Eye on Extremism - March 1, 2016

Eye on Extremism March 1, 2016 NBC News: ISIS Sought Nuclear Material For Dirty Bomb, Officials Believe “A small video camera stashed in a row of bushes silently recorded the comings and goings of the family of a Belgian man with an important scientific pedigree last year, producing a detailed chronology of the family's movements. At one point, two men came under cover of darkness to retrieve the camera, before driving away with their headlights off, a separate surveillance camera in the area revealed later. The Belgian police discovered the secret film on Nov. 30 while searching the home of a man with ties to ISIS.” Newsweek: Baghdad Bombings Show Iraq Still Unable To Contain ISIS Threat In Capital “The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in and around Baghdad on Sunday, killing dozens of people as the country’s coalition government continues to struggle to contain the threat of the group’s deadly attacks in the Iraqi capital. In the deadliest attack to strike the city this year, an ISIS suicide bomber detonated in the crowded Mredi market in the Shiite district of Sadr City, before another suicide bomber targeted the crowd that had gathered following the blast, leaving 73 people dead and wounding more than 100.” CNN: Army's Delta Force Begins To Target ISIS In Iraq “The U.S. Army's elite Delta Force operations to target, capture or kill top ISIS operatives have begun in Iraq, after several weeks of covert preparation, an administration official with direct knowledge of the force's activities told CNN. The official said the group has spent the last several weeks preparing, including setting up safe houses, establishing informant networks and coordinating operations with Iraqi and Peshmerga units. It's the same strategy that Special Operations forces have used in previous deployments to combat zones.” Wall Street Journal: U.S. Veteran Accused Of Trying To Join ISIS Uses Free-Speech Defense “The government’s case against a U.S. Air Force veteran accused of trying to join Islamic State could hinge on whether jurors believe his interest in the terrorist group amounts to criminal activity or is instead protected by his free-speech rights. Tairod Pugh, a 48-year-old U.S. citizen, may have watched Islamic State propaganda, expressed offensive views and shown interest in the terrorist group, but ‘none of this is illegal,’ his lawyer said to 12 jurors Monday during opening statements.” The Guardian: Pentagon Admits It Is 'Looking To Accelerate' Cyber-Attacks Against Isis “The Pentagon has acknowledged using its storehouse of new digital weapons to attack Islamic State communications networks, the first time that the US military has acknowledged doing so during an active war. Operators from the US Cyber Command, the young military command twinned to the National Security Agency, have launched assaults on nodes, overloading them with data, US defense chief Ashton Carter said on Monday.” Saudi Gazette: Houthis Recruiting African Fighters: Yemeni Official “A top military Yemeni official said the Iran-backed Houthi militias and their ally’s forces have started recruiting ‘mercenaries,’ coming mostly from African countries, Al Arabiya News Channel reported Monday. Deputy Chief of Staff Gen. Nasir Al-Tahiri said the move by the Houthis and forces allied to to the toppled Ali Abdullah Saleh was to buttress their weakening fronts at the capital Sanaa and the northwestern governorate of Saada.” Fox News: ISIS Executes 8 Dutch Jihadists For Alleged Desertion, Syria Activists Say “Eight Dutch members of ISIS have been executed after they allegedly attempted to desert from the terror group, a Syrian activist said Monday.  Abu Mohammad, a member of the citizen journalist group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), said on Twitter that the killings had taken place Friday in Maadan, Raqqa Province, not far from the capital of the self-proclaimed caliphate. RBSS said that the attempted desertions stemmed from a dispute between approximately 75 Dutch militants and some of the terror group's Iraqi intelligence operatives.” RT: ‘Ax-Wielding’ Palestinian In Brutal Attack On Israeli Guard (GRAPHIC VIDEO) “A Palestinian has brutally attacked an Israeli security guard in a shopping mall with something that resembled an ax, a CCTV video shows. The assailant, who was a mall employee, is seen striking the father of four multiple times near an elevator. The incident took place in Maale Adumim, an Israeli settlement in the West Bank, 7km from Jerusalem. The suspect, later identified as 21-year-old Abu Hammad, approached the guard, Tzvika Cohen, and reportedly asked him to open the elevator door.” USA Today: Apple Doesn’t Have To Unlock Drug Dealer’s Iphone, Judge Says “A federal judge in Brooklyn on Monday denied a Department of Justice request for a court order that would force Apple to bypass the security passcode on the iPhone of a criminal defendant in a drug case. In a ruling expected to influence the outcome of Apple’s fight with the U.S. government over the San Bernardino killer’s iPhone, Magistrate Judge James Orenstein ruled government lawyers failed to establish that the federal All Writs Act the government relied on to seek the order applies in the case.” AFP: UK Troops Sent To Tunisia To Bolster Libyan Border “Britain is sending a training team of around 20 soldiers to Tunisia to help stop people illegally entering from neighbouring Libya, Defence Minister Michael Fallon told parliament on Monday. ‘A training team of some 20 troops from the 4th Infantry Brigade is now moving to Tunisia to help counter illegal cross-border movement from Libya in support of the Tunisian authorities,’ he said.” Wall Street Journal: Libya Will Need American Help To Defeat Islamic State, General Says “Islamic State, which has spread across Libya by taking advantage of conflict between the country’s two rival governments, has become too strong to be rolled back without U.S. help, a senior American commander said. Army Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, the commander of U.S. special-operations forces in Africa, estimated that American military involvement would be needed in Libya even if a unity government were formed.” United States Washington Post: Pentagon Developing Plans For Expanded U.S. Role Against Islamic State In Iraq “The U.S. military is developing proposals for augmenting the American role in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq, senior Pentagon officials said on Monday, as plans take shape for a battle to reclaim the city of Mosul. Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon, said he expected the U.S. military to provide expanded assistance to Iraqi forces when they launch a campaign for the northern city, which has been under Islamic State militants for a year and a half.” CNN Money: Mark Zuckerberg Is 'Very Concerned' About ISIS Threats “Mark Zuckerberg has opened up about the threats made against him by ISIS supporters last week. ‘I am very concerned but not because of the video,’ he told Mathias Döpfner, the CEO of German media giant Axel Springer. ‘There have been worse threats.’ Zuckerberg met with Döpfner while he was in Berlin last week. Their wide-ranging interview was published in Die Welt am Sonntag on Sunday. A few days before their meeting, a group of ISIS supporters published a 25-minute video threatening to take down Facebook (FB, Tech30) and Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) -- as well as their leaders. The video was created in response to efforts by both companies to stop terrorist activity on their platforms.” Business Insider: Watch The US-Led Coalition's Precision Airstrikes Shred ISIS Positions In Syria “On February 27 at 5 p.m. Damascus time, a US- and Russia-brokered cease-fire took effect in Syria between government forces and the opposition. But the US-led coalition's efforts against ISIS — aka ISIL, Daesh, and the Islamic State — and Al Qaeda targets in Syria and Iraq will carry on undaunted. This is evident by recent videos released from the Combined Joint Task Force's Operation Inherent Resolve. ‘I want to make totally clear that there will be absolutely no cease-fire with respect to ISIL,’ US President Barack Obama said in a statement. ‘We remain relentless in going after them.’” New York Times: After Gains Against ISIS, Pentagon Focuses On Mosul “Recent gains against the Islamic State in eastern Syria have helped sever critical supply lines to Iraq and set the stage for what will be the biggest fight yet against the Sunni militancy, the battle to retake Mosul, Pentagon officials said on Monday. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a Pentagon news conference that American-backed forces had begun laying the groundwork for the fight by moving to isolate Mosul from the Islamic State’s de facto headquarters in Raqqa, Syria. Kurdish and Arab forces retook the town of Shaddadi in eastern Syria last week, cutting off what Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter called the last major artery between Raqqa and Mosul.” Yemen Reuters: Suicide Bomber Kills Four In Yemen's Aden City: Security Source, Residents “A suicide bomber killed four soldiers on Monday when he rammed a car laden with explosives into a military checkpoint in Aden, residents and a security official said. Several soldiers were also wounded in the attack at al-Mimdara neighborhood in Sheikh Othman district, northeast of Aden, but they gave no precise figure. No one claimed responsibility for the attack, but it appears to resemble previous bombings carried out by the Yemeni branch of Islamic State that have targeted security forces or senior officials in Aden since supporters of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi retook the city from Iran-allied Houthis last year.” Turkey The Guardian: Don’t Sacrifice Turkey To Save Syria “Murderous suicide bombings. A deadly upsurge of ethno-sectarian violence spilling over from Syria. A country whose friendship with the US and EU is increasingly fragile, and is now at daggers drawn with a historic enemy, Russia. With another 28 people killed in the 17 February attack on Turkish soldiers in Ankara, there seems no end to Turkey’s misfortunes. Even scarier scenarios doing the rounds in the Turkish capital include talk of a 14th Russo-Turkish war, unprecedented polarisation of Turkish society and a continuation of the wave of Syrian refugees.” AFP: Turkey 'Shells Islamic State Positions' In Syria “Turkish armed forces shelled positions of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria in coordination with the US-led international anti-jihadist coalition, local media reported on Monday. Turkish artillery fired 50 to 60 shells from howitzers positioned in its southern Kilis region against IS targets in the north of Syria's Aleppo province, the private Dogan news agency reported. A fragile ceasefire has taken effect in Syria, but jihadists are excluded from it.” International Business Times: Amid Russia-Turkey Ceasefire Violations In Syria, NATO Concerned About Wider Conflict With Moscow “After Russia accused Turkey of breaching the Syrian ceasefire multiple times Sunday night, there are fears that the two countries could spark a wider conflict between NATO and Moscow. The Russian military reported nine violations of the ceasefire that began Saturday, charging Turkey with sending a small group of fighters to take on Kurdish rebels inside a border town while also providing military support from inside its own territory.” Syria BBC News: Syria Conflict: UN Steps Up Aid Deliveries As Truce Holds “An aid convoy has reached a besieged suburb of the Syrian capital Damascus, as the UN takes advantage of a partial truce brokered by the US and Russia. The UN and its partners are stepping up deliveries of food, water and medicine, and plan to reach more than 150,000 people over the next five days. They hope to help 1.7 million in hard-to-reach areas by the end of March.” Afghanistan Daily Caller: Afghan Police Killed And Detained After Being Caught Aiding The Taliban “Afghan forces gunned down a policeman suspected of aiding the Taliban and further detained 30 other policeman Friday, including a top official. U.S. troops backed the Afghan military in a Friday operation that ferreted out the link between corrupt local police and Taliban insurgents in Sangin, which is located in Helmand province, Reuters reports. Although the details provided are vague, an Afghan military officer said that the policemen in Helmand were suspected of sending over weapons and ammunition to Taliban fighters.” Business Standard: At Least Three Cops Killed, 11 Injured In Afghanistan's Helmand Province “At least three policemen were killed and more than 10 civilians injured in a blast in Afghanistan's southern Helmand province. The incident took place in Lashkargah the capital of the province after a police vehicle struck a roadside mine, reports TOLO News. Officials at the hospital confirmed that the bodies of two police men had been taken to the hospital but they reported 11 civilians were injured.” Iraq Associated Press: Suicide Bombing At Iraqi Funeral Kills At Least 25 “Iraqi officials say a suicide bombing at a funeral north of Baghdad has killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens. Local security officials say a senior local leader of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, a powerful Shiite militia, was killed in the attack in Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles (90 kilometers) north of the capital. Security there is largely maintained by state-sanctioned Shiite militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces.” Fox News: ISIS Claims Responsibility For Third Deadly Iraq Bombing In 2 Days “The Islamic State continued its bombing rampage in Iraq Monday claiming responsibility for an attack at a funeral that killed at least 38 people, in a new sign the terror group is resorting to mass attacks on civilians as it suffers battlefield setbacks. The suicide bombing unfolded one day after a double bombing in Baghdad killed 73 people. ISIS claimed responsibility for that attack as well. Monday's bombing struck a funeral in Muqdadiyah, about 60 miles north of Baghdad. 58 people were wounded, according to security and hospital officials.” Associated Press: Iraqi Forces Launch Anti-ISIS Offensive North Of Baghdad “Backed by paramilitary forces and aerial support, Iraqi troops on Tuesday launched a new push to retake a key area north of the capital, Baghdad, and dislodge ISIS militants from there, officials said. According to a statement by the Joint Operations Command, the ‘new offensive’ began at dawn in a swath agricultural area northeast of the city of Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad, with the aim to cut ISIS supply lines and to tighten the grip around the ISIS-held northern city of Mosul.” Middle East NBC News: Palestinian Killed As Israeli Soldiers Stray Into West Bank Refugee Camp “A Palestinian was shot dead and several others wounded after two Israeli soldiers strayed into refugee camp in the occupied West Bank and had to be rescued by reinforcements, officials said Tuesday. Riots broke out after the two soldiers accidentally entered the Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem, on Monday night, with a "mob" directing gunfire, rocks, and Molotov cocktails at their military vehicle, a spokesman for the Israeli Defense Forces said.” Nigeria Vanguard: Army Arrests 4 Boko Haram Suspects Responsible For Madalla Catholic Church Bombing “The alleged Boko Haram surveillance of the Christmas day bomb blast that killed about 44 persons and wounded over 75 others at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church at Madalla, Niger State has been arrested at Alkaleri town of Bauchi by the Nigeria Army. The surveillance Victor Moses who was arrested hovering around a mosque in Alkaleri town claiming that he want to convert to Islam. Victor Moses who hailed from Benue state was arrested along other three suspects Abubakar Shetima Bama, Salisu Mohammed Bello and Umar Madaki.” Arabic Language Clips Financing Of Terrorism Emarat Alyoum: Accused Of Joining Fajr Libya And February 17th Militias Gathered 6 Million Dirhams To Support Terrorism The prosecution witness in the case of three Libyans and an American national claimed that the four had supported terrorist organizations, namely "February 17th" battalion and "Dawn Libya" militia. The witness claimed that the defendants had collected a sum of 6,480,500 dirhams (roughly $1.6 million) for the purchase of armored vehicles and bullet-proof vests in order to dispatch them to terrorist militias in Libya for use in terrorist operations. The General Prosecutor's Office charged the four of providing, in 2014, two terrorist groups – "February 17th" battalion and "Dawn Libya" militia, both affiliated with the international arm of the Muslim Brotherhood – with money in cash. They also aided them in obtaining additional funds, knowing that these two organizations would use them to finance terrorist operations. They were also charged with supplying these groups with equipment, vehicles, communication systems, night vision binoculars, and bullet-proof vests, in order to fulfill their terrorist goals. ISIS World Akhbar: Libya: ISIS Imposes Zakat Payment On Residents Of The City Of Sirte ISIS in the Libyan city of Sirte announced on Monday the opening of a Zakat Chamber. It urged the city's residents to contribute zakat through the new chamber. In the same context, ISIS is compelling the local population to pay a fee of 120 dinars ($86) per month per residence. A source in the city said that the terrorist organization had threatened to take over the homes of owners who were unable to pay the demanded amount within a week. It is noteworthy that hundreds of ISIS fighters have arrived in Sirte in recent days, after managing to escape from cities captured by the Libyan army in the eastern part of the country. Muslim Brotherhood Dostor: Al-Gamal: Confiscated Brotherhood Funds Used To Compensate The Victims Of Terrorism Judge Muhammad Hamid al-Gamal, the former President of the Egyptian State Council, explained that the Muslim Brotherhood is banned under the provisions of the Constitution. Based on this ban, the assets of the group and its members are appropriated because they are being used to carry out the Brotherhood's illicit and subversive activities. Additionally, it was proven that some Brotherhood members were involved in killing army and police officers as well as judges. Al-Gamal noted that all the confiscated Brotherhood funds have been channeled for the compensation of victims of terrorist acts carried out by the group throughout Egypt. He stressed that belonging to the Brotherhood is considered an offense punishable by law. The case of anyone proven to be a member of this group or part of its financing apparatus will be tried by the public prosecution and the judiciary system, he added. Mubasher Misr: The Government Of Ismail Issued 11 Decisions To Dissolve And Oust Societies Supporting The Brotherhood The Egyptian government headed by Sherif Ismail has issued decisions to dissolve five associations and oust the boards of directors of six others. These associations are located in six of Egypt's provinces. The government claimed they were all affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood. The Egyptian government issued similar decisions following the ban imposed on the Brotherhood since the end of 2013. Egypt's Minister of Social Solidarity, Ghada Wali, stated that "the decisions to disband and oust the boards of directors came in implementation of the decisions by a ministerial committee formed following a Cairo court ruling to outlaw the activities of the Brotherhood and seize the properties of Brotherhood-affiliated associations." Sada El-Balad: Cairo Airport: Brotherhood Spreads Rumors About The Collection Of $200 From Arriving Travelers To Hit The Economy Official sources at Cairo Airport denied rumors concerning the imposition of new fees of up to $200 on every passenger arriving in Egyptian airports. They claimed that the rumors are part of the "economic war" being waged by the Muslim Brotherhood against the State. In the same context, passengers arriving from abroad denied being requested to pay any additional fees upon arrival. They reported undergoing completely routine arrival procedures in Egypt. The Brotherhood is warning Egyptians abroad that authorities at the country's airports have started charging extra fees of $200 for travelers coming from abroad.