Eye on Extremism
February 21, 2023
CNN: US Conducts Helicopter Raid In Syria Capturing ISIS Official
“The US military and Syrian Democratic Forces conducted a helicopter raid in eastern Syria early Saturday, capturing an ISIS official, according to a statement from US Central Command. Batar, ‘an ISIS Syria Province Official involved in planning attacks on SDF-guarded detention centers and manufacturing improvised explosive devices,’ was captured in the raid, CENTCOM said in the statement. The US did not provide any additional information or evidence regarding its claims about Batar. No civilians, SDF or US forces were killed or injured in the raid, according to CENTCOM. The development comes on the heels of an earlier helicopter raid in Syria on Thursday night that the US military said killed Hamza al-Homsi, a senior ISIS leader, as well as wounded four US troops and a working dog.”
Associated Press: Taliban Claim Attack On Police In Pakistan’s Karachi, 7 Dead
“Militants launched a deadly suicide attack on the police headquarters of Pakistan’s largest city on Friday, officials said, as the sound of gunfire and explosions rocked the heart of Karachi for several hours. Three security forces and a civilian were killed and 18 security forces wounded, according to government officials and Ghulam Nabi Memon, police chief for the southern Sindh province where Karachi is located. Two suicide bombers were killed and at least one blew himself up after entering the police building, officials added. Pakistani Taliban in a brief statement claimed responsibility. Murtaza Wahab, a government adviser, confirmed that police and paramilitary forces in a joint operation had cleared the police building within three hours of the attack late Friday.”
United States
The Hill: Graham: US Should Designate Russia A State Sponsor Of Terrorism
“Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday reiterated his call for the U.S. to designate Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism as the Kremlin’s conflict against neighboring Ukraine nears the end of its first year. Graham made the point while responding to comments from Vice President Harris at the Munich Security Conference over the weekend, where she said the U.S. has formally determined that Russia is committing crimes against humanity in Ukraine. ‘And let me just stress this — how can you call this war by Russia a crime against humanity, and that’s what the vice president did in Munich — now, we’re talking about Germany. We’re talking about the vice president of United States declaring that Russia is involved in crimes against humanity in Germany of all places, you know, echoes of World War II,’ Graham told ABC ‘This Week’ co-anchor Martha Raddatz. ‘How can she say that — and she is correct — and not give the victim of the crime against humanity the defensive weapons they need to stop the crime?’ he added.”
Fox News Dallas: Man Arrested, Charged With Making Terrorist Threat Against Desoto Mosque
“48-year-old Demarcus Brodie, from DeSoto, was charged with issuing a terrorist threat against the DeSoto House of Peace & Community Center on West Beltline road. Police say he approached worshippers and threatened to kill families and kill them, if they continue to practice their religion. Police released images of Brodie from inside on the mosque on Tuesday, February 14. They identified Brodie from the surveillance images and through background checks, which found that he was charged with a 2007 violent crime in Charlotte, North Carolina. In that case, witnesses said Brodie walked into a hotel restaurant and slashed a server's neck, what police described as a serious and nearly fatal wound.”
Tampa Bay Times: Tampa Man Accused In Terrorism Case To Plead Guilty, Accept 18 Years In Prison
“The Tampa man accused of plotting an attack in the name of the Islamic State has agreed to plead guilty to a terrorism charge and accept an 18-year prison sentence, according to a plea document filed this week in federal court. Muhammed Alazhari, 25, signed an agreement Monday that calls for him to plead guilty to a single charge of attempting to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization. Two other criminal charges, related to a pair of guns he was alleged to have illegally possessed, will be dismissed. If a judge approves the guilty plea, it will abruptly end a case that for more than two years has seen intense and complex litigation of issues related to government surveillance, searches and the defendant’s mental health. Prosecutors and the defense sparred over information related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, a federal law that governs evidence collected in espionage or international terrorism investigations.”
Syria
Reuters: At Least 53 Killed Syria Attack, Islamic State Blamed -State TV
“At least 53 civilians were killed in an attack in Syria's central desert province of Homs, state media reported on Friday, blaming jihadist militant group Islamic State. The bodies of all victims taken to the Palmyra state hospital had gunshot wounds to the head, state news agency SANA cited the hospital's head as saying. State media said the victims had been gathering desert truffles when they were attacked. Homs province is controlled by the Syrian government and its allies. Five people who were wounded were transferred to another hospital. One of the survivors told SANA that IS had burned their cars.”
AFP: Israeli Strike Kills 15 In Syrian Capital: War Monitor
“An Israeli air strike killed early Sunday 15 people including two Syrian civilians and badly damaged a building in a Damascus district housing state security agencies, a war monitor said. The strike targeted a meeting that included Syrian regime officers and was ‘the deadliest Israeli attack in the Syrian capital’ since the civil war began, said Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The overnight strike cratered a road and wrecked the adjacent 10-storey building in the Kafr Sousa district, which is home to senior state officials and Syrian intelligence headquarters, said the Britain-based Observatory. A woman was also killed in the Mazraa district, possibly hit when Syrian anti-aircraft munitions crashed down, it added. It was not immediately clear who was the intended target of the strike, which AFP correspondents reported shook Damascus and left a gaping hole in the street. Other missiles overnight hit a warehouse used by pro-regime Iranian and Hezbollah fighters near Damascus, said the Observatory, which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria.”
Hawar News Agency: SDF Kills 2 ISIS Leader In Deir Ezzor Countryside
“SDF's Media Center stated, ‘Within the framework of our forces’ pursuit of the remnants of ISIS terrorist cells; The day before yesterday, on February 16, our forces carried out two security operations against ISIS cells in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor.’ ‘In the first operation carried out by the Anti-Terrorism Units (YAT) of our forces, with the support and participation of the International Coalition Forces, which took place in the ‘Al-Sabha’ district in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, it aimed at arresting a leader in the organization called "Muhannad Al-Sari’. Al-Fadgham, who is one of the dangerous security forces of the terrorist organization ISIS, was carrying out assassination operations against our forces. After besieging his whereabouts, our units called on him to surrender, but he refused the call and started shooting at our units, which forced them to respond and a clash broke out, which led to his death.”
Iran
Qantara.de: Iran-Based Egyptian Saif Al-Adel Is New Al-Qaida Chief, Says U.S.
“…Adel, 62, is a former Egyptian special forces lieutenant colonel and figure in the old guard of al-Qaida. He helped build the group's operational capacity and trained some of the hijackers who took part in the September 11, 2001 attack on the United States, according to the U.S. Counter Extremism Project. He has been in Iran since 2002 or 2003, at first under house arrest, but later free enough to make trips to Pakistan, according to Ali Soufan, a former FBI counter-terrorism investigator.”
AFP News: Iranian-German Dual National Sentenced To Death For 'Terrorism': Judiciary
“A Tehran court on Tuesday sentenced to death an Iranian-German dual national accused of being the leader of a ‘terrorist’ group behind a deadly 2008 mosque bombing, the judiciary said. ‘The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Jamshid Sharmahd, the leader of the Tondar terrorist group, to death on the charge of corruption on earth through planning and directing terrorist acts,’ the judiciary's Mizan Online news agency reported.”
Tehran Times: Third Trial Session For Shah Cheragh Terrorist Attack Held
“The trial meeting was held at the presence of the defendants and their lawyers, parents of the victims and a group of witnesses of the horrible incident. On October 26, 2022, a gunman entered the Shah Cheragh shrine and mowed down at visitors, leaving 13 people dead, including children, and 30 more injured. The gunman and his accomplices come from the neighboring countries. Fars province’s head of justice department stated that 5 persons have been indicted in the terrorist attack, underlining that those responsible for such a devilish act are linked to the Daesh terrorist group.”
Iraq
Gulf Today: Four Daesh Militants Killed In Eastern Iraq Airstrike
“A total of four Daesh militants were killed in an airstrike in eastern Iraq and a raid in the west, the Iraqi military has said. Acted on intelligence reports, the Iraqi fighter jets bombarded an Daesh hideout in the Himreen mountain range on Friday, killing three Daesh militants, said the media office of the Iraqi Joint Operations Command in a statement. The statement gave no further details about the bombed Daesh hideout but said more information would be released later, Xinhua news agency reported. A security source anonymously told the news agency that one of the three killed is believed to be a local leader of the extremist group.”
Iraqi News: Iraqi PM Announces Elimination Of ISIS Terrorist Group
“The Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammad Shia Al-Sudani, announced on Sunday that the terrorist group of ISIS has been eliminated in Iraq, during a symposium on the sidelines of his participation in the Munich Security Conference (MSC). Al-Sudani indicated that Iraq needs the assistance of the international community to arrest terrorists outside Iraq and to prevent their financing. ‘Corruption in Iraq threatens development and reconstruction plans, and part of the corruption finances terrorism,’ Al-Sudani said during the symposium. ‘Our forces are able to achieve security and stability in Iraq, and our stance is clear that there is no need for combat forces belonging to the international coalition, but we only need advisory missions,’ Al-Sudani stated.”
Tasnim News Agency: Iraqi Army Launches Military Operation Against Daesh Cells In 3 Provinces
“The Iraqi army has initiated a military operation to track down Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) cells in three provinces following the terrorist group's recent escalation of violent attacks across Iraq. The operation, which involves all security forces and the support of army aviation, aims to pursue the remnants and cells of Daesh in the provinces of Anbar, Saladin, and Nineveh, AlyaumTV reported, citing the Iraqi Ministry of Defense. The military operation is part of ongoing efforts by the Iraqi army to eliminate the threat of Daesh in the country. ‘The army launched a comprehensive military operation to pursue the remnants and cells of the terrorist organization Daesh,’ the Iraqi Ministry of Defense stated in a press release. ‘This operation is part of continuous operations during this period.’”
Afghanistan
The Print: Top Kashmir Jihad Commander Who Led Indian Suicide Bombers In Afghan IS Attacks Believed Killed
“Kashmir-born jihad commander Ejaz Ahmad Ahanger — alleged to have led an Islamic State cell responsible for a series of suicide attacks by Indian nationals in Kabul and Jalalabad — is believed to have been killed in southern Afghanistan, intelligence officials, as well as members of his family, have told ThePrint. The one-time iron-foundry apprentice from Srinagar was designated a terrorist by the Ministry of Home Affairs in January. Fahmida Shafi, Ahanger’s sister, told ThePrint that authorities have informed the family the terrorist leader ‘had slept off’. ‘The police summoned my older brother to give him the news a few days ago,’ she said. ‘I do not know whether this is true or not, but I have been crying since then.’”
Reporters Without Borders: TV Channel Raid, Arrests, Website Blocking In Taliban Offensive Against Afghan Media
“Tolo News TV journalist Mohammad Yaar Majroh was finally released on 19 February after being held for six days. Six other Afghan journalists continue to be detained. Journalists at the Kabul headquarters of the independent Tamadon TV channel were on the point of going home at 4:20 p.m. on 14 February when ten armed Taliban stormed in, took all of the personnel hostage for more than 30 minutes, beat some of them, insulted them and accused them of being ‘infidel Hazaras’ who broadcast ‘information contrary to the Islamic Emirate’s interests.’ After talking to the head of Tamadon TV, they finally left, taking two of the TV channel’s vehicles with them, but they threatened to return. The specific reason for the raid is still unclear, but one of the TV channel’s employees told RSF that ‘the lives of Tamadon’s journalists are now in great danger’ and he said he was no longer living at home.”
Pakistan
Associated Press: Pakistan, Afghan Taliban Trade Fire At Border Crossing
“Pakistani border guards and Afghan Taliban forces traded cross-border fire on Monday morning, officials said, a day after Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers closed the Torkham border crossing amid increasing tensions between the two neighbors. There was no immediate word on casualties on either side. On Sunday, the Afghan Taliban shut Torkham, a key trade route, over Pakistan’s alleged refusal to allow Afghan patients and their caretakers to enter Pakistan for medical care without travel documents, Pakistani security officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss border issues. Khalid Khan, a local Pakistani police official, confirmed the border closure and what he described as intermittent exchanges of fire at Torkham, located in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan’s military and the Foreign Ministry made no immediate comments.”
Outlook India: Pakistan: Tehrik-I-Taliban Pakistan Attacks Police Chief's Office In Karachi, Kills Four
“…The TTP is committed to the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate in Pakistan by overthrowing the current Pakistani state. The Caliphate is a term that Islamist terrorist groups often use to refer to their Islamic states. The word is rooted in historic Islamic kingdomes ruled by Caliphs. The TTP also links with the Afghan Taliban and terrorist groun Al Qaeda, notes think tank Counter Extremism Project (CEP). The CEP says, ‘As an ally of the Afghan Taliban, the TTP also fought the US-backed Afghan government prior to the latter’s defeat in August 2021. The TTP was founded in late 2007 by a group of Pakistani militants who had previously fought in Afghanistan alongside both the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and the group has maintained close ties to both organizations since.’”
Hindustan Times: Top Hizbul Commander From J&K Killed In Pakistan; Bashir Ahmad Was Wanted In India | Details
“The launching commander of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiyaz Alam, was killed in Pakistan's Rawalpindi on Monday evening. An assailant shot at him from point-blank range outside a shop in Rawalpindi, killing the top Hizb commander who was wanted in India. On October 4 of last year, the Narendra Modi government designated Peer as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was involved in providing logistics to the banned outfit’s terrorists, especially for infiltration into the Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir.”
Yemen
Yemen Online: 9 Killed In Houthi Rebels' Overnight Attack On Gov't Forces In Yemen
“Nine people were killed in Yemen after Houthi rebel militants launched an overnight attack on sites of the government forces in the northern province of al-Jawf, a military official said on Monday. ‘Heavy armed confrontations took place between the government forces and the Houthi fighters in Abtar area and other adjacent areas bordering Saudi Arabia late on Sunday night, killing at least four soldiers and five rebels,’ the local military official said on condition of anonymity, Xinhua news agency reported. ‘The government forces succeeded in aborting the rebel attack,’ he said, adding that Houthis have stepped up their attacks on the Yemeni government forces stationed in the areas bordering Saudi Arabia in the past few weeks. Yemen has witnessed sporadic armed confrontations between the local warring factions, after a cease-fire brokered by the United Nations expired in October last year.”
Arab News: In Rare Admission, Yemen’s Houthis Confirm They Released Al-Qaeda Terrorists
“The Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen have admitted trading Al-Qaeda prisoners for their own captured fighters. It was a rare admission by the group, which has long denied freeing militants. It came a day after Rashad Al-Alimi, the chairman of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, accused the Houthis of releasing Al-Qaeda militants, arming them and sending them to attack Yemeni government troops. Abdulkader Al-Murtada, head of the Houthis’ prisoner exchange committee, said on Sunday that they traded two Al-Qaeda terrorists, purportedly captured on the battlefields of Al-Bayda province, for three of the militia’s fighters.”
Middle East
Reuters: Taliban Plans To Turn Former Foreign Bases Into Special Economic Zones
“The Taliban administration will move ahead with plans to turn former foreign military bases into special economic zones for businesses, the acting deputy prime minister for economic affairs said in a statement on Sunday. The acting commerce minister had told Reuters in December that his ministry was working on the plan for former American bases and would submit it to both the economic committee led by acting deputy PM Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and to the cabinet for approval. ‘Following a thorough discussion, it was decided that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce should progressively take control of the remaining military bases of the foreign forces with the intention of converting them into special economic zones,’ Mullah Baradar said in the statement. He added a pilot plan would begin to convert bases in the capital Kabul and in northern Balkh province.”
The Jerusalem Post: Palestinian Brother Of City Of David Terrorist Indicted By Israel Police
“The Jerusalem District Attorney's Office indicted on Sunday the older brother of the 13-year-old Palestinian who carried out a terrorist shooting at the City of David archaeological site in the Israeli capital last month. Omar Aliawat, 29 years old, is accused of acquiring the pistol used by his younger brother in the attack that injured an Israeli father and son. According to the indictment, the accused hid the weapon and two full clips in a storage warehouse near the brothers' east Jerusalem home. He was charged with illegal carrying and possession of weaponry and acts of recklessness and negligence.”
i24 News: Israeli Military Arrests Known Terrorist Trying To Cross Syrian Border
“Israeli security forces apprehended two suspects who crossed the border from Syria into Israeli territory in the southern Golan Heights. The arrest of the suspects by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) troops was made possible by detailed intelligence concerning the cell's activities. Following the arrest, the suspects were transferred for questioning, at which point it became apparent that one of the suspects, a Syrian named Ei'th Abdollah, is involved in terrorist activity and intelligence gathering operations in the border area in order to promote future terrorist activities. The cell is known as the ‘Project Golan.’”
Nigeria
Daily Trust: Security Operatives Gun Down Militants In Anambra
“Combined security operatives in the early hours of Sunday killed five gunmen in 3-3 Nkwelle-Ezunaka, Oyi local government council of Anambra state. The gunmen were said to be on their way to wreak havoc at 3-3 police divisional headquarters, Nkwelle-Ezunaka, when they met their waterloo. The security operatives said they recovered two AK-47 rifles, Toyota Sienna and various charms from the gunmen.”
Somalia
Garowe Online: Somalia Sentences Military Trainer To 15 Years In Prison Over Spying For Al-Shabaab
“The court of the Somali military on Sunday jailed a man believed to be a spy of the Al-Qaeda-linked group, the Al-Shabaab, noting that he had been sharing critical information on the movements of soldiers and their subsequent operations. Abdiaziz Hussein Nur, 63, was slapped with 15 years in jail by the military court which has been prosecuting his case for months. The final sentencing by the court is not subject to appeal and he will now be a guest of the state for the next 15 years over what the court termed as a ‘conspiracy to endanger the lives of soldiers’. The convict, who has been sharing critical details about the Somali National Army to, the Al-Shabaab, was one time a trainer with the national army thus his immense knowledge of operations, the court noted. Evidence was tabled in the court on the allegations, leading to his imminent conviction.”
Africa
Reuters: At Least 51 Soldiers Killed In North Burkina Faso Attack On Friday
“At least 51 soldiers were killed when their unit was ambushed in northern Burkina Faso on Friday, the army said on Monday, one of the highest reported death tolls from a single attack since the area became a hotbed of jihadist activity. The incident occurred two days before France officially marked the end of its military operations in the West African nation, where in 2015 some 400 French special forces had been sent to help fight an insurgency that spread from neighbouring Mali. The soldiers were ambushed in Oudalan province, in Burkina Faso's Sahel region, which shares a border with Mali. The provisional death toll was revised up from eight reported earlier on Monday after an additional 43 bodies were found, the army said. It did not directly blame anyone for the attack but said around 160 ‘terrorists’ were killed in a counter-offensive air strike, up from about 60 in the previous statement.”
AFP: Africa Leaders Urge Pullout Of Armed Groups In East Drc By March 30
“African leaders called on Friday for all armed groups to withdraw from occupied territory in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo by the end of next month, the regional EAC bloc said. It was the latest bid by the seven-nation East African Community to silence the guns in the mineral-rich region, where fierce fighting has driven vast numbers of Congolese from their homes and exacerbated regional tensions. The EAC deployed troops late last year in the east, which has been struggling with the rise of militias including the rebel March 23 Movement (M23) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) -- which the Islamic State group describes as its regional affiliate. At a mini-summit in Addis Ababa on Friday, regional leaders ‘directed withdrawal of all armed groups by 30th March 2023 from occupied areas’, the EAC said on Twitter. They also called for an ‘immediate ceasefire’ by all armed groups and the resettlement of people displaced by the violence, it added.”
Daily Monitor: Tackling Illicit Trade Is Key To Safeguarding Livelihoods
“In 2021, global research by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) observed that illicit trade in the region is fueling political instability as it funds corruption, insurgency, and the trafficking of illegal weapons. If this doesn’t worry us, then it is time to rethink our priorities. These research papers are widely available, and these allegations impact the country’s reputation among its peers on the continent and across the globe. To quote Benjamin Franklin, ‘It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it’. We must not allow illicit trade to tarnish our reputation as a people.”
United Kingdom
BBC: Birmingham Pair Arrested At Heathrow Airport Over Alleged Terrorism Offence
“Two men from Birmingham have been arrested at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of a terrorism offence. West Midlands Police said the men, aged 30 and 66, were due to fly out of the UK and were detained on Thursday. The pair were taken to a police station in the West Midlands and an address in Birmingham is due to be searched. They have been arrested under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 on suspicion of the commission, preparation and instigation of terrorism.”
BBC: Barnsley Prison Officer Denies Terrorism Charges
“A prison officer has denied possessing extreme right-wing material. Ashley Neil Sharp, 42, pleaded not guilty to a charge of disseminating a terrorist document at Sheffield Crown Court. He also pleaded not guilty to possessing a document containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism. Mr Sharp of Cudworth, Barnsley, told the judge ‘I believe I am innocent.’ He was given conditional bail and will appear at the same court again for his trial on 2 May.”
Daily Mail: Mother Of British ISIS Fighter 'Jihadi Jack' Reveals She Is Racked With 'Self Recrimination' And 'Guilty Thoughts' Over Fears Her 'Liberal' Parenting And His 'Chaotic' Childhood Caused Him To Travel To Syria And Join Terror Group
“The mother of British-born Islamist 'Jihadi Jack' has said she has 'guilty thoughts' about whether her 'liberal' parenting and his 'chaotic' childhood led to him fleeing to Syria to become a self-declared 'enemy of Britain'. In an autobiography, Sally Lane, 60, penned that she wonders if her 'over liberal' parenting style influenced her sons decision to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS. Letts, now 28, held a dual UK and Canadian citizenship and was brought up in Oxfordshire. He fled to Syria as a teenager in 2014, using money given to him by his parents to visit a friend in Jordan. He reportedly told his parents he intended on learning Arabic and studying the Koran on a three-month trip in Kuwait but joined ISIS in Raqqa. After being captured by Kurdish authorities in 2017, he begged to be allowed back to the UK but the Home Office tore up his British passport in 2019, making him the responsibility of the Canadian government.”
France
Reuters: French Court Sentences Four Far-Right Group Members In Plot Against Macron
“A French court on Friday found three members of a far-right group guilty of conspiring to prepare an act of terrorism against President Emmanuel Macron in 2018. The Paris criminal court handed the three men sentences ranging from three to four years in jail, with one to two years suspended each, saying it found a causal link between preparations they were involved in and the violent project to kill the French president. Prosecutors have said members of the group planned to attack the president with a knife during a World War One memorial ceremony in eastern France in November 2018. They were also suspected of plotting attacks against mosques and migrants. Charges against a fourth man were reduced to acquisition, possession and handover of weapons, for which he was found guilty and given a six-month suspended sentence.”
Europe
Al Mayadeen: Russian Security Thwarts ISIS Terrorist Attack In Kaluga
“The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) announced on Friday that it has thwarted a terrorist attack in the Russian Kaluga region, where ISIS members planned to detonate fuel and lubricant tanks at a chemical plant. The agency's special service stated that the terrorist act was set to be implemented using a homemade explosive device to detonate the tanks. The FSB stated that during the arrest, two terrorists demonstrated armed resistance and were injured by gunfire. According to the FSB, the two militants swore allegiance to the international terrorist organization and after committing the crime, were planning to flee to rebel-held Syrian territories. The FSB reported no casualties during the clash.”
Southeast Asia
Yahoo News Singapore: 2 Self-Radicalised Teens Given ISA Orders; 15-Year-Old Is Youngest-Ever Detainee
“A self-radicalised 15-year-old student, who envisioned beheading non-Muslims and becoming a suicide bomber, has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA). The Secondary 3 student is the youngest person to be charged under the ISA for terrorism-related activities. The Internal Security Department (ISD) said in a media release on Tuesday (21 February) that the teenager is one of two youths who have been dealt with under the ISA. The other is a 16-year-old Secondary 4 student who is under a restriction order, which prevents him from making public statements and restricts his movements. Since the teenagers are both under 18, they cannot be identified.”
DAWN: CTD Arrests Eight TTP ‘Militants’ In Punjab
“The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) claimed on Saturday to have arrested eight suspected terrorists of banned organisation from different areas of the province. The CTD spokesperson said the teams had conducted intelligence-based operations in Lahore, Sargodha and Multan and arrested eight members of banned outfit Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The teams also recovered a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and suicide jackets from their possession. The CTD also registered seven cases under terrorism charges in different police stations of the province.”
MSN: Assam: New Militant Group GCLO Formed Demanding Separate Kamtapur State
“Anew armed rebel group that goes by the name Greater Behar Liberation Organisation (GCLO) has been formed in Assam, as per a video shared by the outfit. Sharing a video message, the cadres of the armed group GCLO demanded a separate Kamtapur state failing which the group will take up arms. Speaking on the lines of the banned militant group Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, who too have for long been demanding a separate Kamtapur state in the tribal belt of Assam and North Bengal, the cadres of GCLO reiterated that the struggle for the separate will continue until the Central government do not fulfil their demand. Earlier, the banned militant outfit Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) renewed its demand for a separate Kamtapur state.”
Australia
ABC News Australia: Far-Right Group Member Patrick Patmore Sentenced To More Than Three Years' Home Detention Over Extremist Material
“A senior member of a South Australian national socialist group found in possession of a small explosive, weapons and extremist material will serve at least 19 months on home detention. Patrick Patmore, 34, was this morning given a three-year-and-two-month sentence with a non-parole period of 19 months for six crimes, including taking steps to manufacture an explosive. District Court Judge Michael Burnett ordered the sentence be served on home detention because of his lack of prior convictions, admission to the offences and fair prospect of rehabilitation. When police raided Patmore's home in April 2021, they found a ‘small and crude’ explosive device in his shed, homemade knives, a machete, battle axe and ammunition. Judge Burnett said he was also in possession of documents detailing ways of ‘committing a terrorist act’, including techniques for ‘silent killing’ and ‘household torture’.”
Technology
Lawfare: Oral Argument Preview: Gonzalez, Et Al. V. Google And Twitter, Inc. V. Taamneh, Et Al.
“…One group of amici focus on whether technological developments, such as the rise of algorithm-generated recommendations, should make a difference in interpreting Section 230. Briefs filed by Sen. Josh Hawley (R–Mo.), the Counter Extremism Project, and a group of former national security officials argue that the tech companies that spread illegal content through an algorithm should not be covered by Section 230. Hawley argues that liability arises from ‘incendiary content’ being highlighted, which, he writes, constitutes ‘actual knowledge’ by tech companies. The Counter Extremism Project claims that Google intentionally ‘promote[s] divisive, extremist content to generate revenue’ with non-neutral algorithms and thus should not be shielded by Section 230 for those recommendations.”
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