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Old 07-31-2018, 06:39 AM
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Arrow Eye on Extremism: As of 7-31-18

Eye on Extremism: July 31
RE: https://www.counterextremism.com/rou...mism-july-31-1

ABC News:

2 American Cyclists Among 4 Dead In Tajikistan Attack Claimed By ISIS

“Four cycling tourists, including two Americans, were killed in an attack in Tajikistan, authorities told ABC News. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a Twitter post Monday. A group of seven cyclists was heading north in Danghara district, about 55 miles southeast of the capital Dushanbe, when they were struck by a car with five armed people onboard on Sunday. Tajikistan’s interior minister said that, after striking the cyclists, the people in the car got out and attacked them with a firearm and a knife. The two Americans, a woman and a man, were killed along with a Swiss man and a Dutch national. Authorities said at the time they believed it may have been a deliberate terrorist attack, although they had not ruled out armed robbery. On Monday afternoon, an IS terror group issued a statement on Twitter in Arabic claiming the attack.”

The Guardian:

Syrian government forces seal victory in southern territories

“The Syrian regime has reclaimed a sliver of territory in southern Syria that was under the control of Islamic State, sealing its military victory in the strategic southern territories that rebelled in 2011 against Bashar al-Assad and fully reestablishing its hold over the frontier with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, said forces loyal to the Syrian regime had taken control of the last towns and villages in the province of Daraa that were under the control of Jaysh Khalid ibn al-Waleed, an Isis affiliate that controlled the Syrian part of the Yarmouk River basin, a tributary that runs through Syria, Jordan and Israel. The military victory in the area means Assad now fully controls the province of Daraa, the birthplace of protests in 2011 that spread throughout the country and challenged his family’s totalitarian rule. The Assad regime, backed by Russian airstrikes, launched a campaign in mid-June to recover control of the southern and south-western parts of the country bordering Jordan and the Golan Heights – the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra.”

Arab News:

UN Panel Finds Further Evidence Of Iran Link To Yemen Missiles

“Yemen’s Houthi rebels are still arming themselves with ballistic missiles and drones that “show characteristics similar” to Iranian-made weapons, a report by a UN panel of experts has found. In a confidential report to the Security Council, a copy of which was seen by AFP on Monday, the panel said it “continues to believe” that short-range ballistic missiles and other weaponry were transferred from Iran to Yemen after an arms embargo was imposed in 2015. Iran has repeatedly denied that it is arming the Houthis in Yemen, but the United States and Saudi Arabia have accused Tehran of providing military support to the rebels. Recent inspections of weaponry including missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) used by the Houthis “show characteristics similar to weapons systems known to be produced in the Islamic Republic of Iran,” said the 125-page report.”
The National: Manchester Suicide Bomber Was Rescued By Royal Navy From Libya

“Salman Abedi, the suicide bomber who struck at the Manchester Arena last year during an Ariana Grande concert, killing 22 people including seven children, was rescued from Libya by the Royal Navy in August 2014, according to the Daily Mail. Three years before his murderous attack, he and his younger brother were part of a group of more than 100 British citizens who were rescued from the war-torn country and brought to Malta on the HMS Enterprise, from where they were flown home to Britain. A Whitehall source told the newspaper that “for this man to have committed such an atrocity on UK soil after we rescued him from Libya was an act of utter betrayal.”
The Wall Street Journal: Indonesia Bans Islamic State-Linked Terror Group Behind Child Suicide Bombings

“Indonesia banned the militant group behind Islamic State’s first attack in Southeast Asia and suicide bombings involving children, a move that foreshadows the arrests of hundreds of the group’s members in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. The decision by a Jakarta court Tuesday to outlaw Jemaah Ansharut Daulah follows a crackdown on the group, which police say was responsible for a gun-and-bombs assault at a Starbucks in the capital that left four bystanders dead, along with four attackers, in early 2016. Members of JAD also carried out suicide bombings at churches and a police post in the country’s second-largest city, Surabaya, which involved the use of children and left more than a dozen dead. Those attacks in May led lawmakers to grant police greater powers to arrest suspects and detain them for longer periods.”

United States

CNN: Trump Says He'd Meet With Iran Without Preconditions 'Whenever They Want'

“President Donald Trump said Monday he is willing to meet with Iran's leadership, without preconditions, "whenever they want," a sharp departure from his threats against the regime last week. "I would certainly meet with Iran if they wanted to meet," Trump said during a joint news conference at the White House alongside Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. "I do believe that they will probably end up wanting to meet. I'm ready to meet whenever they want to." "No preconditions," he added. "They want to meet, I'll meet, whenever they want." Monday's olive branch from Trump marks an abrupt shift in tone, and may be little more than theater with US midterm elections looming on the horizon. The President has been a strident critic of Iran, threatening the regime with "consequences" as recently as July 22, while his administration pursues a strategy that many see as regime change in all but name. The President and his senior officials have ramped up the rhetoric against Tehran, promising to "crush" its economy with international sanctions and accusing it of fomenting terrorism and regional instability, while telling the country's citizens that their leaders are corrupt.”

Syria

Mirror: Ex-British Soldier Accused Of Terrorism After Flying To Syria To Fight ISIS Has Charge Dropped

“A former British soldier who was accused of a terror offence after joining Kurdish militia fighting against Islamic State in Syria has had the charge dropped. James Matthews, 43, from Dalston, east London, was charged with receiving instruction or training in Iraq and Syria on or before February 15, 2016, "for purposes connected to the commission of preparation of terrorism". He had been due to face trial at the Old Bailey in November. But a hearing before Mr Justice Edis, prosecutor Tom Little QC announced the Crown concluded there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction on "evidential grounds". Mr Matthews entered a formal not guilty plea and the prosecution offered no evidence so a not guilty verdict was entered by the judge. He was sat in the well of the court today as he was formally cleared of wrongdoing.”

Newsmax:

Hezbollah Acknowledges Group's Presence In Syria, Beyond

“A top Hezbollah official acknowledged that the terrorist organization remains in Syria and is consolidating its presence across the Mideast, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center reports. In a July 21, 2018 speech, Hashem Safi al-Din – Hezbollah's executive council chief — bragged about his organization's role in helping the Syrian regime takeover south Syria and fueling conflicts throughout the region. Al-Din is a member of Hezbollah's Shura council and is regarded as one of its most influential figures. Another Hezbollah official, deputy executive council chief Sheikh Ali Da'mush, also praised the terrorist group's successes against militant groups in south Syria, during a statement broadcast on Hezbollah's al-Manar TV channel a day before al-Din's speech.”
Reuters: Syrian Government Forces And Allies Close To Capturing Entire Southwest

“Government forces are on the brink of seizing the last part of southwestern Syria still in rebel hands, having taken control of the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, a war monitor and a media outlet close to Damascus said on Monday. A military media unit run by Iran-backed Hezbollah, which fights alongside Damascus, said the Syrian army had secured the entire border with the Golan Heights. Advancing government forces have seized all but a few villages held by an Islamic State-affiliated faction, the Khalid Ibn al-Walid army, that controlled the Yarmouk Basin, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. Earlier in July, the Syrian government and its allies, backed by Russian air strikes, widened their offensive on the southwest to include the region which borders the Golan Heights and Jordan. “Khalid Ibn al-Walid army now controls three small villages, which constitute less than one percent of the area it once controlled in Yarmouk Basin,” Rami Abdelrahman, director of the British-based Observatory, told Reuters by phone.”

CBS News:

ISIS Kidnaps Dozens Of Women, Girls In Deadly Syria Raids

“A war monitoring group says Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters seized 36 women and children during simultaneous attacks on the southeastern province of Sweida last week. The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday that 20 women and 16 children were seized from al-Shobki village in Sweida during the Wednesday attacks. The ambush by suspected ISIS militants left at least 221 people dead. Reports on social media suggest ISIS has sent photos of some of the kidnapped women, most of them from the minority Druze sect prevalent in Sweida, to their families in via WhatsApp. The suspected ISIS kidnappers have purportedly made demands for the women and children's release, but the families have not said what they're demanding. Syrian warplanes carried out a number of airstrikes targeting ISIS positions in the northern and eastern countryside of Sweida at dawn on Monday. The strikes targeted the Kara'a area, which is considered a major ISIS stronghold in the desert of Sweida province.”
BBC News: Syria War: IS 'Seized Women And Children' In Sweida Attack

“Islamic State (IS) militants are holding more than 30 women and children hostage in south-western Syria, a monitor and local media say. They are thought to have been seized during a wave of deadly IS attacks in Suweida province last week. The Syrian government controls most of the region but IS militants hold a small amount of territory there. Pro-government forces recently launched a campaign to retake remaining rebel- and jihadist-held areas in the south. The abductions were reported by the Suwayda24 website and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, following a series of suicide bombings that targeted an area dominated by the Druze ethnic minority on 25 July. More than 200 people were killed. The Druze are the third-largest religious minority in Syria and are considered to be heretics by IS jihadists. The SOHR said that at least 36 women and children had been seized by IS.”

Reuters:

U.N. Plans Talks With Iran, Russia, Turkey On Syria Constitutional Panel

“The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria plans talks with Iran, Russia and Turkey in September to start finalizing the composition of the body intended to draft a new Syrian constitution, a statement said on Tuesday. Staffan de Mistura, attending two-day talks with the three powers in Russia, has received lists from the Assad government and opposition on proposed candidates for the Constitutional Committee. “The Special Envoy looks forward to holding formal consultations (with the three countries) ... very early in September in Geneva, in order to begin to finalize the constitutional committee,” the statement said.”

The Jerusalem Post:

Report: ISIS Loses Last Villages Near Golan Heights

“Islamic State was driven out from the last major villages it still held near the Golan Heights – in an area called the Yarmouk Basin – on Monday, according to the Syrian regime and local websites. The ISIS affiliate group, Jaysh Khalid bin Walid, has held the area for several years but has only clashed with Israeli forces once. In mid-July the Syrian regime, after defeating the rebels near the Golan, attacked ISIS with a major offensive. Syrian regime media SANA claimed that the last group of ISIS fighters had been defeated in the town of Shajarah. The report indicated that regime forces swept along the Golan border cease-fire fence, pushing ISIS from the villages of Abidin and Maariyah and taking back the whole border area with Israel. On the other side of the ISIS pocket, regime forces forced their way into Qusayr, near a small dam, and attacked Beit Arrah near the border with Jordan. There is a deep valley there and ISIS members were driven from the villages into the bush and wadis. “The operation was carried out with combat units and special tactics [so] that the terrorist organization lost the ability to maneuver,” the regime said. Suicide bombers tried to target the Syrian soldiers, but were stopped with “heavy losses to equipment and personnel.”

Iran

The New York Times:

Trump Says He Would Meet With Iranian Leader, But Iran Rules It Out

“President Trump, who walked away from a nuclear deal with Iran despite that country’s documented compliance, said Monday that he would meet with President Hassan Rouhani with “no preconditions” as soon as the Iranian leader agreed to do so. But hours before Mr. Trump spoke, Iran said that talks with the United States would be impossible under what it called the Trump administration’s hostile policies, seeming to close the door on any chance of a dialogue. Mr. Trump said at a White House news conference with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy that he was open to meeting with Iran. “I’ll meet with anybody,” Mr. Trump said. “If they want to meet, I’ll meet. Anytime they want.” Mr. Trump compared the possibility of a face-to-face summit meeting with the Iranian leader to meetings he has held with Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, and President Vladimir V. Putin of
Russia.”

Kurdistan24:

Iranian Kurdish Party Warns Of Extensive Plans By Iran To Attack Kurds

“A senior Iranian Kurdish official warned that Tehran is planning extensive attacks on Iranian Kurdish parties amid economic turmoil, electricity cuts, and protests inside Iran. Loghman H. Ahmedi, a senior member of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan’s (PDKI) leadership, told Kurdistan 24 on Monday that Iran is worried about domestic problems posing an existential threat to the “regime,” and is looking to divert attention from its internal issues by attacking Kurds. “The terrible economic and political situation and Iran’s wars in the region have created a situation of real dissent inside the country that can lead to real change inside Iran,” he said. “Hence, the regime is attempting to divert attention from these domestic crises by blaming external actors.” Ahmedi revealed that the PDKI has “detailed information” that suggests Iran is planning “extensive military and terrorist operations” against the party.”
The Wall Street Journal: Iran’s Rial At Historic Low As U.S. Sanctions Loom

“Iran’s local currency hit another record low against the U.S. dollar Monday, extending a historic slide on concerns about new American sanctions due to be imposed next week. Scrambling to put a floor under the rial, Iran’s central bank late Sunday promised new measures to restore calm. It didn’t say what those measures were, but they will likely be the first major moves for the new central bank governor Abdolnaser Hemmati. The rial traded at 119,000 to the U.S. dollar Monday, according to Bonbast, which tracks unofficial currency-market rates. The currency fell through the 100,000 per dollar level for the first time Sunday and has almost halved since early May. The currency’s slump and a spike in demand for gold were “not proportional to economic realities,” the central bank said. New U.S. sanctions set to take effect Aug. 6, covering Iran’s trade in gold and other precious metals, its purchases of dollars, metals, software and its automotive sector, have stoked uncertainty and an investor flight to safety. More sanctions covering Iran’s oil and shipping industries are set for November.”

Iraq

Iraqi News: Iraqi Courts Sentence Al-Qaeda, Islamic State Members To Death, Life Over Terrorism Charges

“Diyala Criminal Court has sentenced four convicts to death over joining a terrorist group and committing crimes in the province in 2007, the High Judicial Council announced on Monday. In a statement, Abdul-Sattar al-Bayraqdar, a spokesperson of the council, said “the court reviewed cases of four suspects who were convicted for joining al-Qaeda and carrying out terrorist operations.” Among the operations, according to the statement, were “kidnapping and killing five members of one family and stealing money after attacking their house in al-Ghalibiya region, Diyala, in 2007.” Moreover, the security committee of Diyala provincial council said three Islamic State members were sentenced to death. Speaking to AlSumaria News, Sadeq al-Husseini, head of the committee, said “judiciary in Diyala sentenced three members of Islamic State to death, while the four others were sentenced to life. Husseini added that several terrorism cases will be finalized soon. Last week, Nineveh Criminal Court sentenced an Islamic State member, known as al-Muhajir, to death, while the Criminal Court in Baghdad sentenced two militants to life. Many IS members were detained during liberation battles that freed cities, which were recaptured by the militant group in 2014.”

Iraqi News:

Two Islamic State Fighters Riding Motorbike Killed In Iraq’s Diyala

“Two Islamic State militants were killed Monday in an ambush in eastern Diyala province, a local official was quoted as saying. Speaking to Alghad Press website, Moa’yed Norouz, the head of Balad Ruz’s municipal council, said, “Two IS militants riding a motorbike were killed after residents and security forces ambushed them in Shah Ali area, east of Diyala.” The pair, according to Norouz, “were planning to launch attacks against residents in Shah Ali area.” Although Islamic State militants suffered heavy losses since their defeat in Iraq last year, experts believe that the group is still seen as a security threat as its fighters are still making a comeback with a scatter-gun campaign of kidnap and killing. Iraq declared victory over Islamic State in December with the help of a US-led alliance, having retaken all the territory captured by the extremists in 2014 and 2015. IS declared a self-styled “caliphate” in a third of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014. A government campaign, backed by a U.S.-led international coalition and paramilitary forces, was launched in 2016 to retake IS-held regions, managing to retake all havens, most notably the city of Mosul, the group’s previously proclaimed capital.”

Turkey

Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Israel Releases Turkish Woman Accused Of Terrorism In Bid To Free American Pastor Held By Turkey

“A Turkish woman arrested by Israel for allegedly transferring money to the terrorist group Hamas reportedly as part of a deal to free an American pastor from Turkish custody. Ebru Ozkan, 27, was released earlier this week, a week after her indictment, and deported to Turkey, despite her upcoming trial. The charges against her, including posing a national security threat and ties to a terrorist organization, were not dropped. Legal proceedings against Ozkan reportedly have been suspended because she “cannot be located” in Turkey. On Sunday, The Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump had asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a July 14 phone call to let Ozkan go in order to secure the release of Andrew Brunson, a pastor who has been held in prison in Turkey for nearly two years. Ozkan was allowed to leave Israel for Turkey on July 15, a day after the phone call between Trump and Netanyahu. She had been detained June 11 at Ben-Gurion Airport as she was leaving Israel to return to Turkey. On July 18, a Turkish court rejected an appeal by Brunson’s lawyers to allow him to go free. But a week later he was released to house arrest and ordered to wear an electronic monitoring device. Brunson, an evangelical Presbyterian pastor from North Carolina who has lived in Turkey for 20 years, was arrested in 2016 during the Turkish government’s crackdown following a coup attempt.”

Yemen

The Media Line: Houthis Aim To Disrupt International Transport And Trade

“Houthi rebels in Yemen announced on Thursday that they had attacked Abu Dhabi Airport with missiles fired from drones. Emirates officials, however, quickly denied the Houthi claim, saying that all operations at the airport were functioning normally. The UAE said earlier last week that there had been an incident with a supply vehicle at the airport’s terminal 1, but did not offer details. It is unclear whether or not the incident was caused by the Houthi drone. Abu Khaleel, the Houthi head of security in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a, told The Media Line that the drone “flew nearly 1,500 km. (932 miles) before firing three missiles on Abu Dhabi Airport. Reality cannot be denied. This is the first message to the UAE and its supporters, the U.S. and Israel, that we have extra capabilities to attack vital infrastructure targets in the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. “I call on all foreign companies in the UAE to keep away from security and military institutions or leave the state,” he warned. A day earlier, Saudi officials admitted that Houthis had attacked two oil tankers in the Bab al-Mandeb shipping lane, one of the world’s most important tanker routes off Yemen’s western coast and the rebel-held main port city of Hodeidah.”

Middle East

National Review: The Savagery Of ISIS

““They took us to pits on the farm that were supposed to be our graves . . . They threw us down there in shifts. Every fifteen minutes they would lower down about a dozen men . . . and open fire on them. They arranged us into rows, telling us to line up next to each other so it would be easier for them to shoot us. My brother was in the first shift. My other brother was in the second shift. I was in the third. I knew everyone down there with me; they were my neighbours and friends.” Up to this point, I imagine most readers will assume that the above passage is a quotation from a survivor of the Nazi atrocities. Only the end of this passage identifies that it is a more recent testimony that we are hearing.”
BBC: Taliban Sources Confirm Qatar Meeting With Senior US Diplomat

“Taliban officials secretly met a senior US diplomat in Qatar last week, sources in the group have told the BBC. The face-to-face talks in Doha with Alice Wells, a state department deputy assistant secretary, were "very important", one Taliban official said. News of the meeting follows a directive from the Trump administration for US diplomats to talk directly with the Afghan militant group. The Taliban have long said that only with the US will they discuss peace. Direct talks with the militants, without Afghan officials present, marks a major turnaround in Washington's policy as it seeks to end America's longest war. It comes after an unprecedented three-day ceasefire during Eid celebrations in June that was largely respected by both sides. There have been attacks since, including one on army check points in Badghis province. The meeting was first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Two senior Taliban sources confirmed it to the BBC's Mahfouz Zubaide, in Kabul. They said a six-member delegation was led by Abbas Stanikzai, who heads the group's political office in Doha.”

Nigeria

All Africa: Nigeria: Army Kills 16 Boko Haram Members, Recovers Gun Trucks

“The Nigerian Army yesterday said it killed 16 Boko Haram terrorists and recovered a weapons cache during its clearance operation in Mairari village in Monguno local government area of Borno State. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, Deputy Director Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this in a statement released in Maiduguri. Nwachukwu said that the troops also recovered two gun trucks abandoned by the insurgents during the encounter. "The insurgents in three vehicles, including gun trucks had infiltrated and attacked the community, when troops at the formation were alerted by locals . "The troops supported by the Air Task Force swiftly responded to the attack killing 16 insurgents and capturing two trucks loaded with guns abandoned by the insurgents, as they tried escaping , having been overwhelmed by the superior fire power from the troops. "The gallant troops also recovered 163 rounds of anti aircraft gun ammunition during the fierce encounter," he said. During the fire fight, he said, four civilians and a soldier unfortunately, sustained varying degrees of injury and have been promptly evacuated to a Military Hospital, where they are currently receiving medical attention. "The FOB has been further reinforced with additional troops, while fighting patrols are on the trail of the insurgents who fled the attack.”

Somalia

Mareeg: Somalia’s Al-Shabab Carries Out Attack On Barawe Airport

“Somali Islamist group of Al Shabaab saya it has launched mortar attack on airport in Barawe town, some 120km south of Somali capital Mogadishu. The group says its fighters carried out mortar attack at the airport, shortly after a helicopter landed, killing one person. The Al Qaeda inspired group in Somalia did not say if the attack damaged the military helicopter landed at the airport in the town. Barawe, a coastal town runs by Somali army forces, along with African Union mission in Somalia known as AMISOM troops. It remains unknown what the helicopter was carrying, but Somalia and African Union forces based in town.”

North Korea

The Wall Street Journal: North Korea Expands Facilities At Missile Site

“North Korea has constructed two new buildings at a missile facility in the northern suburbs of Pyongyang and appears to be actively continuing production there, according to an analysis of newly available commercial satellite imagery, the latest sign of continued progress in the country’s nuclear and missile program. The satellite imagery, which was captured on Sunday by San Francisco-based imagery provider Planet Labs Inc. and analyzed by experts at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, Calif., shows two buildings—believed to be an administrative building and a museum—newly erected at the site. On June 5, days before North Korean leader Kim Jong Un flew to Singapore for a meeting with President Trump, the site of the two buildings was vacant, suggesting that most of the construction took place following the summit meeting.”

Russia

Newsweek: Russia Says It 'Cannot' Kick Iran Out Of Syria Like Israel And U.S. Want

“Russia's envoy to Israel told local media Monday that his country had no intention of expelling Iranian forces from Syria and, even if it wanted to do so, it would not be capable. Russian Ambassador Anatoly Viktorov defended Iran's presence in Syria, where Moscow has joined Tehran in supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against a 2011 uprising. Neighboring Israel has grown increasingly complacent with longtime foe Assad's retaking of the country and has worked with Russia since its 2015 intervention, but has vehemently rejected Iran's role in the conflict, which Viktorov argued was crucial. "They are playing a very, very important role in our common and joint effort to eliminate terrorists in Syria. That is why, for this period of time, we see as non-realistic any demands to expel any foreign troops from the entirety of the Syrian Arab Republic," Viktorov told Israel's Channel 10 news outlet in comments carried by Reuters. "We can talk with our Iranian partners very frankly and openly, trying to persuade them to do or not to do something," he added. When asked if Russia could expel Iran by force, he answered: "We cannot.”

Australia

The Guardian: Queensland Man Jailed For Planning 'Deadly' Terrorism Attack

“A Queensland man who wanted to use improvised explosives in a domestic terrorism plot after being prevented from fighting in Syria has been jailed for 17 years. Agim Kruezi, 25, pleaded guilty in the Brisbane supreme court on Tuesday to preparing for incursion into a foreign state and preparing or planning for a terrorist act. He was sentenced to 17 years and four months, with a non-parole period of 13 years. Justice Rosalyn Atkinson found he had not rejected the violent extremist views that had led him to obtaining materials to create molotov cocktails to unleash a “deadly” attack. “You remain a serious risk to the public,” Atkinson said. She ruled Kruezi, from Logan, south of Brisbane, wanted to create “death or destruction” in Australia and was motivated by a religious duty. Kruezi’s bid to travel to Syria to fight with the al Qaida-affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra in March 2014 was stopped by customs officers. His passport was cancelled, forcing him to turn his attention to an attack on home soil.”

Southeast Asia

Associated Press: Indonesian Court Outlaws Islamic State-Linked Group

“An Indonesian court on Tuesday outlawed Jemaah Anshorut Daulah, a network of militants that supports the Islamic State group, following a series of deadly attacks over the past two years. Presiding Judge Aris Bawono Langgeng told the South Jakarta District Court that the network of almost two dozen extremist groups is a "forbidden corporation." He said its activities and those of other organizations affiliated with it or IS are banned.The case against Jemaah Anshorut Daulah was brought by government prosecutors and appeared aimed at empowering stronger police action against militant members of the network and their supporters. In 2008, a court banned Jemaah Islamiyah, the al-Qaida affiliated network responsible for the Bali bombings in 2002. The group was obliterated by a sustained crackdown on militants by Indonesia's counterterrorism police with U.S. and Australian support, but a new threat has emerged in recent years inspired by IS attacks abroad.The prosecution indictment filed against the IS-linked group said JAD supporters across Indonesia carried out attacks that killed civilians and police and damaged public facilities. In May, two families carried out suicide bombings in Indonesia's second-largest city, Surabaya, killing a dozen people and two young girls whose parents had involved them in one of the attacks.”

Technology

The Verge: Congress Just Showed Us What Comprehensive Regulation Of Facebook Would Look Like

“As Congress has paid increasing attention to social networks over the past year, a recurring theme in the coverage has been how little lawmakers appear to understand them. The first Facebook hearing, which was tied to Congress’ investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 election, played as pure theater. At a subsequent hearing, senators at least asked better questions. But despite several more go-rounds, both here and abroad, it has been unclear what lawmakers intend to do about any of it. Mark Zuckerberg is on the record saying he supports certain kinds of regulation. But so far, it hasn’t been clear what aggressive regulation of Facebook would even look like. It’s now much clearer — or rather, it would be clear, in a world in which Democrats had the power to regulate. On Monday, Axios’ David McCabe published a fascinating policy paper from the office of Sen. Mark Warner. The paper outlines a comprehensive regulatory regime that would touch virtually every aspect of social networks.”

Counter-Terrorism

Arab Youm: Africa: Terrorist Organizations Trying To Exploit Tribalism

“Tribalism in Africa is one of the most influential factors affecting the scene, thus terrorist and extremist organizations have sought to infiltrate the African arena by exploiting its tribal components. These include benefiting from the experience of tribes living in fragile border zones, to smuggle militants or deal with organized crime groups. By exploiting the tribes, terror groups seek to create sources of funding for their operations, or to use tribes for recruiting new militants. The inability of African countries to integrate tribes, sects and clans living in areas extending from the Libyan Desert to the borders and surrounding regions of Nigeria, through Mali, has enabled terrorist groups to grow in an environment free of modernization and development. The pandemic of extremism has spread among several tribes whose sons have been attracted to branches of terrorist organizations that exist in several African countries.”

Albawabh News: Egypt: 2,042 Individuals Placed On Terror Lists During July

“The current month of July has witnessed the placement of 2,042 persons on Egypt's 'five-year terror list', pursuant to Terror Law no. 8 of 2015 and in response to a request by the Supreme State Security Prosecution Office. The request came after they were convicted in cases referred to as "Wilayat Sinai" [The Sinai Province of ISIS] and found to be affiliated with armed wings of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, "Hasm" movement, and "Lewaa Al-Thawra" [Revolution Brigade]. In addition, the funds and assets of those individuals were also placed on security watch lists and appropriated in accordance with law.”
Seventh Day: Al-Azhar University Rejects Allegation Of Promoting Terrorism

“Al-Azhar University of Cairo is strongly rejecting rumors accusing the University of promoting and sponsoring terrorism. The University described these allegations, which were recently claimed by a local satellite TV channel, as "false, baseless and irresponsible." In a statement, Al-Azhar stresses: "These accusations are aimed at stripping the University of its vital role in combating terrorism and weeding out extremist ideology." The University further notes that it does not permit any of its students or teachers to stray away from "moderate" Islam, which reinforces the values of citizenship and coexistence. The University called attention to the fact that it previously dismissed several teachers and students after being convicted of membership in outlawed groups.”

ISIS

The New Arab: Iraq: ISIS Turned Into Gang Of Thieves

“Iraqi intelligence in Baghdad is monitoring the escalation of ISIS operations in cities located in the north and west of the country. ISIS attacks do not only target civilians who reject the terror group, or Iraqi security forces, but also infrastructures in liberated areas, including water, electricity, gas and oil pipelines, oil fields, and even tankers, as well as threatening local companies willing to work in those areas. ISIS operations are characterized by Iraqi military leaders as being "gang-like", based on attacks in which militants strike and then flee. They've taken the desert areas for their headquarters, or they hide at the time of executing the attacks under various banners. According to a senior Iraqi official in the Intelligence Agency of the Iraqi Interior Ministry, "The organization is no longer just a terrorist organization dedicated to murder in Iraq, but has become a gang of thieves.”
Houthis

Al-Bayan: Drug Trafficking A Major Income Source For Houthis

“Yemeni security forces yesterday succeeded in capturing a large cannabis shipment on its way to the Houthis. A Yemeni source revealed that soldiers deployed at a checkpoint in Ma'rib Governorate in eastern Yemen seized a 50-kilogram shipment of drugs before it could arrive into Houthi-controlled Sanaa. Yemini observers report that drug trafficking has become a major source of income for the Houthi insurgency in Yemen. The Houthis, similarly to the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah organization, rely on the illegal drug trade to finance the group's terrorist and military activities in Yemen, the expert added.”
__________________
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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