Eye on Extremism -12-15-20

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Eye on Extremism - December 15, 2020
By: Counter Extremism Project
Re: info@counterextremism.com

As of December 15, 2020:

The New York Times: Sudan Celebrates ‘New Era’ As U.S. Drops It From Terrorism List

“Sudan took a major step back into the international fold on Monday when the United States formally removed it from a list of nations that sponsor terrorism, ending a 27-year period of isolation that left the vast African country a diplomatic pariah, hobbled its economy and blocked access to financial aid that it now urgently needs. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, the leader of Sudan’s fragile transitional government, hailed the American move as a rare cause for celebration in a nation that is straining badly under a crushing economic crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. This is the beginning of a “new era,” Mr. Hamdok declared on Twitter, adding that after three decades of isolation Sudan could officially rejoin the international community as “a peaceful nation supporting global stability.” The move put in effect a decision announced by President Trump on Oct. 19, when he said Sudan would be removed from the terrorism list in exchange for a $335 million compensation payment to the victims of the 1998 Qaeda attacks on American Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Only three countries now remain on the American list of state sponsors of terrorism: North Korea, Iran and Syria.”

Associated Press: Indonesia Police: Top Terror Suspect Mastermind Of Attacks

“Indonesian authorities said Monday that a top terror suspect arrested last week was the architect of a series of deadly attacks and sectarian conflicts in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Aris Sumarsono, known as Zulkarnaen, was arrested Thursday by counterterrorism police in a raid at a house in East Lampung district on Sumatra island. “He was the military commander of Jemaah Islamiyah,” National Police spokesperson Ahmad Ramadhan said at a news conference in the capital, Jakarta. “He’s been on the police wanted list for 18 years.” Zulkarnaen, a biologist who was among the first Indonesian militants to go to Afghanistan in the 1980s for training, was an instructor at a military academy there for seven years, Ramadhan said. Since May 2005, Zulkarnaen has been listed on an al-Qaida sanctions list by the U.N. Security Council for being associated with Osama bin Laden or the Taliban. The Security Council said that Zulkarnaen, who became an expert in sabotage, was one of al-Qaida’s representatives in Southeast Asia and one of the few people in Indonesia who had had direct contact with bin Laden’s network.”

Syria

Fox News: ISIS Sleeper Cell Attacks In Syria Reach Record Low, Data Shows

“Despite the still frequent terrorist attacks ripping through the once ISIS-controlled pockets of northeastern Syria, data released this month showed that November 2020 recorded the lowest number of sleeper cell attacks by the Islamic terror group since their territorial defeat last year. According to the Syria-based monitoring group Rojava Information Center (RJC), there were 16 confirmed attacks – plus an additional seven attacks at the sprawling al-Hol displaced person camp – making it an 80% decrease year over year … Riza Kumar, a researcher at the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), underscored that raids against ISIS need to continue to ensure that sleeper cells are actively neutralized to prevent future recruits' radicalization. "The camp continues to be a threat to the region as former ISIS members are able to recruit, indoctrinate, and exploit fellow detainees. However, if camp departures are safe and low-risk, the camp will be better able to monitor higher-risk individuals who pose a genuine threat to regional security," she said. "(But) given the mass release of Syrian detainees from al-Hol, there will also have to be active rehabilitation and monitoring systems in place to ensure that former detainees—who may have acquired knowledge on how to carry out attacks and persuade recruits—will not potentially re-radicalize or radicalize others in their home villages."

Afghanistan

BBC News: Afghanistan: Kabul Governor Killed In 'Sticky Bomb' Attack On Car

“Kabul's deputy governor has been killed in a “sticky bomb “attack in the Afghan capital, security officials have said. Mahboobullah Mohebi was travelling by car on Tuesday when a device attached to his vehicle exploded. No group has yet claimed responsibility. It is the latest in a spate of killings in Afghanistan this month, which have included a government prosecutor, who was shot dead while on his way to work. Journalists, activists and other political figures have been targeted. Attackers often use so-called “sticky bombs”, which are stuck to vehicles by magnets. Afghan news channel Tolo TV reports that Mr Mohebi's secretary was also killed in this latest blast, and two of his security guards were injured. Peace talks between Afghan officials and the Taliban - which have been taking place in Doha, Qatar - have been paused until January. The two sides have have recently made progress on preliminary issues but are yet to begin discussing a ceasefire or power-sharing arrangement. Last month the US announced plans to withdraw 2,000 troops from the country by mid-January. The decision was criticised amid concerns that a sharp and speedy reduction of troops would weaken the Afghan government's ability to deal with a resurgence of the Taliban and other militant groups.”

Reuters: Afghan Government, Taliban To Resume Peace Talks In January

“Peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban insurgents will resume in early January as the warring sides take a break after reaching agreement on procedural ground rules for sustaining their dialogue to end the war. The talks between the Afghan sides began in Qatar in September, months after the United States and the Taliban struck a deal on the withdrawal of the remaining 12,000 U.S. troops in exchange for Taliban security guarantees and a commitment to talk peace. Members of the Afghan government delegation said on Monday they would travel back to Kabul from Doha. “We’re taking a break for now and will be ready to discuss the agenda when talks resume,” said a senior Afghan official overseeing diplomatic communications with the Taliban. A Taliban spokesman was not immediately available for comment. Despite the peace process, violence in Afghanistan has not ended. There are regular clashes in various parts of the country and bomb and rocket attacks in Kabul. Last week, the U.S. forces carried out an air strike against Taliban insurgents to protect government forces in Kandahar province in a rare U.S. intervention since their pact with the Taliban. Afghan officials in the southern province told media the Taliban were planning coordinated attacks on security forces when the U.S. military bombed them, killing more than 20 Taliban fighters.”

Agence France-Presse: Scores Of Taliban Militants Killed As Fighting Rocks Insurgent Bastion

“Dozens of Taliban fighters were killed in fierce overnight fighting between Afghan forces and militants who attacked multiple checkpoints in the insurgent bastion of Kandahar, officials said Sunday. Taliban militants attacked checkpoints in five districts surrounding the city of Kandahar, which Afghan forces countered with heavy air and ground assaults, the ministry of defense said in a statement. “The security forces repulsed the attack, killing 51 terrorists and wounding nine,” the ministry said, without offering details of any casualties among government forces. Seven members of a family were also killed in an Afghan air strike in one of the districts, a local official told AFP on condition of anonymity. “The Afghan air force wanted to target a car filled with explosives… when they hit the car it detonated and caused civilian fatalities,” he said. The ministry of defense said it was investigating the incident. The fighting lasted for several hours through the night, marked with continuous gun battles and heavy bombardments, an AFP correspondent reported from Kandahar. When contacted the Taliban did not offer an immediate comment.”

Pakistan

Associated Press: Pakistan Police Arrest 3 Militants, Foiling Possible Attack

“Pakistan's counter-terrorism police on Monday raided a militant hideout in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, arresting three suspects linked to past bomb attacks. The men had also plotted to target the Islamabad Stock Exchange, police said. According to the police statement, the suspects were involved in four bombings that killed four people and wounded 30 this year. It said the arrested militants had a history of links with the Pakistani Taliban but were now allegedly acting as mercenaries and receiving instructions from someone in neighboring Afghanistan. Pakistan has witnessed scores of militant attacks in recent years. The latest development comes a day after a roadside bomb wounded 23 people near a police station in the city of Rawalpindi, where the Pakistani military’s headquarters and the offices of the country’s spy agencies are located. Rawalpindi is located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) south of the capital, Islamabad.”

Al Jazeera: India, Pakistan Repeat War Of Words Over ‘Cross-Border Terrorism’

“Pakistan has “categorically reject[ed]” statements by India’s foreign minister regarding “cross-border terrorism”, in which he appeared to be making a thinly veiled dig at India’s western neighbour. In a statement issued late on Sunday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry termed the remarks by Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar as “baseless allegations”. “Pakistan categorically rejects terrorism-related insinuations by the Indian External Affairs Minister and other political figures today,” read the Pakistani statement. “Regurgitating of baseless allegations does not turn them into truth.” Jaishankar made the remarks while delivering a lecture in New Delhi on Sunday, which marked the 19th anniversary of the 2001 attack on the Indian parliament that killed nine people and led to a tense military standoff between the nuclear-armed neighbours. “At one level, some of the more perennial problems associated with our national consolidation and development will continue,” said Jaishankar. “In particular, a longstanding political rivalry is today expressed as sustained cross-border terrorism by a neighbour.”

Yemen

Arab News: Yemenis Demand Protection Against Houthi Attacks

“Twelve rights groups, medical workers and officials in Yemen’s southern city of Taiz have called for the protection of civilians against arbitrary mortar strikes by the Iran-backed Houthis. The groups wrote a joint petition urging the international community to help put an end to Houthi attacks that had claimed the lives of dozens of civilians in the densely populated city since early last month. “These acts are considered crimes against humanity that require urgent action by the international community,” they said in their petition. “We hold the Houthi group and all the parties that commit those violations fully responsible for these actions. We demand them to abide by the principles of international humanitarian law and human rights law.” On Saturday, a mortar shell landed inside a stadium in Taiz, killing a football coach and his 10 year-old son and wounding two children. The attack triggered outrage as Yemenis called for an end to the attacks and labeled the Houthis terrorists due to their crimes against civilians. On Sunday, dozens of protesters gathered inside the stadium to denounce the Houthi attacks that have escalated during the past couple of months.”

Saudi Arabia

Al Jazeera: ‘Terrorist Attack’ Strikes Oil Tanker At Saudi Port In Jeddah

“A fuel transport ship was attacked by an explosive-laden boat in Saudi Arabia on Monday, the kingdom’s Ministry of Energy said. The Singapore-flagged oil tanker’s owner confirmed it was struck by a blast in the fuel terminal in Jeddah during a “terrorist” assault. “The attack resulted in a small fire, which emergency units successfully extinguished. The incident did not result in any casualties, and there was no damage caused to the unloading facilities, nor any effect on supplies,” a ministry spokesman said, according to the state news agency SPA. In a statement on Monday, shipping company Hafnia said all 22 sailors on board the BW Rhine escaped without injury. The company warned it was possible some oil leaked out from the site of the blast. The ship’s crew put out the fire, the company said, adding parts of the ship’s hull had been damaged. The blast struck off a crucial port and distribution centre for Saudi Arabia’s oil trade and comes after a number of security incidents concerning Saudi oil infrastructure. On November 25, an explosion damaged a Greek-managed tanker while at berth in the Saudi port of Shuqaiq. The kingdom blamed Yemen’s Houthi rebels for the mine attack.”

Middle East

The Defense Post: Understanding The Brutality And Resilience Of Militant Jihadism

“Despite the pandemic, jihadist groups remain active and continue to undertake heinous acts of violence. Various African countries, as well as Iraq, Austria, and Afghanistan, have recently witnessed attacks, including massacres at a maternity hospital, funeral, and prison. Militant jihadists are also increasing their online outreach, particularly among the young who are spending more time online because of lockdowns. Yet, many people, especially in the West, struggle to understand jihadist violence and its motivations, particularly at a time of worldwide crisis. Why do jihadists continue to target public places, massacre innocent civilians, conquer territory, enslave women and children, and attract adherents who will do egregious violence in the name of jihad? While there are many factors involved, the key to understanding the brutality and resilience of militant jihadism is its victim identity. A recurring justification for militant jihadists is that they claim to be fighting for the victimized. Dr. Abdel Aziz Rantisi, a founder of Hamas, called the understanding that the organization’s militants are aggressors the “number one misunderstanding” about the group. “We are not: we are the victims,” he said in 2000.”

Somalia

Dalsan Radio: Somalia: Senior Al-Shabaab Foreign Fighters Killed In Lower Shabelle

“The Special Forces squad, Danab killed 17 Al-Shabaab militants including two foreigners in the Lower Shabelle region in operation conducted on Sunday. According to a statement from the army, the soldiers destroyed a base belonging to the militants in Sablale district on Saturday morning following an operation there. Among those militants killed were Suleiman Abu Mahfud, al-Shabaab's in deputy supervisor who is a Tanzanian national, Abu Yasir Yahid, a Syrian national who was in charge of the group's security, and Hassan Mohamed Osman in charge of militants operations. Somali government forces and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have driven Alshabaab militants from the capital in 2011 but the still some parts of southern and central Somalia. Government forces have in past months intensified operations in the against al-Shabab extremists, who have been hiding in rural areas and conducting ambushes and planting landmines.”

Washington Examiner: Anti-Terrorist Campaign In Somalia Continues Despite Troop Reduction

“U.S. Africa Command showed it is not about to scale back the fight against Islamic terrorist group al Shabab in Somalia, releasing its first video of a targeted airstrike Dec. 10 as American soldiers prepare to leave the country at President Trump’s orders. The short, black-and-white video with blue crosshairs shows a precision missile hitting a target inside a building compound. AFRICOM said eight bomb makers were killed and two were injured in the strike. “Even when the repositioning of forces occurs, AFRICOM will ensure a focus on the continuity of operations and support in Somalia and the East African region,” U.S. Air Force Col. Christopher Karns told the Washington Examiner. “The airstrikes reflect this fact and demonstrates Al-Shabaab will not go unchecked,” he added. Ten days ago, Trump made good on a campaign promise to end the “forever wars” that keep service members globally deployed when he ordered 750 troops out of Somalia. The move followed a Nov. 26 visit by acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller, himself a former Special Forces operator, to Somalia and America’s only African base, Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti.”

Africa

Africanews: Mozambique: Thousands Of Refugees Flee To Pemba Amid Extremist Threat

“The port of Pemba in northern Mozambique is known for its wide bay but rather than hosting tourists it has become home to thousands of refugees who have fled Islamic extremists. Boatloads of people have fled their homes over the last few months after they fell to Al-Shabab gunmen who claim allegiance to the Islamic State group. They seized coastal zones with natural gas installations and have begun to push to the inland districts of Cabo Delgado. In October, the violent rebellion entered its fourth year and has reportedly killed more than 2,400 people and displaced half a million, according to the government. Their villages were torched, many men killed and many young women kidnapped. Many settlers are using their skills to build a new life in Pemba. Suleimane Saide, 49, arrived three months ago and now works as a carpenter to feed his family, sculpting long fishing boats that line local beaches. “They attacked my village and took my daughter. I came to Pemba and was welcomed by a family here,” he told AFP. “I still haven't forgotten what happened. I do not sleep. My head hurts. I think they should stop this war.”

United Kingdom

The Independent: Met Police Officer Denies Membership Of Neo-Nazi Terrorist Group

“A police officer has denied being a member of a neo-Nazi terrorist group and concealing his allegiance from Scotland Yard. Benjamin Hannam, 22, was serving in the Metropolitan Police when he was arrested on suspicion of a terror offence and fraud. Appearing at London’s Old Bailey on Monday, he denied being a member of the neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action between December 2016, when it was banned, and September 2017. He also pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud by false representation. Mr Hannam is accused of lying on his application to join the Metropolitan Police, made in July 2017, and a vetting form submitted in October 2017. Both documents asked him whether he had “been a member of an organisation similar to the British National Party”. The Metropolitan Police previously said Mr Hannam was still in his probation period when he was arrested and was currently suspended from duty. Mr Hannam, of Enfield in north London, was released on bail under a series of conditions, which ban him from travelling abroad and restrict his internet usage. He is due to go on trial on 1 March and a further pre-trial hearing was set for 1 February.”

Daily Mail: Deradicalisation Of Jihadis Does NOT Work, Warns Terror Watchdog In Call For Offenders To Be Closely Monitored And Given Regular Lie-Detector Tests

“Attempts to deradicalise jihadis using mentoring and theological programmes do not work, the head of the terrorism watchdog has warned. Jonathan Hall QC said there is 'no magic bullet, no special pill' that could successfully deradicalise someone whether they were coming back from Syria or being released from a prison. Instead, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation suggested said that extremists being released onto the streets of Britain should be closely monitored and made to take lie-detector tests. He described terrorists as 'deceptive' like sex offenders, who would say anything their probation staff would want to hear if it meant being given their freedom. There has been furious debate over whether Britons returning from ISIS in Syria and Iraq, such as Shamima Begum who has been stripped of her citizenship, should be allowed back into the country with the help of mentoring. Mr Hall added that although there was no harm in using theological mentoring and other schemes for offenders, people should be under 'no illusion' they would be effective.”

Germany

Associated Press: Germany Investigates Cross-Border Extremist Network

“Germany's top security official pledged Monday to get to the bottom of an alleged plot intended to arm far-right extremists in the country with weapons, ammunition and explosives procured in neighboring Austria. Austrian authorities on the weekend said that recent raids had led to the seizure of 70 automatic and semi-automatic firearms, explosives and more than 100,000 rounds of ammunition. Five people have been arrested in Austria, including the prime suspect, identified as a 53-year-old Austrian with known links to organized crime and right-wing extremism, Vienna investigators said. German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Berlin had been cooperating with Vienna since October on the case. He called the discovery of “such a great quantity” of weapons, munitions and explosives “alarming” and pledged a full investigation into the case. “This is particularly true for the right-extremist background of the suspect in Austria,” he said in a written statement. Two alleged accomplices were also arrested in the German states of Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's Interior Ministry said. Austrian authorities have said that a significant quantity of drugs was found in the raids and that investigators believe that narcotics being smuggled from Germany were being used to finance the procurement of the weapons.”

Technology

The Independent: Facebook Did Not Ban Violent Extremist Group In India Over Fears Of Damage To Business Prospects, Report Says

“Facebook did not ban a violent Indian extremist group after deciding that such a move could adversely impact the company’s business prospects in the country as well as endanger staff, it has been claimed. Earlier this year, officials at the social media giant held that the Bajrang Dal group supported violence against minorities across India and should be banned from the platform, reported The Wall Street Journal. However, a subsequent report by Facebook’s security team warned such a move could infuriate the group as well as politicians from India’s ruling Hindu nationalist party. Facebook has defended its position and a spokesperson said “we ban individuals or entities after following a careful, rigorous, and multi-disciplinary process”.”We enforce our dangerous organisations and individuals policy globally without regard to a political position or party affiliation.” The WSJ report quoted a Facebook spokesperson saying that the security team’s warning was “a subject for discussion as part of the standard process”. A Bajrang Dal spokesperson, meanwhile, denied it being in conflict with other religious groups. For Facebook, India and its 300 million users of a total worldwide user base of 2.5 billion, is a crucial market. It has also invested heavily in new retail ventures in the south Asian country.”