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Old 10-27-2020, 08:12 AM
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Arrow Eye on Extremism - October 27, 2020

Eye on Extremism - October 27, 2020
By: Counter Extremism Project - 10-27-20
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of: October 27, 2020

CNBC: U.S. Slams Iran With Another Round Of Sanctions Over Support For ‘Terrorist Entities’

“The Trump administration on Monday announced a slew of fresh sanctions and additional measures targeting Iran’s petroleum sector as Washington continues to up the ante in its maximum pressure campaign against Tehran. The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Iran’s Ministry of Petroleum, the National Iranian Oil Company and the National Iranian Tanker Company for providing financial support to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Assad regime in Syria, according to a release Monday. Treasury also designated multiple entities and individuals associated with the petroleum ministry, the oil company and the tanker company, including front companies, subsidiaries and senior executives. In addition, Treasury designated four persons involved in the recent sale of Iranian gasoline to the Maduro regime in Venezuela. According to Treasury, the cooperation and coordination of these entities to sell oil resulted in the collection of tens of millions of dollars in proceeds that benefited Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. “The regime in Iran uses the petroleum sector to fund the destabilizing activities of the IRGC-QF,” said Secretary Steven Mnuchin in a statement.”

Politico: France Pushes Tougher EU Rules For Social Media In Wake Of Terror Attack

“France is pushing the EU to harden upcoming rules for social media platforms after a schoolteacher was beheaded in France, arguing that “harmful content” such as hate speech needs to be reined in. The push, which comes as Brussels is drafting a new rulebook for platforms like Facebook and Twitter, includes urging the EU to go beyond its current focus on illegal content, according to an EU official with firsthand knowledge of France's position. Ministers in French President Emmanuel Macron's government are also lining up to criticize platforms' content moderation efforts after Samuel Paty, the slain schoolteacher, faced a wave of online harassment. “Today, we don’t have the information or the capacity to force the large social media platforms to implement [content] moderation worthy of what they represent … A text pushed by France will be presented in early December at European level,” Junior Digital Minister Cédric O said over the weekend. Paris has long been a driving force behind the EU’s effort to rein in tech companies. But the harassment of Paty, who was killed for showing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in a classroom, has prompted the government to ramp up pressure on the European Commission.”

United States

Detroit Free Press: Prosecutors Say They Discovered Bomb Materials Connected With Whitmer Kidnap Plot

“Federal prosecutors have asked for more time to hand down grand jury indictments in their kidnapping conspiracy case involving Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, saying the recent discovery of bomb components could lead to new charges, including terrorism-related charges. In a court filing Monday, prosecutors asked for a 40-day extension of the time limit to seek indictments of six men charged under criminal complaints with kidnapping conspiracy. Adam Fox, arraigned in federal court in Kent County, Michigan, faces charges related to what the FBI says was a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. “Firearms and explosive device components were recently recovered, and must be analyzed to determine whether charges under the National Firearms Act, explosives or anti-terrorism statutes are warranted,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler. Kessler said in the court filing there is also a huge amount of other evidence to analyze. He said the FBI had to arrest the men before they finished processing the evidence because of evidence they were planning to abduct Whitmer ahead of the Nov. 3 election. “The FBI has collected hundreds of hours of audio recordings from confidential human sources and undercover agents, and is still in the process of collating that material.” Kessler said.”

Syria

New York Post: US Airstrike In Syria Wipes Out 7 Al-Qaeda Leaders

“A US airstrike in northwestern Syria is believed to have killed seven leaders of al-Qaeda affiliates, a military official said. The strike was conducted on Oct. 22 as the alleged terrorists were meeting near the city of Idlib, spokeswoman, Maj. Beth Riordan, of Central Command, told the Associated Press. The seven people who were killed were not identified, but Riordan said airstrikes like this will damage the terrorist group as they attempt to attack Americans and US allies across the globe. On Monday, Afghanistan officials said they killed a top al-Qaeda propagandist who is on the FBI’s most wanted list. Husam Abd al-Rauf was reportedly killed in a military operation in the eastern section of Afghanistan as the US attempts to pull out of the country after years of military presence in the region. Details about the operation and al-Rauf’s death remain murky Monday night. Al-Qaida did not immediately acknowledge his death after Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security intelligence announced the killing in a message on Twitter.”

Voice Of America: Airstrike On Syrian Rebel Base Kills At Least 50

“War monitors say an airstrike on a rebel training camp in northwestern Syria on Monday killed more than 50 Turkish-backed fighters and wounded at least 90. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the war in Syria, put the number killed at 78, while a Syrian opposition spokesman had the number of fatalities closer to 50. The observatory, along with Syrian opposition groups, say the airstrike was carried out by Russia, a Syrian government ally. The strike targeted a military training camp for one of Syria’s largest opposition groups, Failaq al-Sham, in Jabal al-Dweila in northwestern Idlib province — the last rebel enclave in Syria. The observatory said rescue missions to find survivors were still under way. Youssef Hammoud, a spokesman for Failaq al-Sham, said leaders of the camp were among those killed in the airstrike. The camp is near the border with Turkey. Naji al-Mustafa, a spokesman for Turkish-backed Syrian rebel group National Front for Liberation, told The Associated Press they will respond to the attack. He called the airstrike a “crime” by Russia and threatened to target government and Russian posts.”

Iraq

Agence France-Presse: Saddam's Right-Hand Man Dead: Dictator's Daughter

“Sadddam Hussein's right-hand man Izzat Ibrahim al-Duri, a long-time fugitive, has died, the executed Iraqi dictator's daughter and his Baath party said Monday. After Saddam's capture following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, the wiry, red-haired general remained the “King of Clubs” in Washington's deck of cards of wanted regime figures with a $10-million bounty on his head. “I offer condolences... to all Iraqis and all his (Duri's) admirers in the Arab world and around the world,” tweeted Raghad Saddam Hussein, along with a picture of Duri and her father, who was convicted and hanged in 2006. The Baath party, which ruled Iraq until Saddam's overthrow, issued a statement announcing the death of 78-year-old Duri, but it also gave no details on where or the cause. Known as the “Iceman” for his humble origins selling blocks of ice, he has previously been reported dead or captured only to resurface in audio or video messages. In 2016, an unauthenticated recording showed Duri praising Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State jihadist group. Disaffected ex-Baathists reportedly played a key role in insurgencies after the invasion. Duri rose to become the number two in the all-powerful Revolutionary Command Council of Saddam's regime.”

Arab News: Dangerous Road Ahead As Iraq Gripped By Militia Violence

“This month marked the first anniversary of the popular demonstrations that last year swept Iraq, from Baghdad to Basra. Largely attended by young people, the protests had demanded sweeping political reform, particularly transparency and accountability in governance. The demonstrators were targeted mercilessly by militias from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU): 600 were killed and 26,000 were injured. Criticism from Grand Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani in November 2019 brought down the government of Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi. Now, after a lull due to the pandemic, the demonstrators are back in Baghdad, recommencing their protests on Oct. 1 with portraits of those killed last year. Now they have the backing of new Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who has promised to set up a memorial to those killed in the protests, along with museums, theaters and libraries celebrating national unity and the sacrifices made by the country’s youth. The major issue facing Iraq relates to the activities of the various Shiite militias that are part of the PMU. The PMU has now splintered, with “moderate” elements backing the government and radical groups wreaking violence against a variety of targets: Shiite youths protesting against the parlous national conditions, Sunnis kidnapped for ransom or murder, Kurdish parties, and, above all, US diplomatic and military targets.”

Turkey

Reuters: Two Militants Killed In Southern Turkey After Large Blast

“Turkish security forces killed two militants in the southern province of Hatay on Monday, after clashes that resulted in a large blast in the area, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu said. The militants were identified by authorities at a security checkpoint in Hatay’s Payas district earlier on Monday, Hatay’s governor said, adding that one of them was neutralised following clashes in the Iskendurun district. A large blast occurred during the clashes, but no casualties were reported on the side of the security forces, the governor said. It was not immediately clear what caused the blast. Footage from the area showed several ambulances and police vehicles at the blast site, as authorities inspected the area and searched the vehicle used by the militants to escape from the checkpoint to Iskenderun.”

Afghanistan

Voice Of America: US Airstrike Kills 5 Taliban Fighters In Afghanistan

“The United States said Monday it had conducted an airstrike in central Afghanistan, killing at least five Taliban insurgents. A military spokesman explained in a tweet the overnight action in Nerkh district in Wardak province was taken to defend Afghan security forces in line with a February deal between the U.S. and the Taliban aimed at ending the nearly two decades of war. “We reject the allegations of violating the agreement and of killing innocent Afghans,” said Col. Sonny Leggett. He was responding to allegations by the Taliban that a U.S. drone strike Sunday evening “in recurrent violation” of the agreement killed three children in Nerkh. The Taliban alleged earlier this month that the U.S. military was committing violations of their February 29 pact by carrying out airstrikes in areas other than combat zones. The U.S.-Taliban accord requires all American and NATO troops to leave Afghanistan by May 2021. In return, the insurgents have stopped attacks on foreign forces and pledged to fight terrorism as well as negotiate a permanent ceasefire with Afghan rivals. The historic peace initiative opened first-ever direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban on September 12 in Qatar’s capital, Doha.”

Voice Of America: US Calls Death Of Al-Qaida Official A Major Setback For Terror Group

“The United States has confirmed the death of a high-ranking al-Qaida official in Afghanistan, describing it as a major setback for the group despite some initial confusion in reporting about his seniority. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the death of al-Qaida’s Abu Muhsin al-Masri on Monday, saying U.S. forces provided support during the Afghan-led operation in the country’s eastern Ghazni province. The White House later offered its own confirmation, praising the Afghan operation to take out al-Masri as “welcome news.” The comments from U.S. officials come two days after Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security (NDS) first announced al-Masri’s death in a tweet late Saturday, describing him initially as the number two official with the al-Qaida affiliate, al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The NDS also said al-Masri was close to al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, and that he had been living in Afghanistan under Taliban protection. In response to the tweets from Afghanistan’s NDS, U.S. National Counterterrorism Center Director Christopher Miller told the Reuters News Agency late Saturday that the killing of al-Masri “is a major setback” for al-Qaida, though he declined to share additional details.”

Asian News International: Taliban Has Not Cut Ties With Al-Qaeda: Afghan Army Chief Zia

“Taliban is yet to cut ties with al-Qaeda and other terrorist organisations, said the Afghan Chief of Army Staff Yasin Zia in reaction to the killing of the senior al-Qaeda leader Husam Abdul Rauf, known as Abu Mohsen al-Misri. Tolo News reported that according to an analysis in the Long War Journal, the US has confirmed that al-Misri was killed in Ghazni province earlier in October. “They (the Taliban) have not cut ties with al-Qaeda. They have relations with other terrorist groups in the region and with Pakistanis, they clearly are working shoulder-to-shoulder in Helmand,” Zia said, as quoted by Tolo News. The Taliban is committed in the deal -- which they signed with the US -- to have no relations with any terrorist groups in the country. Al-Misri started his activities in al-Qaeda in the 1980s and was a trusted aide to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. President Ashraf Ghani said on Sunday that “the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is strongly committed to countering terrorism and will not let the country once again become a safe haven of terrorists. Our joint mission with our international allies will continue to root out the scourge of terrorism."

Nigeria

Agence France-Presse: Boko Haram Jihadists Kill Eight Farmers In Nigeria’s Borno State

“Eight farmers have been killed by Boko Haram jihadists in northeastern Nigeria, security sources said Monday. The insurgents attacked the farmers on Sunday as they were harvesting crops in Moranti outside Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, two sources said. “The attackers used knives, not guns, to kill all eight farmers, so as not to attract attention,” militia leader Babakura Kolo said. Local communities have resorted to armed vigilantes or militias, who work alongside the army, as self-defense. “They (Boko Haram) hacked the farmers and slit their throats,” said a second militia leader, Umar Ari, who was involved in evacuating the bodies. Boko Haram militants slaughtered 14 farmers earlier this month as they worked on fields in Ngwom village near Maiduguri. Meanwhile, a Boko Haram rival group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), launched attacks at the weekend on three military bases in Borno and neighboring Yobe state that were thwarted by troops, according to security sources and residents. ISWAP claimed to have killed a dozen soldiers, but this could not be independently verified. At least 36,000 people have been killed and around two million people have fled their homes since Boko Haram launched its insurgency in 2009.”

The Christian Post: Nigerian Christian Killed In Fulani Ambush Attack As Violence Skyrockets

“Suspected Fulani extremists murdered a Christian man in an ambush-style attack as he and two others walked home from work. According to the Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria, Justine Patrick was 25 when he was killed earlier this month. He was walking home from work with his coworkers Daniel Gyang and Sele Dung through some maize fields about an hour before sunset on Oct. 14, Gyang said. Patrick walked behind Gyang and Dung. “We never knew that a group of seven Fulani had already ambushed us,” Gyang said. The attackers rushed from the bush, raising sticks, machetes and knives, Gyang said. Before he could react, they grabbed Justine and began stabbing him as Gyang and Dung fled. “We started screaming and people who were relatively nearby rushed for our rescue,” Gyang said. His picture shows Patrick as a young man with a smiling face and lean build. He was buried on Oct. 15. Nathan Johnson, the Africa regional manager for Christian advocate group International Christian Concern, said he doesn’t know why Patrick was murdered, but he suspects it had to do with his faith.”

Somalia

BBC News: Somalia Conflict: Al-Shabab 'Collects More Revenue Than Government'

“Using intimidation and violence, Somalia-based Islamist militant group al-Shabab raises as much revenue as the country's authorities, a report says. The militants collect at least $15m (£11m) a month, with more than half the amount coming from the capital, Mogadishu, the Hiraal Institute said. Some businesses pay both the jihadists and the internationally recognised government. Al-Shabab has been fighting that government for more than a decade. The group controls much of southern and central Somalia but has been able to extend its influence into areas controlled by the government based in Mogadishu. The report describes as “brutal” the way the group extracts money from the rural population. “Fear and a credible threat to their lives is the only motivation that drives al-Shabab taxpayers,” the report says. According to the Hiraal Institute, unlike the Somali government, al-Shabab is “running a major financial surplus” as the amount of money it collects increases yearly, whilst its operational costs remain fairly static. All major companies in Somalia give the jihadists money, both in the form of monthly payments and a yearly “zakat” (obligatory alms) of 2.5% of annual profits, says the report, which is based on interviews with al-Shabab members, Somali businesspeople, government officials and others.”

Mali

Reuters: Mali And France At Odds Over Talks With Islamist Militants

“Mali’s interim prime minister said on Monday he was open to talks with Islamist militants whose insurgency has made vast swathes of the country ungovernable, but former colonial power France signalled opposition to the idea. Ousted former president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said earlier this year that his government was prepared to negotiate with al Qaeda-linked militants. National talks in the aftermath of the August coup that overthrew Keita endorsed that policy. Malian officials have provided few specifics about what kinds of compromises could emerge, but some proponents of negotiations have said they could include recognition of a greater role for Islam in public life. Moctar Ouane, who was appointed interim prime minister last month to manage an 18-month transition after the Aug. 18 coup that toppled Keita, said his government was prepared to pursue talks. “The conclusions of the inclusive national talks ... very clearly indicated the necessity of an offer of dialogue with these armed groups,” Ouane said at a news conference in Bamako with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian who is on a two-day visit. “We need to see in that an opportunity to engage in far-reaching discussions with the communities in order to redefine the contours of a new governance of the areas that are concerned,” he said.”

France

Al Jazeera: Iran Accuses France’s Macron Of Fuelling ‘Extremism’

“Iran has accused France of fuelling “extremism” after President Emmanuel Macron defended the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. “Muslims are the primary victims of the ‘cult of hatred’ – empowered by colonial regimes & exported by their own clients,” Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted. “Insulting 1.9B Muslims – & their sanctities – for the abhorrent crimes of such extremists is an opportunistic abuse of freedom of speech. It only fuels extremism,” he said. It follows statements Macron made after a Chechen teenager murdered a French teacher on October 16. Macron said history teacher Samuel Paty was beheaded for showing caricatures of the prophet to pupils “because Islamists want our future”. On Sunday, Macron said in a tweet: “We will not give in, ever.” “We do not accept hate speech and defend reasonable debate,” the French leader added. Macron has declared war on “Islamist separatism”, which he said is taking over some Muslim communities in France. Boycotts of French goods are under way in supermarkets in Qatar and Kuwait. Iran’s religious leaders have not called for a boycott of products from France. But several Iranian officials and politicians have condemned Macron for “Islamophobia”, according to Iranian state media.”

Canada

National Post: Canada Needs A Plan To Bring Home The Children Of Jihadists

“The children live in overcrowded refugee camps, in unsanitary conditions, without education and sometimes without basic health care. And although they were born to Canadian parents, the children’s repatriation is neither popular nor considered a priority because they were born to jihadists. The Canadian government recently announced the repatriation of Amira, a five-year-old Canadian orphan. Her parents, who had joined the Islamic State, were killed in 2019 in an airstrike on Baghouz, Syria. This “exfiltration” came after a bitter fight led by her Toronto family, which filed a lawsuit against the Canadian government to obtain Amira’s repatriation. The federal government has been reluctant to welcome these nationals, as they are considered to be Canadian Extremist Travellers (CETs). How should Canada deal with these children and Canadian minors returning from areas considered to be hotbeds and training grounds for terrorism? The Canadian government has been repeatedly criticized for its lack of action and questioned about facilitating the return of children from extremist parents. I am interested in the supervision of escapes from violence as part of my doctoral research. By studying the trajectories of individuals who have joined terrorist organizations, I have come to think about how states should supervise the return of these citizens.”

Australia

The Sydney Morning Herald: Sentence For New Year's Eve Terror Plotter Lenient, Prosecutors Say

“Prosecutors say the 10-year jail term imposed on a man who planned a terror attack and wanted to kill New Year's revellers at Federation Square is inadequate, and have called on Victoria's Court of Appeal to increase the sentence. Ali Khalif Shire Ali intended to use an AK-47 assault rifle and up to 210 rounds of ammunition to kill as many people as he could in the name of Islamic State as the clock ticked down to midnight on December 31, 2017. Anti-terrorism police thwarted his plan when they arrested him five weeks before the intended attack. “I am just going hard until they shoot me,” the then IT student told undercover police at a meeting in Coburg in 2017. Shire Ali, 23, was in May jailed for 10 years – he is required to serve 7½ years before being eligible for parole – after he pleaded guilty to intentionally doing an act in preparation for or planning a terrorist act. He was in prison when his older brother, Hassan, killed much-loved restaurant owner Sisto Malaspina in the Bourke Street terror attack on November 9, 2018. Hassan Khalif Shire Ali stabbed Mr Malaspina, the owner of Pellegrini's Espresso Bar, and injured two other men before he was fatally shot by police. Ali Khalif Shire Ali has served almost three years of his prison term since his arrest, but prosecutors argue the sentence Supreme Court judge John Champion set this year was manifestly inadequate.”
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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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