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Old 02-28-2019, 07:26 AM
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Arrow Eye on Extremism - 2/28/19

Eye on Extremism
February 28, 2019
RE: https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#in...wtHcRdGpXMlQjw

Eye on Extremism / February 28, 2019

The New York Times: Trump’s Talks With Kim Jong-Un Collapse After North Korea Demands End To Sanctions

“President Trump and Kim Jong-un, North Korea’s leader, abruptly ended their second summit meeting on Thursday after talks collapsed with the two leaders failing to agree on any steps toward nuclear disarmament or measures to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula. “Sometimes you have to walk,” Mr. Trump said at an afternoon news conference in Hanoi, Vietnam. He said Mr. Kim had insisted that all of the harsh United Nations sanctions imposed on the North be lifted in exchange for dismantling its most important nuclear facility but not other elements of its weapons program. “It was about the sanctions,” Mr. Trump said. “Basically they wanted the sanctions lifted in their entirety, but we couldn’t do that.” The premature end to the negotiations leaves the unusual rapprochement between the United States and North Korea that has unfolded for most of a year at a deadlock, with the North retaining both its nuclear arsenal and facilities believed to be producing additional fissile material for warheads.”

Voice Of America: Hundreds Flee Syria Jihadist Enclave Before Final Assault

“Hundreds of people boarded trucks leaving the last scrap of the Islamic State group's "caliphate" in eastern Syria on Wednesday as U.S.-backed forces prepared to deliver the final blow to holdout jihadists. Several thousand people — fighters and their relatives — are believed to be cornered in the last pocket of IS-held territory, barely half a square kilometer near the Iraqi border. Nearly five years since IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi ascended a pulpit in a Mosul mosque to urge Muslims to join the newly proclaimed "caliphate," the proto-state is only days away from dying in a tiny village that until recently few even in Syria had known existed. Thousands of its last denizens, many of them women and children, have been pouring out of the riverside hamlet of Baghuz in recent days, posing a huge humanitarian challenge for the Kurdish fighters leading the operation.”

The Wall Street Journal: Pakistan To Release Captured Indian Pilot

“Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said his country would release an Indian air force pilot who was captured Wednesday after his plane was shot down in a clash with Pakistani air force jets. In a televised speech in parliament, Mr. Khan called the release of the pilot, which he said would occur Friday, a “peace gesture” from Pakistan toward India. Indian officials didn’t immediately comment on Mr. Khan’s announcement. Earlier Thursday Pakistan said New Delhi had formally requested that the pilot be returned. Mr. Khan said the gesture was an effort to reduce tensions, which have soared in recent weeks since India blamed Pakistan for a terrorist bombing in disputed Kashmir that killed 40 Indian paramilitary officers. Pakistan has denied any involvement in the terrorist attack. India and Pakistan have attacked each other this week in a round of tit-for-tat bombings that raised fears that the cycle of violence between the two nuclear-armed countries could escalate into war.”

Haaretz: Smuggled In Suitcases: How Iran Is Upgrading Hezbollah's Rocket Arsenal

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that getting the Iranians and all foreign fighters out of Syria is also one of Russia's stated goals. A diplomatic source added that Putin did not place limitations on Israel's actions in Syria. Netanyahu said the meeting with Putin was "good and productive," emphasizing that Putin accepted his invitation to visit Jerusalem. In a Tweet on Wednesday, Putin said he would participate in the opening ceremony for a new monument in Jerusalem commemorating victims and survivors of the World War II Siege of Leningrad. There is no date set yet for this visit, which the two countries will agree on a later time. Netanyahu added that the two spoke mostly about Iranian entrenchment in Syria and the S-300 air-defense system that Russia delivered to Syria in September.”

Fast Company: How Cloudflare Straddles Roles As Free Speech Champion And Hate Speech Enabler

“In October 2018, Cloudflare stood out by continuing to support the chat platform Gab–infamous for racist chatter, including a post by Robert Bowers, who was charged with murdering 11 people in a Pittsburgh synagogue on October 27. Infrastructure companies like hosting provider Joyent and domain-name registrar GoDaddy dropped the site. But Cloudflare held on and continues to support Gab. In December, a Huffington Post article reported that the company serves at least seven groups on the U.S. State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations, including al-Shabab, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), al-Quds Brigades, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, and Hamas. “I know that frequently when we’re talking about content issues, this can become muddled in terms of: Well, what is offensive content?” says Joshua Fisher-Birch, a content review specialist with the nonprofit, nonpartisan Counter Extremism Project (CEP). “We’re focusing on the worst-of-the-worst content here, which is specifically terrorist organizations, which is specifically extremist organizations that explicitly want to cause violence.” CEP has sent letters to Cloudflare since February 13, 2017, warning about clients on the service, including Hamas, the Taliban, the PFLP, and the Nordic Resistance Movement. The latest letter, from February 15, 2019, warns of what CEP identified as three pro-ISIS propaganda websites.”

Wired: Facebook's Tommy Robinson Ban Is All About Saving Face, Not Stopping Extremism

“Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, aka Tommy Robinson, has been banned from Facebook and Instagram, where he commanded a combined following of over one million. In a statement, Facebook said that Robinson’s page contained “dehumanising language” and advocated “violence targeted at Muslims”. It declared that “individuals and organisations” praising, supporting or engaging in “organised hate” would also be banned. In a follow-up statement to the press, Facebook offered some specifics. On January 24, the company said, the admins of the Tommy Robinson Facebook page received a written warning about the page' content, which allegedly included videos of bullying, and posts that labelled Muslims “filthy scumbags” and called for their beheading. The company said that it had then “subsequently became aware” that Robinson had been participating in events with recognised hate groups and figures, such as Generation Identity, the Proud Boys, and Gavin McInnes.”

United States

USA Today: Coast Guard Officer Indicted On Gun And Drug Charges; Prosecutors Say Terror Was His Aim

“A coast guard officer accused of planning a domestic terror attack targeting prominent Democrats was indicted Wednesday on gun and drug charges. A federal grand jury convened in Maryland indicted Christopher Paul Hasson, 49, for illegally possessing firearm silencers, guns and a controlled substance. Hasson spent hours on his work computer at the Coast Guard Headquarters researching infamous mass shooters and bombers, according to federal prosecutors, who say he was stockpiling weapons since 2017. Federal authorities arrested the self-described white nationalist on Feb. 15 and found over 1,000 rounds of ammunition and 15 guns in his apartment. While working on a program to acquire advanced new cutters for the Coast Guard, Hasson used his government computer to research the Virginia Tech gunman and the Unabomber, according to federal prosecutor Jennifer Sykes. Allegedly expressing extremist views for years, Hasson wrote a hit list of politicians including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, according to court documents. He also listed CNN’s Van Jones and MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and once wrote in an email draft “I am dreaming of a way to kill almost every last person on the earth.”

CBS News: California Man Sentenced To More Than 15 Years In ISIS Support Case

“In defending 23-year-old Amer Alhaggagi, his lawyer called him “a class clown” — “a prankster who did not know when he was crossing the line.” But federal prosecutors consider him an ISIS supporter, caught before he could activate his plot to kill 10,000 San Francisco-area residents by planting bombs, blowing up a gay bar, setting fires and distributing poisoned cocaine in night clubs. Defense attorney Mary McNamera's argued in federal court Tuesday that Alhaggagi is an “all-American boy” who was “playing a game.” His argument did not prevail. Judge Charles Breyer sentenced Alhaggagi to more than 15 years in prison, saying “words matter.” “The most disturbing thing in Alhaggagi is the lack of empathy for others,” Breyer said. “That is chilling.” He was sentenced for charges of identity theft and trying to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. “Alhaggagi wanted to carry out deadly terrorist attacks in the United States in the name of ISIS,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Demers, said in a news release Tuesday. Surveillance video recorded over two years by undercover agents captured Alhaggagi's boasts, including claims of connections to Mexico's drug cartel and access to AK-47s.”

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Man Who Tried To Join ISIS Is Sentenced To Seven Years In Prison

“A Milwaukee man who wanted to join the Islamic State was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors called Jason Ludke “a true danger” and recommended a 20-year sentence followed by a lifetime of federal supervision, but his attorney called him a “lost soul” who can't express himself well who should only do five years. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman settled on the seven-year sentence, followed by 10 years of supervised release. In their sentencing memo, prosecutors said, “Ludke agreed and intended to join and fight for ISIS, because ISIS’s goals were his goals,” and that he “believes violence is the way to bring about what he wants.” Ludke, 38, and Yosvany Padilla-Conde, 32, were charged in 2016 with attempting to provide support to a foreign terrorist organization after a series of online conversations with an undercover FBI employee in which they professed allegiance to the Islamic State, court records show. Ludke pleaded guilty in October. Padilla-Conde's case is set for trial later this year. Ludke had sent a friend request on Facebook to an FBI agent posing as someone with ISIS. He then encouraged Padilla-Conde to join him in traveling to Texas, per the undercover agent's direction, on the way to Mexico from where they believed they could get passports to travel to Syria. The pair were arrested near San Angelo, Texas.”

Syria

Reuters: Islamic State Supporters And Victims Flee The Ruins Of Its 'Caliphate'

“Hundreds more people of many nationalities streamed out of Islamic State’s last enclave in Syria under escort from U.S.-backed forces on Wednesday, part of an exodus of both its supporters and victims from its final shred of land. Part of Baghouz, a tiny cluster of hamlets and farmland on the banks of the Euphrates at the Iraqi border, is all that remains to Islamic State of the “caliphate” straddling the two countries which its leader proclaimed in 2014. Women from Iraq, Syria, Russia, Azerbaijan and Poland, an Indonesian boy and enslaved, traumatized Yazidi girls were among those to emerge over the past 48 hours from the caravans of trucks that trundled to an assembly point outside the enclave. Around 40,000 people have come out over three months, including 15,000 since the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced a final assault to capture it on Feb. 9, said SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali. The number surpassed initial estimates and has delayed SDF plans to storm the enclave or force the remaining hardened foreign fighters holed up inside to surrender. As 15 trucks arrived on Wednesday, hundreds of women in full face veils clambered out along with children and stood in line to be searched and given bread and water.”

Reuters: U.S.-Backed SDF Says It Freed 24 Fighters Held By Islamic State

“The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militia said on Thursday it had freed 24 of its fighters from Islamic State militants in the jihadists’ last enclave near the Iraqi border. The SDF provided no details about how its fighters were recovered, and it was not immediately clear if others remained under Islamic State control in the enclave at Baghouz. The force, the main partner of the U.S.-led coalition against the jihadist group in Syria, has been trying to evacuate thousands of civilians in Baghouz before storming it or forcing the surrender of the remaining jihadists, who the SDF has said are mostly foreigners. Part of Baghouz, a tiny cluster of hamlets and farmland on the banks of the Euphrates River, is all that remains of Islamic State’s territorial foothold that once straddled the two countries. Thousands of people of many nationalities have streamed out of the final shred of land in recent weeks, an exodus of both its supporters and victims, surpassing initial estimates and delaying an end to the battle. The varied backgrounds of those who have came out attests to the way Islamic State drew in people from across the world, and swept up Syrians and Iraqis in its rule. The group has been adapting for some time and has mounted a spate of guerrilla-style attacks in Syria of late.”

Al Monitor: Turkey Rows Against Strong Currents In Northern Syria

“Despite its initial pleasure upon hearing of the US withdrawal from Syria, Turkey seems to be facing difficulties in achieving its goals in its southern neighbor. Recent back-and-forth statements between the United States and Ankara have pointed to a couple of disagreements over the Syria dossier. Turkey is engaging in a flurry of high-level contacts with the United States and Russia to negotiate the future of northern Syria and east of the Euphrates River following Donald Trump’s decision to pull US forces out of Syria. Ankara wants to establish a strong military presence in the region to fight the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is lodged there with US backing. Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG to be a terrorist organization and has vowed to eliminate it, even if Washington refuses to sever ties with the group.”

The Independent: Female ISIS Members Underestimated By Security Services Because Of Jihadi Bride Stereotypes, UN Warns

“Jihadi bride stereotypes are causing female Isis members to be dangerously underestimated by security services, the United Nations has warned. In the wake of home secretary Sajid Javid’s decision to strip Shamima Begum of her British nationality, an arm of the UN Security Council said there was an “urgent need” to monitor female jihadis remaining in Iraq and Syria. A report said that countries choosing to leave women in conflict zones “could exacerbate future Isis-related threats and, more generally, threaten the long-term recovery and stability of the region”. The Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate said the situation was also “overburdening local judicial capacities and detention facilities, increasing the risk of human rights violations and sowing the seeds of potential further radicalisation”. The report comes as the home secretary admitted the government did not know how many women travelled from the UK to join Isis, or how many British children have been born in the group’s territories. Asked whether there was any plan for Ms Begum’s son, Mr Javid told MPs: “Sadly, there are probably many hundreds of children that have been born to foreign fighters. “As I mentioned, 900 people have gone out, we don’t have a breakdown between men and women, but a significant proportion have been female foreign fighters.”

The Independent: Dozens Of Children Die Fleeing ISIS Caliphate

“Aid agencies have raised the alarm after dozens of children have died after leaving the last territory held by Isis in eastern Syria. Nearly 15,000 mostly women and children have fled the tiny enclave in the past week, overwhelming local Kurdish authorities who are dealing with the exodus. The al-Hol displacement camp in northern Syria, where the fleeing civilians are being taken, has swelled to more than 50,000 people. Around 2,000 are now sleeping rough in the arrivals area in poor weather conditions. Low temperatures, malnutrition and a lack of medical care have led to the deaths of at least 80 people – mostly children – who died on their journey to the camp or soon after arriving. Two thirds of deaths were of babies under the age of one, and the vast majority occurred in the past month. ”The sheer scale of the number of people arriving at al-Hol is overwhelming,” said Misty Buswell, Middle East Advocacy Director for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), which operates in the camp. “Many of the children are having to cope without shoes or coats. Most of the mothers arrived with extremely young children, and many are in poor health after going for many weeks without enough food, water or receiving any medical care,” she added.”

Al Monitor: Syria Panel Rushes To Offer Trump Options Before Clock Runs Out

“A bipartisan panel tasked with offering the Donald Trump administration a path forward in Syria is already behind schedule as it prepares for its initial meeting Thursday. The Syria Study Group is charged with bringing clarity to the state of play in the war-torn country as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his allies inch toward final victory in the 8-year-old war while the Pentagon scurries to convince allies to keep boots on the ground. The group was created after Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., tucked a provision authorizing the panel into a must-pass aviation bill in October. But unlike the Iraq Study Group, which took six months to present the White House with 60 recommendations to fix a flailing US strategy in 2006, the new group owes Congress a final report in April. Even as the US administration’s confused troop withdrawal has prompted questions about destroying the remnants of the Islamic State and potential risks to US service members, political headwinds have forced delays. The government-backed US Institute of Peace, which is facilitating the Syria Study Group, cut back operations during the 35-day federal shutdown. It’s not clear whether Congress will grant the group a grace period to wrap up its work.”

Iran

The New York Times: Two Days After Resigning, Iran’s Foreign Minister Returns To Post

“Two days after saying he intended to step down, Iran’s foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, returned to his post after President Hassan Rouhani rejected the resignation. There were smiles all around on Wednesday, as Mr. Zarif appeared alongside Mr. Rouhani during a welcoming ceremony for a visiting dignitary broadcast live on state television. Despite his return, the major reason for Mr. Zarif’s resignation — his diminished status in the government — is not likely to change significantly, analysts said. Mr. Zarif, urbane, worldly and fluent in English, has for years been Iran’s public face to much of the world, and never more so than when he brokered a landmark deal with world powers curtailing Iran’s nuclear program. But President Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal last year sent Mr. Zarif’s stock sliding within Iran’s leadership, relegating him and his team of professional diplomats back to the sidelines. So it was not all that surprising this week when Mr. Zarif, left out of a meeting with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, reacted to the snub by hard-liners in Iran’s government by resigning. It was a bid to shame his rivals within the leadership and an attempt to reassert his influence, analysts said.”

Iraq

Iraqi News: Iraqi Intelligence Forces Arrest Eight Islamic State Terrorists In Anbar

“The Iraqi army said on Wednesday that eight Islamic State terrorists were apprehended during a military operation in the western province of Anbar. “Iraqi intelligence forces launched a preemptive military operation in Znkurh and Abu Teban areas in Anbar to target Islamic State terrorists,” Baghdad Today news website quoted the country’s Military Intelligence Directorate as saying. The troops managed to arrest eight terrorists, whose mission, according to the statement, was to collect information about the whereabouts of security forces and citizens to target them later. The arrest was made pursuant to article no. 4 of the anti-terrorism law, added the statement. Iraq declared the collapse of Islamic State’s territorial influence in Iraq in November 2017 with the recapture of Rawa, a city on Anbar’s western borders with Syria, which was the group’s last bastion in Iraq. 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.”

Kurdistan 24: VIDEO: Peshmerga Opens Museum For Confiscated ISIS Explosive Devices

“The Kurdish Peshmerga forces have opened a small museum at one of its bases in the Kurdistan Region to exhibit some of the explosive devices it confiscated from the Islamic State which were used against them during battles. The museum, located in Korre town, contains mines, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), booby traps, roadside bombs, anti-tank bombs, rockets, and suicide vests along with the Islamic State flag. “The museum was opened here in the Peshmerga engineering team office on the order of Commander Sihad Barzani,” Mahmoud Kakayi, a Peshmerga Commander of an engineering team, told Kurdistan 24 on Wednesday. Commander Kakayi noted that the museum is not open to the public yet and that the location is temporary. He said once they find a permanent, larger site, more things would be added, and people can then visit the museum.”

Kurdistan 24: Iraq Takes Steps To Prosecute ISIS Suspects Recently Handed Over By SDF

“Iraq’s judiciary on Thursday convened to discuss the mechanism by which it would “examine the cases of terrorism suspects” recently handed over to Baghdad by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The meeting was headed by the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zidan, and attended by investigating magistrates on counter-terrorism cases. The body did not give further details regarding the outcome of the meeting. Iraqi authorities have said the SDF had arrested more than 500 Iraqi Islamic State members in what appears to be the end to their military campaign against the extremist group in the last pocket of territory it still holds in Syria, located east of the country. Iraqi security forces have received 280 fighters so far. The captured militants were sent in two separate batches, with the first group, some 130 Iraqi jihadists, arriving last Thursday as an Iraqi military spokesperson had then announced. The mass expatriation comes as the SDF presses onward to defeat the jihadist group’s in their last stand in eastern Syria. Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi on Tuesday said his country could take suspected Islamic State fighters of Iraqi nationality as well as prosecute foreign militants who are suspected of having carried out terrorist attacks on Iraqi soil.”

Afghanistan

Reuters: Taliban Says Held 'Extensive Talks' With U.S. Officials, Reconvening Saturday

“Taliban and American officials holding talks in Qatar on ways to end the war in Afghanistan have held “extensive” discussions on how foreign troops could be withdrawn and on how to guarantee the country would not be used again by outside forces to attack other countries, the Taliban said in a statement on Thursday. The U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said in a tweet that the meetings in Doha were productive. “We continue to take slow, steady steps toward understanding and eventually peace,” Khalilzad adding that the talks would be continued on Saturday after a two day break. After Wednesday’s session, the two sides decided to adjourn in order to hold consultations and prepare for their next session, according to the statement issued by Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. The two sides had resumed talks this week after making significant progress in an earlier round of discussions, also held in Doha, in January. While the United States and other powers has long maintained that the peace process should ultimately be Afghan-led, the Taliban this week reiterated opposition to direct talks with President Ashraf Ghani’s administration in Kabul, which it regards as an illegitimate government.”

Al Jazeera: Ex-Taliban Official: 'No Afghan Peace Deal If Air Raids Continue'

“A return to peace is not possible in Afghanistan if its government continues to conduct air strikes which have resulted in countless civilian casualties, a former Taliban official has said. In a press conference in Kabul on Wednesday, Syed Mohammad Akbar Agha, who is the current leader of Rah-e-Nejat (High Council of Salvation), said President Ashraf Ghani’s government is sabotaging peace talks being held in Qatar between Taliban representatives and US officials. “The government doesn't want peace. They are still targeting civilian areas while claiming to have targeted Taliban hideouts,” Agha told Al Jazeera, adding that air raids are being carried out “almost every day”. “We are all positive about peace and very serious, especially now that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar is directly involved in the talks in Qatar,” he said. “We are expecting positive results for peace in Afghanistan.” Taliban and United States officials are meeting for the third day on Wednesday in Qatar's capital Doha, where two main issues being discussed in the high-level talks are: the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, and assurances that Afghanistan will not be used by foreign armed fighters. The talks have gained momentum in recent months after the US decided to engage with the Taliban, which has been waging a deadly armed rebellion since the group was removed from power in 2001.”

Pakistan

U.S. & World Report: U.S., UK, France Ask U.N. To Blacklist Militant Leader Behind Kashmir Attack

“The United States, Britain and France proposed on Wednesday that the United Nations Security Council blacklist the head of Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad, which said it attacked an Indian paramilitary convoy in disputed Kashmir. However, the move is likely to be opposed by China, which previously prevented the Security Council's Islamic State and al Qaeda sanctions committee from sanctioning JeM leader Masood Azhar in 2016 and 2017. China's U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new proposal. The Feb. 14 attack, the most deadly in Kashmir during a 30-year-long insurgency, increased tensions between Pakistan and India with the nuclear-armed neighbors both saying they had shot down each other's fighter jets on Wednesday. The United States, Britain and France have asked the 15-member Security Council sanctions committee to subject Azhar to an arms embargo, global travel ban and asset freeze. The committee operates by consensus and members have until March 13 to raise objections, according to the proposal seen by Reuters. When the council committee previously considered blacklisting Azhar in 2017 the Chinese Foreign Ministry said there were clear rules for listing a person or group as a terrorist, and that China has always believed the relevant U.N. committee should operate on the principles of objectivity.”

Associated Press: Pakistan, India Trade Gunfire; ‘Dossier’ On Kashmir Tension

“Pakistan’s prime minister pledged on Thursday his country would release a captured Indian jetfighter pilot the following day, a move that could help defuse the most-serious confrontation in two decades between the nuclear-armed neighbors over the disputed region of Kashmir. Prime Minister Imran Khan made the announcement in an address to both houses of Parliament, saying he tried to reach his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Wednesday with a message that he wants to de-escalate tensions. “We are releasing the Indian pilot as a goodwill gesture tomorrow,” Khan told lawmakers. He did not say whether the release was conditional. An Indian government official, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak publicly, warned that even if the pilot is returned home, New Delhi would not hesitate to strike its neighbor first if it feared a similar militant attack was looming. Modi earlier in the day warned that “India’s enemies are conspiring to create instability in the country through terror attacks.”

Yemen

Asharq Al-Awsat: Yemen: Officials Remove Houthi Mines From Red Sea Mills Prior To UN Visit

“Yemeni government's de-mining team dismantled four explosive devices at the Red Sea Mills in Hodeidah hours before the arrival of UN deployment team, World Food Program (WFP) and the international expert on the international mine clearance program. UN envoy General Michael Lollesgaard complained that Houthi militias are trying to hinder the redeployment plan in Hodeidah, stressing that he would send a letter to the United Nations in this regard. During its visit to the mills, the de-mining team of the Yemeni Government participating in the International Mine Action Program confirmed there were four improvised explosive devices (IEDs), each weighing more than 80 kilograms, all of which were buried and connected by remote electric wires. The team indicated that the IEDs were planted in piles of wheat, inside water tanks, on vehicles, in toilets, offices and other places.”

Middle East

The Jerusalem Post: Outlaw Hezbollah

“Parliament is expected to approve a motion to ban Hezbollah as a terrorist group. This refers to the whole of Hezbollah, its so-called “military wing” and also now its so-called “political wing.” What took so long? It is hard to believe that until now, England and the European Union only classified the “military wing” as a terrorist entity, but not the rest of the organization. That allowed political members of Hezbollah to operate freely in the United Kingdom, to appear waving Hezbollah flags – the one featuring the Kalashnikov rifle – at the annual al-Quds day rally in London. Just to be clear, those rallies promote mass killings of Jews and the destruction of the Jewish state. Nothing less. Britain had banned the “military wing” in 2008 because the Lebanese militia had attacked British soldiers in Iraq. However, the UK has allowed Hezbollah’s “political wing” to continue to operate.”

Libya

Business Insider: An ISIS Fighter In Libya Turned A Machine Gun And A Shopping Cart Into A New Kind Of Fighting Vehicle

“We now know that you can set up a belt-fed machine gun on top of a shopping cart to make a mobile firing platform, but you probably won't be allowed to return the rig back to Target. That knowledge comes courtesy of an ISIS fighter in Libya, who was spotted in one of the group's propaganda videos free-gunning as any smart shopper would. Hugo Kaaman, a contributor to Jane's Terrorism & Insurgency Centre, recently tweeted a clip of the amazing find, which he told Task & Purpose came from ISIS video footage taken in Libya and released in May 2015. That's certainly a step up from the spray and pray over walls tactic that is often employed by jihadists. Not only does this combat cart provide some stability for the gun — which seems to be a Soviet DShK heavy machine gun — it even holds a box of ammo. Innovation! Still, this video may not be the most creative thing to come out of the Libyan battlefield. As Kaaman also tweeted, they also did some testing of combat roller blades.”

Nigeria

Voice Of America: Thousands Of Nigerians Flee Boko Haram Violence, Head To Cameroon

“The governor of Cameroon's Far North region is denying a report that tens of thousands of Nigerian refugees who fled Boko Haram-related violence will be forced to return home. Aid agency Medicins Sans Frontieres, also called Doctors Without Borders, said Wednesday that Cameroonian and Nigerian authorities have ordered 40,000 refugees to return to northeastern Nigeria. The statement, reported by the Reuters news agency, said MSF had seen people packing their belongings and heading toward the Nigerian city of Rann, which Islamist militant group Boko Haram attacked and burned to the ground in January. Midjiyawa Bakari, governor of the Far North region, told VOA that any returns to Nigeria are voluntary. “We would not want them to settle in unsafe places where they may still be attacked by Boko Haram. I want also to state that Cameroon is a state of law and respects its international commitments and will not force any of the refugees to return, but they must seek refuge in safer localities. Those who agree to voluntarily return will be accompanied back to their country,” Bakari said.”

Africa

Defense Post: IED Hidden In Corpse Kills 17 In Central Mali

“Seventeen people were killed in a blast caused by a booby-trapped corpse in central Mali, security sources and a local official said on Wednesday, February 27. The incident occurred on Tuesday in Diankabou, a small town in the Mopti region, with a local official telling AFP it was caused by “an explosive device which was planted on the body of a man who had been shot dead.” A security source confirmed the information, saying: “The body exploded, killing 17 people.” Among the victims were the parents of the man whose body had been booby-trapped, he said. The man had gone to find food for his cattle and had never returned. His parents then found the corpse. “They rather unwisely approached the body which exploded, killing 17 people. The gunmen who killed him had planted explosives on his body and around it,” the source said.”

United Kingdom

The Independent: UK Could Face A New Commons Vote On Syria After ISIS Caliphate Defeat

“Britain may face a new parliamentary vote on its continued military role in Syria after the Isis caliphate is defeated, as Labour calls for a fresh mandate to authorise a changing mission. The UK has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria as part of its role in an international coalition to defeat Isis, and deployed special forces on the ground alongside some 2,000 US troops. But as the caliphate nears defeat, and after President Donald Trump ordered the withdrawal of all but a few hundred US troops, the coalition’s aims are shifting. The Trump administration is now pushing for a mostly European combat force to administer a safe zone in northern Syria, according to diplomats, which is partly designed to prevent fighting between Turkey and its bitter enemy, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. The US would also keep some troops in the country to ensure Isis does not regroup. Labour’s shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, told The Independent that a continued UK military role in Syria after the defeat of the caliphate “goes far beyond the policy MPs were asked to support in 2015.” “The government will clearly need a fresh parliamentary mandate if British engagement in Syria is going to continue even after those Daesh remnants have been destroyed, and even after the majority of US troops have been withdrawn,” she added.”

Europe

The Washington Post: Dutch Police Arrest Terror Suspect, Find Weapon At His Home

“Dutch prosecutors say they have arrested a 48-year man on suspicion of preparing a terror attack, and a pistol and ammunition were found at his home in the northern city of Groningen. The National Prosecutor’s Office announced the arrest Wednesday and said an investigating judge has ordered the man detained for 90 days while investigations continue. In a statement, prosecutors say the man, whose identity was not released, was arrested after a Dutch intelligence agency alerted authorities that he was a supporter of the Islamic State group and that he owned a weapon. Police found the gun, hidden in a child’s backpack, when they searched his home. A day earlier, the Dutch counterterror coordinator maintained the country’s alert level at four on a scale that tops out at five.”

The Washington Post: Greek Far-Left Extremist Denied 7th Furlough From Prison

“Greek judges have refused a new furlough for a convicted far-left extremist serving multiple life sentences for a string of assassinations. In its reasoning issued Wednesday, the council in the central town of Volos ruled that 61-year-old Dimitris Koufodinas still poses a danger to society and could commit new crimes were he granted a furlough. Koufodinas was the main hit man for the November 17 group, which killed 23 people, including Western diplomats between 1975 and 2000. He was arrested in 2002, convicted of terrorism and given 11 life sentences. Nevertheless, since late 2017 Koufodinas has been granted six furloughs, and transferred from a maximum-security Athens prison to a penitentiary near Volos, where inmates have greater freedom of movement. This sparked protests from relatives of his victims, and U.S. officials.”

Reuters: Belgium Wins Appeal Against Repatriation Of Islamic State Families

“Belgium has won an appeal against a judge’s order forcing it to repatriate two Belgian women convicted of being Islamic State militants and their six children from Syria, a court said on Wednesday. A judge ruled last year that the country had to bring back Tatiana Wielandt, 26, Bouchra Abouallal, 25, and the children they had with militants, from the Al-Hol camp where they were being held in a Kurdish-dominated part of Syria. But the Belgian government sought to make a distinction between the mothers, who were convicted last year in absentia of being members of Islamic State, and the children who officials say cannot be guilty of acts committed by their parents. The Brussels court of appeal said that the Belgian state was not forced “to undertake any act of repatriation.” In response, the Belgian justice ministry said it would still seek to repatriate all children younger than 10 years old from Iraq and Syria, where European citizens, many of them babies, are being held in camps by U.S.-backed Kurdish militias following the defeat of Islamic State by coalition forces. It was not immediately clear how many of the six children were under 10 in the Belgian case. European nations are wrestling with how to handle suspected militants and their families seeking to return from combat zones, an issue made more pressing by U.S. plans to withdraw troops from Syria.”

The Local Sweden: Sweden Moves To Tighten Anti-Terror Laws: Five Key Things To Know

“The Swedish government wants to tighten the laws applying to people who take part in or assist terrorist organizations. Here are five things to know about the law proposal and what it means. What is the proposed new law? The law would make it illegal to be part of or co-operate with a terrorist organization. It would apply to people who recruit new members to the organization, something which is currently only punishable by law if these people were recruited specifically to carry out terrorist crimes. The law would also make it a criminal offence to 'assist' terrorist organizations through giving them use of premises, arranging transport, providing them with equipment, or raising money for these groups, even if the person doing so is not a member. The law would not however be applied retroactively, meaning that people who have previously joined terror groups would not be prosecuted. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven has said the proposal sends an “important signal”. How does it compare with existing laws? Several existing laws deal with terror-related crimes in Sweden; for example, it's illegal to openly call for terrorist crimes, to travel internationally for terrorist purposes and to train or recruit people to carry out such crimes.”

Technology

Fast Company: In Wake Of Uproar, Several Extremist Sites Stop Using Cloudflare Security

“Cloudflare, a San Francisco content delivery network rumored to be prepping for a $3.5 billion IPO, is no stranger to controversy over its absolutist free-speech policies–and often embraces the debate. The latest flashpoint was a December Huffington Post article reporting that the company provides its web-traffic optimization and security protection to seven entities on the U.S. State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations–including al-Shabab, the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, and Hamas. U.S. law forbids providing “material support or resources” to these groups. But something has changed. The Counter Extremism Project (CEP), a nonprofit that tracks such groups, has alerted Fast Company that at least three sites mentioned in the Huffington Post article no longer use Cloudflare: Hamas (Hamas.ps), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (pflp.ps), and the English-language Taliban site (alemarah-english.com). “I’m curious as to the reasoning for that,” says CEP content review specialist Joshua Fisher-Birch, who noticed the changes. His curiosity might not be satisfied: His group has sent several letters to Cloudlflare over the past two years, alerting it to some of these organizations, as well as others, such as the white supremacist Nordic Resistance Movement, using the company’s web services, but has not received any reply from Cloudflare.”

The New York Times: First Facebook Investigation To Be Completed By Summer: Irish Regulator

“Facebook's lead regulator in the European Union expects to conclude the first of seven investigations into the company's use of personal data this summer and the remainder by the end of the year, Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner said on Thursday. The commissioner's office last year launched three investigations into aspects of a massive cyber attack in which hackers stole login codes that allowed them to access nearly 50 million Facebook accounts, including 3 million in Europe. Since then it has launched a separate probe into "a large number of other breaches," including Facebook's disclosure in December that a bug may have exposed private photos of up to 6.8 million users. The other probes relate to complaints by users in relation to how Facebook processes personal data. "We are looking at different aspects of the collection, the transparency and the use of data" at Facebook, Commissioner Helen Dixon told Ireland's RTE radio in an interview.”

The Verge: AI Won’t Relieve The Misery Of Facebook’s Human Moderators

“No matter what companies say, AI is not going to solve the problem of content moderation online. It’s a promise we’ve heard many times before, particularly from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, but experts say the technology is just not there — and, in fact, may never be. Most social networks keep unwanted content off their platforms using a combination of automated filtering and human moderators. As The Verge revealed in a recent investigation, human moderators often work in highly stressful conditions. Employees have to click through hundreds of items of flagged content every day — everything from murder to sexual abuse — and then decide whether or not it violates a platform’s rules, often working on tightly-controlled schedules and without adequate training or support.”

The Guardian: Facebook Withholding Data On Its Anti-Disinformation Efforts, EU Says

“Facebook has repeatedly withheld key data on its alleged efforts to clamp down on disinformation ahead of the European elections, the EU’s executive has said. Mark Zuckerberg’s company has been under fire from the European commission for failing to provide it with the “hard numbers” to prove that it was living up to promises made in a voluntary code of conduct. The commission has also complained that the world’s largest social network had, despite its pledges, only set up “fact checkers” – with the job of scrutinising information shared on the site – in eight of the EU’s 28 member states. The company’s vice-president of global affairs and communications, the former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, had claimed in January that Facebook had made mistakes in the past but was now entering a “new phase of reform, responsibility and change.”

Counter Terrorism

Alsharq Times: Egyptian Official Warns: Cyber Terrorism Is One Of The Most Dangerous Types In Existence

“General Dr. Mohammed Abdul Fadil Shousha, Governor of the North Sinai Governorate, stated that, until today, there has been no universally accepted definition of terrorism at the global level, indicating that, in his opinion, cyber terrorism is one of the most dangerous types of terrorism. That remark by General Shousha came during a meeting with local young people as part of a national awareness campaign related to national security, which was organized by the Central Administration of the Parliament and Civic Education of the Youth and Sports Ministry at the El-Arish Youth City. The Egyptian official went on to say that the different types of terrorism include individual terrorism, group terrorism, state terrorism and international terrorism. The main categories of terrorism are conventional and non-conventional terrorism in addition to cyber terrorism, which is one of the most dangerous forms of modern terrorism, the Governor of the North Sinai Governorate explained. The popular perception of terrorism is of the conventional type, in which standard weapons are used to destroy property and kill victims in the "real" world. Yet, the state, including all of its entities, is, in fact, combating all types of terrorism, General Shousha stressed."

Muslim Brotherhood

Shorouk News: Suspected Members Of Muslim Brotherhood's Armed Wings Removed From Terror Lists In Egypt

“On Wednesday {yesterday}, the Court of Cassation accepted an appeal filed by suspects in connection with Case no. 420 of 2017, publicly known as the "Hasm and Lewaa Al-Thawra (Revolution Brigade) case." Egypt's highest appeals court has, in fact, overturned an earlier verdict by the Criminal Court, placing the suspected individuals on the Egyptian terror lists. The new ruling also forwarded the cases of these suspects, who are affiliated with the outlawed Islamist organization, for retrial at the Criminal Court.”

Seventh Day: Ex-Muslim Brotherhood Ally: Group's Leaders Live In Posh Towers In Istanbul While The Rank And File Are Out Begging

“Judge Emad Abo Hashim, a former ally of the banned Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey, recently exposed the abuse, mistreatment and tyranny exercised by the organization's top leaders against the ordinary youth-supporters. Abo Hashim revealed that while senior figures of the Muslim Brotherhood live in luxurious villas and residential towers in Istanbul, the group's so-called rank and file members have to beg for money on the streets. The former Muslim Brotherhood ally went on to say that the large sums being allocated for the leaders' overseas trips and conspiratorial conferences are capable of feeding dozens of Istanbul-based hungry families affiliated with the outlawed group for several months.”

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)

Makkah Newspaper: 20 Entities Are Aiding And Abetting The Basij Forces Affiliated With The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps

“European and {other} foreign companies dealing with Iran are in a state of shock, after the results of the recent FATF investigation confirmed that Iran is heavily involved in the financing of terrorism and money laundering crimes. FATF uncovered the existence of 20 entities abetting the Basij forces affiliated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). It also revealed deceitful behaviors such as concealing assets and funds and the establishment of non-transparent entities bearing ambiguous names. These {findings} reveal to the entire world the lies and hypocrisy of the mullah regime in Tehran, with all the necessary evidence to prove its involvement in supporting armed groups that spread chaos, murder and blood. Despite EU efforts to facilitate trade and investment with Iran, contrary to the will of the USA, the vast majority of companies in Europe and abroad are reluctant to jeopardize their trade and their huge investments.”

Houthi

Alwatan News: UK Urged To Ban The Houthis And Designate Them As Terrorists

“Yemeni political and media activists called on the government of the UK and other European countries to take a decision to ban the Houthi group, like the Lebanese Hezbollah, and designate it a "terrorist organization" that threatens regional security and peace. They explained that this decision aimed at deterring escapades by Iran, which aspires to establish an entity in Yemen, similar to Hezbollah {in Lebanon} for destabilizing {the country} and achieving its ambitions for expansion in the region. Yemeni political writer Saeed al-Maamari said: "The terrorist activities carried out by the Houthis since their coup in 2014, {backed} with the funding and patronage of Tehran, far outweigh the threats of Hezbollah, especially since the Houthis are in a strategic geographical area near the oil wells and global routes for tanker traffic. This enables the Houthis to threaten the navigation in the Red Sea and the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, through which most of shipments of fuel to the European continent pass.”
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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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