Eye on Extremism - March 3, 2020

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Eye on Extremism
March 3, 2020
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of March 3rd 2020:

Politico: Cracks Start To Show In Taliban Peace Deal

“Signs began to show Monday that key pillars of the agreement to negotiate an end to the Afghanistan war were starting to buckle, just hours after the United States signed what was billed as a historic agreement with the Taliban. Reports emerged Monday that fighting had resumed between the Taliban and the Afghan security forces, marking an end to the reduction in violence that paved the way for the agreement that was signed Saturday by U.S. and Taliban officials. Also on Monday, the Taliban refused to take part in intra-Afghan talks, one of the conditions of a full withdrawal of U.S. troops, until the Afghan government releases roughly 5,000 Taliban prisoners. The agreement calls for the prisoners to be released in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives by March 10. Less than 24 hours after the agreement was signed, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, whose government was not involved in the U.S.-Taliban deal, rejected the Taliban’s demand. “The reduction in violence will continue with a goal to reach a full ceasefire,” he told reporters in Kabul. “There is no commitment to releasing 5,000 prisoners.” Senior Pentagon officials cautioned against jumping to conclusions just two days after the agreement was signed.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: Houthis Threaten Relief Organizations, Impose New Conditions

“The Iran-backed Houthi militias have threatened to bring the work of humanitarian organizations operating in Yemeni areas under their control to a halt, said local sources speaking on condition of anonymity. The Houthis have imposed new conditions in exchange for allowing humanitarian relief work to continue. They are now demanding that relief organizations obtain prior approval from the militias’ leaders on all the relief projects that they intend to implement in Houthi-controlled areas. They are also imposing the militias’ control over the implementation of projects. Sources pointed out that during a meeting with UN officials a few days ago, Houthi leader Mohammed Ali al-Houthi vowed to stop activities of humanitarian organizations, including United Nations agencies, if they did not adhere to the militias’ instructions. While Houthi obstruction prevented millions of people from receiving aid in Sanaa and other regions, official sources claimed the militias agreed with UN officials on procedures relating to handing over proposed projects to Houthi leaders for approval. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hadhrami affirmed the government's commitment to facilitating the mission of humanitarian aid organizations and workers in Yemen.”

The New York Times: Can YouTube Quiet Its Conspiracy Theorists?

“For years it has been a highly effective megaphone for conspiracy theorists, and YouTube, owned and run by Google, has admitted as much. In January 2019, YouTube said it would limit the spread of videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” One year later, YouTube recommends conspiracy theories far less than before. But its progress has been uneven and it continues to advance certain types of fabrications, according to a new study from researchers at University of California, Berkeley. YouTube’s efforts to curb conspiracy theories pose a major test of Silicon Valley’s ability to combat misinformation, particularly ahead of this year’s elections. The study, which examined eight million recommendations over 15 months, provides one of the clearest pictures yet of that fight, and the mixed findings show how challenging the issue remains for tech companies like Google, Facebook and Twitter.”

Syria

Reuters: 'All Our Dreams Are Gone;' Desperation Deepens For Syrians As Conflict Intensifies

“At a maternity hospital in northwest Syria, an alarm flashes at the main entrance to alert staff. It’s not patients en route to the hospital. It’s warplanes. Doctors at the hospital face a daily struggle to care for expectant mothers amid a Syrian government assault that has driven deep into Idlib province in an attempt to snuff out the last stronghold of rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad. Medical staff said there had been a marked rise in miscarriages and premature births in the last two months. Some expectant mothers arrive in shock after leaving home in terror at the bombardment, and every day four or five babies are found to have died in the womb, one doctor told Reuters. “For me, the latest stage has been the toughest of all,” said the doctor, 37-year old Ikram who is eight months pregnant. Speaking Thursday in a small ward filled with a dozen tiny babies in incubators, she said the last hospital she worked in had been hit in an air strike. She said so too had her father-in-law’s house and that a rocket had landed unexploded next to the kindergarten her two young children – aged 3 and 4 - usually attend. Minutes after she spoke the hospital’s alarm went off. An amber light flashed warning of an aircraft approaching and a red light signaled danger of a direct strike.”

Reuters: Russia, Turkey May Have Committed War Crimes In Syria, U.N. Says

“Russia killed civilians in air strikes in Syria last year while rebels allied to Turkey carried out murder and pillage in Kurdish areas, U.N. investigators said on Monday - actions it said could amount to war crimes by both Moscow and Ankara. A report by a U.N. commission found that Russia - the Syrian government’s main ally against rebels and militants - conducted air strikes on a popular market and a camp for displaced people that killed dozens of civilians in July and August. “In both incidents, the Russian Air Force did not direct the attacks at a specific military objective, amounting to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks in civilian areas,” the report said. It also described abuses by rebels allied to Turkey during an assault on Kurdish-held areas, and said that if the rebels were acting under the control of Turkish military forces, those commanders may be liable for war crimes. Paulo Pinheiro, the commission’s chairman, said it had added names linked to the latest crimes to its confidential list of suspected perpetrators. It has received 200 requests from judicial authorities worldwide for information on crimes committed during Syria’s nine-year war, he told a news briefing.”

The National: Hezbollah Deaths Highlight The Group’s Active Role In North-West Syria

“Hezbollah on Sunday buried eight militants killed in a Turkish missile strike in Idlib province, in an attack that reflects the Iran-backed Lebanese group’s changing role in north-west Syria. On Sunday, thousands of people gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs to attend the burial of five of the men. Some wore face masks to protect against coronavirus while the funeral crowds chanted, “Our party is Hezbollah and our leader is Nasrallah,” referring to the group’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, as the coffins were carried past. Sounds of gunfire rang through the air as those attending climbed on to rooftops of surrounding buildings to look over the vast crowds. Ali Al Zanjani, Mahmoud Hamid, Eissa Barji, Talal Hamza and Ahmed Mustafa were buried in a Hezbollah cemetery. Three other burials took place in other towns in Lebanon and a ninth militant was buried on Monday. The Lebanese militants were killed on Friday in a Turkish missile strike at Al Talhiya near Saraqib in Idlib province, sources said. They were alongside Afghans from the Iran-backed Fatemiyoun Brigade and Syrian army troops. It was not clear how long the Hezbollah militants killed on Friday were there, but a friend of Hamid said the two were together in Beirut a fortnight ago.”

Voice Of America: Kurds Determined To Try IS Foreign Fighters In Syria

“Syrian Kurdish officials seem firm on moving ahead with their plans to put captured Islamic State (IS) foreign fighters on trial in Syria, despite little international support. Nearly one year after declaring the physical defeat of IS’s so-called caliphate in eastern Syria, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led military alliance backed by the U.S., says it is ready to try IS foreign fighters through its local judicial system. “Since all evidences, witnesses and victims [of IS fighters] are present in our region, we have proposed to hold their trials here.” said Kamal Akif, a spokesperson for the foreign relations office at the Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria. “We have been discussing this issue with all sides,” he told VOA. The SDF holds about 12,000 IS fighters, including 2,000 foreign fighters who hail from about 50 countries. There are also about 12,000 foreign women and children affiliated with the terror group that are held in detention camps in eastern Syria. Many of the countries IS fighters come from have largely declined to take them back. Thus, the SDF hopes its new proposal would garner enough support from countries such as the U.S., France, Britain and Germany. “So far we have received positive vibes from our international partners,” Akif said, adding that they “could soon begin practical matters” related to trying IS foreign fighters.”

Iraq

The New York Times: She Faced Her ISIS Rapist In Court, Then Watched Him Sentenced To Death

“Iraq has held thousands of trials for members of the Islamic State, but until Monday none had sought to bring justice specifically to the thousands of members of the Yazidi religious minority who were kidnapped, raped and killed. A soft-spoken 20-year old Yazidi woman changed that when she decided to testify in open court. The witness, Ashwaq Haji Hamid Talo, gave a restrained but searing account to judges and before the public — in the presence of the ISIS militant to whom she was once given as a gift, and who raped her repeatedly. The defendant, Mohammed Rashid Sahab, 36, who is an Iraqi, was found guilty of participating in a terrorist organization and in the rape and abduction of Yazidi women. He was given the death penalty. “The most important thing to me is that my dream came true and I was watching the one who raped me being sentenced to death,” Ms. Haji Hamid said afterward. The trial, which ended on Monday, was the first in Iraq to specifically address the Islamic State’s crimes against the Yazidis — or at least one militant’s crimes. It was also the first in which a Yazidi victim personally confronted her attacker. “I want my story to reach the whole world, so my message is heard by my friends and gives them the courage to do the same thing that I did, so that they can get revenge on Daesh,” she said, using the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State.”

Turkey

Daily Sabah: Police Arrest 4 Suspected Daesh Terrorists In NW Turkey

“Turkish police arrested four suspected Daesh terrorists in the northwestern Sakarya province, according to police sources. Local prosecutors investing the terrorist activities of Daesh demanded the arrest of four Iraqi nationals over their suspected links to the terrorist group, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media. With arrest warrants issued, police nabbed the suspects in an anti-terror operation. Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Daesh as a terror group in 2013, as soon as it emerged. The country has since been attacked by Daesh terrorists numerous times, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed attacks, which killed 315 people and injured hundreds. In response, Turkey launched military and police operations at home and abroad to prevent further terror attacks.”

Afghanistan

ABC News: Dispute Over Prisoners, Deadly Attacks In Afghanistan Threaten US Deal With Taliban

“Two days after a historic signing ceremony between the U.S. and the Taliban, a series of attacks across Afghanistan, a possible new command from the Taliban and a disagreement over releasing Taliban prisoners threaten to derail the peace process laid out by the agreement. Still, President Donald Trump said Monday that the U.S. is “getting out” of Afghanistan after over 18 years of war, seemingly regardless of what comes next. The agreement signed Saturday in Doha, Qatar, where chief U.S. negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad spent a year and a half negotiating with Taliban leaders, lays out a full U.S. withdrawal, if the Taliban meet certain commitments -- to engage in national peace negotiations with other Afghans and to prevent Afghanistan from being a safe haven to terror groups, including al-Qaida, whose operatives were responsible for the Sept. 11th attacks and were harbored by the Taliban. To kick that process off, the U.S. agreed to drawn down its forces from approximately 13,000 to 8,600 and close five military bases within 135 days, while the Taliban agreed to meet an Afghan national delegation for negotiations on March 10.”

Reuters: Taliban Rule Out Taking Part In Afghan Talks Until Prisoners Freed

“Taliban militants will not take part in intra-Afghan talks until the Afghan government releases about 5,000 of their prisoners, a spokesman said on Monday, presenting a major possible barrier to ending the war. The statement came as a reduction of violence period came to an end, and the Taliban said a resumption of operations against Afghan government forces could now take place. Under an accord between the United States and the Islamist Taliban signed on Saturday, the two sides are committed to working toward the release of combat and political prisoners as a confidence-building measure. The agreement calls for up to 5,000 Taliban prisoners to be freed in exchange for up to 1,000 Afghan government captives by March 10. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, not involved in the talks, has rejected that demand. “We are fully ready for the intra-Afghan talks, but we are waiting for the release of our 5,000 prisoners,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Reuters by phone. “If our 5,000 prisoners - 100 or 200 more or less does not matter - do not get released there will be no intra-Afghan talks.”

The Guardian: Afghanistan: Bomb Attack Kills Three As Taliban Ends Partial Truce

“Three people have been killed and 11 injured in a motorcycle bomb attack at a football match in eastern Afghanistan, as the Taliban announced an end to a partial truce two days after signing a deal with the US. The Taliban had agreed to a week-long “reduction of violence” as a confidence-building measure ahead of the agreement signed on Saturday, in which the US pledged that all foreign forces would leave Afghanistan within 14 months, if the Taliban sat down for talks on Afghanistan’s future with government representatives. The agreed “reduction in violence” expired on Saturday, but US officials had expressed hope it would be prolonged. The Afghan president, Ashraf Ghani, committed to extending it at least until the scheduled start date for intra-Afghan talks, 10 March. Those talks appeared to be in jeopardy on Monday, as the Kabul government said it had not agreed to the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners before the negotiations started, an offer made by the US as part of its agreement with the insurgent. “The Afghan government has not made any commitment to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners before the start of any potential negotiation,” said Sediq Sediqqi, a spokesman for Ghani, adding that the prisoner exchange “cannot be a requisite for talks”, and instead should be part of the negotiations.”

CNN: Doubts Over Viability Of Trump Administration's Taliban Deal Emerge Within Hours Of Signing

“Less than 72 hours after the signing of the US-Taliban agreement, questions about the Taliban's commitment to reduce violence in Afghanistan and disagreements about the terms of the release of thousands of prisoners are threatening to upend the long-anticipated deal. President Donald Trump on Monday said the US was “getting out” of Afghanistan, noting that “we have discussions to go, but we've made a lot of progress.” The agreement signed Saturday could see the full withdrawal of US and allied forces from Afghanistan in just over a year, with an initial drawdown to 8,600 troops in the first 135 days. US officials have stressed that the withdrawal of troops would be “conditions-based.” Questions remain about the Taliban's continued commitment to a reduction in violence in Afghanistan. A blast in the Khost province of Afghanistan killed at least three people were killed and injured 11 others were injured on Monday. The Taliban has denied responsibility for the attack. US officials have stressed their expectation that such a reduction continue throughout intra-Afghan negotiations. However, this condition is not explicitly written into the text of the agreement. It instead says that “a permanent and comprehensive ceasefire will be an item on the agenda of the intra-Afghan dialogue and negotiations.”

Egypt

The New York Times: Egypt Sentences 37 To Death Including Top Militant Leader

“An Egyptian court on Monday sentenced to death 37 defendants, including one of the country’s most high-profile militants, following their conviction of terrorism-related charges. The Cairo Criminal Court said the defendants were charged with belonging to a local affiliate of the Islamic State group spearheading an insurgency in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Among those sentenced to death was Hisham el-Ashmawi. The militant leader is a former army officer and was captured in Libya late in 2018 by forces loyal to Libyan Gen. Khalifa Hifter, a close ally of Egypt. A military court separately sentenced el-Ashmawi to death in November for his participation in scores of attacks on government targets. Egypt has been fighting for years militants in the restive northern Sinai area and the vast Western Desert. The men are among more than 200 defendants accused of carrying out more than 50 militant attacks that included killing high-ranking police officers and bombings that targeted the Egyptian capital’s police headquarters. The charges include a 2013 assassination attempt on the Egyptian interior minister. The court also sentenced 61 defendants to life in prison, and 85 others got sentences ranging from 15 to 5 years in prison.”

Nigeria

Voice Of America: Over 50 Killed As Armed Men Attack Villages In Northern Nigeria

“Armed men killed at least 50 people Sunday in attacks on villages in the Nigerian state of Kaduna, according to local officials and residents. According to local police, about a hundred armed men attacked the villages of Kerawa, Rago, Zareyawa, Marina, Hashimawa, and Unguwar Barau, all in the Igabi district, shooting residents, and looting and burning homes. Zayyad Ibrahim, a member of Nigerian parliament, said assailants began shooting people at random, as worshipers left mosques after prayer. Ibrahim and local counsellor Dayyabu Kerawa told the French news agency (AFP) that killings were the work of “bandits.” Kerawa said bandits “accused the residents of the targeted villages of providing information about their hiding places to the soldiers.” A local politician, Alhaji Daiyibu Kerawa, told VOA's Hausa service that the shooters were part of Islamist insurgent group Boko Haram. “These killers are Boko Haram. They stormed our village killing indiscriminately. They spared nobody — the young, the old, even Almajiris [Islamic students] were not spared,” he said. “They continued to shoot people, setting fire on the dead and on property. It was extremely horrific!” Kerawa appealed for President Muhammadu Buhari to send security forces to protect the area.”

Christianity Today: Nigeria’s Government Agrees: Islamist Terrorists Target Christians

“The Nigerian government now agrees with what church leaders have been complaining for years: Christians are the target of jihadist terrorism. “In the wake of a renewed onslaught by our tireless military against Boko Haram and their ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) allies in recent times, the insurgents have apparently changed their strategy,” said Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture, at a press conference last week. “They have started targeting Christians and Christian villages for a specific reason, which is to trigger a religious war and throw the nation into chaos.” In comments given exclusively to CT, the administration of President Muhammad Buhari clarified that this targeting is not new. “Yes, Boko Haram is targeting individual Christians. In doing so, their target is all Nigerians, and their goal is to divide Christian brother against Muslim brother,” Mohammed, the information minister, told CT. “What Boko Haram seeks—and always has sought—is to drive a wedge between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. “By targeting Christians, they seek to promulgate the falsehood that the democratically elected Nigerian government does not care to protect them.”

Somalia

Reuters: Somali Forces, Supposed To Unite Against Islamists, Fight Each Other

“Fighting erupted in south Somalia on Monday between the national army and regional forces, amid deepening divisions that help Islamist insurgents and may exacerbate regional frictions. Clashes broke out late morning between the Somali army, commanded by the federal government, and forces loyal to Jubbaland state leader Ahmed Madobe, residents in Jubbaland’s Balad Hawo district told Reuters. Jubbaland borders Kenya and is one of five semi-autonomous states in Somalia. “I see two houses burning,” shopkeeper Farah Abdullahi told Reuters from Balad Hawo, just over the border from the Kenya. Fighters were using anti-aircraft guns and mortars, he said. “Some residents have fled ... the whole town is dead. No business (is) open.” Madobe is a trusted ally of Kenya, which helped build his forces and cement his rule, but is detested by neighboring Ethiopia, which has backed the central government. Both Kenya and Ethiopia have troops in Somalia as part of an African Union-led peacekeeping force. The AU peacekeepers, Somali federal government and local states are all supposed to be fighting the al Shabaab insurgency. Instead, some are fighting each other.”

All Africa: Kenya-Somalia Border Tension Risks Strengthening Al-Shabaab

“Somalia was Monday fighting itself after its national forces ambushed Jubbaland regional troops allied to a fugitive minister near the border with Kenya. Experts say the move could potentially aid Al-Shabaab militant group in spreading terror. The fight broke out a day after 11 Kenyan parliamentarians secretly travelled to Somalia and met President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo. The eruption of violence on the border threatened to negate claims by the Kenyan MPs that they were seeking solutions against the Somalia-based militant group. Fighting broke out between special troops of the Somali National Army (SNA) deployed to Gedo region to guard the border and Jubbaland forces loyal to Abdirashid Janaan, who reportedly fled prison in Mogadishu with the help of some officials in President Famrajo's government. It occurred mostly on the Somali side but civilians fled into Kenya. This is the opposite of what was expected after MPs from the three North Eastern counties of Wajir, Mandera and Garissa toured Mogadishu.”

Africa

Asharq Al-Awsat: Morocco Dismantles Pro-ISIS Terror Cell

“Moroccan authorities dismantled Monday a suspected terrorist cell in the northeastern city of Sidi Slimane, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The Central Office of Judicial Investigations arrested four pro-ISIS members aged 23 to 51, which came within the government's efforts to arrest extremist members making terrorist plots. Authorities seized electronic devices, bladed weapons, a military trellis and several manuscripts that proved the cell's affiliation to ISIS, said the ministry. Initial investigations have revealed that the leader of this terrorist cell, who was arrested in 2014 for terror charges following the dismantling of another terrorist cell that used to recruit militants and send them to Syria and Iraq, had recruited the members of his cell who share the same extremist thoughts. The suspects planned to carry out terrorist projects aimed at undermining the security of citizens and destabilizing the public order. The latest operation is part of ongoing efforts by Moroccan security services to address all threats likely to undermine the country’s security and stability.”

Evening Standard: UK Soldiers Deployed To West Africa To Help Tackle Fast Growing Islamist Insurgency

“British troops have been deployed to west Africa to help the battle against the world’s fastest-growing Islamist insurgency. Around 30 troops from 1 Scots Guards and the Royal Marines are training three African nations in Senegal, to help fight extremism in the Sahel region. The UK is later this year sending 250 troops to Mali to join a multinational peacekeeping operation. It will be Britain’s first major war zone deployment since the end of Operation Herrick in Afghanistan more than five years ago. The hard-liners in the area have been linked to Islamic State and al-Qaeda. Major John House has been in charge in Senegal, and said being involved in the region will benefit the UK. He told the BBC: “If we don't act we may find the problems getting closer to our door. “The more they have a presence in the region, the more we can feel the effect back in the UK.” One of the frontline threats faced by soldiers fighting in the region is Boko Haram, also known as Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP). The group shot to notoriety in April 2014 when they kidnapped almost 300 school girls in a smash and grab rain on a school. Nigerian Special Boat Service Lieutenant Unyine Collins said: “They use suicide bombers, improvised explosive devices, mines, basically they use the same tactics as ISIS.”

France 24: Five Soldiers Killed In Checkpoint Attack In Central Mali

“Five Malian soldiers were killed when militants armed with rocket launchers attacked a checkpoint in a central region of the conflict-torn nation, a military source and local official said Monday. “At least five soldiers were killed on Sunday in Mondoro during a jihadist attack,” said a source from the Mali army base in Mopti, the largest town in the region, adding that the assailants had also “suffered losses”. A local official said the militants had launched the assault “using rocket launchers fired at parked military vehicles”. The official said the Malian air force then bombed jihadist positions, adding that the clashes lasted for an hour. “I don't know the number of jihadists killed but there are victims,” the official said. A local association on Monday expressed concern over the possible withdrawal of troops from Mondoro, where one soldier was killed and three others wounded on February 14. The camps at Mondoro and Boulkessi, near the border with Burkina Faso, were targeted in twin attacks in September that left at least 40 soldiers dead. “According to information received, the soldiers are threatening to leave Mondoro... if they execute this decision, the terrorists will take control not only of Mondoro but the entire area of Douentza,” said Oumar Ongoiba, an official with the Association for the Development of Mondoro, underscoring the strategic importance of the zone.”

United Kingdom

Sky News: Police Officers Investigated Over Crash After Streatham Terror Attack

“Two police officers called to the aftermath of the Streatham terror attack are being investigated over a crash that took place as they drove to the scene of the stabbings. The pair, who were travelling in convoy after the attack on 2 February, are under investigation on suspicion of dangerous driving as well as gross misconduct. One of the officers was driving an unmarked police car when he was involved in a crash with two other cars. The collision left him and a member of the public with injuries. His colleague, who was in a marked armed response vehicle, carried on to the scene of the terror atrocity in south London in which terrorist Sudesh Amman stabbed two people. The pair have been placed on restricted duties and are not allowed to drive police vehicles while the investigation is carried out. The Independent Office for Police Conduct has now said: “We are conducting an independent investigation into a road traffic incident involving a Metropolitan Police car which collided with two vehicles while responding to the terror attack in Streatham on Sunday February 2. Two people received injuries.”

Europe

The New York Times: Dutch Terror Trial Starting For Deadly Utrecht Tram Shooting

“The gunman in last year's attack in the Dutch city of Utrecht walked calmly into and around a tram, shooting at passengers from close range while shouting “Allahu akbar,” or “Allah Akbar,” according to witness statements read Monday as the terror trial of the suspect got underway. The attack left four people dead and three wounded and shocked the Netherlands, which has avoided the large-scale terror attacks that have hit nearby nations Belgium and France. The alleged shooter, Gokmen Tanis — bearded and handcuffed — sat flanked by guards and police in a courtroom packed with relatives of victims as Presiding Judge Ruud van Veldhuisen read out statements given to police by witnesses to the mass shooting on March 18 last year. Tanis, 38, said nothing throughout the hearing Monday morning. He smiled as he entered the courtroom and stared straight ahead as the presiding judge asked if he had yawned because he was nervous. He later refused to answer repeated questions from Van Veldhuisen. “Do you not dare? Do you now want” to answer questions? Van Veldhuisen asked. The judge asked Tanis if his actions had been in response to the shooting in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, just days before the tram shooting, in which a gunman killed 51 people at two mosques.”

New Zealand

Yahoo News: New Zealand Cops Probe Threat To Terror Attack Mosque

“New Zealand police said Tuesday they were investigating a threat made this week against one of the Christchurch mosques where 51 Muslim worshippers were killed in a mass shooting a year ago. Amid plans to mark the one-year anniversary of the March 15 massacre, police said the threat to Christchurch's Al Noor mosque was posted this week on encrypted messaging app Telegram. Reports said the message showed a man in a balaclava sitting in a car outside the mosque accompanied by threatening text and a gun emoji. “We have strong leads that we're following up and I'm confident that we will establish who this person is,” Canterbury police commander superintendent John Price told Radio New Zealand, adding, “We're very close”. Al Noor was one of two mosques targeted by a self-avowed white supremacist last year in what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described as “an unprecedented act of terror (that) shattered our small country”. The timing of the latest threat comes at a sensitive time as planning is underway for a memorial service in Christchurch to mark the anniversary. Details of the service at the city's Hagley Park have not yet been finalised but Ardern is set to attend after gaining international praise for her compassionate handling of the attacks.”

Southeast Asia

Reuters: Hong Kong Police Get Protective Upgrade To Fight Threat Of 'Local Terrorism'

“Hong Kong, grappling months of sometimes violent anti-government unrest, is to spend about HK$500 million ($64.3 million) on police protective equipment, including six armored vehicles, to help combat the threat of “local terrorism”. Police chief Chris Tang was speaking on Monday after the government announced in its budget last week that police funding would be HK$25.8 billion, up 25 percent from the previous year, drawing widespread criticism from pro-democracy activists. About HK$300 million will be used to buy protective gear, and HK$200 million will be used for special equipment, including replacing six armored vehicles and buying more water cannon. The figure includes a planned upgrade in protective gear of HK$10,000 for each of its 28,000 frontline officers. Tang said he was concerned about a spike in the number of youths violating the law, two days after more than 100 people were arrested following a protest that turned violent. “We have to beware of local terrorism. In the past nine months, we have discovered explosives in 11 incidents,” Tang said at a press briefing. “I think we have to face the reality that there is a new normal. The new normal is that things cannot go back to one year ago.”