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Old 01-24-2019, 06:40 AM
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Arrow Eye on Extremism January 24, 2019

Eye on Extremism
January 24, 2019
RE: info@counterextremism.com

The National: US Coalition Forces Overrun Last ISIS Village In Syria

“US-backed forces captured the last major town held by ISIS in eastern Syria on Wednesday, and are now sweeping surrounding villages for remnants of the militant group, activists said. The Syrian Democratic Forces, a coalition of Arab and Kurdish fighters, have seized several eastern villages from ISIS, including Hajin, Al Shaafa and Sousa, in recent weeks. On Wednesday, they captured Al Baghouz, the last major town under militant control, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Observatory said search operations are ongoing to find any ISIS fighters who may have gone into hiding in the town. It also said that the SDF are working to clear militants from farmlands around Al Baghouz. The war monitor said that ISIS defences in Al Baghouz "collapsed" after hundreds of militants fled the area over the past two days. The Observatory said nearly 500 ISIS fighters and thousands of their relatives have fled the group's last bastion since Monday. This raises the total number of people who have escaped ISIS territory since December to over 27,000, according to the war monitor. The SDF posted pictures on social media networks on Wednesday purporting to show those who have fled ISIS territory, including the relatives of militants.”

CNN: US Sends Additional Troops To Syria To Prepare For Withdrawal

“The US military has moved additional troops into Syria in recent days to help provide protection to other US service members as they withdraw under President Donald Trump's directive to pullout all US troops from the country, according to two US defense officials. The officials would not reveal where in the country the troops are or how many have been sent. Defense officials have acknowledged that a security force of armed troops -- possibly infantry -- would be needed to help carry out the withdrawal of US forces over time. The additional troops that have moved in are needed to provide security for troops and equipment as they are moved out by land and air as well a provide additional security on the ground as the number of US forces dwindles, officials said. The officials said the additional security forces may move around Syria to different locations as needed and may move in and out of the country at times. They would not indicate if any troop withdrawals have taken place or will happen in the immediate future, citing security concerns . The number of US troops routinely deployed in Syria to fight ISIS, and assist local forces, has hovered between 2,000 and 2,500 in recent months at locations in northern, eastern and southern Syria.”

The New York Times: White Supremacist Pleads Guilty To Killing Black Man In New York To Start A ‘Race War’

“He hated black men. He wanted to kill one, and he did. In a videotaped confession, James Harris Jackson, a white Army veteran from Baltimore, told investigators that he spent several days two years ago stalking black men in Manhattan before he spotted a 66-year-old man sifting through trash for recyclables. And in an undeniable testament of his hate, Mr. Jackson said he pulled a short sword from his coat and repeatedly stabbed the man, Timothy Caughman. The killing, Mr. Jackson said, was “practice” for a larger attack he had planned for Times Square where he intended to murder young black men who were with white women because he loathed interracial dating. Mr. Jackson, 30, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to rare state charges of murder as terrorism and murder as a hate crime, accepting what is certain to be a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. His dramatic plea to all counts against him came four months after the video of his interview with police was presented at a pretrial hearing in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Mr. Jackson, who walked into the courtroom on crutches, wearing black slack pants and a white button-up shirt, made no speech and expressed no remorse.”

The Guardian: Iran Arrested 7,000 Dissidents In 'Year Of Shame', Says Amnesty

“Iranian authorities arrested more than 7,000 dissidents last year in a sweeping crackdown that led to hundreds being jailed or flogged, at least 26 protesters being killed, and nine people dying in custody amid suspicious circumstances, according to Amnesty International. Those rounded up during violent dispersals of peaceful protests in what Amnesty called “a year of shame for Iran” included journalists, lawyers, minority rights activists and women who protested against being forced to wear headscarves. Iranian authorities beat unarmed protesters and used live ammunition, teargas and water cannon throughout the year – particularly in January, July and August – with thousands arbitrarily arrested and detained, new figures assert. “2018 will go down in history as a year of shame for Iran,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Middle East research and advocacy director. “The staggering scale of arrests, imprisonments and flogging sentences reveal the extreme lengths the authorities have gone to in order to suppress peaceful dissent.”

WTOP: The Hunt: What Caused The Terror Attacks That Killed 5 Americans

“Five Americans were recently killed in terror attacks in Syria and Kenya. Senior Advisor to the Counter Extremism Project Lucinda Creighton says complacency, online radicalization, and tech companies are a big part of the problem.”

The New York Times: World Leaders At Davos Call For Global Rules On Tech

“Leaders of Japan, South Africa, China and Germany issued a series of calls on Wednesday for global oversight of the tech sector, in a clear signal of growing international interest in seizing greater regulatory supervision of an industry led by the United States. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan said his country would use its chairmanship of the Group of 20 nations this year to push forward a new international system for the oversight of how data is used. Data governance will be the theme when the group’s presidents and prime ministers gather in June in Osaka for their annual summit meeting. The emphasis will be on expanding World Trade Organization rules to encompass trade in data as well as goods and services, he said. “I would like Osaka G20 to be long remembered as the summit that started worldwide data governance,” Mr. Abe said in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Mr. Abe’s proposal was echoed in remarks by other world leaders at the forum. President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa said greater oversight of the tech sector would also be on the agenda of African Union leaders when they meet early next month in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.”

United States

The Wall Street Journal: Mother Of American Jailed In Iran Pleads For His Release

“A U.S. Navy veteran who has been jailed in Iran on undisclosed charges suffers from cancer and may die without access to medical care, according to his mother, who pleaded for his release in a statement on Friday. Michael White, a 13-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, has been held for over seven months since traveling to Iran to visit his partner. He had made frequent trips to visit the woman in recent years, the statement said. Mr. White’s mother included two photos of him before and after receiving chemotherapy. In the latter photo, Mr. White appears visibly ill, with no hair and sunken cheeks. Iran confirmed that it had detained Mr. White earlier this week, but declined to provide more information about his case. Iran has a history of arresting people with foreign ties on charges of spying and using them as political bargaining chips. Iranian officials at the country’s United Nations mission didn’t respond to a request for comment.”

Fox News: Worldwide Terror Attacks Shrink To Seven-Year Low, New Study Shows

“Global terror attacks fell 33 percent last year, while non-militant fatalities dropped by more than one-fourth, marking their lowest point since 2011, according to a new report. The study conducted by Jane’s Terrorism and Insurgency Center (JTIC) Global Index, was released Wednesday by business information provider IHS Markit. It said over the course of 2018 "JTIC recorded a worldwide total of 15,321 attacks by non-state armed groups, which resulted in a total of 13,483 non-militant fatalities.” “The attack figure represents a significant 33.2 percent decrease from the recorded number of attacks in 2017,” stated Matthew Henman, head of JTIC. The figures indicate the lowest annual attack total since 2011 and the lowest annual since JTIC started collecting comprehensive data in 2009. Major decreases in violence in Syria and Iraq in 2018, in the aftermath of ISIS being largely defeated in the region, is attributed to the 33 percent drop. The report also found ISIS attacks fell by almost three-fourths, and resultant fatalities by more than 50 percent - although the group is still deemed “the deadliest worldwide in terms of the number of non-militant fatalities caused.” The report also said Syria dropped to the second-highest rates of attack in a country, with the number falling by almost two-thirds. Resultant fatalities fell by almost half.”

ABC News: Extremist-Related Killings In 2018 'Overwhelmingly Linked To Right-Wing' Movements: ADL

“At least 50 people were killed at the hands of domestic extremists in 2018, an increase of 35 percent from the previous year, a new report from the Anti-Defamation League has found. That total makes 2018 the fourth deadliest year for extremist killings since 1970, and 2018 also saw the highest percentage of right-wing extremist-related killings since 2012, according to the ADL. The report from the ADL, a Jewish organization focused on fighting anti-Semitism, claims that in 2018, "every single extremist killing — from Pittsburgh to Parkland — had a link to right-wing extremism." The group details the alleged ties -- ranging from white supremacist and racist or misogynistic or Nazi ties -- of some suspects that ABC News had not previously reported on or confirmed. However, some of the incidents the ADL includes have been reported by ABC News as having anti-Semitic motivations or as hate crimes. One of the deadliest examples on their list is the shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, where 11 people were killed by a man who prosecutors say had "made statements regarding genocide and his desire to kill Jewish people." "The white supremacist attack in Pittsburgh should serve as a wake-up call to everyone about the deadly consequences of hateful rhetoric," ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement released with the report.”

The Guardian: Muslim Group Targeted By Terror Plot Calls For Suspects To Face Full Weight Of Law

“A Muslim group has called for full prosecutions against the four people accused of plotting an attack on their rural enclave in upstate New York. The arrests of three Rochester-area men and a 16-year-old who had access to homemade explosives and firearms sent shockwaves through the community of Islamberg, the Muslims of America said in a prepared statement. The small community has been dogged by allegations on rightwing websites that it is a terrorist training camp, and it was the target of a similar plot in 2015. “It is beyond tragic that our nation continues to fester with Islamophobia, hate and religious intolerance,” the group said in a prepared statement. “To bring justice and properly deter similar terrorist plots against our community, we are calling for the individuals charged, as well as their accomplices, to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Authorities in suburban Rochester on Tuesday announced weapons possession and conspiracy charges against Brian Colaneri, 20; Andrew Crysel, 18; and Vincent Vetromile, 19. A 16-year-old student at Odyssey Academy in Greece, a Rochester suburb, was charged as an adolescent offender. Suspects were due in court on Wednesday morning.”

The Atlantic: America Still Doesn’t Know What To Do With Terrorism Suspects

“Almost 20 years have passed since suicide bombers blew a hole into the USS Cole, killing 17 sailors in a brazen prelude to the September 11th attacks that came a year later. Yet the U.S. still hasn’t fully settled the question of how to bring terrorism suspects to justice—and the diverging fates of two of the Cole plotters show how the confused approach haunts U.S. national security. In the first case, Jamal al-Badawi, who helped coordinate logistics for the attack, was caught, tried, and incarcerated in Yemen, where he escaped prison twice and was finally set free before being killed in an American air strike this month. In the second, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, the actual alleged mastermind of the attack, remains in legal purgatory in Guantánamo Bay—yet another pretrial hearing took place this week—in part because his confessions were obtained under torture. Their stories demonstrate not just the failures of some U.S. counterterrorism experiments, but just how difficult those failures are to correct. The families of civilians accidentally killed in air strikes have borne some of the highest costs. Early missteps have also hurt the United States: Some of Badawi’s co-conspirators in the Cole attack went on to plot 9/11; even later, some of his prison cohorts founded al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, now the most virulent branch of the group.”

Syria

The New York Times: The Safe Zone Northern Syria Needs

“Whether the United States and the international coalition against the Islamic State will protect Manbij and areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria from an unknown future is a significant test of their credibility. I am writing from Manbij, a city of 700,000 people in northern Syria governed by a civilian administration made up of Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen and Circassians. Thanks to the Kurdish fighters who liberated Manbij in 2016, we have been able to enjoy freedoms unimaginable under either the Islamic State or the Syrian government. In Manbij, where women were once bought and sold as slaves by the Islamic State terrorists, now they run economic cooperatives, serve in the Manbij Military Council and have equal representation in elected councils. For the first time in Syrian history, we have held free local elections. We have reopened or built several hospitals and 350 schools attended by 120,000 students. We have given 2,000 licenses to factories and flour mills. The physical reconstruction of our city has been slow but steady. Most important, people are living without fear. Our civilian administration has given people the courage to rebuild their lives and, for the first time, participate in building democracy.”

Politico: No Time To Go Wobbly On Syria

“Europe risks making a deadly mistake in Syria. As the country’s civil war turns ever more decisively in favor of President Bashar al-Assad, European countries have slowly begun to reach out to the dictator’s violent regime. In a significant step, Italy earlier this month announced that it is considering reopening its embassy in Damascus. Rome’s decision is the first shift by one of the big Western European states. It runs squarely counter to the stated EU position, championed by France and the U.K., to keep Assad isolated and sanctioned. European governments have long touted — often, without much credibility — their ability to leverage reconstruction funding for change in Syria, but the recent moves reveal a growing risk that Europe’s common position regarding Assad could collapse into irrelevance. An Italian shift will not single-handedly move the wider European line, including on sanctions, but it points to the prospect of an eventual unraveling. Driving the rapprochement are shifts in the facts on the ground. U.S. President Donald Trump has announced a rapid troop withdrawal. Gulf Arab states are restoring ties with Damascus, and jihadist forces are advancing in Idlib, thereby likely justifying regime designs on the province. Assad’s victory is looking like it will be even more conclusive than expected.”

The Washington Post: Sanctioning Assad Is The Very Least The United States Can Do In Syria

“The Syrian government is on the verge of total victory in its civil war and is planning for what comes next. But the Syrian regime is still committing atrocities against civilians — and they continue to hold at least two American citizens. In the absence of a real U.S. strategy, Congress has a chance to act. What can be done? The Trump administration’s Syria policy is a disaster. After President Trump announced the total pullout of U.S. troops in a tweet in December, the defense secretary resigned, as did the official in charge of the anti-Islamic State coalition, who said Trump was giving the terrorist group “new life.” The national security adviser was publicly rebuked by the president when he tried to set conditions for the withdrawal, and the secretary of state laughably claims nothing has changed. “Believe me there’s no plan for what’s coming next,” Brett McGurk, the former U.S. envoy to the global coalition to combat the Islamic State, told “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “Right now we do not have a plan.” Meanwhile, the U.S. military is left to mitigate the damage of Trump’s recklessness while completing a dangerous withdrawal at the same time. The results have already been deadly for U.S. troops.”

The Washington Post: Syria Is Ready To Court Investors, But Europe Wants To Prevent That

“As Syria courts investors to rebuild its war-shattered cities, it may find a fresh round of European sanctions standing in its way. The European Union said Monday that it was adding 11 business executives, as well as five entities, to a growing list of Syrians whose material support for President Bashar al-Assad’s war effort has resulted in travel bans, asset freezes and an end of business activities in Europe. The types of penalties may not be new, but the logic is, and European diplomats said this week that they hope the sanctions will send a chilling effect through a business community that the Syrian government is now relying on to redevelop the country. The targeted men are magnates. As investors and developers, they have business interests that span industries ranging from soap operas to sugar and steel. But for the most part, they are linked through their involvement in a new economic frontier with significant implications for Syria’s future: luxury real estate on expropriated land. Insecurities relating to housing, land and property rights were key among the concerns that spurred Syria’s 2011 uprising. Eight years later, World Bank estimates suggest that a third of the country’s housing stock has been destroyed, leaving many refugees without homes to return to.”

The National: Hundreds Of Bodies Found In Mass Graves Near Former ISIS Stronghold

“Kurdish forces unearthed two mass graves containing hundreds of unidentified bodies near the former ISIS stronghold of Raqqa in northern Syria, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Wednesday. The graves contain up to 1,000 bodies, the war monitor estimates. It was not immediately clear if they were civilians or fighters. The northern Syrian city was once the de facto capital of ISIS in Syria and was liberated in a campaign that ended more than two years ago, but rescuers and early recovery teams continue to find mass graves scattered around the city. Meanwhile, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces pressed ahead with a final push to drive ISIS from its last sliver of territory east of the Euphrates River on Thursday, according to the war monitor. The Kurdish-led force engaged in battles with militants and launched artillery attacks on ISIS positions. This comes one day after the SDF, backed by coalition forces, overran the last major village under militant control. ISIS is now confined to small farmlands around the Al Baghouz area. Activists believe a declaration of victory is imminent. The US coalition, however, said it would not issue a timetable.”

Xinhua: 43 IS Militants Killed, Wounded In Shelling In Syria

“The Iraqi paramilitary Hashd Shaabi artillery on Wednesday carried out cross-border shelling on positions of the Islamic State (IS) militants inside Syria, leaving a total of 43 militants killed or wounded. "In a preemptive operation, the artillery carried out precise shelling on a hideout, where many IS militants were gathering, in al-Baghouz in Syria, killing or wounding more than 43 terrorists as well as destroying the terrorists' vehicles and fuel stores," Hashd Shaabi quoted Qasim Muslih, leader of Hashd Shaabi brigades in Iraq's western province of Anbar, as saying. "The shelling came after receiving accurate intelligence reports indicating that the Daesh (IS group) militants were preparing for an attack on (Iraqi) security forces on the border between Iraq and Syria," Muslih said. Earlier, the paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces, deployed near the Iraqi-Syrian border, have reinforced their presence near the border line with Syria after the IS seized late last year positions of Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on the Syrian side near the border with Iraq. The security situation in Iraq has been dramatically improved after Iraqi security forces fully defeated the extremist IS militants across the country in late 2017.”

Al Jazeera: Trinidad Mother Reunited With Sons Taken By ISIL Father To Syria

“A mother from Trinidad and Tobago has spoken of her relief after being reunited this week with her two sons who were abducted by their father and taken to ISIL-held territory in Syria four years ago. Felicia Perkins-Ferreira braved sub-zero temperatures as part of a nearly 10,000km odyssey that began in the balmy Caribbean islands and ended in the icy hinterlands of northern Syria, where Ayyub, seven, and Mahmud 11, were being held by Kurdish forces. The Trinidad and Tobago government had at first appeared reluctant to assist the boys but as the case drew international attention, including support from a leading human rights lawyer and a rock star, it quickly issued passports to facilitate the family's travel. "I was really shocked," Perkins-Ferreira told Al Jazeera on Wednesday, after her trip. "I started crying and I just really wanted them to be out from there immediately." Perkins-Ferreira, who is now in London receiving support by the UK-based campaign group Reprieve, added that her youngest son, Ayyub, who was taken to Syria just after his third birthday handed her a gift of a thousand Syrian pounds when they met and immediately told her: "Mummy, I'm ready to go home." Clive Stafford-Smith, the lawyer of Perkins-Ferreira and founder of Reprieve, heaped praise on the Trinidad and Tobago government, which he expects will permit the family to return home later this week.”

Radio Free Europe: Russia Says 'Arbitrary' Israeli Air Strikes On Syria Should Stop

“Russia has called on Israel to stop carrying out "arbitrary' air strikes on Syrian territory, days after the Israeli Air Force targeted what Israel said were Iranian forces in the war-torn country. "The practice of arbitrary strikes on the territory of a sovereign state -- in this case, we are talking about Syria -- should be ruled out," Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in Moscow on January 23. Israel has pledged to stop Iran from entrenching itself militarily in Syria, carrying out hundreds of air strikes there against what it describes as Iranian targets in Syria and those of allied militia, including Lebanon's Shi'ite militant group Hizballah. The strikes have caused friction between Israel and Russia, which along with Iran has provided President Bashar al-Assad with crucial military support throughout the Syrian conflict, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions. Zakharova said such strikes added to tensions in the region, which she said was not in the long-term interests of any country there. "We should never allow Syria, which has suffered years of armed conflict, to be turned into an arena where geopolitical scores are settled," she also said.”

Iran

The Washington Post: Report: Iran Court Sentences Whistle-Blower To 5 Years

“The official IRNA news agency reports that an Iranian court has sentenced a prominent journalist to five years in prison. IRNA said Wednesday the court found Yashar Soltani guilty of false reporting and insulting entities. In recent years, Soltani has routinely published reports on corruption in Iranian public agencies. Authorities in recent months have also detained several other journalists and activists on security-related charges. On Tuesday, authorities took three writers — Reza Mahabadi, Keivan Bajan and Bektash Abtin — into custody after they failed to provide sufficient bail following allegations of plotting against national security. Another court Tuesday sentenced two activists, Reza Khandan and Farhad Mesami, to six years in prison each. In December, a court sentenced journalist Hamed Aynehvand to six years. All the verdicts are subject to appeal.”

The New York Times: U.S. Releases American Journalist Who Works For Iranian TV After Testimony

“An American journalist for Iran’s Press TV was freed in Washington by federal law enforcement officials on Wednesday, her son said, ending a detention that began on Jan. 13 when the F.B.I. took her into custody as a material witness. The arrest of the journalist, Marzieh Hashemi, 59, had become a flash point of tension between Iran and the United States for more than a week. Ms. Hashemi had been ordered to appear before a grand jury in Washington but was not charged with a crime. Her family and Iranian leaders accused American officials of disrespecting her Muslim faith while she was under arrest, forcing her to remove her hijab, or head scarf, and offering her only non-halal food. The F.B.I. has declined to talk about Ms. Hashemi or the grand jury case in which she had been required to testify.”

CNN: Three Years Old, The Iran Nuclear Deal Is Fraying Quickly

“Three years ago last week, the Iran nuclear deal came into effect, limiting the country's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief. But in the wake of the Trump administration's withdrawal from the agreement, and with relations between the European Union and Iran declining sharply, there is growing doubt it will see its fourth birthday. The Europeans and Iran are at odds on a range of issues: Iran's ballistic missile program, attacks and plots against Iranian dissidents in Europe and slow progress towarda relieving the effects of US sanctions. A meeting earlier this month between several European diplomats and the Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araqchi, is reported to have ended in acrimony. Iranian news agency Entekhab, citing anonymous sources, says Araqchi rejected European complaints about the missile program and plots against Iranian dissidents. Entekhab quoted Araqchi as telling the meeting: "I thought you have come here to talk about your laxity regarding the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] and terrorists who you have sheltered in Europe and make apologies.”

Times Of Israel: Iran’s Defense Minister Says Another Satellite Launch Coming ‘Soon’

“Iran’s defense minister vowed on Wednesday to carry out another satellite launch “soon” and promised “good news” would be announced in the near future about the country’s defense industry. Amir Hatami’s comments follow a failed attempt by Iran to put a satellite in orbit last week. The “technical problem” that led to the failure “is clear for us,” Hatami was quoted by the official Mehr news agency as saying on Wednesday, outside a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Iran had said that it planned to send two non-military satellites, Payam and Doosti, into orbit. The Payam, which means “message” in Farsi, was an imagery satellite that Iranian officials said would help with farming and other activities. It is unclear how the failure of the Payam will affect the launch timing for the Doosti, which means “friendship.” Telecommunications Minister Mohammad Javad Azari Jahromi wrote on Twitter last week that “Doosti is waiting for orbit,” without elaborating. Shortly after the Payam’s failure, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani seemed to suggest it would be several months before another attempted satellite launch. He said Iran had “achieved great success in building satellites and launching them. That means we are on the right track.”

Iraq

Iraqi News: 43 IS Militants Killed, Wounded As They Planned Attack On Iraqi Troops, Says Commander

“Pro-government fighters of Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi thwarted on Wednesday a planned attack by Islamic State militants on security forces in a village on the Iraqi-Syrian border, leaving 43 terrorists dead and wounded. “Iraqi artillery targeted a hotbed grouping IS militants in the village of Baghuz on the Iraqi-Syrian border after receiving intelligence reports about a plot by those extremists to attack security forces,” Almaalomah news website quoted Commander of Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi operations in Western Anbar Qassim Mosleh as saying. “The artillery shelling left 43 IS militants dead and wounded, and destroyed a large number of weaponry and armored vehicles that were planned to be used in the attack on the security forces,” he added. Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks across Iraq against troops. Security reports indicate that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country. Al-Hashd Al-Shaabi, an alliance of volunteer Shia paramilitary forces, actively backed the Iraqi government’s military campaign against IS since 2014, when they were formed upon a top Shia clergy edict to counter the Sunni Jihadist group.”

Iraqi News: Iraqi Troops Apprehend Islamic State Militant In Anbar

“The Iraqi intelligence service announced on Wednesday the capture of an Islamic State militant a few hours after he came back from Turkey. Acting upon intelligence reports, military intelligence agents managed to arrest an Islamic State militant, who fled to Turkey following the Islamic State’s collapse in Iraq in December 2017, Alghad Press website quoted the Iraqi Military Intelligence Directorate as saying in a statement. The terrorist took part in the armed attacks that was launched by Islamic State against security forces during the group’s capture of a large swath of Iraqi territories during the period from 2014 to 2017, the statement read. He was taken to a detention center for interrogation, the statement concluded. Between June 2014 and December 2017, Islamic State seized large areas of Iraq and led a campaign of widespread violence and systematic violations of international human rights and humanitarian law – acts that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite the group’s crushing defeat at its main havens across Iraq, Islamic State continues to launch sporadic attacks against troops with security reports warning that the militant group still poses a threat against stability in the country.”

Afghanistan

The New York Times: Airstrike Said To Kill Taliban Mastermind Prompts Dispute In Afghanistan

“Afghanistan’s intelligence agency said on Wednesday that the mastermind of a bloody attack on the agency’s base this week had been killed in an airstrike, but residents and local officials in the area said the airstrike had in fact targeted a group of hunters on a hilltop. In a daring attack on Monday, the Taliban used an armored Humvee it had seized from Afghan forces, packing it with explosives and driving it onto an Afghan intelligence base to detonate. At least 40 intelligence personnel were killed and 60 others were wounded. The intelligence agency, the National Directorate of Security, said in a statement on Wednesday that its forces had traced the mastermind of that attack, a man they identified as Commander Noman. The agency said it had targeted him and seven others it described as terrorists on Tuesday with an airstrike in Maidan Shahr, in the center of Wardak Province. “He was targeted in the provincial capital,” the statement added. The agency did not say who had executed the strike, though Afghan forces often rely on the American military to carry out airstrikes. A spokesman for the American military in Afghanistan said that United States forces had carried out a strike in Wardak, without providing further details.”

The Washington Post: Former Interpreters For U.S. Troops Wait Out The State Department — And The Taliban — As Visas Decline

“He does not take unnecessary trips, but before he steps into his car, he contorts his body to inspect the chassis for magnetic bombs. The man, 32, was an interpreter for U.S. troops in Afghanistan for seven years, much of that time with an ear pressed to a radio to intercept Taliban chatter that officers said provided vital intelligence. In 2013, following two militant attempts to kill or capture him, he applied for a special visa for Afghans endangered because of their work for the United States. He spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear for his life. His plans to settle in Texas have been set adrift amid the Trump administration’s heightened scrutiny for issuing visas. Last year, 1,649 such visas were approved for Afghans — a 60 percent drop from the previous year. This was, by far, the biggest decline in the program’s 10-year existence. The challenge to secure such visas is not entirely new. The issuance of special visas dropped by 30 percent in 2015 — a result of changing security measures implemented by the Obama administration, interpreter advocates say. However, there is a renewed sense of urgency to provide safe haven for Afghans who have been instrumental in helping U.S. forces, advocates say, now that the Taliban has been resurgent in the country amid uncertainty about a potential U.S. troop pullout.”

The New York Post: World’s Bravest Guide Ignores ISIS To Take Tourists Through Afghanistan

“Meet the man with the world’s most dangerous travel job — he’s a tour guide who shows people around Afghanistan and gets death threats from the Taliban and ISIIS. Hafizullah ‘Akbar’ Kohistani, 29, ferries European thrill seekers across the Middle Eastern country and acts as their bodyguard if they get into trouble. But the former Afghan National Army soldier from Kabul has come under threat from Islamists as well as his neighbors for his controversial company. He has had to unfriend or block his family from his social media pages in a bid to protect them from the contentious pictures he posts with tourists. And he was also forced to create a new Facebook account as he no longer accepts friend requests from Afghans. Kohistani during one of his tours of Afghanistan in November 2018. Kohistani said: “My family’s life is at risk.” “Sometimes I receive some threats from unknown people, mostly they are unhappy that why I am working with foreigners and I try to explain to them that I am not working with military forces, I am working with tourists.” “But I think I should continue up to the end because I am already inside and I cannot go back and lots of people know what I am doing."

Yemen

The National: Houthis Condemned For Pillaging Historic Yemeni Library

“The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have been condemned for pillaging a library in the Unesco-listed heritage site of Zabid, one of the oldest towns in Yemen. The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (IESCO) slammed the rebels for ransacking the library and taking historic artifacts, scientific books and manuscripts. Zabid is in Hodeidah province, the site of the battle between the Arab Coalition and the rebels for control of the Red Sea port city vital for the delivery of humanitarian aid to the Yemeni population. ISESCO director general Abdulaziz bin Othaman Al Twajairi said that the pillaging of such heritage was a criminal offence that was a betrayal of the Yemeni people and a violation of international agreements. He called on the UN and its cultural agency Unesco to ensure that the rebels returned the items they had stolen from the library. He cited the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict that prevents the theft of such historic items.”

Arab News: Put Pressure On Houthis To Comply With Stockholm Agreement, Saudi Envoy Urges UN

“Saudi Arabia’s envoy to the US urged the United Nations on Thursday to take the Houthi militia to task for “reneging on their commitments” under the Stockholm Agreement on Yemen. “The Stockholm Agreement between Yemeni parties is being violated repeatedly by the Houthis,” Prince Khalid bin Salman said in a series of tweets. He said the Yemeni government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and the Saudi-led Coalition that is backing it have been implementing their obligation under the agreement. Signed last December in Stockholm, Sweden, the agreement is an important first step for sustainable peace and offers hope for millions of Yemenis.”

Lebanon

Times Of Israel: Rivlin Warns Macron: Israel May Have To Hit Hezbollah Rocket Factories In Beirut

“President Reuven Rivlin on Wednesday told his French counterpart that Israel could be forced to strike the Hezbollah terror group’s rocket-building operations “in the heart of Beirut,” a development he warned would drag Lebanon into a punishing regional war that neither side wants. Rivlin made the remarks during a meeting with France’s President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée Palace in Paris during an official visit to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and France. “If we are threatened from Lebanon, we will not stand by,” Rivlin told Macron, according a statement from his office. “Hezbollah is creating facilities to produce and convert precision-guided missiles in the heart of Beirut under civilian cover and with Iranian support.” “This threatens Israeli security and could force us to respond, dragging the region into escalation that could badly harm Lebanon.” The last major conflict between Israel and Lebanon was the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Rivlin stressed that Israel holds the Lebanese government responsible for all military activity in its territory and urged Macron to use France’s diplomatic clout to convince Beirut to contain the Iran-backed Hezbollah. “Lebanon bears sovereign responsibility for all Hezbollah actions,” he said.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: Lebanon: Hezbollah Accused Of Attempting To Change The Constitution

“Maronite Patriarch Beshara Al-Rai warned of “secret and public attempts” to change the system and the identity and of a “tripartite ruling that undermines the Christian-Islamic coexistence formula.” During a meeting of the main Christian party leaders and deputies in Bkirki on Jan. 16, Rai warned that Lebanese unity was in jeopardy, “One of the reasons behind the current political crisis is the failure to implement Taef Agreement and the Constitution,” he explained, stressing that non-compliant practices and norms have been as well introduced. In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Writer and Political Analyst Hanna Saleh said that talks about a tripartite ruling were not new, but gained more impetus after Hezbollah and its allies obtained a parliamentary majority. He noted in this regard that Iran had submitted many proposals through Hezbollah to control the Lebanese decision making. Saleh recounted that after the July 2006 war with Israel, then-Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki visited former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and officially discussed with him the tripartite ruling. It was reported that Mottaki proposed the creation of a vice-president seat - like that of the prime minister and the speaker – to be occupied by a Shiite figure.”

Middle East

Kurdistan 24: US-Backed SDF Forces Close To Victory In Last ISIS-Held Pocket: Monitoring Group

“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) on Wednesday claimed the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are getting close to defeating the Islamic State in the countryside of Deir al-Zor. “The SDF managed to achieve an important and strategic advancement in the area, through advancing into and taking the control of about the half of Al-Baghuz Foqani town, which is the last town left under the control of the “Islamic State” organization in Syria,” the SOHR said. Ranya Mohammed, a Syrian Kurdish journalist, also tweeted that SDF fighters have reached the town of Baghuz and that many Islamic State families had fled to SDF-held areas. Currently, the jihadist group holds only about 10 square kilometers in that region. According to some sources, morale among the remaining Islamic State fighters is at an all-time low with many surrendering to the Kurdish-led SDF. “The rest of ISIS members who are still in an enclave east of the Euphrates refuse to surrender,” as “hundreds” of their members have surrendered to the SDF “in the past 24 hours,” the monitor group asserted.”

Nigeria

Breitbart News: Christian Group: Boko Haram Razed At Least 1,125 Churches Since 2009

“Boko Haram jihadis have set ablaze a total of 1,125 churches and other religious structures belonging to just one Christian denomination in Nigeria since the terrorist group launched an uprising for Islamist rule in the African country in 2009, Rev. Joel Billi, the leader of the victimized group known as the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, reportedly revealed this week. Also known as the Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa A Nigeria (EYN) in the Hausa language, the Christian group primarily resides in northeastern Nigeria, home to Boko Haram’s birthplace and primary stronghold. According to the Daily Post, Billi is urging Nigeria’s federal government to help EYN rebuild the church branches razed by Boko Haram terrorists since 2009. The EYN says Boko Haram has destroyed a total of 1,125 of its church buildings and other structures over the years of insurgency. These include its headquarters office complex, which has been rebuilt, a church auditorium which is yet to be fully reconstructed, and an adjacent pastor’s residential quarters where reconstructions work is yet to start.”

Africa

Middle East Eye: Protests Continue In Sudan As Bashir Meets Qatari Ruler

“Hundreds of protesters gathered in Sudan’s capital Khartoum and its twin city Omdurman to demonstrate against the rule of Omar al-Bashir, just as the embattled Sudanese president landed in Qatar for a two-day visit. Sudanese police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters on Tuesday as demonstrators staged night-and-daytime rallies against the government. The demonstrations were the latest in more than a month of escalating protests against Bashir's three-decade rule. They also coincided with Bashir's first trip abroad since the unprecedented, anti-Bashir rallies first broke out on 19 December after a government decision to triple the price of bread. The ruler of Qatar offered support for Sudan's "unity and stability" on Wednesday at a meeting with President Omar al-Bashir on his first foreign visit in more than a month of protests against him, a statement said.”

All Africa: Cameroon Mobilizes Military Following Boko Haram, Separatist Attacks

“Cameroon says it is mobilizing troops along the country’s northern border with Nigeria and in the western English-speaking regions, following renewed attacks by Boko Haram in the north and separatists in the west. Cameroon’s military calls for troops to assemble at its headquarters in Yaounde ahead of major deployments. Defense Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Rene Claude Meka said 2019 will see Cameroon fight for national unity and territorial integrity. He said they have re-mobilized the military to all trouble spots. Boko Haram, the Nigeria-based Islamist terrorist group, is again recruiting fighters in Cameroon and attacking our northern border, said Meka. Meanwhile, separatists fighting to create an English-speaking state have recruited mercenaries from neighboring countries to destabilize Cameroon, he said. Cameroon’s military says there is a Boko Haram resurgence on its northern border with Nigeria. It reports five attacks across the border and in the Lake Chad basin this month. Last week three people were reported killed in the border town of Fotokol as troops repelled a Boko Haram attack. Separatist fighting also intensified in Cameroon’s two English-speaking regions in the northwest and southwest.”

The Conversation: How Kenya’s Tourism Industry Has Felt The Impact Of Terrorist Attacks

“The impact of Kenya’s recent terrorist attack will be felt greatly by its tourism industry. Terrorism, and insecurity generally, is largely responsible for the sector’s poor performance over the last decade. Between 2011 and 2017, there were on average 60 attacks each year carried out by different groups, each varying in magnitude. Over half of them are suspected to have been perpetrated by al-Shabaab. These include high-profile attacks in 2002 on Paradise hotel in Mombasa, the Westgate shopping mall in 2013 and Garissa University in 2015. This had a huge impact on tourism numbers. Kenya’s vision 2030 – a development plan which aims to transform Kenya into a middle-income country – sought to increase tourism arrivals from 1.7 million in 2012 to three million visitors by 2017. But in 2017 the actual arrivals were only 1.45 million. 2014 was a particularly challenging year for the sector, as this was when terrorist attacks peaked at close to 100 incidences. The recent attack raises concerns that those dependent on tourism face the prospect of prolonged stagnation in the sector and job losses yet again. Tourism is very important to the Kenyan economy. It provides huge employment and foreign exchange earnings.”

North Korea

Associated Press: North Korea’s Leader Orders Preparations For 2nd Trump Meet

“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered preparations for a second summit with President Donald Trump, saying he’ll “wait with patience and in good faith” to work toward a common goal, the North’s state media reported Thursday. Despite Kim’s determination for another meeting with Trump, the two remain at odds over fundamental issues. Experts say a major sticking point is what denuclearization steps Kim should take to move forward stalled nuclear negotiations and what rewards Trump should provide to push Kim to take those measures. The Korean Central News Agency said Kim received a letter from Trump from a North Korean envoy who met the U.S. president in Washington last week. After meeting Kim Yong Chol, Trump said that he and Kim Jong Un will probably meet around the end of February but did not say exactly when and where the summit would take place. Thursday’s report said Kim expressed satisfaction with his envoy’s meeting with Trump and spoke highly of the U.S. president for “expressing his unusual determination and will for the settlement of the issue with a great interest in the second summit.”

United Kingdom

The Washington Post: UK Top Counter-Terrorism Cop Warns Of ‘No-Deal’ Brexit Risks

“Britain’s senior counter-terrorism police officer warned Wednesday of the dangers of leaving the European Union without a withdrawal deal in place, saying a “no-deal” Brexit that cut off Britain’s access to shared data and intelligence systems would leave both Britain and the EU in a “very bad place.” Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said Wednesday that the security threat would increase if Britain is not able to exchange data or biometrics on suspected criminals and terrorists as it currently does with EU nations. Britain is scheduled to leave the EU bloc on March 29. A “no-deal” Brexit is possible because the British Parliament has rejected the arrangement the government negotiated with EU leaders. Basu said counter-terrorism police stationed in various embassies and agencies throughout Europe are working on contingency plans to handle a “no-deal” departure. “They are working very hard with their counterparts to understand how we cope if there is a no-deal Brexit, but as I said, a no-deal Brexit for operational security would be a very bad thing,” he said. Police are also concerned that it will become harder to bring suspects and fugitives back to Britain from other EU countries once Britain leaves the bloc and the streamlined European Arrest Warrant system.”

Germany

Fox News: Amb. Richard Grenell: Why Germany's Decision To Shut Down Iran's Mahan Air Is A Major Step Against Terror

“To safeguard its own national security, the German government took the decisive step Monday, January 21, to deny future landing rights to the Iranian airline Mahan Air, which had operated multiple weekly flights to the Munich and Düsseldorf airports. We applaud the government’s decision, which rightly recognizes the airline’s role in enabling the Iranian regime’s support for terrorist proxies serving the Assad regime and spreading violence and terror across the region – with direct effects on European security. Monday’s announcement was a resolute decision to protect Germans and Europeans, but also to stand with the displaced people of Syria. This decision denies support to the Assad regime, and deals a blow to Iran’s support for regional terror organizations, including Hezbollah. Mahan Air’s continued ability to operate around the globe gives the airline false legitimacy. It draws attention away from Mahan’s unwavering support for its most loyal customer -- Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF), which the European Union has described as “Tehran’s principal foreign policy tool for special operations and support to terrorists and Islamic militants abroad.”

Latin America

Miami Herald: What Would It Mean To Put Venezuela On The U.S. List Of Nations That Sponsor Terrorism?

“As South Florida lawmakers praised President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Venezuela’s opposition leader as the country’s de facto president, some are urging the administration to go further. “I went to the White House yesterday and talked to the president about what to do in Venezuela,” Sen. Rick Scott said on Wednesday. “[Nicolás] Maduro’s clearly a terrorist. We need to declare Venezuela as a terrorist state. It clearly is.” Designating Venezuela as a state sponsor of terror would trigger sweeping economic sanctions and put strict limitations on U.S. citizens doing business with a country that boasts the largest oil reserves in the world. Only Iran, Syria, North Korea and Sudan are currently designated as state sponsors of terror by the United States.”

Canada

Global News: ISIS Video Allegedly Shows Doctor From Canada Urging ‘Jihad’

“A video released Wednesday by the ISIS affiliate in Somalia showed a man it said was a doctor from Canada urging supporters to “get on the path of jihad.” The 15-minute propaganda video introduced him as Dr. Youssef Al Majeerteyn and said he had “died bravely.” A man then spoke to the camera in Canadian-sounding English. Wearing a stethoscope and seated in front of a rifle and ISIS flag, he encouraged “brothers and sisters” to join the terrorist group, which has a small presence in Somalia. “What will you say to Allah on the day of judgment when you are asked what have you done for the ummah [community] while your fellow Muslims are being bombed by the kuffar [disbelievers] and murtadeen [apostates] day and night?” he said. “Get on the path of jihad and book yourself the highest places in jannah [paradise].” It did not say how he died but the United States military has been conducting airstrikes in Somalia targeting ISIS and Al Shabab, which claimed responsibility for last week’s attack in Nairobi. Canadian terrorism researcher Amarnath Amarasingam said the video was one of the first to acknowledge that Western foreign fighters were active in the so-called Somalia province of ISIS.”

Southeast Asia

Breitbart News: Muslim Terrorist Group Seeks Autonomy In Philippine Referendum

“The Philippine island of Mindanao held a referendum on Monday to establish an autonomous region governed by the largely Muslim residents. More specifically, the prospective Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM) would be controlled by a terrorist organization, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The MILF has been fighting an insurgency against the Philippine government for decades, killing at least 150,000 people along the way. The autonomous region was proposed during peace negotiations between the Islamist group and the government of the majority-Catholic Philippines. The MILF seeks to create an Islamic state very much in the “Islamic State” sense; they are Islamic fundamentalists who parted ways with a more secular separatist group long ago. They fought against ISIS in an Islamist power struggle after ISIS recruited their rivals in the Abu Sayyaf organization, winning enough with from the Philippine government to move the autonomy referendum forward. Joining forces with the government against ISIS also helped the MILF subdue or eliminate various splinter groups that favored the Islamic State. The most notorious of those splinter cells, the Maute Group, provoked a crisis by seizing the city of Marawi and holding it for five months in 2017.”

Technology

The News York Times: He Reported on Facebook. Now He Approaches It With Caution.

“You’ve written a lot about data privacy and the misuse of people’s online data. How do you protect your own data privacy in your work? I’m not a privacy expert, just a normal person who has done some reporting on how tech platforms handle personal data. So the answer is: I protect my privacy as well as I can — which is not very well. Most of the ecosystem of mobile phones and apps, as well as the advertising technology that permeates the mobile and desktop web, is designed to extract a large amount of your personal information. The whole thing is effectively unregulated and almost impossible to escape without a fair amount of planning and technical expertise. I use an iPhone, because Apple has some reasonable tech in place to protect your privacy. (Android phones, running Google’s operating system, are voracious and arguably unscrupulous collectors of information about their owners; an Android phone with Chrome open sends your location back to Google about 300 times a day, according to one study.) I’ve turned off location tracking for almost all of the apps I use, and I’ve tried to limit what Google apps I have on my iPhone.”

The Wall Street Journal: Advocacy Groups Urge FTC To Pursue Facebook Breakup

“Several advocacy groups are urging the Federal Trade Commission to seek a breakup of Facebook Inc. as it weighs possible penalties against the social media company for privacy violations. Facebook has acknowledged that the data firm Cambridge Analytica improperly obtained personal data of millions of users. The FTC is nearing completion of an investigation into the matter and is weighing penalties, including a substantial fine. Among other remedies, “the FTC should require Facebook to unwind the acquisition of both WhatsApp and Instagram” for its failure to protect the data of those apps’ users, according to a draft letter from the groups to the FTC. A copy of the letter, dated Jan. 24, was obtained by The Wall Street Journal. “Facebook has operated for too long with too little accountability,” said Marc Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, one of the groups expected to sign the letter. Others include Color of Change, which advocates racial justice, and Open Markets Institute, which promotes business competition.”

BBC News: Facebook 'Sorry' For Distressing Suicide Posts On Instagram

“Facebook has said it is "deeply sorry" after it emerged a teenager who took her own life had viewed disturbing content about suicide on social media. Molly Russell, 14, died in 2017. Her father Ian says he believes Instagram "helped kill my daughter". Facebook, which owns Instagram, said graphic content which sensationalises self-harm and suicide "has no place on our platform". Advertisers have also raised concerns over ads being next to such posts. According to a BBC investigation, adverts for some UK high street brands are appearing alongside graphic content about self-harm, depression and suicide on the social media app. Instagram says adverts are not targeted to appear next to certain videos or content. Mr Russell earlier told the BBC how after his daughter died, the family began to look at the Instagram accounts she had been following from people who were depressed, self-harming or suicidal.”

Mother Jones: Despite Ban, Infowars Conspiracy Videos Are Easy To Find On Facebook And Youtube

“After years of his spreading erroneous conspiracy theories online, in August, tech companies including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Apple, and Spotify made headlines when they announced they would finally ban radio host Alex Jones and his Infowars brand from their platforms for violating their terms of service. But now, months later, his conspiracy-laden material remains on several of the sites, sometimes almost as easy to find as it was before he was formally removed. While Jones no longer has official pages boosting his content on major social-media sites, YouTube and Facebook have so far allowed a series of pages that have cropped up to post Jones’ videos and effectively circumvent the bans. Jones-supporting Facebook pages often do little to hide their identity, explicitly including variations of “Alex Jones” or “Infowars” in their names, and can easily be found by searching for such terms. Some of the pages are not obscure, boasting tens of thousands of followers. They routinely relay livestreams of his daily shows and continue to host archives of them on Facebook.”

Financing of Terrorism

Chtouka Press: Morocco: Arrest Of Frenchman Wanted For Terror Financing

“National Security Forces at the Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca arrested, on Tuesday, a 36-year-old French citizen of Algerian origin who was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the French judicial authorities. The man is suspected of financing terrorism, forming a criminal gang and praising terrorist acts. A statement issued by the Directorate General of National Security said that the suspect was arrested on arrival from Algeria at the Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca. There he underwent arrest procedures after it became evident that he was the subject of an international arrest warrant issued by the French judicial authorities on April 22, 2016.”

Elwatan News: Journalist: Italy-Based Network Transfers Funds To Extremist Groups In Egypt

“Nashaat El Deehy, a prominent Egyptian media figure, submitted an official complaint to the Public Prosecutor Office against an Italy-based network implicated in transferring funds to extremist groups operating in Egypt. During his livestream program on the Egyptian "TenTV" channel, El Deehy mentioned that an Italian satellite television channel had broadcast an investigative report which exposed one of the members of that network. The renowned journalist went on to say that the members of the network, who are Egyptian and Arab nationals, are secretly remitting funds to activists affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS in Egypt.”

Muslim Brotherhood

Seventh Day: Expert Accuses Muslim Brotherhood Of Stealing Donations

“Tarek Elbeshbeshy, a former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and present-time researcher on Islamic movements, revealed that many leaders of the group had been involved in thievery and harassment of women. Some of the senior Brotherhood officials stole funds donated for {the sake of} the Palestinian people. Others appropriated projects owned by the group, refusing to give back ownership of projects that had been registered under their names for concealment purposes, Elbeshbeshy asserted. These Muslim Brotherhood leaders also stole funds from the "Almadina Almonawara" schools in Alexandria and charitable donations intended for the Palestinians in Boheira, the specialist noted. On its part, the organization's leadership remains silent concerning these acts of fraud in order not to tarnish the organization's "holy" image, Elbeshbeshy explained.”

Shbabbek: Egyptian Businessman: Muslim Brotherhood Offered To Acquire The British University Of Egypt For EGP 8 Million

“Mohammed Farid Khamis, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the British University in Egypt (BUE), disclosed that the Muslim Brotherhood had offered to purchase BUE for EGP 8 million ($447,000) shortly before the outbreak of the June 30th Revolution. Khamis, a prominent Egyptian businessman, revealed that the group's leaders had held a meeting with him for that purpose. Subsequently, Khamis required a three-week time period to discuss the offer with his partners. Yet, the outbreak of the revolution prevented any further discussion of the Muslim Brotherhood's proposal to acquire the university.”

Houthi

Almontasaf Net: Houthi Militants Abduct A Merchant And Pocket His Money

“Houthi militants kidnapped a merchant in the city of al-Qa'idah, south of Ibb province, tortured him and stole his money. The sources noted that the merchant was held in a special prison for three days. They quoted the merchant as saying that the Houthi militants had blindfolded him, tied his hands, interrogated him, and forced him to swallow unknown pills. The militants then seized his assets estimated at millions of riyals. After three days of captivity and torture, they drove him to the village of Naqil Samara (linking Ibb and the Yarim district) where they dumped him, before he was taken to his home by a citizen who found him {lying there} in bad condition.”
__________________
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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