Eye on Extremism - August 3, 2016

Eye on Extremism August 3, 2016 Counter Extremism Project The Cipher: The Private Sector Role In Countering Violent Extremism “As government efforts to challenge terrorist propaganda online are often met with distrust by the very people they are trying to reach, the private sector has moved in to help navigate and confront the fraught social media landscape where extremist groups look for individuals to radicalize. Countering violent extremism (CVE) efforts largely focus on trying to dissuade individuals from acts of violence or from adopting extremist ideologies, and confronting extremist messaging online has been a major part of recent work to counter the threat of homegrown terrorism. Along with focusing on on-the-ground work at the community level, campaigns on social media are a key part of CVE — but some recent efforts have been hit with extensive criticism and ridicule from both the public at large and extremists themselves.” New York Times: How A Secretive Branch Of ISIS Built A Global Network Of Killers “Believing he was answering a holy call, Harry Sarfo left his home in the working-class city of Bremen last year and drove for four straight days to reach the territory controlled by the Islamic State in Syria. He barely had time to settle in before members of the Islamic State’s secret service, wearing masks over their faces, came to inform him and his German friend that they no longer wanted Europeans to come to Syria. Where they were really needed was back home, to help carry out the group’s plan of waging terrorism across the globe.” NBC: New Counterterrorism 'Heat Map' Shows ISIS Branches Spreading Worldwide “As the U.S. launched more airstrikes Tuesday against ISIS targets in Libya — representing an expansion of the U.S. military operations beyond Iraq and Syria — NBC News has exclusively obtained a map showing the global expansion of the terror group. The map is part of a classified briefing document received by the White House dated "August 2016" and prepared by the National Counterterrorism Center. It shows a stunning three-fold increase in the number of places around the globe where ISIS is operating.” Reuters: Obama Says Supporting Libya's Fight With Islamic State Is In U.S. Interest “President Barack Obama said on Tuesday it is in the U.S. national security interest to support Libya's emerging government's fight against Islamic State, a day after his administration said it launched air strikes there. The move marks the opening of a new front by the U.S. administration in the war against Islamic State, which, under added pressure in its Syria and Iraq strongholds, is increasingly resorting to planning attacks abroad.” Newsweek: Who Is Winning The Endgame Of The Aleppo Siege? “Some four years after rebels captured much of Syria’s largest city, the regime and its allies finally encircled their territory in Aleppo. Through the final week of July 2016, these forces severed the last remaining opposition supply line, Castello Road, and likely intend to besiege rebel-held parts of the city and their estimated 300,000 inhabitants.” Wall Street Journal: U.S. Sent Cash To Iran As Americans Were Freed “The Obama administration secretly organized an airlift of $400 million worth of cash to Iran that coincided with the January release of four Americans detained in Tehran, according to U.S. and European officials and congressional staff briefed on the operation afterward. Wooden pallets stacked with euros, Swiss francs and other currencies were flown into Iran on an unmarked cargo plane, according to these officials. The U.S. procured the money from the central banks of the Netherlands and Switzerland, they said.” Reuters: Libya Car Bomb Targets Security Forces In Benghazi, Kills 22: Officials “A car bomb targeting security forces in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi killed at least 22 people and wounded 20 on Tuesday, a commander of the forces and medical officials said. The blast occurred in a residential area in the Guwarsha district, the scene of fighting between security forces loyal to Libya's eastern government and an alliance of Islamists and other opponents.” Times Of Israel: Haniyeh Seeks To Pay Hamas ‘Military Personnel’ With Qatar’s Money “Senior Hamas leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh said Sunday he is working to ensure money sent to the terror group by Qatar will be used to pay “military personnel” alongside civilian government employees.” BBC: Boko Haram In Nigeria: Abu Musab Al-Barnawi Named As New Leader “Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who was previously spokesman for the Nigerian-based Islamists, is featured in the latest issue of an IS magazine. It does not say what has become of the group's former leader Abubakar Shekau. He was last heard from in an audio message last August, saying he was alive and had not been replaced - an IS video released in April said the same.” Washington Post: How The U.S. Military Scrambled In Turkey To Keep Working During The Coup Attempt “During the first night of the coup, the lights went out here around 2 a.m., as local authorities shut off this sprawling airfield’s power, beginning what would be a kind of siege of the joint Turkish-U.S. base. U.S. Air Force Col. David Trucksa, the commander of the 447th Air Expeditionary Group, had been at his post commanding a contingent of U.S. ground attack aircraft and refueling jets at Incirlik for little more than two weeks when — on the night of July 15 — his second in command called and told him to flip to the news.” United States Wall Street Journal: Obama Says Airstrikes on Islamic State Came at Libya’s Request “President Barack Obama said his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes on an Islamic State stronghold in Libya for the first time was in response to advances the country’s government has made against the group. Mr. Obama, speaking Tuesday at news conference with the leader of Singapore, said the government requested the U.S. airstrikes to assist in the Islamic State fight.” Syria Mother Jones: One of Syria's Largest Battles Is Unfolding Right Now “Last month, the Syrian regime successfully encircled the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo and choked off the last remaining rebel supply line. Since then, Syrian forces and their Russian allies have been bombarding the rebel-held half of the city, striking civilian infrastructure including hospitals and markets, and creating what many are calling a "humanitarian catastrophe." Muhammad al-Zein, an administrator who helps oversee hospitals in the rebel-held part of Aleppo, told the Wall Street Journal that airstrikes have hit five hospitals, a clinic, and a medical training institute since pro-Assad forces took control of Castello Road, which had been an access point for food and medical supplies into the besieged city.” Reuters: Rescuers say toxic gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian helicopter shot down “A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday a helicopter dropped containers of toxic gas overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter had been shot down hours earlier. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al-Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons.” Iraq BBC: Islamic State conflict: RAF bombs Saddam palace in north Iraq “A palace built by Saddam Hussein which was being used as a training centre for the Islamic State militant group has been bombed by UK and coalition forces. The Ministry of Defence said the former dictator's complex in Mosul, north Iraq, was a "major" IS HQ and training centre for foreign recruits. RAF Tornados used guided bombs in what Defence Secretary Michael Fallon called "emphatic" airstrikes on Monday.” New York Times: Iraq Prime Minister Issues Travel Ban For Some Lawmakers “Iraq's prime minister issued a travel ban on Tuesday for some sitting lawmakers and politicians amid corruption allegations that surfaced during the questioning in parliament of the country's defense minister. Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi told lawmakers on Monday that parliament speaker, Salim al-Jabouri, and other government officials and businessmen had tried to persuade him to secure specific contracts and to reinstate employees fired due to corruption. As well as the parliament speaker, Al-Obeidi mentioned the names of four sitting lawmakers, one former lawmaker and two parliamentary officials affiliated with the speaker.” Breitbart: Islamic State Leader Guns Down His Own Troops at Iraq Training Camp “Tensions within the Islamic State’s ranks appear to have boiled over at a training camp in Iraq, where an exasperated “foreign jihadi leader” opened fire on his own disobedient troops, sparking a gun battle that killed two and wounded 20 more. According to the UK Daily Mail, the fight broke out when local recruits from the area around the Islamic State’s Iraqi stronghold of Mosul grew “outraged” at foreign jihadis taking plum jobs in the Islamic State’s police force, sharia courts, and training camps.” Egypt Al-Monitor: Why Turkey and Egypt won’t reconcile anytime soon “On July 26, the Egyptian parliament took steps toward approving a resolution to recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide at the hands of Ottoman Turks, marking a new turn in a bitter row that has all but severed diplomatic ties between Egypt and Turkey. The motion was presented to parliament by legislator Mustafa Bakry, a controversial politician with a track record of championing polarizing policies that favor increasing state powers. It highlighted the increasingly detrimental influence of regime hard-liners on Egypt’s regional policies, as a wave of political attacks against Turkey’s president following the failed coup attempt renewed tensions and threatened to damage relations with Ankara beyond repair.” Middle East Daily Star: Leaked ISIS ‘Heat Map’ Shows Terror Network Growing Worldwide “ISIS – also known as Daesh – now has “branches” in 18 countries, a briefing map prepared for US president Barack Obama reveals. This is almost a three-fold increase on 2014, when the terror group operated in just seven countries. The death cult has also inspired “lone wolf” terror attacks in other countries – including Britain.” France BBC: French Priest Funeral: Jacques Hamel Mourned In Rouen “A public ceremony was led by the city's archbishop, after which Father Hamel was to be interred in a private burial. French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve and senior Roman Catholic clerics attended the service. Father Hamel had his throat cut when two men stormed his church during Mass.” Euro News: France: Islamic Funding Reform “The organization and financing of the Muslim faith in France, has come under fire from politicians after the succession of jihadist attacks in recent months. The Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve followed Prime Minister Manuel Valls in promising action. ‘The Foundation of Islam in France’ will be launched in October with the aim of developing a counter-narrative to discredit extremist discourse and creating more transparency in the foreign funding of mosques.” Europe Reuters: Italian police arrest Syrian suspected of trying to join militants “Italian police arrested a Syrian man in the northern city of Genoa on Wednesday on suspicion he was planning to travel to his home country to join Islamist militants. Police said in a statement their anti-terrorism unit had arrested an unemployed man, 23, who they said was planning to return to Syria to join the rebel group Nusra Front. He was arrested on suspicion of supporting international terrorism. The Syrian Islamist rebel group, which emerged at the start of the Syrian conflict, re-branded itself last week as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and cut ties with international jihadist network al Qaeda.” Hamas Arutz Sheva: Hamas criticizes Israel for killing terrorists “The Hamas terrorist organization is continuing to encourage Palestinian Arabs to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel, but is also criticizing Israel for killing terrorists who harmed Israelis. In recent days, the organization has distributed video guides on how to kill Jews by stabbing them, and educating the younger generation in schools and summer camps on the ethos of violence and terror aimed to kill the Jews in “Palestine”.” Jerusalem Post: Hamas and Fatah battle over arrests ahead of municipal elections “Hamas accuses the Palestinian Authority of attempting to undermine its municipal election campaign in the West Bank by arresting and summoning a number of its members on Monday, according to al-Quds al-Arabi. Abdul Rahman Zeidan, a Hamas representative of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said that the Palestinian Authority Security Forces are carrying out an arrest campaign in the West Bank that is “shaking Hamas’s confidence in the PA’s, the government’s and Fatah’s seriousness in organizing democratic elections.”” Terror Financing Mansheet: Attempt To Smuggle Money To Terrorists In Sinai Thwarted “Egyptian Army Spokesman, Brigadier General Mohammad Samir, claimed that as part of the effort to block the financing of terrorists, border guards in the region of the Third Field Army managed to stop a 4-wheel vehicle carrying a sum of 367,700 Egyptian pounds (roughly $41,000). The car was commandeered near Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel and delivered to the competent authorities for further legal action. Meanwhile, in the region of the Second Field Army, (Egyptian) security forces uncovered two hand grenades, two automatic rifles, six magazines for automatic rifles,100 bullets and a wireless device.” ISIS Mansheet: Libyan Militias Request Funds For Elimination Of ISIS “Libyan media reports reveal that the leaders of armed militias from Misrata wish to obtain external financing. They claim that money is needed before any progress can be made on the ground, under the cover of American airstrikes, and before the battle of Sirte against ISIS fighters, who control this coastal city, can be decided. Mukhtar Fakroun, Spokesman for the Air Force in Misrata, which is at the center of the campaign to liberate Sirte, stated, "We have asked for United States support so that the operation can move quickly and we won't lose any more fighters." One day after the United States began its campaign of air strikes against ISIS's stronghold in Libya, factions opposing the terror organization welcomed Washington's intervention. Nonetheless, they remained cautious about the advancement of the forces, fearing minefields and snipers.” Muslim Brotherhood Albawabh News: Documentary Sheds Light On Financiers Of The International Organization Of The Muslim Brotherhood “In the second segment of his documentary film entitled "The Organization", producer Youssef Al Hosseiny exposed the leaders of the International Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood who are operating through the Group's headquarters in London. The list includes many names, topped by Mr. Hashim Bin Mohammed Al Awadi, a Qatari citizen, who heads the Media Department at Eid Charity; Sheikh Ahmed Eid Bin Al Thani, a Qatari citizen, the official designated by the Qatari government to combat money laundering and terror financing, and founder of Eid Charity Association which backs the Muslim Brotherhood; Abd al-Wahhab al-Humayqani, a Yemeni citizen and supporter of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula; Abdulalrahman Al-Naimi, a Qatari citizen, whom the United States and the European Union have named as a financier of al Qaeda in Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula, in addition to Nusra Front and Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen.” Shorouk News: Hearing To Overturn The Invalidity Of The Seizure Of Funds Owned By Brotherhood-Affiliated Al Waha Schools Postponed “Appeals Inspection Chamber of the Supreme Administrative Court, headed by Judge Fawzi Abd El-Radi, decided on Monday to postpone the appeal submitted by the Egyptian Ministers of Education and Justice. The appeal demands the cancellation of a previous ruling to invalidate the seizure of funds owned by Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Al Waha Language Schools. The next hearing will be held on November 7th. The Administrative Court (court of first instance) issued a ruling on the invalidity of the seizure of funds belonging to Brotherhood-affiliated schools. However, the Ministers of Education and Justice filed an appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court against this ruling.” The Seventh Day: President Of Cairo University: Brotherhood Employees Of Ministry Of Youth Used The Universities' Funds In The Service Of The Group “President of Cairo University, Dr. Jaber Jad, said that the Muslim Brotherhood "jumped on the wagon" of the January 25th Revolution and 'Brotherhoodized' it. They seized the opportunity when the Egyptian people were without a leader and began to penetrate into public consciousness. The president of the university stressed that the group had infiltrated into both academia and government departments. Its leadership managed to exploit state funds to fulfill the aspirations of the Group and its members. He went on to say that Brotherhood employees at the Ministry of Youth had channeled the universities' funds in the service of the Group."