Eye on Extremism March 28, 2019

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Eye on Extremism
By: Counter Extremism Project - March 28, 2019
Re: info@counterextremism.com

March 28, 2019
The Washington Post: Israel Strike Kills 7 Iranian, Iran-Backed Fighters In Syria

“Israel confirmed Thursday it carried out an airstrike the night before in northern Syria while a war monitoring group said the attack killed an Iranian and six Iraqi fighters allied with President Bashar Assad’s government forces. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the strike on Wednesday night targeted an Iranian weapons depot and also wounded several other fighters. Syrian state media said the country’s air defenses responded to an “Israeli air aggression” targeting positions in an industrial area northeast of the city of Aleppo, causing material damage only. The Israeli military does not usually comment on reports concerning its airstrikes in neighboring Syria though it has recently acknowledged striking Iranian targets in Syria. Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz referred to the latest strike in an interview with Israel Radio on Thursday.”

Military Times: Low Aim Or Intel Failure? ISIS’ Last Stand Shows The Difficulty In Estimating Enemy Manpower

“It has been difficult to find a credible number for the Islamic State group’s total troop strength ever since it emerged, and speculation has ranged widely. The CIA estimated in September 2014 that ISIS could muster up to 31,500 fighters across Iraq and Syria. Either that estimate was really low or the network of fighters grew considerably because the estimated enemy killed-in-action far out-paced ISIS’ total strength over the next three years. During that time frame, the U.S.-led Inherent Resolve coalition killed “60,000 to 70,000″ ISIS followers, Gen. Raymond Thomas, who helms U.S. Special Operations Command, said in July 2017. But by July 2018, Inherent Resolve said it estimated “ISIS manpower” at once again between 28,600 and 31,600 in Iraq and Syria. However, coalition officials also conceded that they had “low confidence” in the accuracy of those numbers, according to the final Pentagon inspector general quarterly report for the year. The fluctuating numbers played out on a much smaller scale during ISIS’ final stand in the eastern Syrian town of Baghouz.”

The National: Two Website Registrars Remove Neo-Nazi Forum

“Two internet hosting companies have removed a white supremacist web forum after they were notified of the racist content by the Counter Extremism Project, an anti-extremism group. DreamHost and Hostinger suspended the Fascist Forge forum after the project flagged its history of advocating violent fascism, inciting its followers toward terrorism and encouraging the murder of people of colour, Jews, Muslims, LGBTQ people and others. Commenting on the suspensions, "Hostinger acted with haste – and very rightly so – in suspending Fascist Forge, an online forum that promotes neo-Nazi violence and radicalises recruits," said David Ibsen, the project's executive director.”

The New York Times: As U.S. Tightens Sanctions, Iran’s Network Of Allies Feels The Pain

“Syrian militiamen paid by Iran have seen their salaries slashed. Projects Iran promised to help Syria’s ailing economy have stalled. Even employees of Hezbollah, the Lebanese group that has long served as Iran’s closest Arab ally, say they have missed paychecks and lost other perks. Iran’s financial crisis, exacerbated by American sanctions, appears to be undermining its support for militant groups and political allies who bolster Iranian influence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere. “The golden days are gone and will never return,” said a fighter with an Iranian-backed militia in Syria who recently lost a third of his salary and other benefits. “Iran doesn’t have enough money to give us.” Across the Middle East, Iran’s allies are showing signs of financial strain. Some of that strain may simply reflect the impact of the prolonged armed conflicts in Syria and Iraq. Hezbollah, which had focused resources on confronting Israel along Lebanon’s southern border, has been diverting fighters and weapons to Syria for years. Shiite fighters directed by Iran helped battle the Islamic State after the militant group overran parts of Iraq five years ago.”

The Hill: Lawmakers Press Tech Companies On Efforts To Combat Extremism Online

“Lawmakers said Wednesday that they continue to have questions after Google, Facebook, Twitter and Microsoft briefed a House panel on their efforts to take down extremist content online. Members of the House Homeland Security Committee questioned representatives from some of Silicon Valley's largest companies in a closed-door briefing about how they deal with white supremacist and bigoted content online. "While I'm encouraged by their answers, we still have a long way to go," Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), who sits on the committee, told The Hill after the briefing. Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) invited the tech companies to come to Capitol Hill and discuss their efforts to crack down on violent extremists following the mass shooting at two New Zealand mosques earlier this month, an attack that was live-streamed online.”

The New York Times: Facebook Announces New Policy To Ban White Nationalist Content

“Facebook said on Wednesday that it would ban white nationalist content from its platforms, a significant policy change that bows to longstanding demands from civil rights groups who said the tech giant was failing to confront the powerful reach of white extremism on social media. The threat posed by white nationalism on Facebook was violently underlined this month when a racist gunman killed 50 people at two mosques in New Zealand, using the platform to post live video of the attack. Facebook removed the video and the gunman’s account on Facebook and Instagram but the footage was widely shared on YouTube, Twitter and Reddit.”

United States

NBC News: Driver In Deadly Car Attack At Charlottesville White Nationalist Rally Pleads Guilty To Federal Hate Crimes

“The man convicted of murder in the deadly car attack on counterprotesters at the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges Wednesday in order to dodge a possible death penalty. James Alex Fields Jr., 21, from Maumee, Ohio, pleaded guilty to 29 of 30 charges against him. The 30th charge, which included a possible death sentence, was dropped. He's been ordered to return to court on July 3 to be sentenced. The single charge in Count 30 was brought under a provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1968. It had accused Fields of racially motivated violent interference with a federally protected activity — counterprotesters using the public streets and sidewalks of Charlottesville — and carried a possible death penalty. Fields was convicted in state court in December for the death of anti-racism activist Heather Heyer, 32, and for injuring dozens more during the infamous Unite the Right rally on Aug. 12, 2017. Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, told reporters after the hearing that she didn't oppose the deal that spared her daughter's killer. "There's no point in killing him," she said.”

The Atlantic: Ideology Has Always Mattered

“After the 2015 Paris attacks by ISIS commandos, Donald Trump’s counterterrorism adviser Sebastian Gorka wrote these notorious lines, blaming the ideology of “radical Islam” for the atrocity: These attacks are the latest manifestation of a growing and globalized ideology of radical Islam that must be addressed at its source—which includes the mainstream imams and media personalities who nurture, promote and excuse it … They were inspired by a thriving online ideological structure that recruits and radicalizes mostly men to save “the caliphate” from “the kuffar [infidels]” … The threat we’re facing isn’t just individual terrorists. It’s the global ideology of radical Islam. We have to take it seriously, and call out imams, academics, and media personalities who give it a platform under the guise of exploring both sides, fostering debate or avoiding political correctness. Except these words weren’t by Sebastian Gorka at all. They were written in The New York Times by Wajahat Ali, hours after the massacre of 50 Muslims at prayer in Christchurch, New Zealand, on March 15. I swapped white nationalism for radical Islam, politicians for imams, and Western civilization for the caliphate.”

Voice Of America: US Envoy To Iran: More Sanctions, No New Oil Waivers

“The United States will redraw government maps consistent with Washington’s decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. The move comes days after U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation Monday officially granting U.S. recognition of the Golan Heights as Israeli territory. VOA’s State Department correspondent Nike Ching sat down Wednesday with Brian Hook, the State Department’s special representative for Iran, to discuss U.S. actions affecting Israel and Iran. The following are excerpts from the interview. Ching: How will President Trump’s executive order change the way the U.S. displays the Golan Heights on its official maps of Israel? What is the time frame that we can expect the maps to be updated? Hook: The president did sign an executive order recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights. We think that this reflects, it’s a reflection of reality and the facts on the ground, and the need for Israel to have secure and defensible borders. As a consequence of the executive order, the State Department will be redrawing the official U.S. government maps to recognize this. And those will be released as soon as they are ready.”

NPR: With ISIS And Al-Qaida Weakened, U.S. Faces An Evolving Anti-Terror Mission

“At the main operations room inside the National Counterterrorism Center, the flow of incoming data never stops. Analysts from across the government sit in front of their blinking computers, all facing huge TV screens tuned to news channels. "On a daily basis, 10,000 reports come across our ops center and eyes are put on every one of those," said Russ Travers, deputy director of the center, who has been here, on and off, since it was established 16 years ago. "There are in the neighborhood of 16,000 names within those pieces of information. We have to process all of that," he added. The U.S. fight against terrorism is at a key juncture. More than 17 years after the 2001 attacks by al-Qaida, that group is no longer the force it was. And the Islamic State has lost its core territory. Despite these U.S. successes, a host of evolving threats remain. So what should the U.S. effort look like going forward? As someone who began his intelligence career in the Army 40 years ago, Travers is instinctively cautious. "After 9/11, we talked about this being a generational struggle. I still very much believe that's the case," he said. Over this past generation, the U.S. has sent many troops abroad and built a massive infrastructure at home to combat terrorism.”

Syria

Arab News: Daesh’s Deadly Essence Must Be Denied Chance To Thrive

“With Daesh declared defunct as an organized terrorist force in northeast Syria, the essence of the group’s use of extremist ideology has, in reality, left the Levant to spread more mayhem. We have seen Daesh affiliates begin to pop up from West Africa (Boko Haram) to Southeast Asia, specifically cells in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Libya, Sinai and Yemen also stand out as other locations where Daesh adherents fled to from the Levant. These fighters are still active, so what is happening now is not the end of Daesh in the region per se, but the death of the original cancer after it had already spread to other parts of the body. Daesh occupied the Levant like a cancer. It followed the traditional trade routes as it expanded, only to be beaten back into a corner and eradicated. This expansion and contraction model is and will be attempted again. Thus, the ideas of Daesh and its use of violent tactics to engrain itself in specific geographical areas is continuing. Applying a human medical analogy helps illustrate Daesh and its capacity to spread its adherents out from its “caliphate” early in its existence. At its height, Daesh distributed fighters to key geographical areas, especially Libya and Southeast Asia via Malaysia.”

The National: The World Must Bring Militants To Justice

“The international community has evaded its responsibility.” So says Abdulkerim Umer, of the Kurdish-led administration in northern Syria, contemplating the impossible task officials in the region face in dealing with thousands of foreign fighters and their families. After the last ISIS stronghold in Baghouz fell last week, the Syrian Democratic Forces are struggling to contain militants, their wives and children in camps. Many of those captured are European, American and Antipodean. As Mr Umer said: “We can’t put up with this burden alone.” Yet western nations have been reticent to repatriate their foreign fighters or to take responsibility for their citizens. While the terrorists should undoubtedly face justice, calls by the Kurdish-led SDF for an international tribunal to prosecute the militants – an idea backed by some governments, including Sweden and Belgium – are at best, problematic and at worst, unrealistic. There is precedent for such a legal process – international courts were established in the 1990s to prosecute those accused of genocide and war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, for example – but the proposal raises a host of legal and political questions.”

National Geographic: A Humanitarian Crisis Emerges As ISIS Falls In Northern Syria

“An endless stream of disheveled and disoriented women and children poured out of the backs of trucks at al-Hol refugee camp in Hasakeh province in northeastern Syria. Many were the wives and children of fighters for the Islamic State, and were among the most recent wave to surrender or escape from the last of ISIS’ strongholds in Baghouz, in Syria’s Deir Ezzour province. The women had traveled for hours with their children, and whatever little remained of their dusty possessions collected in military-style packs, plastic bags, and rolling suitcases. From beneath black veils covering their hair and faces, and long, black formless sheaths commonly worn in places which observe a more conservative interpretation of Islam, some were carried out on stretchers semi-conscious, some on rudimentary wheelchairs; some arrived walking and defiant, some relieved. Everyone was exhausted and hungry. The International Rescue Committee estimated that more than 5,000 women and children, fleeing the fighting between Syrian forces and remnants of the Islamic State, arrived at al-Hol camp in one 48 period in early March. Since December, nearly 60,000 have arrived at the camp, pushing the camp to its breaking point, aid workers have said. About 100, mostly children, have died either en route to the camp or shortly after arriving, due to acute malnutrition, pneumonia, hypothermia, and diarrhea, according to the International Rescue Committee.”

Iran

Reuters: Uncovering Iran's Sanctions-Busting Sale Of Fuel Oil On The High Seas

“It was a quiet day in January, and many oil traders were still on holiday, when two sources in the industry called to alert me to something unusual - a supertanker that had gone off radar for two weeks appeared off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and was pumping out fuel oil to two smaller vessels. The sources said it appeared that the supertanker was selling Iranian oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. If confirmed, the sale would shine a rare light on how traders and shippers were evading the sanctions. My first task was to identify and monitor the vessels involved. I called up satellite data offered by Refinitiv, a sister company of Thomson Reuters, that show the movements of ships around the world. I also reached out to three other institutions that track the passage of ships and confirmed that the supertanker, the Grace 1, had its Automatic Identification System, or transponder, switched off between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, 2018, meaning its location could not be tracked.”

Iraq

Iraqi News: Iraqi Court Sentences IS Militant Involved In Diyala Bomb Attack To Death

“An Iraqi court has sentenced an Islamic State militant to death by hanging over his involvement in a bomb attack that left scores of people dead and wounded in Diyala province. “The Diyala Criminal Court issued its ruling after it was proven that the terrorist was behind the planting of an explosive charge in Hibhib district of Diyala, leaving several people dead and wounded,” Baghdad Today quoted the Supreme Judicial Council as saying in a statement on Wednesday. “The court ruling was issued pursuant to article no. 4/1 of the anti-terrorism law,” the statement added. Iraqi courts have sentenced many of Islamic State members, including a big number of female members, to death over joining the militant group. The exact number of detained militants is still unknown, however, it’s estimated to be at thousands. It’s also unclear how many members are likely to face death sentences.”

Afghanistan

Xinhua: Militants' Attacks Kill 12 Police In S. Afghanistan Amid Increasing Peace Efforts

“Up to 12 police personnel have reportedly been killed in the southern Zabul and neighboring Helmand province on Thursday amid peace efforts to find negotiated end to Afghanistan's protracted fighting. The militants, as a sign of mounting pressure on security forces targeted police checkpoints in Siory district of Zabul province early Thursday, leaving seven police dead, head of Provincial Council, Ata Jan Haqbayan has confirmed. Provincial government's spokesman Gul Islam Sayal has also confirmed the attack but said "both sides have suffered casualties," adding investigation has been initiated into the case. This is the second attack on police in a single day on Thursday that has inflicted casualties on the personnel of law enforcing agency. In a similar deadly offensive on police force, militants stormed a checkpoint in Pozak area of Kajaki district in the southern Helmand province, killing five police personnel and injuring two others, provincial police spokesman Zaman Hamdard said. According to the officials, Taliban militants have also suffered in the fighting. Fighting often gets momentum in spring and summer in Afghanistan commonly known as fighting season among Afghans.”

Pakistan

The Washington Post: US Seeks UN Sanctions Against Pakistan Group Head For Attack

“The United States is seeking to put the head of a Pakistan-based militant group blamed by India for a Feb. 14 suicide attack that killed 40 Indian soldiers in Kashmir on the U.N. sanctions blacklist. A draft resolution circulated to Security Council members Wednesday and obtained by The Associated Press would impose a travel ban and freeze the assets of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar. It would also condemn “in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing” in the Indian-held portion of Kashmir that resulted in the deaths of 40 paramilitary soldiers and the wounding of dozens of others. The draft resolution says a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed has claimed responsibility for the attack, which raised tensions between India and Pakistan and led to an Indian retaliatory airstrike inside Pakistan. It underlines the need “to hold perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.” The Security Council added Jaish-e-Mohammed to the U.N. sanctions blacklist in October 2001 for its association with al-Qaida, Osama bin Laden and the Taliban.”

Reuters: Pakistan Dismisses Indian Terror Dossier As Mostly "Social Media Content"

“Pakistan on Thursday dismissed a dossier handed over by India in the wake of a suicide attack that nearly sparked a full-blown conflict earlier this month, saying the allegation that Pakistani groups were involved was unsubstantiated. At least 40 Indian security personnel were killed when a suicide bomber from Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) attacked a convoy on Feb. 14, at Pulwama, in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Jaish later claimed responsibility for the attack carried out by a young Muslim man from Pulwama. Pakistan maintains that the insurgency in the disputed region is being fought by Muslim separatists from India’s side of Kashmir. Following the Pulwama attack, both countries carried out aerial bombings missions on each other’s soil and their warplanes also fought a brief dogfight over Kashmir’s skies. Tensions cooled when global powers intervened to prevent a full-scale conflict between the nuclear armed neighbours and Pakistan handed back a captured Indian pilot. India, which alleges Islamabad had a hand in the suicide bombing, last month presented what it said was a dossier of evidence about the Pulwama attack, and alleged links to Pakistan.”

Lebanon

Al Arabiya: Pompeo’s warnings to Lebanon about Hezbollah will be the last straw

“Over the last week, Lebanon was immersed in Mike Pompeo’s visit to Beirut, where he concluded his recent trip to the Middle East. The Lebanese government’s warm welcome to the US Secretary of State was soon replaced with pessimism. Pompeo conveyed during meetings with top officials that Lebanon’s economy depends on its ability to ensure that Hezbollah’s influence in the country and the region is harnessed. Much of the fuss surrounding Pompeo’s visit stems from the continued US sanctions on Iran, which have greatly hindered the latter’s ability to finance the activities of its militias across the region, particularly Hezbollah. Pompeo refrained from sugar coating his words, delivering the firm message that Lebanon must prevent Hezbollah from using its banking sector to circumvent US sanctions. Pompeo echoed what his previous two envoys, David Satterfield and David Hale, had communicated to the Lebanese state a few months earlier. Yet the Lebanese political establishment chooses to ignore these warnings and maintains the same destructive rhetoric that has led to Lebanon's current predicament.”

Middle East

The National: Jail For UAE Resident Who Tweeted Support For ISIS

“A UAE resident who pledged allegiance to ISIS on Twitter will spend five years in prison and pay a Dh1 million fine, the Federal Supreme Court said on Monday. The man, 22, who has a Comoros passport, was found guilty of joining the terrorist organisation and announcing it on Twitter. He completed the formalities of joining the group online, and pledged to obey the commands of the organisation’s leader. He was also found guilty of using a Twitter account to promote ISIS and Al Qaeda, despite being aware of their “terrorist goals”. The court ordered the closure of the account for publishing false news and rumours. The verdict and sentence is final and not subject to appeal. The UAE has repeatedly announced its full support for the UN Security Council and international efforts to combat the terrorism of ISIS.”

Nigeria

DW: World In Progress: Students Defy Boko Haram In The Classroom

“Boko Haram has repeatedly targeted schools during its decade-long campaign of terror, raiding classrooms and kidnapping hundreds of students. But one school in Nigeria's northeast isn't giving in to fear.”

Al Jazeera: 10 Civilians Killed In Suspected Boko Haram Attack In Niger Town

“At least 10 people have been killed in a coordinated attack by suspected Boko Haram suicide bombers and gunmen on a town in eastern Niger, according to the local mayor. The attack took place late on Tuesday in N'Guigmi, which lies in the north of the Diffa region, near Lake Chad, an area that bore the brunt of cross-border infiltration by the Nigerian-based armed group. "Two female suicide bombers blew themselves up and gunmen then attacked civilians," Abba Kaya Issa, the mayor of N'Guigmi, told the AFP news agency on Wednesday. "We have a provisional toll of 10 dead plus the two suicide bombers," along with "seven or eight" wounded, he said, blaming "Boko Haram elements" for the assault. "One of the suicide bombers blew herself up in the courtyard of a policeman's home, which is located inside the police barracks, and the second triggered her explosives belt between the town hall, the police barracks and the prefecture," added Kaya, referring to the office of the state representative. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. A local resident said several houses had been burned and wounded children in the police camp had been taken to the local hospital.

All Africa: Nigeria: Boko Haram Invades Military School In Borno

“Suspected members of dreaded Boko Haram sect on Wednesday evening invaded some parts of Miringa town of Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, shooting sporadically at a Military School, hitherto a State Government's owned Girls Secondary School, GGSS. Miringa is a stone throw to Buratai, the home base of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Yusuf Buratai, and few kilometers away from Biu, where the newly established Army University is sited. A resident of Miringa town, who spoke to our Correspondent at time of the attack, said the insurgents were sighted attacking the said school along a Biu- Miringa- Buratai- Buni Yadi- Damaturu road. He said that many residents about 8:30p.m., had fled into the bush as the troops deployed to safeguard the school engaged the terrorists in shootout at press time.”

Africa

Reuters: Algerian Army, Police Bust Militant Cell Planning Attacks: Ennahar TV

“Algerian troops and police have dismantled a militant cell that planned to carry out attacks during election gatherings, private Ennahar TV reported on Wednesday. It said the cell was discovered in the western city of Oran and consisted of three people, and that security operations were continuing in the area. It was not immediately clear whether the cell was affiliated with al Qaeda or Islamic State, which both have branches in Algeria. The country has been convulsed by weeks of mass protests demanding the removal of the aged political elite. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has reversed plans to seek a fifth term, postponed elections set for next month and promised to introduce greater freedoms.”

The Guardian: Slum Gods: The Kenyans Steering Young Radicals Away From Terrorism

“It’s morning in Majengo, a poor neighbourhood of Mombasa. The palm trees and swimming pools of the tourist resorts scattered around the coastal Kenyan city seem a world away from these narrow, rubbish-strewn streets and tin-roofed homes. In a small community centre, a small group sit on the battered wooden benches in the searing summer heat talking of extremism, police violence and gangs – and hope and courage. Majengo already had a bad reputation before Islamist militants killed 21 in an assault in January on a luxury hotel, office and restaurant complex in the capital Nairobi, 500km away. The neighbourhood has long been known as a fertile recruiting ground for al-Shabaab, the Islamist extremist organisation based in neighbouring Somalia that is responsible for a bloody if intermittent terrorist campaign in Kenya. The suicide bomber who led the assault in Nairobi has been identified as Mahir Khalid Riziki, 25, from Majengo. Investigators are still trying to understand exactly howhe was recruited, trained and then returned to Kenya by al-Shabaab, an affiliate of al-Qaida. In Majengo, locals have a good idea how it might have happened. Rukiya, 27, describes how he came close to being recruited.”

North Korea

Associated Press: US: North Korean Nuke Work ‘Inconsistent’ With Disarmament

“North Korea’s work on nuclear weapons and missiles is “inconsistent” with its stated intent to move toward nuclear disarmament on the Korean Peninsula, the commander of American and allied forces in South Korea said Wednesday. Army Gen. Robert Abrams, in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, also said he has seen “little to no change” in North Korea’s broader military capabilities, citing its typical pace of winter troop exercises. Asked by Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the panel’s ranking Republican, where there has been any recent change in the North’s production of nuclear weapons and material and missiles, Abrams said, “Their activity that we’ve observed is inconsistent with denuclearization.” Abrams offered to provide details of that activity in a closed session.”

France

Kurdistan 24: France Supports Prosecuting ISIS Members In Syria, Calls International Tribunal ‘Complex’

“France supports the prosecution of Islamic State fighters now in custody in Syria and Iraq, but an international tribunal is a “complex operation,” France’s Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. The statement was made during a press briefing on Syria and later published on the ministry’s website. Asked whether Paris backs calls by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) for an international court to try Islamic State members being held by it, a spokesperson for the French ministry said the idea is complicated. “The creation of such an ad hoc international tribunal is a complex operation. Its implementation would give rise to legal and practical difficulties,” the spokesperson was quoted as saying. Following victory in a prolonged military offensive on the extremist group’s last remaining pocket of territory in war-torn Syria, the SDF have called for the establishment of “a special international tribunal in northeast Syria to prosecute terrorists.” With the establishment of an international court, “trials can be conducted fairly and in accordance with international law and human rights covenants and charters,” the SDF said in a statement on Monday.”

Europe

The Wall Street Journal: New Zealand Gunman’s Links To Austrian Far Right Come Under Investigation

“Prosecutors in Austria are investigating possible links between the Christchurch gunman and an Austrian far-right group after its leader received a donation in the suspect’s name, raising new questions about the attacker’s European connections. Investigators believe that Brenton Tarrant, charged with gunning down 50 worshipers in a New Zealand mosque on March 15, made a donation to the head of the Austrian chapter of the Identitarian movement, a nationalist youth group campaigning against immigration, particularly from Muslim countries. Martin Sellner, the leader of the group who received the €1,500 ($1,690) donation last year, had his apartment searched and electronic devices seized by police on Monday, according to an interior ministry spokesman. Mr. Sellner said in an interview that he remembered receiving the donation a little over a year ago and had thanked Mr. Tarrant for it but had no interaction with him before or after.”

The New York Times: Donation From New Zealand Attack Suspect Puts Spotlight On Europe’s Far Right

“Clean-shaven, well-dressed and polite, Martin Sellner is the poster boy of Europe’s new far right. A 30-year-old philosophy graduate, he blogs about what he says is the threat Muslim immigration poses for Europe, stages nonviolent protests and is widely known on the global far-right scene. Just how widely became clear this week when it emerged that Mr. Sellner received a 1,500 euro donation — about $1,700 — a year ago from Brenton Harrison Tarrant of Australia, who is accused of killing 50 Muslim worshipers in Christchurch, New Zealand, two weeks ago. “He gave me a generous donation and I thanked him, that’s all,” Mr. Sellner said in a telephone interview Wednesday, condemning the attack but acknowledging that the two men had written back and forth a few times over email. That contact with the Christchurch suspect has renewed concerns that despite a self-conscious effort by Europe’s “new right” to rebrand itself with more careful language and a youthful face, its ideology is not much different from that of the neo-Nazis of old.”

Reuters: Man Charged With New Zealand Mosque Attacks Gave Money To Austrian Far-Right, Chancellor Says

“Austria’s far-right Identitarian Movement received cash from the man charged with killing 50 people in mass shootings at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, this month, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said on Wednesday. “We can now confirm that there was financial support and so a link between the New Zealand attacker and the Identitarian Movement in Austria,” Kurz said. A spokesman for prosecutors in Graz said the head of Austria’s Identitarian Movement, Martin Sellner, received 1,500 euros ($1,690) in early 2018 from a donor with the same name as the man charged over the March 15 Christchurch attacks. New Zealand police said investigators were making a large number of enquiries, across New Zealand and internationally, but refused to go into details. Sellner, who did not reply to requests for comment from Reuters, published two videos on YouTube in which he said he had received a donation which involved an email address that matched the name of the Australian alleged to have carried out the Christchurch attacks. He said in one of the videos: “I’m not a member of a terrorist organisation. I have nothing to do with this man, other than that I passively received a donation from him.”

Euronews: Austrian Authorities Arrest Iraqi National On Suspicion Of Failed Attack On German Trains

“An Iraqi national has been arrested in Austria on suspicion of carrying out failed attacks on German trains last year, and for having ties to the so-called Islamic State militant group (|S). In a statement sent to Euronews on Wednesday, Vienna's public prosecutor said the 42-year-old man was believed to have carried out attacks in October and December of 2018. The attacks consisted of a thick steel pylon being laid across German railway tracks in a bid to force a derailment. "Only because of a technical error, the plan's intention to kill people was not achieved," the prosecutor spokesperson said. Police later discovered a number of significant items close to the scene, including a threatening Arabic-language note and an IS flag, which "constituted the terrorist suspicion." Despite denying any terrorism links, the suspect has been charged with attempted murder, serious property damage, and for supporting a terrorist and criminal organisation. A joint investigation with German and European authorities is ongoing.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: Danish Minister: Better For Militants To Die Than Return

“Danish Justice Minister Soeren Pape Poulsen said Wednesday he would prefer for militants from his country to die fighting in Syria rather than return home, drawing criticism from the opposition. With the collapse of ISIS’ last bastion in Syria over the weekend, several governments have been grappling with the problem of what to do with captured militants from their country. Denmark's official policy to take back foreign fighters has generated public debate. "It's better that they are jailed here (rather than) traveling freely," Pape Poulsen told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday, local papers reported. But, he added, it would have been preferable "if they had fallen in combat over there". According to Agence France Presse, the opposition Social Democrats criticized the minister's remarks. "These are not words that I would have used," Trine Bramsen, a spokeswoman for the party said. Pape Poulsen, who is also the leader of the Conservative Party, explained that there were around 40 militants with links to Denmark in what used to be the ISIS territory in Syria, 10 of whom had been captured. Since 2016, it has been a criminal offense in Danish law to have fought in conflict zones for a terrorist group.”

Venezuela

Forbes: Russia Takes Its Syria Anti-Regime-Change Strategy To Venezuela

“Fresh off his success in stopping another Middle East regime change in Syria, Vladimir Putin is now setting up shop in Caracas. It’s not as simple as saying Russia has financial assets to protect. Rosneft, the state oil behemoth, has been throwing money down a black hole in Venezuela for years. So has China. The recent move to bring in more military support is designed to protect Nicolas Maduro from what Russia surely sees as an orchestrated coup against him. Russia’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that it sent military personnel to Caracas this weekend. Unlike the U.S. military, which was never invited by any government official into Syria, the Russia military at least has been. Maduro is now surrounded by his own military, Cuban revolutionaries and gangsters. And now some Russians. CBS News national security correspondent David Martin was reportedly told by his sources in Washington that around 100 people were on the Russian planes that landed over the weekend. And that it wasn’t clear what they brought with them. Russia has routinely sent military trainers, advisers and technicians to Venezuela, but 100 people—however they came up with that number—was considered more than routine, CBS News reported on Wednesday.”

Technology

The Manila Times: Threat Groups Use Social Media To Spread Extremism – Lacson

“Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson on Wednesday said threat groups were using social media to spread violent extremism among young Muslim Filipinos. In a speech on Wednesday at the Youth Assembly on Violent Extremism and Interfaith Dialog organized by the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF), Lacson cited a report published by a nonprofit international development organization in February 2019, which showed “how social media is becoming a potent tool not only in spreading extremist causes, but also in reaching and recruiting young Filipino [Muslims] in Mindanao.” “Extremism sympathizers tried to exploit community sentiments on social marginalization, economic inequality and rooted local grievances against the state,” said Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief. “The first line of defense against violent extremism, I believe, is education; creating awareness and cultivating our young people’s critical thinking and resilience will equip them with skills they need to detect and reject violent extremism and make informed decisions and contest extremist ideologies,” he said. NCMF head Saidamen Pangarungan said the agency trained Filipino Muslim youth about the true values of Islam, “which is a religion of peace and that Islam demands love and respect.”

The New York Times: Microsoft Seizes Websites It Traces To Iranian Hackers

“Microsoft took control of 99 websites that it said Iranian hackers had used to try to steal sensitive information from targets in the United States, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday. By taking over the sites, Microsoft can stop future cyberattacks and monitor how previously infected computers were compromised, the company said. The hackers “specifically directed” their attacks on people in Washington, Microsoft said in the filing. The hacking group typically has targeted the personal email accounts of people working in both the public and private sectors, including dissidents and workers in government agencies, Microsoft said in court documents. People working in the Treasury Department and similar agencies in other Western governments were among those targeted, according to a person with knowledge of the attacks who spoke on the condition of anonymity.”

The Wall Street Journal: Facebook To Block White Nationalism, Separatism Content On Site

“Facebook Inc. said it would begin banning content that praises or represents white nationalism and white separatism on its Facebook and Instagram platforms next week. Facebook has been under fire globally for failing to take sufficient action against hate speech and misinformation on its site. Pressure on Facebook is mounting following a live stream of the New Zealand mosque massacre, which prompted the country’s prime minister to call for overhauling New Zealand’s social-media laws. The social-media giant previously only restricted users from supporting white supremacy. The company said Wednesday that after talks with academics and civil-rights groups over the past three months, it determined white nationalism and separatism can’t be separated from white supremacy and other hate groups.”