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Old 10-09-2018, 12:29 PM
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Arrow Eye on Extremism October 9, 2018

Eye on Extremism - October 9, 2018
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Eye on Extremism - October 9, 2018

The Wall Street Journal: Google Exposed User Data, Feared Repercussions Of Disclosing To Public

“Google exposed the private data of hundreds of thousands of users of the Google+ social network and then opted not to disclose the issue this past spring, in part because of fears that doing so would draw regulatory scrutiny and cause reputational damage, according to people briefed on the incident and documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. As part of its response to the incident, the Alphabet Inc. GOOGL -1.02% unit on Monday announced a sweeping set of data privacy measures that include permanently shutting down all consumer functionality of Google+. The move effectively puts the final nail in the coffin of a product that was launched in 2011 to challenge Facebook Inc. FB -0.05% and is widely seen as one of Google’s biggest failures. A software glitch in the social site gave outside developers potential access to private Google+ profile data between 2015 and March 2018, when internal investigators discovered and fixed the issue, according to the documents and people briefed on the incident. A memo reviewed by the Journal prepared by Google’s legal and policy staff and shared with senior executives warned that disclosing the incident would likely trigger “immediate regulatory interest” and invite comparisons to Facebook’s leak of user information to data firm Cambridge Analytica.”

Daily Beast: Turkey’s Erdogan Has Grand Plans For Al Qaeda’s Syrian Spin-Off

“To forestall what promised to be a truly terrible massacre by the Syrian regime and Russian airpower last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cut a deal. The “Memorandum of Stabilization of the Situation in the Idlib De-escalation Area,” as it is called, was signed with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 17, and had several provisions, including a wide buffer zone around the city of Idlib. But the heart of it was a promise by Erdogan to withdraw “all radical terrorist groups” holed up there, including some 10,000 in a group formerly associated with al Qaeda that now uses the name Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS. The deadline set was Oct. 15, which is to say less than a week from now. For three million people trapped in the city of Idlib and its environs, anything that could forestall a full-scale bombing assault was a great relief. For Erdogan, would-be sultan that he is, it may be a political masterstroke. But when he promises to disarm 10,000 al Qaeda-linked fighters and give them free passage out of the area, where’s he thinking they’ll go?”

The Hill: Washington’s Silent War Against Hezbollah In Latin America

“On July 11, 2018, the government of Argentina took its first action against Hezbollah by freezing the financial assets of 14 individuals belonging to the Barakat clan in South America. Last week, Brazilian Federal Police arrested the leader of this clan, Assad Ahmad Barakat, who was sanctioned by U.S. Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) in 2004 and is considered one of Hezbollah’s most important financiers. These recent actions against Hezbollah in Latin America signal a shift in the priorities of regional governments, with Washington’s help. Hezbollah’s presence in a subregion of South America known as the Tri-Border Area (TBA), at the crossroads of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, long has been known to regional authorities, but recently factors have prompted action. One element was the June 2017 extradition from Ciudad Del Este to Miami of Lebanese-Paraguayan Ali Issa Chamas, for shipping cocaine through U.S. ports and airports. Many circumstances contribute to a high-level extradition but, fundamentally, both nations need political will to carry out this type of operation. The Obama administration repeatedly failed to extradite Hezbollah operatives when given the opportunity.”

Africa News: International Terror Financiers Find A Haven In Angola

“While they are in jail on allegations of financing the terror group, Hezbollah, the companies founded by these bank-rollers remain operational in Angola, the Southern African country that has earned a reputation as a refuge for international terror financiers. Among the designated funders of the Lebanon-based, Iranian-backed terrorist group to have resided in Angola include Hatem Barakat and Kassim Tajideen, who are being accused of using the oil-rich country as a financial hub to sponsor Hezbollah. While they have been arrested – in South America and Morocco respectively-and despite the government’s pledge to combat international terrorism, their companies have continued operating in Angola, raising fears the sponsorship of the insurgent group is maintained. The Tajideen family allegedly operates criminal networks and traffic narcotics. These illegal enterprises generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue, and are seen by the United States (US) as a threat to the country and its citizens. Angola is also seen as a transit and destination point for illegal drug trafficking from South America. The US Department of the Treasury has branded Tajideen as “an important financial contributor to Hezbollah. The Counter Extremism Project an international policy organisation formed to combat the growing threat from extremist ideologies, believes in order to better combat terror and terrorism financing, Angola must fully enforce its own counter-terrorism policies and increase resources devoted to monitoring and countering these scourges.”

The Telegraph: UK Refusing To Take Back ISIL Fighters Detained In Syria Amid Concerns It Could Be Hard To Prosecute Them

“The UK is refusing calls to repatriate at least nine Britons detained in Syria for links to Isil, the Telegraph has learnt, as it emerged crown prosecutors may not have the power to bring returning extremists to justice. The jihadists include two members of the so-called "Beatles", the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s execution squad, as well as two women who have not yet been identified, along with their children. The Government wants El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, two members of Jihadi John’s notorious gang, to be deported to the US, where they could face execution if found guilty.”

The Washington Post: Libyan Forces Capture Egypt’s Most Wanted Militant

“Libyan forces have captured one of the region’s most dangerous Islamist militants, a former Egyptian special forces officer with ties to al-Qaeda who authorities say made it his mission to target Egypt’s security forces and destabilize the country. Hisham al-Ashmawy, described by some security officials as Egypt’s most wanted man, was taken into custody Friday in the eastern Libyan city of Derna, a spokesman for the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army said in a statement posted on Facebook. The LNA also posted a photo of a bloodied Ashmawy, apparently taken after his arrest. LNA forces, led by an eastern-based strongman opposed to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli, have been fighting Islamist militants in Derna for months. Ashmawy had been using Derna, about 165 miles west of the Egyptian border, as a springboard to cross into Egypt and launch attacks. Egyptian security officials on Monday confirmed the capture of Ashmawy and called for his extradition, according to local media reports. “This would be a very big deal if true,” H.A. Hellyer, a senior nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council, wrote in a tweet. “Al-Ashmawy’s profile in both Libya and Egypt has been substantial.” Egyptian security officials consider Ashmawy the leader of Ansar al-Islam and another *militant group, al-Mourabitoun. Both groups have ties to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, the terrorist network’s North and West African affiliate.”

United States
NBC News: Albany Man Convicted Of Terrorism Charges In 2000s Released From Prison

“One of the Albany men convicted on terrorism charges is a free man. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Yassin Aref was released Wednesday. Back in 2004, Aref and Mohammed Hossain, the founder of the mosque, were arrested in a scheme to buy a missile launcher. The feds say he was speaking to people in a terrorist group based in Iraq with ties to Al-Qaeda. In 2006, Aref was found guilty on 10 of 30 charges against him. Hossain was found guilty on all 27 counts he faced. Aref was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. On Thursday, Kathy Manley, Aref's attorney, said Aref is being held in an immigration detention center in Pennsylvania awaiting deportation proceedings. Manley says her client is innocent and was the victim of post 9/11 profiling and entrapment. "It's been quite an odyssey. He's totally innocent and I don't say that about too many clients. You know, everyone's presumed innocent, some really are and he really, really is. It was a total travesty of justice," said Manley.”

Syria
BBC News: Syria War: Rebels 'Withdraw Heavy Weapons From Idlib Buffer Zone'

“Syrian rebel fighters are reported to have withdrawn their heavy weapons from the frontlines around Idlib province. Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency said rockets, mortars and missiles had been removed in line with a deal to create a demilitarised buffer zone separating rebel and government forces. The agreement is being overseen by Turkey, which backs the rebels, and Russia, a key ally of the government. They want to avert a government assault on Idlib, the last major rebel bastion. The UN has warned that a full-scale battle could trigger a "humanitarian nightmare unlike any seen in the blood-soaked Syrian conflict".Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed last month to create a demilitarised zone that was between 15km and 20km (9-12 miles) wide.”

The Telegraph: House Of Assad: Inside Syria’s Dangerous Dynasty

“Many have wondered how Bashar al Assad and his British born wife, Asma, a couple once heralded as the force to modernise the Middle East, ended up running a regime accused of war crimes. The answer, I would discover during interviews with many of those who have crossed paths with them, lies in the complex relationship between Bashar, his wife, his father, his mother and his siblings; get to know the inner workings of this family dynasty, which has ruled Syria for over 40 years, and you will understand how Syria has become one of the world’s biggest problems.”

Al Masdar News: Scores Of Syrian Soldiers Killed In Big Ambush By ISIS

“Scores of Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldiers were killed in a new ambush by the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS/ISIL/IS/Daesh) in the Al-Safa region of the Al-Sweida Governorate. According to the military report from Sweida, at least 15 soldiers from the Syrian Arab Army and National Defense Forces (NDF) were ambushed while traveling through a rocky area in the Al-Safa region. The Islamic State released gruesome photos showing the aftermath of the ambush; they show at least ten soldiers killed in the attack. Due to the rough terrain of the Al-Safa region, the Syrian Arab Army has been forced to advance at a slow pace against the Islamic State terrorists. As long as the Islamic State holds the highest peak in the Al-Safa region, the Syrian Arab Army will at the mercy of the terrorist snipers that are hidden throughout this vast volcanic area.”

Iran
Al Jazeera: US Rejects Iran's Legal Claim To Recover $2bn In Frozen Assets

“The United States asked judges at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to throw out a claim by Iran to recover $1.75bn in national bank assets seized by American courts. The US Supreme Court ruled in 2016 the assets must be turned over to American families of victims of the 1983 bombing of a US Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, among others. US plaintiffs accused Iran of providing material support to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Shia political and military group blamed for the truck-bomb attack at the Marine compound in Lebanon's capital. Iran denies any links to the blast. "Iran comes to the court with unclean hands. Indeed, it is a remarkable show of bad faith," Richard Visek, a US State Department legal official, told the court on Monday. "The actions at the root of this case centre on Iran's support for international terrorism ... Iran's bad acts include supports for terrorist bombings, assassinations, kidnappings and airline hijackings," he said. Visek also accused Iran's "most senior leaders" of the "encouragement and promotion of terrorism" and "violation of nuclear non-proliferation, ballistic missile and arms trafficking obligations". Fallen heroes' The hearings at the tribunal were separate from Iran's claim relating to current US sanctions against Teheran. Iran's claim in both cases is based on a 1955 Amity Treaty, which was signed 24 years before Iran's Islamic Revolution, which turned the two countries into arch enemies. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused Tehran of misusing the world court for political and propaganda purposes.”

Iraq
The Sun: Twisted ISIS Killers Booby Trap Mass Graves Of Slaughtered Innocents To Blow Up Grieving Relatives

“TWISTED ISIS killers have been rigging mass graves of slaughtered innocents with booby trap bombs, The Sun can reveal. Terror state killers have wired multiple graves of up to 4,000 dead men, women and children with devices in a bid to kill heart-broken relatives desperate to retrieve remains for proper burial. The gruesome tactic – now being uncovered across liberated ISIS territory – is being dealt with by UN de-mining forces funded by vital Dfid aid. Former British soldier David Parker, 44, a married dad of two, from Kent, is working with the UN Mine Action Service mission currently ridding war ravaged Iraq of thousands of buried bombs. He told The Sun fleeing ISIS killers had left devices “literally everywhere” including mass graves left after death state henchmen massacred entire thousands. He said: “Recently, we pushed toward Tal Afar to help clear it.”

MEMRI: Pro-ISIS Media Group Releases Animated Biography Of Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani

“On September 13, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media group called Al-Abd Al-Faqir Media released an animated video on their Telegram channel titled "Story of a Mujahid: Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani." In the five-minute biographical video, the narrator described Al-Adnani as a scholarly man of faith who grew stronger despite torture at the hands of the "American criminals" during the Iraq War. The narrator said that after the "Crusaders" left, Al-Adnani tried to establish a Caliphate to unify Muslims, and he destroyed the border between Iraq and Syria, which was a "national idol that was worshipped by the apostates." The narrator said that Al-Adnani's words made the "hearts of the Muslim beat faster" and that his voice "still resonates in the souls of believers." Al-Adnani was killed in a U.S. airstrike in August 2016. Abu Muhammad was born in 1397 [on the Hijri calendar] in the city of Idlib, Banash near Sarakib, in the middle of simple family, where he grew up going to the mosques and religious courses. He was known for his passion for reading since childhood. He read all that he could acquire – Islamic jurisprudence, history, literature, and philosophy. The appearance of the righteous, which was a feature of the Sheikh, was a reason to be called repeatedly by the Nusairi regime. This was an incentive for him to persevere in the path of scholarship and hatred of the apostate ruler and whoever sides with him, so he used to meet secretly with a group of believers in his youth.”

Iraqi News: Two Islamic State Members Killed In Repulsed Attack, Northeast Of Diyala

“The pro-government paramilitary troops have killed two Islamic State members, repelling an attack carried out, northeast of Diyala, a security source said on Monday. Speaking to Almaalomah website, the source said “troops of al-Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) managed, today, to repulse an attack by Islamic State members, carried out in the desert of Udhaim region, northeast of Diyala.” The troops, according to the source, “killed two militants and destroyed the vehicle they were on board.” The source denied any security danger against the region. 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. Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses threat against stability in the country. The group still has dormant cells, through which it carries out attacks, across Iraq like it used to do before 2014. A total of 75 Iraqi civilians were killed, while 179 others were injured due to acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in Iraq in September 2018, according to casualty figures by the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI). In December, Iraq announced gaining control on all the territories that were captured by Islamic State, since 2014.”

Turkey
Rudaw: Erdogan Has No Justification For Another Attack On Syrian Kurds

“On his recent visit to the United States in late September, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated his intention to expand his attacks against his Syrian Kurdish adversaries. This time he says he will focus his crosshairs east of the Euphrates River on the two-thirds of northern Syria controlled by Kurdish-led forces under the pretext of establishing new “safe zones” for Syrians there. Referring to Turkey’s two past incursions into Syria – Operation Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch – Erdogan vowed to “take similar steps east of the Euphrates”. While the Turkish president routinely threatens to attack the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), his latest statement cannot be readily dismissed as mere rhetoric since he made it shortly after seeking parliamentary authorization for additional cross-border operations into Syria. Erdogan has referred to YPG-controlled parts of northern Syria as a ‘terror-corridor’. Syrian Kurdistan – which the Kurds call ‘Rojava’ – is divided into three separate Kurdish-majority regions called Jazira, Kobane, and Afrin. Jazira and Kobane are both situated west of the Euphrates River and were linked together in the summer of 2015 after the YPG liberated the Arab-majority border-town of Gire Spi (Tal Abyad) from Islamic State (ISIS).”

Afghanistan
Radio Free Europe: At Least 12 Afghan Security Personnel Reported Killed In Taliban Assault

“A Taliban assault has killed at least 12 members of Afghanistan's security forces in the northern province of Jawzjan, officials say, as the militants escalate their attacks across the country ahead of general elections scheduled for later this month. Provincial police chief General Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said that 10 security personnel were also wounded in the assault that took place in the Qosh Tepa district late on October 8. Jawzjani added that 30 militants were also killed and another 19 wounded in the attack, which he described as a failed attempt to capture the district. Abdul Hai Hayat, the head of Jawzjan Province's council, said a total of 13 security forces were killed and another 20 were wounded in the overnight assault. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the group was claiming responsibility for the attack. The Taliban and the Islamic State (IS) militant groups have stepped up attacks across Afghanistan ahead of long-delayed parliamentary polls set for October 20. The Taliban on October 8 vowed to do everything in its power to block the vote, which the group called an "American conspiracy to further justify the foreign occupation." The militants said that they will target anyone who tries to help the election process to succeed, especially the Afghan security forces. On October 9, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) insisted that taking part in elections was a citizen's right enshrined in the Afghan Constitution and a basic human right for all people.”

Khaama Press: 16 Taliban Militants Blown Up By Own Explosives In Ghazni Province

“At least sixteen Taliban militants were killed in an explosion triggered by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in southeastern Ghazni province. The provincial Police Commandment in a statement said the incident has taken place in the vicinity of the restive Qarabagh district. The statement further added that the Taliban militants were manufacturing improvised explosive devices in a house in Moshaki area of the district when the incident took place. At least sixteen improvised explosive devices prepared for future attacks were also destroyed in the explosion, the provincial government added. The anti-government armed militant groups including Taliban militants have not commented regarding incident so far. But the provincial police commandment slammed the group for using improvised explosive devices on main highways which normally results in civilian casualties.”

Pakistan
Associated Press: US Envoy On Afghan Peace Takes His Mission To Pakistan

“Washington’s newly named point man tasked with finding a peaceful end to Afghanistan’s 17-year war is in Pakistan to seek the help of the new government in Islamabad in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table, the U.S. Embassy said Tuesday. A former U.S. ambassador in Kabul, Zalmay Khalilzad arrived in Pakistan from neighboring Afghanistan. His tour of the region will also include Middle East stops in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. In Afghanistan, he met with President Ashraf Ghani, a long-time friend. Khalilzad, who was also born in Afghanistan, first served in Kabul as a special envoy of President George W. Bush following the 2001 ouster of the Taliban and then as Washington’s ambassador to Afghanistan. But Khalilzad has a prickly relationship with Pakistan, having often accused Islamabad of fomenting violence in Afghanistan by supporting the Taliban. He has even said the United States should declare Pakistan a terrorist state. Washington and Kabul have both repeatedly accused Pakistan of providing safe havens for Taliban insurgents, a claim Islamabad has denied and countered with charges that its own insurgents have found sanctuary in Afghanistan. Both neighboring countries have been brutally targeted by militants. In Pakistan the perpetrators have most often been the region’s Islamic State affiliate, as well as the Pakistani Taliban.”

Yemen
Voice Of America: US Ambassador: Political Settlement Only Solution To Crisis In Yemen

“The ongoing conflict in Yemen cannot be resolved militarily, rather efforts should be made by all parties to the conflict to find a political solution, the U.S. ambassador to Yemen told U.S.-funded Alhurra TV last week. "I do believe that we have a path forward with a strong international consensus to continue to push towards a political solution," U.S. Ambassador to Yemen Matthew Tueller said. He added the U.S remains committed to finding a political solution to the conflict in the war-torn country. "I believe ultimately that Yemenis themselves know that there must be a political solution,” Tueller said. Ahmed Awad Bin Mubarak, the Yemeni Ambassador to the U.S, told VOA that while his government supports U.S. and U.N. efforts to find a political solution to the war, military pressure is needed. “We believe, up until now, that the only solution to the Yemeni conflict is the political solution.We believe also from our experience with the Houthis that they will not come to the negotiation table unless there is a certain level of military pressure," Bin Mubarak said. UN conference The United Nations has been trying to mediate between the warring sides in Yemen to an effort to resolve the conflict. Last month, it convened a three-day conference in Geneva to discuss an end to the conflict, but the Houthis did not attend.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: Houthis Terrorize Sanaa Residents After Weekend Rallies

“The Iran-backed Houthi militias have intensified their oppression of the residents of the Yemeni capital Sanaa in wake of Saturday’s rally against the poor living conditions in the country. Ever since the anti-Houthi demonstration, the militias have been cracking down on activists, arresting dozens of relatives of female students that had taken part in the protest. The Sanaa University students were detained in secret prisons that the Houthis had set up this week, local sources in the capital told Asharq Al-Awsat. Academic sources at the university said that the militants also arrested an academic at the Faculty of Education. He was detained in the Arhab region, north of Sanaa, in wake of objections he made with his colleagues against Houthi corruption. The militias continued to impose strict security measures in Sanaa, setting up checkpoints throughout the capital amid mounting frustration among the people, who blame the militants for the deterioration of the economy.”

MENAFN: Yemen: 5 Houthi Rebels Die In Attack On Army Sites

“State-run Saba news agency revealed that over five Houthi rebels have died as 15 more were wounded in clashes with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz. The government forces have blocked an ambush carried out by a group of Houthi rebels against major military positions in Taiz. Saba added that the Houthi rebels fled the scene after their unsuccessful attempt to claim control over the government-controlled military sites and losing their arms. Two coordinated ambushes were3 aimed at military places of pro-government fighters in Taiz, according to the Houthi-affiliated Masirah television station, which didn't provide further information about the death toll the pro-government fighters.”

Qatar
Channel Newsasia: Qatar Airways Commits To Iran Flights Despite Sanctions

“US sanctions on Iran will not impact Qatar Airways' flights to the Islamic republic, the airline's boss Akbar al-Baker said on Monday (Oct 8). Speaking at a high-profile business conference in the Qatari capital Doha, Baker said services to Iran would continue despite a tightening economic and political squeeze on Iran by Washington. "Aviation is not a sanctioned industry, Qatar Airways will continue to operate into the cities we are currently operating in Iran," he said. "Our flights to Iran will not be affected." Qatar Airways' Iran destinations include Mashhad and Shiraz, while the airline operates daily flights to Tehran, according to its website. Baker's comments come as US President Donald Trump's administration is expected to impose a second round of tough sanctions on Iran next month.”

Lebanon
Al Arabiya: Has Lebanon Been Handed To Hezbollah?

“The stories about Lebanon with its difficult situation and nightmares never end. It’s a beautiful country with a good land and nice people that have experience in tourism and hospitality. But times have changed, and anyone who has beautiful memories of this country can see how present problems are strangling Lebanon to the point of paralysis. Criticizing Lebanon’s situation aims to defend it as we liked it. People fell into the trap of naïve optimism due to what was known as the “new era.” They thought their crises will be resolved and the local press and media generally followed this wave. However, any observer can see the depth of the catastrophic crises. Dysfunctional democracy Some laughable incidents somehow explain the extent of these calamities. For example, at a donors’ conference held for helping Lebanese economy, top officials from lending countries booked economy class air tickets to go to the conference venue while the borrowers ironically came on fleets of private planes. Some people protested the fact that Lebanese President Michel Aoun abused his powers since the presidency was allegedly behind managing these trips. However, such allegations were denied by the presidential palace, and it said that the president has been following the footsteps of his predecessors and there has been no deviation in policy or actions. When writing about the country’s several crises, one cannot overlook the internal political weakness as moderate liberal forces, the leftist parties that oppose Syria and Iran and Christian factions which have revolted against murderous parties have succumbed to the power of de facto, i.e. the fundamentalism represented in Hezbollah.”

Middle East
The Sun: ISIS Is Plotting An Audacious Comeback By Using Its 30,000 Terror Fanatics Like A MAFIA Gang To Raise £400m A Year Through Drugs And Car Dealerships

“ISIS is plotting an audacious comeback using 30,000 fanatics after smuggling £300million out of Iraq – while laundering the blood money through car dealerships. The brainwashed death cult has also turned to drug trafficking in a bid to fund their terrorist activities, reports the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). According to the US Department of Defence, the terror group retains nearly 30,000 fighters across Iraq and Syria. The officials said ISIS is currently “more capable” than Al-Qaeda in Iraq when Osama Bin Laden’s extremists were at their peak between 2006 and 2007. Despite efforts by the US-led coalition in the region, the group has developed an effective campaign to re-establish support zones by raising funds, reports the ISW. The report claims ISIS has smuggled £300m out of Iraq and invested the cash in businesses across the Middle East.”

Egypt
Agence France Presse: Egyptian Court Sentences Four Jihadists To Death

“An Egyptian military court has sentenced four jihadists to death over attacks which killed 20 police officers, a judicial source said Monday. They were found by the court to be members of the Province of Giza, a branch of the Islamic State group, and involved in a series of deadly attacks last year, the source said. Sixteen others received life sentences of 25 years, while 15 were jailed for five to 15 years. "The defendants used arms, explosives and bombs" in the attacks, the head of the military court said, quoted in the government newspaper Akhbar al-Youm. Those convicted have the right to appeal their sentences at the military supreme court, an army official told AFP on the condition of anonymity, confirming the convictions reported in state media. Seventeen defendants were acquitted in the military trial. Since the ousting of Islamist president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, hundreds of police officers, soldiers and civilians have been killed in jihadist attacks. The Egyptian army launched a large-scale "Sinai 2018" operation in February, at the request of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, aimed at ridding the peninsula of IS militants.”

Nigeria
Sahara Reporters: Counter – Insurgency: The Broader Implications Of Recent Execution Of Boko Haram Commanders By Colonel Timothy Antigha

“In recent weeks there has been pandemonium in the enclaves of Boko Haram Terrorists, particularly, in the Lake Chad Area, due to infighting in the top echelon of the terrorist command structure. First, it was the execution of Mamman Nur in August and a few weeks ago, another commander, named Ali Gaga was also executed. According to sources within Boko Haram, Mamman Nur was said to have directed the release of Dapchi Girls, without fully exploiting the financial and other opportunities which the kidnap of the schoolgirls offered the terrorist group. However, Ali Gaga was found to be plotting an escape along with over 300 Boko Haram captives and subsequent surrender to the military. At the basic level, these occurrences are ordinary, the normal deviant behaviour that should be expected from people. At the organizational level, the incidents and the responses depict Boko Haram Terrorist Group as an organization that has a semblance of core values, is well policed and governed by strict rules and regulations. It also portrays Boko Haram as a group that does not tolerate any disloyalty or eccentricity from anyone, irrespective of position or authority. But, this is where the positives end. On the flip side, the recent executions in Boko Haram enclave are a clear evidence of emerging crisis of confidence, symptomatic of fundamental problems within the leadership and followership structures of the Boko Haram Terrorist Group. The broader implications of the executions could, therefore, include the following.”

Russia
Newsweek: Russia Says Syria's Assad Will Stay And World Has Given Up Trying To Remove Him

“A senior Russian diplomat has said that foreign governments demanding that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down have since abandoned this position as world powers search for a solution to the country's seven-year crisis. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin told Russia's state-run Sputnik News agency Monday that "no one raised the question of the Syrian president's resignation" throughout the ministerial week of this year's United Nations General Assembly. Accused by a number of Western nations and their Middle Eastern allies of war crimes, Assad has managed to largely overcome a 2011 rebel and jihadi uprising with the support of Russia and Iran. The United States, Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey were among the countries to fund efforts to overthrow the Syrian leader. The rise of ultraconservative Sunni Muslim organizations such as the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) and a sweeping Syrian military comeback, however, have changed the dynamics of the battlefield considerably since the onset of the war and Vershinin said other governments have realized only Syria itself should decide its fate.”

North Korea
The Wall Street Journal: North Korea’s Baby Steps

“Secretary of State Mike Pompeo heralded “significant progress” after his weekend trip to North Korea, but it looks like that depends on how you define “significant.” The diplomatic atmospherics look good, and the bonhomie is nice, but there still isn’t much progress toward denuclearization. Mr. Pompeo said the North had agreed in principle to open its Punggye-ri nuclear testing site to inspectors, which isn’t all that significant since the North says it has already destroyed the site. More important would be if the North allows inspectors to visit a missile-engine test site at Tongchang-ri, though that could also be dismantled by the time inspectors arrive. “As President Trump said, there are many steps along the way and we took one of them today,” Mr. Pompeo said. “It was another step forward. So this is, I think, a good outcome for all of us.” What North Korea still hasn’t provided is a list with the location of all nuclear facilities, including research and development, uranium enrichment, warhead construction and weapons storage. The U.S. needs such a list to compare to its intelligence and decide if the Kim Jong Un regime is sincere. One-off inspections provide no such reassurance."

Canada
Rudaw: Will Ottawa Take Him? Canadian ISIS Fighter Awaits Fate In Kurdish Custody

“A Canadian ISIS fighter has been captured as he tried to flee Syria, becoming one of around 900 foreign fighters now in Kurdish custody. In an interview with local ANHA news, Mohammed Ali says he was born in Pakistan, but moved to Canada when he was a child and lived in Mississauga, Ontario. Ali recounted how he went to Turkey with the plan of going to Syria to take part in the revolution against the regime. In Syria, he said he moved around between areas north of Aleppo, Tabqa, and Deir ez-Zor province. He was trained in light weaponry and with a sniper rifle, and learned reconnaissance skills. He fought on the front lines as part of a sniper unit. He also said he worked in an oil field, using skills from previous experience in Canada. Ali could be the same Mohammed Ali identified by Canadian media as going by the pseudonym Abu Turaab. He left Canada in April 2014 to join ISIS.”

United Kingdom
The Guardian: UK Dropped Objection To Death Penalty For ISIS Suspects 'To Appease US'

“The home secretary, Sajid Javid, decided to cooperate with US authorities in the prosecution of two alleged Islamic State fighters, without assurances they would not face the death penalty, in order to avoid “political outrage” in the Trump administration, the high court has been told. The allegation came as the lord chief justice, Lord Burnett of Maldon, and Mr Justice Garnham heard an application on behalf of the mother of El Shafee Elsheikh over the legality of the Home Office’s agreement to provide evidence to US prosecutors. Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey, who were raised in Britain, are alleged to have been part of an Isis terrorism cell, some of whom were known as “the Beatles”, that is thought to have carried out 27 beheadings of US and UK citizens in Isis-held territory. Those killed included the British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines and the American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff.”

Technology

Lexology: Ridding The Internet Of Terrorist Content: EC Proposes New Laws

“The crackdown on terrorism continues, with the European Commission turning its focus firmly on internet service providers (ISPs). The EC has announced proposed new legislation to ensure terrorist content online is removed within an hour of it being flagged up. The EC says that in January 2018 alone, almost 700 new pieces of official Da’esh propaganda were disseminated online, demonstrating just how serious the continued terrorist threat to Europe remains. Unfortunately, a voluntary system through which the likes of Facebook and Twitter agreed to remove such content within an hour, has not proved effective. The EC says internet platforms were not sufficiently engaged, and did not take sufficiently robust action to reduce access to terrorist content online. In addition, the EC has highlighted that the different procedures and regulatory actions across Member States limit the effectiveness and efficiency of cooperation between authorities and hosting service providers. Under the new rules, obligations will be imposed uniformly across the whole EU, and will specify the obligations and responsibilities of hosting service providers and Member States. The result will be increasing legal certainty. So what’s proposed? The proposed rules will provide for greater accountability and transparency, and will introduce: Binding removal orders – to be issued by national authorities and requesting hosting service providers to remove terrorist content online or disable access to it, within 1 hour when it is at its most harmful. Impose strong financial penalties of up to 4% of its global turnover for the last business year in the event of non-compliance.”

Terrorist Financing

Masrawy: Egyptian Expert: Weapons Utilized By Terrorists Are Purchased Via Financial Grants

“Commenting on the arrest of Egypt’s most wanted terrorist Hesham Ashmawy yesterday in Derna, Libya, Mukhtar Noah, contemporary writer and researcher of Islamist groups, described the terrorist groups to which Ashmawy belongs as predominantly profit-oriented organizations. These militant groups are {essentially being} paid for carrying out attacks. These armed gangs are offered to terror-sponsoring countries as {a selection of proposed} "projects" to be chosen from, the dissident Brotherhood leader further noted. During a Monday-night interview on "MBC-Egypt" satellite TV channel evening, Noah disclosed that the weapons used by the terrorist groups are being purchased via "financial grants." This funding is being provided by the terror-sponsoring states in the form of donations to charitable associations.”

Muslim Brotherhood
Seventh Day: Egypt: Muslim Brotherhood Leaders' Appeal Against The Appropriation Of Their Funds Postponed

“The Egyptian Urgent Matters Court ruled on Monday to postpone till October 15th its review of appeals filed by Muslim Brotherhood leaders, members and companies. These figures and entities affiliated with the banned group had appealed the decision to seize their funds and assets. The governmental committee tasked with confiscating and managing the funds and assets of the entities and persons classified as "terrorist," recently decided to freeze properties of Muslim Brotherhood-linked persons (1,589), companies (118) NGOs (1,133) and internet website and satellite channels (33). It's noteworthy that the state committee is chaired by Dr. Mohammed Yasser Abu El-Fotouh.”

Albawabh News: Major Funding Sources Of Muslim Brotherhood's Political Arm In Yemen

“The Yemeni Congregation for Reform, often called the Al-Islah Party, the Muslim Brotherhood's branch in Yemen, relies on multiple financing sources, foremost of which is the influx of funds from the Muslim Brotherhood's branch in Turkey. Additionally, the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Yemen receives Qatari money through some of the Party's leaders. Another income source is Iran, as the Tehran regime financially backs the Islamist party in Yemen in order to expand its presence in the region. The Muslim Brotherhood's wing in Yemen obtains Iranian funds via the Hodeidah Port, according to sources.”

Hezbollah
Elfagr: Hezbollah's Head Of Money Laundering Operations Detained

“Reliable sources have disclosed that, about two months ago, the Hezbollah kidnapped the man in charge of financing the group's "dirty" operations. The sources relayed in a press statement that the Lebanese group put the detainee, known as Akram Saad, in a secret prison, believed to be {in its stronghold} in the southern suburb of Beirut, on charges of embezzling $15 million of funds belonging to the Iran-backed terrorist organization. The sources asserted that Akram Saad, who is described as the "black box" of the Iranian militia, because he oversaw the laundering of drug money for Hezbollah, was interrogated after his abduction.”

Houthi
Yemen Akhbar: Houthis Close Medical Center And Seize Its Revenues

“On Sunday, the Houthi group closed a medical center in the province of Ibb, located in central Yemen. Local sources said that the Houthi militants closed the clinic called "Najd al Jamai," in the Directorate of al Sabra, after disputes with its management over the medical center's revenues. According to these sources, the militants wanted to confiscate all the money of the clinic for the benefit of their group. This demand was rejected by the clinic's management, which prompted the Houthis to completely close the facility. It should be noted that the Houthi group had seized the proceeds of this clinic before, except for those of the laboratory. Its militants returned on Sunday to seize the laboratory revenues, too, but after they were refused, the clinic was shut down completely.”
__________________
Boats

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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