Eye on Extremism - August 2, 2021

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Eye on Extremism - August 2, 2021
Counter Extremism Project - 08-02-21
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of 08-02-21:

The Independent: Britain Cannot Remove Isis Members’ Citizenship Without Telling Them, High Court Rules

“The government can no longer strip suspected ISIS members of their British citizenship without telling them, the High Court has ruled. The power has become a major part of the UK’s efforts to prevent jihadis returning from Syria, by depriving them of travel documents and any right to assistance or repatriation. ISIS members are believed to make up a significant proportion of at least 150 people who have had their British citizenship removed for the “public good” since 2014. A legal challenge was brought by a woman who is being held in the same Syrian camp as Shamima Begum, and can only be identified as D4. Mr Justice Chamberlain ruled that the decision to remove her British citizenship was “void and of no effect” because she was not notified, and that she remains a UK national. The judgment found the government had gone beyond its legal powers by removing a requirement to tell people who are being stripped of their nationality. “This case is not about whether there were good reasons to make this rule. It is about whether parliament gave the home secretary the power to make it,” said a judgment given on Friday. “As a matter of ordinary language, you do not ‘give’ someone ‘notice’ of something by putting the notice in your desk drawer and locking it. No-one who understands English would regard that purely private act as a way of ‘giving notice.”

Reuters: Fifteen Soldiers Killed In Niger Ambush, Ministry Says

“Fifteen soldiers were killed as a result of an ambush in southwestern Niger on Saturday, the country's defence ministry said, blaming the attack on “armed terrorist groups.” The assailants ambushed a supply mission at 1100 local time in Torodi commune after which soldiers evacuating the wounded hit an improvised explosive, the ministry said late on Sunday. “We regret that unfortunately 15 soldiers were killed, seven were wounded and six are missing,” it said. Like its neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger is a regular target for militant groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State, which have grown stronger despite the deployment of thousands of regional, Western and U.N. troops across West Africa's Sahel region. Suspected Islamic State fighters killed at least 100 civilians on Jan. 2 in raids on two villages in western Tillabery region and at least 137 people in coordinated raids in March in neighbouring Tahoua region - among the deadliest attacks in recent memory.”

Syria

Al Monitor: More Women Prisoners Linked To Islamic State Released From Al-Hol Camp

“The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have released a seventh batch of women formerly affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) from al-Hol camp after years of detention. This release further carries out a November 2020 decision issued by the autonomous administration of northeast Syria to empty al-Hol camp of Syrian families. Those released the evening of July 22 included 82 families (229 women and children). Most were under detention for familial links to IS fighters who were killed or are in SDF prisons. One woman who was released, Khadija al-Ahmad, also known as Om al-Mughira, told Al-Monitor she was relieved to have gotten out of the camp with her three children. “Life there is complicated, especially in terms of health issues; there’s no real health care. In addition to the poor security situation, we were threatened by Islamic State cells in the camp that said we must reveal any contact with the Syrian Democratic Forces that controlled and managed the camp.” The 36-year-old woman, who had been detained in al-Hol since February 2019, said, “We had to go to the SDF administration offices to register to get out of the camp, but IS cells considered that to be dealing with the enemy. As a result, dozens of threats were made, involving assassination and murder in many cases.”

Iran

New York Daily News: Olympic Shooter Accused Of Being Member Of Iranian Terrorist Group After Winning Gold Medal

“A Korean veteran shooter told reporters this week that having an Iranian athlete accused of being a terrorist compete at the Tokyo Games is “absurd and ridiculous,” adding pressure on the International Olympic Committee to investigate the allegations. International critics have accused Javad Foroughi, who won gold in the 10-meter pistol on Saturday, of being a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a powerful paramilitary organization considered by the United States as a terrorist group. The IOC has challenged critics to show proof of his alleged ties to the IRGC, but it’s still unclear if any such evidence would surface. South Korea’s Jin Jong-oh, a six-time gold medalist shooter who failed to qualify for the Olympics this year, was outraged by Foroughi’s participation in the event. “How can a terrorist win first place? That’s the most absurd and ridiculous thing,” he told reporters at Incheon International Airport on Wednesday, according to the Korea Times. The unproven allegations began spreading shortly after Foroughi won the first and only medal so far for his country in Tokyo.”

The Telegraph: Iranian Terrorism Cannot Go Unpunished

“Iran seems determined to test the resolve of the new Israeli government to respond to attacks against its assets. Drones carrying explosives have been used in the Arabian Sea to strike an oil tanker operated by an Israeli-owned company. The assault last Thursday killed two crew members, one of them a British national. Tehran has denied the atrocity but Israeli and American military intelligence are sure of the identity of the culprit. It was apparently conducted in retaliation for an Israeli air strike in Syria. This is not just state-sponsored murder on the high seas but also a patent threat to the safe passage of merchant shipping and therefore a direct challenge to the international community. Tehran cannot be allowed to undermine world trade by carrying out terrorist activity in supposedly open shipping lanes as part of a proxy war in Syria. The temptation for the rest of the world is to see this as a regional dispute involving Israel and Sunni Arab states on the one hand and Iran’s Shia regime and its supporters like Hezbollah on the other. Yesterday’s condemnation of the attacks by Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, is the least to be expected after the death of a British citizen. A Royal Navy deployment should be considered.”

Iraq

Associated Press: Iraq Military: Many Feared Dead In Terrorist Attack In North

“An attack on a funeral procession in northern Iraq has claimed a number of victims, Iraq’s military said in a statement Friday. The military said the “terrorist” attack in the province of Salahaddin resulted in a “number of victims” but did not provide specific figures. An Iraqi security official said eight people had been killed, among them police and civilians, and that armed militants had opened fire on the crowd. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the attack had been perpetrated by the Islamic State group. The death toll could not be immediately confirmed. The military said it will provide details once an investigation is complete. Northern Iraq has been a hotspot for IS activity since their territorial defeat in 2017 by Iraqi security forces with assistance from the U.S.-led coalition. Iraqi forces routinely carry out anti-IS operations in the rugged mountainous northern region and the deserts of western Iraq where they are known to be holed up. IS attacks have abated in recent years but continue in these areas where security forces are often the target of ambushes, raids and IEDs. At times, IS has managed to launch attacks in the capital. At least 30 people were killed last week in a suicide bombing in the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City. The attack was claimed by IS.”

Afghanistan

The Washington Post: As The Taliban Closes In, Afghan Forces Scramble To Defend Prisons Holding Thousands Of Militants

“Huddled in brightly lit yards late one recent night, hundreds of inmates taunted a team of about a dozen special forces who were rounding the walls along the top of Kunduz prison. The appearance of elite soldiers was an anomaly, a sign to the prisoners that something was happening. “What’s going on?” they shouted. “Is tonight going to be our last night in here? Taliban fighters planned to storm the compound that evening, according to information gathered by local intelligence officers. Government forces hoped the show of force would spur prisoners — some in possession of smuggled cellphones used to communicate with the Taliban — to wave off the attack. Without enough fighters to hold the city’s front lines and reinforce the prison, the special forces’ move was a gamble. But it appeared to work: The night passed without incident. As Taliban militants close in on Afghanistan’s provincial capitals, they are inching closer to central prisons that house around 5,000 of their fellow fighters, leaving the government scrambling to secure the detention facilities. If just a fraction of the detainees were to escape, Afghan security officials warn, it would hand the militants a significant advantage on the battlefield, where they are already making steady gains.”

Reuters: Taliban Rockets Hit Kandahar Airport, Clashes Intensify In Afghanistan

“Taliban fighters struck Kandahar airport in southern Afghanistan with at least three rockets overnight, the insurgent group's spokesman said on Sunday, adding that the aim was to thwart air strikes conducted by Afghan government forces. “Kandahar airport was targeted by us because the enemy were using it as a centre to conduct air strikes against us,” Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, told Reuters. Afghan government officials said the rocket attacks forced authorities to suspend all flights and that the runway was partially damaged. There were no immediate reports of casualties, they said. Officials said the Taliban see Kandahar as a major strategic point, which they seem to be using as a control centre for gaining complete dominance over five other provinces. Clashes between Afghan forces and Taliban fighters have intensified in the cities of Kandahar and neighbouring Helmand province. In the west, Afghan officials said Taliban commanders were swiftly gaining control of strategic buildings around Heraat city, forcing civilians to remain in their homes. The Taliban have been advancing in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of American and NATO troops from the country and in recent weeks the fundamentalist Islamist group said they have captured over half of all Afghanistan's territory, including border crossings with Iran and Pakistan.”

Pakistan

The Wall Street Journal: The Last Days Of Osama Bin Laden

“In the first weeks of 2011, Osama bin Laden was worried. For five years, he had concealed himself and his extended family—wives, children and grandchildren—in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, but now it appeared that his carefully constructed hideaway was coming apart. His longtime bodyguards were two brothers, members of al Qaeda whose family originated nearby. They did everything for bin Laden, from shopping in the local markets to hand delivering his lengthy memos to other leaders of al Qaeda. But bin Laden’s bodyguards had become fed up with the risks that came with protecting and serving the world’s most wanted man. Bin Laden confided to one of his wives that the brothers were “getting exhausted” and planned to quit. Things got so bad that on January 15, he wrote a formal letter to them, despite the fact that they all lived together, acknowledging how angry they were with him and begging them to give him time to find new protectors and a new hideout (the compound was registered in the name of one of the brothers). He set down in writing that they had agreed to separate by mid-July. Bin Laden never did find a new hiding place, however.”

Yemen

Voice Of America: UAE Sends 6 Gitmo Detainees To Yemen Amid Concerns

“The United Arab Emirates has sent six Yemeni detainees who were first held at the U.S. base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and then in the Gulf Arab federation, to their home nation of Yemen, the families of the men and a government official said Thursday. The transfer comes amid concerns that the former detainees could face significant dangers at home in Yemen, which is largely lawless after years of civil war. The men were held in detention for years in the UAE without charges, their families said. According to the Yemeni official, the six landed earlier this week in Yemen's eastern Hadramawt province. The detainees had undergone rehabilitation while in the UAE, the official said, adding that they would all be released and reunited with their families in the coming weeks. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the transfer with the media, said the men would continue to be monitored by Yemeni security. United Nations rights experts said last year that forcibly returning detainees to Yemen could be a violation of international law. The experts said the men could face torture or ill treatment once back in Yemen. The six were among 19 detainees — 18 Yemenis and one Russian — who were scooped up in Afghanistan and Pakistan after the Sept. 11 attacks.”

Lebanon

Associated Press: Gunmen Kill 2 At Funeral For Hezbollah Commander In Lebanon

“At least two people were killed on Sunday south of the Lebanese capital when gunmen opened fire at the funeral of a Hezbollah commander who was killed a day earlier, an official from the group said. The Lebanese military said they deployed in the coastal town of Khaldeh to contain the tension after heavy fire — including from rocket-propelled grenades — terrorized residents and brought traffic to a standstill. The gunmen remain at large. The military warned it would fire at any source of fire or anyone carrying weapons on the main road. It said one of its soldiers was injured in the shooting. The violence is rooted in a personal vendetta. Lebanese media reported that a man from one of the Sunni Arab tribes of Khaldeh opened fire during a wedding party at a club on Saturday night, killing Ali Chebli, a fighter in Hezbollah. Chebli's killer was apprehended, and his family explained the attack as revenge. It accused Chebli of killing a 15-year-old relative of theirs in shooting a year earlier. The family, of the Sunni Arab tribe, said in a statement that authorities never brought Chebli to justice because he was under the protection of the powerful Hezbollah group.”

Middle East

The Times Of Israel: Hamas Intensifies Efforts To Launch West Bank Terror Attacks — Report

“The Hamas terror group has intensified efforts to carry out West Bank terror attacks, with guidance from the Gaza Strip, Kan news reported Saturday in an unsourced report. The TV network said Abdallah Arar, a Hamas man released from Israeli prison in the 2011 exchange for the release of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit, had contacted some 60 West Bank Palestinians over the past six months to try to recruit them to carry out attacks. The report said Arar contacted individuals online, on social media ad on the phone, and had managed to recruit several people to Hamas in recent months. It said Arar was seen as particularly talented at recruitment, and that he often provides the people he enlists with detailed instructions on how to find targets for attacks and build bombs. Israel and Hamas engaged in 11 days of fighting in May, during which the terror group launched thousands of rockets at Israeli cities and towns, and Israel launched hundreds of retaliatory airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. In the days after the ceasefire was declared, senior Israeli defense officials said they were not sure how long the truce would last, describing it as unstable.”

Egypt

Reuters: Eight Egyptian Soldiers Killed In Anti-Terrorism Operations - Statement

“Eight Egyptian army soldiers have been killed in anti-terrorism operations, the armed forces said on Sunday. According to an armed forces statement, most of the fighting took place in the northern Sinai, where militants loyal to the Islamic State group operate, “during the last period”. It was not clear whether all the soldiers were killed there or in various other regions. Eighty-nine “very dangerous Takfiris” were killed during the fighting in northern Sinai, the statement said, using a term it normally employs to refer to suspected militants. The army confiscated different types of arms and ammunition during the operations and destroyed hundreds of explosive devices and some explosive belts. It also destroyed 13 tunnel entrances used to infiltrate the North Sinai region, which has borders with the Gaza strip and Israel. It didn't say exactly when the operations took place. Air forces, in coordination with border guards, also attacked and destroyed 200 vehicles, some of them loaded with arms and ammunition, while trying to penetrate the western and southern borders of the country, the statement said. Libya borders Egypt from the west and Sudan borders it from the south. Attacks by Islamic militants began spreading in Northern Sinai after the military overthrew President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013.”

Nigeria

Yahoo News: Nigeria Files Terrorism Charges Against Shia Cleric

“Nigeria has filed fresh terrorism charges against a Shia Muslim cleric, a prosecution lawyer said Sunday, days after he was acquitted of murder following almost six years in detention. A court in the northern city of Kaduna discharged Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife on Wednesday because of a lack of evidence in a case involving the killing of a soldier in deadly clashes between their followers and troops in December 2015. Zakzaky has repeatedly called for an Iranian-style Islamic revolution in Nigeria -- where the Muslim population is predominantly Sunni -- putting him at loggerheads with the secular authorities. Dari Bayero, prosecution lawyer for Kaduna state government, said terrorism charges were filed against Zakzaky at another court two days before his release. “On July 26, we filed new charges against Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky before the federal high court here in Kaduna,” Bayero told AFP. He said the charges involved “terrorism and treasonable offences” and attempts were made to serve the cleric with court papers while he was in detention but he refused to accept them. Bayero said the court was now on holiday and the prosecution would have to wait until September before trying again.”

Sahara Reporters: Boko Haram Fighters Ambush Nigerian Soldiers Escorting Borno APC Party Chieftains

“Dozens of Boko Haram and their Islamic State West African Province fighters ambushed a military convoy along Gubio/Damasak highway in the northern part of Borno State on Saturday. An unspecified number of soldiers reportedly sustained injuries in the attack and utility vehicles belonging to the troops taken away after a gun battle. The soldiers reportedly ran into the ambush at Kareto while travelling to Gubio in Borno State to pick up members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for their ward congress scheduled to hold in Damasak. The soldiers were supposed to accompany the politicians from Abadam to Damasak, venue of their ward congress. Kareto is the hometown of Bukar Gana Kareto, representative of Kukawa/ Guzamala/Abadam/ Mobbar Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. Activities of Boko/ISWAP terrorists have ravaged Kareto for years. Similarly, Abadam Local Government Area has been ravaged by the activities of the insurgents since 2014. Politicians from the Abadam were mobilised for congress in Damasak but the incident did not allow them attend the event as they had to return to Gubio. The military authorities are yet to react to this attack.”

Somalia

Voice Of America: US Military Targets Al-Shabab In Somalia With More Airstrikes

“The United States military has confirmed that it carried out another airstrike against al-Shabab militants, its third in less than two weeks. Sunday’s strike was in support of Somali government forces in the vicinity of Qeycad, in the central Galmudug state, according to the U.S. military. The Somali government earlier reported the strike was in an area where federal and U.S.-trained forces were fighting the militants. There was no word on whether militants were injured or killed. “This is another major blow to al-Shabab’s means to wage war against the Somali people,” a statement by the Information Ministry of Somalia said. “The airstrikes destroyed a large al-Shabab firing position engaging Danab and SNA (Somali National Army) forces as they approached,” the statement added. Danab or “lightning” are Somali commandos trained by the U.S. Both the U.S. and Somali government said there were no civilian casualties. Al-Shabab, however, said in a statement published online that government forces, supported by the United States, did not succeed in Sunday’s fighting. Previous airstrikes took place July 20 and 23 in the same vicinity. These are the first airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia since U.S. President Joe Biden took office in January.”

Africa

Voice Of America: Cameroon Says Boko Haram Attacks Military, Seduces Civilians

“Officials in Cameroon say Boko Haram militants appear to be changing their tactics and attacking only military and government targets in an effort to try to attract more recruits. This week, Cameroonian Defense Minister Joseph Beti Assomo a military hospital in Maroua about 80 kilometers from Nigeria's Borno state, where 14 government troops and four civilians are recovering after Boko Haram attacks over five days on the northern border with Nigeria. Assomo said Cameroonians and President Paul Biya share the grief of family members of 14 soldiers killed by the jihadists. Among the wounded soldiers is 37-year-old Lieutenant Innocent Beti who was shot in his abdomen when Boko Haram attacked the village of Sagme. He said if he recovers and is given another chance, he will not hesitate to fight the terrorists. Cameroon’s military said it has recorded at least seven Boko Haram incursions on its territory during July. The Boko Haram forces targeted military positions and public buildings in the border towns of Mozogo, Fotokol, Amchide and Achigachia. Assomo said the deadliest attacks were in the villages of Sagme and Zigi. The defense minister says unlike previous years, the terrorist group has avoided attacks on civilians, markets, religious institutions and schools.”

Al Jazeera: Six Civilians Killed, Several Wounded In CAR Rebel Attack

“The United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (CAR) says six civilians were killed in a rebel attack in the country’s northeast. “This morning at dawn elements from the 3R (Return, Reclamation, Rehabilitation) launched a large-scale attack against Central African army positions in the village of Mann,” the spokesperson for the UN’s 12,000-strong MINUSCA mission was quoted as saying by AFP news agency on Saturday. Several civilians were also wounded in the attack, the spokesperson said. The situation in Mann, some 550 kilometres (340 miles) from the capital, Bangui, is now “under control and patrols are under way”, Lieutenant Colonel Abdoulaziz Fall later said. The 3R is one of several armed groups to have emerged in the CAR, which has been mired in violence since a brutal civil conflict erupted in 2013. President Faustin-Archange Touadéra was re-elected in a December 2020 election that saw a turnout of fewer than one in three voters amid rising insecurity. The ballot was hampered by armed groups – including the 3R – that at the time controlled approximately two-thirds of the country, and rebels mounted an offensive in the run-up to polling day.”

Australia

The Guardian: Far-Right Extremist Neil Erikson Jailed For Disrupting Melbourne Church Service With Homophobic Rant

“The far-right extremist Neil Erikson has been sentenced to 10 weeks in jail after he marched into a queer-friendly Melbourne church and hurled homophobic abuse, with a magistrate labelling his behaviour “wilfully ignorant” and “shameful”. The 36-year-old was sentenced on Friday in an online hearing at Melbourne magistrates court after he was found guilty of disturbing a religious service at the Metropolitan community church in Hawthorn in May 2019. He walked into the church, with two women, about 20 minutes after the congregation had convened and briefly took a seat before standing up to ask if they “married Sodomites”. Erikson, who livestreamed the episode, also said, “You’re not Christians,” and delivered a homophobic slur. He was asked to leave but refused to do so. The magistrate, Angela Bolger, described Erikson’s actions as “confronting”, “provocative” and “insulting”. While he had the right to be as “wilfully ignorant as he chooses”, she said, he didn’t have the right to disturb a lawful religious gathering. “It’s appalling and shameful conduct but I suspect you might be beyond shame, because you’ve done this before,” Bolger told Erikson on Friday.”

Europe

Euronews: Albania Repatriates 19 Family Members Of Dead ISIS Fighters From Syria

“Albania has repatriated 14 children and five women whose fathers and husbands were killed fighting with the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in Syria. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Interior Minister Bledi Cuci accompanied the Albanian nationals via Lebanon. “It is a very positive event, I believe, and, of course, we shall not stop here,” said Rama at a news conference at Tirana international airport. The 19 will be taken to a shelter in Durres where police and social experts will “make all the necessary medical and psychological examination, to be followed by a quarantine period,” after which some may be allowed to rejoin their families. Rama did not say whether the women would be prosecuted. This is the third effort at repatriating Albanians from the fighting territories in Syria. In October last year, five Albanians were repatriated, while a child returned to the country a year earlier. A few hundred Albanian men joined the Islamic State and other groups fighting in Syria and Iraq in the early 2010s. Many were killed, and their wives and children are stuck in Syrian camps. About 30 other children and women are believed to be in Syrian camps but Rama said that number is unclear, adding that two women had refused to get in contact for repatriation, fearing their lives.”

The National: Call To Shut Down Swedish Islamic School Over 'Link To Extremism'

“An Islamic school in Sweden should be shut down because of its “connection to extremism”, a member of the country's Parliament has said. The Romosseskolan school, in the south-western city of Gothenburg, attracted criticism after it was accused of gender segregation in lessons and forcing pupils to take part in prayer sessions. After public funding for the school was halted in June, a report surfaced this week that teachers were being paid by a group linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. Responding to the claim, Roger Haddad, the deputy chair of an education committee in Sweden's Parliament, said it was time for the school to be shut down altogether. “I have demanded for several years that Romosseskolan with its connection to extremism be completely closed down,” he said. “It is not enough to investigate the financial position, the whole operation must be stopped.” The city of Gothenburg halted funding for the school in June, saying it wanted to prevent public money from falling into the wrong hands. But according to city newspaper Göteborgs-Posten, teachers were paid regardless, with money from the Islamic Association of Sweden (IFiS). Magnus Ranstorp, an extremism expert at the Swedish Defence University, described IFiS as a hub for the Muslim Brotherhood in Sweden.”

Technology

Vice: UK Hate-Preacher Anjem Choudary Made An Extremely Brief Return To Social Media

“An attempt by Britain’s most notorious hate preacher to regain a mouthpiece on social media has been swiftly snuffed out, falling foul of the platforms’ policies against extremism within just days. Anjem Choudary, a radical Islamist preacher who headed the now banned extremist network Al-Muhajiroun, said he had been kicked off Twitter and Facebook this week with days of signing up. “I think I was back on Twitter on Saturday and it was taken down on Wednesday,” he told VICE World News. “And I logged into Facebook for literally about eight minutes on Thursday before it was taken down.” Twitter said that Choudary’s account had been permanently suspended for breaching its violent organisations policy, while Facebook did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication. The 54-year-old Londoner’s attempt to join the platforms came shortly after the expiry of a raft of restrictions, including a ban on public speaking, that had been imposed on him following his release on license from prison in 2018. After years as the face of radical Islam in Britain, Choudary was jailed for five-and-a-half years in 2016 on a conviction for inviting support for ISIS; he was released automatically halfway through his sentence.”