Eye on Extremism - 03-10-22

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Eye on Extremism - March 10, 2022
By: Counter Extremism Project - 03-10-22
Re: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#in...LjDwqcRsKFnLjs

Topic: Eye on Extremism - as of March 10, 2022:

Reuters: Gunmen Kill 19 Soldiers In Attack On Nigerian Deputy Governor's Convoy

“At least 19 soldiers were killed in Nigeria's Kebbi state as gunmen attacked the deputy governor's convoy, residents said on Wednesday. The attack took place on Tuesday, the same day gunmen ambushed and killed at least 62 members of a volunteer vigilante group in Nigeria's northwestern Kebbi state in the worst violence to hit the state since mid-January. Deputy Governor Samaila Dabai Yombe confirmed Tuesday's ambush and said a gunbattle ensued in the town of Kanya that resulted in casualties but he did not provide any details on how many people had been killed. “We entered into terrorist ambush who opened fire on our entourage ... as we approached a sharp bend ... on our way to Wasagu,” Yombe said. The ambush occurred at around 4:30 pm on Tuesday, residents said, adding that 18 soldiers and one police man were killed during the attack while 8 others were wounded. “I counted 19 bodies from Tuesday's ambush in Kanya. They were loaded into two ambulances for transport to Birnin Kebbi,” Bashir Bala, a local radio journalist said. Gunmen have spread terror across the northwest, where they have kidnapped hundreds of school children and villagers for ransom. In January, dozens of gunmen on motorbikes ransacked a village and killed more than 50 people in Kebbi. The violence has compounded the problems in northern states, which are typically poorer than those in the south.”

Associated Press: 4 Convicted In Islamic State Killing Of French Priest

“Four men were convicted in Paris Wednesday of terrorist conspiracy after the murder of a Catholic priest in a Normandy church in 2016, an attack claimed by the Islamic State group. The four were handed sentences of between eight years and life in prison over the attack on Father Jacques Hamel, 85, who was stabbed in his church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray by two 19-year-olds as he finished Mass. Two nuns and an elderly couple were held hostage before the assailants slashed the priest’s throat and seriously injured another elderly churchgoer. The two attackers, Abdel Malik Petitjean and Adel Kermiche, were killed by police as they left the church. The four men on trial were accused of having helped or encouraged the attack. The archbishop for the region welcomed the verdict, and the lawyer for the injured man described an unusual spirit of “spirituality” at the trial. Families of victims held hands with the defendants, and the injured man testified that he forgave them, the lawyer said. Only three defendants were present at the trial, and the other was convicted in absentia. The three present did not play a role in carrying out the attack, but were part of the attackers’ entourage. During the trial, they asked for forgiveness and admitted that they voluntarily associated with individuals who were preparing to commit terrorist crimes. But they argued that wasn’t enough to mark them as terrorists, too.”

United States

CNN: A Turning Point In The Fight Against Right-Wing Extremism

“The first federal trial for a rioter at the January 6 insurrection ended Tuesday when the jury found Guy Reffitt guilty on all five counts related to the attack on the Capitol. His conviction marks a critical turning point not only in the prosecution of those who participated in the insurrection, but in the relationship between the US criminal justice system and far-right violence. Historically, the American legal system has rarely offered a robust, or even adequate, response to far-right lawlessness. In fact, it has often reinforced it, with white vigilantism and a racist legal system working hand-in-hand. Both an inability to see far-right extremism as a problem and a fear that juries would not convict extremists kept the federal government from aggressively pursuing these groups. But this week's guilty verdict -- which joins a series of plea deals, bench trials and seditious conspiracy charges -- shows a system with the capacity and flexibility to prosecute far-right extremism in ways it seldom has in modern US history. And while that system still has weaknesses, its ability to respond to extremism will be a critical counterweight to an emboldened far-right. As the long delay in the recent passage of the anti-lynching law in the US Senate suggests, the American justice system has historically been reluctant to respond to far-right and vigilante violence.”

Los Angeles Daily News: Council OK’s LAPD To Accept $250,000 Anti-Terrorism Grant Despite Worries About Racial Profiling

“The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to authorize the Los Angeles Police Department to accept a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security through the Targeted Violence and Terrorism Prevention Program despite two councilmembers objections over worries about racial profiling. The money will be used to update the curriculum for the department’s Providing Alternatives to Hinder Extremism Program training, according to a report by the city administrative officer. That program “seeks to utilize a risk assessment measure to identify and assess prospective individuals, address their specific needs, link them to appropriate services across agencies and community resources, as well as follow up contacts to determine if the interventions have reduced their risk of reactivation on a trajectory or pathway to violence,” according to the report. Training under the program is provided to public safety personnel, mental health professionals and school counselors. The curriculum will be updated to reflect the objectives of raising awareness of “radicalization to violence” and to help personnel know how to contact threat assessment and management teams.”

Iraq

Kurdistan 24: Villagers Repel Suspected ISIS Attack In Eastern Kirkuk

“Residents of the Kurdish-majority Mansoor village in eastern Kirkuk’s Daquq district repelled a suspected ISIS attack on Tuesday evening without suffering any causalities. The suspected ISIS militants attacked a checkpoint near the village, a resident, who wished to stay anonymous, told Kurdistan 24. The suspected ISIS militants retreated after almost 15 minutes of fighting, the source added. Residents of the nearby village HaftaGhar also took up arms in case the militants also attacked them, according to the source. Daquq lies in the disputed territories between Erbil and Baghdad in the oil-rich Kirkuk province. In late 2021, ISIS militants were launching almost daily raids on the civilian and security targets in those territories, forcing civilians to flee. This prompted Iraqi Security Forces and the Kurdish Peshmerga to increase coordination against the militants in these territories. ISIS long exploited the lack of cooperation between the ISF and Peshmerga, which resulted in a huge security vacuum in those territories. ISIS still has remnants in remote parts of the country’s east and north. Iraqi Air Force F-16 jets regularly attack their hideouts in these areas with targeted airstrikes.”

Pakistan

France 24: IS Suicide Bomber Of Pakistan Mosque Was Afghan: Police

“An Islamic State (IS) suicide bomber who killed 64 people at a Shiite mosque in northwest Pakistan last week was an Afghan exile who returned home to train for the attack, police said Wednesday. There have been warnings Afghanistan could become a recruiting ground and staging post for militants since the Taliban returned to power last year following the hasty withdrawal of US-led forces. The Taliban have pledged they will not allow Afghan soil to be used to plot attacks on other nations, but last month the UN Security Council said “terrorist groups enjoy greater freedom there than at any time in recent history”. Two senior Pakistan police officials told AFP that the suicide bomber responsible for Friday's Peshawar blast had prepared the attack in Afghanistan. It was claimed by IS, whose Islamic State-Khorasan affiliate has been active for years in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. The officials said the attacker was an Afghan national in his 30s who moved to Pakistan with his family decades ago. “The bomber went to Afghanistan, trained there and returned without informing his family,” one of the senior police officials told AFP. “Islamic State-Khorasan is becoming a strong threat for us, they are operating from Afghanistan but they have sleeping cells here,” he added. Taliban officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.”

Africa

The Intercept: Even After Acknowledging Abuses, The U.S. Continued To Employ Notorious Proxy Forces In Cameroon

“Months after the head of U.S. Africa Command announced that funding for Cameroon’s armed forces would be slashed due to human rights concerns, the Pentagon continued employing members of an elite Cameroonian military unit long known for committing atrocities — including extrajudicial killings — as proxies through a classified Special Operations counterterrorism program, The Intercept has learned. Until late 2019, members of the unit — known as the Rapid Intervention Battalion or by its French acronym BIR — conducted the missions against groups U.S. officials designated as VEOs, or violent extremist organizations, to “degrade” their ability to “conduct terrorist acts against U.S. interests,” according to a formerly secret Pentagon document obtained through a public records request. At least some of the operations were “planned and coordinated … with input from U.S. counterparts,” the memorandum notes. Those operations occurred under a program intended to carry out counterterrorism missions with minimum deployment of U.S. personnel. 127e programs are named after the budgetary authority that allows U.S. Special Operations forces including Army Green Berets, Navy SEALs, and Marine Raiders to use foreign military units as proxies. They differ from other forms of assistance, training, or equipping of foreign forces because they allow the U.S. to employ foreign troops to do its own bidding — often in countries where the U.S. is not officially at war and the American public does not know the military is operating.”

Eurasia Review: West African Coastal Terror Attacks: Just The Tip Of The Iceberg – Analysis

“Violent extremism is escalating in West Africa’s coastal states. This is terrifying for citizens but is just the tip of the insurgency iceberg. Under the surface lies a covert network that ensures terrorism continues in the region. Evidence is emerging that jihadists’ activities within and through coastal states are enabling them to fund, staff and run the logistics they need to thrive. Governments’ responses to the attacks have mainly been military in nature. Before such operations are increased, and the French and European Barkhane and Takuba forces are redeployed south, coastal states need a better analysis of the terrorism spillover. They should look beyond the spread of attacks and understand the covert activities, including how violent extremists work with illicit actors to mobilise resources. On 8 and 10 February, Benin recorded its deadliest attacks yet when patrols in its W National Park struck improvised explosive devices. The government said one soldier and eight park officers, including their French instructor, were killed and 12 others wounded. Before this, a string of assaults in northern Benin between late November 2021 and January 2022 led to several deaths. Neighbouring Togo suffered its first-ever attack when assailants raided a security post in the northern border village of Sanloaga on 9 November 2021.”

United Kingdom

BBC News: Teenager In Court Accused Of Islamic State-Inspired Terror Attack Plan

“A north London teenager has appeared in court accused of planning an Islamic State-inspired terror attack. Al-Arfat Hassan, 19, is charged with preparing terrorist acts and collecting information useful to a terrorist. Mr Hassan, of Enfield, is alleged to have downloaded an Islamic State video that gave instructions on how to make a bomb and kill people with knives. He is also accused of purchasing weapons and obtaining chemicals for making explosives, the court heard. During a brief hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Mr Hassan spoke only to provide his personal details. Met counter-terrorism officers arrested Mr Hassan on 3 March during a “proactive operation.”

The National: UK’s Independent Reviewer Of Terrorism Legislation Vows To Focus On Online Extremism

“The UK’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation has pledged to focus on online terrorism after he was reappointed to the role for a further three-year term. Jonathan Hall, QC, was first appointed to the role in 2019 and his tenure was due to end in May. This week the Home Office announced his reappointment. “This year’s project is Terrorism Online,” he tweeted. “I will write more about this shortly.” The Home Office said the decision was made due to his successful tenure and revealed that his new term in office would be from May 23, 2022, to May 22, 2025. As part of his role, Mr Hall is required to provide an annual report on his findings, which the government must lay before Parliament and publish. His latest report on extremism and radicalisation in prisons is due to be published shortly. Last month, he urged the authorities to look at separation centres to prevent extremists from forming gangs in prison. His appeal came after the conviction of three ISIS terrorists, including the brother of the Manchester Arena bomber, who had formed a gang in Belmarsh prison, London, and attacked a prison officer. He suggested that measures such as “separation centres” could be used to keep terrorists in custody away from one another.” Mr Hall has also called for extremists to be given lie detector tests, arguing that deradicalisation programmes do not work.”

Europe

The National: Nations Warned To Monitor And Prevent Extremist Foreign Fighters From Heading To Ukraine

“…In the policy brief “Foreign Fighters in the 2022 Russia-Ukraine War: An Initial Assessment of Extremist Volunteers”, the Counter Extremism Project think tank makes nine recommendations to governments to prepare for threats posed by the departure and return of citizens looking to join the conflict. It has already found evidence of a number of far-right extremist groups using the Telegram social media platform to call for foreign fighters to join their ranks. The brief says that nations need to quickly and comprehensively identify and share knowledge on the threat as well as disrupt the travel of extremists to Ukraine. “They pose a clear security risk. These extremists will likely obtain combat experience in the conflict zone and potentially have a greater impact on the violence-orientated extremist milieus in their home countries upon their return,” it says. “Their ability to plan and successfully carry out attacks in accordance with their ideology increases massively.” The experts say that action needs to be taken to stop extremists from travelling to Ukraine and says methods used to prevent the travel of ISIS fighters could act as a guide. “European mechanisms employed to prevent the travel of football hooligans as well as legal mechanisms employed to prevent the travel of foreign terrorist fighters to conflict zones could serve as blueprints,” it says.”

WTOP News: The Hunt: Wave Of Terrorism Expected In Ukraine

“On this week’s episode of “The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green,” Dr. Hans Jakob Schindler, the senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, says Russian President Vladimir Putin’s introduction of foreign fighters from Syria will make life significantly more dangerous for Ukrainians and anyone there helping them.”

Daily Mail: ISIS Praises Ukraine War As 'Crusaders Against Crusaders' And Says It Hopes It Will Destroy 'Enemies Of Islam'

“ISIS have praised the Ukraine war as a 'divine punishment' for the West which it hopes will destroy the 'enemies of Islam'. The terror group labelled Russia's savage invasion of its neighbour as 'crusaders against crusaders' in a full-page article in its al-Naba newsletter. They also said Muslims should not take sides in the war and predicted that there would be 'major consequences' regardless of the result. The editorial said: 'What is happening today, the direct bloody war between the Orthodox crusaders – Russia and Ukraine – is but one example of God's punishment for them, as described in the Qu'ran. 'Whether long or short, this Russian-Ukrainian war is but the beginning of the next wars between the Crusader countries, and the images of destruction and death we see are but a small scene of the situation in which the great wars begin.' ISIS added the invasion was 'not surprising', saying it was 'the state of the escalating competition between America and Russia to control the countries of Eastern Europe, especially after the policy of “support and containment” that America pursued'. Islamic extremists have been debating which side to take in the war. Putin formed an alliance with Bashar al-Assad against ISIS in the Syrian civil war and Volodymyr Zelensky is Jewish and Ukraine is a member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS.”