HONOLULU, Hawaii (KABC) A 34-year-old U.S. Army soldier was arrested Saturday in Hawaii on charges of providing material support to the Islamic State, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.Ikaika Kang, an active-duty soldier from Waipahu who was stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii was taken into custody by an FBI SWAT team July 8."Kang has been under investigation by the U.S. Army and the FBI for over a year," the FBI agent in charge said. "FBI assets and Army investigative resources were continuously deployed to ensure the public's safety during the course of this investigation and Kang's eventual arrest."According to a criminal complaint filed against Kang in U.S. district court, Kang "swore allegiance to ISIS, attempted to provide military documents to ISIS, and attempted to provide training to the terrorist organization."Kang had been serving as an air traffic control operator with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade under the U.S....

By Jessica StasiwContributor, In Homeland SecurityOne consistent theme throughout Cybertech Fairfax 2017, which took place on Tuesday, June 13, was the critical need for innovative technology that safeguards against cyber intrusion. However, cybersecurity experts warn that as information technology (IT) improves, human interaction will continue to be a primary point of cybersecurity vulnerability unless leaders improve workforce policies and training.Michael Chertoff, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, kicked off the conference by addressing the state of cybersecurity and how companies and agencies need to better prepare professionals. Creating an empowered workforce and a proactive state of readiness is vastly more effective than focusing only on innovative technology that means a continuously defensive posture. Fellow leaders, many of them hailing from private startup firms, reinforced the importance of risk management preparation. The message was that cybersecurity technology is only as effective as the workforce that’s implementing it. Technology Enforcement May Improve...

Another Marawi-like siege is likely to occur. By Zachary Abuza As fighting in the southern Philippine City of Marawi recedes, there is much to take stock of. The six week siege of the city by the Islamic State pledged Maute Group and a faction of the Abu Sayyaf tested the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and it has led to a regional concern that Mindanao is, once again, a black hole in regional security. The toll was high: 70 members of the military and police, 27 civilians, and 290 militants were killed according to recent estimates, and more bodies are being recovered as security forces comb through the rubble. Over 246,000 civilians were displaced. The city is in ruins.There is much to write about Marawi: the intelligence failure; the fact that the Maute Group had conducted a similar siege in Butig in November 2016; President Rodrigo Duterte’s single-minded attention...

by Yves Mamou    A silent jihad is under way in France. Spread by a constellation of Muslim organizations allied to powerful (non-Muslim) "anti-racist" associations, "jihad by court" is attacking freedom of press, and freedom of speech. Any journalist, politician, lawyer or intellectual who talks or writes either about Islam or some of its representatives in a critical way, is at risk of being taken to court for "racism" or "outraging a group of people because of their religion."The so-called "jihad by court" began in an experimental way in France at the beginning of the century. In 2002, the famous French writer Michel Houellebecq was sued for "incitement to hatred" by Islamic organizations allied to the Ligue des droits de l'Homme, ("Human Rights League"), a prestigious "anti-racist" organization. Houellebecq was sued for having said in an interview with Lire magazine that, "of all existing religions, Islam is the dumbest. We...

Asharq Al-Awsat - English by Khalid Yaymout Rabat – The Sahel and Sahara is one of the international geopolitical regions that is witnessing a bitter conflict between terrorist groups, on the one hand, and regional countries backed by major world powers, on the other. It appears that each side is aware of the important geopolitical location of the area, which is a crossing point between southern Sahara with the north and the Mediterranean with Europe. This therefore makes the region in a constant state of war due to the conflicting interests of international powers and terrorist groups.The recent summit of leaders of Sahel and Sahara that was concluded in Mali a few days ago paved the way for a new phase of confrontation between international powers and terror groups. Held under the theme of fighting terrorism for ensuring security and development, the summit was preceded by a meeting of defense...

by Eliran Aharon - Israel National News Rina Ariel, mother of Hallel-Yaffa who was murdered by a terrorist while sleeping, says Israel should stop releasing jailed terrorists. Rina Ariel, mother of 13-year-old Hallel-Yaffa who was brutally murdered by an Arab terrorist while sleeping in her bed, told Arutz Sheva on Sunday that Israel should stop releasing jailed terrorists and deal an “economic blow” to terrorism by making sure that their families do not get paid while they are in prison.“We have to find a way to stop encouraging terrorism. That means not releasing terrorists, not paying them an allowance. A family that sends its son to carry out a terror attack should know that it won't gain anything out of it but will lose out,” she said.“We have a lot to do to stop it. My biggest fear is that when terrorists are released, in the future there will be...

European Commission - Statement G20 Leaders' Statement on Countering Terrorism Hamburg, 7 July 2017 1. We, the Leaders of the G20, strongly condemn all terrorist attacks worldwide and stand united and firm in the fight against terrorism and its financing. These atrocious acts have strengthened our resolve to cooperate to enhance our security and protect our citizens. Terrorism is a global scourge that must be fought and terrorist safe havens eliminated in every part of the world. 2. We reaffirm that all measures on countering terrorism need to be implemented in accordance with the UN Charter and all obligations under international law, including international human rights law.   Implementing international commitments and enhancing cooperation 3. We call for the implementation of existing international commitments on countering terrorism, including the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, and compliance with relevant resolutions and targeted sanctions by the UN Security Council relating to terrorism. We...

More research is needed into the rising threat of cyber crime.by Anita MakriInvestigators should capitalise more on the fact that terrorist cells often work with criminal organisations to achieve their goals, according to Dr Matteo Bonfanti, a senior researcher at the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich in Switzerland.You are part of the research team at the TAKEDOWN project, which kicked off last year to analyse the science on organised crime and terrorism networks. Can you give an example of how terrorism and organised crime are linked?‘Recent attacks show that terrorists are also using tools we use in our daily life, like cars or knives. But think about what happened in Paris (France), where these guys were armed with machine guns. Who is going to deliver these arms? Most likely, these arms are brought to Europe thanks to criminal organisations.‘If you are able to tackle this criminal organisation, and to...

By Clarion Project’s Ryan Mauro and Christian Action Network President Martin Mawyer  A long-time associate of a U.S.-based Islamist terrorist organization, Muslims of America (MOA), has been arrested in Johnson City, NY. Authorities discovered that he had a large cache of weapons inside a storage locker. A source inside MOA says the weapons were intended for the group’s “Islamberg” headquarters in Hancock, NY. The suspect, 64-year old Ramadan Abdullah, was previously arrested in 1977 when he and another man tried to rob a candy store in Brooklyn and someone was murdered in the process. When police searched his home, they found enough material to build 50 bombs. In the end, the charges against Abdullah were strangely reduced (see below). On May 31, Abdullah was arrested after trying to steal four boxes of ammunition from a local Gander Mountain store. When police questioned him about the purpose of the ammo, his answers made them...

FX-MM By Luke Antoniou New regulations are part of the EU 4th Money Laundering Directive and make businesses more responsible in their checks of how money is being sourced and used…HM Treasury to crackdown on terrorist financing and money launderingA new set of rules which come into force today are aiming to make it harder for terrorists and criminals to move money through the UK’s financial system.The new regulations implement the EU 4th Money Laundering Directive, and see a number of businesses, from banks to estate agents, having to carry out detailed checks to ensure that money changing hands comes from a legitimate source, and won’t be use to fund terrorism.In a time where tensions are high across the UK following a string of terror attacks, the new rules show just how important it is that the UK has the tools it needs to protect against similar incidents in the...

SWI swissinfo.ch Switzerland could become a hotbed of Islamist militants grown up in the country, according to a senior security expert.Jean-Paul Rouiller of the Geneva Centre for Security Policyexternal link told the Tribune de Genève newspaper he is convinced that Switzerland will play a more important role than in the past, when the country was considered merely a place of transit for terrorists in Europe.He says a growing number of jihadists born in Switzerland are to be found around in the Lake Geneva region, in the city of Zurich and in Biel/Bienne, a bilingual town north of the capital Bern.Rouiller adds that key jihadi figures in Switzerland have links with likeminded people abroad.He estimates that the number of Swiss jihadists travelling to conflict regions, notably in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, between 2001 and February this year are at about 100, while the Federal Intelligence Service put the figure at 88.Rouiller...

by Kieran Corcoran Business Insider UK Suadi Arabia accused of promoting an interpretation of Islam which lends itself to violent extremism. The Henry Jackson Society says the kingdom is funding the distribution of "hardline and illiberal texts" in British bookshops, schools, and colleges. Saudi diplomats said the allegations were "baseless and lack credible evidence." Suadi Arabia is the most prominent provider of funding for terrorism in Britain, according to a report by the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) think tank. The Gulf state was accused of spending as much as £3.1 billion ($4 billion) per year worldwide promoting an interpretation of Islam which lends itself to violent extremism, much of which finds its way to the UK. The report, titled Foreign Funded Islamist Extremism in the UK, was published on Wednesday morning and outlined methods the kingdom allegedly uses to advance a "hardline" interpretation of Wahhabi Islam. Saudi diplomats in London rejected the...

Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin in an interview had admitted to carrying out terror attacks on Indian soil. IndiaToday.in The Ministry of External Affairs on Monday while reacting to Syed Salahuddin's interview said that it only highlighted the unabashed manner in which terrorist organisations and leaders enjoy freedom of operations in Pakistan, including access to terror financing, procurement and supply of weapons for terrorism.The MEA in a statement said, "It's matter of deep regret that senior Pakistan functionaries continue to justify and defend activities of such international designated terrorist entities."It added, "Pakistan must give up policy of cross-border terror, fulfill obligations under international resolutions and stop activties from the territory under its control.TERROR ATTACKS IN INDIAEarlier, Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin, who has been branded as a 'global terrorist' by the United States, admitted in a TV interview to having carried out terror attacks on Indian soil. In an interview...

Washington Examiner by Travis J. TrittenU.S. forces struck the al-Shabaab terrorist group in Somalia on Sunday, according to U.S. Africa Command.It was the most recent attack since President Trump delegated more authority to commanders on the ground. AFRICOM did not immediately report casualties, intended targets or the precise location of the strike around 7:30 a.m."We are currently assessing the results of the operation, and will provide additional information as appropriate," Patrick Barnes, an AFRICOM spokesman, said in a released statement.The Islamic extremist al-Shabaab group is aligned with al Qaeda and has been fighting and carrying out terrorist attacks in eastern Africa for years.Barnes said the operation was aimed at "defeating al-Shabaab and establishing a safe and secure environment in Somalia."In April, Trump allowed AFRICOM more authority to carry out operations and strikes against the group. The president has also given Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and military commanders under him greater...

Boston Globe By Emily Sweeney With the Fourth of July just around the corner, public safety agencies are preparing for big crowds and plenty of revelry.Undersecretary for Homeland Security Patrick McMurray said at a press conference Friday that a multiagency security plan will be deployed over the weekend, and emphasized the successful security measures taken for two other recent high-profile events, the Boston Marathon and Sail Boston.Massachusetts State Police spokesman David Procopio said the multiagency plan will include State Police, local police, trained dogs, and federal bomb-detection teams that will be working to keep people safe during the festivities.“Some security assets and personnel will be visible to members of the public, while many others will not be visible,” Procopio said in an e-mail. The State Police Marine Unit will be patrolling the Charles River, the Air Wing will provide continuous support, and plainclothes troopers and police officers who are trained...

Express FRENCH president Emmanuel Macron has called for Islamist militants to be “eradicated” during a visit to Mali. By Jon Rogers The 39-year-old president was in Mali’s capital Bamako today for a summit meeting of the G5 Sahel bloc - which comprises Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger and Chad - which is expected the group to announce the formation of a multi-national force aimed at combating Islamist extremists as well as illegal activity in the arid section of the area.Speaking ahead of the start of the summit, Emmanuel Macron said: “Every day we must combat terrorists, thugs, murderers… who we must steadfastly and with determination eradicate together.”Mali has been dealing with various Islamist militant groups, some of whom have links to al-Qaeda, since 2012 when they seized control of the country’s desert north in 2012. While the groups have largely been driven out of the area with the help of...

Breitbart News by John Binder A Somali immigrant living in Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty to training with a terrorist organization in Syria and plotting an attack on American soil.Abdirahman Sheik Mohamud, 25, is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia who was able to get a U.S. passport and travel to Greece in 2014. While Mohamud was supposed to have a layover in Istanbul on his trip to Greece, he crossed the border into Syria.While in Syria, Mohamud was trained by the al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorist organization, al-Nusrah Front. Mohamud learned fitness skills and how to use a variety of weapons and tactics for a terrorist attack. Mohamud, prosecutors said, also said he wanted to die fighting in Syria.Though training with a terrorist organization, Mohamud was able to return to the U.S. after his brother died fighting in Syria with al-Nusrah.Once home, Mohamud plotted to get weapons that could murder American military officers...

by  Jacob Bojesson - The Daily Caller The number of Islamist extremists in Sweden has grown from 200 in 2010 to around 2,000 seven years later, the country’s security police (Säpo) said Monday. Out of 3,000 violent extremists currently in the country, two-thirds are believed to have Islamist motives. Säpo chief Anders Thornberg describes the rise in extremism as “an historic challenge” that’s become the “new normal.” “The terror threat has gone up since 2010. This means an attack can take place in our country, and it did,” Thornberg said Monday, referring to the April 7 truck attack in Stockholm. “Violent Islamist extremism is the biggest threat for the time being.” Säpo currently receives about 6,000 intelligence tips per month. While few extremists have “the will and ability” to carry out an attack, Thornberg believes it’s crucial to track down individuals and keep them under surveillance. “It’s important that everyone in Sweden takes responsibility to...

By Ashley RemkusThe Huntsville man accused of obtaining bomb-making materials for terrorism has filed a lawsuit against Madison County's top cop, alleging the sheriff is keeping him "illegally prisoned" and "restrained of his liberty."The lawsuit is part of 22-year-old Aziz Sayyed's attempt for release from the Madison County Jail or to have bail set in his terrorism case. The lawsuit filed Thursday in civil court accuses Sheriff Blake Dorning of illegally restraining Sayyed in the county jail since his arrest more than two weeks ago. Huntsville police charged Sayyed with second-degree soliciting or providing support for terrorism after receiving a citizen tip and investigating. The sheriff's office assisted in the investigation but did not bring charges against Sayyed."The sheriff has illegally restrained (Sayyed) since June 15, 2017...," reads the lawsuit, which was filled by the suspect's attorney, Bruce Gardner. Gardner was unavailable for comment Friday. The lawsuit states Sayyed's arrest warrant...

by Penza News he terrorist threat in Europe reached its peak in the last 20 years and continues to grow, said the head of Europol Rob Wainwright in an interview with Neuen Osnabruecker Zeitung last Tuesday, June 27.According to him, last year 718 people were arrested in Europe for their ties with jihadists.“This is a substantial increase that shows how much radicalized the part of the Islamic society has become,” Rob Wainwright said.In his opinion, law enforcement agencies need to expand their functions to monitor the communication of individuals suspected of terrorism through online messengers.“Due to the fact that communication channels are now moved to the Internet, the police have lost most of their ability to control terrorists. This issue needs to be changed,” the head of Europol said.Reportedly, 18 terrorist acts took place in Europe in the last two years with 326 people killed and more than 1,000 injured....