Eye on Extremism November 30, 2018

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Eye on Extremism - November 30, 2018

CNN: US Displays Weapons It Says Iran Provided To Militants

“As some of the most senior members of the Trump Administration sought to fend off a Congressional effort to stop US support for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis in Yemen, the administration is showcasing evidence of what it says is Iranian support to the Houthis and other militant groups in the region. On Wednesday, defense officials showed CNN missiles and drones it says were supplied by Iran to Houthi rebels fighting the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The latest display of what the US government says are Iranian-supplied weapons and materials follows a similar exhibition last year which also took place at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington near the Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters. Last year's event included a speech by the US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, who slammed Iran and the Houthis for firing missiles into Saudi Arabia. The Trump administration has been continuing to increase pressure on the Iranian government and, earlier this month, officially reimposed all penalties that had been lifted as part of the Iranian nuclear deal agreed under President Obama. It was a decision that put the US at odds with traditional allies like Britain, France, Germany and the European Union as well as China and Russia who signed the agreement in 2015.”

The Independent:

Charlottesville Murder Trial: James Fields Killing Of Heather Heyer Was ‘Willful, Premeditated Murder’, Says Prosecution

“The trial of the man who killed one person after ramming his car into a crowd of counter protesters last year at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia has begun, with prosecutors telling jurors the accused had every intention of causing harm when he slammed down on his car’s accelerator. “It was willful, premeditated murder,” Nina Alice-Antony, the prosecutor said of 21-year-old James Fields. Mr. Fields faces charges of first-degree murder, malicious wounding, and failure to stop at an accident involving a death. He has pleaded not guilty. The defendent has also been charged in federal court on hate crime charges, in which the death penalty could be imposed. Mr Fields’ attorney claimed his client feared for his life in the moments that led up to the death of Heather Heyer last August in an incident that sent shock waves around the country and sparked a national debate about white supremacist groups in the US.”

Arab News: Hezbollah-Linked Businessman Jailed In Paris Drug Trial

“A shadowy businessman from the Lebanese diaspora was sentenced in Paris on Wednesday to seven years in prison for being a lead member of a crime ring that laundered Colombian drug money through luxury jewelry. Mohamad Noureddine, a 44-year-old businessman with interests in real estate and jewelry, was convicted of laundering drug money and criminal conspiracy and fined €500,000 ($568,000). He was arrested in France in January 2016 during police raids that also took place in Italy, Belgium and Germany, after an alert from the US Drug Enforcement Agency. US officials, who have imposed sanctions on Noureddine over his supposed links to Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, suspect the network of operating between South America, Europe and the Middle East since 2012. They identified France, where several of the defendants reside, as being at the center of the syndicate’s operations in Europe.”

The Wall Street Journal: Pentagon Contractor Charged With Illegal Iran Trade, Fraud

“Three former executives linked to one of the largest U.S. wartime contractors were charged on Thursday with a scheme to defraud the Pentagon and engage in illicit trade with Iran, according to an indictment unsealed Thursday. Anham FZCO’s former chief executive, Abul Huda Farouki, was among those charged in connection with an $8.1 billion U.S. military supply contract to supply food and water to troops in Afghanistan. The others charged were his younger brother, Mazen Farouki, who owned a logistics company linked to Anham, and Salah Maarouf, who operated one of Anham’s suppliers. The investigation came after a Wall Street Journal article in 2013 that revealed the company, Anham FZCO, brought in equipment and material for a U.S. military contract through Iran, in possible violation of sanctions. The three men, all in their 70s, appeared in federal court in the District of Columbia and pleaded not guilty to two counts of major fraud, one count of conspiracy to violate restrictions on trade with Iran, and other violations.”

PC: Extremism Pays For YouTube, But At What Cost?

“With the rise of domestic terrorism, the answer to "who radicalized him?" when an act of violence is committed in the United States is often a social media platform like YouTube. Becca Lewis, a researcher at the Data & Society Research Institute, found that YouTube undermines the mainstream media and presents as truth narratives that encourage racism, misogyny, and white nationalism. What's most troubling is that this doesn't affect just a small, fringe segment of YouTube's audience. A Pew Research Center study found that nearly a fifth of those who use YouTube rely on it for news. YouTube has no interest in curbing this, because it quite literally pays: The more extreme the content, the more watchers are hooked, and the more revenue is generated. YouTube has done little to combat the issue, and as it adds more features like Super Chat, extremists use them to further their advantage. Super Chat turns livestreams into monetization engines, letting commenters pay to pin their comments prominently during the stream. White supremacist livestreams that get Super Chat comments like "Sometimes I Hate Jews So Much That I Cannot Sleep" are earning thousands of dollars.”

The Washington Post: How Online Hate Speech Is Fueling Real-Life Violence

“White supremacist groups use social media as a tool to distribute their message, where they can incubate their hate online and allow it to spread. But when their rhetoric reaches certain people, the online messages can turn into real-life violence. Several incidents in recent years have shown that, when online hate goes offline, it can be deadly. White supremacist Wade Michael Page posted in online forums tied to hate before he went on to murder six people at a Sikh temple in Wisconsin in 2012. Prosecutors said Dylann Roof ”self-radicalized” online before he murdered nine people at a black church in South Carolina in 2015. Robert Bowers, accused of murdering 11 elderly worshippers at a Pennsylvania synagogue in October, had been active on Gab, a Twitter-like site used by white supremacists. And just a few weeks ago, a 30-year-old Washington D.C. man who described himself as a white nationalist, was arrested on a gun charge after concerned relatives alerted police to his violent outbursts, including saying that the victims at the synagogue “deserved it.” Police say the man was online friends with Bowers. “I think that the white supremacist movement has used technology in a way that has been unbelievably effective at radicalizing people,” said Adam Neufeld, vice president of innovation and strategy for the Anti-Defamation League. “We should not kid ourselves that online hate will stay online,” Neufeld added.”

United States

ABC News: Man Accused Of Trying To Help Militants To Stay In Prison

“A North Carolina man among the first Americans arrested in an FBI effort to find those eager to join militant fighters in Syria was sentenced Thursday to another two years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Terrence Boyle sentenced Basit Sheikh to the maximum term under a guilty plea agreement he struck with prosecutors in August, news outlets reported. Sheikh has spent five years in federal custody since his November 2013 arrest at Raleigh's airport on his way to the Middle East. Sheikh's guilty plea also could cause the Pakistan native with permanent, legal U.S. residency to eventually be kicked out of the country. Sheikh pleaded guilty in August to providing material support to a terrorist group by planning to join al-Qaida-linked fighters. His plea bargain left it up to Boyle to decide whether Sheikh would be released early next year or by late 2020. Prosecutors said he expressed interest in online conversations with FBI agents or informants in joining the group Jabhat al-Nusra, which was fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad's troops. Sheikh was among the first Americans arrested amid the FBI's attempts to find eager war fighters before they could join Muslim terrorist groups in Syria and perhaps later return home full of anti-American ideology. The case also was unusual because Sheikh was forcibly medicated for schizophrenia by government doctors so he could be competent to defend himself against prosecution.”

Dayton Daily News: Closing Arguments Today In Dayton Man’s Terrorism Trial

“Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys will have one more chance to argue about the guilt or innocence of Laith Alebbini, who is standing trial on charges that he tried to travel overseas to join ISIS. Closing arguments in the bench trial before U.S. District Court Judge Walter Rice are scheduled for this morning in Dayton’s District Court. The first terrorism trial in the Southern District of Ohio will conclude after prosecutors give their closing, defense attorneys give theirs and prosecutors finish with their rebuttal. The defense rested Tuesday without calling a witness. Prosecutors rested on Monday after eight days of testimony related to Alebbini, 28, who is on trial for conspiracy and attempting “to provide material support and resources to a foreign terrorist organization in the form of personnel to work under ISIS’s direction and control.” Prosecutors questioned 12 witnesses, including a local confidential FBI source and Alebbini’s childhood friend, who prosecutors said tried to talk Alebbini out of any terrorism plans. Alebbini moved to the Dayton area in early 2017. Numerous exhibits were read, played or entered into the record during the prosecution’s case. Court records do not indicate any timeline for Rice to announce a verdict.”

Syria

Reuters: War Monitor, Syrian Media Say Anti-Is Coalition Air Strikes Kill Dozens

“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State in eastern Syria this week killed dozens of people in the jihadist group’s last major foothold. The coalition could not immediately be reached for comment on the report. Syrian state media also reported dozens of deaths this week. The Observatory said strikes beginning overnight on Wednesday in and around al-Shafa in the Deir al-Zor countryside had targeted a hospital, prison and houses used by jihadists in their pocket on the eastern bank of the Euphrates river near the Iraqi border. The Observatory said around 40 prisoners, civilians and fighters had been killed in strikes with more wounded. The toll rose as bodies were pulled from the rubble. Syrian state news agency SANA, citing local sources, said new air strikes on Friday on al-Shafa killed around 30, bringing the total killed this week in strikes on the Islamic State pocket to around 45. The Syrian government has written to the United Nations a number of times protesting casualties caused by air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State. The U.S.-led coalition, now in a push to defeat the final remnants of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, has previously said it investigates reports of civilian casualties and does all it can to avoid them.”

Iran

The Express: Thousands Of Iranians Stage ‘Death To Rouhani’ Protests In Defiance Of ‘Rotten’ Regime

“Exasperated Iranians have taken to the streets as thousands of teachers and factory workers stage mass demonstrations in defiance of Hassan Rouhani’s callous regime. Massive demonstrations of steel and sugar cane workers began two weeks ago. Teachers joined them in solidarity last week chanting anti-regime slogans such as “death to Rouhani” in nationwide walkouts. The workers demanded their unpaid salaries, better working conditions and the release of their imprisoned colleagues. Iranian dissident Hossein Abedini of the National Council of Resistance of Iran - who was targeted in an assassination attempt in Turkey - has spoken to Express.co.uk about the situation, which could see the protestors publicly executed for what the regime sees as serious crimes. He said: “The Iranian people believe the regime is rotten in its entirety. “During the protests, people have been shouting ‘down with Khamenei’ and ‘death to Rouhani’. “Iran is now in a very explosive situation.”

The Telegraph: Iran Using Teams Of Hit Squads To Silence Critics Of Its Attempts To Meddle In Iraqi Politics, Officials Say

“Iran is using teams of hit squads in Iraq to silence critics of Iranian attempts to meddle in Iraq’s new government, according to British security officials. The hit squads are said to have been deployed on the orders of Qassem Suleimani, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards’ elite Quds Force, with the aim of intimidating Iraqi opponents of Iranian interference in Iraqi politics. The hit squads were deployed after Iraqi general election in May, when Iranian attempts to establish a controlling influence over the new Iraqi government were stymied by the failure of Tehran-backed candidates to win sufficient votes. During the election campaign Iran backed former Iraqi prime minister Nuri al-Maliki, whose close association with Tehran was a major factor in his removal from office. The Iranians also hedged their bets by supporting another pro-Iran candidate, Hadi al-Amiri, although neither candidate mustered enough votes to form a government. British security officials, who are providing military support and training for the Iraqi armed forces, say that Iran responded by sending a number of Quds Force hit squads to Iraq to silence Iraqi critics of Iranian attempts to determine Iraq’s political destiny.”

Times Of Israel:

Tehran-Beirut Cargo Flight Sparks Concerns Iran Arming Hezbollah More Easily

“An Iranian cargo plane allegedly transporting advanced weaponry to the Hezbollah terror group was spotted flying directly from Tehran to Beirut on Thursday morning, hours before Israel allegedly conducted airstrikes on pro-Iranian targets in Syria. Israeli and American security officials have long claimed that Iran has been supplying Lebanon’s Hezbollah with advanced munitions by shipping them through ostensibly civilian airlines, including the one that flew into Lebanon on Thursday: Fars Air Qeshm. However, these cargo planes typically unload their materiel in Syria or stop there en route to Beirut, rather than flying directly into Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based. According to publicly available flight data, Fars Air Qeshm flight No. QFZ-9964 left Tehran shortly after 8:00 a.m., flew over Iraq, cut northwest into Syria and then landed in Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport some two hours later.”

The Hill: State Department Floats Threat Of Military Action Against Iran

“The Trump administration on Thursday said military action against Iran could be possible should U.S. sanctions against the country fail to curb Tehran from delivering weapons to hostile groups in the region. "We have been very clear with the Iranian regime that we will not hesitate to use military force when our interests are threatened. I think they understand that. I think they understand that very clearly," said Brian Hook, the State Department special representative on Iran. Speaking at a press conference at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington, D.C., Hook was asked about possible next steps the administration could take against Iran in its “maximum pressure” campaign against the country. "I think right now, while we have the military option on the table, our preference is to use all of the tools that are at our disposal diplomatically," he said. Hook spoke at an event held to display pieces of what he said were Iranian weapons and military equipment — many handed over to the U.S. by Saudi Arabia — deployed by Tehran to militant groups in Iraq, Syria, Yemen and Afghanistan.”

The Jerusalem Post: Europe Beats Iran’s War Drums

“Last Saturday, Iran’s “moderate” President Hassan Rouhani called Israel “a cancerous tumor” in a speech at the regime’s annual Islamic Unity Conference. Rouhani’s fellow speakers included deputy Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Both terror bosses called for the destruction of the “cancerous tumor.” With the predictability of a Swiss clock, the Europeans rushed to condemn Rouhani. The EU in Brussels condemned Rouhani. The German Foreign Ministry condemned Rouhani. And so on and so forth. We could have done without their statements. Just two days after Rouhani’s Jewish cancer speech, his representatives sat down with senior EU officials in Brussels to discuss Iranian-EU nuclear cooperation in the framework of the 2015 nuclear deal. Following the talks, EU Foreign Affairs Chief Federica Mogherini’s office put out a statement claiming that the sides “expressed their determination to preserve the nuclear agreement as... a key pillar for European and regional security.”

U.S. News:

The EU's Problematic Iran Strategy

“Earlier this month at a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, the European Union announced support for sanctioning measures that had been put in place by the government of France, in response to Iranian terror threats. This is a step in the right direction for European policy toward the Islamic Republic of Iran, albeit a tentative one. This decision set the stage for expanding the French measures so they are applied throughout the EU, but the multinational body has yet to take actual, concrete steps toward exerting comprehensive pressure on Iran's Islamist regime. All progress is worthy of recognition, but this action is long overdue and doesn't go far enough. The French sanctions on agents of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and Security stem from a foiled plot at an international gathering of roughly 100,000 supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) just outside Paris. The June 30 Iran Freedom rally was also attended by hundreds of political dignitaries (including from Italy) and Middle East policy experts from throughout Europe, North America and the world.”

Arab News: US Presents Fresh Evidence Of Iranian Military Support For Houthis In Yemen

“Tehran's support for the Houthi militia is a flagrant violation of security in the region, the US special envoy for Iran Brian Hook said Thursday. At a briefing on Iran's transfer of arms to proxy groups and its ongoing missile development, Hook said Iran is seeking to supply its agents and militias in the Middle East with more weapons. Hook said Washington has fresh evidence of Iran's involvement in supplying the Houthi militia with weapons, and that the time has come to intensify pressure on the Iranian regime. The special envoy said sanctions against Iran will continue until its behavior changes. Hook added that Washington has fresh evidence of Iran's involvement in supplying the Houthi militia with weapons, and that Iran’s supply of weapons to its militias in the region is a threat to US forces. Hook was speaking in front of a display of rockets, small arms and debris from an Iranian drone that he said were intended for the Houthis. Hook said the material shows Iran is determined to send "even more weapons into the hands of even more of its proxies.”

Afghanistan

Radio Free Europe: Senior U.S. Diplomat Calls On Afghan Taliban To Seize 'Moment Of Opportunity' For Peace Talks

“A senior U.S. diplomat has called on the Taliban to seize a “moment of opportunity” to open formal peace talks with the Western-backed Afghan government and negotiate an end to the 17-year conflict. Alice Wells, the U.S. principal deputy assistant secretary of state in charge of South and Central Asian affairs, told RFE/RL that the “door had opened” for a possible peace settlement with the Taliban following President Ashraf Ghani's offer of unconditional talks in February and an unprecedented cease-fire in June. “The Afghan government is ready,” Wells told RFE/RL on November 29 in Brussels, a day after she attended a UN-sponsored two-day conference on Afghanistan in Geneva. “The Afghan people, and by that I mean the Taliban also, are ready. It's a question of whether the Taliban leadership is prepared to take up this offer.” Zalmay Khalilzad, an Afghan-born former U.S. ambassador to Kabul and Iraq, was appointed in September to the U.S. State Department team that is leading the reconciliation effort and peace talks with the Taliban. Khalilzad, who has held several rounds of preliminary talks with Taliban officials in Qatar, told reporters in Kabul this month that he was optimistic a peace deal with the militants could be reached before the presidential election in Afghanistan in April 2019. Wells, who met with Taliban representatives in Qatar in July, said there was no deadline but “there is a sense of urgency because we think this is a moment of opportunity.”

Pakistan

Economic Times: Not In Pakistan's Interest To Allow Use Of Our Soil For Terrorism: Imran Khan

“Pakistan premier Imran Khan said that he was ready to hold talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring peace in the sub-continent, while acknowledging that it was not in Pakistan’s interest to allow its territory to be used for terrorism. Addressing a group of visiting Indian journalists in Islamabad on Thursday, on completion of 100 days in office, Khan said that relations between India and Pakistan could make swift progress if India was willing to resume talks. “I can say in all earnestness that it is not in Pakistan’s interest for anyone to use our soil for terrorism,” Khan said. However, he declined to be drawn into specifics and termed differences between the two nations as ‘inherited’. All issues, including Kashmir, could be resolved through dialogue. There cannot be a military solution in Kashmir, he said.”

Hindustan Times: November Bloodiest Month For Militants In Kashmir, 9 Top Commanders Killed

“With 37 militants killed in encounters across Kashmir, November has been the bloodiest month of this year for the insurgents. Among the militants killed this month, nine were top commanders, including Lashkar-e-Taiba’s face Naveed Jatt, who was shot dead on Wednesday in Budgam district. As per official figures, 227 militants have been killed in different parts of Kashmir so far this year. While they belonged to different organisations, the Lashkar and Hizbul Mujahideen suffered major losses this month as both groups lost some of their top commanders, especially in south Kashmir, which has become a hotbed of militancy. Last year, 207 militants were killed in this period. This November, nine militant commanders were killed - five affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen and four with the Lashkar. Officials say the focus of late has been to target the militant commanders who are pivotal in fresh recruitment to the outfits. J&K’s director general of police, Dilbag Singh said the number of militants at present is hovering around 250. “After several successful operations, the graph of militancy, especially in south Kashmir, has come down and fresh recruitment has also declined.’’ A senior police officer who keeps an eye on militancy and fresh recruitment told Hindustan Times that this year more than 15 top militant commanders affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar, Hizbul Mujahideen, Harkat-ul- Mujahideen and Ansar–ul-Gazwat- ul-Hind were killed in different operations launched by the forces.”

Times Now News: Pakistan Must Take The First Step Forward To Fight Terrorism: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat

“In view of the recent militant encounters in Jammu and Kashmir and increasing cross-border terrorism along the Line of Control, India’s Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday pulled up the Pakistan government, asking it to take the first step towards ceasefire and reconciliation. Gen Rawat, speaking to reporters, also pointed out that Pakistan is an Islamic State and their hostility towards minorities goes against them as a tolerant, secular nation. “Pakistan is an Islamic State. They must willingly become a secular country like us. If they have to stay hand-in-gloves with us, they have to develop themselves as a secular State,” General Rawat said, adding that if that happens, only then will they have an opportunity in sharing a cordial relationship with India. The Army Chief further said that the constant promises by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on fighting terror have fallen flat as concrete efforts have not been made from across the border to deal with terrorism. “Pakistan wants us to take a step forward in that direction, then only they’ll take two steps forward. There is a contradiction in their statement. I believe there should be one step from their side and it should reflect on the ground positively. Diplomatic-level talks and terrorism can’t go hand in hand and India will stand its ground on that policy till then,” the Army Chief said.”

The Express Tribune: ‘Terrorists, Not Militants, Attacked China Consulate’

“China’s deputy head of mission in Pakistan Zhao Lijian has said the last week attack on Chinese Consulate in Karachi was carried out by terrorists and not militants. “Terrorists have tried to create differences between Pakistan and China but the friendship between the two countries is getting stronger and stronger,” Zhao Lijian said on Thursday while addressing a book launch ceremony in the federal capital. The book whose Urdu translation titled Aap Aur Hum is published in collaboration with the Express Media Group is written by two authors including former ambassador of China Lu Shulin. The deputy head of mission said Pakistan-China friendship is not only politics and defence specific but also encompasses economic and social ties. “The Chinese people have donated generously to help the [two] police officials who got martyred in the attack. The governments of Pakistan and China will also help the families of the martyred. “The terrorists tried to create differences between Pakistan and China but our friendship is getting stronger and stronger and is expanding to economic and social areas as well,” he added. He said the book is a collection of the experiences of Chinese diplomats about Pakistan. “Lu Shulin has worked hard to write this book. First he wrote the book in Chinese and then it was translated into Urdu. He is 80 but he is working hard,” he added.”

Yemen

Al Arabiya: Houthi Video Shows Children Being Trained To ‘Fight America And Israel’

“A video purportedly showing schoolchildren being trained by Houthis to take up arms has gone viral, showcasing the mindset of the militias who can go to any extent in pursuit of their objectives. “In the name of Allah, the Merciful, these are the students of Imam al-Nasser School. They went for training today and the exercises were very tough. God willing, these are the ones who will fight America and Israel,” says the man who is seen speaking in the video. He further says that these children are the ones who will fight in the name of Allah “Because they are practicing now and they are still a young generation that is willing to fight the enemies of Allah”. The video ends with the battle cries of “Allah the Greatest, Death to America, Death to Israel, curse on Jews, the triumph of Islam.”

The Wall Street Journal:

Rocket Barrage Threatens Timid Hopes For Peace In Yemen

“Yemen’s Houthi rebels fired a barrage of missiles into Saudi Arabia, the armed group said, strikes that could threaten to derail the U.S.-backed peace efforts that have raised fresh hopes to end a catastrophic, nearly four-year war. The war pits the Iran-backed Houthis against a Saudi-led coalition mainly comprising Sunni-majority Arab countries. The protracted conflict has pushed millions to the brink of famine and caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The Houthis have fired missiles across Yemen’s northern border into Saudi Arabia on a regular basis for years, often making exaggerated claims of success, but halted the attacks earlier this month to make way for United Nations-led peace talks due to take place in Stockholm next week. Indeed, recent weeks have brought fresh hopes of peace, as the U.S. has made a concerted push to stop the fighting. But Thursday’s developments appeared to threaten that process. According to the Houthis’ official Saba news agency, the Houthis shot short-range Badr-1 missiles at an Apache helicopter base in the southern Saudi city of Najran. The report hasn’t been independently confirmed. A spokesman for the coalition denied the Houthi claims of casualties and destroyed assets, adding that coalition forces had located and destroyed a Houthi missile launcher.”

Israel

Haaretz: Israeli Army: Fragments Of Syrian Anti-Aircraft Missile Found In Golan Heights

“Syria's air defence forces shot down an Israeli war plane and four missiles on Thursday, Russia's RIA news agency said, citing a Syrian security source, but Israel's military said the report was bogus. RIA later contradicted the report, saying that Syrian air defences shot down several targets but did not shoot down an Israeli war plane. Damascus also retracted an earlier statement that it downed an Israeli fighter jet. On Friday, the Israeli army said it found fragments which most likely belonged to a Syrian anti-aircraft missile in an open field in the Golan Heights. On Thursday night, the Syrian air force shot down a "hostile target" flying over the town of Kiswah, south of the capital Damascus, state media said. Saudi-owned TV station Al-Arabiya reported that Israeli planes attacked Iranian militia positions in the country's south. State media quoted a military source but did not specify what the target was or where it came from. Syrian opposition sources on the ground said the area was close to where the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah has a powerful presence with several bases.”

Fox News: For Israel, A Rearmed Hezbollah In Lebanon Is Top Concern

“On a moonlit night, some two dozen Israeli soldiers in full battle gear march near a Lebanese border village with a bomb-sniffing dog, searching for explosives and infiltrators. Suddenly the force stops. Through night-vision goggles, two suspicious men appear over the ridge, holding what looks like binoculars. Could they be undercover Hezbollah guerrillas? Lebanese soldiers on a night patrol? Or perhaps U.N. peacekeepers? The men appear unarmed and since they are on the other side of the internationally recognized "blue line" that separates the two countries, Israeli troops move on, completing another routine foot patrol along a scenic frontier that has remained quiet but tense since the bloody battles of a 2006 summer war. Even with attention currently focused on Gaza militants along the southern front, Israel's main security concerns lie to the north, along the border with Lebanon. Israeli officials have long warned the threat posed by Gaza's Hamas rulers pales in comparison to that of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group — a heavily-armed mini-army with valuable combat experience and an arsenal of some 150,000 rockets that can reach nearly every part of Israel. It's along this northern front that Israeli soldiers come face-to-face with Hezbollah guerrillas and where any skirmish could spark an all-out war.”

Nigeria

Associated Press: Nigerian Leader: Islamic Extremists Are Now Using Drones

“Islamic extremists in Nigeria have begun using drones, the country’s president says, opening a worrying new front in the region’s nearly decade-long fight against Boko Haram and an offshoot linked to the Islamic State. President Muhammadu Buhari announced the development during a meeting on Thursday of countries that contribute troops to a multinational force combatting the extremists. This appears to be the first confirmed use of drones by an extremist group in Africa, according to the World of Drones project run by the Washington-based New America think tank. Its section on non-state actors notes that Libyan rebels are reported to have used drones for surveillance in that chaotic North African nation. Deadly attacks against Nigeria’s military are on the rise, with 39 soldiers killed this month alone and another 43 wounded. The extremists’ use of drones for surveillance in the country’s northeast has proven to be a “critical factor” in the resurgence of attacks, the president said. Nigeria’s military has its own, armed drones, as the United States and others and others increasingly use them in West Africa’s fight against groups linked to al-Qaida and IS. Extremist organizations have been quickly adopting the use of drones.”

Vanguard: Metele Attack: Group Urges Army To Remain Steadfast In War Against Terrorism

“A group of young Nigerians under the aegis of Patriotic Youth in Nigeria (PYN) has sent a heart-warming message to the Nigerian Army on the need to remain steadfast and resolute in the war against terrorism. The group specifically urged Nigerians to double their support for the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and other commanders leading the war. PYN urged the army never to be deterred by the recent attack in Melete area of Borno State, which led to the death of some officers and soldiers on the battlefront. Atawodi, the National President of the group, while addressing a press conference on Wednesday, encouraged Nigerians to double their support for the Nigerian Army and other security agencies coordinating the anti-terrorism campaigns. His words, “The last few days have been really challenging for the military hierarchy and for President Buhari as well- uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, as is commonly said. Without a doubt, our military remains committed to securing Nigeria and Nigerians, this commitment often requires selfless sacrifice sometimes even the Ultimate Sacrifice.”

News 24: West Africa Leaders Meet Over Boko Haram Escalation

“Top leaders from Chad, Nigeria, Niger and Cameroon were holding talks in N'Djamena on Thursday to discuss the recent escalation of attacks by Boko Haram jihadists in the Lake Chad area. Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari and Niger's Mahamadou Issoufou flew into the Chadian capital where they were holding closed-door talks with Chad's Idriss Deby and Cameroon's Prime Minister Philemon Yang, an AFP correspondent said. The meeting, which began during the morning, was focused on “the security situation in Lake Chad”, a strategic area where the borders of four countries converge and where there has been a worrying “resurgence” of attacks in recent months, a Chadian diplomatic source said. All four countries belong to the Lake Chad Basin Commission, an intergovernmental organisation which oversees the usage of water and other natural resources in the region but which has also been engaged in the fight against Boko Haram. The group began a bloody insurgency in northeastern Nigeria in 2009 that has since spread to neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger, prompting a regional military response. In 2015, Boko Haram jihadists split into two branches, one of which is affiliated to the Islamic State (ISIS) group.”

Somalia

All Africa: Somalia: U.S. Airstrike In Central Somalia Kills Three Al-Shabaab Militants

“The US military says it has killed three al-Shabaab extremists with an airstrike in central Somalia as it continues to attack a new base of operations for the al-Qaeda-linked fighters. The US Africa Command statement says Tuesday's airstrike was carried out "in the vicinity of Quy Cad near Debatscile" in the Mudug region. The US last week reported several airstrikes in Mudug killed 50 al-Shabab extremists. The group recently relocated to the region as a key training and planning base after the US and allies increased pressure and surveillance further south. The US military has carried out at least 36 airstrikes this year against al-Shabaab, one of Africa's deadliest Islamic extremist groups, which continues to stage deadly attacks in the capital, Mogadishu, and other cities.”

Africa

Yahoo News: Rwandan Journalist Investigated For 'Terrorism'

“Rwandan investigators are holding a journalist accused of receiving explosives and plotting with terrorists, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) has said. Phocas Ndayizera, a 39-year-old freelance journalist working for the BBC's local language service, was reported missing over a week ago before turning up in custody. Ndayizera now faces a maximum 20-year jail term if found guilty under Rwanda's anti-terrorism laws. "He was arrested red-handed as he received explosives, including dynamite," said RIB spokesman Modeste Mbabazi when the arrest was made public on Thursday. "We had investigated him and linked him to terrorist groups intending to do harm to Rwanda," he added. The RIB was established earlier this year to take over investigative functions from the police. Paraded before the media on Thursday, Ndayizera said, "I am, up to now, not aware of the reasons why I was arrested, or the charges they have against me." The Rwanda Journalists Association said it would not involve itself in the case since the charges do not relate to Ndayizera's work as a journalist but said it hoped he would get a fair trial. "We are deeply concerned, given the gravity of the alleged charges, we hope he gets a fair, just and quick judicial process," it said in a statement.”

All Africa: How 'Foreign' Are Foreign Terrorist Fighters In Africa?

“In September 2018, five people acquitted of the July 2010 terror attacks in Kampala, Uganda, were re-arrested by the Ugandan Police. Omar Awadh Omar and four others were charged with possessing literature for the promotion of terrorism. These charges were later dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions following deportation letters for three of the suspects to Kenya. Omar contested the orders by the Ugandan authorities to deport him to Kenya on the grounds that although born to a Kenyan father, his nationality is Ugandan by right of birth, as his mother is Ugandan. Omar, the four other suspects and the eight convicts of the July 2010 bombing in Kampala were trained al-Shabaab operatives and the group claimed responsibility for the attacks. This is one of several situations that raise the question of the applicability of the term 'foreign terrorist fighter'. These cases may not be unique to Africa and there are indeed Africans who have travelled to other parts of the world to fight battles. However, within Africa itself there is a need to reflect on a range of issues when considering foreign terrorist fighters. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) defines these fighters as 'individuals who travel to a State other than their States of residence or nationality for the purpose of the perpetration ... or participation in terrorist acts.’”

United Kingdom

Evenings Standard: Primary School Children To Help Fight Terrorism In UK Under New Plans

“Police hope children as young as nine will become “influencers of the future” to help them beat terrorists. A senior officer revealed details of a planned strategy that could include enabling youngsters to identify suspicious behaviour. The officer said the drive could include talking to primary school children in Years Five and Six to counter information they are exposed to online, because “everybody needs to play their part in national security”. The plans were revealed during a panel discussion at Olympia’s International Security Expo yesterday. The campaign is expected to expand the Government’s Action Counters Terrorism project aimed at 11 to 16-year-olds, which includes how to identify and respond to suspicious behaviour, how to deal with suspicious items and what to do in an attack. The officer said: “I feel young people are influencers of the future in terms of the way that we approach security. “Some people are anxious that we might want to have conversations with primary school Year Five, Year Six — but the point for me is young people are getting information pushed at them, and we should not be frightened of stepping into that space. “We need to work as a whole society, whole system approach to it, where absolutely everybody plays their part in helping to really create hostile environments for terrorists to operate in.”

France

CNN: 'I'm Scared For The Future Of My Baby Here': French Jews Live In Fear Amid Rising Anti-Semitic Acts

“In a Parisian suburb, Myriam sits at her parents' dinner table, the Shabbat candles flickering before her. Together with her husband and newborn son she takes stock of the painful week she's had. It's a regular conversation for many French Jews. Myriam, who did not want to give her last name over fears for her own safety, questions whether France is a country where her family can prosper, a place they can still call home. According to the Jewish Agency for Israel, 55,000 French Jews have left the country since the year 2000. "I'm scared of the future of my baby here," Myriam told CNN. "I hope that he will have a future here, and you know Jewish communities are a part of the history of France." Earlier this month, the French government said that anti-Semitic acts had increased by 69% over the first nine months of 2018. The new statistics coincided with the announcement of a 5 million euro government fund to combat anti-Semitism in schools and a pledge to tackle online hate speech. A CNN/ComRes poll published earlier this week revealed that one out of five French adults between 18-34 said they'd never heard of the Holocaust. Frederic Potier, the man charged with leading the government's plans to tackle anti-Semitism, said the poll's findings were shocking. "I'm really surprised by this number because in our country... 20% is a lot," he said.”

Germany

Deutsche Welle: German Taliban Fighter On Trial In Dusseldorf

“His gaze wanders to the other side of the glass screen as soon as he enters the courtroom in the higher regional court in the western German city of Dusseldorf. The tall, slim man with the short blond hair and the trimmed beard seems a little lost. Then, as his mother, aunts and sisters arrive to support him, his relief is palpable. He raises his hand to greet them, a slight smile on his face. Then Thomas K. sits down, shoulders hanging. He seems nervous and tense. When Judge Lutz Bachler addresses him at the opening of the trial, he stumbles over his words several times. Could this man, whose body language shows so much uncertainty, really be a cold-blooded Taliban bomber? The prosecution is convinced that he is. The trial, which started in mid-October, does not take place in the court's main building, but a few kilometers away in the sealed-off high-security wing, a massive concrete block with a heliport on the rooftop. It is where terror suspects face their judges. Thomas K. is accused of membership in a foreign terrorist organization, a violation of Germany's ' War Weapons Control Act', as well as attempted murder. When he first spoke, the defendant pointed out that he suffers from “schizophrenia and depressive episodes.” The two experts who examined K. extensively, however, have come to a different conclusion. According to their final report, Thomas K. suffers from a “combined personality disorder with schizoid features."

Australia

The Sydney Morning Herald: 'Dumb, Immature' Sydney Teen Said He Sympathised With ISIS

“A Sydney teenager admits he was a “dumb, immature kid” who sympathised with Islamic State when he bought fixed-blade knives from a gun shop, but denies any plan to use the weapons in a terror attack. The 18-year-old, who can't be named for legal reasons, has told a court he was a “victim of extremism” who held radical views when he bought the knives on two occasions in October 2016. But he still protests his innocence after a jury found him guilty in September of preparing for a terrorist act - claiming that while he sympathised with ISIS, he didn't support them. “My intention was purely recreational activities ... going hunting, going camping et cetera,” the teenager told his NSW Supreme Court pre-sentence hearing on Friday. But prosecutor Ian Bourke SC submitted that an attack was imminent when the then-16-year-old was arrested with another boy at a Bankstown prayer hall shortly after the second knife purchase. Mr Bourke said the judge could conclude an attack was likely “either that day or very shortly afterwards”. He previously told jurors the boys were arrested in possession of two bayonets, clothing capable of being used to disguise and a handwritten note which amounted to a pledge of allegiance to ISIS. The 18-year-old on Friday said it was a coincidence he had downloaded an ISIS magazine which was published days before he bought the first knives in early October.”

New Zealand

Daily Mail: First Kiwi Locked Up For Distributing Extremist ISIS Propaganda Granted Early Parole After Court Finds Him No Longer 'Safety Risk'

“The first New Zealander to be jailed for possessing, making and distributing extremist propaganda will be released on parole as he is no longer deemed a safety risk. Imran Patel, 29, was locked up for three years and nine months in June 2016 after he admitted charges relating to the extremist videos. Patel had distributed the twisted videos by text to 52 people, while more material showing extreme violence and torture were found at his house during a police raid. Patel had his New Zealand passport had been cancelled after he was stopped at Auckland International Airport trying to fly to Syria with a friend. The Parole Board granted Patel an early release from prison after a hearing on November 21. Two earlier requests for parole – last year and again in February this year – were declined. The Parole Board's decision means Patel has had almost a year shaved off his original sentence, as his official statutory release date is September 12, 2019. In its report, the Board noted he was now considered 'moderate-low risk for reconviction.' It also stated: 'Radicalisation does not necessarily mean an individual will engage in terrorist behaviour'. A report provided by a community adviser noted the 'problems for a young Muslim man in a religiously contradictory environment with starkly contradicting values.'”

Europe

The Times Of Israel: Europe Agrees To Back UN Resolution Condemning Hamas Terror Group

“The European Union agreed to support a US-sponsored United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Hamas, following negotiations with Washington, diplomats said Thursday. The draft resolution will likely be voted on in the United Nations General Assembly on Monday, an official in Israel’s mission to the UN told The Times of Israel on Thursday. After the US agreed to make some changes to the initial draft, the EU on Thursday agreed to support the text. All 28 EU member states are expected to vote in favor. “All 28 members will support the US text,” a European diplomat told AFP. If adopted, the resolution would be the first General Assembly vote to condemn the Palestinian terrorist group. The EU’s support dramatically increases its chances of passing, though it is unclear whether it will guarantee the needed simple majority among the UN’s 193 member states. Earlier this week, European diplomats said there were disagreements on the proposed US text, notably including references to UN resolutions and to the two-state solution. The Europeans had asked, and the Americans agreed, to insert a clause that states that a future Israeli-Palestinian peace deal should be “in accordance with international law, and bearing in mind relevant UN resolutions.” However, the draft still does not make explicit mention of a two-state solution, though virtually all recently passed UN resolutions passed on the subject do.”

Technology

The New York Times: Sheryl Sandberg Is Said To Have Asked Facebook Staff To Research George Soros

“Sheryl Sandberg asked Facebook’s communications staff to research George Soros’s financial interests in the wake of his high-profile attacks on tech companies, according to three people with knowledge of her request, indicating that Facebook’s second in command was directly involved in the social network’s response to the liberal billionaire. Ms. Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, asked for the information in an email to a senior executive in January that was forwarded to other senior communications and policy staff, the people said. The email came within days of a blistering speech Mr. Soros delivered that month at the World Economic Forum, attacking Facebook and Google as a “menace” to society and calling for the companies to be regulated. Ms. Sandberg — who was at the forum, but was not present for Mr. Soros’s speech, according to a person who attended it — requested an examination into why Mr. Soros had criticized the tech companies and whether he stood to gain financially from the attacks. At the time, Facebook was under growing scrutiny for the role its platform had played in disseminating Russian propaganda and fomenting campaigns of hatred in Myanmar and other countries.”

The Sun: Social Media Is ‘A Game-Changer’ For ‘Brain-Washing Terrorists,’ Warns Anti-Extremism Tsar — And Terror Attacks Are Just ‘The Tip Of The Iceberg’

“The spiralling terrorist violence on Britain’s streets is only “the tip of the iceberg” of a new tidal wave of evil that fanatics are secretly spreading, the Extremism Commissioner has warned. Issuing the bombshell alarm, Sara Khan revealed she has been “genuinely shocked” to discover the true scale of mushrooming support that Islamist, far right and far left groups now have. Social media has proved “a game changer” for extremists’ recruiting and brainwashing, allowing radicals to grow their ranks on an unprecedented scale, she added. Ms Khan gave her first interview since taking up the key new job to The Sun on Thursday. The campaigner and human rights activist was appointed the nation’s first Extremism Commissioner in January this year after the office was created by PM Theresa May. She also told The Sun that: A “new breed” of very professional activists right across the spectrum of dangerous causes have aped the slick PR tactics of terror groups like ISIS. The Government and consumers must now step up to force tech giants to do more to curb legal extremist content, such as twisted algorithms that promote wider viewing, There is still an alarming “nervousness” to call out Islamist extremism in communities, paralysing the fight against it. Unsung heroes who tackle extremists, such as brave Imams, are suffering a terrible hounding and must be given more help.”