January 27, 2020

Reuters: Afghan Forces Launch Air, Ground Attacks On Taliban, Killing 51 <[link removed]>

“Afghan forces used ground attacks and air strikes in multiple operations against the Taliban during the last 24 hours, killing 51 fighters in an escalation that signaled renewed deadlock in peace talks. Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday that government forces had conducted 13 ground offensives and 12 air strikes in nine provinces, adding that 51 “terrorists” had been killed, 13 wounded and six arrested. Local officials in the northern province of Balkh said at least three women and four children were killed in the air strikes, prompting protests in front of the provincial governor’s office. The government pledged to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the reports of civilian deaths. Meanwhile, the Taliban said it had staged two more attacks targeting security forces over the weekend, following sporadic assaults last week. Afghan security forces’ checkpoints in Kunduz were attacked on Saturday night, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement, adding that 10 members of the security forces were killed and three wounded. Taliban fighters also captured a large weapons cache, he said.”

Deutsche Welle: Germany: Over 500 Right-Wing Extremists Suspected In Bundeswehr <[link removed]>

“Germany's Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) has said it was investigating 550 Bundeswehr soldiers suspected of right-wing extremism, German newspaper Welt am Sonntag reported on Sunday. Numerous cases of extremism in the German military and among other security forces have been brought to light in recent years, as the government struggles to contain right-wing extremist threats and violence. An additional 360 cases of suspected right-wing extremism were registered in 2019, Christof Gramm, the head of MAD, told Welt am Sonntag. He added that suspicions of extremism were confirmed in 14 cases last year, eight of which involved right-wing extremism. MAD said an additional 40 individuals failed to uphold the values of the German constitution. “Our goal is to not only remove extremists from the German military but also people who lack loyalty to the constitution,” Gramm said. He attributed the rise in numbers to increased scrutiny by MAD.”

The New York Times: Twenty Soldiers Killed In Mali Attack, Government Says <[link removed]>

“About 20 soldiers were killed in a pre-dawn attack on an army camp in central Mali on Sunday, the government said. The identity of the attackers was not immediately clear. In a statement, the government said “terrorists” entered the camp near the village of Sokolo, killed the soldiers and caused “significant material damage”. “Reinforcements have been dispatched to the scene and an aerial reconnaissance is underway in the area to track down the attackers,” it said. Islamist groups with links to al Qaeda and Islamic State operate in arid central and northern Mali and have used the area as a base to attack soldiers and civilians in neighboring Burkina Faso, Niger and beyond. Former colonial power France intervened in 2013 to drive back militants who had seized northern Mali in 2012, and the U.N. Security Council deployed a peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSMA. The militants were pushed back initially but have since regrouped and strengthened. In a sign of their success, MINUSMA has become the U.N.'s deadliest mission.”

United States

The New York Times: Judge OKs Classified Information Status In Terrorism Case <[link removed]>

“A judge in Arkansas has allowed a U.S. government official to help guard against the release of classified information during the upcoming terrorism trial of a Yemeni citizen accused of providing material support to al-Qaida. U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright on Thursday granted the Justice Department's motion to allow a designated classified information security officer to participate in the case. Bilal Al-Rayanni, 28, faces trial July 6 in Little Rock on charges of providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization — al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula — and providing a false name on a passport, according to an August 2019 indictment. The indictment says Al-Rayanni traveled to Yemen in 2014 and worked for al-Qaida for three months while knowing that the U.S. has deemed it a foreign terrorist organization, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Friday. The designated officer would guide the court and court personnel on how to handle classified information. U.S. law considers information to be classified if it needs protection against unauthorized disclosure for reasons of national security. Al-Rayanni told prosecutors that his father had purchased a U.S. visa from a Yemeni man whose name was Kassem Alawdi.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Extremist Neo-Nazi Leader Is A Former Villanova Student, N.J. Resident, Reports Say <[link removed]>

“The head of an extremist neo-Nazi group under investigation by U.S. counterterrorism officials was revealed Friday to be a man with strong Philadelphia-area connections, including graduating from a prestigious New Jersey prep school and attending a Main Line university in the 1990s, according to the British newspaper the Guardian. Rinaldo Nazzaro, 46, previously known by the aliases “Norman Spear” and “Roman Wolf,” is reportedly the founder of The Base, a white nationalist group formed in 2018, which has advocated for a race war and creation of a white ethnostate in the Pacific Northwest.  The Guardian, whose investigation relied partially on material provided by a whistleblower inside The Base, also reported that a Rinaldo Nazzaro is identified as a 1991 graduate of the Delbarton School, a Morristown, N.J., Catholic preparatory school. “We can confirm that Rinaldo Nazzaro was a 1991 graduate of Delbarton School,” Anthony S. Cicatiello, a spokesperson for the school, said in a statement Friday. “He has donated to Delbarton in the past and we have no knowledge of his activities.” A Villanova spokesperson told The Inquirer on Friday that a student named Ronald Nazzaro attended the university from 1991 to 1994, then withdrew before graduating.”

Syria

The Washington Post: In Syria, U.S. Steps Up Islamic State Operation, But For How Long, No One Knows <[link removed]>

“U.S. troops in Syria have picked up the pace of counterterrorism operations following a lull, a top U.S. commander said Saturday, but the future of the American mission remains uncertain amid changing dynamics in the Syrian conflict and the potential for renewed presidential intervention. “The tempo is coming back,” Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie Jr., who heads U.S. Central Command, said during a visit to a constellation of tiny American outposts in eastern Syria. American troops in Syria, like those in neighboring Iraq, shifted their focus from anti-extremist operations to force protection after a Jan. 3 strike in Baghdad killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, Iran’s most influential military figure. Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles at U.S. troops in Iraq, causing no deaths, although a number of service members have suffered symptoms believed to be associated with traumatic brain injury. Now, McKenzie said, U.S. troops are conducting three to four operations a week with Syrian Kurdish forces against the Islamic State, an increased pace but still far fewer than during the earlier massive multinational campaign. McKenzie touched down at a series of isolated bases, where 500-600 American troops are arrayed, in his first visit to an area of Syria known as the “eastern security zone.”

Reuters: Syrian Government Forces Capture Towns In Advance On Rebel-Held Idlib <[link removed]>

“Syrian government forces have taken control of several towns in northwestern Idlib province, a war monitor and Syrian state media reported, amid a renewed push by President Bashar al-Assad to recapture the last rebel stronghold. Hundreds of thousands of people have fled Idlib in recent weeks amid stepped up air strikes by Russian and Syrian forces aimed at clearing the opposition from its last redoubt after almost nine years of civil war. The Syrian Observatory, a war monitor, said on Sunday that six towns in the Idlib countryside had fallen to Syrian government forces in the past 24 hours. The Observatory said the government advance, backed by heavy Russian airstrikes, has brought Assad’s forces to the outskirts of Maarat al-Numan, a strategic urban center about 33 km (20 miles) south of the city of Idlib on a highway that connects Damascus to Aleppo. The push deeper into rebel-held territory has taken place despite a deal between Turkey and Russia, which back opposing sides in the conflict, for a Jan. 12 ceasefire. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that around 400,000 people from Idlib province were moving towards the Turkish border as a result of the surge in violence. Turkey, which has a presence in the area and is seen by many civilians as a protector against Russian strikes, already hosts more than 3.5 million Syrian refugees and fears that millions more could cross the border.”

Iraq

The Hill: Iraqi President: Stability After Years Of Fighting ISIS Could Easily Unravel <[link removed]>

“Iraqi President Barham Salih said Sunday that the the stability in Iraq after years of fighting ISIS could “easily unravel” amid increasing tension between the U.S. and Iran. Salih told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that the country is already seeing signs of ISIS returning. “I think the environment is so unstable, so dangerous, we all need to be worried and concerned, and certainly in the case of Iraq -- and I go back to Iraq as well -- Iraq is very fragile, very precarious. The stability that we have acquired after years of conflict against ISIS was not easy. It could easily unravel,” Salih said. “We are already seeing signs of ISIS coming back. The implications of the conflict in Syria, the dynamics in Idlib are all very, very serious. We are now talking about a regional conflict,” he added. The Iraqi president said it is a “dangerous moment,” adding that the region doesn’t need “another conflict.” Zakaria asked Salih if he mentioned this to President Trump. “We had a very candid conversation. And the need for basically restraint, calming things down -- this is not the time for another conflict,” he responded. The Iraqi Parliament called for U.S. troops to leave following Trump’s decision to order a drone strike that killed Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani.”

The National: US Remains 'Committed' To Preventing ISIS Resurgence In Iraq <[link removed]>

“The US says it remains committed to supporting Iraq against an ISIS resurgence, despite escalating tensions with Iran. The Iraqi government declared victory over the terror group in December 2017 and the US-led coalition seized the group’s last territory in Syria last March. But ISIS continues to carry out attacks in both countries. A State Department official told The National that the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS “remains committed, along with Iraqi security forces, to our shared goal of defeating ISIS remnants”. The official said the coalition continued to have advisers in the operations centres of several provinces and has regular meetings with Iraqi security forces at all levels. While ISIS remains a concern in Iraq, the coalition has not seen a rise in activity over the past month, he said. “The US has made clear the importance of the continued presence of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Iraq,” the official said. “We have fought side by side with Iraq against ISIS to liberate 100 per cent of ISIS’s territorial control, enable critical stabilisation initiatives and facilitate the return of millions of Iraqis to their homes.” In 2014, ISIS held territory that was nearly the size of the UK.”

The Washington Times: ISIS Leader's Confession Gives Gruesome Look Into Atrocities <[link removed]>

“The arrest of an obese Islamic State leader — his girth loaded by Iraqi forces onto a pickup truck — produced a number of confessions on how the captive unleashed a wave of terrorism in occupied Mosul from 2014 to 2017. Shifa al-Nima, a Muslim “mufti” or religious scholar, also provided details on how radical Sunnis obtain cash to finance terrorism. In his case, as a networking young terrorist, he had a financial benefactor in Saudi Arabia and two terrorist funders who resided in London. Iraqi security forces released photos of al-Nima on Jan. 16 sprawled on the floor of his Baghdad hiding place and of him being hoisted onto the flatbed. President Trump has said U.S. troops smashed the Syria-Iraq “caliphate” of the late Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, but U.S. troops continue to plan and support Iraq’s counter-ISIS missions. “ISIS warriors are still spread across the region in some of the most unlikely locations,” said Robert L. Maginnis, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and national security author. “They are like rats that must be smoked out but wait patiently for the anticipated reemergence of a new caliph.” Al-Nima confessed this month to issuing a string of rape-and-pillage “fatwas” that licensed ISIS fighters to kill and enslave.”

Afghanistan

The New York Times: Grenade Attack On Afghan Wedding Injures 20, Including Kids <[link removed]>

“An hand grenade attack on an Afghan wedding ceremony wounded at least 20 people, including several children, a provincial official said Sunday. At least one of the injured children was in critical condition, said Adel Haider, a spokesman for the police chief of the eastern Khost province, which borders Pakistan. No one immediately claimed responsibility for Saturday night's attack. There was no evidence that the Taliban were behind the attack, although they have a strong presence in the area. Haider said the Taliban's ban on music when they ruled Afghanistan led him to believe that they could have been the culprits. But it's also common in that part of Afghanistan to settle personal vendettas with such attacks. Haider said police are investigating all possible motives and so far no one has come forward with any information about tribal rivalries involving the wedding party. All of the injured wedding guests were men, but it was not immediately clear if the groom was injured in the attack, Haider said. Last August, a suicide bomber from the Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan killed 63 people at a wedding in Kabul, the deadliest attack in the capital in 2019. The Taliban, which the U.S. hopes will help curb the IS affiliate’s rise, condemned the attack as “forbidden and unjustifiable.”

Foreign Policy: In Afghanistan, Religious Schools Are A Breeding Ground For Islamic State Influence <[link removed]>

“A small group of boys sits cross-legged on the floor, reciting the Quran under their breath, their bodies moving rhythmically to the Arabic words, in the light-flooded rooms of the religious school connected to the mosque in the village of Lamatak.  “At first I’d read the Arabic text without understanding, but our teachers are always here to answer our questions,” Fazil Haq, a green-eyed 14-year-old student, said excitedly. “God will be happy when I study the Quran.” All of the children here in the madrassa in Afghanistan’s eastern Kunar province are getting their education free of charge. But Afghan security officials are increasingly concerned that too much of the money going to newly mushrooming madrassas such as this one could be encouraging extremism in the region. With the Kabul administration only able to financially support a minority of mosques and religious schools, money from Islamic State sympathizers might fund a growing majority of these institutions. Afghanistan’s Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs says there are likely tens of thousands of mosques in the country, but only about 7,000 are registered with the ministry.”

Al Jazeera: Women, Children Among Seven Killed In Afghan Gov't Air Raids <[link removed]>

“Government air raids in Afghanistan's northern Balkh province have killed at least seven civilians, including three children, triggering protests from local residents. Tolo news, a local news website, reported that the victims belonged to one family and were killed while they were having dinner on Sunday. A member of parliament from Balkh alleged that the attack was carried out in areas controlled by the government, according to local media reports. The West-backed Afghan government, which has been battling an armed rebellion from Taliban, pledged to send a fact-finding mission to investigate the reports of civilian deaths. The Balkh operation was part of the government's ground-and-air offensive against the Taliban, which has waged an armed rebellion since it was dislodged from power in a United States-led invasion in 2001 following deadly attacks on US soil. The government offensive comes as the US has been engaging Taliban in peace talks to end the 19-year-old war. Afghan defence ministry on Sunday said it has killed dozens of “terrorists” in 13 ground and 12 air operations across nine provinces in the last 24 hours, Reuters news agency reported. At least 13 people have been wounded and six others arrested, the ministry said.”

Yahoo News: Taliban Say Frustrated By Additional Demands Of US <[link removed]>

“The Taliban, in a rambling commentary published on their website, expressed frustration with what they describe as additional U.S. demands in peace talks — even after they had offered a “reduction of violence.” They have not publicly outlined what that would entail and did not explain the new Washington demands. The insurgents' gesture of reduced violence, though never quantified, was meant to open a window for the signing of a peace agreement that could see the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the end to the 18-year war in Afghanistan, America's longest conflict. Meanwhile, Amnesty International said in a statement Friday that to talk about a “reduction of violence” was an “absurdity.” “In a conflict marked by attacks on civilians, the term ‘violence reduction’ is an absurdity. There can be no acceptable level of violence,” said Omar Waraich, deputy South Asia director at Amnesty. “The United States and the Afghan Taliban must commit to abide by the laws of war and end all attacks on Afghan civilians,” he added. Earlier, Taliban officials familiar with the talks told The Associated Press the Taliban had offered a cease-fire, lasting seven to 10 days, to Washington's peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad durig their latest round of talks last week in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, where the Taliban maintain a political office.”

Xinhua: 4 Militants Killed In S. Afghan Airstrike <[link removed]>

“Four Taliban militants have been killed after Afghan Special Operations Forces conducted an airstrike in the country's southern province of Helmand in the latest raid against the Taliban insurgents and their supply lines, command of special forces said Sunday. “The sortie was launched in Washer district, western part of Helmand province on Saturday. One militants' vehicle and a motorcycle were also destroyed by the strike,” Afghan National Army Special Operations Corps said in a statement. Helmand province is a known Taliban stronghold. The Taliban militants, controlling parts of the restive province, use rugged terrains and mountains as hideouts and frequently launch hit-and-run attacks against the security forces. The militant group has not responded to the report so far.”

Middle East

The New York Times: Three Jordanians Charged For IS-Inspired Attack In Court <[link removed]>

“Three Jordanian men appeared in court Sunday to face charges connected to the stabbing of eight people at a popular archaeological site in northern Jordan in November in an attack allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group. The military judge presiding over the trial accused the men of supporting Islamic State ideology and carrying out the attack at Jerash to avenge the death of late IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. November's incident took place in Jerash, one of Jordan's most visited archaeological sites, an ancient city whose ruins include a Roman amphitheater and a columned road. Jordan relies heavily on incoming tourism. Islamist militant groups have repeatedly targeted the country's tourist sites to impact the economy and embarrass the government. Mustafa Abu Tuameh, 22, is accused of stabbing eight people, including one Swiss and three Mexican tourists, and four Jordanians. None of the victims suffered life-threatening wounds. Gruesome footage of the attack was captured by bystanders. At the time of the attack, the Jordanian army's news site identified Abu Tuameh as a resident of the nearby Palestinian refugee camp.”

The New York Times: Israeli Aircraft Strike Gaza Sites After Balloon Launches <[link removed]>

“Israeli aircraft struck several sites for Gaza militants late Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave. The Israeli military said the sites belonged to Hamas, the Islamic group ruling the territory, and included weapons manufacturing and intelligence-gathering facilities. There were no reports of injuries from the airstrikes in southern Gaza Strip. Blaming Hamas, the military said it considers “any kind of terror activity with great severity and will continue operating as necessary against attempts to harm its civilians.” Palestinian groups resumed launching flammable balloons on Israel recently and Hamas said it’s encouraging the shootings, charging Israel of not honoring an unofficial truce meant to improve the economy of the narrow enclave. In trying to bolster the Egyptian and U.N.-mediated truce, Hamas halted the regular weekly protests along Gaza-Israel fence last month. Earlier this week, a senior Hamas official said that the balloons were a signal to Israel to accelerate the informal “understandings” meant to ease the crippling blockade on Gaza.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: Jordan Charges Stabbing Attack Suspect With Terrorism <[link removed]>

“A Jordanian court on Sunday leveled terrorism charges against a man suspected of wounding eight people in a November knife attack at the popular Jerash tourist site. The suspect, Moustafa Abourouis, 22, faces up to 20 years in prison after the stabbing of three Mexicans, a Swiss woman, a Jordanian tour guide and a security officer. At a hearing open to the press, prosecutors accused Abourouis of committing a “terrorist act” and “promoting the ideas of a terrorist group” -- a reference to the ISIS group. Abourouis, who is of Palestinian origins and grew up in the refugee camp of Souf, was arrested immediately after the attack at Jerash, close to the camp and around 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Amman. The Jordanian prosecutor accused Abourouis of trying to join ISIS, an operative of which in Syria had “ordered him to commit attacks against foreigners”. Two alleged accomplices, also Jordanians of Palestinian origin, were charged with “terrorism” in the same case. All three pleaded not guilty, reported AFP. The court is scheduled to hear witnesses next Sunday, with the date for a verdict to be confirmed. In December 2016, in Karak, 10 people were killed in an attack claimed by ISIS that also left 34 wounded.”

Libya

The New York Times: Libya's Haftar Makes Push In Western Libya <[link removed]>

“Eastern Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar sought on Sunday to open a new front by moving forces towards the city of Misrata, which is allied to the country's internationally recognised government, officials and residents said. In another sign that a shaky truce was faltering, Tripoli's Mitiga further to the west airport was hit by two rockets, which wounded two civilians and damaged the tarmac and buildings, the U.N. mission to Libya said. It did not blame anyone for the strike, the second within days. The airport has been used to launch Turkish-supplied combat drones to counter unmanned aircraft used by Haftar's Libyan National Army and provided by the United Arab Emirates. The increase in fighting comes a week after the UAE, Egypt, Russia, which back Haftar, and Turkey, which backs the government in Tripoli, agreed with western powers at a summit in Berlin to push for a lasting ceasefire and uphold an arms embargo. Despite the peace efforts, the LNA has now moved from the central city of Sirte towards Misrata. Fighting between the LNA and forces from Misrata was centred on the town of Abugrain, 120 km east of Misrata itself, both sides confirmed."

Daily Sabah: Turkey Pledges To Prevent Libya From Becoming 'Playground' Of Terrorists <[link removed]>

“Turkey will continue to side with the Libyan people to prevent the conflict-ravaged country from becoming a playground for terrorist groups and warlords, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Sunday in Algeria, the first stop of his three-nation African tour. Speaking at a joint press conference with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune in capital Algiers, Erdoğan said that developments in Libya directly affect its neighbor Algeria. “We, as Turkey, will continue to side with our Libyan brothers with all of our resources,” Erdoğan said. Turkey won't allow for Libya to become the playground of terrorist groups and warlords, he added. Eastern-based forces loyal to putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar continue their attacks targeting residential places and civilians to capture the capital Tripoli from the U.N.-recognized legitimate government, despite calls for a cease-fire at the Berlin conference. On Jan. 12, parties in Libya announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by the leaders of Turkey and Russia. But talks for a permanent cease-fire ended without an agreement after Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal. A week later, Haftar accepted terms in Berlin to designate members to a U.N.-proposed military commission with five members from each side to monitor the implementation of the cease-fire.”

Nigeria

Voice Of America: Christian Authorities Worry About Being Targeted By Boko Haram <[link removed]>

“The killing of a Nigerian priest by Boko Haram has raised fresh concerns among Nigeria's Christian community that it is being targeted by the Islamist militants.  The death came barely two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari urged Nigerians to stop viewing acts of terror as a “religious war.” The Reverend Lawan Andimi was declared missing January 3 after Boko Haram insurgents raided his village in Michika, in northeastern state of Adamawa. He headed the state's chapter of the Christian governing body, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). The insurgents murdered him on Monday while negotiations for his release were ongoing — an event that has triggered widespread criticisms of the government by the Christian body. Security analyst Ebenezer Oyetakin says the killing was intended to incite religious tensions between the two major religious groups in the country. “The Muslims and the Christians in Nigeria and the citizens must know that the instrument these external forces and their internal collaborators are exploiting are our front lines. Front lines of tribes, religion and ethnicity.”

Africa

All Africa: Africa: Punching Back Against Al-Shabaab <[link removed]>

“An attack this month on a Kenyan military base, which killed one American service member and two U.S. Department of Defense contractors, before being repelled by Kenyan and American forces, comes as the Pentagon is considering whether to reduce military efforts in Africa. Christopher Karns, an Air Force colonel and spokesperson for the U.S. Africa Command (Africom), says that American support helps to keep Africans, the United States and other international partners safe, and he disputes claims that the al-Shabaab attackers have been making. Winning in the information space is critically important to security. Al-Shabaab, a dangerous terrorist organization, accused U.S. Africa Command of misinformation after the tragic attack in Kenya on January 5. where three Americans lost their lives. It is important to set the record straight. Today, these violent criminals are a daily threat to east Africa, especially Somalia. They kill indiscriminately. This was evident on December 28 when they brutally massacred more than 80 innocent civilians in Mogadishu. In a press release, al-Shabaab falsely claims that 17 Americans were killed in the Jan. 5 attack. While their words lack credibility for many, it is important that their accusations and ideas be countered as swiftly as they surface.”

United Kingdom

BBC News: Counter-Terrorism Police Arrest Man In Bradford <[link removed]>

“A man has been arrested after counter-terrorism officers raided three homes in Bradford. An Army bomb disposal unit was called in for support after the “discovery of some items” at one of the properties, police said. A number of neighbouring houses in Sutton Avenue were evacuated as officers carried out a search. Police said a 38-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of explosives offences. Counter Terrorism Policing North East said a police cordon was lifted at 15:30 GMT and residents have returned to their homes.”

France

The New York Times: France Judges Dead Jihadists But Refuses To Repatriate The Living <[link removed]>

“The trial this month was exceptional for a country that has resisted repatriating or extraditing terrorism suspects from battlegrounds in Iraq and Syria. A Paris judge heard cases against 24 men and women charged with links to the Islamic State. Witnesses were called. Prosecutors and defense lawyers made their statements. Verdicts were rendered. But 19 of the defendants were presumed dead, and all were tried in absentia. It was, as the French news media have called it, a “ghost trial.” Antoine Ory, one of the defense lawyers, acknowledged as much. “In France, in 2020, we refuse to repatriate the living but we try the dead,” he told the court. The trial, which concluded last week with convictions for everyone, brought to light one of France’s paradoxes when it comes to handling such cases. The government wants to prosecute terrorism suspects, hoping to prevent them from falling through legal cracks and trying to piece together how the networks operated for evidence in future trials against the living. But it does not want the trials conducted on its territory. Since 2018, France has instead been at the forefront of the European negotiations with the Iraqi government to have European jihadists tried there, with only modest success.”

The Local France: Frenchman Jailed For 22 Years For ISIS Recruiting <[link removed]>

“A Frenchman has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for seeking to recruit dozens of youths to fight as jihadists in Syria and for leading a brigade of French-speaking Islamists in the war-torn country. Mourad Fares, 35, fled Syria in 2014, and was arrested in Turkey and handed over to French authorities the same year. Prosecutors said he played a “crucial” role in the recruiting of young people to fight as jihadists in Syria, and noted a lack of any “real regret” for his actions. Fares appeared unmoved as the verdict was read out at a special court on Friday evening. He admitted to the court he “indirectly” recruited youths to fight as jihadists via his propaganda videos and “facilitated” the entry of a number of people into Syria. He denied taking part in combat operations in Syria, where he travelled in 2014. But prosecutors said he “participated in armed actions” with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), later known as the Islamic State group, before leaving to a join a cell of French-speaking jihadists affiliated with the Al-Nusra front. The court also found Fares guilty of leading this cell. France has been on high alert since a wave of jihadist attacks that began in 2015 which have killed more than 250 people.”

Canada

National Post: Scope Of Right-Wing Extremism Vexed Security Officials, Documents Show <[link removed]>

“Canadian security officials have been grappling not only with how to address the growing threat of right-wing extremism, but also the best means of defining the phenomenon and explaining it to the public, newly released documents show. In a briefing for deputy ministers responsible for national security, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and the RCMP openly asked whether, given the nature of the threat, the government of Canada was “able to effectively respond?” The secret briefing was aimed at providing the senior officials with an overview of right-wing extremism in Canada and fostering discussion of “broader considerations” on dealing with the issue, says a heavily censored version of the April 2019 document, released through the Access to Information Act. Ralph Goodale, public safety minister at the time, also received a briefing on the issue, an accompanying memo indicates. CSIS, which has spent much of the last two decades investigating jihadi-inspired terrorism, said last year it was increasingly preoccupied by those looking to support or engage in violence that is racially motivated, ethno-nationalist, anti-government or misogynist in nature.”



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The Counter Extremism Project - United States
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