Eye on Extremism - June 16, 2020

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Eye on Extremism - June 16, 2020
By: Counter Extremism Project
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of June 16, 2020:

The Washington Post: Amid Massive Demonstrations, Vehicles Striking Protesters Raise Disturbing Echoes Of 2017 Charlottesville Attack

“Some social media posters have said they have no intention of endorsing attacks but feel protesters do not have a right to impede drivers. “The intention to harm or kill should be denounced and punished,” wrote Brandon Morse on the conservative site RedState earlier this month, “but if you’re a protester and you begin giving signs that you have more than just the intention to protest, then be prepared to find out that you’re no match for a giant hunk of metal being self-propelled by a V6 engine.” Josh Lipowsky, a senior research analyst for the Counter Extremism Project, said the messaging is dangerous regardless of intent. “Putting this out there into the public sphere — we do not know who is going to see that and take it to heart,” he said. Ari Weil, a master’s degree candidate in international relations at the University of Chicago who has researched vehicle-ramming incidents, pointed to legislative efforts in 2017 that proposed limiting liability for drivers who hit protesters blocking a roadway. The bills were proposed in a half-dozen states. Florida’s version would have exempted drivers from liability if they “unintentionally” killed or injured a person who “obstructs or interferes with the regular flow of vehicular traffic.” The bills did not pass.”

The National: UN War Probe Says ISIS Committed 7 International Crimes In Camp Speicher Massacre

“A war crimes probe has concluded that ISIS committed seven types of international crimes during the camp Speicher massacre that occurred six years ago, the UN Security Council was told on Monday. The mass killing, in which an estimated 1,700 unarmed, predominantly Shiite soldiers from Camp Speicher - a former US base outside the city of Tikrit - were killed, became a symbol of the insurgent’s brutality against Iraqis. The UN team known as Unitad, which was set up in 2017 to hold ISIS accountable for its crimes, says its information gathering has increased significantly in the past six months due to advanced technology. “Unitad categorises seven types of international crimes committed by ISIS against innocent Iraqis during the Camp Speicher massacre,” Karim Khan, the head of the team said during a virtual UN session. “We remember the victims and remain committed to investigate the incident, collect evidence and build case files in line with international standards to support courts in Iraq to hold criminals accountable and bring justice to victims,” Mr Khan said. Images of soldiers, who were shot dead in their hundreds, were posted online by ISIS and ranked as one of the deadliest single acts of bloodshed during the last decade of conflict in Iraq.”

United States

Associated Press: Ex-Californian Pleads Not Guilty In Terrorism Case

“A former California prison counselor pleaded not guilty Monday to federal charges that he lied to the FBI during an international anti-terrorism investigation. Brian Arthur Dempsey, 48, entered his plea in a federal court in Sacramento. He was extradited from the United Kingdom last Friday after a 3 1/2-year legal battle, the U.S. attorney's office said in a statement. Dempsey lived in Sacramento and from 2001 to 2012 he was a youth counselor for the juvenile justice division of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Prosecutors said that in 2013, Dempsey, an convert to Islam, flew to Syria to join Islamic militant fighters in that country and stayed for less than two months before trying to fly home. He was detained by an FBI agent at an airport in Rome, where he was stopped because he was on a no-fly list. He is accused of lying to an FBI agent by falsely claiming he had gone to Syria to help refugees. He was arrested in the United Kingdom in 2017. If conivcted, Dempsey could face up to eight years in federal prison.”

Syria

Voice Of America: Jihadists In Syria’s Idlib Form New ‘Operations Room’

“Several al-Qaida-aligned militant groups in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib have announced the formation of a joint military operations room aimed at coordinating efforts to fight Syrian government troops and its allied forces. The new operations center, dubbed as “Be Steadfast”, consists of five jihadist groups that operate in parts of the restive Idlib province, according to a statement published Friday on jihadist blogs and local media outlets. “In order to repel the attacks of the aggressors and to break the conspiracies of the occupiers, the following factions mentioned announce the formation of the ‘Be Steadfast Operations Room’,” the statement said. These factions include Hurras al-Din, Jamaat Ansar al-Islam and Jabhat Ansar al-Din, all of which are affiliated with the al-Qaida terror group. The other two groups, al-Jihad Coordination and the al-Muqatileen al-Ansar Brigade, are recent splinters from the powerful Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which was al-Qaida’s Syria branch until 2016 when it formally severed ties with the global jihadist group.”

The National Interest: In Syria's Congested Air Space, America's F-22 Led The Fight Against The Islamic State

“Think of the F-22 like a sniper — it can use force if needed, but its primary job in the Middle East is to provide overwatch. Case in point, in August 2016, F-22s chased after Syrian Su-24 attack jets when they approached where American commandos were operating in northeastern Syria. The F-22’s stealthiness also allows the twin-engine jet to get closer to potentially hostile aircraft or surface-to-air missile sites with less likelihood of being spotted. Years ago, four F-22 Raptors taking part in the second-wave of the U.S.-led coalition’s opening airstrikes on Islamic State in Syria dropped their bombs. It was the first time the stealthy fifth-generation fighters had ever engaged in combat. The coalition’s war planners also used the F-22s to leverage their low-observable profiles — and far-reaching sensors — while escorting non-stealthy fighters in case Syrian fighters or air-defense systems engaged. Fortunately, the Syrian military held its fire. Fast forward to today, and F-22 Raptors are still flying over Iraq and Syria and have shifted almost fully into that latter role, according to Air Force Magazine. “When we first got here, we were 95 percent precision strike.”

Iraq

Bloomberg: Turkey’s Air Force Strikes Kurdish Separatists In Iraq

“Turkey’s air force conducted one of its biggest airstrikes against Kurdish separatists in northern Iraq, in a show of military might coinciding with its growing involvement in regional conflicts. Dozens of Turkish warplanes, armed drones, mid-air refueling and airborne communication aircraft were dispatched from bases across the country to participate in overnight attacks against 81 hideouts used by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party or PKK, the Defense Ministry said Monday. It characterized the offensive as retaliation for recent militant assaults on the army. The rare use of a variety of planes and drones in northern Iraq signaled Turkey’s readiness to act beyond the country’s borders -- and was carried out just two days after the military conducted an air and naval drill in the Mediterranean that reached as far as Libya. Under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey has been expanding its military footprint in the region with the aim of protecting its perceived interests. Its actions have complicated relations with Russia and Iran, which have backed opposing sides in Syria’s civil war, as well as with Cyprus and Greece, over competing claims to natural resources in the Mediterranean. Turkey’s escalated involvement in Libya in recent months has further strained ties with Russia, because of their support for rival forces.”

Turkey

Daily Sabah: Police Detain 8 Daesh-Linked Suspects In Turkey's Capital

“Turkish police detained eight suspected Daesh terrorists, all Iraqi nationals, in the capital Ankara on Monday. Police's Counterterrorism squads launched the operation following intelligence reports about 10 Iraqi nationals' involvement with the terrorist group. The police are still looking for two more suspects, Ihlas News Agency (IHA) reported. Security sources told Anadolu Agency that the suspects had illegally entered Turkey and actively participated in the terrorist group's activities in warzones. Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize Daesh as a terrorist group in 2013, soon after it emerged. The country has since faced numerous Daesh attacks, including 10 suicide bombings, seven bombings and four armed attacks that killed at least 315 people and injured hundreds of others. In response, Turkey has launched military and police operations at home and abroad to prevent further terrorist attacks. The Daesh terrorist group held vast swaths of territory across Syria and Iraq from its rise in 2014 until its military defeat last year. Daesh's expansion in Iraq and Syria featured serious public abuses. Largely unseen but equally egregious were the widespread detentions and kidnappings by the terrorist organizations where thousands of people were snatched from their homes and cars and at checkpoints and subsequently went missing.”

Afghanistan

Al Jazeera: Afghan Government, Taliban Agree On Doha As Venue For Talks

“The Afghan government and the Taliban group have agreed that Qatar's capital, Doha, will be the venue for the first meeting in their peace talks, both sides said. The talks, known as the intra-Afghan dialogue, will be the first high-level meeting between the two sides after years of fighting. No date has been announced for the meeting, but it is expected to take place after the two sides settle differences on the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners by the Afghan government, which could be as soon as the end of next week. “The first intra-Afghan meeting will happen in Doha,” Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen told the Reuters news agency on Sunday. He added that the armed group was ready to hold intra-Afghan talks within a week of the completionof the prisoner release. The Afghan government has released 3,000 Taliban prisoners so far under an agreement signed between the United States and the armed group in February. The US-Taliban deal outlined a plan for withdrawing all foreign forces from Afghanistan and resuming intra-Afghan talks to end the 19-year war. The government wants the talks to begin as soon as possible but has issues with the release of a few hundred high-profile Taliban prisoners, a senior government official told Reuters.”

Long War Journal: Taliban Falsely Claims Al Qaeda Doesn’t Exist In Afghanistan

“General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., the commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), questioned the Taliban’s willingness to take action against al Qaeda during an online conference held last week. The U.S. is prepared “to go to zero” troops in Afghanistan, McKenzie told an online forum hosted by the Middle East Institute. But he added: “Can we be assured that attacks against us will not be generated there?” Only on that condition, the CENTCOM commander claimed, would the U.S. leave no forces behind. McKenzie went on to question the Taliban’s commitment to its Feb. 29 withdrawal accord with the U.S. “And as of right now…frankly, if you were to ask me my opinion, those conditions have not been fully met,” McKenzie said. The Taliban is openly opposed to the Islamic State’s Khorasan arm, which rejects the legitimacy of the Taliban’s Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The two sides have fought each other on multiple occasions. The same is not true of al Qaeda, McKenzie noted. “It is less clear to me that they [Taliban] will take the same action against Al Qaeda and only time will tell,” McKenzie explained. He pointed to al Qaeda’s presence in eastern Afghanistan and claimed that Ayman al Zawahiri, the group’s global emir, was based there.”

Saudi Arabia

Arab News: Arab Coalition Vows To Take ‘Rigorous Measures’ Against Houthis After Latest Drone Attack

“The Arab coalition said on Monday it would take “rigorous measures” to stop Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia after intercepting drones launched by the militia towards Asir region. Spokesman Col. Turki Al-Maliki said the Houthis deliberately target civilians with their attacks and that the coalition was taking all necessary measures to protect the Kingdom's citizens, Saudi Press Agency reported. “This terrorist act is an extension of the terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia’s terrorist attempts to target innocent civilians,” he said. “The continuation of the Houthi militia in its hostile, terrorist acts using bomb-laden UAVs to target innocent civilians is a blatant violation of the customary International Humanitarian Law. “The Joint Forces Command of the Coalition will continue to apply and implement all decisive and rigorous measures to neutralize and destroy such capabilities and to protect innocent civilians from these terrorist acts.” Monday's attack came just two days after the coalition intercepted a Houthi missile which targeted the Saudi city of Najran on Saturday morning, launched from the Yemeni governorate of Saada. Some civilians were injured after fragments of the missile fell on them. Following Saturday's drone attack, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation strongly condemned Houthi drone attacks on civilians in Saudi Arabia.”

Egypt

Al Monitor: Tribes Become More Involved In Anti-Terrorism Operations In Sinai Peninsula
With the assistance of a large number of local tribal members fighting alongside the Egyptian army, Egyptian authorities have expanded their coordination with the tribes when confronting armed organizations in the Sinai Peninsula. An agreement was reached in May among tribal elders and sovereign security agencies in which the elders would secure the return of tribal members who were involved with Wilayat Sinai, the Islamic State’s (IS) branch in Sinai, who would then be pardoned upon interrogation. The Sinai Tribal Union, a group of tribesmen cooperating with Egyptian authorities on security operations in the northern Sinai Peninsula, announced June 7 that one of its members had been brutally murdered by Wilayat Sinai in southern Rafah two months after he was kidnapped. The union had revealed in late May “the killing of two civilians from the Tarabin tribe during security operations in Sinai [as they fought] members of Wilayat Sinai.” Adel al-Munaii, of the Sawarka tribe, told Al-Monitor over the phone that after Eid al-Fitr, tribal youths began assisting security services; this led to the escalation of IS attacks on residents of some villages known to cooperate with the army.”

Somalia

Daily Nation: Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab Kill Mandera Police Reservist In Attack On Mast

“Suspected Al-Shabaab militants have killed a police reservist in Mandera County in an attack seen have been targeting to destroy a communications mast. The Sunday 3am incident was carried out by a group of about 10 heavily armed militants, according to Lafey Deputy County Commissioner John Marete. “We have lost a police reservist this morning in an incident at Warankara Township. The attackers hauled two rocket propelled grenades at the mast resulting into a gun battle with police reservists guarding the mast,” said Mr Marete. The reservist was hit by bullets during the battle to repulse the attackers. Mr Marete said the reservists managed to repulse the attackers after an intense gun battle that lasted for about a half an hour. According to the DCC, the reservists managed to injure one of the militants who died a kilometre from the scene of attack. “One of the attackers was injured in the incident and his colleagues tried carrying him away but left him about a kilometre from the scene where he was found dead,” Mr Marete said. During the incident, a boy aged about 10 suffered a gunshot wound in the hip. “This boy was hit by the bullet while in their family house at Warankara Township but he is in stable condition,” the Lafey DCC said.”

Africa

BBC News: Mali Ambush: Gunmen Kill 24 In Attack On Convoy

“At least 24 soldiers were killed and others are unaccounted for after gunmen ambushed a convoy in central Mali. The army said eight survivors had been found following Saturday's attack, about 60 miles (100km) from the border with Mauritania. No group has admitted carrying out the raid but Islamist militants are active in the area. Mali has been blighted by instability since 2012 when an Islamist rebellion broke out in the north. Army officials said about 12 vehicles had been in the convoy and four of them were destroyed in Saturday's ambush. BBC Africa editor Will Ross says that with reports of soldiers missing, it is possible that the death toll could be higher than the military is admitting. It is the biggest loss for the military since November last year when more than 50 soldiers died in an attack. On Saturday two UN peacekeepers were also killed when a logistics convoy was targeted in the north of the country. The UN has 13,000 troops in Mali. Since 2012, Malian forces have managed, with French help, to regain control of large swathes of territory taken by militants. France has 4,500 troops deployed in the region. But thousands of lives have been lost as Mali struggles to contain the violence, which has spread to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger.”

United Kingdom

The Telegraph: Iranian Asylum Seeker From Newcastle Encouraged German Terror Cell To Carry Out Mass Casualty Attack

“An Iranian asylum seeker tried to incite a German terror cell to carry out a mass attack by driving into a crowd and then hacking down the survivors with a meat cleaver, a court has heard. Fatah Abdullah, from Newcastle upon Tyne, also stockpiled bomb making equipment to help arm his co-conspirators. When police raided his flat in the Arthur’s Hill area of the city in December 2018 they discovered propaganda videos showing children beheading prisoners and animations of lorries exploding at well known UK landmarks. The 35-year-old Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) inspired fanatic used the encrypted Telegram site to encourage to German based terrorists, Omar Babek and Ahmed Hussein to carry out a bomb, vehicle and knife attack....”

BBC News: Terrorism Arrest After Hull Street Disturbance

“A man has been arrested on suspicion of terrorism offences after reports someone had been carrying a knife and shouting in a street. Humberside Police officers were called to a disturbance in Cheadle Close, Hull, at about 10:00 BST on Saturday. A 31-year-old local man was arrested on suspicion of affray and possessing an offensive weapon. He was also later arrested on suspicion of offences under section 41 of the Terrorism Act. The man remains in custody. The investigation is being led by Counter Terrorism Policing North East. Ch Supt Scott Young, of Humberside Police, said: “We do believe this to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public.”

Germany

Agence France-Presse: German Neo-Nazi On Trial For Politician's Murder

“A German neo-Nazi stands trial Tuesday on charges of murdering pro-refugee politician Walter Luebcke, in a case that shocked the country and highlighted the growing threat of right-wing extremism. Federal prosecutors believe the main suspect, 46-year-old Stephan Ernst, was motivated by “racism and xenophobia” when he allegedly drove to Luebcke's house on June 1, 2019 and shot him in the head. Ernst is to appear before the higher regional court in Frankfurt alongside co-defendant Markus H. who is accused of helping Ernst train with firearms -- including the murder weapon. The killing has been described as Germany's first far-right political assassination since World War II. The trial is expected to draw huge interest but seating in the courtroom will be limited because of coronavirus social distancing measures. Luebcke's wife and two adult sons plan to attend the opening hearing. “Hatred and violence can have no place in our society,” they said in a statement. “All of us who stand for a free democracy must not fall silent, but take a clear position.” Luebcke, 65, belonged to Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative CDU party and headed the Kassel regional council in the western state of Hesse.”

Agence France-Presse: Police Pressure Mounts Against Germany's Far-Right AfD

“An entire regional chapter of Germany's far-right AfD party has been placed under police surveillance because of its extremist tendencies, local authorities said Monday, increasing pressure on the anti-migrant group. The Brandenburg chapter of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is now “a suspicious case and an object of surveillance”, said a spokesman for the region's interior ministry. There were “enough important factual indications” to show that the AfD in Brandenburg was “striving against the free democratic order”, said Joerg Mueller, the head of the state's office for the protection of the constitution. The decision will give the authorities in Brandenburg far-reaching powers to monitor the AfD's institutions and officials in the state, where the party came second in 2019 elections with 23.5 percent of the vote. Such surveillance is reserved for groups or organisations judged to pose a threat to democracy and the rule of law. Party co-chief Alexander Gauland said the decision to keep tabs on the group was “wrong”. The move comes three months after the party's most radical fringe, known as the “Wing”, was also placed under police surveillance due to its association with known neo-Nazis.”

Technology

The National: Putting ISIS Killers In Jail: UN Investigators Have An App For That

“Former Yazidi sex slaves and others who suffered under the brutal reign of ISIS will soon be able to upload evidence against their abusers through a mobile phone app, the head of the UN investigation team in Iraq said on Monday. Karim Ahmad Khan told a video UN Security Council meeting that the app, which will come online this month, will allow ISIS victims to upload photographs and other proof of abuse to help put perpetrators behind bars. Mr Khan is the head of the investigations team known as Unitad. The app is a boon for ISIS victims, many of whom fled overseas during the extremist group's onslaught and have struggled to testify against their abusers. Victims’ groups say that too few ISIS militiamen have faced justice for their crimes. “We’re rolling out a mobile application that allows Unitad to work and communicate directly with the survivor communities, whether they’re in Iraq, Australia or Germany,” Mr Khan said. “They can actually give us their names and details securely. They can even update photographs and other material so that we can expedite our focused investigation to get results.” The app was initially designed to gather evidence in Iraq under the coronavirus pandemic travel restrictions, Unitad said in its latest report.”