent weeks as Russian jets and Syrian artillery pounded towns and villages in a renewed government assault aimed at clearing the opposition from its last bastion in the northwest of the country. Turkey’s defense ministry said it was closely following ceasefire agreements in Idlib on Sunday, adding that the situation was calm “except for one or two separate incidents”. Turkey, which for years has backed Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad, said on Friday it had agreed the ceasefire with Russia to stem the flow of tens of thousands of civilians uprooted by the violence. The latest offensive had brought the Russian-led military campaign closer to heavily crowded parts of Idlib province, where nearly three million people are trapped, the vast majority women and children, according to the United Nations.”

Iran

New York Post: Fliers Recruiting Suicide Terrorists To Attack US Distributed In Iran <[link removed]>

“Students at Iran’s Islamic Azad University are being offered a novel new career choice — suicide terrorist. Leaflets are being distributed at the influential school urging students to sign up for Jihad missions against the United States and Israel to avenge the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. “Registration for volunteers to commit a suicide attack against the United States and Israel,” it blares. “Hard revenge is underway for those criminals who killed Qassem Soleimani.” The flyer, claiming to quote the words of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, carries additional messages of encouragement, including “kill all infidels.” Anyone looking to volunteer for the mission is asked to leave their first and last name, birth certificate number, education level, current occupation, phone number and fill in an area marked “tell us about your talents.” News of the jihadist search was reported by Iranian media. The flyer was republished in full on the website of the Iranian news agency Etedaal, and other Iranian news sources.”

Reuters: Hezbollah: It's Time For Iran's Allies To Start Working To Avenge Soleimani <[link removed]>

“Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Sunday it was time for Iran's allies to begin working to retaliate for the killing of Major General Qassem Soleimani though it would be a “long path” to the goal of ejecting U.S. forces from the region. Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also denied the Iranian general had been planning to blow up U.S. embassies. U.S. President Donald Trump said he had been killed after he landed in Baghdad in part because “they were looking to blow up our embassy”. Hezbollah, a heavily armed group designated as a terrorist organisation by the United States, was established in 1982 by Iran's Revolutionary Guards and is an important part of a regional Tehran-led alliance known as “the axis of resistance”. Iran responded for Soleimani's killing by launching missiles at two military bases in Iraq that house U.S. forces on Wednesday. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called it a “slap on the face” of the United States and said U.S. troops should leave the region. Though the region remains tense, both sides have backed off from intensifying the conflict since the Iranian attack. Nasrallah said last week that Iran's allies, which include the Syrian government and numerous paramilitary groups set up with Iranian support in Iraq and Syria, should help exact revenge for Soleimani's killing.”

Washington Examiner: Trump Prioritizes Fight Against Iran-Backed Narcoterrorist Network Obama Neglected: DEA Official <[link removed]>

“The Trump administration is prioritizing the threat posed by Hezbollah and the rest of Iran’s terrorist proxy network in ways President Barack Obama's administration never did, said the DEA’s top narcoterrorism agent. John Fernandez, the assistant special agent in charge of the Special Operations Division's Counter-Narcoterrorism Operations Center, told the Washington Examiner it was clear Trump had a stronger approach to combating and dismantling Iranian-backed terrorist operations, especially those of the Lebanese Hezbollah, and said that was good for the country’s safety. “I think it’s safe to say that under the previous administration it was not prioritized as the threat that President Trump has prioritized it as,” said Fernandez, who has been with the agency for decades, including during the Obama administration. “And President Trump’s approach on it has been on a comprehensive scale, hitting it from every resource and every tool and every authority that the U.S. government has — not just military, not just intelligence community, but law enforcement as well.”

The Telegraph: Revealed: How Iran Tried To Set Up Terror Cells In Central Africa <[link removed]>

“The rebel from central Africa touched down on Kish Island, an Iranian resort in the Persian Gulf, and left the following day. His stopover was brief but had opened up a new front in the escalating crisis between Iran and the West. Ismael Djidah was a well-connected middleman whose associates included some of the most notorious insurgents, mercenaries and arms smugglers from the war-torn borderlands of Chad, Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR). Now, among Kish Island’s glistening shopping malls and white sand beaches on December 11th 2016, Djidah was embarking on a new mission - helping to spread Iran's tentacles into Africa. According to UN investigators, security officials and diplomatic sources — as well as Djidah’s own testimony — he was planning to set up terrorist cells in Africa under the direction of Iran’s elite Quds Force, commanded by Qassem Suleimani who was assassinated in a US drone strike a little over a week ago. Kish Island appears to be where the plan...”

Iraq

Kurdistan 24: ISIS Still 'Threat To The Kurdistan Region, Iraq, And The Whole World:' Peshmerga Official <[link removed]>

“A top official of the Kurdistan Region's Peshmerga forces warned that the Islamic State remains an immediate threat to domestic and international security, adding that the group had killed, injured, or kidnapped more than one thousand people in Iraq over the past year alone. “ISIS is still standing and posing a threat to the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, and the whole world,” Jabar Yawar, Secretary General of the Ministry of Peshmerga, told reporters in Erbil on Saturday. Yawar's statement comes after the Iraqi Parliament, in response to the US killing of top Iranian general Qasim Soleimani, voted on a resolution to expel all “foreign” forces from Iraqi territory. Notably, the only parties participating in the session were from camps opposed to the American presence in the country. The vote was not attended by Kurdish lawmakers, who have said that the US-led Coalition is crucial in the continued fight against the Islamic State, nor most Sunni representatives. Yawar continued, “In 2018, according to a survey we conducted, ISIS carried out 456 terrorist operations in which 1,742 people were killed, wounded, or kidnapped.” According to these numbers, he explained, the extremist organization has more than doubled the casualties caused by its operations in 2019, adding up to a total of 1,058.”

Turkey

Daily Sabah: Turkey Gradually Erasing Terrorism Threat, Interior Minister Says Only 500 PKK Terrorists Left At Most <[link removed]>

“Turkey is pursuing its fight against terrorism at full steam, with only 500 PKK terrorists left at the most in the group's mountain bases, Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu stated Saturday. “They [PKK] have 500 men at the utmost left in the mountains. They can neither find food, nor recruits. The mothers and fathers in Diyarbakır are also at their throat. We will leave a Turkey free of terrorism to the future generation,” Soylu said at the opening ceremony of a ski center on Mount Ilgaz. Soylu stated that following the launch of Operation Kapan-1 in Mardin province two days ago, that Saturday would mark the launch of Operation Kapan-2 in Hatay's Amanos. Kapan-2 was launched to eliminate terrorists in the country's south, with a total of 623 security personnel, including gendarmerie and police forces, taking part in the operation. So far, a three-room shelter and three depots have been identified while an improvised explosive device (IED) and a large number of daily use items belonging to the terrorist YPG/PKK have been destroyed. Turkey launched Operation Kapan in the southeastern province of Mardin as a follow-up of Operation Kiran, which targeted YPG/PKK terrorists in the region in a surge of operations ramping up the country's fight to combat terror.”

Afghanistan

The Washington Post: Two American Service Members Killed In Taliban-Claimed Attack <[link removed]>

“A roadside bomb attack in Kandahar province has left two American service members dead and two wounded, the U.S. military command in Kabul said in a statement Saturday. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack through a post on Twitter. The attack comes as formal peace talks between U.S. and Taliban negotiators are stalled, with U.S. negotiators demanding a reduction in violence before a deal can be signed. In December, the U.S. special representative for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, announced a “brief pause” in negotiations after the Taliban launched a complex attack on the highly fortified Bagram air base. Since then formal talks have been on hold, but some negotiations have occurred on the sidelines. Ataullah Ata, a member of the Kandahar provincial council, said the attack occurred in the Dand district and destroyed the American vehicle. Ata said U.S. forces based at Kandahar air base regularly patrol nearby villages, including in the Dand district. He said the scene of Saturday’s attack had been cordoned off by American forces, and no more details were available.”

Xinhua: 18 Afghan Militants Killed In Northern Takhar Province <[link removed]>

“Afghan forces, during a cleanup operation, have killed at least 18 Taliban militants in the country's northern province of Takhar, Pamir Army Corps 217 said in a statement released here Saturday. The operation, backed by military planes, was conducted for the last two days in the troubled Darqad district of the province, resulting in the death of at least 18 Taliban fighters and injury of 11 others, the statement said. The government forces also cleared Norkhil village of the insurgents and destroyed three of their hideouts, during the mop-up, said the statement. Taliban militants who in control of parts of the restive Darqad district haven't commented.”

Axios: Trump May Reduce Troops In Afghanistan Without Taliban Deal <[link removed]>

“White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien told Axios in an exclusive interview that “it is possible” Trump will cut a deal with the Taliban this year but that even if a deal can't be struck, the president is still poised to reduce troops in Afghanistan. Driving the news: “We're back in a situation where we're in talks with the Taliban,” O'Brien said. “The Afghan forces are doing better, and I think we'll be in a position at some point soon, whether it's with a deal or without a deal, to reduce our military footprint in Afghanistan.” Behind the scenes: Trump has long said he wants to pull American troops out of Afghanistan. A source close to the president told Axios Trump views this as one of his biggest unmet promises. The source worries Trump would order a major drawdown before the 2020 election. Asked whether he thought Trump would strike a deal with the Taliban before the election, O'Brien said, “I don't judge things based on when the election's going to take place, but I think it is possible that there'll be a deal this year.” “We're working on it. But it has to be a good deal.”

Pakistan

Reuters: Death Toll In Pakistan Mosque Bombing Claimed By Islamic State Rises To 15 <[link removed]>

“The death toll from the bombing of a mosque in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta rose to 15 on Saturday, officials said, in an escalation of militant violence. An improvised explosive device ripped through the mosque during Friday evening prayers, killing 13 people and wounding more than 20, police said. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the bombing, which it said targeted an Afghan Taliban seminary. Mineral and gas-rich Balochistan, of which Quetta is the capital, is at the centre of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, part of China’s Belt and Road project. But violence in the province has fuelled concerns about the security of projects such as a planned energy link from western China to Pakistan’s southern port of Gwadar. Friday’s attack was the second in the city this week, while police said they had foiled another by killing a suicide attacker Rawalpindi city near Islamabad after he shot and killed two policemen. “Two of the wounded people died overnight in the hospital,” said provincial home minister Zia Langove, adding that six people were still in a critical condition. The Taliban denied in a statement that some of its members, including a top commander, were killed.”

The New York Times: Senior Police Officer Arrested In Kashmir On Suspicion Of Aiding Militants <[link removed]>

“A senior police officer has been arrested in Indian Kashmir and accused of aiding militants after he was found driving two suspected insurgents toward Jammu, Kashmir's chief of police told reporters on Sunday. The Muslim-majority Kashmir valley, claimed by both India and Pakistan, has been in turmoil since New Delhi announced in August that it would strip the territory of its long-held autonomy and statehood. Arguing that special provisions for the region had hindered its development and fueled separatism, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government separated the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two federally-controlled territories at the end of October. The police officer, Divinder Singh, was arrested on Saturday along with two suspected militants, police chief Vijay Kumar said. He named one of those Singh was arrested with as Naveed Mushtaq. Police officers have said previously they believe Mushtaq was involved in the killing of 11 apple traders, drivers and laborers last year. “We have registered a case against (Singh) under the arms, explosives and unlawful activities acts,” Kumar said. “It is a sensitive case and we don't want any loopholes,” he added, saying that Singh would be treated as a militant and jointly interrogated by all the intelligence agencies.”

Yemen

Asharq Al-Awsat: Yemenis Say Houthis Outdo ISIS In Violating Media Freedom <[link removed]>

“Iranian-backed coup militias ratcheted up violations and crimes against various media outlets and journalists in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, and the rest of the cities under their control. As a result, Yemenis came to say that the group topped violations against freedom commited by the terrorist ISIS organization. Local reports discussed a number of violations against journalists and activists, as well as local media, ranging between killing, injuring, arrest, forced disappearance, torture, referral to courts, and confiscation of property. The Media Freedoms Observatory (MFO) in Yemen issued its annual report for 2019 indicating that it recorded 143 violations against media freedoms in Yemen during the past year, including two cases of murder. The Observatory stated in its report nine cases of injury, six kidnappings, 15 arrests, 30 assaults, 20 threats, one suspension from work, 11 violations against media organizations, in addition to 49 other cases. MFO indicated that Yemeni journalists are working in a hostile environment, as a result of the increasing systematic and oppressive practices against them. Houthi group topped the list of perpetrators of violations against journalists in Yemen, with 75 violations out of the total cases recorded during the past year, according to the report.”

Lebanon

ABC News: Hezbollah Says Payback For US Strike Has Just Begun <[link removed]>

“The leader of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said Sunday that Iran's missile attacks on two bases in Iraq housing U.S. forces was only the start of the retaliation for America's killing a top Iranian general in a drone strike. Hassan Nasrallah described Iran's ballistic missile response as a “slap” to Washington, one that sent a message. The limited strikes caused no casualties and appeared to be mainly a show of force. The leader of Hezbollah, which is closely aligned with Iran, said the strikes were the “first step down a long path” that will ensure U.S. troops withdraw from the region. “The Americans must remove their bases, soldiers and officers and ships from our region. The alternative ... to leaving vertically is leaving horizontally. This is a decisive and firm decision,” Nasrallah said. “We are speaking about the start of a phase, about a new battle, about a new era in the region,” he added. His 90-minute televised speech marked one week since the killing of Iran's Gen. Qassim Soleimani. Nasrallah praised Soleimani for his steadfast support for Hezbollah. Iran's Revolutionary Guard has provided training for Hezbollah, which fought in the war in Syria alongside Iran-backed militias that Soleimani directed.”

Nigeria

All Africa: Nigeria: Troops Clear Boko Haram Enclaves, Rescue Captives In Borno <[link removed]>

“The Nigerian Army says its troops have cleared Boko Haram terrorists' hideouts and rescued five captives including an octogenarian, three women and a minor across Borno state in the past few days. The Nigerian Army Operations Media Coordinator, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. Iliyasu disclosed that troops of 121 Battalion deployed at Pulka in Gwoza Local Government Area, captured and destroyed the terrorists' hideout at Zeledva Hills along Pulka - Bokko - Ngoshe Road on Wednesday. More elements of the Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents, bandits and other criminal elements have either been neutralised or arrested at their hideouts across the country and more of their abductees have been freed. “On 7 Jan for instance, troops of 121 Battalion deployed at Pulka in Gwoza LGA of Borno State while on 'Operation RUFE KOFA' cleared and destroyed Boko Haram criminals' hideouts at Zeledva Hills along Pulka - Bokko - Ngoshe Road in the same LGA.” He added that the combined troops of 192 Battalion deployed at Gwoza, Theatre Strike Force (TSF) and Cameroonian Defence Force in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force and Local Hunters ascended the Ungwan-Gara-Kwatara mountain enclave of the terrorists.”

Africa

The Washington Post: Al-Shabab Militants Kill 3 Teachers In Kenya, Abduct 1 <[link removed]>

“Al-Shabab extremists killed three people in an attack in eastern Kenya, police said Monday. The militants from neighboring Somalia attacked Kamuthe center in Garissa county, setting fire to a police post and attempting to destroy a telecommunication mast, police said in a report seen by The Associated Press. Three non-Muslim teachers were killed and one teacher was abducted, the report said. They spared the life of a female nurse due to her gender, it added. Al-Shabab has vowed retribution on Kenya for its troops being present in Somalia since 2011 to fight the militants. The group has carried out numerous attacks on Kenya, killing hundreds.Earlier this month, the al-Qaida-linked group attacked a military base used by Kenyan and U.S. forces, killing three Americans and destroying aircraft and other machinery.”

All Africa: Kenyan Police Foil Al-Shabab Attack In Northeast Region <[link removed]>

“Kenyan police said they repelled an attack by suspected al-Shabab extremists on a police post in Mandera county in the northeast part of Kenya. Jeremiah Kossoim, Mandera county police commander, said an unknown number of militants stormed the post at 12: 40 p.m. on Saturday in the Olla area and started firing at the local police post. Then they went to the nearest mast and sprayed it with bullets. Kossoim said no police officer or civilian from the Kenyan side was injured during the shootout which lasted for some 20 minutes.He said the militants' efforts to destroy the mast were immediately thwarted after security officers immediately engaged them “I want to confirm that there was an attempted attack by the militants that flopped. All our officers have been accounted for with casualties coming from them since there were traces of blood going towards their escape route to Somalia,” Kossoim said. Kossiom said security officers were currently combing the area in a bid to pursue the militants who are believed to have escaped towards the border. “We are using the local chief and elders to pursue the militants. We are optimistic about finding them before they cross over to Somalia,” he said. Kossiom urged locals to volunteer information that will assist tackle the al-Shabab menace in the region, noting that they have an important role to play.”

United Kingdom

The Telegraph: 'Terror Text Alerts' Are Needed Amid Rise In Iran Tensions, Government Warned <[link removed]>

“Britain must swiftly adopt a public warning system against nuclear attack in the wake of increased tensions with Iran, ministers have been told. The government has been urged to introduce US-style technology that could send millions of mobile phone alerts in the event of an incoming nuclear missile or radioactive ‘dirty bomb’. Lord Toby Harris, who sits on the national security strategy committee, said recent tensions in the Middle East showed that the system was long overdue in this country. “I think the likelihood of Iran launching a nuclear attack on Britain any time soon is extremely remote,” he told the Telegraph. “But we know there is a risk of nuclear material or other harmful materials falling into the hands of terrorist groups, some of whom are backed by Iran....”

Sky News: Extinction Rebellion Listed As 'Extremist' By Anti-Terror Police <[link removed]>

“Extinction Rebellion has defended its activists after police included the group on a list of extremist ideologies in a counter-terrorism report. Guidance drawn up by Counter Terror Police South East (CTPSE) listed the environmental protest group alongside organisations such as National Action, and Islamic extremists, according to documents seen by The Guardian. Extinction Rebellion branded the label a “terrorism slur” and a “deliberate attempt to silence” its activists. The 12-page “safeguarding young people and adults from ideological extremism” document, issued to teachers and police officers, among others, has reportedly been recalled. The document says Extinction Rebellion is a threat due to its “anti-establishment philosophy”. It also warns that expressions of support could include “people speaking in strong or emotive terms about environmental issues like climate change, ecology, fracking, airport expansion or pollution”. Extinction Rebellion said: “How dare they? Children up and down the country are desperately fighting for a future. “Teachers, grandparents, nurses have been trying their best with loving nonviolence to get politicians and big business to do something about the dire state of our planet.”

Forbes: Here’s Why Young People Are Attracted To Terrorism <[link removed]>

“On Tuesday, a 17-year old boy was convicted of planning a terrorist attack in the United Kingdom. Police found documents containing a plan to commit arson against synagogues, as well as far-right literature, in his bedroom. He was sentenced to six years and eight months in custody. Over the years, I have studied why young people voluntarily join terrorist organisations, or become committed to a violent extremist ideology. These cases are very different from youth who are abducted in areas of conflict, in refugee camps or other areas. It is clear that a greater sense of agency and intent, as well forethought and research, goes into decisions made by teenagers who choose to commit crimes such as joining or assisting a terrorist group. Similar to gangs, it is children themselves who operate in groups and encourage each other, often providing material support and logistical planning among themselves. Unlike the far right offender on Tuesday, youths who have been prosecuted for Islamist related offences tend to be part of larger networks, rather than operating as lone actors. Three case examples come to mind.”

Europe

The National: Man Convicted Of Joining ISIS Says He Was A Spy For Danish Intelligence <[link removed]>

“A Danish man who is serving eight years in a Spanish jail for joining ISIS in Syria has claimed he was actually working for Denmark’s intelligence services. Ahmed Samsam, 30, travelled to Syria “several” times under the direction of Denmark’s Police Intelligence Service and Defence Intelligence Service, Danish newspaper Berlingske reported. He says that only once, in 2012, did he go to Syria on his own initiative. Citing several sources with knowledge of the case, Berlingske confirmed Samsam was recruited by Danish intelligence in December 2012 and was sent to Syria in February 2013. “I wanted to help prevent a terrorist attack in Denmark. I have a family that uses public transport, which is at high risk of being hit by terror,” he said as he explained his decision from a Spanish jail. He received up to 20,000 Kroner (Dh10,932) a month and military training for his work, which ended in late 2015. Samsam says Danish authorities promised him he would never be punished for his travel to Syria. His subsequent conviction has angered some in Denmark who say they are angry Spain was not told immediately about Samsam’s work.”

Southeast Asia

The Straits Times: Trial Begins For First Singaporean Charged With Terrorism Financing <[link removed]>

“The first Singaporean to be charged with terror financing admitted in his trial on Monday (Jan 13) that he had transferred funds overseas to support the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Former logistics professional Imran Kassim, 35, was charged with transferring $450 through remittance company Western Union to Mohamad Alsaied Alhmidan in Turkey for his publication of ISIS propaganda. “I do admit to making the transfer, and I did it to benefit the Islamic State,” he said, using another common name for ISIS. On an official website, the US government lists the recipient Mohamad Alsaied as a specially designated national, and says that he is linked to ISIS. Under the Terrorism (Suppression of Financing) Act, introduced in 2002 to counter terrorism financing here, anyone convicted of the offence of providing property and services for terrorist purposes may face prison time of not more than 10 years or a fine not exceeding $500,000, or face both penalties. Imran, who was brought into court handcuffed and blindfolded and was ushered in by four men, is representing himself. The court heard that he was previously represented by a law firm, which has since discharged itself.”

Latin America

The Wall Street Journal: Soleimani’s Latin America Terror <[link removed]>

“The death of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani is a blow to the theocracy’s efforts to assert its power across the Middle East. By taking out Soleimani, President Trump also did Latin America a big favor. As if to make the point, Cuba’s military dictatorship quickly condemned the U.S. action. The dead general was also mourned by the drug-trafficking terrorist group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, members of the Venezuelan dictatorship, and Iranian proxy networks in Brazil, Peru, Argentina, El Salvador and Mexico. A hero of hemispheric criminality has been lost, and the gangsters are sad. They may also be worried. It has been a mistake to let Iran’s incursions into the region during the last two decades go unanswered. If the end of Soleimani is the beginning of a more muscular U.S. policy toward Tehran, it’s good news for Latin America. Iran plays the long game in its effort to undermine U.S. leadership and expand its influence around the world. In the Western Hemisphere, the regime’s Ministry of Intelligence has taken the lead by establishing “cultural centers” in many urban areas, from which it can spread propaganda, proselytize, radicalize converts and recruit locals as spies.”



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The Counter Extremism Project - United States
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