Eye on Extremism August 8, 2016

Eye on Extremism August 8, 2016 Reuters: Islamic State Claims Responsibility For Machete Attack In Belgium “Islamic State claimed responsibility on Sunday for an attack by a machete-wielding man in Belgium that left two female police officers seriously injured, the group's Amaq news agency said on Twitter. Shortly before the claim, Belgian prosecutors had identified the assailant as a 33-year-old Algerian, K.B., who had lived in Belgium since 2012, saying that he may have been inspired by terrorism. The attacker, who shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ (God is greatest) during the assault on Saturday, was shot by police and died of his injuries. He was carrying a rucksack but no explosives or other weapons were found. Early on Sunday Belgian police arrested a man with a machete in the eastern city of Liege, broadcaster VRT reported. It said Liege police had cordoned off an area before detaining the man. It said he was of Turkish origin, did not use the machete and was not previously known to the police.” Bloomberg: Putin Senses Syria Victory That’ll Cement Assad, Confound U.S. “Vladimir Putin may be on the cusp of a pivotal victory in Syria’s civil war that would make it much harder for the U.S. to achieve its stated goal of ousting Bashar al-Assad without a major military escalation. Assad’s troops, backed by Russian air power, are bearing down on rebels entrenched in Aleppo, Syria’s most populous city before fighting erupted in 2011. Reclaiming Syria’s commercial capital would give Assad control over all major population centers and cement his hold on a contiguous swath of land from Turkey to Jordan that makes up almost half of the country. It’s been almost a year since Putin stunned the U.S. and its allies by entering the conflict to battle Islamist militants and prop up an old ally, turning the tables on western and regional powers intent on regime change. What started as a bloody crackdown on peaceful protesters morphed into a multifaceted proxy war that triggered Europe’s worst migrant crisis since World War II and facilitated the rise of Islamic State and its global campaign of terror.” New York Times: Anti-Social Media: Online Chats Foil Singapore Rocket Attack Plan “It was social media chatter that gave him away. Changing his profile picture on the LINE messaging app to a banner pledging "Indonesian support and solidarity for ISIS" probably didn't help. Had it not been for all that, Gigih Rahmat Dewa's plot to launch a rocket attack on the city-state of Singapore from a nearby Indonesian island might never have been uncovered. Gigih, 31, and five accomplices were arrested on Batam island on Friday after an investigation that showed how much Indonesia's Islamist militants now rely on social media, including with a Syria-based Islamic State jihadi who allegedly directed them to stage attacks.” Reuters: Islamic State Militants Claim Capture Of U.S. Weapons In Afghanistan “Militants linked to Islamic State have released photos that purport to show weapons and equipment that belonged to American soldiers and were captured by the group in eastern Afghanistan. The photos, which came to light on Saturday, show an American portable rocket launcher, radio, grenades and other gear not commonly used by Afghan troops, as well as close up views of identification cards for a U.S. Army soldier, Specialist Ryan Larson. The U.S. military command in Kabul denied any suggestion the soldier had been captured, saying he ‘has been accounted for and remains in a duty status within his unit.’ American special operations troops have been fighting alongside Afghan forces in a renewed offensive against militants who claim allegiance to Islamic State in Nangarhar Province, which borders Pakistan.” The Wall Street Journal: Taliban, Islamic State Forge Informal Alliance In Eastern Afghanistan “Islamic State and the Taliban, after more than a year of fierce combat, have forged a patchwork cease-fire across much of eastern Afghanistan that has helped both insurgencies regroup and counter U.S.-backed efforts to dislodge them. Until several months ago, Islamic State fought bloody battles with local Taliban units over fighters and territory in several provinces. The long-running Taliban insurgency has sought to stamp out its smaller rival, which only emerged in 2014. Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces took advantage of the conflict, engaging the militants on multiple fronts to push them back and reclaim territory they held. But recently, Afghan officials say, the two insurgencies have worked out local deals to stop fighting each other and turn their sights on the government.” Reuters: Islamic State Hits U.S.-Backed Syrian Rebel Base Near Iraq Border “Islamic State suicide bombers on Sunday attacked a military base for U.S.-backed fighters near the Syrian-Iraqi border, leaving several dead before blowing themselves up, rebel sources and the militants said on Sunday. They said the dawn attack on the heavily defended military camp near the Syrian al Tanf border crossing with Iraq involved at least one explosive-laden vehicle that rammed the gate of the base which was set up by the fledgling, Pentagon-trained New Syria Army. Another rebel said the militants were not able to storm the heavily fortified camp where large sand barriers have been erected to prevent such incursions and attacks in an area where the militants operate with hit and run attacks.” The Washington Post: Even With U.S. Airstrikes, A Struggle To Oust ISIS From Libyan Stronghold “The American air intervention has altered the military equation on the ground and given a much-needed boost to the morale of the fighters battling the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL. But in a densely packed urban environment, where territory is seized street by street and house by house, eradicating the militants from Sirte remains a formidable struggle, illuminating the limits of the U.S. air campaign. The fall of Sirte could be a major setback to the ambitions of the Islamic State. But since May, when the campaign to liberate Sirte began, the militias have been confronted with a sophisticated and coordinated strategy used by Islamic State fighters to protect their bastion in Sirte’s urban center.” New York Times: Hospital Bombing In Pakistani City Of Quetta Kills At Least 42 “At least 42 people were killed on Monday in the restive Pakistani city of Quetta when an explosion, apparently caused by a suicide bomber, struck a hospital where dozens of lawyers had gathered to condemn the killing of a prominent colleague. Officials in the southwestern city said that at least 30 people were wounded, most of them critically, and that the death toll was likely to rise.” The New York Times: Talks To End War In Yemen Are Suspended “More than three months of peace talks to end the war in Yemen came to a halt Saturday, leaving in doubt the future of a shaky cease-fire and threatening to deepen what has a become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The United Nations’ special envoy on Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, announced the suspension on Saturday in Kuwait, where the talks were being held. He said that the negotiations were not a failure and that they would resume in a month at an undisclosed location. A Western diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity as a matter of official policy, told reporters on Friday that he was disappointed by the end of the talks and expressed concerns about Yemen’s stability.” Fox News: Professors At American University Of Afghanistan Kidnapped In Kabul “Two professors at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul were kidnapped early Sunday, officials said. The incident happened close to the university, according to Kabul police chief Abdel Rahman Rahimi. Rahimi didn't confirm to Fox News the nationality of the two professors, or whether the two were staff of the university of visiting, but another law enforcement source told Fox News one of them is an American citizen and the other is an Australian national. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, but kidnapping-for-ransom has increased in Afghanistan in the past couple of months.” Voice Of America: Who’s Running Boko Haram? “This past week, a dispute over the leadership of the Nigerian-based extremist group Boko Haram unfolded in what some say is a sign the six-year insurgency may be coming to an end. In its weekly online publication, the Islamic State militant group named Abu Musab al-Barnawi as its ‘governor’ of ISWAP, the Islamic State’s West Africa Province, otherwise known as Boko Haram. The group took over IS in 2014 to become the world’s deadliest terrorist group, according to the 2015 Global Terrorism Index, published by the Institute for Economics & Peace.” Reuters: Egypt’s Former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa Survives Assassination Attempt “Egypt’s former Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, once one of the country’s top religious authorities, survived an assassination attempt on Friday, security sources told Reuters and state television later reported. Two men on a motorcycle fired guns on Gomaa as he entered a mosque, the sources said. He was unharmed and one of his body guards received a minor injury to the foot. The gunmen immediately fled the scene. Like many of the top religious figures in the Egyptian state, Gomaa is an adherent of a mystical school of Islam known as Sufism whose practices have sometimes set them at odds with more puritanical Muslims, including hardline Islamist groups. Gomaa is an outspoken critic of Islamist groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood which the military ousted from power in 2013 after mass protests against former President Mohamed Mursi.”  Reuters: Palestinian Denies Funneling Charity Money To Hamas: Lawyer “A Palestinian representative of U.S.-based Christian charity World Vision denies Israeli allegations that he funneled millions of dollars in aid money to the Islamist militant group Hamas, his lawyer said on Sunday. Mohammad El Halabi, World Vision's manager of operations in the Gaza Strip, was arrested by Israel on June 15 while crossing into the enclave, which is under the de facto rule of Hamas, a group on the Israeli and U.S. terrorism blacklists. Briefing reporters on Thursday, a senior Israeli security official said Halabi, who has run the group's Gaza operations since 2010, had been under surveillance.” NPR: Famous French Flea Market Canceled This Year Over Terrorism Fears “The French city of Lille has cancelled its annual flea market — an event that usually attracts millions of visitors and which dates from medieval times — because of security concerns. In France, many summer events have been scaled back and even cancelled over security fears. One of the biggest events to be suspended this week was Europe's largest antique fair and flea market, held in the northern town of Lille. The Braderie of Lille, the giant street fair, has been going on here since the Middle Ages. With tears in her eyes Friday, Lille's mayor, Martine Aubry, said the decision was extremely painful, but she had no choice. The city simply could not guarantee the safety of more than 2 million people who pour into Lille for the three-day flea market festival at the beginning of each September.” United States NPR: U.S. Releases Procedures For Approving Strikes Against Terror Suspects “The White House has declassified its procedures for approving operations against terror suspects outside of the United States, providing a window into the decision-making process for authorizing drone strikes and other forms of lethal force. The redacted document, issued by the administration in May 2013, was released in response to a court order resulting from an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit. The document spells out how a strike against a ‘high value’ terrorism suspect is approved. Perhaps the most salient point is that a large number of senior officials are involved in the decision-making process. The document allows for less stringent operating procedures during moments of ‘fleeting opportunity,’ and ‘extraordinary cases,’ including situations where an individual ‘poses a continuing, imminent threat to another country's persons.’” Syria BBC: Syria Rebels 'Break Government Siege' Of Aleppo “Rebel factions in Syria say they have broken a weeks-long government siege of Aleppo, amid scenes of rejoicing in the crucial northern city. Sources close to government forces denied that they had been pushed aside and said they had driven the rebels back from an artillery base. UK-based activists say the rebels have indeed managed to link up with their comrades in eastern Aleppo. But the rebels have so far failed to establish a secure route, they add. There were sporadic clashes and air strikes on Sunday morning, after the reported ending of the siege, monitors said.” BBC: Syria Aleppo: Jets Pound Rebels In Key City “Rebel factions who claim to have made gains in Syria's city of Aleppo have come under intense air strikes from pro-government forces. The Syrian government released video of its planes apparently bombing targets in the south-west of the city. The rebels earlier said they had broken a weeks-long government siege of Aleppo - a claim denied by Damascus. Some 250,000 people reportedly live in the besieged areas. An AFP news agency correspondent reported that air strikes had targeted rebel-held areas of Aleppo. Opposition activists said Russian aircraft had also took part in the air strikes on Sunday in Aleppo's Ramouseh area. There was no immediate comment from the Russian military.” Turkey The Washington Post: Turkey Arrests Dozens Of Special Forces In Post-Coup Purge “Dozens of special forces personnel were reportedly arrested in Turkey on Saturday, the latest development in a sweeping crackdown following last month’s failed coup in the country that killed more than 270 people. Nearly 90 staff members were arrested after being identified by a commission established by the Special Forces Command in the wake of the July 15 overthrow attempt, the state-run Anadolu news agency said. The crackdown targets suspected followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara accuses of masterminding the coup attempt. Tens of thousands of employees in the military, police force, judiciary and throughout the public sector have been dismissed, detained or arrested since forces loyal to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put down the revolt.” USA Today: Massive Crowd Rallies For Democracy In Turkey “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined leaders of Turkey’s three main political parties and a massive throng of countrymen in Istanbul for a historic pro-democracy rally Sunday to protest the military's failed coup last month. Erdogan called for the rally that drew a sea of Turkish flags to Yenikapi square. Opposition leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, in a rare appearance at a rally with Erdogan, said the failed coup opened a ‘new door of compromise’ and said politics must be kept out of mosques, courthouses and barracks. Police estimated 5 million people turned out for Sunday's rally, Anadolu reported. The Qatar-based Al Jazeera agency estimated the crowd at more than 1 million.” BBC: Turkey Coup: Erdogan Backs Return Of Death Penalty At Vast Istanbul Rally “Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told a vast rally in Istanbul that he would approve the return of the death penalty if it was backed by parliament and the public. He was speaking to at least a crowd of at least a million who had gathered in Turkey's biggest city. The rally followed last month's failed military coup. Mr Erdogan also said the state would be cleansed of all supporters of the US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. The cleric is blamed by the Turkish government for the attempted uprising. He denies any involvement.” CNN: Turkey To Compensate Victims Of Coup Attempt “Turkey announced it will offer compensation and a monthly income to the families of those killed or injured during last month's failed coup attempt. The military's shortlived attempt to seize power and overthrow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on July 15 claimed 239 lives and injured nearly 2,200 others, according to state media. Families of those killed while on duty and civilians will receive a one-time payment of up to 240,000 Turkish liras ($79,000), Labor and Social Security Minister Suleyman Soylu said in a televised interview late Saturday. In addition, they will receive a monthly salary of at least 3,200 liras ($1,067) and job guarantees for two family members.” Yemen Reuters: Yemen's Hadi Launches Military Operation East Of Sanaa, Peace Talks End “Forces loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi launched a new offensive east of the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday, the military command said, after United Nations-sponsored peace talks in Kuwait ended without an agreement. The offensive, which is backed by air strikes from a Saudi-led coalition, came as the Iran-allied Houthis and the party of ex-President Ali Abdullah Saleh announced a 10-member governing council, against the wishes of the U.N. The Houthis and Saleh's General People's Congress (GPC), hold most of Yemen's northern half, while forces loyal to Hadi share control of the rest of the country with local tribes.” Saudi Arabia Reuters: Saudi-Led Coalition Launches 30 Air Strikes In Yemen - Residents “A Saudi-led military coalition carried out around 30 air strikes throughout Yemen on Sunday, residents said, a day after U.N. talks to end a civil war there expired without achieving peace. The bombings were aimed at Yemen's armed Houthi movement in Sanaa, Saada, Jawf, Hajja and Taiz provinces, stretching from the country's far north to coastal south. There were no immediate reports of casualties in the strikes, which were carried out largely in remote war zones. But on battlefronts in two areas northeast of the capital Sanaa and in southern Bayda province, local officials said about 40 fighters were killed from both sides in renewed clashes. Saudi Arabia and its mostly Gulf Arab allies intervened in Yemen's civil war in March 2015 but have failed to restore the exiled government to the Houthi-run capital.” Deutsche Welle: Saudi Arabia To Aid German Investigators Over Attacks: Report “In the report on Saturday, the German news magazine ‘Spiegel’ cited a senior Saudi government official as saying that Riyadh wanted to help Germany find those behind Islamist bomb and ax attacks in July that left 20 people injured and the two assailants dead. ‘We want to jointly do everything possible to clarify the backgrounds of the attacks,’ the official was quoted as saying. Saudi authorities were already in contact with the German authorities, according to the magazine. The ‘Spiegel’ report said new findings had shown that up until shortly before their crimes, both attackers had been in close contact via a chat conversation with possible supporters of the jihadist group ‘Islamic State’ (IS) in Saudi Arabia. Traces of the chats indicated that both men had not only been influenced by the unknown IS backers, but had even received instructions on how to proceed, the report said.” Egypt USA Today: Attacks On Christians In Egypt Raise Alarms “The fire in mid-July came amid a rash of recent attacks that have alarmed Egypt's Coptic Christian minority, who blame the government for doing too little to protect them. About 10% of Egypt’s mostly Muslim population of 90 million are Christian — one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Tawadros told lawmakers that attacks against Christians average about one a month over the past three years. The Egyptian government says it is taking action, but it's not enough to prevent the attacks, Nasef and others said. Police arrested 15 people suspected of setting fire to five Copts’ houses on July 16 in Abu-Yacoub, a village about 140 miles south of Cairo.” Middle East The Times Of Israel: Russia, Not Hezbollah, Sent Drone Into Israel — Report “A drone that crossed into northern Israel last month belonged to Russia — not Hezbollah, as was initially suspected — the Haaretz newspaper reported Sunday. The unmanned aerial vehicle entered Israeli airspace from Syria on July 17. The Israel Defense Forces attempted to shoot down the aircraft three times, but failed. Israel’s security services initially suspected the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah was responsible for the breach; however, Russian officials admitted to their Israeli counterparts that the drone was, in fact, theirs, the newspaper reported. While the Russian officials claimed the incident was the result of ‘human error,’ it is possible the Russian military was testing Israel’s aerial defense capabilities.” Nigeria Reuters: Appointment Of Boko Haram Leader Exposes Divisions In Nigerian Group “Boko Haram's appointment of a new leader and his apparent rejection by the group's figurehead exposes wide divisions among the Nigerian jihadists as they come under pressure from the country's military. The promotion of Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who is thought to favor more targeted attacks than the wholesale violence of figurehead Abubakar Shekau, was announced in the weekly magazine of Islamic State. Boko Haram, which has regularly staged suicide bombings in crowded areas, pledged loyalty to IS last year. But Shekau appears to have rejected the new role of al-Barnawi, who experts say has been the group's military commander and has also been on the radar for months as head of a faction favoring attacks on the Nigerian military.” Germany RT: German Police Find Alleged Gunman Unarmed And ‘Almost Asleep’ In Pub Basement “A German police counter-terrorism unit was scrambled to storm a pub after a man, who was at first believed to be armed, barricaded himself inside. He was later found to be almost sleeping in a basement and is said to have mental problems. The police were deployed after reports that an armed man, who was covered in blood, had barricaded himself in a pub called ‘Dubrovnik’ in the western German city of Saarbruecken. Initial reports from the scene said that the man had ordered the staff out and took no hostages. A heavily armed police counter-terrorism unit, SEK, arrived at the scene with nearby streets in being cordoned off.” Europe CNBC: Terrorism Fears Up Stakes For Tourism As Europe Travel Falls 'Off A Cliff' “Paris. Nice. Brussels. Orlando. Istanbul. Venezuela. Brazil. Baton Rouge. Dallas. The list of places around the world touched by terrorism, violence, rising crime rates and health alerts continues to grow, along with the impact on the travel and tourism industry. This year, however, U.S. travelers are increasingly taking terror risks into account when making vacation plans. In Europe, tourism has suffered in the wake of attacks: France's tourist sector alone has lost an estimated 270 million euros ($299 million) since late 2015, according to recent data.” Counter-Extremism Al-Ain: Proposal To Impose New Tax To Counter Extremism “The French Council of the Muslim Faith has proposed imposing a tax on Halal (permissible) products, to finance mosques and fight extremism, in the wake of a series of terrorist attacks that hit the country. The Chairman of the Council, Anouar Kbibech, introduced plans to formulate new rules to help reduce foreign financing amid fears of extremism. Kbibech stated that "the idea has been on the table since the founding of the French Council of the Muslim Faith." He explained that the money to be collected will be channeled towards paying the salaries of imams and funding the construction and management of mosques, which cannot obtain state support under French law.” Combating the Financing of Terrorism Elkhabar: Algerian - Tunisian Cooperation In Fighting Terror Financing “Tunisian banks now prohibit converting Tunisian dinars into Euros without first presenting a passport verifying the identity of the person requesting this service. Thus, Algerians are finding themselves obliged to show their passports in order to exchange currency, unlike in the past. Growing terrorist threats and suspicious financial transfers, including terror financing on a global scale, have forced the Tunisian government to be more vigilant. This is because terrorist organizations and criminal groups may take advantage of conditions related to currency exchange and money transfers intended for gangs involved in arms and drug deals.” Muslim Brotherhood Youm7: Former Muslim Brotherhood Leader Uncovers Clandestine Route Of Group’s Funds “Mr. Tarek Abo Al Saad, a former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, exposed two routes for Muslim Brotherhood’s funds, which are being spent on increasing it support base: One route is a secret known only to the group’s Secretariat Commission, consisting of four prominent Muslim Brotherhood figures, namely: Khayrat al-Shater, Mahmoud Ezzat, Mahmoud Hussein and Mohammed Abdul Rahman Almorsy. These senior figures have intimate knowledge of the ins and outs of the Muslim Brotherhood’s funding sources, how funds reach the group’s members in Egypt and the group’s total assets all over the world. Al Saad added that the second route, which is publicly known, includes donations and membership fees. The latter source provides cover and protection for the clandestine route. The former Muslim Brotherhood leader emphasized that it is true that the group’s members pay membership fees, but these are considered "a drop in the bucket" compared with the Muslim Brotherhood’s total funds and assets.” Veto: Iraqi Defense Minister reveals the use of Iraqi funds in support of the Muslim Brotherhood “Iraqi political analyst Safaa Almosli claimed that the allegations of corruption attributed by Khaled al-Obeidi, the Iraqi Defense Minister, to parliament speaker Dr. Saleem al-Jubouri, reveal the scope of what Iraq suffered, in terms of looting its public coffers, during the rule of Paul Bremer. Almosli stressed that Saleem al-Jubouri is a leader in the Islamic Party, which represents the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood and which was involved in seizing public funds for many years together with its partner, the Shiite Islamic Dawa Party. The Iraqi political analyst stressed that political Islamic groups, particularly the Brotherhood, obtained millions of dollars in deals with various Iraqi institutions. These sums served to support the Brotherhood in Mesopotamia, Almosli noted. He added that these funds may also be used to support other Brotherhood branches, particularly the mother group in Egypt.” Parlmany: Documents Reveal Ongoing Work Of Brotherhood-Affiliated Publishing House “Documents reveal the ongoing work by a publishing house belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood and owned by Salah Abdel Maqsoud, Egypt’s former minister of information during President Mohammed Morsi's rule. This activity circumvents a previous decision by the Muslim Brotherhood Asset Freeze Committee.” Houthi Almashhad Alyemeni: Houthi Group Relies On Nearly $4 Million For Rehabilitation Of The Republican Guard “Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, President of the so-called Revolutionary Committee of the Houthis, inaugurated a program on Saturday entitled "Rehabilitating and Rebuilding the Republican Guard." The inauguration took place at the headquarters of the Command of the Republican Guard forces in Sanaa in As Sawad, south of the capital. It was attended by the acting defense minister appointed by the Houthis, Hussein Khairan, and the commander of the reserve forces, Ali Al-Janfi. Mohammed al-Houthi ordered the heads of the Sanaa-based Ministry of Defense, which is controlled by Houthis, to direct 1 billion Yemeni riyals (approximately $4 million) to rebuild the units of the Republican Guard. This is in accordance with the operational vision and work plan, al-Houthi stressed.” ISIS Assabeel: Massive Losses For The Energy Sector Due To The War Against ISIS “Iraqi Electricity Minister Qassim al-Fahdawi revealed that the total losses of the energy system in four provinces (northern and western of the country) and the cost of repairs, due to the devastation caused by the battles waged by government forces against ISIS, may exceed $5.9 billion in just two years. Al-Fahdawi said that "the power transmission sector is the most affected by terrorist attacks and battles." He went on to say that "the financial losses suffered by the power generation and transmission plants in the provinces of Diyala (east), Mosul, Salahuddin (north) and Anbar (west), amount to more than $3 billion.” Muslim Brotherhood Elwehda: Muslim Brotherhood Businessman Hassan Malek Reconciles With The State By Returning Property “Official sources revealed that Egyptian businessman Hassan Malek paid 600 million pounds ($68 million) to the state. He still owes another 400 million pounds ($45 million) as a prelude to reconciliation with the state and his release from prison. The sources noted that Malek has sold many of his assets in Egypt, via power of attorney, to his son, to obtain the required amount. He asked to extend the deadline for a month so as to raise the balance, especially since all of his wealth is invested in companies and not deposited in banks. The sources added that the reconciliation agreement between Malek and the state stipulates that Malek must also relinquish lands he obtained free of charge in the 5th Settlement Neighborhood, the North Coast and El Ain El Sokhna during the rule of ousted president Mohammed Morsi. This real estate is worth 350 million pounds ($40 million). Malek had planned to build tourist villages on these lands in partnership with Muslim Brotherhood Deputy Supreme Guide Khayrat al-Shater. The sources explained that the move was part of the reconciliation between Brotherhood businessmen and the state in exchange for lifting the ban on their money and releasing them from prison.” Doctor: Muslim Brotherhood Aspires To Launch Satellite TV Channel In Qatar “Nabil Naim, former leader of the Islamic Jihadist movement in Egypt, claimed that leaders of the International Organization of the Muslim Brotherhood held an urgent meeting attended by former Israeli Knesset member Azmi Bishara to discuss the launch of a satellite TV channel. It will serve as the mouthpiece of the Qatar-based members of the Brotherhood. Naim added that Bishara "is exploiting" the young in Arab countries under the banner of "democracy" through which he exposes them to civil society organizations with the aim of training them to overthrow regimes.” Hezbollah Asharq Alawsat: Hezbollah Takes Part In Campaign To Support Iran's Allies In South America “Followers of social media websites have recently observed that Iran and Hezbollah, via TV channels and Twitter accounts, have launched a Spanish-language marketing campaign in support of their allies, such as Venezuela. In this context, Almayadeen, an Arabic satellite TV channel, and others have launched a media campaign in Spanish backing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and promoting the ideas of former president Hugo Chavez. Iran has issued orders to its Hezbollah-affiliated TV channels in Lebanon to broadcast to Spanish-speaking communities in support of its allies. The campaign also included the inauguration of Spanish-speaking news websites, run by Latinos of Arab origin.”