Eye on Extremism - May 18, 2021

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Eye on Extremism - May 18, 2021
By: Counter Extremism Project
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of May 18, 2021:

The Times Of Israel: Report: Hezbollah Has Dug Network Of Tunnels From Beirut To Southern Lebanon

“The Hezbollah terror group has dug a network of tunnels hundreds of kilometers long from Beirut to southern Lebanon, the Kan public broadcaster reports. The network was dug in parallel to Hezbollah’s six attack tunnels into Israel, which the IDF exposed and destroyed in 2018, Kan says. The purpose of the additional network was to enable the swift and covert movement of forces during a war against Israel, according to the report. Command and control headquarters were built inside the tunnel network, it says. The tunnels reach a distance of about three kilometers from the Israeli border.”

Daily Sabah: At Least 10,000 Have Fled Amid Ongoing Extremist Attacks In Niger

“U.N. agency announced Monday that more than 10,000 people have fled their homes in the west of Niger over the past two days due to attacks local officials blame on extremists. The report sent to Agence France-Presse (AFP) by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Niamey follows statements over the weekend from local residents and elected officials describing waves of people fleeing from the Anzourou area. “11,000 people (1,624 households) took refuge in the town of Tillaberi between May 14 and 15, 2021,” in the regional capital Tillaberi, OCHA told AFP. “The movement is continuous,” said the agency, with an undetermined number of people fleeing towards the capital Niamey. A municipal official from the Anzourou area, the target of extremist attacks, told AFP that “more than 10,000 villagers have already fled the zone in two days.” Several other villages were in the process of emptying out, the official added. OCHA says the displaced come from four of the 24 villages in the Anzourou area, part of the unstable Tillaberi department that stretches across 100,000 square kilometers (40,000 square miles) in Niger's west.”

United States

The New York Times: Biden Administration Clears 3 Guantánamo Detainees For Release

“The Biden administration has approved three detainees at Guantánamo Bay for release to countries that agree to impose security conditions on them, including the oldest of the remaining wartime prisoners, lawyers and United States government officials said on Monday. The approvals raised to nine the number of the 40 detainees currently at the wartime prison who have been approved for transfer to other countries. But it is unclear where the three men will go, or when, in part because the State Department has to make diplomatic and security arrangements with countries to take them. Some of the other detainees who have been cleared for release over the years have been waiting for a decade for another country to agree to take them. In some instances, countries are asked to continue to jail the detainees or put them on trial. In most cases, they are asked to prevent them from traveling outside the country for at least two years. Among those who have been granted approval is Saifullah Paracha, 73, of Pakistan, who was captured in Thailand in 2003. In addition to being the oldest of the detainees, he has also been described as among the sickest there, with heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.”

The Hill: FBI Reclassifies 2017 Baseball Field Shooting As Domestic Terror

“The FBI has reclassified the 2017 shooting at a Republican baseball practice as an incident of domestic terrorism, following pressure from a number of lawmakers present on the field to reevaluate the conclusion that the shooter sought “suicide by cop.” Debate over the determination in the shooting went public when FBI Director Christopher Wray appeared before lawmakers in April, with Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-Ohio) asking why the shooter’s political leanings weren’t weighed more heavily. The shift on the shooting, which left five people injured and seriously wounded House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), was tucked into a Friday report from the FBI detailing every domestic terrorism incident from 2015 through 2019. “An individual with a personalized violent ideology targeted and shot Republican members of Congress at a baseball field and wounded five people,” the report said, categorizing the shooter as a “domestic violent extremist.” Wenstrup told Wray that the FBI’s original conclusion “defies logic and contradicts the publicly known facts” about the case, including that the shooter inquired about the political affiliation of those on the field before opening fire.”

The National Interest: America And Its Allies Lack A Plan For Dealing With Violent Extremism

“The horrific attack against a girls’ school in Kabul on Saturday, May 8 once again made us stare at the horror which is terrorism. But despite the carnage, the United States has an unfortunate habit of declaring victory and prematurely leaving conflict zones. President Donald Trump withdrew American forces from Syria after pronouncing the Islamic Caliphate defeated. Having concluded that Afghanistan no longer poses a threat to the U.S. homeland, President Joe Biden has ordered our troops to return home by September 11. Before that, the United States abandoned its allies in Afghanistan in 1992, precipitating the civil war and the Taliban takeover in 1996… While the numbers for the United States are much lower, the alarm bells are nevertheless ringing. According to a study by the Counter Extremism Project, the United States has prosecuted more than 400 jihadist terrorists. Between 2018 and 2024, sixty-one of these convicts—a quarter of those currently incarcerated—will complete their sentences and re-enter society. With recidivism rates of between 44 percent for federal prisoners and 20 percent for Guantanamo detainees, we clearly have not seen the end of jihadi-inspired domestic violence.”

The Guardian: Merrick Garland Puts Domestic Terror And Civil Rights At Top Of Justice Agenda

“The new attorney general, Merrick Garland, has signaled an ambitious agenda to fight domestic terrorism in America including white supremacists and hate crimes, while bolstering civil rights and voting rights, critical areas that got short shrift from the Trump administration, say ex-federal prosecutors and members of Congress. The shift at the Department of Justice represents one of the most stark turnarounds under Joe Biden from the Trump era. Under the previous attorney general, Bill Barr, the justice department was often seen as at Trump’s beck and call, the former president accused of treating it as virtually his own legal service. But while Garland has won high marks for several early initiatives and his priorities, the former high-level judge still has his work cut out to rebuild key parts of the agency, say justice department observers. In two congressional appearances this month, Garland indicated that the fight against domestic terrorism in the wake of the 6 January attack on the Capitol was his “top priority” and has requested new funding to that end, while making some early moves to expand civil rights and voting rights enforcement too.”

Syria

Voice Of America: US Targets Islamic State Moneymen In Turkey, Syria

“The United States is taking new steps to make it more difficult for the Islamic State terror group to move money, including donations from international supporters, through Syria and Turkey. The U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on Monday against three people and one company, all of which played key roles in what officials described as the terror group's illicit financial network. One of the sanctioned individuals, Alaa Khanfurah, is accused of using his Turkish-based money services company to transfer thousands of dollars to IS operatives across Syria. Treasury officials also said that in 2017 and again in 2019, Khanfurah facilitated money transfers between top IS leaders. The new sanctions also target the Al-Fay Company, a money services business based in Turkey, and two brothers, Idris al-Fay and Ibrahim al-Fay. The U.S. Treasury Department said Idris al-Fay had used the company to funnel donations to IS members, including to operatives working out of the al-Hol displaced persons camp in northeast Syria. According to its statement, he is currently in Iraqi custody. Al-Fay's brother Ibrahim is accused of taking over management of the company and of continuing to send funds to what Treasury officials described as an IS element in Syria and Iraq.”

Iraq

Sky News: Islamic State: RAF 'Eliminates' Insurgents Fighting Iraqi Forces Near Mosul, Mod Says

“Two RAF Typhoons have “eliminated” a group of Islamic State fighters who were themselves attacking Iraqi forces, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said. Iraqi security forces had come under heavy small arms fire from the terrorists in a strong defensive position about 25 miles (40km) southwest of the city of Mosul on 11 May. They requested air support from the international coalition forces. The old city of Mosul, seen at the end of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. The bombs hit the target and eliminated a number of IS fighters. Following the airstrike, Iraqi forces were then able to carry out an assault and overwhelm the few remaining terrorists, the MoD added. The airstrikes follow a 10-day operation in March in which missiles and bombs helped to clear an IS stronghold in the Makhmur mountain region, southwest of Erbil in northern Iraq. At the weekend, the MoD revealed British troops battled a sandstorm to seize a cache of IS weapons. And earlier this month, it was announced the renowned “Dambusters” squadron was being deployed to support operations against IS in Iraq and Syria. The RAF's 617 Squadron - famously known for its role in attacking German dams during the Second World War - was tasked with helping a mission designed to prevent IS from “regaining a foothold in Iraq.”

Afghanistan

Reuters: Afghan Clashes Resume After Eid Ceasefire As U.S. Troops Begin Pullout

“Heavy fighting between Afghan security forces and Taliban insurgents resumed on Monday after a three-day ceasefire announced by both sides for the Muslim holiday of Eid, officials said. Taliban Islamists have staged a months-long campaign to expand their influence across the country as the United States began withdrawing troops from May 1 and closed some bases in keeping with a peace deal it signed with the Taliban last year. Afghan officials say the Taliban have stepped up attacks since Washington announced plans to pull out all U.S. troops by Sept. 11. Critics of the decision to withdraw say the militants will now try to sweep back into power after their 2001 ouster at the hands of U.S.-led forces. Security forces on Monday began their operations in areas close to Lashkar Gah, the provincial capital of southern Helmand province, in which 34 insurgents were killed, a statement from the provincial police chief’s office said. In northern Baghlan province, security forces killed 25 insurgents in the district of Baghlan Markazi, the defence ministry said in statement. Areas close to the capitals of Helmand and Baghlan provinces were the scene of heavy fighting before the three-day ceasefire. The Taliban did not comment on their casualties claimed by the Afghan government but said their insurgency had restarted.”

The New York Times: In Taliban-Controlled Areas, Girls Are Fleeing For One Thing: An Education

“The order to shut down the girls’ schools was announced at the mosque, in a meeting with village elders. The news filtered through the teachers, in subdued meetings at students’ homes. Or came in a curt letter to the local schools’ chiefs. Appeals to the Taliban, arguing and entreaties were useless. So three years ago, girls older than 12 stopped attending classes in the two rural districts just south of this low-slung provincial capital in Afghanistan’s northwest. Up to 6,000 girls were pushed out of school, overnight. Male teachers were abruptly fired: What they had done, provided an education to girls, was against Islam, the Taliban said. All over Afghanistan the orders have been similar to those issued just 40 miles south of Jowzjan Province’s capital. In districts controlled by the Taliban, no more schooling for all but the youngest girls, with some few exceptions. The Taliban’s message: Teenage girls should be at home helping their mothers. 20-Year WarHow the U.S. war in Afghanistan started, and how it is ending. “For two years, I couldn’t go back to school,” said Farida, now 16, who was kicked out of school in Darzab district at 12, and a refugee here in the provincial capital by the age of 14.”

Middle East

Reuters: Israeli Air Strike Kills Islamic Jihad Commander In Gaza

“An Israeli air strike killed a top commander with the Islamic Jihad militant group in Gaza on Monday, the Israeli military and a source in the group said. The killing of Hussam Abu Harbeed, Islamic Jihad's northern division commander, was likely to draw a fierce response from the militant group as Israel's fighting also rages on with the enclave's Islamist rulers Hamas. In a statement confirming it had killed Harbeed, the Israeli military said he “was behind several anti-tank missile terror attacks against Israeli civilians.” The military said those attacks included one on the first day of the current round of fighting that it said had injured a civilian in Israel. Harbeed had been a commander with Islamic Jihad for 15 years, the military said.”

Nigeria

Yahoo News: Nigeria's Boko Haram Militants: Six Reasons They Have Not Been Defeated

“The phrase that Nigerian militant group Boko Haram had been “technically defeated” is ringing increasingly hollow. Seven months into his first term in 2015 President Muhammadu Buhari coined the term, but the group and its offshoots have never gone away. The military has managed to retake territory and dislodged the fighters from some of their hideouts. But a recent spike in deadly violence, focused in the north-east, where the Islamist group began its insurgency in 2009, has led many to ask what is at the root of the authorities' failure. Already this year there have been nearly 100 attacks, according to one estimate. A number of military bases as well as towns, including Geidam and Damasak, a hub for aid workers, have been overrun. Hundreds have been killed and weapons, food and medicines have all been looted. There are six main reasons why Boko Haram has not been defeated despite the government claims, experts say. 1: Root causes not addressed. An over-reliance on a military strategy to confront Boko Haram is at the heart of the state's inability to deal with the threat, argues security analyst Kabiru Adamu from Beacon Consulting. “That's why, unfortunately, almost 11 or 12 years into the counter-insurgency operation, we are not seeing major successes,” he told the BBC.”

Premium Times Nigeria: Despite Claims Of Defeat By Buhari Govt, Boko Haram Spreads Tentacles To More States

“Despite repeated claims by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government that Boko Haram terrorists have been degraded and confined to the North-east alone, recent revelations by some Nigerian state governors give cause for worry. The immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, had said that the Boko Haram terrorist group had since been defeated but the Nigerian military is now fighting an international criminal gang known as Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP). He then explained that what is currently playing out in the North-east is the “metamorphosis of ISWAP which is an attempt by a group of international criminal organisations to explore the loopholes created by the breakdown of law and order in some neighbouring countries to perpetrate criminality in the West African sub-region”. He claimed that Boko Haram had been pursued out of the North-east, adding that the current band of international criminals gangs operating under the guise of ISWAP “will also be chased and hunted down”. ISWAP is a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, the terror group in Nigeria whose activities have caused over 20,000 deaths since 2009. Apart from the then army chief, other officials of the Buhari administration have made different claims about the group being ‘defeated’, ‘technically defeated’ or ‘decimated.’”

Africa

Reuters: Tunisia Kills Five Suspected Militants Near Algerian Border

“Tunisian security forces killed five suspected militants in the mountains near the border with Algeria on Monday, a Tunisian security official told Reuters. The operation, carried out by joint police and army forces in the Chaanabi mountains, is still continuing, he added. Six years ago an Islamic State militant shot dead 39 foreigners on a beach in the coastal city of Sousse, triggering an exodus of tourists and severely damaging Tunisia’s economy. Since then Tunisia has grown more effective in preventing and responding to attacks, but sleeper cells still pose a real threat, especially with the return of jihadists from Syria, Iraq and Libya.”

Technology

NBC News: Hacker Gangs Show Few Signs Of Slowing After Pipeline Attack

“Many of the world's largest cybercrime gangs are still actively hacking and extorting victims, undeterred by the international spotlight after one of their peers hacked a U.S. fuel pipeline. A Russian-affiliated hacker gang, DarkSide, disappeared last week after it hacked Colonial Pipeline, which provides fuel for much of the U.S. East Coast. That prompted the company to shut down operations for five days, leading to gas shortages in the U.S. and condemnation from President Joe Biden. Seemingly spooked, DarkSide, which had collected around $5 million in ransom from the company, claimed that it was “apolitical” on its main website, which soon was deleted. But DarkSide is only one player in a thriving scene of cybercrime groups. More notorious gangs are still active after the Colonial attack, according to evidence of their exploits, which many such groups post to blogs that they maintain on the dark web. The groups continue to post information from victims they have hacked and are actively extorting U.S. organizations. Like DarkSide, such gangs make money by infecting organizations with ransomware, meaning they hack them to encrypt and steal files. They demand money to make their files usable, threatening to publish private files if they're not promptly paid.”

The Conversation: Jacinda Ardern Calls For ‘Ethical Algorithms’ To Combat Online Extremism. What This Means

“New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has called for “ethical algorithms” to help stop online radicalisation. She made her call on the weekend at the second summit of the “Christchurch Call” for action to eliminate terrorist and violent extremist content online. The first Christchurch Call summit was convened by Ardern and French president Emmanuel Macron in May 2019. It took place two months after New Zealand’s first and worst mass shooting in decades, the Christchurch mosque shootings, in which a 28-year-old Australian gunman killed 51 men, women and children. The Christchurch Call is a voluntary compact between governments and technology companies. So far 55 nations have signed on – with the most notable new signatory being the United States, which refused to join under Donald Trump. In light of clear examples of extremist behaviour still being fomented online – the storming of the US Capitol in January being a case in point – one might question how much has been achieved. On the weekend Arden, while noting the progress made in areas such as the platforms’ protocols for moderating and removing extremist content, singled out the need for ethical algorithms. Here’s why.”