Eye on Extremism - 01-14-21

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Eye on Extremism - January 14, 2021
By: Counter Extremism Project - 01-14-21
Re: info@counterextremism.com

News as of January 14, 2021:

Reuters: Four U.N. Peacekeepers Killed, Six Wounded In Mali Attack

“Three United Nations peacekeepers were killed and six wounded in central Mali on Wednesday after a convoy struck an explosive device and came under fire, the U.N. said in a statement. It was not clear who carried out the attack about 20 kilometres (12 miles) north of the town of Bambara-Maoudé in the Timbuktu region. Islamist groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State operate in the region and have made much of the West African country ungovernable. The dead peacekeepers were from Ivory Coast, the country’s defence ministry said in a statement. The U.N. mission in Mali, known as MINUSMA, has over 13,000 troops to contain violence caused by various armed groups in the north and centre of the country. The mission has recorded about 230 fatalities since then, making it the deadliest of the U.N.’s more than dozen peacekeeping missions.”

Voice Of America: US Warns Iran Fueling Potential Al-Qaida Resurgence

“Far from potentially fading into obscurity, one of the world’s most feared jihadist terrorist organizations may be poised for a potential resurgence thanks to an unlikely ally. Almost two decades after the United States first targeted al-Qaida’s leadership in Afghanistan for carrying out the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York’s World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the terror group has established a new home, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned Tuesday, one he suggested was somewhat sheltered from U.S. military might. “Al-Qaida has a new home base. It is the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Pompeo said during a speech at the National Press Club in Washington. “Tehran has allowed al-Qaida to fundraise, to freely communicate with al-Qaida members around the world, and to perform many other functions that were previously directed from Afghanistan or Pakistan,” Pompeo said. “As a result of this assistance, al-Qaida has centralized its leadership inside of Tehran,” he added, describing Iran as the terror group’s new “operational headquarters.” The warning from the United States’ top diplomat, in the waning days of U.S. President Donald Trump’s presidency, returns the administration’s focus to Iran, which it criticized early and often following Trump’s inauguration.”

United States

The New York Times: F.B.I. Urges Police Chiefs Across U.S. To Be On High Alert For Threats

“The F.B.I. on Wednesday urged police chiefs across the country to be on high alert for extremist activity and to share intelligence on any threats they encounter, as the U.S. government issued a dire intelligence bulletin warning of potential violence ahead of the inauguration. In the call with police chiefs, Christopher Wray, the F.B.I. director, and Kenneth Cuccinelli, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, warned about potential attacks on state capitols, federal buildings, the homes of congressional members and businesses, according to one of the chiefs on the call. The officials failed to identify any specific threats, participants said, but called on law enforcement officers across the country to watch for signs of trouble, no matter how small. “They don’t want to be dismissive of anything,” Chief Jorge Colina of the Miami Police Department, one of thousands of officials participating in the call, said in an interview. “So even if it sounds aspirational, even if it’s just like, ‘Yeah, it’d be great if the whole place is burned down,’ they don’t want us to think, ‘Ah, that’s just some knucklehead, pinhead,’ and be dismissive.”

Associated Press: Minnesota Man Who Trained With Islamic State Pleads Guilty

“A Minnesota man who traveled to Syria and Iraq where prosecutors say he became a soldier for the Islamic State group pleaded guilty on Wednesday to a terrorism count. Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, 24, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court of Minnesota to one count of providing and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. According to his plea agreement and court documents, Al-Madioum left his family while they were visiting extended relatives in Morocco in 2015 and went to Istanbul, Turkey, where members of the Islamic State group helped him cross into Syria. Once in Syria, he joined other members of IS, who brought him to Mosul, Iraq, where he enrolled as a member of the group and began receiving military training. Al-Madioum admitted in his guilty plea that he was assigned to a battalion that was responsible for training and preparing foreign fighters to carry out suicide attacks in Europe. He admitted he was a soldier until he was injured while conducting military activities for the group. After his injury, he continued to receive payments from IS; he surrendered to Syrian Democratic Forces in March 2019, according to the plea agreement.”

Business Insider: Fueled By The US Capitol Siege, Violent Extremists With 'Political Grievances' Will Likely Pose The 'Greatest Domestic Terrorism Threats In 2021,' Intelligence Report Says

“In a report released in the wake of the violent siege on the US Capitol, US intelligence agencies warned that violent extremists with “political grievances” are likely to pose the “greatest domestic terrorism threats in 2021.” The Joint Intelligence Bulletin, which was obtained by Yahoo News, was produced by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Counterterrorism Center. The report says the violent breach of the Capitol “very likely will serve as a significant driver of violence” for “domestic violent extremists.” “In 2021, threats and plotting of illegal activity, including the destruction of property and violence targeting officials at all levels of the government, law enforcement, journalists, and infrastructure” are very likely to increase, the report says. It also names “racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists,” “militia violent extremists,” and extremists who follow QAnon conspiracy theories as likely threats. The report is dated January 13, one week after pro-Trump rioters stormed the Capitol building in an attempt to contest the results of the election, causing lawmakers to evacuate and resulting in five deaths.”

M Live: Judge Denies Bond For Alleged Leader In Whitmer Kidnapping Plot, Described As ‘Violent Extremist’

“A Delaware man described by prosecutors as “probably the most committed violent extremist” of those accused in the Whitmer kidnapping plot has been denied bond. U.S. District Court Judge Sally Berens on Wednesday, Jan. 13 ruled that giving 45-year-old Barry Croft Jr. bond would be too much of a risk to the community, particularly given his anti-police statements and apparent ability to construct improvised explosives. After a lengthy delay because of coronavirus-related issues, Croft appeared in a Grand Rapids courtroom for his first Michigan hearing since being arrested Oct. 8. He is one of six men facing federal charges in an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over coronavirus lockdowns and other issues. Berens listened to more than an hour of testimony from FBI special agent Richard Trask II before ruling on bond. Among the evidence was undercover recordings of Croft speaking to others about his violent intentions. “This is probably the most committed violent extremist of the entire group,” said U.S. Assistant Prosecutor Nils Kessler. “In the recordings, he said that he wanted to kill people and he would do it if necessary.”

Syria

France 24: France Repatriates Seven Children From Jihadist Camp In Syria

“France said on Wednesday it had brought home seven children of French jihadists from northeast Syria, continuing a highly sensitive repatriation process begun after the toppling of the Islamic State (IS) group's self-proclaimed caliphate. The children, aged between two and 11 and “particularly vulnerable”, were handed over to judicial authorities and taken into care by social services, the foreign ministry said. They had been living in the Kurdish-run al-Roj and al-Hol camps, where thousands of relatives of IS group fighters and sympathisers have been held since the 2019 defeat of IS in Syria, a Kurdish source in the region told AFP. France has so far repatriated 35 children, many of them orphans. Rights groups have been pressing European governments to allow children to return from the crowded camps to live with relatives. Kurdish officials have also been pressing countries to take back their citizens, warning that they do not have the resources to guard prisoners indefinitely. According to the CAT terrorism analysis centre, 13 French jihadists including Hayat Boumedienne, the partner of one of the three men who carried out deadly terror attacks in Paris in January 2015, have escaped custody in Syria.”

Asharq Al-Awsat: ISIS Wives At Syria’s Al-Hol-Camp Complain About Struggles Of Living In ‘Isolated State’

“With their husbands having been dealt a blowing defeat by the US-led International Coalition and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), dozens of ISIS wives now face the challenges of living in Syrian refugee camps. Al-Hol camp, located in northeastern Syria near borders with Iraq, hosts crowds of women and children who traveled thousands of miles away from home to be with their husbands, brothers and fathers who had joined the ranks of the terrorist organization in the Levantine country. Today, ISIS wives and children face the tough reality of their husbands and fathers having been killed or locked away for trial at a time most Western and Arab countries are refusing to repatriate nationals who had joined the terror group in Syria. Jawaher, a 45-year-old Syrian national from the central Hama city, is an ISIS wife currently staying at al-Hol. She, like many of her fellow women at the camp, is refusing to leave before knowing the fate of her husband, who has been arrested by SDF authorities. “My husband, an ISIS employee, voluntarily surrendered to the SDF during the battle of Baghouz. It’s been over 22 months since I last heard any news of him. I requested visitation rights yet with no avail,” Jawaher dressed in a black niqab told Asharq Al-Awsat.”

Iran

The Jerusalem Post: UNSC Must Combat State Sponsored Iranian Terror, Erdan Says

“The United Nations Security Council must do more to combat state sponsored terrorism such as that executed by Tehran, Israel's Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan wrote in a memo he submitted to that body. Action must be taken “against states who arm, train and sponsor terrorists and acts of terrorism. It is not enough to sanction merely the terrorist groups themselves,” Erdan wrote. The Security Council has taken steps to stop the financing and material support of terrorist groups, but “more must be done,” he stated. “The Iranian Ayatollah regime advances its malign geopolitical goal of regional and political hegemony by supporting its terrorist proxies, wreaking havoc and spreading violence throughout the Middle East and beyond,” he added. Erdan's words on Iran were part of a five-point plan to combat terrorism he submitted to the UNSC Tuesday, which his office publicized a day later. On Tuesday, the UNSC met virtually to mark 20 years since the passage of UNSC Resolution 1373 to combat international terrorism in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terror attack on the twin towers in New York. The discussion was limited to the 15-member of the UNSC. Israel is not a member of the UNSC and therefore submitted comments on the matter in writing.”

Afghanistan

The Washington Post: Peace Talks Are Faltering, Violence Has Surged, And U.S. Troops Are Pulling Out. Can The Afghan Government Withstand The Pressure?

“Growing uncertainty over peace talks with the Taliban, a drumbeat of targeted killings and the looming withdrawal of U.S. troops have raised tension here to a fever pitch, prompting calls for President Ashraf Ghani to step down and an interim government to take over. Supporters of the idea say it would offer a better chance of settling the 19-year war in Afghanistan and ending the relentless bloodshed, given that the Taliban refuses to recognize Ghani’s government as legitimate. Opponents call it a dangerous, irresponsible gambit that would benefit an assortment of opportunistic politicians eager to grab a share in power. “The only way to break the current deadlock is to form an interim government,” said Jafar Mahdavi, a former legislator who is involved in the peace talks process. “The Taliban won’t accept Ghani’s rule, and they won’t join his government.” Ghani has repeatedly insisted that he will remain in office for his full five-year term and see the peace talks to fruition. But a new round of negotiations, which have made almost no headway since they started in September, stalled this week, as two of the top Taliban negotiators failed to return to the talks in Qatar after visiting Pakistan for consultations.”

Yemen

Voice Of America: UN Urges US To Reverse Houthi Terror Designation

“The U.N.’s humanitarian chief warns that if Washington’s new terrorist designation of Houthi rebels in Yemen is not reversed, it could drastically impact aid imports and push the already desperate country into a large-scale famine. “The most urgent priority in Yemen right now is to prevent a massive famine,” Mark Lowcock will tell a meeting of the U.N. Security Council on Thursday, according to prepared remarks made available ahead of his briefing. U.N. data anticipates 16 million people will go hungry in the war-torn country this year. Another 50,000 already live in famine-like conditions, while 5 million more are right behind them. “Every decision the world makes right now must take this into account,” Lowcock will warn. Late Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that he plans to designate the Iranian-backed rebel group a “Foreign Terrorist Organization,” or FTO, to hold it accountable for acts such as “cross-border attacks threatening civilian populations, infrastructure, and commercial shipping.”

Middle East

Gulf News: Jordan: 11 Jailed Up To 15 Years For Joining Daesh, Plotting Attacks

“Eleven people, convicted of joining Daesh and planning attacks against churches and security officials in Jordan, were jailed for between five and 15 years by a Jordanian court on Wednesday. Eight defendants, present in court, were sentenced to between five and 15 years, while the trio who travelled to Afghanistan in 2019 to join the Taliban in its fight against US forces, were handed terms of nine years. The eight had been found guilty on charges including “plotting to carry out terrorist acts” and “attempting to join armed groups and terrorist organisations”. The trio had stayed in touch with the other eight, who had been arrested ahead of planned attacks in Jordan under the banner of Daesh. Their targets included security forces and churches in the Mafraq and Zarqa provinces, according to a charge sheet. Zarqa was home to Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, the former leader of Iraq’s Al Qaeda franchise, which was the predecessor to Daesh. Zarqawi was killed by a US air strike in 2006. All the defendants were suspected of supporting Daesh. The Jordanian intelligence services discovered the militants’ plans and arrested them in 2019, according to the charge sheet.”

Nigeria

Agence France-Presse: ISWAP Suicide Bomber Kills Six Nigerian Troops In Borno: Military

“Six Nigerian soldiers were killed when a jihadist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into them during a clash in northeast Nigeria’s Borno state, two military sources said Tuesday. The suicide bombing by a member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) group occurred Monday as the soldiers were conducting a raid of the group’s stronghold in the village of Talala, the sources told AFP. They said scores of jihadists have been killed in the operation launched last week on ISWAP’s second largest camp. “Our men dominated the terrorists, killing dozens, and out of frustration they sent a suicide bomber who killed six soldiers,” one of the officers said. They said the troops overran the Talala camp despite the bombing. On Saturday 13 soldiers were killed in an ISWAP ambush near the town of Gujba in the neighboring state of Yobe, according to military sources. ISWAP, which split from the mainstream Boko Haram in 2016, has become a dominant group, focusing on military targets and high-profile attacks, including against aid workers. The jihadist group has in recent times stepped up attacks on troops and frequently abduct travelers at bogus checkpoints along the highway linking the Borno capital Maiduguri and Damaturu, the capital of Yobe.”

Africa

Reuters: Bullets And Panic: Rebels Attack Central African Republic Capital

“Rebels in Central African Republic attacked the capital early on Wednesday, but were repelled by President Faustin-Archange Touadera’s security forces and United Nations peacekeepers, authorities said, in an escalation of an election conflict. Helped by newly-arrived troops from Russia and Rwanda, the CAR army has been battling groups seeking to overturn a Dec. 27 vote in which Touadera was declared victor despite fraud claims. “The attackers who came in large numbers to take Bangui have been vigorously pushed back,” Prime Minister Firmin Ngrebada said in a post on Facebook. A Reuters witness heard explosions and later saw helicopters circling, after the rebels attacked on various outskirts, including the north of the city. In one place, the body of a man in rebel fatigues lay in a garden, while streets were scattered with bullet casings. The United Nations’ 10,000-strong peacekeeping mission said one of their soldiers was also killed. However, the city appeared calm after 0800 GMT, with security forces patrolling and manning checkpoints. A U.N. source said around 200 rebels had participated in the attack and remained close to the city. They had previously attacked towns nearby in the former French colony.”

The National Interest: ISIS, Reborn: The Islamic State’s African Revival Is A Lethal Blind Spot

“Before 9/11, many forget that Osama Bin Laden largely made a name for himself in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Sudan, he conceived his Islamic Army Shura, laying “the groundwork for a true global terrorist network” known as Al Qaeda. There, Bin Laden largely began to call for jihad against Western forces and gained the prowess to export terrorism against American targets, hence Al Qaeda's attacks on U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, just two years after his expulsion. History might just be repeating itself as the West forgets its lessons and again neglects Sub-Sahara’s intensifying terrorism. The consequences could be grave. Just cue 2019, when a Kenyan Al Qaeda affiliate plotted to hijack a plane and execute a 9/11-style attack. While the attack was foiled, its scare overshadows a troubled decade, in which Sub-Saharan Africa witnessed an unprecedented resurgence in Islamist groups, with Islamic State (ISIS) affiliates displacing millions while seeking to establish bases in six African countries, and at times, hosting territory the size of Belgium. Raising further alarm, experts have described 2020 as a breakout year for ISIS affiliates, an unsurprising reality given the attacks that recently claimed fifty in Mozambique and 100 in Niger.”

The Nation: Kenya: Suspected Al-Shabaab Militants Bomb Telco Mast

“Suspected al-Shabaab militants have bombed a telecommunications mast in Banisa Sub-County, Mandera County three days after they attacked a bus and a private vehicle in the same area. Local residents who spoke to the Nation said the militants used explosives to destroy the mast at Darkale center on Tuesday night. “We are in distress and we don't know who will save us. The militants are here creating havoc and fear. They bombed the Safaricom mast at night and that has weakened the communication network,” said Hassan Ahmed. He said the destroyed mast had been serving about ten other sub-stations. On Monday, a roadside planted the suspected al-Shabaab militants exploded, partially damaging a private vehicle transporting examination material to Mandera. Three of the vehicle's occupants are yet to be found. A few hours later, a bus heading to Nairobi was shot at by the same group but the driver sped off and the police on escort engaged the group in a shootout. On Tuesday, Edward Ibwaka, the Banisa sub-county police commander, said air and foot patrols had been launched in search of the missing three. “We were told police and the military were combing our area for the militants but it is surprising that in less than a day, a mast has been damaged,” said Mr Ahmed. Security agencies in Banisa could not be reached for comment.”

United Kingdom

BBC News: Manchester Arena And Parsons Green Bombers Charged With Prison Officer Attack

“The Manchester Arena and Parsons Green bombers have been charged with assaulting a prison officer together, the BBC has learned. Hashem Abedi, 23, and Ahmed Hassan, 21, are accused of assaulting an officer in HMP Belmarsh, south London, in May last year. Another man who is awaiting sentencing for terror offences is also charged with assaulting the same person. The three men are due to appear at Bromley Magistrates' Court on 7 April. Abedi, who was jailed in August for murdering the 22 victims of the May 2017 Manchester Arena attack, is also charged with assaulting a second prison officer during the same incident on 11 May. Hassan, from London, whose Parsons Green tube bomb injured 51 people in September 2017, was jailed for attempted murder the following year. Muhammed Saeed, 22, from Manchester, is the third person charged. Last year, he admitted possessing terrorist documents.”

Latin America

Vice: Cubans Brace For Even Tougher Times As U.S. Returns Island To Terrorism Sponsor List

“The return of Cuba on Monday to the state sponsors of terrorism list by the outgoing administration of U.S. President Donald Trump promises to hinder new, closer relations between the island and President-elect Joe Biden’s government. The Trump administration moved to re-designate Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, using its support for Venezuela as a reason, in a largely symbolic move that may take months to overturn. In a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo questioning the lack of congressional oversight in the decision, eight Democratic Senators said the act “threatens to damage future diplomatic efforts toward Cuba and set a harmful precedent for future designations.” The decision to return Cuba to the state sponsors of terrorism list comes at an exceptionally difficult time for Cubans. The coronavirus pandemic, coupled with the longstanding embargo, and the added weight of new sanctions piled on top, has made shortages of basic goods commonplace. “Every day it gets a little harder to find things. There’s no shampoo or deodorant, even less than before,” Luís, who is a student at the University of Havana, and who asked him name be changed for this story for fear of the repurcussions , told VICE World News. Luís has quit smoking, but not intentionally.”

Technology

The Washington Post: Facebook’s Sandberg Deflected Blame For Capitol Riot, But New Evidence Shows How Platform Played Role

“In the days leading up to last week’s march on the Capitol, supporters of President Trump promoted it extensively on Facebook and Facebook-owned Instagram and used the services to organize bus trips to Washington. More than 100,000 users posted hashtags affiliated with the movement prompted by baseless claims of election fraud, including #StopTheSteal and #FightForTrump. The details, emerging from researchers who have combed the service in recent days, shed new light on how Facebook services were used to bring attention to and boost attendance at the rally, which turned violent when a pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol while Congress was in session. The attack resulted in the death of a Capitol Police officer and four other people. Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg has sought to deflect blame, noting the role of smaller, right-leaning services such as Parler and Gab. “I think these events were largely organized on platforms that don’t have our abilities to stop hate, don’t have our standards and don’t have our transparency,” Sandberg said in an interview Monday that was live-streamed by Reuters. QAnon reshaped Trump’s party and radicalized believers. The Capitol siege may just be the start.”

NBC News: Telegram, A Recent Haven For The Far Right, Purges Extremist Content

“Telegram, a Dubai-based chat app that has attracted a surge of new users, including some far-right Trump supporters fleeing purges at other sites, has begun a rare purge of American extremist content. At least 15 extremist Telegram channels — akin to chatrooms where the founders have moderating power — have recently been banned, according to a tally by NBC News. Content has been censored on several others. Some pro-Trump zealots have moved to Telegram in recent days to plan violence on Jan. 20, the day Joe Biden is scheduled to be inaugurated. One of the deleted channels, which proclaimed itself to be “eco-fascist,” started in early June, hosting white supremacist content from its beginning. In the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S.Capitol, its users posted Army manuals with bombmaking and munitions-making information. Megan Squire, a professor of computer science at Elon University and a senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors extremist groups, said that while Telegram's approach to moderating extremist content tends to be “scattershot,” many of the recent bans are new. “A lot of these channels that have been banned in the last day have been up for months or years,” Squire said.”