Eye on Extremism - December 29, 2020

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Eye on Extremism - December 29, 2020
By: Counter Extremism Project - 12-29-20
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of 12-29-20:

The Wall Street Journal: Three French Soldiers Killed In Mali During Counterterrorism Mission

“Three French soldiers were killed in Mali on Monday when their vehicle hit a bomb during operations under France’s counterterrorism mission in the West African nation, the French government said. France has more than 5,000 soldiers deployed in an area spanning thousands of miles from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Chad in the east. Over the past seven years, the forces have fought branches of Islamic State, al Qaeda and other militant groups, which roam the region’s isolated villages and threaten government forces in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso and elsewhere. The soldiers killed Monday were conducting operations around Hombori, a small town in Mali’s central Mopti province, as part of the French military’s Operation Barkhane campaign against Islamist militants across the Sahel region of Africa, authorities said. They identified the soldiers as Tanerii Mauri, Dorian Issakhanian and Quentin Pauchet. The three soldiers were from a military regiment based in the town of Thierville-sur-Meuse in the east of France, they said. Their deaths bring French fatalities to at least 47 soldiers during the current operation and the short operation before it, which began in 2013. That includes an accident in November 2019, when two French helicopters collided during a mission in northern Mali, killing 13 soldiers.”

Daily Sabah: Taliban Abduct 20 Civilians In Southeastern Afghanistan

“Members of the Taliban have abducted at least 20 civilians in Afghanistan's southeastern province of Ghazni, local officials confirmed Monday. The people, who were taken from the province's Qara Bagh district Sunday, were transferred to an undisclosed location afterward, provincial councilors Nasir Ahmad Faqiri and Esmatullah Jamrodwal told Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa). The area where the abduction took place is fully controlled by the Taliban, according to officials. A Taliban spokesperson told dpa that the group was working on the issue, without giving further details. Ghazni is among Afghanistan's most volatile provinces, where the insurgents control half of its districts and contest with government forces for the remaining ones. Two government employees were killed by gunmen in the capital of the province early in the morning, Ghazni police said. The surge in violence comes as the Afghan government and the Taliban have been holding peace talks for more than three months in a bid to find a political solution for decades of war, without any breakthrough. The government and Taliban negotiators are now on a three-week break. The Afghan government announced Sunday that talks will resume on Jan. 5 in Doha, Qatar.”

United States

The Washington Post: Nashville Bombing Is A Potent Reminder That Communications Systems Remain At Risk From Attack

“The bombing outside an AT&T facility in downtown Nashville on Christmas triggered a cascade of technological failures that disrupted daily life and imperiled emergency services, offering a sobering reminder of the fragility of the nation’s critical communications systems, according to national security experts. AT&T’s building on Second Avenue is a connection point for regional Internet services as well as local wireless, Internet and video. Battery power kept local service running in the hours that followed the bombing, but subsequent damage from water and fire overwhelmed backup power generators, leading to service disruptions across Tennessee, Kentucky and Alabama, the company said in a statement. Local 911 service was impaired, and flights were halted temporarily at Nashville International Airport. Some phone systems at Vanderbilt University remained down Monday afternoon, including the on-call line for the Student Health Center, the university said in a statement. Experts applauded the telecommunications giant for responding quickly to the explosion by deploying portable cellular sites to help restore some service. But they were alarmed by the widespread nature of the outages, both in terms of geography as well as the variety of services affected. Key to constructing systems that can withstand attacks and natural disasters — and recover quickly — is avoiding a single point of failure, they said.”

CBS News: Nashville Bombing Raises Fears Of “Lone Wolf” Terror Threats

“The Nashville bombing is prompting new concerns about “lone wolf” terror threats in the United States. Investigators believe the Nashville bomber acted alone in carrying out the explosion that rocked the city's downtown on Christmas. Three people were injured and dozens of buildings were damaged in the area. “Lone wolf” attackers have proven to be some of the most difficult for law enforcement to stop. Studies show they are often “more educated and socially isolated than group-based actors.” said Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. “'Lone wolf'-style subjects sometimes choose to commit their crimes not over a period of months,” he said, “but in a matter of minutes.” While the Nashville bombing has not been characterized as an act of domestic terrorism, the number of domestic terror cases under FBI investigation has been rising in recent years. These types of attacks can be motivated by any number of grievances. “I think all fit in the category of anti-government, anti-authority. Which covers everything from anarchists violent extremists to militia types,” FBI Director Christopher Wray has said. While the militia that Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer earlier this year had a clear motive — ending the state's COVID-19 lockdowns — it's often more difficult for investigators to determine what's motivated “lone wolves,” as is the case in Nashville. “It becomes very difficult to sort of pinpoint the nature of this individual and the crime he was trying to effectuate,” Greenblatt said.”

The Wall Street Journal: Money Laundering Watchdog Turns Focus To Digital Tools, Extremism

“The coronavirus halted a wide range of economic activities, but it hasn’t stopped criminals from using the global financial system to commit fraud and engage in other types of illicit behavior. Yet the pandemic has forced some countries to divert resources away from fighting money laundering and made it harder for compliance officers in the private sector to detect it, according to the Financial Action Task Force. The organization, which sets international standards and assesses countries’ anti-money-laundering and counterterrorism-financing policies, has been closely monitoring the impact of the pandemic on its global network, says Marcus Pleyer, FATF’s president. Mr. Pleyer began a two-year term as FATF’s head in July, about two months after the organization released its first report on the AML and CTF risks posed by the pandemic. In an interview with Risk & Compliance Journal, Mr. Pleyer discussed FATF’s priorities under his presidency. Edited excerpts follow. WSJ: Has the coronavirus pandemic increased the risk of money laundering? MR. PLEYER: We see an increase in certain crimes and money laundering patterns. For example, fraud connected with government aid. We see fundraising for fake charities. We see counterfeiting of medical goods. Also, cybercrime.”

Iraq

The Arab Weekly: Arrest Warrant Issued For Iraqi Kata’ib Hezbollah Leader, Outcome Uncertain

“Iraq’s judiciary issued an arrest warrant for Abu Ali al-Askari, a senior leader of the Iraqi Kata’ib Hezbollah militia, on Sunday, hours after he made threats against Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. The judiciary moved to act against Askari in accordance with Iraq’s anti-terrorism law, amid news he could be outside Iraq. The move is expected to escalate tensions with pro-Iranian militias. Judicial authorities reportedly issued arrest warrants for two other leaders of Kata’ib Hezbollah, which has links to armed groups that launched rockets at diplomatic missions and military buildings in Baghdad and other governorates. Askari has made public threats against the prime minister, which opened the door to the possibility of an open confrontation between Kadhimi’s government and Iran’s militias. Iraqi activists shared a memorandum issued by the presidency of the Baghdad-Al-Karkh Federal Court of Appeal, which has the authority to look into terrorism cases, to arrest Hussein Mounes, aka Abu Ali al-Askari. Observers believe that a confrontation between the Iraqi government and the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) that represent Iranian interests in the country is possible at any moment.”

Afghanistan

Al Jazeera: At Least Four Killed, Many Wounded In Afghanistan Attacks

“At least four people have been killed in separate attacks across Afghanistan, officials said on Monday, raising further concerns about the fate of peace talks that have been suspended until at least next month. No one claimed responsibility for the attacks, but a local ISIL (ISIS) affiliate opposed to the peace process has continued to regularly target civilians and Afghan security forces. The Taliban has halted its attacks on the United States and international forces, but continue to target Afghan security forces even as the group held talks this year with the Washington-backed government. The Taliban attacked a police district headquarters in the western Farah province early on Monday, killing one policeman and wounding three others, according to Mohibullah Mohib, a spokesman for the provincial police chief. He said the attack began when a suicide bomber was shot by police. His vehicle exploded, however, and then gunmen opened fire. He said at least four attackers were killed and eight others wounded. In the eastern Ghazni province, two employees of the provincial revenue agency were shot and killed, according to Ahmad Khan Serat, a spokesman for the provincial police chief.”

Nigeria

Associated Press: Rebels Attack Villages In Northern Nigeria, Killing 10

“Attacks by gunmen suspected to be from Nigeria’s Boko Haram jihadist rebels have killed at least 10 people in Borno state in northern Nigeria, according to local residents. The attackers hit four villages, according to the Borno state government which confirmed the attacks but put the casualty figure at three dead. However, residents said at least 10 people were killed. The first attack was on the town of Azare, where insurgents hit government offices and burned down a police station. Heavy gunfire was heard as soldiers fought the attackers. A soldier, officer and a local self-defense fighter were killed in Azare, residents said. Another attack was on Shaffa, said resident Ibrahim Buba, who said he spent the night hiding in the nearby bush area. He said his uncle, a friend, and five others were killed in the attack. The governor of Borno state, Babagana Zulum visited Shaffa and other villages on Sunday. The attackers targeted schools, shops and places of worship in four villages, according to a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Isa Gusau. “Thousands of bags of farm products recently harvested by farmers were looted by the insurgents who also emptied shops and market stalls,” the statement said.”

Africa

Voice Of America: Cameroon Government Orders Investigation After Bus Crashes Kill 39

“Scores of Cameroonians have been visiting mortuaries to identify and collect the bodies of relatives who perished in two bus crashes Sunday that left 39 people dead between the capital Yaoundé and the western commercial city of Bafoussam. Flavien Awanou, a social worker in the western commercial town of Bafoussam said he has been in search of his two children since he was informed of Sunday’s accidents. He said a phone call from the police informed him that his son and daughter were involved in a deadly accident in Nemale village in the Ndikinimiki administrative unit. Awanou said after a fruitless search at Ndikinimiki and Makenene hospitals, he has come to Yaoundé to find out if his children are in any hospital or their bodies are in any mortuary. Awanou said his children were returning from Bafoussam where they had spent Christmas with him to celebrate the change from 2020 to 2021 with their mother in the capital Yaoundé. Paul Atanga Nji, Cameron minister of territorial administration who was sent to the scene by President Paul Biya, described what he found. Nji said the first accident occurred at 3 a.m. Sunday when a 70-seat bus from the western towns of Foumban and Bafoussam crashed on the Nemale bridge near the town of Makenene.”

Shabelle Media Network: Kenya: KDF Special Forces Kill 4 Militants In Forest Raid

“Officers from the Kenyan Defence Forces (KDF) Special Forces gunned down four suspected Al Shabaab militants in a raid conducted in Boni Forest, Lamu County. The soldiers on the morning of December 27, 2020, stormed the Al Shabaab hideout in what has been an increase in security enforcement in the region following a series of terror scares experienced in the region. One suspect was arrested by the soldiers and will remain in custody for interrogation. The officers further recovered communication equipment and loads of ammunition belonging to the militia during the morning raid. The operation by the KDF soldiers is reported to have been a counter mission after the militia on December 21, 2020, abducted and beheaded a chief from Wajir. Omar Adan Buul, who was the Assistant Chief for Gumarey Sub Location in Wajir County, was brutally murdered and his head placed on the side of a road. The scene was photographed and the chief's head taken to Khorof Harar police station and later to Wajir county Referral Hospital Mortuary, Insecurity in Kenya's North Eastern and the North of Lamu, bordering Somalia has in the recent past been plagued by terror scares. On December 15, suspected Al Shabaab insurgents attacked security installations in Borehole 11, bombing a newly constructed police station to the ground.”

Germany

The New York Times: A Far-Right Terrorism Suspect With A Refugee Disguise: The Tale Of Franco A.

“At the height of Europe’s migrant crisis, a bearded man in sweatpants walked into a police station. His pockets were empty except for an old cellphone and a few foreign coins. In broken English, he presented himself as a Syrian refugee. He said he had crossed half the continent by foot and lost his papers along the way. The officers photographed and fingerprinted him. Over the next year, he would get shelter and an asylum hearing, and would qualify for monthly benefits. His name, he offered, was David Benjamin. In reality, he was a lieutenant in the German Army. He had darkened his face and hands with his mother’s makeup and applied shoe shine to his beard. Instead of walking across Europe, he had walked 10 minutes from his childhood home in the western city of Offenbach. The ruse, prosecutors say, was part of a far-right plot to carry out one or several assassinations that could be blamed on his refugee alter ego and set off enough civil unrest to bring down the Federal Republic of Germany. The officer, Franco A., as his name is rendered in court documents in keeping with German privacy laws, denies this. He says he was trying to expose flaws in the asylum system. But his elaborate double life, which lasted 16 months, unraveled only after the police caught him trying to collect a loaded handgun he had hidden in an airport bathroom in Vienna.”

Europe

Radio Free Europe: At Least Three Killed, Including Two Police Officers, In Chechnya Attack

“At least three people are dead, including two law enforcement officers, after a shoot-out in the capital of Russia's North Caucasus region of Chechnya. Unknown assailants initiated the assault on police on December 28, local media quoted sources as saying. Interfax and TASS said the attackers opened fire on police, while other media said they attacked the officers with knives as they tried to disarm the law enforcement officials. Interfax reported that two attackers were killed when police fired on them, while TASS said one was killed. A search operation is now under way in the area as police investigate the attack. Chechnya and Russia's other mostly Muslim-populated North Caucasus regions are the site of frequent fighting between government forces and militants whose insurgency stems from two post-Soviet separatist wars in Chechnya. The volatile North Caucasus in recent years has also been at the epicenter of organized criminal gang violence linked to business turf wars, political disputes, clan rivalries, and the spread of militant Islam.”

Southeast Asia

The Straits Times: Indonesia Uncovers Training Site For Jemaah Islamiah Terrorist Network In Central Java

“A two-storey house in Central Java used by the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) terrorist network to train recruits in handling weapons and assembling bombs for seven years until 2018 has been uncovered by Indonesian authorities. Recruits at the fenced-in villa in Gintungan village in Semarang regency were inducted by senior militant Joko Priyono, alias Karso, under the instructions of Para Wijayanto, the leader of JI, the group behind the Bali bombings in 2002 that killed 202 people. Both Karso and Para are currently behind bars after being convicted of terrorist activities. At least 96 young militants underwent six-month training at the Gintungan house, with many of them sent to Syria to fight alongside terror group Jabhat al-Nusra, or Al Nusra Front. The group was known as an Al-Qaeda offshoot behind decapitations and murders in Syria and Lebanon. The discovery of the house and its dark history between 2011 and 2018 was made by Indonesia’s anti-terrorism squad, Densus 88, amid ongoing operations against terrorists since the shocking Bali bombings. Densus 88 intensified its efforts against terrorism recently after an attack that killed four members of a Christian family in a remote village in Central Sulawesi in late November.”