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Arrow Eye on Extremism - October 8, 2018

Eye on Extremism - October 8, 2018
RE: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#in...drJTrDQtWZqPld


Haaretz: Syrian Rebel Groups Begin Withdrawing Weapons From Idlib

“Two Syrian rebel groups began withdrawing their heavy weapons Saturday from a northwestern area of the country where Russia and Turkey have agreed to set up a demilitarized zone, opposition activists said. Rami Abdurrahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the Free Idlib Army and Failaq al-Sham started removing artillery and mortar pieces from areas close to the town of Maaret al-Numan. The Turkey-backed National Front for Liberation (NFL) rebel alliance said in a statement the process of withdrawing heavy weapons had begun, but the fighters would remain in their positions within the demilitarized zone. The NFL statement said the Syrian rebels would remain within the demilitarized zone to assist Turkish troops monitoring and patrolling the area.”

The Huffington Post: Neo-Nazi Sentenced To 14 Years On Federal Terrorism Charges For Amtrak Attack

“A white supremacist who pleaded guilty to a terrorism charge for his armed takeover of an Amtrak train last year was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison on Friday. Taylor Michael Wilson, 26, from the St. Louis region, said he “dropped acid” right before he took a gun into a secure area of an Amtrak train passing through a remote part of Nebraska, bringing the train to a halt. Wilson, who had a National Socialist Movement I.D. card on him, said shortly after the attack that he was “going to save the train from black people.” Wilson had attended the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Authorities said they found a secret compartment behind his refrigerator stocked with a handmade shield he used in Charlottesville, a tactical vest, more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition, and “white supremacy documents and paperwork.” U.S. District Judge John Gerrard in Nebraska called Wilson a “gun-toting, angry, at times incoherent and other times uncooperative white supremacist” before sentencing him to to the prison term, according to the Lincoln Journal Star.”

The Wall Street Journal: Europe To Terrorists: It’s No More Monsieur Nice Guy

“Jihadist terrorism until recently had Europe on the defensive. Now the continent is getting tough and fighting the threat with measures that would have been unthinkable six or seven years ago. The old notion that Europe is weak on terrorism gained traction in the mid-2010s. Between 2015 and 2017, some 350 people were killed by jihadists across Europe. Terrorism rose to the top of polls of public concerns, and criticism of European counterterrorism capabilities grew explicit. A PBS “Frontline” investigation into the 2016 Brussels attacks revealed “a scale of dysfunction remarkable in the annals of modern counterterrorism.” Many wondered if Europe was up to the task of defending itself. But the continent stepped up in a way that many observers, including me, didn’t foresee. European countries poured money into counterterrorism and improved intelligence sharing. They also initiated a qualitative overhaul involving radical new measures that had previously been considered politically off-limits.”

Al Arabiya: Iran And Hezbollah: A Long History Of Assassinations Inside France, Europe

“French government revealed that the Iranian Intelligence Ministry was behind the plan to attack the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq conference near Paris, causing a diplomatic crisis between the two countries. In a quick response, France decided to: -freeze the assets of the Internal Security Department in Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence. -In addition to freezing the assets of two suspected Iranian intelligence operatives: Deputy Minister of Intelligence Saeed Hashemi Muqaddam… and Iranian diplomat to Vienna Asadullah Asadi who was arrested in Germany last July. This time, the French authorities have accused Tehran directly, while Iran and its agents have been suspected of planning other operations in France and Europe. (Iran’s Secret Service and the history of an ‘agency of assassins’) Anis Nakash, the Lebanese man accused of assassinating the former Iranian Prime Minister Shapur in 1991, is known for his support of Hezbollah and Iran… And George Abdullah, accused of complicity in the murder of a US diplomat and an Israeli diplomat and who has been imprisoned in France for 34 years, has known relations with the Iranian regime. The series of assassinations against the Iranian opposition last year in The Hague: The Ahwaz leader Ahmed Mawla and Mohammed Hussein Naqdi, the 1993 representative of the National Council of Resistance of Iran in Italy. A year earlier, four Kurdish oppositionists met in Berlin, and Kazem Rajavi, the brother of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq’s leader in Geneva in 1990. The deteriorating relationship with France will have more repercussions on Iran, which is looking to Europe to help save its nuclear agreemen, according to experts.”

The Wall Street Journal: Manhunt Begins For Palestinian Gunman Who Killed Two Israelis

“A Palestinian gunman on Sunday shot and killed two Israelis and injured one other before fleeing the scene of the attack at a West Bank industrial park, the Israeli military said. The military called the shooting a terrorist attack and said the assailant, a 23-year-old from a nearby Palestinian town, was an employee of the factory where the assault took place. The military said it was investigating whether the shooter deliberately targeted those who were shot. Sunday’s shooting comes amid heightened tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. Three weeks ago, American-Israeli blogger Ari Fuld was stabbed to death by a 17-year-old Palestinian in the West Bank. Over the past two weeks, Palestinian demonstrations at the Gaza border with Israel have increased in size and violence. Israeli security officials attributed the larger protests to Gaza ruler Hamas’s attempts to increase pressure on Israel to help improve conditions in the Palestinian coastal enclave. Israeli forces responded to demonstrations Friday with live-fire, killing three Palestinians including a 13-year-old boy, according to the Palestinian Health ministry.”

The New York Times: Did Facebook Learn Anything From the Cambridge Analytica Debacle?

“It’s been barely six months since Mark Zuckerberg appeared before Congress and promised lawmakers and the American public that he and Facebook, the company he founded and leads today, would do better. “This episode has clearly hurt us,” Mr. Zuckerberg said. “We have to do a lot of work about building trust back.” The episode he was referring to was the revelation in March that Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm connected to the Trump campaign, had harvested the sensitive data of as many as 87 million Facebook users without their explicit permission. That scandal rocked Facebook, sending the company’s stock price spiraling. Mr. Zuckerberg himself lost nearly $11 billion. Since Mr. Zuckerberg’s testimony, lawmakers have done little to nothing to better regulate technology platforms like Facebook and hold them more accountable for suspect practices. But there’s also little evidence that Facebook, and Mr. Zuckerberg, has taken his pledge to Congress as seriously as once hoped either: Facebook announced late last month the biggest data breach in its history, affecting nearly 50 million user accounts. In the same week, the news site Gizmodo published an investigation that found Facebook gave advertisers contact information harvested from the address books on their users’ cellphones.”

United States
NPR: U.S. Backs Kurds And Arabs In Push To Oust ISIS Remnants From Syria

“In the fight to take the last land held by ISIS, U.S. forces in Syria are supporting local Kurds and Arabs who face hardened fighters amid roads and houses seeded with bombs. SCOTT SIMON, HOST: Now a look at the fight to force ISIS from the last little bit of land the group still holds. ISIS is down to just about 2 percent of the territory it once controlled. In northeast Syria, U.S. forces are supporting local Kurds and Arabs to rout them from that 2 percent. Still, the mission is deadly and difficult. NPR's Tom Bowman was embedded with U.S. military advisers there. TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE: The drive to Camp Omar is littered with the telltale signs of war - buildings pockmarked with bullet holes, a charred carcass of a bus. And as we turn into the camp where local forces are stationed and trained by Americans, there's the twisted steel skeleton of an oil refinery hit with U.S. airstrikes so ISIS couldn't sell the oil.”

Business Insider: An ISIS-Inspired Tactic Is Raising Concerns In US Ports

“The US Coast Guard has a number of threats it needs to worry about when dealing with boats and their crews on US waterways, but boats without crews are adding a new wrinkle to the problem. "There is an emergence in the Middle East with ISIS of using unmanned remotely controlled vessels that are packed with explosives, and that would pose a significant challenge," Lt. Cmdr. Devon Brennan, the commander of the Coast Guard's Maritime Safety and Security Team in New York, said on Friday during a use-of-force demonstration. The Coast Guard's MSSTs are tasked with security operations in US harbors and waterways. They were created in 2002, primarily to provide rapid-response anti-terrorism capability, protecting shipping, vessels, and infrastructure. During the demonstration, Brennan's team practiced intercepting an unidentified vessel, gradually escalating from verbal commands to warning shots to shots to disable the vessel's engine, using blank rounds. Unmanned vessels present something of an asymmetric threat, however. "Usually our tactics are developed around the fact that we can get an individual to stop and comply, but if it's just a vessel that's being remotely controlled, and that person [controlling it] obviously has no fear for their life, it creates more of a difficult situation for us," Brennan said during an interview aboard the Coast Guard cutter Sikinak. "We have the tactics in place to target that type of vessel," Brennan added. But such an encounter "would be of significance," he said, "particularly if there are explosives on board and we're firing rounds at the vessel. Potentially that thing is going to explode."

The Guardian: High Court To Look At Case Of Alleged ISIS Duo Who May Face Execution In US

“The British government’s decision to co-operate with US authorities over the prosecution of two alleged Islamic State executioners without assurances that they will not face the death penalty, is to be challenged in the high court on Monday. The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, and Mr Justice Garnham are to hear an application on behalf of the mother of El Shafee Elsheikh over the legality of the Home Office’s agreement to provide evidence to American prosecutors. Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who were raised in Britain, are alleged to have been part of an Isis terror cell, known as “the Beatles”, that was behind a series of high-profile killings of US and UK citizens in Isis-held territory, including the British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines and the American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.”

Syria
International Policy Digest: Syria: A Second Home For Hezbollah

“Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, Secretary General of Lebanon’s Iran backed Hezbollah, and a key Damascus ally as well, said in his recent speech that his group will keep its military presence in Syria until further notice. Nasrallah stated that Hezbollah’s presence is linked to “The needs and approval” of the Syrian government. He further added that “No one can force us to leave Syria.” His statement has clearly showcased that Hezbollah is set to make Syria its second home after Lebanon. Hezbollah fielded thousands of its fighters fighting alongside the Syrian government forces since the early days of the civil war that erupted in 2011. The Lebanese militia entered the Syrian war on side of President Assad well before any other ally of the Assad regime. Moreover, Hezbollah fought some of most intense battles of the war. During the seven years of war more than 1,600 Hezbollah fighters have been killed in Syria, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. After investing so deeply in the Syrian war Hezbollah has realized that it’s nearly impossible to extricate itself from Syria. The organisation has started concentrating its efforts on post-war plans to establish a permanent military presence in Syria.”

Haaretz: How Assad Helped Create ISIS To Win In Syria And Got Away With The Crime Of The Century

“While Syria remains torn between Russian, American and Turkish interests, with world leaders working to avoid a bloodbath in the remaining pocket of resistance, one thing is certain: President Bashar Assad has won Syria’s devastating seven-year civil war. To secure his victory, experts say, Assad helped incubate the extremism that led to the rise of the Islamic State and the further spread of jihadism in Syria – the very elements he now vows to destroy in Idlib, the last rebel enclave in the country and home to millions of civilians and refugees. Robert Ford, the ambassador to Syria under President Barack Obama and the last U.S. ambassador to the country, told Haaretz that Assad “will stay in power for as long as the eye can see,” and more importantly there “won’t be any Nuremberg-like trial of Assad and his associates.” Furthermore, he says, not only will Assad not be held accountable for the use of chemical weapons or other wartime atrocities, but his allies Russia and Iran that helped him defeat the rebels won’t be able to bankroll the rebuilding of the war-ravaged country. “The Syrian government lacks financial resources, and neither Russia nor Iran can provide much more than they already provide,” says Ford, now a fellow at the Middle East Institute in Washington and a professor at Yale. Assad’s downfall seemed all but guaranteed at many points during the eight years since the Arab Spring began to topple Middle Eastern dictators. Yet Assad has now outlasted fellow despots like Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak and Libya’s Muammar Gadhafi, and also Western leaders like Obama and Britain’s David Cameron who once vowed to stop his bloodletting and drew red lines warning Assad against using chemical weapons or risk regime change.”

ITV: RAF Destroys Key Islamic State Facilities And Equipment In Air Strikes In Syria

“Aerial bombardments by British forces have destroyed a significant number of Islamic State terror group command posts, tunnel networks and weapons in Syria. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was the UK’s busiest month over Syria since February, hitting targets of IS, also known as Daesh, at a rate of more than one per day. RAF Tornados and Reapers have continued to support the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Iraqi Security Forces as they attack the last remaining pockets of IS in both countries. One of the airstrikes on September 12 involved an RAF Reaper aircraft supporting the SDF to mount an offensive towards Abu Kamal, at the southern end of a significant remaining area of IS-held territory in eastern Syria. IS fighters were seen throwing grenades and firing a machine-gun before the Reaper crew were able to guide a missile to accurately strike them. Three attacks were carried out on one day on September 23, with a strike on the upper floor of a three-storey building and a further two strikes on two separate buildings, all near Abu Kamal. Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The fight against Daesh is by no means over and we must continue to stand up for our people and our partners, to ensure their abhorrent and poisonous ideology does not spread to our streets. “So long as they pose a clear and immediate threat to our national and international security, we will work tirelessly to stamp them out. “We will not ease off and allow them to reorganise, as this month’s operations show.”

Middle East Eye: Stranded Between Syria's Frontlines, Afrin's Yazidis Yearn For Lost Homelands

“Despite living as displaced people in Shahba, a Kurdish-controlled enclave in northern Syria’s Aleppo province, the 25 members of the Barekat family feel fortunate. All of them were able to escape from their homes in Faqira, a Yazidi village in the Afrin region, when the fight between the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and the Turkish military and allied Free Syrian Army fighters erupted early this year. After a difficult journey, they finally found refuge in an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Fafin village. "I remember 13 March as the worst day of my life. Making the escape route on foot was very hard. It was a long way so we could only carry a bottle of water. Some elderly people lost their lives on the road because of fatigue and shelling," Michael Barekat, told Middle East Eye. Barekat, 47, and his relatives are among nearly 6,000 displaced Yazidis living among the 137,000 displaced civilians in Shahba, according to United Nations figures and local officials, after local Kurdish authorities and the Syrian government reached an agreement in March to host IDPs from Afrin there. "After expelling Daesh [the Islamic State group] in 2016, we managed the north of the region and Damascus controlled the south. The regime had declared it a military zone and it was nearly uninhabited," said Hevi Mustafa, co-chair of the Afrin canton administration. "Although there was an understanding to relocate the IDPs, the relationship with the Syrian government is not easy in other fields," said the Kurdish official. Sileman Cafer, a Yazidi community leader in Afrin and author of the book Qewlen Ezdiyan (The Yazidi Texts), told MEE that the size of this religious minority had been in decline since long before the start of Syria's civil war in 2011. "At the beginning of the 20th century there were 58 Yazidi villages in the Afrin region out of a total of 358.”

Daily Star: ISIS Leader Baghdadi Escapes Death AGAIN By 'Dodging Missile Strike Because He Was LATE'

“Baghdadi – the so-called Caliph – is proving to be the hardest man in the world to kill with numerous reports swirling about his death or injury from Russia, Iran and the US. US officials have a £19million bounty on the head of Baghdadi and he is one of the world’s most wanted men. Reports have now emerged however that the ISIS leader has narrowly escaped death once again. Jihadi baddie Baghdadi reportedly turned up late to a meeting of the terrorist cult’s so-called war council – arriving moments after it had been blown up by an Iranian missile. Had he been on time, the terrorist monster would have faced certain death in a fireball along a group of his top ISIS commanders.”

Al Bawaba: American Choppers Airlift ISIS Members From Syria As Reported

“Syrian media quoted local sources as saying that the militants had been relocated from the town of al-Shaafah near the Iraqi border to an unknown location on Saturday night. It was not the first airlifting of terrorists by the U.S. in Syria as there has already been numerous reports of such transfers. The evacuation comes amid fresh sweeping advances by Syrian army soldiers and allied fighters against the Takfiris on the battlefield. In recent months, ISIS has been driven out of much of the territory under its control.”

Agence France Presse: Syria Families Demand Regime Action To Free ISIS Hostages

“The families of Druze hostages held by the Islamic State group rallied for a third day on Friday to demand action by the Syrian government to free them, witnesses said. The jihadists abducted around 30 people -- mostly women and children -- from the southwestern province of Sweida in late July during the deadliest attack on Syria's Druze community of the seven-year civil war. On Friday, a handful of people gathered for a sit-in at the government's provincial headquarters in Sweida, a reporter in the city told AFP. The protests began on Wednesday, a day after families learned that ISIS had executed a 25-year-old female captive, Nour Radwan, the head of news website Sweida24, told AFP. They began protesting to "demand that the government intervene immediately to free the hostages," he said. A protester, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was not related to the Druze hostages but had joined the sit-in to show support. "Those who are related to them are always here, and there are large numbers that come in solidarity," he told AFP, though adding that the numbers were lower on Friday. "We're demanding the return of the hostages. That's not a tall order," he said. Negotiations between the government's Russian ally and the jihadists for the release of the Druze captives had stalled, but Radwan said they resumed on the first day of the sit-in. Footage of the protest on Thursday published online by Sweida24 showed a few dozen men and women in front of the provincial headquarters. They gathered on the building's front steps around neatly lined up photographs of the missing, and a sign that said: "We demand the hostages be returned alive."

Iran
DW: Kurdish Families Caught Between Iran And The US

“Why are members of an Iranian Kurdish resistance group based in neighboring Iraqi Kurdistan being targeted by Iranian missiles? And what can the West do to help? Judit Neurink reports from Koya. "We are very much afraid it will happen again. There is no war going on here, and we did not deserve this. We'd like to go somewhere else, especially as I lost my husband. What kind of life is this?" In her black mourning dress, Iran Rasulzadeh, 45, sits on the floor of her living room in the family camp of the Iranian Kurdish resistance group KDPI (Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran). Apart from the carpet, the room in the small single-story house is empty. Rasulzadeh is mourning her husband, Mam Shawkawt, who was killed recently when Iranian missiles struck the group's headquarters while he was on guard duty. One morning in early September, seven 3.5 ton ballistic missiles flew over 70 kilometers (44 miles) from their launch site in Iran and hit a training field and a concrete fort just outside the sleepy Iraqi Kurdish town of Koya, killing 16 people and wounding 40. Both are used by the KDPI. The target was its central committee, which was holding a plenary meeting in the fort.”

Time: She Was A Teenage Victim Of Domestic Violence And Rape. She Sought Help. This Week, Iran Executed Her

“Child bride.” “Criminal.” “Juvenile offender.” These are some of the many labels assigned to Zeinab Sekaanvand during her far too short life. Sekaanvand, who was executed on Tuesday in Urumieh prison in Iran’s West Azerbaijan province, was rarely seen for who she really was: a vulnerable young woman trapped in a cycle of violence and sexual abuse since childhood. Sekaanvand, who was 24 when she was hanged, had spent almost a third of her life in detention. In February 2012, she was arrested and put on trial over the murder of her husband, a crime that took place when she was 17 years old. She had reported being raped by her brother-in-law and tortured by police after her arrest. What’s especially chilling about Sekaanvand’s case is the number of points at which the Iranian authorities could have intervened to help her. Sekaanvand reported the abuse she suffered. She spoke out, yet she was ignored.”

The National Interest: Iran's Missiles Are a Clear Threat. Here's How America's Allies Are Responding

“U.S.-Iran relations recently became more strained. On October 3, the Trump administration withdrew from the sixty-three-year-old “Treaty of Amity” with Iran following an International Court of Justice ruling that recent U.S. sanctions violated the accord. The move follows recent verbal sparring during the UN General Assembly where Iranian President Hassan Rouhani accused President Trump of having a “Nazi disposition” with his “America-first” worldview. Worried by increasingly polemical U.S.-Iran rhetoric, a bipartisan cohort of former politicians, intelligence officials and army officers penned a statement supporting a more balanced approach to Iran, one “which combines pressure and diplomacy.” The recent increase in diplomatic jockeying between the United States and Iran may counterintuitively alleviate some consternation in the Gulf region, where despite the joint nuclear deal, Iran still exerted regional influence to wage proxy wars in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Declining relations between the U.S. and Iran may thus signal affirmatively an increase in military and economic support to the GCC countries, shoring up regional defenses and substantially raising the cost of Iranian military action. Escalating tensions, however, also come with a higher chance of war, which, with a nuclear Iran, would pose an existential risk to the region. In such an eventuality, defense against incoming nuclear and non-nuclear missiles would be a top regional priority.”

Iraq
Iraqi News: Interior Ministry: 9 Islamic State Members Arrested, West Of Mosul

“The Iraqi Interior Ministry has announced arresting nine Islamic State members in west of Mosul city. In a statement by the ministry’s Security Media Center on Saturday, Maj. Gen. Saad Maan, spokesperson for the center, said “information collected by the intelligence enabled Nineveh police to arrest nine militants in regions of Sumar, Adan, al-Zahraa and al-Arbjiya, west of Mosul.” The militants, according to the statement, “included fighters in the so-called Soldiers Department, who took part in battles against security personnel. Two others worked for the group’s so-called Hisbah (vigilantism) while the group was in control of the city.” On Thursday, an Islamic State member was killed, while six others were arrested during confrontations against Islamic State in al-Zahraa region, according to a source from Nineveh police. On Wednesday, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said a terrorist cell composed of thirteen Islamic State members has been arrested, west of Mosul. Seven Islamic State militants were arrested, east of Mosul city, with one of them facing charges of assassinating security forces, the ministry said on Tuesday. Other 27 militants were arrested in an operation in Hammam al-Alil, south of the city, according to Nineveh police. Thousands of Islamic State militants as well as Iraqi civilians were killed since the government campaign, backed by paramilitary troops and the coalition was launched in October 2016.”

Afghanistan
Al Jazeera: Taliban Kill 10 Policemen, Destroy Bridges According To Officials

“At least 10 policemen have been killed in clashes with Taliban fighters in the central Afghan province of Wardak, officials said. Sunday's clashes come amid fighting to wrest control of arterial highways a day after Taliban fighters blew up bridges along those roads, blocking traffic between the capital Kabul and Ghazni, Zabul and Kandahar provinces. The fighting also cut off electricity to four provinces: Maidan Wardak, Logar, Ghazni and Paktia. Abdul Rahman Mangel, the provincial governor's spokesman, told the Associated Press the attack began late on Saturday and appeared to be aimed at seizing the Sayed Abad district headquarters in the Maidan Wardak province. The Taliban set fire to a government building in the district and killed the district police chief along with nine other policemen, according to a senior police official. The Taliban said they overran the district headquarters, but local officials denied the claim. Mangel also said the Taliban raided homes after the attack. Under control Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Danish told the Associated Press that reinforcements have been sent to and "most areas in the district" are under control. Repeated assaults on strategically important provinces, such as Wardak and nearby Ghazni, have been a show of strength for the Taliban, underscoring how volatile security remains in Afghanistan two weeks before parliamentary elections. A statement from the Taliban's main spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said fighters had taken the centre of Sayeed Abad and all surrounding security checkpoints. The group has seized a number of districts across the country in recent years and regularly attack security forces.”

Reuters: U.S. Special Envoy To Afghanistan Arrives In Kabul As Taliban Launch Fresh Attacks

“U.S. adviser on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Kabul to hold the first round of talks with Afghan leaders since being appointed an envoy to lead peace efforts with the Taliban and end the 17-year war, Afghan officials said on Sunday. Last month Khalilzad, 67, an Afghan-born former U.S. ambassador to Kabul and Iraq, joined the U.S. State Department team to lead the reconciliation effort and peace talks with the Taliban. A spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said Khalilzad met with Ghani on Sunday and he is expected to meet senior ministers and top diplomats in Kabul on Monday. A senior government official said Khalilzad will be traveling to Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Qatar as part of a 10-day trip in an attempt to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. Khalilzad’s appointment last month highlighted the U.S. administration’s fresh efforts to convince the Taliban leadership to participate in the Afghan peace process, despite a surge in attacks by the militant group. Khalilzad’s knowledge of Afghanistan’s main languages, culture and politics could help him engage with all the stakeholders in the peace process in addition to his experience advising or working for four U.S. administrations. But his visit comes as the Taliban and the Islamic State group ramp up attacks across the country two weeks before the country is set to hold long-delayed parliamentary polls. In the latest incident, Taliban fighters killed at least 10 policemen in a district in central Afghanistan and blocked arterial highways.”

The Washington Post: Taliban Break Silence And Condemn Upcoming Afghan Elections, Promising Interference

“The Taliban militants on Monday broke their months of silence on the upcoming parliamentary elections in Afghanistan, warning they would seek to disrupt the Oct. 20 vote. The announcement casts new doubt about the troubled elections, which have already been delayed for three years and are plagued by fears of fraud and security concerns. The warning coincides with increase in the number of attacks both by the Taliban and affiliates of the Islamic State in recent months, which have killed hundreds of people, including six nominees for the parliamentary vote and scores working on the elections. It also comes in the midst of a widening political rift between members of the government, dissatisfaction among factional leaders over the electoral process, and allegations that President Ashraf Ghani is seeking to manipulate the results to boost his own reelection in six months time. The palace vehemently denies the charge. In its statement, the Taliban described the elections as a “bogus” U.S. move to consolidate its invasion of Afghanistan and urged Afghans to avoid participation. “The Islamic Emirate (Taliban), while representing the people and as an emancipative force of the nation, considers this process a fake one as a conspiracy of deceiving the people for achieving the malicious interests of foreigners,” read the statement, which comes as the group controls the most territory in the country since its 2001 overthrow. “The Islamic Emirate instructs all its Mujahideen to halt this American-led process throughout the country by creating severe obstacles for it, while taking extensive and intensive care of civilian Afghan lives and their properties,” it added.”

Pakistan
The Economic Times: FATF Team In Pakistan To Examine Steps Taken Against Terror Financing

“A team of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is set to hold meetings with top Pakistani officials on Monday to discuss the measures taken by Pakistan so far to counter money laundering and terror financing. The nine-member delegation, comprising members of FATF's Asia Pacific Group (APG), arrived here on Sunday on a 12-day visit to see the implementation of the action plan Pakistan had issued earlier this year, official sources said. The team includes experts from British Scotland Yard, US Department of Treasury, Financial Intelligence Unit of Maldives, Indonesian Ministry of Finance, Peoples' Bank of China and Justice Department of Turkey. Pakistan was formally added to the 'grey list' of countries involved in providing monetary assistance to terrorism and related causes after a FATF meeting in Paris in June. The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to combat money laundering, terrorist financing and other related threats to the integrity of the international financial system. Sources in the finance ministry said that "Pakistan has done its homework" and the delegation will be briefed about the measures to curb terror financing through money laundering and illegal remittances.”

Yemen
The National: Yemen Displacement Camp Targeted By Houthi Shelling

“A woman was killed and 12 others injured when Houthi fighters attacked a displacement camp located in Khokhah, a district south of Hodeidah, according to sources contacted by The National. The rebels' shelling on Friday was at close range, "affirming that it was deliberately carried out from Houthi pockets in the mountainous chains surrounding Hays," a military source on the ground said. Thaer Al Makraee, a civilian who volunteered to help victims of the attack, said the woman was killed as she was having lunch with her children. "I found her little sons crying...over her body, that was really painful," he said. The attack caused civilians inside the camp to flee, the director of a nearby mobile clinic told The National. “All the displaced people in the camp – which included many families – have left to go to another displacement area in the east of the city,” Dr Hasan Abu Al Gaith said, adding that eight of the 12 victims had suffered severe injuries.”

Al Arabiya: Houthis Barricade Yemen’s Sanaa University And Kidnap 55 Students

“Houthi militiamen in Yemen on Saturday closed down the University of Sanaa, and deployed tanks and armored vehicles around the building to intimidate the students, according to an Al Arabiya correspondent. The militia also used military displays to separate protestors who stood at the main entrance of the university, as well as kidnapping around 55 students. Meanwhile, local sources in Sanaa revealed that the Houthi militias tightened security measures and launched search campaigns to prevent citizens from walking towards Tahrir Square in the city’s center. According to the sources, Houthi militias deployed their army on the streets and neighborhoods near Tahrir Square, along with military vehicles to patrol the capital. The militia also placed security checkpoints to stop and search citizens, and arrested those who refused to cooperate. The sources added that the militias directed its men to launch search campaigns on hotels and rest-stops in the capital, which resulted in the arrest of several young people who were not carrying their personal identifications. The Houthi militias are fearful of activists’ ongoing protests on social media against the currency collapse and the drastic rise in prices.”

Arab News: Woman Killed, 11 Injured In Houthi Attack On Ksrelief Camp In Yemen

“A woman was killed and many people injured on Friday after the Houthi militia attacked the Bani Jaber camp for the displaced in Al-Khokha, Hodeidah governorate. Three missiles launched by Houthi militias hit the camp which is run by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief), killing one woman and injuring many people who were staying at the camp. KSRelief condemned the attack, describing it as “a heinous crime” that did not respect the principles of human rights and international humanitarian law. The center called on the UN and its organizations to strongly condemn the attack, which disregarded international principles and human rights. The militias have also repeatedly stolen humanitarian and relief aid provided by the center and hindered access to people most in need. The center also urged the UN to assume its humanitarian and social responsibility against Houthis crimes that have ravaged the country. UN special envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths said on Thursday that, by November, the UN hopes to resume consultations between the Iranian-backed Houthis and the internationally-recognized government, which is backed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the West. The first attempt in three years at talks collapsed a month ago after the Houthis failed to turn up.”

Al Arabiya: Yemen: Senior Houthi Leader Killed In Coalition Strikes In Hodeidah

“A prominent leader in the pro-Iranian Houthi militias, Hisham Abdul-Samad al-Khalid, was killed with other associates in airstrikes launched by the Arab coalition backing the Yemeni national army, targeting positions in the western coast of Hodeidah governorate. The coalition warships also bombarded positions and other gatherings of the Houthi militias, east of the directorate of al-Durahimi and the outskirts of the city of Hodeidah. Field sources reported that the bombardment targeted the reinforcements of the militias which were completely destroyed east of the city of Hodeidah. Meanwhile, Military reinforcement units of the Arab Coalition arrived at a number of military fronts in the west coast of the port city of Hodeidah on Sunday to strengthen the presence of the legitimate government in Yemen.”

Saudi Arabia
Al Arabiya: Saudi Crown Prince: We Don’t Need A New Hezbollah In The Arabian Peninsula

“Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, in an interview with Bloomberg, in response to a question regarding Yemen and how he sees the conflict evolving and when it will end, said: “We hope it will end as soon as possible. We don’t need that on our border.” The crown prince further added: “But of course, we don’t need to have a new Hezbollah in the Arabian Peninsula. This is a red line not only for Saudi Arabia but for the whole world.” Mohammad bin Salman stressed: “No one wants to have Hezbollah in a Strait (in reference to the Strait of Hormuz) through which about 15 percent of the world trade goes through. We will continue to pressure them. We hope they’ll get ready as soon as possible to have negotiations and to have a deal,” in reference to the Yemeni conflict. The interview with Bloomberg which took place at the royal palace in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday and released late on Friday, touched on a wide range of topics.”

Lebanon
Al Arabiya: US Treasury Designates Lebanese Businessman Global Terrorist For Hezbollah Ties

“The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated Lebanese businessman Muhammad Abdallah al-Amin who owns seven companies that are headquartered in Lebanon as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) and imposed sanctions on him and all his seven companies. According to the Treasury, the companies which Amin owns or runs are: Sierra Gas S.A.L. Offshore, Lama Foods S.A.R.L., Lama Foods International Offshore S.A.L., Impulse S.A.R.L., Impulse International S.A.L. Offshore, M. Marine S.A.L. Offshore, and Thaingui S.A.L. Offshore. Who is Muhammad Abdallah al-Amin? Muhammad is a Lebanese businessman and merchant whose father Abdallah is a former Member of Parliament and minister. Abdallah, who was affiliated with the Baath Party, was the labor minister in the 1990s. According to the US Treasury, Muhammad al-Amin was sanctioned for covering several of Hezbollah’s special financial operations and for providing material support to Hezbollah insider and financier Adham Husayn Tabaja who was sanctioned by the US on June 6, 2015. “Hezbollah is an Iranian-proxy, and this Administration is focused on exposing and disrupting its terrorist funding networks. We are exerting extraordinary pressure on Hezbollah financiers like Tabaja to halt their pernicious activities in Lebanon and beyond,” said Sigal Mandelker, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “Our action should serve as a warning that we will impose consequences on anyone engaging in business relationships with al-Amin or other Hezbollah support networks. Treasury has taken more actions against Hezbollah this year than ever before, and we are fully committed to shutting down this terrorist network.”

Qatar
Al Arabiya: Why Qatar Is Draining Itself

“No matter how stubborn they are, I have no doubt that Hamad bin Khalifa and his son are now regretting their actions as all the countries who tried to mediate have let them down. This is because most of the countries are convinced that Qatar sponsors terrorism. Moreover, the boycotting countries are clearly more powerful than this miniscule statelet. The country is actually more like a night cricket, as per the Najd proverb. It has no power except for the annoying noise made by its media, which in this instance has not been able to make the four Arab countries back down from their firm stance. Any observer can see that Qatar, its diplomacy and values, have been deeply impacted. The only hope left is that another President like Barack Obama reappears in the future to rescue them, as President Trump has virtually erased all of his predecessor’s actions.”

Middle East
Council On Foreign Relations: Terrorism And Civil Society

“On October 4, the White House issued its new National Strategy for Counterterrorism. This is a long and welcome document, and I want to discuss only one element of the strategy: the role of civil society. The White House strategy correctly states that fighting terrorism includes "prioritiz[ing] a broader range of non-military capabilities, such as our ability to prevent and intervene in terrorist recruitment, minimize the appeal of terrorist propaganda online, and build societal resilience to terrorism." It adds that "To defeat radical Islamist terrorism, we must also speak out forcefully against a hateful ideology that provides the breeding ground for violence and terrorism." The view that terrorists have an ideology, and that we need to combat it, rightly permeates the document. At one point it says "We will undermine the ability of terrorist ideologies, particularly radical Islamist terrorist ideologies, to create a common identity and sense of purpose among potential recruits. We must combat the resilience of terrorist narratives by acknowledging that their ideologies contain elements that have enduring appeal among their audiences." This is an important statement, because it shows that the administration views the fight against terror as going far beyond kinetic or military action.”

Daily Beast: Don’t Count Out ISIS Just Yet

“On a roundabout in west Mosul, the biggest city to become part of the so-called Islamic State, the jihadists erected a large screen. On it, they would project videos showing gruesome acts of violence. After ISIS had taken the city, they purged it of anyone they thought would oppose their rule. To strike fear into the rest of the inhabitants, they made sure they knew about the killings that were taking place at mass graves outside town. The group gained notoriety worldwide for cultivating its brutal propaganda online. But because it denied the people living in its self-proclaimed caliphate access to the internet, disseminating videos of beheadings or mass shootings had to be done the old way in Mosul. “You could also buy them on DVDs in the neighborhood," says Walid Hassan, a resident of west Mosul, who regularly passed by the roundabout. ISIS gained in force in Iraq when former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki turned on the country’s Sunni population, after the U.S. military had finally beaten down al Qaeda. Feeding off the populace’s sense of disenfranchisement, the group took its momentum across the border to Syria, where it thrived in the chaos of the civil war. In 2014, the group stormed back into Iraq, taking control of most of the Sunni areas, or about a third of the country.”

Middle East Eye: Tunisia Extends State Of Emergency For One Month

“Tunisia's presidency on Friday extended the country's state of emergency, imposed in 2015 after a series of deadly attacks. The decision to prolong the state of emergency until 6 November comes amid a tense political climate ahead of legislative and presidential elections planned for next year. President Beji Caid Essebsi made the decision after meeting the ministers of defence and interior, his office said, without giving a reason for the action. The emergency has been renewed several times since it was first imposed, most recently last May. It gives the interior minister greater powers, including the ability to impose curfews and black out media outlets. The nationwide state of emergency was declared on 24 November 2015 after an attack in the capital, Tunis, which killed 12 presidential guards. The Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack. That same year, IS fighters attacked the Bardo museum in the capital and a coastal resort in Sousse, which together left 59 tourists and a policeman dead. The most recent large-scale assault came in March 2016, when dozens of militants attacked security installations in the town of Ben Guerdane on the Libyan border. Thirteen security officers and seven civilians were killed. In Tunisia, which since its 2011 revolution has seen the emergence of varied militant groups, soldiers and police officers continue to be targeted, particularly in mountainous areas bordering Algeria. On Wednesday, two soldiers were killed in a landmine blast during an anti-militant operation on Mount Chaambi, near the Algerian frontier. Okba Ibn Nafaa, a Tunisia-based division of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), is present in the area. Amid the state of emergency, the country’s tourism sector has begun to rebound since the attacks.”

Daily Times: Taliban Hint At Meeting With US Special Envoy In Qatar

“Afghan Taliban have not ruled out a meeting between their political representatives with American Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad during his visit to Qatar, sources said on Saturday. The State Department says Khalilzad is leading an interagency delegation to Afghanistan, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia from October 4-14. Sources told Daily Times that the US special envoy could visit Islamabad on Monday or Tuesday. It would be his second visit to Pakistan in five weeks. He had earlier accompanied US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in his September 5 visit to Islamabad. “Special Representative Khalilzad’s mission is to coordinate and lead US efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. He will do so in close coordination with the Afghan government and other stakeholders, exploring how best to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict,” a State Department statement said. The trip is his first visit following his appointment as special representative and reflects the Administration’s intent to support, facilitate and participate in a peace process in Afghanistan. Although there is no official word if the US envoy will meet the Taliban political representatives in Qatar, the Taliban sources say a meeting can be held. “I do not want to offer any comment at this state,” a Taliban source said when asked if Khalilzad would meet the Taliban political envoys in Doha. Earlier, a Taliban political source had told Daily Times that they were ready for the second round of talks with the US.”

Libya
PBS Newshour: Libyan Coast Remains Fertile For ISIS And Migrant Traffickers

“Less than two years after Libya with American forces regained control of its coast from Islamic State fighters, the most potent affiliate outside of Iraq and Syria, law enforcement and U.S. policymakers worry about a resurgence. For the second of a two-part series on ISIS in Libya, NewsHour Weekend Special Correspondent Christopher Livesay traveled to the port city of Sabratha. This story was made possible with special funding from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Once a jewel of the Roman Empire, Libya's port city of Sabratha is home to an ancient amphitheater that more recently was the backdrop of a city overrun by terror. ISIS took control in 2015, and asserted its authority by beheading 12 members of the security forces, and setting up its own checkpoints. Today, the tables are turned. Libyan police loyal to the government in Tripoli now check for ISIS militants. One of them tells me the city is safe, but checkpoints are common targets for terrorist attacks, and any one of these vehicles could be packed with explosives. Police are also looking for stolen fuel – ISIS is known to smuggle it from Libya's vast reserves and use the profits to fund their attacks. Libya's spot on the map makes it particularly attractive to terrorists. Parts of the sprawling country three times the size of France are ungoverned. And the country has largely uncontrolled borders, offering several gateways for action says Carnegie Endowment Senior Associate Frederic Wehrey.”

Nigeria
Africa News: Nigeria Army Averts Boko Haram Attack On Camp, Arrests Terrorist

“The Nigerian Army on Saturday reported fending off a Boko Haram attack on an Internally Displaced Peoples, IDP, camp in northeastern Borno State. The Army reported neutralizing three attackers and arresting one who had sustained gunshot wounds in the ensuing combat. The attack of Saturday dawn was targeting the Ngala IDP camp in Borno, the epicenter of attacks by the terrorist group that has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions. The army continues to prosecute the Operation Lafiya Doole – Security by all means – aimed at rooting out remnants of Boko Haram. The group has also staged attacks that have led to deaths on the part of soldiers and civilian population. Ending the Boko Haram crisis was a key plank of President Buhari’s campaign in 2015. He recently reiterated the resolve to completely defeat the terrorists whose activities affect the entire Lake Chad region. Cameroon’s Far North and parts of Chad and Niger have all suffered from terrorists activities.”

Pulse Nigeria: UN Urges More Support For Nigeria

“Top United Nations relief and development officials have called on national and international partners to step up support for humanitarian efforts in Northeastern Nigeria ravaged by Boko Haram’s insurgency. UN Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Achim Steiner and UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock made the call as they wrapped up a two-day official visit to Nigeria. Steiner and Lowcock were in Nigeria to rally support for the government-led efforts on the ground, especially in the conflict-torn northeastern Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The top UN relief officials stressed the need to help millions of people rebuild their lives in the region that has been ravaged by the near decade-long insurgency. “We are committed to Nigeria and to the people of Nigeria,” said Lowcock, who heads up the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). “Humanitarian aid can only be a temporary solution,” he said, adding he was pleased to visit the region alongside the UNDP Administrator. He said their visit would help join up humanitarian and development efforts “to save lives, help stabilise the situation, rebuild lives and communities for the future”. “We must do everything we can to prevent this crisis from continuing for years,” Lowcock said in Maiduguri at the end of the visit, which also included meetings with Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmad and high-level government officials. They visited projects in Bama town and Ngwom community in Borno, the state most affected by the 10-year conflict, where humanitarian and development workers are providing life-saving assistance and implementing development programmes. The two officials heard first-hand testimonies from people affected by the Lake Chad Basin crisis who are trying to rebuild their lives.”

Somalia
The Star: Somalia Bars Al Shabab Founder Mukhtar Robow From Public Office

“A former commander of militant Islamist group al-Shabab, and one of its founders, Mukhtar Robow, has been barred from running for public office in Somalia. The Ministry of Interior has said in a statement that he is unable to put his name forward for the presidency of the country's South-West state as he still faces sanctions. The announcement comes a day after Robow declared his intention to run. He is the highest ranking al-Shabab militant to defect from the group, despite being one of its founders. Robow had expressed his willingness, if he won, to forge a strong relationship with the federal government, which has been feuding with some state administrations. In 2000 he trained with al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.”

Africa
Premium Times: Troops Kill Five Boko Haram Insurgents In Borno

“The Nigerian Army on Sunday said its troops had killed five Boko Haram insurgents in northern part of Borno. Texas Chukwu, the Director, Army Public Relations, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri. Mr Chukwu said: “troops of Sector 3, Operation LAFIYA DOLE in conjunction with Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), while on fighting patrol to Gara village in northern Borno on Friday October 5, encountered suspected Boko Haram Terrorists. “Five members of the Boko Haram terrorists were neutralised during the encounter, following the superior fire power of the troops, while others escaped to a nearby bush with gun shot wounds”. He disclosed that the troops recovered four AK 47 rifles; five magazines, 55 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and eight rounds of 5.56mm NATO ammunition. Other items recovered from the insurgents include: 11 mobile phones; assorted drugs; cooking utensils; consumables and six horses.”

Critical Threats Project: ISIS Affiliate Expands In The Sahel

“The expansion of an Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) affiliate in the Sahel demonstrates that current U.S. and European counterterrorism efforts are failing to prevent the growth of the Salafi-jihadi movement in Africa. French military operations in West Africa in 2018 have focused largely on the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS). ISGS formed in 2015 when its leader, the commander of a splinter group of an al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) affiliate, pledged allegiance to the leader of ISIS. ISGS grew rapidly after attacking a joint U.S.-Nigerien patrol in western Niger in October 2017. ISGS’s growth occurred because of its strategy of entering and worsening ethnic conflicts to recruit and gain popular support—mirroring the sectarian strategy implemented by the founder of al Qaeda in Iraq and later ISIS, Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Counterterrorism operations weakened ISGS in 2018, but the group gained popular support in northern Mali and contributed to an escalating Salafi-jihadi insurgency in Burkina Faso. Furthermore, the focus on ISGS has allowed AQIM’s Malian affiliate to spread into Burkina Faso and drive the new G5-Sahel joint force, which is meant to be the West’s local counterterrorism partner, out of central Mali. The persistence of the conflict conditions that allowed ISGS to grow in Mali will either allow ISGS to regain strength or spawn a successor group.”

North Korea
Fox News: North Korea Ready To Allow Inspectors Into Missile Sites, Pompeo Says

“North Korea on Monday said it was ready to allow an international group of inspectors into the country’s clandestine nuclear and missile sites, a move that could be seen as more evidence in Washington and Pyongyang’s thawing relationship. Mike Pompeo, the U.S. secretary of state, made the announcement after a Sunday meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The meeting was apparently productive, and they even discussed another summit between Kim and President Trump, Reuters reported. Pompeo identified Punggye-ri as one of the testing sites mentioned in their conversations. The U.S.’s top diplomat retweeted Trump’s tweet touting a “good meeting” in Pyongyang. "We continue to make progress on agreements made at Singapore Summit," Pompeo tweeted. Trump met with Kim in Singapore in June and – at the time – announced that the two countries are set to "start a new history.”

India
The Economic Times: India Laments Inability Of UN To Adopt Legal Framework Against Terrorism

“United Nations: India has lamented the inability of the UN to adopt a legal framework to combat international terrorism, saying this "lacunae" is impacting enforcement efforts to destroy safe havens for terrorists and their support networks. Yedla Umasankar, First Secretary/Legal Adviser in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, said here on Wednesday that India firmly believed that a Comprehensive Convention against International Terrorism (CCIT) would provide a strong legal basis for the fight against terrorism and would be in the interest of all Member States to have a multilateral and collective dimension of counter terrorism effort.”

United Kingdom
Al Bawaba: Notorious Hate Preacher Anjem Choudary Is ‘More Dangerous Than Ever’

“Choudary is accused of radicalising Khuram Butt, 28, ringleader of the 2017 London Bridge attacks, and Michael Adebolajo, 33, who murdered soldier Lee Rigby outside Woolwich Barracks in May 2013. Choudary is being released even though internal monitoring by the Ministry of Justice has deemed that he has not changed his views, and will portray himself as a ‘martyr’ when he comes out of jail. He will be provided with a safe house in a well-to-do suburb of North London, where renting a modest two-bedroom flat can cost £1,300 a month. Round-the-clock monitoring to ensure that Choudary adheres to bail conditions will add to the expense facing taxpayers.”

Al Bawaba: Notorious Hate Preacher Anjem Choudary Is ‘More Dangerous Than Ever’

“A notorious hate preacher due to be released from jail within days is ‘more dangerous than ever’ and will ‘poison the minds’ of a new generation, it was claimed last night. Anjem Choudary could be released as early as this week from the maximum-security Frankland Prison in County Durham after serving less than half of his five-and-a-half-year sentence. He was jailed in 2016 for publicly supporting the Islamic State terror group. But last night a source said: ‘He is still a dangerous individual. He has become more aggressive in his views.’ The Mail on Sunday has also learned that keeping Choudary in a safe house after his release will cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds.”

The Guardian: Suspected British ISIS Fighter Could Face Repatriation To Canada

“Suspected Islamic State fighter Jack Letts – nicknamed “Jihadi Jack” by the British media – is likely to be repatriated to Canada rather than the UK, sources have told the Guardian. The 23-year-old dual national was included in a recent agreement between Ottawa and the Kurdish administration in north-eastern Syria to take home an estimated 11 Canadian citizens being held by its forces, several Kurdish and Canadian sources said. The Canadian efforts to get Letts out of Syria were a stark contrast to UK government policy on repatriating Isis suspects and their families. Kurdish authorities in Qamishli say it has not responded to requests for cooperation. Including Letts, four British men are believed to be held in Kurdish and US-run facilities in Syria. The UK has repeatedly said that it cannot help British citizens in places where it has no consular support – although earlier this year it attempted to extradite two surviving British members of the terror cell known as the “Beatles” from Qamishli to the US after stripping them of their UK citizenship. The British government has not said whether Letts’ British citizenship has been revoked. “As all UK consular services are suspended in Syria … Anyone who does travel to Syria, for whatever reason, is putting themselves in considerable danger,” a Foreign Office spokesperson said.”

Europe
The Jerusalem Post: Austria Slated To Ban Hezbollah And Hamas Symbols

“Austrian media reported this past week that the government’s ban will be expanded to include symbols of Turkey’s ultra-radical nationalist Grey Wolves. Austria’s conservative government plans to impose a ban of Islamic extremist symbols from the terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas. The ban is scheduled to go into effect in March. Austrian media reported this past week that the government’s ban will be expanded to include symbols of Turkey’s ultra-radical nationalist Grey Wolves, the Kurdistan Workers Party, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Croatian fascist movement Ustasha. The Alpine state currently prohibits symbols associated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State, including groups affiliated with these Sunni terrorist movements. Violations of the law against proscribed symbols from terrorist organizations can result in a 4,000-euro penalty, wrote the paper Der Standard, adding that a repeat offense can mean a 10,000-euro fine. The paper said the list of banned symbols has not yet been published by the government and will be announced in the next few weeks or months. Austria also bans symbols associated with the National Socialists.”

The Times: ISIS Jihadists Back In Kosovo Ready To Die For Caliphate

“Four years have passed since a young Islamic State fighter from Kosovo witnessed one of the organisation’s most abhorrent killings. Fitim Lladrovci was 24 when he saw a Syrian tied to a stake and blown up with a rocket-propelled grenade. “It was certainly not the worst thing I saw among many executions, beheadings and burnings,” he said, reflecting in Pristina, capital of Kosovo, on his continued loyalty to Isis. “Even kids got used to seeing such things.” The killer was Lavdrim Muhaxheri, an infamous Kosovo Albanian who was designated an international terrorist threat before being killed by a drone. His identity and video of the murder placed Kosovans at the heart of the jihadists’ foreign fighter entourage and alerted European security services to an emerging…”

The Sun: Chilling New ISIS Threat Warns Of Jihadi Knife Attacks On Europe Pop Concerts

“ISIS sickos are circulating a chilling online poster warning of deadly knife attacks at pop and rock concerts across Europe. In the shocking image - credited to Remah Media Production- a suited man is seen holding a huge knife behind his as he lurks near a crowd of cheering music fans. The caption to the photo - which has been posted on Twitter - reads: "Wait for our surprises" and it is signed "Islamic State", reports PJ Media. The threat comes in the wake of high-profile terror attacks at concerts in the UK and in France - which left dozens dead and many more injured. Earlier this year we revealed how pro-ISIS fanatics also issued a chilling terror threat to the city of Manchester just one year after 22 were murdered at an Ariana Grande concert. They posted a picture of a jihadi lurking on the city's streets. It was sent out by one of the Islamist death cult's propaganda wings. Emergency services rushed to the scene after the bomb blast in Manchester The poster shows a bearded man wearing a baseball cap and a hoodie as he stands on a street corner in the Ancoats area of Manchester – close to the city centre. Behind him lies a dead body on the pavement and the poster warns: “We will fulfil our promises to you.” Manchester-born jihadi Salman Abedi struck with a home-made suicide bomb at the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in May last year. The explosive detonated moments after US pop star Ariana left the stage, sending nuts and bolts flying as young fans made their way out of the venue. At least 64 people were injured in the horror blast with 22 gig-goers killed.”

The Jerusalem Post: Austria Slated To Ban Hezbollah And Hamas Symbols

“Austria’s conservative government plans to impose a ban of Islamic extremist symbols from the terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas. The ban is scheduled to go into effect in March. Austrian media reported this past week that the government’s ban will be expanded to include symbols of Turkey’s ultra-radical nationalist Grey Wolves, the Kurdistan Workers Party, the Muslim Brotherhood and the Croatian fascist movement Ustasha. The Alpine state currently prohibits symbols associated with al-Qaeda and Islamic State, including groups affiliated with these Sunni terrorist movements. Violations of the law against proscribed symbols from terrorist organizations can result in a 4,000-euro penalty, wrote the paper Der Standard, adding that a repeat offense can mean a 10,000-euro fine. The paper said the list of banned symbols has not yet been published by the government and will be announced in the next few weeks or months. Austria also bans symbols associated with the National Socialists. The Wiener Zeitung paper said the ban of Hezbollah symbols would apply to Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, the group’s so-called military wing. In 2013, the European Union merely proscribed the brigades for being a terrorist organization. Hezbollah’s leadership, however, considers itself to be a unified organization without divisions into military and political wings. The EU ban of Hezbollah’s military wing was prompted by a Hezbollah terrorist attack on an Israeli tour bus in 2012 that resulted in the deaths of five Israelis and their Bulgarian Muslim bus driver.”

Southeast Asia
Financial Express: Malaysia Arrests 8 Suspected Militants, 7 Of Them Foreigners

“Malaysian police said Saturday that eight suspected militants, including seven foreigners, have been arrested for allegedly spreading religious extremism that could threaten national security and fan terrorism in the region. National police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun said the suspects are connected with an Islamic religious school in Yemen that promotes the Salafi Jihadi teachings, which permit the killings of non-Muslims as well as Muslims who don’t follow their ways and denounce democracy as un-Islamic. He said the foreigners, aged between 24 and 38, include five people from a country in Europe, one from the Americas and one from the Middle East. Fuzi said the September 24 arrests came after police received intelligence about attempts by a Yemen-based terror group to set up a school in Southeast Asia to promote the Salafi Jihadi ideology, which is shared by groups including the Islamic State. He said all eight are linked to an Islamic learning center in northern Perlis state that has ties with the Yemen school, but didn’t give details of the Malaysian center. He said initial investigations showed the eight rejected democracy and have extreme beliefs. Six of them, students of the Perlis center, were detained in the state and believed to have ties with either the Islamic State terror group or extremist cells in their country, Fuzi said. The Middle Eastern man, a former teacher at the Perlis center, was picked up in Kuala Lumpur for conducting unlawful Islamic classes to spread Salafi Jihadi teachings, he said.”

Canada
The Star: Rise Of Right-Wing Extremists Presents New Challenge For Canadian Law Enforcement Agencies

“There has been a dramatic rise in the number of white nationalist and right-wing extremist groups operating in Canada over the last three years, causing police and security agencies to reassess the threat the movement poses. But more worrying, for those who keep tabs on Canada’s extreme right fringe, is that alliances seem to be building between groups as the far-right makes gains in the United States and Europe. At the same time, it’s not clear that Canada’s law-enforcement and security agencies are mounting a similarly concerted response. Between 2015 and 2018, researcher Barbara Perry said she’s observed a 20 to 25 per cent jump in the number of right-wing extremist groups active in Canada. Based on Perry’s previous estimates, that would mean anywhere between 100 to 125 active right-wing extremist groups operating from coast to coast. Perry, who researches hate crimes and the far right at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, attributed the growth to far-right causes and ideas infiltrating mainstream politics in Canada and other Western countries.

Technology
Wired: After Troubles In Myanmar, Facebook Charges Ahead In Africa

“OVER THE PAST year, Facebook has faced a reckoning over the way its plan to connect the next billion users to the internet has sown division, including spreading hate speech that incited ethnic violence in Myanmar and disseminating propaganda for a violent dictator in the Philippines. But even as the company admits that it was “too slow to prevent misinformation and hate” in Myanmar and makes promises to be more proactive about policing content “where false news has had life or death consequences,” Facebook’s efforts in the developing world appear to be speeding up rather than pausing to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself. In mid-August, Facebook said it was making progress in Myanmar by adding more Burmese speakers and changing its content-moderation policies to make it easier to report bad conduct and root out hate speech. By the end of this year, Facebook says, it expects to hire 100 Burmese speakers to review content. The changes come more than two years after Facebook pushed into Myanmar. During that time civil-society groups have repeatedly asked the company to do a better job patrolling hate speech, and UN investigators said Facebook had played a “determining role” in the killing of Rohingya Muslims.”

Combating Terrorist Financing

Almadaen: Saudi Justice Ministry Concludes Training Program To Counter Terrorist Financing And Money Laundering

“The Saudi Justice Ministry recently concluded a training program aimed at combating terrorist financing and money laundering. The training program, in which more than 300 judges from Saudi criminal courts took part, was aimed at supporting participants’ executive judicial skills. Participants learned ways of detecting, investigating and penalizing money-laundering and terrorist financing crimes based on the Saudi judicial system. The program also highlighted the legal evolution of crimes involving money laundering and terrorist financing, their domains, and indicators of money laundering and terrorist financing.”

Terror Financing
The Seventh Day: Mufti Of Mount Lebanon: Iran Funds Terrorism Globally

“The Mufti of Mount Lebanon, Sheikh Mohammed Ali al-Jouzo, confirmed that the Iranian regime funds terrorism throughout the world and spends huge sums in order to buy influence and souls. He noted that the regime seeks to control Arab youths and weaponize them as tools for killing, destruction, displacement and assault on their people and citizens. The Mufti said in a statement on Sunday that Iranian terrorism has committed crimes against many Arab countries and their peoples, and that Iran's actions threaten the security of European peoples. He pointed out that European countries are turning a blind eye to these matters due to joint commercial interests with Iran. Al-Jouzo pointed out that Iran carries out its aggression on life and human dignity, commits terrorist crimes, ignites sectarian strife and causes great destruction in many Arab countries. He stressed that the current situation has become a major humanitarian tragedy that should not be tolerated.”

Muslim Brotherhood
Elbalad: Political Expert: Qatar Finances 70% Of Muslim Brotherhood's Budget

“Dr. Abdul-Khaleq Abdullah, a political science professor in the UAE, stated that Qatar always acts outside the consensus of the Arabian Gulf States. One example of such unharmonious Qatari behavior is its support for the banned Muslim Brotherhood, the political specialist explained. In an interview on Al-Ghad TV, Dr. Abdullah noted that Qatari-Gulf relations have reached the point of no return due to two major issues. The first is Qatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, with the Gulf state financing 70% of the outlawed group's overall budget. The second issue according to Dr. Abdullah is Qatar's continuous efforts to destabilize Egypt by inciting against Cairo via Qatar's various media outlets.”

Al-Qaeda
Asharq Al-Awsat: Experts: Designating Al-Qaeda's Affiliates On Terror Lists Has Dried Up The Organization's Funding Sources

“Despite Al-Qaeda's efforts to quietly rebuild and fortify its various branches—benefiting from the fall of the ISIS 'Caliphate' in Syria and Iraq—affiliates of Al-Qaeda are encountering and will continue to encounter immense international pressure, experts assess. The designation of Al-Qaeda affiliates on terror lists, the latest of which was "Jama'a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin (JNIM)" (Al-Qaeda's largest Jihadi alliance in northern and western Africa), has limited these groups' ability to carry out attacks in that region, the experts say. They believe that classifying these militias as "terrorist entities" has dried up their funding sources and paralyzed their movements on the ground. Decisions to designate Al-Qaeda's affiliates are usually followed by other similar decisions against other branches of the terrorist group including Jund al-Islam, Al-Shabab, Shabab al-Islam and others.”

Houthi
Khabar Agency: Houthis' New Way Of Raising Funds

“The Houthi group continues to search for new sources of funding using the power of the state as well as extortion of citizens by various means. The Houthi-affiliated General Directorate of Traffic in Sana'a has issued directives to its members and loyal staff to prepare for placing license plates on cars and motorcycles. The Houthi leadership in the Directorate, following instructions of the Ministry of the Interior, is launching a new campaign composed of two stages. The first stage, to last one month, will make license plating optional but not compulsory. The second stage, the control phase, will consist of a joint traffic campaign by all security units to control cars and motorcycles whose owners did not respond to instructions of the first stage.”
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O Almighty Lord God, who neither slumberest nor sleepest; Protect and assist, we beseech thee, all those who at home or abroad, by land, by sea, or in the air, are serving this country, that they, being armed with thy defence, may be preserved evermore in all perils; and being filled with wisdom and girded with strength, may do their duty to thy honour and glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"IN GOD WE TRUST"
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