Eye on Extremism - June 11, 2020

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Eye on Extremism
By: C.E.P. - June 11, 2020
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of June 11, 2020:

The Washington Post: A Massacre In Nigeria’s Borno State Left More People Dead Than Months Of Coronavirus

“It took less than two hours for gunmen to kill more people in Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state than the coronavirus reportedly had in three months. Modu Ajimi, a 42-year-old civil servant in the district of Gubio, lost four cousins in the massacre, which claimed at least 81 lives Tuesday, the latest bloody chapter in the region’s decade-long conflict. The young adults were out fetching water, he said — pandemic hygiene called for extra buckets — when militants rolled up in trucks, shooting everyone in sight. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. “Their bodies bore a bullet hole in almost every part,” said Ajimi, who found them in a dirt field: Ari. Mamman. Ibrahim. Maina. He covered their faces with blankets. As Africa’s most populous nation battles an Islamist insurgency and the coronavirus at the same time, Nigerians living at the heart of the trouble fear the public-health response is eclipsing efforts to fight the extremist threat. Boko Haram, which has killed more than 30,000 people since 2009, hasn’t stopped staging regular attacks and stealing livestock in the country’s northeast during the pandemic. An offshoot, the Islamic State in West Africa, has stuck to its strategy of striking army bases while collecting taxes from villagers it aims to govern. “How many people has the coronavirus killed in Nigeria?” asked Abubakar Sadiq Kurbe, a political scientist in Borno’s biggest city, Maiduguri. “Insurgents and bandits and other criminals kill more within a week.”

BBC News: George Floyd Death: Al-Qaeda Tries To Exploit US Unrest

“Al-Qaeda is actively trying to exploit the current unrest in the US by reaching out to both Muslims and non-Muslims to present themselves as “champions of the oppressed”. The latest issue of the jihadist group's online magazine One Ummah uses the iconic image of George Floyd's last moments and a painting by the graffiti artist Banksy to help deliver its message of unsolicited support to protesters on US streets. The English-language issue, clearly aimed at a domestic US audience, predicts the imminent demise of the US and its political system as well its economy and society. “Armed protests rage across America and a civil war appears to be in the offing,” reads its commentary. One of its messages is that, “not even the Democrats can help you but we can”. Mina Al-Lami from BBC Monitoring says there is a contrast between the approaches of al-Qaeda and its main rival, the Islamic State group (IS). Whereas IS has simply been gloating at America's discomfort and predicting that the unrest will spread to other countries, al-Qaeda has been more subtle, reaching out and trying to convert Americans to its version of Islam and its cause, she says. The magazine piece, our analyst suggests, has clearly been written by someone who has a good knowledge of what is going on in the US.”

United States

Fox News: DOJ To Give Nearly $10M In Anti-Terror Funds To Parkland Shooting Victims

“The Justice Department’s (DOJ's) Office for Victims of Crime announced Wednesday that it has granted $9.8 million in funding to assist victims of the February 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. The grant will provide funds from the Anti-terrorism and Emergency Assistance Program to the Florida Department of Legal Affairs’ Division of Victim Services and Criminal Justice programs for the victims of the shooting. The funding will also reimburse “key agencies” that provided immediate services. “More than two years after 17 innocent lives were violently cut short, the tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas remains as senseless as it is painful,” Department of Justice Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Katharine T. Sullivan said Wednesday. “We open our hearts and pledge our continued support to the families of the victims, to the brave first responders who came to the scene that terrible day and to the entire community of Parkland.” Fourteen students and three staff members were shot and killed, and 17 others were wounded during one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. The funding is also intended for students, families, staff and first responders who survived the shooting to help with “ongoing trauma-informed, evidence-based healing and resiliency services.”

NBC Bay Area: Bay Area Attacks On Law Enforcement Likely Acts Of Domestic Terrorism: Sources

“Federal authorities believe two Bay Area attacks on law enforcement are the work of the same domestic terror cell. The federal courthouse ambush in Oakland that left Federal Security Officer David Underwood dead two weeks ago and the attack that killed Santa Cruz Sheriff's Sergeant Damon Gutzwiller, and wounded two other members of law enforcement, are believed to be connected. Multiple sources with knowledge of the federal investigation into both shootings say Steven Carrillo – who is being held for the shooting death of the deputy in Ben Lomond – is believed to also be the gunman in the Oakland shooting. The driver of the van involved remains at large. Justin Ehrhardt trained with Carrillo in 2014 at Hill Air Force Base in Utah and never had a hint that Carrillo was capable of a homicide, especially of law enforcement. “It was a huge shock to say the least and those of us who know him no him as someone who is really nice and helpful, friendly,” said Ehrhardt. At the time of the killings, Carrillo was stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, trained in explosives and tactics. A month ago he called Ehrhardt and nothing stood out.”

Syria

Kurdistan 24: SDF Detains 110 Suspects In Anti-ISIS Campaign

“The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Wednesday announced the arrest of 110 so-called Islamic State terrorists during the first phase of the Deterring Terrorism campaign near the Syrian-Iraqi border. The Deterring Terrorism campaign began on June 4, 2020. The operation covers the southern countryside of Hasakah in the Dashisha area adjacent to the Iraqi border and extends to the border of the Baghouz region in line with the Euphrates and the Khabour River in the countryside of Deir al-Zor. The first phase ended on June 10, Deir al-Zor Military Council spokesperson Lelwah Abdullah said in a press conference on Wednesday on behalf of the SDF. Abdullah said the campaign was conducted “in military coordination between our forces and the Iraqi government and with the participation of the Coalition forces.” The operation is meant “to secure the border areas, maintain civil peace, and secure the lives of people from the attacks of ISIS cells,” the spokesperson added, noting that the terror group has “intensified its activity recently.” “Our forces have covered nearly 175 kilometers in length and 60 kilometers in width, which included over 150 villages and farms.” In total, the SDF raided 65 locations and arrested 110 suspects.”

Associated Press: Kosovar Woman Repatriated From Syria Charged With Terrorism

“Kosovo prosecutors on Wednesday filed terrorism charges against an ethnic Albanian woman on allegations she joined the Islamic State extremist group in Syria. The woman, identified only as V. I. in line with privacy laws, left with her husband for Sweden in November 2014 where they established ties with the Islamic State, prosecutors said in a statement. From there, they’re alleged to have flown to Turkey, then crossed by land into Syria. V.I. worked in different cities helping her husband and other IS fighters with logistics, earning $150 (132 euro) per month, prosecutors said. She was apprehended by Kurdish forces in 2018 and turned over to Kosovo as part of a group of 110 citizens repatriated in April, 2019 with the assistance of the American army, according to prosecutors. Many already face terrorism charges. The suspect faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Prosecutors did not divulge details on her husband.”

Iraq

The New York Times: ISIS Attacks Surge In Iraq Amid Debate On U.S. Troop Levels

“The assailants came at dusk, creeping on foot through the dusty palm groves near the Tigris River, armed only with a rocket-propelled grenade, a light machine gun and Kalashnikovs. They had laid roadside bombs to kill anyone who rushed to help the unsuspecting local guards, who were in their sights. When the attack on the village last month was over, nine members of a Sunni tribe that had opposed the Islamic State were dead and four were wounded, one of them nearly burned to death. This is the Islamic State in Iraq in 2020: low-tech, low-cost, rural, but still lethal. And while it has not carried out attacks on the scale that it did a few years ago, the number of attacks has begun to grow again. As American and Iraqi negotiators begin a new round of strategic talks on Thursday, the question of how to respond to the Islamic State’s quiet resurgence — and how much American help is required to do so — will be at the center of the discussion. There are currently about 5,200 American troops in Iraq, whose main missions are counterterrorism and training Iraqi forces. The Trump administration, which sees the American presence as crucial for tamping down the resurgence of ISIS and as a bulwark against Iranian power in Iraq, wants to keep a substantial force there.”

Al Monitor: Iraqi Sunnis Seek Answers For Those Displaced In Time Of Fighting Islamic State

“In an attempt to pressure the Mustafa al-Kadhimi government to reveal the fate of Sunnis who disappeared during the operations to liberate the country from the Islamic State (IS), Iraqis rolled out the hashtag Waiyoun (“Where Are They”) on social media. The demands also include revealing the fate of those who went missing during the October 2019 protests. As it went viral among Iraqis, international organizations such as Human Rights Watch also interacted with the hashtag and joined the popular demand. The issue of Sunnis who disappeared during the fight against IS has always been sensitive, as one rarely dared to talk about it because of militia involvement. It was also a demand made by just the Sunni political forces and was included in their political talks with the Shiite forces who consider the post of prime minister — the top executive post in the Iraqi administration — to be strictly theirs. Those who were forcibly disappeared in Iraq are the ones who went missing when IS occupied nearly a third of Iraqi territory in 2014. Others disappeared during the operations conducted by official security forces affiliated with the ministries of the interior and defense and the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) to liberate the country from IS.”

Afghanistan

Voice Of America: US General: Taliban Not Yet Met Conditions For US Withdrawal

“The Taliban have not yet met conditions required for a complete U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by next May as envisioned in a U.S.-Taliban deal signed in February, the commander overseeing U.S. forces there said Wednesday. Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said the U.S. is ahead of schedule for an initial drawdown by July to 8,600 troops. Another U.S. official, who was not authorized to discuss details and so spoke on condition of anonymity, said troop levels are now below 9,000, compared with about 12,000 in February. “Those conditions would be: Can we be assured that attacks against us will not be generated there? And as of right now ... frankly, if asked my opinion, those conditions have not been fully met,” he said in a video conference hosted by the Middle East Institute in Washington. McKenzie spoke from his headquarters in Florida. McKenzie's skepticism comes as President Donald Trump focuses on an early troop exit that would fulfill his frequent promise to get the United States out of Afghanistan. Trump has said U.S. troops are acting as police in Afghanistan and should get out of a conflict that is now almost two decades old.”

Long War Journal: Taliban Denounces ‘Deviant Beliefs,’ Including ‘Satanic Western And Disbelieving Ideologies’

“As Western and Afghan officials cling to the hope that they can make peace with the Taliban and integrate the group into the government, the Taliban continues to display its true colors. In a recent video, the Taliban extolled the virtues of jihad and its Islamic Emirate while denouncing “deviants … who are trained in the poisonous deviant beliefs of atheism, communism, secularism, democracy, and other satanic western and disbelieving ideologies.” The video, titled “Real Men 4,” is the latest in a series of Taliban statements that makes clear the group will not compromise with the Afghan government, which it has previously described as a “puppet” of the U.S., as well as “illegitimate,” “impotent,” and most importantly, “un-Islamic.” The Taliban has been clear that the only acceptable government is its own Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, with its emir, Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada at the helm. “But the Deviants are those who are trained in the poisonous deviant beliefs of atheism, communism, secularism, democracy, and other satanic western and disbelieving ideologies in order to mislead the Muslims with their deviant ideologies,” The Taliban narrator states in English.”

Pakistan

Associated Press: Bomb Targeting Army Vehicle Kills 2 Pakistani Troops In NW

“A roadside bomb targeting a vehicle carrying troops exploded Wednesday, killing two soldiers and wounding two others in northwest Pakistan near the Afghan border, the military said. The soldiers were on patrol when the attack happened near Miran Shah, a key town in the North Waziristan district, the military said in a statement. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but suspicion fell on local militants who have been blamed by authorities for previous such attacks on security forces deployed there. North Waziristan was a former militant base until the Pakistani military said a succession of operations there had cleared the area of Taliban fighters. However, violence has increased there in recent weeks, spreading fear among residents that the military might carry out more operations.”

Gulf News: Pakistan Police Kill A Terrorist Involved In Canadian Journalist Qahaar’s Murder

“The man accused of kidnapping and murdering Canadian journalist Khadija Abdul Qahaar was killed in a police encounter in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Sanaullah Abbasi, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, revealed on Tuesday that Amin Shah, the main accused involved in abducting and killing the journalist was killed in a police encounter. Shah was a member of the banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He said the police along with personnel from the Counter Terrorism Department carried out the raid to apprehend a criminal identified as Amin Shah. Shah was accused of abducting the journalist in 2008 and demanding a ransom of $2 million (Dh7.36 million). He also stood accused of killing her in 2010, according to reports in Pakistan media. “As soon as the police approached to arrest him, the acused opened fire at police team and was eventually killed in a retaliatory fire from the police personnel,” said Police Chief Abbasi. He added that one terrorist was killed and eight others were apprehended during separate raids carried out by law enforcement agencies on Tuesday.”

Middle East

The Washington Free Beacon: Lawsuit Alleges Qatar Secretly Financed Terror Attacks That Killed Americans

“Qatar secretly provided funding for several terror attacks that killed Americans and Israelis, according to allegations leveled in an unprecedented new lawsuit filed in New York City on Wednesday that seeks compensation for the families of those killed. Multiple Qatari financial institutions, largely controlled by the country’s ruling monarch, provided millions of dollars to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), two U.S.-designated terrorist organizations that waged multiple successful attacks on American citizens, according to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. As part of this alleged funding scheme, Qatari charities allegedly used the U.S. banking system to illegally funnel these groups the money necessary to orchestrate and conduct the attacks. As Hamas’s most prolific funder, “Qatar coopted several institutions that it dominates and controls to funnel coveted U.S. dollars (the chosen currency of Middle East terrorist networks) to Hamas and PIJ under the false guise of charitable donations,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed under the U.S. Anti-Terrorism Act and has been in the works for the last two years. Revelations of Qatar’s alleged involvement in these terror plots is likely to fuel ongoing congressional investigations into Qatar’s support for terror factions and other anti-U.S. militia groups.”

Somalia

The Defense Post: Three Civilians Dead In AU Firefight With Al Shabaab In Somalia

“The African Union said that three civilians were killed and two others injured during a firefight between its forces in Somalia and Islamists from the Al Shabaab group. The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) said its troops clashed with Al Shabaab fighters who had laid a roadside ambush on Monday northeast of Janale in Lower Shabelle, a hotbed for the insurgents. “Regrettably, three women were killed in the crossfire while two were injured and are currently receiving medical attention at the AMISOM hospital,” AMISOM said in a statement late Tuesday. “We would like to render our sincere apologies and heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery.” AMISOM head Ambassador Francisco Madeira said the incident was “unfortunate” and that its peacekeeping force deployed in Somalia “remain committed to protecting the population.” AMISOM troops, which support Somalia’s ill-equipped national army in the fight against Al Shabaab, have been accused of killing civilians during past operations. US forces, which regularly target the Islamists with airstrikes, announced in April that one of its drone attacks the previous year resulted in two civilian deaths.”

Africa

WTOP: The Hunt: A Top Terrorist Killed In Mali

“Abdelmalek Droukdel, the longtime leader of al-Qaida’s North African arm, was recently killed in Mali. On this week’s edition of The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green, Hans Jakob-Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, explains the significance. Listen below.”