Eye on Extremism November 7, 2016

Eye on Extremism November 7, 2016 The New York Times: U.S.-Backed Militia Opens Drive On ISIS Capital In Syria “A joint Kurdish-Arab militia has begun a new phase in the operation to dislodge the Islamic State from its stronghold in Raqqa, Syria, moving to encircle the city and largely cut off the resupply of arms, supplies and fighters, American military officials confirmed on Sunday. Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter said on Sunday that he welcomed the start of the militia’s operation. ‘The effort to isolate, and ultimately liberate, Raqqa marks the next step in our coalition campaign plan,’ Mr. Carter said in a statement. American warplanes are flying bombing missions against the Islamic State’s ‘leadership, command and control, and resources’ in Raqqa and outside the city in support of the militia, the Syrian Democratic Forces, said Col. John Dorrian, a military spokesman in Baghdad.” BBC: Iraq Conflict: IS Bombs Kill 17 Civilians As Mosul Battle Rages “Seventeen civilians have been killed by roadside bombs in Iraq as they fled from a northern town held by so-called Islamic State (IS), police say. Several families were riding in a lorry when it was hit by two explosions. A policeman also died. They were fleeing from Hawija, west of the city of Kirkuk. The deaths came as Iraqi government-led forces continued their assault on Mosul further north - the last city still occupied by IS. Iraqi forces also attacked Hamam al-Alil, south of Mosul on the Tigris river, and overcame fierce resistance before raising the Iraqi flag in the centre, the army said.” NBC News: Top Al Qaeda Leader Killed In Afghanistan By U.S. Airstrike: Pentagon “A senior Al Qaeda leader who helped direct the group's international operations was killed last month in a U.S. airstrike in Afghanistan, the Pentagon confirmed Friday. Nayef Salam Muhammad Ujaym al-Hababi died during the Oct. 23 ‘precision strike’ in the Kunar Province in eastern Afghanistan. Al-Hababi is also known as Farouq al Qahtani al-Qatari and Sheikh Farooq, among other aliases. ‘This successful strike is another example of U.S. operations to degrade international terrorist networks and target terrorist leaders who seek to attack the U.S. homeland, our interests and our allies abroad,’ Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said in a statement. U.S. military officials are still assessing whether Balal al-Utabi, a deputy of al-Hababi who was also targeted in the raid, was killed.” Reuters: Arizona 'Jihadist' Gets Eight Years In Prison For Terror Bomb Plot “An Arizona teenager who the FBI has said professed to be an ‘American jihadist’ was sentenced on Friday to eight years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime on probation, for plotting to bomb a state motor vehicle office. Mahin Khan, 18, described by his parents as developmentally disabled, received one more year than the minimum prison term he faced during an emotional court hearing in Phoenix for his guilty plea to crimes committed while he was still a minor. The Tucson resident pleaded guilty last month to all three felony charges against him: terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorism and conspiracy to commit misconduct involving weapons.” The Times Of Israel: PA, Israeli Forces Foil Bomb Attack Near Hebron “Palestinian security passed on information to Israeli forces on a large bomb that they suspect was targeting the IDF in the Hebron area, Palestinian security sources said Sunday. The bomb, made up of an explosive charge attached to a large gas canister, was hidden next to the Mishtara checkpoint on the outskirts of the southern West Bank city. The bomb was found on the side of the checkpoint controlled by Palestinian security. It was safely detonated by sappers from the Israel Police bomb squad on Friday night, Israeli officials confirmed.” Reuters: Egypt Arrests Militants, Links Them To Muslim Brotherhood “Egyptian authorities said on Friday they had arrested members of two recently emerged militant groups, along with weapons, explosives and evidence that the organisations had been set up by the Muslim Brotherhood. Police detained five leaders and other members of the Hasam Movement and Louwaa al-Thawra, the Interior Ministry said - both groups that have claimed responsibility for assassination attempts on judges, policemen and military officers. But the Brotherhood leader who became president, Mohamed Mursi, was himself deposed after mass protests against his rule and replaced by the army's Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in 2013.” Wall Street Journal: Hard-Line Strain Of Islam Gains Ground In Indonesia, World's Largest Muslim Country “The biggest street protest in years shook this sprawling capital on Friday, in a stark display of the more conservative, militant strain of Islam taking hold in the world’s largest Muslim country. Police estimated that 100,000 people turned out for a rally called by hard-line Muslim groups against the capital’s Christian governor, whom they accuse of having committed blasphemy. The protest was peaceful during the day but scuffles broke out after nightfall. Some protesters threw plastic bottles and rocks at police. Police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse them. A local news outlet said that two police trucks were set on fire near the presidential palace.” Rolling Stone: The Children Of ISIS “On the day he planned to make his sacred journey, or hijra, to the Islamic State, 19-year-old Mohammed Hamzah Khan woke up before dawn at his house in the Chicago suburb of Bolingbrook, Illinois, and walked to the nearby mosque to pray. It was Saturday, October 4th, 2014, an unusually cold morning, though Hamzah, a slender young man with a trimmed black beard, was dressed for warmer weather in jeans, boots and a gray sweatshirt. By sunset, he'd be gone for good: leaving his parents, his friends, his country and all he knew for an unknown future in the "blessed land of Shaam," as he called Syria. He would be taking his teenage brother and sister with him. Allahu Akbar, he prayed with the men in his family, and tried to banish his doubts: "God is great.” Associated Press: Nigerian Troops Find Kidnapped Chibok Schoolgirl With Baby “Nigerian troops rescued one of the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram extremists more than two years ago in a pre-dawn raid Saturday on a forest hideout. She had a 10-month-old baby boy born to a Boko Haram fighter, said a statement from army spokesman Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman. It was the first army rescue of a Chibok girl. Last month, Nigeria's government secured the freedom of 21 of the Chibok schoolgirls in the first such release negotiated with Boko Haram. Another girl escaped in May on her own. Thousands of other Boko Haram captives have been freed this year as the military has forced the extremists out of towns and villages in northeastern Nigeria, where they had declared an Islamic caliphate.” Reuters: Philippines Says German Killed On Yacht, Companion May Be Abu Sayyaf Hostage “Soldiers have found the body of a German woman on an abandoned yacht in the troubled waters of the southern Philippines and suspect her companion may have been taken captive by Islamist Abu Sayyaf rebels, the military said on Monday. The body was found naked and with gunshot wounds on the yacht which bore a German flag and was docked on a remote island in the Sulu archipelago, a stronghold of the Abu Sayyaf, an al-Qaeda linked group notorious for kidnapping and increasingly, piracy. "A shotgun was found near her body," army spokesman Major Filemon Tan told reporters. "We are verifying reports a German national ... was taken captive by the Abu Sayyaf.” Citizen Digital: Al Shabaab Claims Fatal Car Bomb Attack Near Somali Parliament “Two Somali soldiers died and five others were injured when a car bomb claimed by Islamist group al Shabaab exploded on Saturday near the parliament in the capital Mogadishu, police said. Al Shabaab has stepped up its campaign of bombings and gun assaults in Mogadishu in recent months ahead of parliamentary elections which are expected to take place within weeks. Col. Abdiqadir Hussein, a police officer, told Reuters the explosion had occurred near the parliament building, while another police officer, Major Hussein Nur, said the car bomb hit a military vehicle at a junction checkpoint.” United States Voice Of America: American Held in Yemen Released, Evacuated “An American citizen being held in Yemen has been released and evacuated from the war-torn country to Oman. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the news of the release of Wallead Yusuf Pitts Luqman, recognizing it as a ‘positive gesture’ by the Houthi rebels. The Omani state news agency ONA said Luqman was flown to the sultanate aboard an Omani military aircraft, along with several Yemenis wounded in the war. Luqman's wife said her husband had been in Yemen teaching English and was detained in April 2015 while trying to leave the country by bus. Last month, Oman - a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council - helped free two other Americans held by Yemen's Houthi rebels.” CBS News: Sources: U.S. Intel Warning Of Possible Al Qaeda Attacks In U.S. Monday “CBS News has learned about a potential terror threat for the day before the election. Sources told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton that U.S. intelligence has alerted joint terrorism task forces that al Qaeda could be planning attacks in three states for Monday. It is believed New York, Texas and Virginia are all possible targets, though no specific locations are mentioned. A U.S. law enforcement source briefed on the threat information told CBS News’ Milton that the threat is possibly legitimate and concerning. The source said the threat may be aspirational and hence the lack of specificity. The source said there has been pressure on al Qaeda and its affiliates AQAP and AQIS (al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent) to regain relevance with its mission.” Syria Reuters: Moscow Warns Of Possible Attacks By Russian Jihadists On Return Home From Syria “Thousands of Russians have been fighting in Syria in anti-government ranks, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said in an interview published on Saturday, issuing a warning of possible attacks by them on their return home. Last year, Moscow launched an air campaign to hit the targets of militants who have waged a war against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. There are also numerous jihadists from Russia who filled the ranks of anti-government forces. ‘You probably know that thousands of Russian citizens and individuals from other post-Soviet republics are fighting in Syria,’ Medvedev told Channel 2 Israel ahead of a visit to Israel next week, according to the interview transcript.” BBC: Syria Conflict: Rebel Force Targets IS 'Capital' Raqqa “A US-backed Kurdish and Arab force says it has begun an operation to capture Raqqa, so-called Islamic State's ‘capital’ in Syria. The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) will be aided by US-led coalition air strikes. They have warned civilians to steer clear of areas where IS militants are present. The coalition of Kurdish and ethnic Arab militias has been gaining ground in areas to the north of the city. The offensive was announced at a press conference in Ain Issa, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) away from Raqqa. ‘The major battle to liberate Raqqa and its surroundings has begun,’ a spokesperson for the SDF said. Brett McGurk, US President Barack Obama's envoy to the US-led coalition against IS, said: ‘The Raqqa campaign will proceed in phases - very deliberate phases.” Iraq The New York Times: Cautious Optimism Over Efforts To Combat ISIS In Baghdad “In July, the Islamic State carried out one of the deadliest car bombings in Iraq since the American invasion in 2003, killing more than 300 people in Baghdad. The Pentagon responded by rushing a three-star general to the capital to offer the Iraqi authorities new technology, tactics and advisers to help thwart additional attacks. And in the weeks before the current Iraqi push to reclaim Mosul, the American-led air campaign against the militant group redoubled its strikes on car bombs and car-bomb factories. So far, the strategy has worked. The threat by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, to retaliate for the Mosul assault with crippling car bombings in Baghdad has been largely neutralized. Such bombings, military officials fear, could terrorize the capital and unleash a new spiral of violence, undermine the government of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and pressure it to divert troops to defend Baghdad.” Associated Press: Iraqi Forces Say Defenses, Civilians Hamper Mosul Advance “Iraq's special forces struggled Sunday to clear areas retaken from the Islamic State group along Mosul's eastern edge, where the extremists have built up fortifications and ramparts in residential neighborhoods. The slowdown highlights the challenges ahead for Iraqi forces as they press into more populated areas deeper in the city — where the civilian presence means they won't be able to rely as much on airstrikes. ‘There are a lot of civilians and we are trying to protect them,’ said Lt. Col. Muhanad al-Timimi. ‘This is one of the hardest battles that we've faced till now.’ Some civilians are fleeing the combat zone, while IS militants are holding others back for use as human shields, making it harder for Iraqi commanders on the ground to get approval for requests for U.S.-led coalition air strikes.” Reuters: Islamic State Hits Back In Mosul But Faces New Raqqa Front “Islamic State fighters targeted Iraqi troops with car bombs and ambushes in Mosul, stalling an army advance in their north Iraq stronghold, but faced attack on a new front on Sunday when U.S.-backed rebels launched a campaign for the Syrian city of Raqqa. The jihadists have lost control of seven eastern districts of Mosul to Iraqi special forces who broke through their lines last Monday. Officials say the militants are now sheltering among civilians in those neighborhoods and targeting soldiers in what one called the world's ‘toughest urban warfare’. Mosul, the largest Islamic State-controlled city in either Iraq or Syria, has been held by the jihadist fighters since they drove the army out of northern Iraq in June 2014.” Turkey Reuters: Heads Of Turkish And U.S. Militaries Meeting In Ankara: Turkish Military “The chief of general staff of the Turkish Armed Forces met with his U.S. counterpart in Ankara on Sunday on the request of the U.S. military, the Turkish armed forces said in a statement. No details were given about the meeting between Hulusi Akar and Joseph Dunford, but it comes as U.S.-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) said they had launched an operation to liberate the Syrian city of Raqqa from Islamic State.” Reuters: Turkish Military Says Hits 71 Islamic State Targets In Northern Syria “Turkey's military hit 71 Islamic State targets in Syria over the last 24 hours, the army said on Saturday, intensifying strikes against the militant group, which has claimed responsibility for the latest bomb attack in southeast Turkey. Five Islamic State fighters were killed in the strikes, as were five Turkey-backed rebels and one Turkish soldier, the army said in its statement. It said coalition forces conducted five air strikes, killing another eight Islamic State militants. Turkey is backing a group of Syrian Arabs and Turkmen in northern Syria in its Euphrates Shield operation, which has swept Islamic State from its southern border.” Reuters: Shots Fired At Istanbul's Ataturk Airport, Two Men Detained: TV “Turkish authorities briefly barred cars from entering and leaving Istanbul's main Ataturk Airport on Sunday after police fired shots when a motorcycle refused an order to stop, CNN Turk said. One of two men aboard the motorcycle was wounded and detained and the second was apprehended by police after a pursuit, the private broadcaster reported. No police or civilians were reported hurt. In June, suicide bombers suspected of belonging to Islamic State killed 41 people and wounded some 240 others with gunfire and explosives at the airport.” The Wall Street Journal: Kurdish Militants Claim Responsibility For Friday’s Car Bomb Attack In Turkey “Kurdish militants claimed responsibility on Sunday for a deadly car bomb attack that hit a Turkish police station last Friday as the country’s top Kurdish lawmakers suspended participation in parliament, setting the stage for more violence in response to an expansive government crackdown on dissent. A splinter Kurdish group, the Kurdistan Freedom Hawks, known as the TAK, said that it carried out last week’s attack, which killed at least 11 people near a police compound in Diyarbakir, the de facto Kurdish capital in southeastern Turkey. The claim of responsibility came as Turkey’s second-largest opposition party said that it was halting work in parliament to protest the arrest of its leaders for alleged links to Kurdish militants.” BBC: Turkey's Pro-Kurd HDP Party Boycotts Parliament After Arrests “Turkey's pro-Kurdish opposition party, the HDP, has vowed to halt all activity in the country's parliament after its joint leaders were arrested. Selahattin Demirtas and Figen Yuksekdag are accused of spreading propaganda for militants fighting the Turkish state. They and 10 other activists deny links to the PKK Kurdish rebel group. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has hit back at international critics after the arrests, accusing Europe of ‘abetting terrorism’. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said HDP members would be betraying the public if they failed to attend parliament. The party said its MPs would not resign, but nor would they take part in sittings.” Afghanistan Associated Press: Bomb Targeting Afghan District Chief Kills Driver “A bomb targeting a district leader in eastern Afghanistan killed his driver and wounded the official and another person on Saturday, while a similar attack on a police vehicle in the capital, Kabul, wounded four people. The sticky bomb in the eastern Bati Kot district was attached to the vehicle of district chief Ghalib Mujahid, according to Attaullah Khogyani, spokesman for the governor of Nangarhar province. The Kabul bombing was confirmed by the office of the city's police chief. No one claimed the attacks, but the Taliban frequently target government officials and security forces. U.S. and Afghan officials meanwhile said a U.S. airstrike that killed 26 civilians on Thursday was intended to help Afghan forces who were battling insurgents in the north of the country.” Associated Press: Afghan Official: Australian Woman Abducted In Kabul “An Australian woman has been kidnapped from the Afghan capital Kabul by unknown gunmen. An official with the Kabul police chief's office, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, confirmed on Sunday that the woman was abducted the previous night and that she works for the Agency Coordinating Body for Afghan Relief or ACBAR. In Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement, that the embassy was making ‘urgent inquiries’ into the issue. The statement added, ‘We continue to advise Australians not to travel to Afghanistan because of the extremely dangerous security situation, including the serious threat of kidnapping.’” Libya Reuters: Libyan Forces Report 14 Civilians Freed From Islamic State In Sirte “Libyan forces in the final stages of a six-month campaign to recapture Sirte from Islamic State said they freed 14 civilians on Sunday from a small residential area where some militants are holding out. The forces, composed of fighters mainly from Misrata, say they are exercising caution to limit casualties to civilians who may still be trapped with Islamic State fighters. Islamic State took full control of Sirte, a city of some 80,000 inhabitants, in early 2015. Its loss would leave the jihadist group without any territorial control in Libya.” BBC: Two Italians And A Canadian Freed In Libya “Two Italians and a Canadian who were kidnapped in Libya in September have been released and flown to Italy, the Italian government says. Armed men abducted the three in the south-western town of Ghat, where they were working for an Italian company doing maintenance work at the airport. They were freed after co-operation with Libyan officials, Italy's foreign ministry said, without giving details. There has never been any claim or public request for ransom. Numerous criminal and armed groups are active in Libya's south-western desert.” Nigeria The Guardian: Boko Haram Attacks Military Location, Kills CO, 4 Soldiers “It was a sad day for the troops of Operation Lafiya Dole, as one of the most notable Commanding Officers, Lt. Col. Abu Ali was killed along with four soldiers in a night attack by Boko Haram at a military location on Friday. A statement, yesterday, by the acting Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR) Col. Sani Usman, said the119 Battalion Nigerian Army location at Mallam Fatori, Northern Borno State, was attacked at about 10:00 pm local time, during which Ali, who was the Commanding Officer of the 272 Task Force Tank Battalion was killed. Ali was given accelerated promotion by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai for his gallantry last year.” United Kingdom Daily Caller: Despite Severe Gun Controls, UK Warns Of Terrorist Gun Attacks “This week, UK authorities effectively admitted that the ‘gold standard’ of gun control is not enough to protect the country from extremists that are intent on using illegally obtained firearms to commit terrorist violence. Warning that terrorists could bypass the country’s strict laws, the UK’s National Crime Agency and National Counter Terrorism Policing have issued a desperate appeal to the public for any information that could prevent terrorists and other criminals from acquiring firearms. In an October 31 press release, NCTP head Mark Rowley made clear, ‘The current threat to the UK from international terrorism remains ‘severe’, meaning an attack is highly likely.’” Germany The Guardian: Germany Fears UK May Quit Spy Programme Because Of Brexit “Germany fears Britain may pull out of a key intelligence-sharing programme in May next year, a move that it says would create a ‘moment of weakness’ in the fight against terrorism and jeopardise security across the EU. As the continent remains on alert for terrorist attacks, Berlin is understood to view intelligence as Britain’s primary contribution to European collaboration, and fears it could use future cooperation as a bargaining chip in Brexit negotiations. According to documents seen by the Guardian, Germany is already lobbying the British government to renew its role in Europe’s law enforcement agency, Europol, before its current collaboration runs out on 1 May 2017.” France The Telegragh: French Teenager Given Suspended Sentence For Wifi Network Named After Isil “French court has handed a three-month suspended jail sentence to a teenager who named his domestic wifi network after the Islamic State group, his lawyer said on Friday. ‘There was no sympathy for terrorism! There was only the word 'Daesh21',’ explained lawyer Karima Manhouli, saying he would appeal his client's criminal conviction. Daesh is a widely-used Arabic acronym for Isil. ‘It was a stupid act by a young man of 18 who can't explain why he did it,’ he said. The case came to court in the eastern town of Dijon after a neighbour saw the name pop up on a list of available wifi networks in July and called the police.” Europe Newsweek: How Big Is The Threat To Europe From Jihadis Fleeing Mosul? “There is a presumption that the fall of Mosul will result in a surge in attacks and terrorism back in the West. Europe in particular feels like it is in the group’s crosshairs, with the refugee flow potentially masking a threat that will only magnify as the group loses territory on the battlefield in Iraq and more fighters want to leave the Islamic State militant group (ISIS). But this presumption is based on a potentially flawed set of assumptions about what will happen next and an understanding of how the terrorist threat has been evolving. Europe may face some terrorist incidents linked to a failing ISIS or other groups, but this threat is likely to simply continue much as before. It is unclear why ISIS would have waited until now to launch a surge of attacks.” Reuters: Italy Links People Trafficking To Militants In Detention Of Syrian “Italy's tax police said they had found a clear link between people trafficking and militants after detaining a Syrian man who entered Italy on a migrant boat who they allege to be a member of the al-Nusra group. A series of deadly attacks carried out by militants across Europe over the past year have fueled a debate about how to handle the influx of hundreds of thousands of refugees and other migrants propelled by civil war in Syria, Iraq and Libya. ‘Today's operation is one of the few investigations which establishes a direct link between people who plan trafficking of migrants and Islamic terrorist organizations,’ the police said in a statement on Saturday.” ISIS Alkhaleej Online: Mosul: ISIS Collects 5000 Iraqi Dinars From Each Household “Local residents inside Mosul, in northern Iraq, disclosed that ISIS started mid-last week collecting huge sums of money from citizens. This is being done in the form of new water and sewage taxes. In addition, two days ago ISIS started confiscating citizens' ID cards. The sources revealed that the sums collected by the organization amount to 5000 Iraqi dinars per household (one US dollar is equivalent to 1300 Iraqi dinars in the city). The sources explained that ISIS has adopted a new mechanism for the collection of funds through owners of electricity generators, on which the majority of the city's residents rely.” Terror Financing Alalam: Syria: A Senior Terrorist Reveals The Sources Of Financing For The Purchase Of Missiles “Saudi terrorist Abdullah al-Muhaysini from the "Jaish al-Fatah" group acknowledged that the rockets launched by the organization on the city of Aleppo were obtained through funding from several sources, including the Gulf {region}. Al-Muhaysini, in an audio recording on his Twitter account, said that "a number of traders from Idlib and Aleppo participated in the funding of the {purchase} of the rockets, in addition to Abu Mohammed from al-Qassim, Islamic brethren among the young {generation} of Riyadh, Abu Ahmad from Kuwait, and Abu Joud of Qatar." Al-Muhaysini, who is proud of this funding, which comes from Gulf traders and which has allowed {the organization} to buy 100 rockets, urged "Muslim traders" to contribute to the funding of more rocket purchases.” Combating the Financing of Terrorism Erem News: Central Bank Of Libya Announces Specifications To Counter The Financing Of Terrorism “The Tripoli-based Central Bank of Libya determined several indicators and specifications included in the definition of money laundering and terrorist financing crimes. The Bank issued several resolutions and circulars to all banks {instructing them how} to counter these crimes. The Libyan Central Bank's circular, which is the first this year to deal with combating money laundering and terrorist financing, contains definitions and indicators of illegal banking operations by individuals or fictitious entities. The Bank released 12 indicators for identifying suspects in terror financing. These include the frequent acceptance or transfer of money without a clear explanation; frequent money transfers to and from different countries without justification; frequent transfers of large sums to and from countries that are in trouble or are in {a state of} political and security turmoil; and acceptance of donations through unofficial or unauthorized channels.” Muslim Brotherhood The Seventh Day: Expert: Brotherhood-Affiliated Hasm Movement Receives Funding From Qatar Via Muslim Brotherhood Leadership “Tharwat el-Kherbawy, former Muslim Brotherhood member and {current} researcher of Islamic groups, claimed that the Brotherhood-affiliated "Hasm Movement", which claimed responsibility for a car bombing in Egypt's Nasr City during the assassination attempt on Judge Ahmed Abu El-Fotouh, enjoys support from Qatar in perpetrating these terrorist operations. This support comes through Turkey with the help of Muslim Brotherhood figures like Ali Bateekh. El-Kherbawy disclosed that the Brotherhood has set up several cells each in charge of different fields {of activity} such as monitoring, funding, and executing terrorist operations.” Elgornal: Expert: Muslim Brotherhood Protest Mobilization Aims To Drain Egypt's Resources “Adel Amer, head of the Egyptian Center for Political and Economic Studies, stressed that the November 11th protest being promoted by the Muslim Brotherhood is based on a sheer lie. He predicted that Egyptians will not stand behind the Brotherhood once again after "discovering their malicious crimes against the Homeland." Amer emphasized that the Brotherhood is well aware that 11/11 is just a regular day, which will witness limited demonstrations attended by Brotherhood supporters only. He added that the protest aims to drain the country's resources, further explaining that the state of security alert nationwide costs the country nearly 200 million pounds ($23 million). Amer said that the aim of the intensive Brotherhood mobilization, this time, is to foil the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which would guarantee Egypt a $12 billion loan. According to Amer, Brotherhood believes that creating a state of tension and turmoil will {ultimately} cause the IMF to renege on its deal with Egypt.” Elbalad: Egypt: Two Muslim Brotherhood Members Detained In Possession Of Large Sums Of Foreign Currency “A Security Media Center official said that as part of their efforts to foil Muslim Brotherhood schemes, Egypt's security agencies have received information indicating that Abdelnasser Maghawry Ali el-Fiky and Nasser Mohammed Helmy Al-Zayyat, who belong to the Brotherhood, were involved in illegal trading of foreign currency. Their goal was to harm the national economy. El-Fiky was detained in possession of 380,000 Egyptian pounds ($23,750), US$44,800,122,276 Saudi riyals ($32,500) and 13,900 euros. In Al-Zayyat's residence, security forces found 1715 Egyptian pounds ($107), $12,165 and 15 mobile phones.” Albawabh News: Egypt: Purging Muslim Brotherhood-Affiliated June 30 Schools “Sources in the Egyptian Ministry of Education disclosed on Sunday that the ministry is now taking steps to create new mechanisms to purge Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated June 30 Schools, which are supervised by the Ministry of Education. The sources pointed out that the ministry has appointed new principals for 98 schools after their personal files were sent to the security and regulatory agencies to obtain security clearance. The sources confirmed that the ministry is now conducting personal interviews with new {certified public} accountants for these schools. The source also revealed that Egypt's Minister of Education El Helali el Sherbini has issued an order to intensify surveillance and follow-up on these schools over the next few months. This is in addition to overseeing the curriculum that is taught there. Any violation of the law or cases of corruption must immediately be forwarded for investigation.” Veto: Egypt: Postponement To January 1st Of Lawsuit To Prevent Execution Of Decision To Disband The Muslim Brotherhood “Egypt's Administrative Court, headed by Judge Sami Abdel Hamid, decided on Sunday to postpone the review of a lawsuit filed by Muslim Brotherhood legal representative Osman Anani. The suit demands that the President of the Republic halt implementation of Ministerial Decree No. 227 of 2013, calling for the dissolution of the Muslim Brotherhood Society based on a ruling issued by the Court of Cairo for Urgent Matters in case No. 2315, of 2013. The next session is scheduled to be held on January 1st.” Houthi Gulf Eyes: Houthis Pay Salaries Of Their Popular Committees And Ignore All Other Employees “In a sudden and alarming decision for Yemenis, Houthi militias on Sunday decided on the disbursement of salaries to {members of} their Popular Committees. A source close to the Houthi group revealed that its militiamen would be paid their salaries in the frontlines and all provinces controlled by the force of arms. The source pointed out that "the disbursement decision came following orders from the group's Supreme Leadership. Payment will be made from donations collected by Houthi militia over the past few weeks under the pretext of supporting the Sanaa-based Central Bank. The source asserted that "the militias did not pay salaries to military personnel or other civilian employees, who were {completely} ignored.” Yemen Akhbar: Houthi Group Steals From Qat Farms “Houthi militiamen, stationed in the village of al-'Irfaf, south of Damt (north of Dhale province), stole from Qat farms owned by residents of the region. Farmers reported that more than 37 farms of Qat had been looted in the village al-'Irfaf during the past two days. Farmers estimate the value of the theft at 15 million riyals (approx. $60,000). This is the first theft of this kind in the region since the early 1980s. Farmers accused the village chief, who became a Houthi loyalist, of forcefully obtaining in the past millions of riyals from the locals. Now they claim the recent theft by militiamen is a kind of "bonus" they are bestowing on him.”