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Eye on Extremism
January 9, 2016
New
York Times: The Latest: US Seeks Death Penalty In Airport Shooting
“The Latest on Airport Shooting-Florida (all times local): 6:25 p.m.
Federal prosecutors have filed charges against the Florida airport
shooting suspect that could bring the death penalty if he is convicted.A
criminal complaint filed Saturday by the Miami U.S. attorney's office
accuses 26-year-old Esteban Santiago of an act of violence at an
international airport resulting in death. The punishment is execution or
any prison sentence up to life. Prosecutors also charged Santiago with
two firearms offenses. Santiago is accused of fatally shooting five
people and wounding six others Friday at a Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood
International Airport baggage claim. The FBI says Santiago traveled from
Alaska to Fort Lauderdale specifically to carry out the shooting.”
RT:
Turkish Media Name Perpetrator Of NYE Nightclub Massacre
“Turkish police has released the name of the Islamic State terrorist
behind the deadly New Year shooting at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul,
local media report. Turkey’s most wanted, known so far under his alias,
has been named as Abdulgadir Masharipov. Istanbul Police Department said
that Masharipov is of Uzbek origin and is known in terrorist circles as
“Abu Muhammed Horasani,” according to a number of Turkish news outlets.
Authorities believe that he is responsible for slaughtering 39 people and
wounding 65 others in Istanbul during New Year's eve celebrations.”
NPR:
Blast Hits Syrian Border Town, Killing At Least 43
“A blast has torn through the Syrian town of Azaz, killing at least 43
people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The
U.K.-based activist group says the explosion was caused by a fuel tanker
rigged with a bomb, which went off outside a courthouse in the rebel-held
town on Syria's border with Turkey. Reuters reports that Turkey's
state-run Andalou news service puts the death toll even higher, quoting a
doctor who says at least 60 people have been killed and more than 50 have
been wounded. Most of the victims of the car bomb were civilians, the
Observatory says.”
CNN:
ISIS Claims 2 Suicide Bombings In Baghdad; 16 People Killed
“ISIS has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings at crowded
Baghdad markets on Sunday, killing 16 people. The attacks happened the
same day anti-ISIS forces advanced on the terror group's stronghold in
Mosul. The first blast happened when a driver blew up his explosives-laden
vehicle at the Alwat-Jamila market in eastern Baghdad's Sadr City. At
least 11 people were killed and 25 were wounded, police said. In the
second attack, a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest blew himself up
at a busy market in the eastern Baghdad neighborhood of al-Baladiyat,
police said. At least five people were killed, and 12 were wounded.”
Daily
Beast: ISIS Has A New Weapon: Fire
“The new ISIS terror weapon is fire. “This is a quick option for
anyone intending to join the just terror campaign,” says the latest issue
of the ISIS magazine Rumiyah. This tactic requires neither guns such
as were used in San Bernadino and Orlando nor vehicles such as were used
in other attacks. “With some simple and readily accessible materials
(i.e. flammables), one can easily terrorize an entire nation,” the
magazine advises.”
NBC
News: Iraqi Forces Reach Tigris River In Mosul Offensive Against ISIS:
Officials
“Iraqi special forces reached the eastern bank of the Tigris river in
Mosul on Sunday for the first time in a U.S.-backed assault on ISIS,
military officials said. Elite counter-terrorism service (CTS) units
fought their way to a bridge over the Tigris which has been damaged in
fighting, CTS spokesman Sabah al-Numan said. It was the first time Iraqi
forces have reached the river in the city itself since the operation to
drive IS out of Mosul began in October. Iraqi forces have so far only
penetrated eastern districts of Mosul, which is bissected by the river.
The city is Islamic State's last major stronghold in Iraq.”
The
New York Times: 4 Die As Palestinian Rams Truck Into Israeli Soldiers In
Jerusalem
“A Palestinian driver plowed a truck into a group of Israeli soldiers
as they were getting off a bus in Jerusalem on Sunday afternoon, killing
four and injuring 17 others, according to the police and witnesses. The
police called the episode an act of terrorism. Micky Rosenfeld, a police
spokesman, said the attacker had been shot, and the police released
images showing the truck’s windshield riddled with bullet holes. The dead
included three female soldiers and one male soldier, the Israeli military
confirmed. Several people were hospitalized, some with critical injuries.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the scene of the attack and
said the perpetrator was ‘by all indications a supporter of the Islamic
State.’”
The
New York Times: Airstrikes By Russia Buttress Turkey In Battle Vs. ISIS
“Russian warplanes have carried out airstrikes to support Turkey’s
offensive in northern Syria against the Islamic State, an important
evolution in a budding Russian-Turkish partnership. The deepening ties
threaten to marginalize the United States in the struggle to shape
Syria’s ultimate fate. The air missions, which took place for about a
week near the strategically important town of Al Bab, represent the
Kremlin’s first use of its military might to help the Turks in their
fight against the militant group. The Russians seized an opening to try
to build a military relationship with Turkey, a NATO member, as the
United States has sought to keep the emphasis on taking Raqqa, the
Islamic State’s self-declared capital.”
Voice
Of America: Yemen Government Claims Crucial Advance In Battle On Red Sea
Coast
“Senior army commanders in Yemen said Saturday that government forces
had liberated a key, rebel-held coastal district from Iran-backed Houthi
rebels during a military offensive to protect vital Red Sea shipping
lanes from rebel artillery and missiles. There were conflicting reports
late Saturday on casualties, with multiple regional news reports quoting
military sources as saying about 20 combatants had been killed in the
fighting that began Friday in Dhubab district. However, it was not clear
whether government forces or rebel fighters bore the brunt of the losses.
‘We have liberated almost all of Dhubab and Al-Wazyia regions,’ General
Fadhel Hassan, commander of the government's regional forces, told the
Dubai-based Gulf News.”
New
York Times: Death Of Iran’s Rafsanjani Removes Influential Voice Against
Hard-Liners
“With the death of Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani on Sunday,
Iran’s political factions knew immediately that any space by reformers to
maneuver had just significantly decreased. Change had come, and it did
not favor those seeking to turn Iran into a less revolutionary country
with more tolerance and outreach to the West — especially the United
States. Mr. Rafsanjani, a former president who helped found the Islamic
republic, had been the one man too large to be sidelined by conservative
hard-liners. Now he was suddenly gone, dead from what state media
described as cardiac arrest — and with no one influential enough to fill
his shoes.”
Associated
Press: Man Accused Of Recruiting For Islamic State Faces Trial
“U.S. prosecutors are counting on the social media postings of an
Arizona man to help persuade a jury that he was a recruiter for Islamic
State militants. Ahmed Mohammed el-Gammal, who lived in Avondale, a
Phoenix suburb, faces trial Monday at a federal court in New York on
charges that he helped a 24-year-old New Yorker link up with Islamic
State fighters in 2015 after traveling to Syria via Turkey. The New York
man he allegedly helped become a fighter, Samy el-Goarany, was killed in
Syria in November 2015, according to prosecutors.”
Voice
Of America: Women In Afghanistan Join Forces To Fight Militants
“A group of 150 women in the northern Jawzjan province of Afghanistan
have taken up arms to fight Taliban and Islamic State militants. Some of
the women, who live in the violence-plagued districts of Qoosh Tapa and
Darz A’ab, say Taliban and IS militants killed the male members of their
families. Mumlakat is a woman from Qoosh Tapa district: ‘They killed
three of my sons and burned down our livelihood. Now we have come out to
fight IS,’ she said. The Afghan women, who say they are ready to fight
alongside men from their districts, say they can no longer tolerate the
brutalities of the militants.”
Reuters:
Boko Haram Attacks Nigerian Army Base, Five Soldiers Killed: Military
Source
“Five Nigerian soldiers and more than 15 Boko Haram fighters were
killed when the jihadists attacked an army base in the remote northeast
where the group has been fighting for an Islamic state, a military source
said on Sunday. Boko Haram attacked an army brigade in Buni Yadi in Yobe
state late on Saturday, an army spokesman said by text message, without
giving a casualty figure. ‘Five soldiers lost their life in the attack
though more than 15 Boko Haram were killed by troops,’ the military
source said. Several explosions could be heard on Sunday in Maiduguri,
capital of Borno state where Boko Haram started its seven-year insurgency
that has killed about 15,000 people and displaced more than 2 million.
Officials or medics were not immediately available to give a casualty figure.”
Washington
Post: How The USSR’s Effort To Destroy Islam Created A Generation Of
Radicals
“In 1929, Soviet leader Mikhail Kalinin laid out his vision for
Central Asia: "teaching the people of the Kirgiz Steppe, the small
Uzbek cotton grower, and the Turkmenian gardener the ideals of the
Leningrad worker." It was a tall order, especially when it came to
religion. About 90 percent of the population there was Muslim, but
atheism was the state religion of the USSR. So in the early 1920s, the
Soviet government effectively banned Islam in Central Asia. Books written
in Arabic were burned, and Muslims weren't allowed to hold office.
Koranic tribunals and schools were shuttered, and conducting Muslim
rituals became almost impossible. In 1912, there were about 26,000
mosques in Central Asia. By 1941, there were just 1,000.”
United
States
CNN:
What We Know About The Fort Lauderdale Airport Shooting Suspect
“Esteban Santiago needed help after he returned from a tour in Iraq a
changed man, his brother said Saturday. But Bryan Santiago said his
brother didn't get the help he needed. Esteban Santiago's aunt said her
nephew talked about the destruction he witnessed. About the killing of
children. Visions that haunted him. ‘His mind was not right,’ Maria Ruiz
Rivera told CNN in a phone interview from her home in New Jersey. ‘He
seemed normal at times, but other times he seemed lost. He changed.’
Bryan Santiago, who lives in Puerto Rico, said his brother asked
authorities for help. ‘And they did nothing. They had him hospitalized
for four days, and then they let him go. How are you going to let someone
leave a psychological center after four days when he is saying that he is
hearing voices?’”
International
Business Times: ISIS In Florida: Fort Lauderdale Shooter's Motive Still
Unclear, A Look Back At Other Islamic State Group-Related Incidents
“A U.S. army veteran opened fire at the Fort Lauderdale airport Friday
afternoon, killing five people and injuring eight. The 26-six-year native
of Anchorage, Alaska, Esteban Santiago calmly surrendered to authorities
after he ran out of bullets. Officials said Santiago’s motive was yet to
be determined. The 26-year-old served in Iraq and later worked with the
Alaska National Guard but was demoted and discharged last year for
unsatisfactory performance. Federal officials and Santiago’s relatives
added he had been receiving treatment for mental health issues. Last
year, Santiago walked into the FBI’s office in Anchorage, claiming his
mind was being controlled by a U.S. intelligence agency and that the CIA
was forcing him to watch videos by the Islamic State group (also called
ISIS). While Santiago’s motive remains unclear, Florida is no stranger to
ISIS-related attacks and arrests. The state witnessed its deadliest
attack in 2016 which left 49 people dead.”
The
Hill: Pentagon Chief: Russian Efforts In Fight Against ISIS 'Virtually
Zero'
“Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said Sunday that Russia has done
nothing in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
‘They haven’t done anything,’ Carter told NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’ Carter
said Russia’s efforts in the war against ISIS are ‘virtually zero.’
Russia began its military intervention in the Syrian civil war in
September of 2015. Since then, Russia has aided the Syrian government with
airstrikes as it works to take back territory from opposition groups.
‘They came in, they said they were going to fight ISIL, and they said
they were going to help in the civil war in Syria,’ Carter said, using
another acronym for the terrorist organization.”
Associated
Press: US To Send 300 Marines To Afghanistan's Helmand Province
“The United States will send some 300 Marines to Afghanistan's
southern Helmand province to train, advise and assist Afghan security
forces, who have been struggling to drive Taliban insurgents out of the
opium-rich region. U.S. Navy Capt. Bill Salvin, a spokesman for the U.S.
mission in Afghanistan, said the Marines will begin deploying this year
and will remain in the province for nine months, where they will work
with the Afghan army and militarized national police. ‘The Marine Corps
has a long operational history in Afghanistan, particularly in Helmand
Province. Advising and assisting Afghan defense and security forces will
assist in preserving gains made together with the Afghans,’ he said.”
Syria
Reuters:
Assad Says Ready To Discuss Everything, Vows To Take Back All Syria
“Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said his government is ready to
negotiate on ‘everything’ in proposed peace talks in Kazakhstan but it
was not yet clear who would represent the opposition and no date had been
set. Assad also said a ceasefire brokered by Turkey and Russia, his most
powerful ally, was being violated and the army would recapture all of
Syria including a rebel-held area near Damascus where a vital water
supply had been bombed out of service. He made the remarks in comments to
French media that were published by the Syrian state news agency SANA.”
Deutsche
Welle: Syria: Water As A Weapon Of War
“Fighting between the Syrian army and jihadi rebels has engulfed the
source of any population's most valuable resource: water. The al-Fija
spring in Wadi Barada, northwest of Damascus, provides nearly two-thirds
of the city's potable water. Whoever controls the area indirectly
controls the lives of the millions of people living in and around the
Syrian capital. Rebels have occupied the region for months. The pumps at
the Wadi Barada water plant were damaged in the last weeks, and water
that remained flowing has been contaminated with diesel fuel. More than
5.5 million people in the greater Damascus area have been partly or
completely cut off from their water supply, according to UN estimates.
This has forced them to search for other sources and tripled the cost of
bottled water, city residents reported.”
The
Wall Street Journal: Russia Announces Military Drawdown In Syria
“Russia’s top general said Friday his country would draw down its
military presence in Syria, starting with a withdrawal of its warships
from the eastern Mediterranean. Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of
Russia’s general staff, said Russia would withdraw the aircraft carrier
Admiral Kuznetsov from the waters off the coast of Syria. The ships
deployed with the carrier in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
will also be withdrawn, he said. Whether the reduction in the number of
ships also means an overall decrease in Russian firepower in the region
or a scaling back of its military campaign in Syria wasn’t known.”
Iraq
Reuters:
Iraqi Forces Close In On Tigris In Islamic State Stronghold Mosul
“Iraqi special forces closed in on the Tigris river that runs through
central Mosul on Saturday, advancing in parallel with other troops and
forcing Islamic State to retreat in its last major stronghold in the
country. Islamic State has been driven out of more than half the areas it
held east of the Tigris river, which bisects the city, but is still in
control of the west. It will be harder for the jihadists to defend Mosul
once Iraqi forces reach the river. Baghdad meanwhile said it had come to
an agreement with Ankara over a demand for withdrawal of Turkish forces
from an area close to Mosul as the two regional powers sought to improve
ties following a year-long spat over the military deployment.”
BBC:
Mosul Battle: Iraqi Troops 'Take Key District' From IS
“Iraqi forces have made fresh progress in the battle against so-called
Islamic State (IS) in Mosul, reportedly taking a key district in the
city's east. Elite troops captured al-Muthana following night-time
fighting, an army spokesman said, putting them in a position to take
higher ground nearby. It comes days after Iraqi forces began the second
phase of a push to conquer the last major IS stronghold in Iraq. About
two-thirds of east Mosul has been retaken since October, officials say.
The army said its troops had raised the national flag after capturing
al-Muthana.”
BBC:
IS Conflict: Iraq Car Bomb Kills 11 In Baghdad
“A car bomb in Iraq has struck a market in eastern Baghdad, killing at
least 11 people and injuring dozens more. Interior ministry spokesman
Saad Maan was quoted as saying a security guard fired on a suspicious
vehicle and the driver then blew it up. So-called Islamic State (IS) said
it was behind the blast, in a statement on its Amaq news agency. It is
the latest of several targeting Shia Muslim districts of Baghdad. A
similar attack on 2 January killed 35. The latest attack struck the main
vegetable market in the primarily Shia Muslim Sadr City district.”
Turkey
Reuters:
Turkish Army Says 48 Islamic State Militants Killed In Syria On Sunday
“Turkish-led air and ground operations in Syria killed 48 Islamic
State militants on Sunday while Turkish warplanes destroyed 23 buildings
and shelters used by the jihadists, Turkey's armed forces said in a
statement on Monday. Turkey launched the 'Euphrates Shield' operation in
support of Syrian rebels more than four months ago to drive Islamic State
from the border and in recent weeks they have been besieging the Islamic
State-controlled town of al-Bab.”
The
Guardian: Turkey In Grip Of Fear As Erdoğan Steps Up Post-Terror Attack
Crackdown
“Turkey’s strongman president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, rarely goes on
the defensive. Yet in his first public appearance since the New Year’s
Eve massacre in an Istanbul nightclub, he felt obliged to publicly reject
the notion that his government’s intolerant approach to civil society
could possibly have encouraged the attack claimed by Islamic State that
left 39 people dead. Erdoğan was speaking before a regular gathering of
elected community leaders, an opportunity he usually uses to glad-hand
political support. However, the shock of the attack has further rent an
already divided country. While no one believes that the government is
directly responsible, it is accused of creating an atmosphere in which a
religious fanatic could get away with murder.”
Associated
Press: Turkey Dismisses More Civil Servants In Post-Coup Purge
“Turkey has dismissed more than 8,000 civil servants for alleged ties
to terror organizations, in the latest purge under a state of emergency
imposed following the failed July 15 coup attempt. The latest dismissals
were announced on the Turkish government's Official Gazette late Friday.
They include 2,687 police officers, 1,699 Justice Ministry employees and
631 academics. They join more than 100,000 people already suspended or
dismissed from their jobs. Turkey's crackdown through dismissals and the
arrest of some 41,000 people was begun to root out followers of
U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The government claims he orchestrated
the coup attempt that killed nearly 270 people; Gulen denies
involvement.”
Deutsche
Welle: 801 Migrants Sent Back To Turkey Under Migrant Deal
“European officials deported 801 people to Turkey in 2016, and over
half of the deportations happened within two months of the controversial
March migration deal between the EU and Turkey, Germany's ‘Welt am
Sonntag’ weekly newspaper reported on Sunday. Citing an EU Commission
document, the paper also claims that 2,672 Syrians legally arrived in the
EU, with over 1,000 being resettled in Germany. Last year's multi-billion
euro deal calls for Ankara to stop the flow of people trying to reach
Europe from Turkey and also allows the EU to send back migrants who enter
the 28-member bloc from Turkey while setting out special conditions for
Syrians. For each Syrian who does not receive asylum in the EU, the bloc
agrees to fly a vetted Syrian to a European country.”
BBC:
Covering Turkey's Terror: 'Each Time It Hits Hard'
“Just 12 hours had passed, but for Ulas Arik it was beginning to sink
in. His father Ayhan, a driver, had taken foreign tourists to Istanbul's
Reina nightclub to see in the New Year. As the party continued inside,
Ayhan waited at the door, drinking tea with a policeman. When the gunman
struck, Ayhan was shot in the head. He died instantly. In the biting wind
of New Year's Day, we stood in an Istanbul mosque watching Ulas and his
family bid farewell to his father. The young boy, perhaps 14 years old,
stood beside the coffin, which was draped in a Turkish flag. And he wept.
He touched the flag - the red that once symbolised the blood of martyrs
fighting for Turkey. Then he slumped onto the coffin, broken-hearted.”
Afghanistan
International
Business Times: Unidentified Gunmen Kill 8 Miners From Afghanistan's
Hazara Minority
“At least eight people have been killed by unidentified gunmen in
Afghanistan on Friday (6 January). Reports suggest that the deceased and
three other injured victims were all working as coal miners and belonged
to the Hazara minority. It is thought to be the latest in a string of
attacks in the country that singled out ethnic or sectarian minorities.
All the miners were pulled out of the vehicle and shot, Faiz Mohammad
Amiri, governor of Taleh va Barfak district, where the attack took place,
said. The victims were all from Daykundi province in central Afghanistan
but were working in the northern province of Baghlan.”
Voice
Of America: Taliban Shrugs At Us Plans To Send More Troops To Afghanistan
“The Taliban has dismissed American plans to send 300 troops to
Afghanistan’s southern Helmand province as nothing but ‘solely to lend
morale’ to embattled Afghan forces ‘in hopes they hold out until spring.’
The insurgents have captured most of the districts in Helmand since NATO
ended its combat mission, and most U.S. forces withdrew from the largest
poppy-growing Afghan province in 2014. With the help of U.S. air power
and military advisers on the ground, the Afghan government has been able
in recent months to maintain control over the provincial capital of
Lashkar Gah, which remains under attack from the Taliban.”
Saudi
Arabia
Associated
Press: Saudi Arabia Says Mosque Attack Planner Killed In Shootout
“Saudi Arabia on Sunday said police killed the man who planned a July
attack on one of Islam's holiest sites, identifying him as a former
scholarship student who abandoned his studies to join the Islamic State
group in Syria. The Interior Ministry said Taie bin Salem bin Yaslam
al-Saya'ari died alongside another extremist in a shootout Saturday with
officers in Riyadh, wearing a suicide bomb vest and clutching a machine
gun. It said he manufactured the suicide bomb used in the July 4 attack
outside of the Medina mosque where the Prophet Muhammad is buried, an
assault which killed four Saudi security force members and wounded five.”
Egypt
Associated
Press: Egypt Officials: Suicide Car Bomber Hits Sinai Security Post
“Egyptian officials say a suicide car bomber has rammed his vehicle
into a security checkpoint outside a police building in northern Sinai,
killing and wounding several people. The police and security officials
say the attacker used a garbage truck packed with explosives in Monday's
bombing in the city of el-Arish in the Sinai Peninsula. They say the
blast destroyed three floors of the building. At least two bodies have
been retrieved from the rubble and 10 wounded have been taken to
hospital. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they
aren't authorized to talk to reporters. No group has claimed
responsibility for the attack. An Islamic State affiliate in Egypt has
carried out scores of attacks against security forces in the volatile
northern Sinai and elsewhere in the country.”
The
Times Of Israel: Fearful Egypt Copts Mark Christmas After Church Bombing
“It is Christmas Eve for Egypt’s Copts but Marie Labib is not in a
festive mood, with dark thoughts haunting her weeks after a church
bombing killed 28 members of her community. Copts, who make up about
one-tenth of Egypt’s population of more than 92 million and who celebrate
Christmas on Saturday, have long complained of discrimination. The
Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the December 11 suicide
bombing that killed 28 worshipers during Sunday mass in Cairo, the latest
bout of bloodshed in the Muslim-majority country.”
Middle
East
The
Jerusalem Post: East Jerusalem Man Perpetrated Ramming Attack; Hamas
Hails 'Heroic' Act
“Hamas lauded as ‘heroic’ the deadly truck-ramming attack in Jerusalem
on Sunday that left four Israelis killed and more than a dozen others
wounded. ‘The truck operation in Jerusalem affirms that all
attempts to encircle the [Palestinian] intifada will fail,’ the
Palestinian terrorist group said on Twitter. The group stopped short of
taking credit for the attack. Police identified the driver as an Arab
resident of east Jerusalem. The motorist was shot and neutralized after
plowing into a group of bystanders at the promenade in the capital's
Armon Hanatziv neighborhood.”
The
Times Of Israel: The Tensions That Fuel Terror Attacks Haven’t Gone Away
“The terrorist who drove his truck into a group of soldiers on Sunday
at the Armon Hanatziv promenade in Jerusalem, killing four before being
shot dead by the soldiers and a tour guide, has been identified as Fadi
al-Qunbar, 28, from the nearby East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabel
Mukaber. Qunbar was married and the father of four, different from the
general profile of previous ‘lone’ attackers in the recent wave of
stabbing and car-ramming attacks. This is not the first time in the last
year and a half that there have been older terrorists (including a
72-year-old woman from Hebron) who left behind families. Even so, the
vast majority were young and single.”
CNN:
Jerusalem Truck Attack: Suspect May Have Supported ISIS, Netanyahu Says
“The driver who plowed a truck into a group of soldiers in Jerusalem,
killing four people and injuring at least 10, may have been an ISIS
sympathizer, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Two
soldiers and a tour guide who is a colonel in the reserves shot and
killed the attack suspect, whom they identified as 28-year-old Fadi
Qunbar. Police have also arrested nine other suspects, including five of
Qunbar's family members. Speaking from the scene of the attack, on a
promenade overlooking the walled Old City of Jerusalem, Netanyahu said
authorities have identified the terrorist and ‘all signs show he is a
supporter of the Islamic State.’”
Fox
News: Iran Planned Terror Attacks Against Israel Advocates In Germany
“Iran’s intelligence agency allegedly planned terrorist attacks
against organizations and representatives engaged in pro-Israel work in
Germany, according to German media reports citing the country’s federal
prosecutor released on Friday. Syed Mustafa H., a 31-year-old Pakistani
who worked for the German Aerospace Center in Bremen, was indicted on
Monday for alleged espionage. West German Broadcasting (WDR) reported
Iran’s intelligence agency’s goal was to assassinate the former president
of the German-Israel friendship society, Reinhold Robbe. From 1994 to
2005, Robbe served as a Social Democratic Party deputy in the Bundestag.
He later served as the parliamentary commissioner for the armed forces in
the Bundestag.”
Nigeria
Associated
Press: Doctors Without Borders Giving Food To Boko Haram Refugees
“Doctors Without Borders says it has given food to 26,000 families
taking refuge from Boko Haram Islamic extremists in northeast Nigeria's
biggest city, stepping outside its traditional medical role to try to
prevent more children dying. A statement Saturday says people are ‘in
desperate need’ and other organizations are not stepping up. U.N.
agencies and private charities operate in Maiduguri city alongside
government agencies being investigated for corruption in food
distribution. Refugees have almost doubled the population of Maiduguri,
the birthplace of Boko Haram, to 2.5 million. The United Nations last
month appealed for $1 billion to tackle Africa's worst humanitarian
crisis in which 5.1 million refugees face starvation in northeast
Nigeria.”
United
Kingdom
BBC:
Met Officers To Be Asked If They Want To Carry Guns
“Thousands of Met Police officers are to be asked if they want to be
routinely armed with a gun or Taser. A survey by the Metropolitan Police
Federation will consult all its members on their views about equipping
officers with weapons. An extra 600 firearms officers in London have been
pledged following the Paris terrorist attacks. Scotland Yard said it did
not support the routine arming of officers. Does the presence of armed
police reassure people? Ken Marsh, chairman of the Federation, which
represents 32,000 officers in London, said it was ‘only fair’ to ask
police what they wanted amid a ‘constant’ terror threat.”
Germany
Deutsche
Welle: German Intelligence Chief Maassen Defends Authorities Over Berlin
Attack
“With Germany's security services under fire over the handling of the
Berlin attack, Germany's intelligence chief has hit back at criticism.
The main suspect was on the authorities' radar, but hard evidence was
thin. Almost three weeks after 12 people were killed and almost 50 others
were wounded in the Berlin terror attack on a Christmas market, new
information regarding the main suspect, Anis Amri, continues
to emerge - prompting harsh criticism of German
authorities and their actions in the run-up to the December 19 attack.
Hans-Georg Maassen, the president of Germany's domestic intelligence
agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV),
defended the country's anti-terror experts on Saturday,
however, claiming that he was yet to see how those responsible
had made mistakes.”
The
Times Of Israel: German Vice Chancellor Calls For Ban Of Salafist Mosques
“German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel has called for banning Salafist
Islamist mosques and deporting preachers who advocate violence. ‘Salafist
mosques must be banned, communities dissolved and the preachers should be
expelled as soon as possible,’ Gabriel told the German weekly Der Spiegel
on Saturday. ‘Those who encourage violence do not enjoy the protection of
religious freedom,’ he added. Gabriel, who also serves as the party
chairman of Germany’s center-left Social Democratic Party, emphasized
that he employs a ‘zero tolerance’ policy in combating the rise of
Islamic extremism in Germany.”
Newsweek:
How Will The Berlin Terror Attack Affect German, European Politics?
“Germany is recovering from one of the most deadly terrorist attacks
since the 1980 bombing at Munich’s Oktoberfest. On Dec. 19, 12 people
were killed when Anis Amri, a Tunisian citizen who had claimed allegiance
to the Islamic State militant group (ISIS), killed a Polish truck driver
and then drove his truck into a Christmas market in Berlin. Three days
later, Italian police discovered Amri during a routine police search.
When he was asked for identification he opened fire, and was killed by
police. In an age where radical Islamic terrorism is seen as a global
threat, every attack can be used to make political arguments.”
France
The
Guardian: Louvre Blames 2 Million Fall In Visitor Numbers On Terrorism
Fears
“The Louvre museum lost nearly €10m (£8.6m) last year after a drop in
visitor numbers blamed on fears of terrorism and closures caused by the
risk of flooding. Jean-Luc Martinez, head of the Parisian institution,
said it had been ‘a difficult year’ for most tourist sites in the French
capital and the museum had finished the year with 15% fewer visitors than
in 2015 – down about 2 million people to 7.3 million. Despite the gloomy
figures, he said he was hopeful ticket sales would improve in the coming
year. The number of French visitors has remained stable, but the Louvre
has lost international tourists put off by the series of terrorist
attacks in France since January 2015. There was also a drop in school
visits because of increased security following the November 2015 attacks
across the city.”
Europe
Sputnik
News: Foreign Fighters From This Balkan Nation Join 'Solely Al-Qaeda,
Al-Nusra'
“Jihadist fighters from Bosnia and Herzegovina, who have gone to
Syria, tend to join al-Qaeda and its former affiliate, al-Nusra Front,
Bosnian political analyst and an expert on terrorism Djevad Galijasevic,
told Sputnik. Galijasevic suggested that 400 people from Bosnia and
Herzegovina could return home from Syria. This might not seem as much
but, this Balkan nation is said to account for one of the largest
proportions of jihadists from Europe. The number of those who traveled to
the Middle East to fight on the Syrian battlefield has been at the center
of a row between Croatia and Bosnia. In December 2016, Croatian President
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic said that ‘thousands of jihadists’ returned to
Bosnia from Syria and Iraq, while Bosnian Security Minister Dragan Mektic
said that 226 Bosnians were believed to have joined Daesh.”
The
Washington Post: Czech Government Tells Its Citizens How To Fight
Terrorists: Shoot Them Yourselves
“A couple of months ago, Czech President Milos Zeman made an unusual
request: He urged citizens to arm themselves against a possible
‘super-Holocaust’ carried out by Muslim terrorists. Never mind that there
are fewer than 4,000 Muslims in this country of 10 million people — gun
purchases spiked. One shop owner in East Bohemia, a region in the
northern center of the Czech Republic, told a local paper that people
were scared of a ‘wave of Islamists.’ Now the country's interior ministry
is pushing a constitutional change that would let citizens use guns
against terrorists. Proponents say this could save lives if an attack
occurs and police are delayed or unable to make their way to the scene.
To become law, Parliament must approve the proposal; they'll vote in the
coming months.”
ISIS
Akhbar
Elyoum: Algerian Intelligence Infiltrates ISIS
“The trial of 12 terrorists operating under the banner of ISIS has
exposed the fact that the Algerian security forces were able to
infiltrate the terrorist organization. This was done through the
recruitment of an Algerian national within ISIS's forces in Iraq. This
infiltration was part of measures taken to prevent ISIS's incursion into
Algeria, fearing attacks which might undermine the country's security and
stability. The trial also exposed ISIS's funding efforts, which include
exploiting the Umrah to obtain hard currency after the tightening of
controls on sources of funding. The arrest of the accused, including a
tour guide and the son of a notorious terrorist, came following
investigations conducted by the Algerian judicial police. The
investigations were launched after receiving a tip on March 20th, 2015
that some young people wished to join ISIS.”
Counter-Terrorism
Alriyadh:
Saudi Arabia: Counseling Center Brings 85% Back From The Bosom Of
Terrorism To Moderation
“As of last Thursday, Saudi security readiness has aided in the arrest
of 5,085 terror-related suspects of different nationalities, on
suspicions of attempting to harm the security of the kingdom. In a similar
context, the Mohammed Bin Naif Center for Counseling and Care is known
for its success in restoring 85% of all detainees to a normal life.
Security spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry Maj. Gen. Mansour
al-Turki stated that the criminal acts which have targeted Saudi Arabia
are "unprecedented." He stressed that the kingdom has suffered
128 terrorist crimes since Hijri year 1422 {2001}, which resulted in the
death and injury of 1147 citizens, residents and security personnel.”
Muslim
Brotherhood
Gulfeyes:
Kuwait: Muslim Brotherhood Collects Corporate Funds Under Pretext Of
Social Responsibility
“Kuwaiti authorities are exploring the possibility of deducting 1% of
corporate profits as 'a voluntary contribution' for community service
activities. The idea is to require companies to perform their social
responsibilities and not leave this for each company to act according to
its particular loyalty or affiliation. The initiative comes after
Brotherhood-affiliated companies led a campaign to support the group in
neighboring countries under the pretext of its being part of social
responsibility ventures. Brotherhood-affiliated companies spent 450
million dinars ($1.467 billion) last year on social responsibility
projects. However, they did not divulge details of these activities or
their beneficiaries. Kuwaiti sources claim that a sum of 700 million
dinars ($2.282 billion) was spent by Brotherhood companies to support the
{so-called} "Arab Spring", including various events and gifts,
without elaborating on their nature and beneficiaries. The sources added
that 17 {Kuwaiti} companies are supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and
exploiting their profits to make investments in countries undergoing
violent revolutions.”
The
Seventh Day: Lawsuits Dry Up Muslim Brotherhood Funds In Turkey
“Attempts to mediate between Muslim Brotherhood allies in Turkey
failed after their disputes reached the Turkish judiciary system. Even
though Turkish courts dismissed the lawsuits, they were filed repeatedly
by some Brotherhood members. The prolonged legal procedures require the
spending of vast sums of money, which were obtained from donors.”
24:
Muslim Brotherhood Office Abroad Prepares A Demonstration Campaign To
Maintain The Flow Of Funds
“Sources well acquainted with the Office of the Muslim Brotherhood
Abroad revealed that the group's leaders are currently trying to assemble
the largest possible gathering of their followers and supporters and
mobilize them against the Egyptian regime. The group is planning
demonstrations to mark the sixth anniversary of the "January
Revolution". Note that the Office Abroad is affiliated with the
"Kamaliyoun" (a wing led by leader Mohammed Kamal). The sources
claimed that the Brotherhood Office Abroad has launched a new entity in
Istanbul to recruit as many supporters as possible, under the name "January
Brings Us Together." The launch ceremony, attended by more than 150
Brotherhood figures, was just one of several events planned to
commemorate the sixth anniversary of the January 25th Revolution.”
Hezbollah
From-Yemen:
Hezbollah Targets Saudi Arabia With Dangerous Drugs
“Abdul Ilah bin Mohammed Al-Sharif, the Secretary General of Saudi
Arabia's National Commission for Narcotics Control (NCNC), stated that
enemies are targeting Saudi Arabia with drugs, Captagon and hashish. The
drugs originate from factories in Syria and southern Lebanon with the backing
of Iranian organizations. Al-Sharif stressed that Saudi security
authorities provided accurate information to Turkish, Lebanese and
Sudanese security authorities, which led to the discovery of eight
factories producing huge quantities of Captagon, destined for the
Kingdom. The NCNC secretary general stated that Hezbollah is aggressively
targeting the Kingdom. According to Al-Sharif, the group hired a
Bulgarian chemistry expert to modify the chemical composition of Captagon
pills, making them much more injurious and deadly for young Saudis.”
Houthi
Pagearab:
Proposals To Change Yemeni Currency To Harm The Houthis
“The liquidity crisis, being experienced by Yemen, and the hegemony of
the black market over the economic sectors have led to calls to replace
the current local currency (riyal) with new banknotes. This move aims to
encourage taking "wealth out of its hiding places," according
to financial experts. They also stressed that this move will restore the
Central Bank's financial control over the war-torn country. According to
the Yemeni Central Bank, roughly 1.3 trillion riyals ($6 billion) have
stacked up outside the banking system. This sum is controlled by fuel and
currency speculators and black market traders in regions under Houthi
control. Sa'id Fekry Abdelwahed, an expert in public finance said,
"You cannot retrieve the vast monetary wealth accumulated in the
Houthis' hands and outside of the currency's circulation without changing
the currency.”
Hadramout
Net: Yemen: Thousands Of Poor Houthis Obtain Wealth And Buy Villas And
Lands
“Residents of the capital Sanaa and cities controlled by the Houthi
militia tell stories of the rapid and sudden wealth of the Houthis. They
claim that thousands of the poor have become rich and are buying villas
and lands for the Houthi population. A well-known real estate agent in
the Alsonainah district of Sanaa was quoted as saying he had helped
Houthi leaders to purchase 24 villas and a house in the district and
surrounding neighborhoods. He noted that the cheapest home was purchased
for 47 million riyals ($96,000) and the most expensive villa with a
garden for 270 million riyals ($1,080,000).”
Hamas
Khbrpress:
Hamas Government Writes Off Electricity Bills For Its Employees
“The Secretary General of the National Labor Committee, Mahmoud
al-Zak, revealed that the electricity crisis has recently worsened in the
Gaza Strip. He added that the average citizen does not feel there is an
electricity supply at all. Al-Zak noted that the solution to the current
crisis is to conduct bill collection in a fair and equitable manner in
order to upgrade the electricity supply. He stressed that Gaza
authorities are supposed to collect roughly 90 million shekels ($23.5
million), whereas the total collection today does not exceed 22 million
shekels ($5.7 million) per month. He continued, saying: "The Hamas
government has written off the financial debts of its employees during
the last ten years." He added that this is a waste of public money,
which was not put into the Electricity Company's coffers.”
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