Eye on Extremism September 6, 2016

Eye on Extremism September 6, 2016 CNN: First On CNN: ISIS Planned For More Operatives, Targets During Paris Attacks “The sophisticated ISIS network that plots foreign strikes had planned for the carnage in the November 2015 Paris attacks to be far worse, to occur in other European countries as well and, investigators believe, had planned to follow them up with strikes in several locations, CNN has learned. CNN has obtained thousands of pages of documents and photos from internal European investigations and gathered information from sources close to the Paris investigation that together provide new details about the highly organized terror group intent on attacking overseas targets. These documents reveal new information about two captured operatives who investigators believe intended to attack France. They also point, chillingly, to the existence of another suspected terrorist -- never before named publicly -- who authorities claim is linked to the Paris terror cell and was on the loose in Europe for months after that attack.” Reuters: Islamic State Claims Syria Blasts That Kill Dozens “Six explosions claimed by the Islamic State group hit government-controlled areas and a province held by a Kurdish militia in Syria on Monday, killing dozens of people, state media and a monitor said. The blasts took place in the morning in the cities of Homs and Tartous and at the entrance to a town west of Damascus, all held by the government, and in Kurdish-held areas in Qamishli and Hasaka in northeastern Syria. Islamic State's media outlet Amaq said the attacks were suicide operations targeting the Syrian government and a Kurdish security force. It issued separate statements naming some of the bombers. Syria's cabinet said the attacks were a response to the recapture on Sunday by the army and its allies of a district of Aleppo that insurgents had seized last month, reinstating a siege on rebel-held parts of the city.” CNN: ISIS Claims Credit For Baghdad Blast That Kills 7 “ISIS claimed credit for a car bomb attack that killed seven people and wounded 14 others in central Baghdad on Monday, according to security officials. Amaq, the ISIS-affiliated media outlet, said its ‘martyrdom operation by a suicide car bomb targeted a Shiite gathering in Karrada neighborhood in Baghdad.’ The blast, which happened shortly before midnight, was near the location of an attack in July that killed nearly 300 people. That attack, like this one and another in July, targeted a predominantly Shiite neighborhood. ISIS, whose followers adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam, often attack followers of the Shiite branch.” Associated Press: Suspected US Drone Strike Kills 9 Militants In Yemen “Yemeni security officials say a suspected U.S. drone has bombed a home in the central province of Marib, killing nine alleged al-Qaida fighters. They said the Monday morning attack took place in Marib's Wadi Obeida area. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. U.S. drone strikes have killed dozens of al-Qaida militants in Yemen over the years as part of Washington's global war against terror. Al-Qaida and the extremist Islamic State group have taken advantage of the chaos and lawlessness brought about by Yemen's ongoing civil war to expand their reach in the impoverished Arabian Peninsula nation. The war pits the internationally recognized government and a Saudi-led coalition against Shiite rebels and army units loyal to a former president.” USA Today: Pair Of Bombings In Afghanistan Kills At Least 24 “A pair of bombings near the Afghan Defense Ministryin Kabul killed at least 24 people on Monday, including two security force generals, The Associated Press reported. The Taliban claimed credit for the attack, which wounded 91. Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said a district police chief and five other police officers were among those killed. Deputy Defense Ministry spokesman Mohammad Radmanish said the second bombing was caused by a suicide attacker who struck the area of the first blast after security forces gathered there. Radmanish said the attack took place as ministry employees were leaving their offices for the day. Senior police investigator Faredoon Obiadi said the suicide attacker was wearing a military uniform.” Washington Post: For The First Time Since 2013, ISIS Has No Border With NATO “Turkish troops and Syrian rebels on Sunday pushed the Islamic State out of the remaining stretch of territory the group had controlled along the Turkish-Syrian border, severing the militants’ last access to the outside world. Since 2013, when the group announced its formation, it has had territory bordering a NATO state — Turkey — but the sweep by Turkish forces and rebels fighting under the umbrella of the Free Syrian Army has brought that to an end. According to the official Turkish news agency Anadolu, the Turkish army helped Syrian rebel allies secure 57 miles of border territory stretching from the Syrian towns of Azaz and Jarabulus by ejecting the militants from a string of villages on Sunday.” The Guardian: Iran Accuses Saudi Arabia Of 'Murdering' Pilgrims During Hajj Stampede “Iran’s supreme leader has said Saudi Arabian authorities ‘murdered’ Muslim pilgrims who were injured during last year’s hajj stampede, as Mecca prepares to host the annual event again. ‘The heartless and murderous Saudis locked up the injured with the dead in containers — instead of providing medical treatment and helping them or at least quenching their thirst. They murdered them,’ Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in astatement on his website marking the anniversary of the disaster and calling for new management of the event. He offered no evidence to support the allegations. Saudi Arabia’s crown prince and interior minister, Mohammed bin Nayef, said Iran was attempting to ‘politicise’ the hajj.” Haaretz: Palestinian Killed In East Jerusalem Refugee Camp After Suspected Attempt To Run Over Police “A Palestinian man was shot and killed and another was wounded early on Monday after a suspected attempt to run over policemen in East Jerusalem's Shoafat refugee camp, police said. Police said the men drove quickly toward the officers, refused to stop and were shot. There were no police injuries. ‘At the end of an operational activity conducted by Israel Police and Border Police in the Shoafat reugee camp, and after the forces withdrew, a vehicle approached them traveling swiftly in an attempt to run over the forces,’ a statement from police in Jerusalem said.” Associated Press: Nigerian Military: Some Officers Selling Arms To Boko Haram “Nigeria's military says some officers are selling arms and ammunition to Boko Haram, indicating the corruption bedeviling the country's fight against the Islamic extremists continues despite government efforts to halt graft. The admission comes three weeks after the Nigerian army said a military tribunal is trying 16 officers and troops accused of offenses related to the fight against Boko Haram, including the theft and sale of ammunition. Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, the theater commander in northeastern Nigeria, told a news conference on Thursday that military authorities have confirmed that some soldiers were selling arms and ammunition to Boko Haram. He called it a betrayal of the Nigerian people. He gave no more details.” The New York Times: Does The Messaging Service Telegram Take Privacy Too Far? “The encryption of digital information is considered the best protection against hackers, snoops or potential enemies looking to poke around into private exchanges of all sorts. That is why technology experts and privacy advocates in Europe went on high alert last month when the French Ministry of the Interior suggested that it might limit encryption as part of the fight against terrorist threats. That fear abated somewhat on Aug. 23 when the French interior minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, at a joint news conference with his German counterpart, Thomas de Maizière, stepped back from a more sweeping proposal. Instead, he pressed for a coordinated international effort to get messaging services to comply with judicial warrants for information. Mr. Cazeneuve named one such service: Telegram, a three-year-old messaging application, that is a favorite of the Islamic State, also known as ISIS or ISIL, which has claimed responsibility for a series of terrorist attacks in Europe in recent years.” United States CNN: Obama: 'Gaps Of Trust' Hamper Syria Deal With Russia “US President Obama says an agreement with Russia on ending the violence in Syria is being hampered by ‘gaps of trust’ between the two governments. Asked by CNN's Michelle Kosinski about his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the President described it as ‘candid’ and ‘blunt’ focusing mainly on Syria and Ukraine. Mr. Obama called the discussion on Syria ‘productive’ about what a real cessation of hostilities would actually look like. ‘We have had some productive conversations about what a real cessation of hostilities would look like that would allow us both... to focus our attention on common enemies.’” Syria Reuters: Turkish-Backed Syrian Rebels Seize Several Villages From Islamic State - Rebels, Monitor “Turkish-backed Syrian rebels seized several villages from Islamic State on Saturday near Turkey's border with Syria, in further advances against the jihadist group, the insurgents and monitors said. The Hamza Brigade, a group fighting under the banner of the Free Syrian Army, said it had taken control of Arab Ezza, a village near which Turkish warplanes carried out air strikes on Friday. A source in the Failaq al-Sham rebel group said FSA factions had also captured the villages of Fursan, Lilawa, Kino and Najma just south of Arab Ezza. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group confirmed that the rebels had taken several villages.” The Washington Post: Obama And Putin Unable To Reach Cease-Fire Agreement For Syria “President Obama and Russian President Vladi­mir Putin failed to reach a deal Monday on a cease-fire for Syria, but the two sides have agreed to continue negotiating even as Syrian government forces close in on the beseiged city of Aleppo. Meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the Group of 20 economic meeting here, Obama emphasized the humanitarian importance of and urgent need for a cease-fire, but he was adamant about not striking an agreement that wouldn’t meet his long-term objectives in Syria, said a White House official who spoke on the condition of anonymity under ground rules. The 90-minute unscheduled meeting was described by both sides as longer than usual for the sidelines of a G-20 summit. But an ultimate agreement remained elusive.” Turkey Reuters: Turkish Warplanes Pound 10 PKK Targets Overnight: Anadolu “Turkish warplanes hit 10 Kurdish militant targets in Turkey's southeast and east overnight, the state-run Anadolu Agency said on Sunday, citing security sources. The air strikes capped one of the most violent single days of fighting in the largely Kurdish southeast in recent years. The military has said that more than 100 militants from the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) were either killed or injured in clashes on Saturday. Turkey's southeast has been rocked by waves of violence following the collapse last year of a 2-1/2-year ceasefire between the state and the autonomy-seeking PKK. Fighter jets pounded four PKK targets in the Cukurca district of the southeastern Hakkari province on Saturday evening, Anadolu said, citing the security sources. Six more positions were bombed in the region between the eastern Agri and Van provinces shortly after midnight, it said.” Voice Of America: Turkey Vows To Uphold Migration Deal With EU “Easing EU fears, a senior Turkish official on Saturday said his country would fully implement its part of a deal meant to keep migrants from Europe's shores even if the European Union refuses to abolish visas for Turkish citizens. But he warned that expanded cooperation on migration depended on that demand being met. The pledge from Europe Minister Omar Celik after his meeting with EU foreign ministers eased immediate concerns that the agreement now crimping the flow of migrants into Europe was in danger. Celik said his meeting ended with ‘very strong consensus about focusing on the positive agenda and to further enhance the cooperation between Turkey and the EU.’ Still, the talks yielded no apparent indication of substantial progress on relieving tensions that have worsened in the aftermath of the July coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.” BBC: IS Conflict: Turkey Sends More Tanks Into Syria “Turkey has sent more tanks into northern Syria, in an operation against the Islamic State (IS) group, Turkish media reports say. The tanks crossed the border near the Turkish town of Kilis and journalists later heard firing and saw plumes of smoke rising on Syrian territory. Civilians were seen fleeing as the Turkish military advanced. Syrian rebels backed by Turkey said they had recaptured at least eight villages from IS in the area. The tanks' advance was supported by artillery, targeting IS positions, Turkish media said. The reports said about 20 tanks, five armoured personnel carriers and other armoured vehicles were involved in the assault.” CNN: Turkey Says ISIS Cleared From Turkish-Syrian Border “Turkey is claiming success in its campaign to eradicate ISIS from its border regions. The terror group has reportedly lost control of the last strip of its territory along the Syrian-Turkish border, according to sources and Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu. ‘The Turkish border with Syria was cleared Sunday of Daesh terrorists,’ Anadolu reported. ‘The Jarablus-Azaz line is totally under the control of FSA (Free Syrian Army) backed by coalition forces,’ a Turkish armed forces member told CNN Sunday. The border town of Jarablus, which Syrian rebels and Turkish forces recently recaptured from the terror group, is a critical location for supplies, money and fighters coming in and out of ISIS-held areas.” Afghanistan CNN: Third Bomb Strikes Kabul, Afghanistan “A third bombing hit Kabul, Afghanistan, after two others that killed nearly two dozen people and injured nearly 100 on Monday. It was unclear how many casualties the third blast caused or whether it had any connection to the earlier bombings. The latest attack took place behind the Kabul bank in the Shar-e-Naw area of the city, according to a police officer at the scene. The police officer described one explosion carried out by one attacker inside a car. Taliban terrorists claimed responsibility for the first two bomb blasts Monday near the Afghan Ministry of Defense in Kabul that killed two dozen people. Saleem Rasooli, head of Kabul hospitals, told CNN at least 24 people had been killed in the attack, which also injured 91 others.” Yemen Reuters: Blast Kills 20 Yemeni Government Troops, Six Qaeda Militants Dies In Drone Hit “At least 20 Yemeni soldiers loyal to exiled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government were killed in a bomb blast east of the capital Sanaa on Monday, officials said. Two officials said the bomb went off at the entrance of a Yemeni army camp in central Marib province, which is mainly under the control of Hadi's government. Several other soldiers were wounded in the blast, the officials said, adding that the number of casualties could rise as some of those injured were in serious condition. It was not immediately clear if the bomb blast was a result of a deliberate attack or if it was an accident. Hadi's government, backed by a Saudi-led Arab coalition, has been waging an offensive against Iran-allied Houthi fighters and supporters of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh since March last year. The Houthis hold the capital.” Egypt Associated Press: Egypt Built A Dozen Prisons Since 2013 Ouster Of Islamist “An Egyptian rights group says Egypt has built over a dozen new prisons following the military's 2013 ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, increasing the total number of prisons in the country in by a third. The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information says 13 new prisons have been built and three are still under construction. It says Egypt now has 504 places to keep those in detention — including jails and police stations. Before the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak, Egypt had a total of 43 prisons. The group's head, Gamal Eid, says the capacity of at least two of the new prisons reached 15,000 inmates.” The New York Times: Egypt’s Christians Say They Are At A ‘Breaking Point’ “The Egyptian government has appointed Imam Mahmoud Gomaa, a Muslim cleric, to keep the peace between Christians and Muslims in this corner of upper Egypt. ‘Everything is good,’ he insisted in an interview, citing Christian participation in his official peace-building initiative. But just a few hours later, the local bishop, Makarios, offered a very different view. ‘I have nothing to do with Mahmoud Gomaa,’ he said. Once again, Egyptian Christians are feeling under siege, at least in Minya, a city on the banks of the Nile where about 40 percent of the population is Christian. And once again, Christian leaders are divided over how to respond. At the highest levels of the Coptic Orthodox Church, there is an effort to not make waves and to work with the central government to present an image of unity and calm.” Middle East The Times Of Israel: Israeli Teen Arrested For BB Gun Attack On Palestinian Car “Police revealed Sunday they had arrested a Jewish teen suspected of firing an air pistol at a Palestinian vehicle in the West Bank, breaking the rear window. Moshe Yinon Oren, 18, from the northern West Bank outpost of Givat Arusi, was detained by the nationalist crime prevention unit on August 28 in a joint police and Shin Bet security service operation, the Israel Police said in a statement. During questioning, Oren admitted to using a CO₂-powered BB gun in the August 24 attack on a Palestinian vehicle at the Yatshir Ha’Gadol Junction, near the settlement Har Bracha, on Route 60. Oren, who reconstructed the crime for investigators, said he rode an all-terrain vehicle to the junction, where he shot at a passing Palestinian car. The pellet punched a hole in the rear window of the car, but did not cause any injuries. Oren then escaped on the ATV.” The Wall Street Journal: Iran Urges Muslims To Challenge Saudi Arabia’s Oversight Of Holy Sites “Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei questioned Saudi Arabia’s fitness to oversee Islam’s holiest places and accused the kingdom’s rulers of murder in last year’s deadly hajj pilgrimage stampede. The stampede at last year’s hajj left 769 people dead, according to the Saudi government. The Associated Press said the death toll was at least 2,426, after examining state media reports and officials’ comments from countries whose citizens participated in the pilgrimage. In his comments Monday, Mr. Khamenei said Saudi authorities behaved with deliberate cruelty in the disaster, in which 461 Iranians were killed, Iranian officials say.” Libya Reuters: Libyan Forces Report Further Progress Against Islamic State Holdouts In Sirte “Libyan forces said they had advanced against some of Islamic State's last holdouts in Sirte on Saturday as fighting resumed after several days of relative calm. The forces, which are aligned with Libya's U.N.-backed government, launched their campaign to recapture the city in May and have been aided by dozens of U.S. air strikes since the beginning of August. Forces made up mostly of fighters from Misrata, 230 km (145 miles) to the north west, now say they are in the final stages of their campaign to oust Islamic State from its former North African stronghold. But they have faced stiff resistance from militants holed up in a slowly shrinking residential area in the center of the coastal city, who have defended themselves with car bombs, sniper fire, mines and shelling.” Nigeria Voice Of America: Nigerian Military: Some Officers Selling Arms To Boko Haram “Nigeria's military says some officers are selling arms and ammunition to Boko Haram, indicating the corruption bedeviling the country's fight against the Islamic extremists continues despite government efforts to halt graft. The admission comes three weeks after the Nigerian army said a military tribunal is trying 16 officers and troops accused of offenses related to the fight against Boko Haram, including the theft and sale of ammunition. Maj. Gen. Lucky Irabor, the theater commander in northeastern Nigeria, told a news conference on Thursday that military authorities have confirmed that some soldiers were selling arms and ammunition to Boko Haram. He called it a betrayal of the Nigerian people. He gave no more details.” United Kingdom The Guardian: British Warship Sent To Libya To Target People-Smugglers “A British warship will arrive off the Libyan coast in the next few days in a dramatic attempt to intercept and arrest people smugglers as the flow of migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean for Italy reaches record levels. The unprecedented and risky intervention comes as Europe steps up its efforts to deal with the growing crisis, which has seen Libya become the primary route for migrants, following the closure of Greece’s borders to refugees last spring. The smugglers last week sent record numbers of migrants to sea, with more than 13,000 people being picked up by charity rescue boats and the Italian coastguard. At least 100,000 men, women and children have crossed the sea to Italy from north Africa since the start of the year, leading to more than 3,100 deaths from drowning. But fewer than 100 traffickers have been arrested in international waters.” The Guardian: The Politics Of Fear: How Britain’s Anti-Extremism Strategy Has Failed “The British government, like its European and US counterparts, has been struggling to find an effective strategy to counter ‘radicalisation’ within Muslim communities. When programmes like Prevent were established, they quickly came under heavy criticism, both for their approach and for their poor results. Over a decade on, it is clear not a single anti-radicalisation scheme, either in Europe or the US, has proved effective. There are several reasons for this. To begin with there is the terminology employed. Religious radicalisation is described as a process through which individuals pursue a continuing trajectory, leading from a ‘moderate’ understanding and practice of religion, to an increasingly violent or extremist involvement. Nothing could be further from reality.” Mirror: ISIS 'Has Stepped Up Efforts To Smuggle Terrorists Into UK To Launch Attacks On Civilians' “ISIS has stepped up its evil efforts to infiltrate killers into the UK to launch attacks on civilians, it has been reported. Thousands of pages of intelligence from European investigations into the Paris terror attacks, where 130 innocents were murdered in November, has also unveiled that the massacre in the French capital could have been far worse. The documents, seen by CNN , reveal two captured operatives - named in the documents as Algerian-born Adel Haddadi and his Pakistani travel partner, Muhammad Usman - also intended to attack France, according to investigators. The documents show the intricate level of plotting that ISIS applies to attacks in Europe where, even now, sources told CNN, jihadis await orders from their murderous masters in Syria.” Germany RT: Emailed Terrorism Attack Threat Cancels Classes At Several Schools In German City Of Braunschweig “The email threatened that the attacks would take place at 9am. At least nine Braunschweig schools received the threats. Classes were canceled in high schools, as well as corresponding elementary schools in the city, Braunschweiger Zeitung reported. By 10am, most schools had been completely cleared. Even parts of the District Court have been evacuated as a precaution. There is no indication so far that something will happen. All is calm. There was an abandoned suitcase at one of the schools, but it contained a trumpet,’ Grande added. Police are currently attempting to determine who sent the message. The exact content of the letter was not initially made public. Police said the evacuation procedures were successful, as the students had been sent home prior to the start of classes. Local media report that many schools, daycare centers and simply worried parents have contacted the police department following the news of the threat, asking if they should be worried. The authorities issued an official press release, attempting to calm the residents.” France Huffington Post: France Opens First Deradicalisation ‘Boot Camp’ Amid Criticism From Former Government Advisers “On Thursday, 1st September, a redeveloped chateau in Beaumont-en-Véron, a quiet neighbourhood of north-east France, became the nation’s first Centre of Reinsertion and Citizenship, otherwise known as a ‘Deradicalisation Centre’. Ten individuals will be housed in the centre for the next few weeks - outnumbered by 25 staff members. Ultimately, the number of inmates will increase to 30, and the process of deradicalisation will begin in earnest. Each inmate has been identified by the French government as someone susceptible to radicalisation. The majority of individuals will be young males, between the ages of 18 and 30. They will be subject to military discipline and order: uniforms will be worn and they will be expected to sing the national anthem. The government has said that it wants inmates to be educated in the values of the French Republic, and that ‘separation work’ will take place to distance the group from radical influences.” Europe The New York Times: Where Is Safe? Travelers Seek Havens In Wake Of Europe Attacks “In the months since the November terrorist attack in Paris and the March bombing of the Brussels airport, Americans did something that may seem counterintuitive. They went to Europe more, with travelers up 5 percent in April, according to the Department of Commerce’s National Travel & Tourism Office. Most of those trips were probably booked well in advance, as international travel usually is, and these numbers predate the June terrorist bombing in Istanbul and the Bastille Day truck attack in Nice. But airline data, tourism statistics and the reports of travel agencies and tour operators show international travel is alive and well, though it may be shifting to countries like Spain and Ireland in the European Union, as well as farther-flung destinations like the Galápagos Islands, even as travel to closer-to-home destinations like Canada and the national parks surges.” Daily Caller: Documents Show ISIS Has An ‘Increasingly Sophisticated’ European Network Ready To Attack At Any Time “The Islamic State is operating a vast and well-supported network of terrorists in Europe that are ready to launch attacks at any given moment, according to documents obtained by CNN. The cable network received a massive trove of documents from European investigators that detailed ISIS’s network of terrorists across the European continent. A portion of the documents revealed that the perpetrators of the deadly Paris attacks in November 2015 had planned to engage in several additional follow up attacks by recruiting more operatives. Additionally, documents show that the ISIS network is still active and could engage in further attacks in the near future. Investigators have obtained intelligence that they believe shows the terrorist group’s next target is the U.K. An official told CNN that there is strong evidence suggesting ISIS operatives have increased their infiltration of the U.K in recent months.” Combating the financing of terrorism Elwehda: Expert: Terrorist Groups Exploit The Feelings Of Muslims To Collect Donations “Saudi political analyst, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al-Melhem, said that the emphasis by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, on the need to adhere to regulations for preventing the collection of cash donations, is one of the most important precautionary measures that exist to control terrorist financing. According to Al-Melhem, the same applies to the Crown Prince's orders to take all necessary measures to prevent any irregularities in collecting cash or other kinds of donations for any party, and by any means; to prevent the distribution of donations to non-authorized entities; and to take all legal actions against anyone who violates these regulations. On his part, political analyst Dr. Louay al-Tayyer noted that terrorist groups are keen to provide a religious cover to touch the sentiments of Muslims and to call for charity and fundraising. Through this "religious logic", they have been able to obtain substantial funding.” Albayan: Saudi Arabia Stresses Need To Prevent Collection Of Cash Donations “Saudi Arabia stressed the need to take all necessary measures to prevent any irregularities related to collecting cash or other kinds of donations for the benefit of any party. Major General Mansour Al-Turki, Spokesman for the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Interior, emphasized that following previous announcements concerning the issue of cash and other donations, permission from the relevant authorities must be obtained in advance. Neglecting to do so is a violation of the regulations in force in the Kingdom. These include counter-terrorism and financing regulations. Anyone involved in these [violations] should be held accountable. In addition, any expatriate proved to be involved in them will be [permanently] expelled. These measures are based on directives issued by Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, First Deputy Prime Minister and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Interior.” Alwatan: G20 Underscore The Need To Combat Terror Financing “The finance ministers of the Group of Twenty (G20) confirmed the determination of their nations to combat the financing of terrorism, whatever its origin. This confirmation came in the preparatory meeting of the G20's finance ministers, which gathered ahead of the group's summit on September 4th and 5th. The G20 summit is being held under the title: "Toward an Innovative, Invigorated, Interconnected and Inclusive World Economy." It comes after three years of worldwide economic slowdown and amid fears of the impact of the British exit from the EU on the global economy.” ISIS Rudaw: ISIS And Falling Oil Prices Behind Growing Iraqi Budget Deficit “Iraq is beginning a new phase of internal and external discussions to finance the current deficit in its budget for next year. The 2017 budget was approved by the Council of Ministers. The decline in oil prices, the costs of the war against ISIS, rebuilding of Iraqi cities, and heavy debts have all put strong pressure on the Iraqi budget and increased the deficit burden. The Iraqi budget, which awaits approval by the parliament, is estimated at 102 trillion dinars ($85 billion), while total deficit in the current year, after implementation of austerity measures to cut expenditures, comes to 32 trillion dinars ($26.6 billion).” New Sabah: ISIS Plans To Stop The Work In Most Faculties Of The University Of Mosul The extremist ISIS organization plans to stop the work in most of the faculties of the University of Mosul, according to "Mosulyoun" Observatory, which monitors and analyzes the terror group's moves. The Observatory said in a report containing the latest news about the occupied city that "interruption of the flow of the most important resource for ISIS – oil – following the liberation of al-Qayyarah, has led to a rise in the price of a barrel of oil from 45,000 to 125,000 Iraqi dinars (from $38.6 to $107). This forced a halt in the operation of many generators. In addition, the prices of amperes came to 15,000 dinars ($13) for industry, 8000 dinars ($7) for households and 10,000 dinars ($8.6) for commercial (establishments). The Observatory indicated that the organization "cut the salaries of health workers to 950 dinars ($0.8) per hour. This is equivalent to 65,000 dinars ($56) a month for workers in hospitals, after wages had previously reached 95,000 ($81.5) a month." Albawabh News: ISIS Rents Building In Ankara To Train Children And Youth “ISIS terrorist organization is using a "school" in a building, located in the Turkish capital of Ankara, to train children and youth who have joined its ranks. The school is currently training 30 children and youth, including several females, between the ages of 9 and 17 years, who live in apartments in the building. The terror organization rented the building for 4000 Turkish Lira ($1,355) per month. ISIS rented the five-story building on Ulucanlar Street in Ankara, claiming it is being used as a library, when, in fact, it is housing a school to train children and youth {for battle}, according to a Turkish newspaper.” Muslim Brotherhood Source-7: Egypt: Personal Files Of Muslim Brotherhood-Affiliated School Teachers Inspected Before The New Academic Year "Sources within the Egyptian Ministry of Education revealed that Dr. El-Hilali El-Sherbini, the Minister of Education, is spearheading a campaign to restructure June 30th schools, also called "Muslim Brotherhood schools." The source said that the ministry is in the process of appointing new school principals, and, to date, 98 have been appointed to various schools. The source added that there is a directive from the Presidential Specialized Council for Education and Scientific Research to forward the personal files of all the teachers in these schools to the security and regulatory authorities, before the new academic year, scheduled to start on September 24th." The Seventh Day: Egyptian Preacher: Participation In The Muslim Brotherhood Campaigns For Non-Payment Of Electricity Bills Is 'Haram' “Salafi preacher Sheikh Sameh Abdel Hamid asserted that participating in the Muslim Brotherhood's "not paying" campaign regarding electricity and water bills, is religiously 'haram' (a sin). Abdul Hamid emphasized in a statement: "No one shall participate in this campaign. They [the Brotherhood] wish to take over other people's wealth unlawfully. The campaign is part of their scheme to sabotage Egypt, demolish it and cause its downfall." He explained that the incitement by the Brotherhood is directed toward provoking unrest, sedition and agitating against the interests of society. In the end, the victim is the ordinary citizen, because the government will have cut off his electricity, water and gas services.” Almogaz: Political Activist Accuses Muslim Brotherhood Of Exacerbating Milk Formula Shortage Crisis In Egypt “Sameh Abou Arayes, founder of "haraketabna2mubarak" (Mubarak's Sons Movement) and former coordinator of the "Omar Suleiman for President" campaign, continued to voice his controversial analysis. In this context, he claimed that Juhayna Company's ads for "El-Dondoo" contain a Brotherhood code for fabricating a crisis in the infant formula market. Note that Juhayna is owned by Brotherhood businessman Safwan Thabet. The baby milk crisis intensified over the past two days, as reflected in a protest carried out by mothers and fathers in front of Nasser Institute for Research and Treatment, amid a shortage of infant formula packages. Egypt's armed forces intervened to resolve the crisis by delivering 30 million infant formula packages to pharmacies at a price of 30 pounds ($3.5) per package.” Elwehda: Egyptian Parliamentarian Calls To Monitor The Use Of Facebook By Muslim Brotherhood “The Muslim Brotherhood is currently occupied with disseminating rumors to spread incitement, highlight the negative and downplay the positive achievements of the Egyptian state. This is being carried out through the group's "electronic brigades" on Facebook, Twitter and websites affiliated with the group. Dr. Samir Rashad, an Egyptian parliament member representing the town of Samaloot, in the Governorate of El-Menya, noted that although Facebook has many pros, its cons are much greater. This is because anyone can use it to publish false information. In addition, there are fake pages which are promoting information to ignite sedition and incite Egyptians. He claimed that the Egyptian parliament would work in its next session to expedite passage of a law regulating the use of Facebook, to foster the positive goals for which it was launched. The law is aimed at monitoring pages which fuel strife and punishing their owners.” The Seventh Day: Asset Freeze Committee: Seized Hospitals Made A Profit Of 150 Million Egyptian Pounds “Judge Dr. Mohammed Yasser Abu el-Fotouh, Secretary General of the Muslim Brotherhood Asset Freeze Committee, revealed that the new boards of directors of seized Brotherhood-affiliated hospitals reported profits of more than 150 million pounds ($17 million) during an eight-month period. This is contrary to the claims made by ousted boards about losses and debts.” Elmonzar: The "Financing War" Between Veteran And Young Leaders Within The Muslim Brotherhood Continues For the second month in a row, the office of the Muslim Brotherhood's acting leader, Mahmoud Ezzat, has refrained from providing financial support to the administrative offices affiliated with Mohammed Montaser, the leader of the Brotherhood's "Youth Front." This is part of the financing war being waged by the veterans to force the young generation to obey them. The elected Administrative Office of the Muslim Brotherhood in Alexandria stated: "The refusal of Dr. Mohammed Abdel-Rahman, who is affiliated with the Front of the Acting Guide, and his intermediaries to provide financial support to the province of Alexandria comes as punishment for the Brotherhood {there}, which conducted comprehensive popular elections, including with regard to the representative share of the province in the group's General Shura {Council}." Asrar 7days: Egypt: "Petrogas" Accuses Muslim Brotherhood Of Fabricating The Pipeline Crisis “Egypt's Petrogas CEO, Adel Al Sheikh, stated that what is behind the gas cylinders' crisis are the owners of the warehouses. He claimed that they distributed quotas intended for citizens to street vendors instead, causing a shortage over the past few days in the governorates of Fayoum, Beni Suef and Al Sharqia. Al Sheikh stressed, in a press statement, that several of the owners of private warehouses in eastern Giza areas, including Kerdasa and Saft El Laban, belong to the Muslim Brotherhood. They tend to sell gas cylinders to street vendors to generate artificial crises.” Houthi Veto: Houthis Seize Money And Passports Of Yemeni Pilgrims Fouad Omar Sheikh Abu Bakr, the Yemeni Minister of Endowments and Guidance and Head of Hajj Mission, affirmed that the assembling of pilgrims from inside Yemen was carried out by the country's legitimate government, in order to thwart any scheme by the Houthis to exploit the Hajj. He added that "the stringent regulatory actions taken by the Yemeni government forced the rebels in Sanaa to threaten Hajj agents and attack many of their offices in Sanaa. They tried to confiscate money and passports belonging to pilgrims, in an attempt to disrupt and derail the assembling of Yemeni pilgrims, and "exploit the performance of {religious} rituals to undermine the pilgrims' security." Yemen 24: Protests In Sanaa Due To The New Austerity Measures Adopted By The Houthis The Ministry of Finance in the Yemeni capital Sanaa, which is under the authority of the Houthis, began to implement new austerity measures on the backdrop of a liquidity crisis that hit the banking sector in the country. These new steps led to protests by employees in Yemen and students abroad. Employees of the tax department in the Yemeni capital protested on Saturday against the abuses of the Houthis. The demonstrators condemned the delays in payment of their salaries and monthly fees even though they are working in the most important entity in charge of taxes. Al-Qaeda 24: Yemen: Al-Qaeda Financier Arrested In Aden “Aden police announced Saturday evening's arrest of a prominent financier of al-Qaeda in the Yemeni government's temporary capital of Aden. A spokesman for the Aden Police Department, Capt. Abdul-Rahman al-Naqib, explained that a security unit for combating terrorism in Aden had captured one of the main financiers of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Al-Naqib added, "Initial interrogations of the suspect, along with confessions by former members of al-Qaeda and evidence seized in the man's possession, all indicate that he was in charge of the funding of al-Qaeda's branch in Aden. In addition, he was regarded as an "Emir" among the leaders of the terrorist organization."