Eye on Extremism
March 28, 2023
Radio Free Europe: IS-K Claims Suicide Attack Near Foreign Ministry In Kabul That Killed Six
“Islamic State-Khorasan, an offshoot of the Islamic State militant group, has claimed a suicide attack that killed six people and wounded 12 others on March 27 near the Foreign Ministry in the Afghan capital of Kabul. After the Taliban's return to power in 2021, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) has emerged as the Taliban's main rival in the war-wracked country. Ahead of the March 27 attack, security forces spotted the bomber and shot at him but could not prevent him from reaching a checkpoint in Malik Asghar Square, where he detonated his explosive vest, according to Khalid Zadran, a spokesman for the Taliban's security command in Kabul.”
ABC News: Adelaide Man Arrested For Allegedly Sharing Christchurch Massacre Footage Online
“An Adelaide man who allegedly shared extremist material relating to the 2019 Christchurch terrorist attack, in which 51 people were murdered, has been arrested and will face court later this year. Police allege the 53-year-old from Edwardstown posted an online link to footage ‘related to the Christchurch shooting’. The arrest, which occurred yesterday, was carried out by SA Police's State Protective Security Branch. ‘Acting on information received earlier this month, police arrested a 53-year-old man from Edwardstown,’ police said in a statement. The man has since been charged with distributing extremist material and has been bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on June 2.”
United States
Reuters: US Will Not Back Off Syria Mission Despite Deadly Attacks -White House
“The United States will not back away from its nearly eight-year-old deployment to Syria, where it is battling the remnants of Islamic State, despite attacks on U.S. forces there last week by Iran-backed militia, the White House said on Monday. A one-way attack drone struck a U.S. base in Syria on March 23, killing an American contractor, injuring another and wounding five U.S. troops. That triggered U.S. retaliatory air strikes and exchanges of fire that a Syrian war monitoring group said killed three Syrian troops, 11 Syrian fighters in pro-government militias and five non-Syrian fighters who were aligned with the government. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said he was not aware of any additional attacks over the past 36 hours but cautioned, ‘We're going to stay vigilant.’”
Iraq
Hawar News Agency: 7 ISIS Mercenaries Captured In Iraq
“Today, the Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency in the Ministry of Interior in Iraq said, in a statement, that ‘our detachments managed to arrest three wanted terrorists in accordance with the provisions of Article (4 / terrorism) for their affiliation with ISIS gangs,’ according to Al-Sumaria News Network. It added, ‘The terrorists provided logistical support to ISIS gangs in Diyala province, in addition to transmitting information about the movements of the security forces in the province.’ For its part, the Nineveh Police Command stated, in a statement, that ‘Nineveh Police detachments and patrols arrested a number of suspects wanted by the judiciary, including four people belonging to ISIS terrorist gangs.’ It indicated that ‘detachments of the Directorate of Control Affairs and external roads arrested three members of ISIS terrorist gangs, at a time when detachments of the Qayyarah Police Directorate arrested a fourth terrorist,’ noting that ‘they were handed over to the Directorate of Intelligence and Combating Terrorism in Nineveh.’”
Turkey
Associated Press: Turkey Calls French Envoy, Protests Hosting Of Syria Kurds
“Turkey’s foreign ministry summoned the French ambassador to ‘strongly condemn’ the French senate’s decision to host Syrian Kurdish groups that Ankara considers to be terrorists, the Turkish state-run news agency reported Monday. Pierre Laurent, vice-president of the French Senate, announced on Twitter Saturday that he hosted a delegation from northeast Syria last week to discuss the situation in the region. Media reports said the senate awarded medals to members of the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, and its women’s branch, the Kurdish Women’s Protection Units, in recognition of their fight against the extremist Islamic State group in Syria. Anadolu Agency reported that Turkish officials protested to French Ambassador Herve Magro and reiterated Ankara’s expectations of solidarity from its NATO allies in its fight against terrorism. They also asked France not to support alleged efforts by Kurdish militants to ‘gain international credence,’ according to Anadolu.”
Middle East
i24 News: Israeli Forces Arrest Wanted Palestinian Terrorist Suspect Near Jericho
“Israeli security forces entered the Aqat Jaber refugee camp near Jericho in the West Bank on Monday to make arrests of suspected terrorists. Palestinian media reported that gunfire was exchanged at the scene, as security forces entered the camp in large numbers and surrounded a building and demanded that the wanted person surrender himself to Israeli forces. Earlier this month, as part of a large-scale operation in the West Bank, the Israeli army mapped the house of the terrorist who carried out the shooting attack in which American-Israeli Elan Ganeles was killed. During the operation, 14 wanted people were arrested in several locations in the West Bank, with six suspects apprehended in the refugee camp for aiding the terrorists who shot up a restaurant at the Almog junction last week.”
Nigeria
Voice Of America News: Nearly 600 Former Boko Haram Militants Graduate From Nigeria Rehab
“Nigerian authorities say a rehabilitation program for former Boko Haram sect fighters is helping weaken the group's fighting power. Nearly 600 fighters graduated from the program over the weekend and tendered a public apology for their actions. Authorities say they will be reintegrated into society, but experts are warning of possible relapse. The former Boko Haram fighters dressed in white simultaneously and echoed an oath of allegiance to Nigeria during a graduation ceremony Saturday at the De-radicalization, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DRR) camp in northern Gombe state. They're the latest batch of voluntary defectors from the sect to undergo the six-month physical, mental and psychosocial rehabilitation program tagged Operation Safe Corridor. Nigerian authorities started the safe exit program in July 2016 as a strategy to degrade the fighting power of terror groups like Boko Haram.”
United Kingdom
The Jewish Chronicle: Terrorist Who Attacked M&S Customers Over Store’s 'Israel Ties' Found Guilty
“A terrorist who stabbed two women in a branch of Marks & Spencer because of the shop’s ‘Israel links’ has been found guilty of attempted murder and wounding with intent at Manchester crown court. Munawar Hussain, 59, stabbed the store manager in the neck before launching himself at a customer on the morning of December 2, 2020, in Burnley, Lancashire. Both victims survived. Hussain said he carried out the attack because he believed the retailer funded Israel’s ‘persecution’ of Palestine and carried a note on his person at the time of the attack that read: ‘O Israel, you are inflicting atrocities on Palestinians and Marks & Spencer is helping you financially.’ Hussain said in court he had launched the attack so ‘Allah will not be upset with me or angry with me and he will be happy with me.’”
BBC: Man Who Praised Samuel Paty Murder Found Guilty Of Terrorism Offences
“A man who posted an image of a terrorism victim's severed head on Twitter, urging others to decapitate those who insult Islam, has been found guilty of encouraging terrorist acts. Ajmal Shahpal also praised the killer of French school teacher Samuel Paty for being ‘as brave as a lion’. The 41-year-old, of Birkin Avenue in Radford, Nottingham, was convicted after a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. He is due to be sentenced on 13 April.”
Europe
The Print: US Volunteers’ Infighting In Ukraine Undermining The War Effort: Report
“…Ukrainian officials initially boasted of 20,000 potential Legion volunteers, but far fewer actually enlisted. Currently, there are around 1,500 members in the organization, say people with knowledge of the Legion. Internal documents show that the Legion is struggling. Recruitment has stagnated. The Washington-based Counter Extremism Project wrote in March that the Legion and affiliated groups ‘continue to feature individuals widely seen as unfit to perform their duties.’ Meanwhile, US volunteers are involved in a messy, distracting power struggle. Moreover, as per Pentagon many of them had no military experience.”
Canada
CBC: Canada Extends, Shrinks Its Anti-ISIS Military Mission In The Middle East
“Canada's signature military mission in the Middle East is being both extended and downsized, the federal government announced Monday. In a media statement, Defence Minister Anita Anand said Operation Impact, the anti-terrorism mission launched by the previous Conservative government to combat Islamic State extremists almost a decade ago, will continue until 2025. Most of the military's efforts were focused in Iraq, but Canada also made contributions to building up the military capabilities of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. The extension will allow the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) to continue to play an important role in supporting regional partners in the advancement of peace and security, Anand said in the statement. ‘When I visited them in December, I saw directly how their presence makes a difference to our partners and allies,’ she added.”
CBC: Ottawa Asks Court To Dismiss Ruling Directing It To Repatriate 4 Men Detained In Syria
“The federal government says the Federal Court of Appeal should dismiss a high-profile ruling ordering Canada to bring home four Canadian men detained in northeastern Syrian prisons for suspected ISIS members. Government lawyers told a Toronto court that the Federal Court made errors in its ruling. They said the court misinterpreted the Charter of Rights and Freedoms when it directed officials to ‘take extraordinary measures’ to secure the release of the men. Federal lawyer Anne Turley argued during the one-day hearing that the lower court's judgment interpreted a citizen's right to enter Canada as a right to expect the government to rescue and return citizens if they're in trouble.”
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