The Africa Report Islamic State’s Great ‘Capacity To Regenerate’ Itself By Mourad Kamel The Islamic State armed group has been largely weakened in recent years, but under its new leader, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, the terrorist organisation is regrouping and once again sowing its seeds of violence.It was not until a week after the death of the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October 2019 in Idlib, Syria that the successor to the self-proclaimed Caliph was appointed: Muhammad Said Abd Al Rahman al-Mawla, officially known as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi.Once an unknown man,  he is often referred to by his nickname Abu Omar al-Turkmani, or simply al-Turkmani, the Turkmen.“Jihadist propaganda was thus trying to give credence to the fiction surrounding the leader, not only of Arab descent, but also a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed through his Quraych tribe and his Hashemite clan,” explains Jean-Pierre Filiu, a professor in...

National Review Holding Murderous Terrorists Accountable By Madeleine Kearns Imagine you had a beloved child, born in a free and prosperous country. Imagine that he or she grew into a brave and selfless adult, the kind that ventured into some war-stricken land to help those less fortunate. Now imagine that he or she was mercilessly abducted, starved, tortured, raped, beaten, stripped of his or her clothing, and barbarically murdered in front of the whole world. Unimaginable, isn’t it? Tragically, Diane and John Foley, Paul and Ed Kassig, Marsha and Carl Mueller, Shirley and Art Sotloff — as well as the families of the 23 other victims of the ISIS cell nicknamed the “Beatles” (on account of their English accents) — know only too well what this is like. For six years, these parents have been suffering the shock of this real-life nightmare. Now they are worried that their children’s killers...

New Research Investigates the Impact of COVID-19 on TerrorismALBANY, N.Y. (July 30, 2020) – While government leaders are focused on fighting COVID-19, the threat of terrorism has not gone away. In fact, homeland security experts have warned that violent extremists may seek to take advantage of the fear and disruption around the pandemic to further their agenda and recruit new members.Gary Ackerman, an associate professor at the University at Albany’s College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity (CEHC), who specializes in terrorist ideology, recently teamed up with CEHC graduate student Hayley Peterson to explore both the challenges and opportunities that the COVID-19 crisis presents for terrorist organizations.Their observational report was recently published in Perspectives on Terrorism.“During times of crisis, we often see terrorists exploit the situation and use it for propaganda,” said Ackerman. “This is particularly true amongst anti-government groups on both the far-right and far-left. They take advantage...

CBS Tampa Bay Cumming Man Sentenced For Attempted Attack On The White House Hasher Jallal Taheb, 23, of Cumming, Georgia, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attempting an attack upon the White House. Taheb also planned attacks on the Statue of Liberty, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and a synagogue.“Taheb planned to conduct a terrorist attack on the White House as part of what he claimed was his obligation to engage in jihad,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers.  “And that was just one of the iconic American landmarks he wanted to target.  Thanks to a tip from a member of the community and the work of the agents, analysts, and prosecutors responsible for this case, the threat posed by the defendant was neutralized and the defendant has now been sentenced for his planned terrorist attack.”“Taheb painstakingly planned an attack on the White House...

Euronews The Number Of Prisoners Jailed In Europe On Terrorism Charges At 20-Year High, Says Report By Alessio Dellanna More people are in jail on terrorism-related offences in Europe than at any point in the last two decades, a study has found.The report, published by the International Center for the Study of Radicalization (ICSR), says there are currently over 1,400 individuals held on terrorism-related charges across 10 European countries.France is detaining most of them, 549. Spain follows with 329 people jailed, while 238 are detained in the UK and 136 in BelgiumOther countries mentioned in the report are Sweden (53 prisoners), Netherlands (36), Norway (34), Greece (around 20) and Norway (19). The size of the terrorism-linked prison population jumps to more than 3,000 if we also take into account those being "monitored for signs of their radicalisation".Jihadists account for 82% of the prisoners, while far-right supporters make up almost 7%....

Washington Examiner 'Absolutely irresponsible': DHS chief calls Democrats' condemnation of law enforcement 'dangerous' by Mica Soellner Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf warned against a "dangerous" trend of demonizing law enforcement across the country.As federal officers have clashed with protesters amid violent unrest in Portland over the past few weeks, Wolf said Sunday that there's been an inaccurate description of what agents are doing to control the situation and that calling the demonstrations "peaceful" is misleading. Wolf said when he recently spoke with Democratic members of Congress, only one lawmaker, whom he didn't mention by name, asked him if his officers were OK."We’re standing up for law and order," Wolf said on Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo. "And anyone who says otherwise is not being accurate. I will say that the other side that wants to criticize law enforcement, what they don’t do, they do...

Iran's Military Alliance with China Threatens Middle East Security   by Con Coughlin  •  Gatestone Institute   Announcing Iran's intention to build a new military base in the Indian Ocean, Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the naval attachment of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), said that the base would be used to protect fishing and commercial vessels from piracy and "foreign ships", a reference to the US-led multinational naval task force that is currently protecting Gulf shipping from Iranian interference. As part of the deal negotiated with Beijing, China is to be allowed access to a number of Iranian ports, including Chabahar, with the Chinese reported to be planning to build a new military base in the vicinity of the port. The construction of such a base would enable the Chinese Navy to monitor the activities of the U.S. Navy in the area, in particular the U.S. Navy's...

The Jerusalem Post Qatar Finances Hezbollah Terrorism, Declares ‘Jews Are Enemies’ - Report Doha sought to silence whistleblower with 750,000 euros By BENJAMIN WEINTHAL A German private security contractor, who has worked for the federal republic’s intelligence and security services, leveled bombshell allegations against Qatar’s regime, stating Doha finances the US and EU-designated terrorist movement Hezbollah and has declared Jews to be the enemies of the tiny Gulf state.The German weekly news outlet Die Zeit first reported on Friday about the security contractor Jason G. who obtained explosive details about Qatari terror finance.“In Doha, G. came across some unsavory information. There was an alleged arms deal with war munitions from Eastern Europe that was supposed to be handled by a company in Qatar. And there were alleged money flows from several rich Qataris and exiled Lebanese people from Doha to Hezbollah – the organization that is part of the government...

The Washington Post For The First Time, Trump Administration Uses Terrorism Charges Against An Alleged MS-13 Leader By Rachel WeinerThe Justice Department has charged an alleged leader in MS-13 as a terrorist, part of a string of new charges against members of the Salvadoran gang implicated in over a dozen murders.Armando Eliu Melgar Diaz, 30, oversaw 20 gang cliques in 13 states, including New York, California, Maryland and Virginia, according to prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia. He lived on and off in Virginia starting in 2003 but has stayed in El Salvador since 2016, according to prosecutors.“We’re using ‘terrorism,’ which gives us extra strength,” President Trump said in remarks at the White House on Wednesday. “We’ve done a great job with MS-13, but now we’re stepping it up even to a higher level.”Melgar Diaz is in custody facing criminal charges in El Salvador, with no indication he will...

Al-Monitor Iran offers unconditional support to Hamas, Islamic Jihad by Rasha Abou JalalHamas is sparing no effort to restore its relations with Iran, which announced that it will provide all necessary support to the Palestinians facing the Israeli annexation plan of the West Bank.GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Since Hamas and Islamic Jihad remained on the sidelines in the Syrian civil war and left their respective offices in Damascus in 2012, Iran, a staunch ally of the Syrian regime, suspended its financial support to both movements, cutting off their largest sources of funding.The return of these relations, however, seems to be in the offing, especially with the recent events in the region. On May 28, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his government intends to annex 30% of the West Bank.Head of the Hamas political bureau Ismail Haniyeh said July 6 that he had received a message from Iran’s...

Jerusalem Post Israeli research center finds 28 new Hezbollah missile launch sites ALMA says never-before-published sites are deep in heart of residential areas in Beirut, next to hospitals, restaurants, schools. By ANNA AHRONHEIM There are at least 28 missile launching sites belonging to Hezbollah in civilian areas in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, a report by ALMA Research and Education Center has found. The report found that the never-before-published sites concentrated mainly in Hezbollah-dominated areas of Beirut are related to the launch, storage and production of the group’s Fateh 110/M600 medium-range missiles and are “the same as those subject to the Hezbollah precision-guided missile project (PGMs).” “The world must understand and know that these launch sites are located at the heart of residential and urban civil infrastructure,” Tal Beeri, head of the Research department at ALMA Center, told The Jerusalem Post. Full story https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/israeli-research-center-finds-28-new-hezbollah-missile-launch-sites-634911...

American Military News For first time ever, US officially rejects China’s ‘unlawful’ South China Sea claims by Laura Widener The U.S. released its very first official statement rejecting most China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea as “unlawful.”The official document released Monday afternoon by the U.S. State Department stated, “Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them.”The document rejects China’s claims to certain territories, such as James Shoal, located 50 nautical miles from Malaysia, as well as other specific territories off the coasts of Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines. China has claimed some of these territories in its “Nine-Dashed Line” claim announced in 2009, despite these territories being located up to 1,000 nautical miles away from China’s coast. Full story https://americanmilitarynews.com/2020/07/for-first-time-ever-us-officially-rejects-chinas-unlawful-south-china-sea-claims/...

Express Fears As 29 Terrorists To Be Freed Onto UK Streets ‘Deeply Worrying’ TWENTY-nine terrorists are due to be released from prison within the next three years, with 11 of them back on the streets before April and three released by September.By Matthew Davis It means the security services will be put under huge pressure monitoring the newly released danger men. Once freed, these extremists are subject to security measures in a bid to stop them radicalizing others or going on the rampage themselves. But the difficulties surrounding the issue were highlighted by two recent atrocities in London, carried out by recently released prisoners. Usman Khan killed two people, Jack Merritt and Saskia Jones, in a knife attack at Fishmongers' Hall, on London Bridge, last November.Khan, 28, was released from prison a year before the attack after serving half a 16-year sentence for being involved in a plot to bomb...

CBS SF Bay Area Coronavirus Pandemic Impacting Cal Fire Wildfire Preparedness As Peak Fire Season Arrives CBS San Francisco SACRAMENTO (CBS SF) — Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on California’s wildfire preparedness efforts during his press briefing on Thursday but sought to allay concerns as the state begins to reach peak fire season.The governor also said COVID-19 quarantines have substantially cut the total number of personnel available to perform front line work on wildfires. Only 94 out of 192 inmate fire crews from the Calfornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are available because of COVID-19 infections and quarantines, said Newsom, along with a fewer number of the crews from the California Conservation Corps. Earlier this month, state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) said the transfer of inmates from San Quentin to the California Correctional Center in Susanville has now triggered an outbreak at that prison, which houses...

Fox News2 Texas police officers killed in ambush attack; suspect dead, authorities say The gunman later killed himself after a shootout with other officers, a report said By Nick Givas Two police officers were killed in a Texas border town Saturday in what authorities described as an ambush shooting.The gunman later killed himself after engaging in a shootout with other responding officers, The Monitor of McAllen, Texas, reported.The slain McAllen officers were identified as Edelmiro Garza, 45, and Ismael Chavez, 39. They were killed while responding to a domestic disturbance complaint, The Monitor reported.“We have lost two brave public servants who sought only to keep peace in our City,” McAllen police Chief Victor Rodriguez said via text message Saturday, according to the newspaper. Read more: https://www.foxnews.com/us/2-texas-police-officers-killed-in-ambush-attack-suspect-dead-authorities-say...

KIRO 7 Seattle city leaders throw support behind defunding SPD by 50% By Linzi Sheldon SEATTLE — The majority of Seattle City Council is now backing proposals to defund Seattle’s police department by 50%, despite concerns from the mayor’s office and Seattle’s police chief that council members are moving too quickly and without enough widespread community engagement.A coalition called Decriminalize Seattle presented a plan to the budget committee to redirect millions from the city budget to community organizations.“The status quo is no longer acceptable,” Council President Lorena Gonzalez said Thursday, adding that while she previously believed in police reform, she now believes in rebuilding. “We have to take away the things that no longer and should have never belonged to law enforcement in the first place,” she said. Full Story: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/seattle-city-leaders-throw-support-behind-defunding-spd-by-50/SI3Q7B3TL5BONCWYRTRX6MDZLU/...

Politico A top terrorism fighter’s dire warningRussell Travers detailed his concerns to the intelligence community’s watchdog. Days later, he says, Richard Grenell fired him.By BETSY WOODRUFF SWANAmerica’s intelligence agencies risk slipping back into dangerous pre-9/11 habits, a recently departed top counterterrorism official is warning in his first public remarks on the matter.Russell Travers, the former head of the U.S. government’s hub for analysis of counterterrorism intelligence, was so alarmed that he shared his concerns with the intelligence community’s top internal watchdog in his final weeks on the job. “I think there are really important questions that need to be addressed, and I don’t think they have been thus far,” said Travers, who ran the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) until March of this year. “And that has me worried, because I do think we could very easily end up back where we were 20 years ago.”Travers detailed his concerns, much of...

2 Fire Depts. Closed, 4 Police Officers Quarantined After Firefighter Test Positive For CoronavirusCBS Pittsburgh By Ross Guidotti ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) — Allegheny Township in Westmoreland County has two fire departments, but neither will be answering any calls in the next few days.“The departments could be out of service for a week,” Allegheny Township Supervisor Greg Primm says.Primm says coronavirus concerns are shuttering both stations for the time being.“One of the volunteer firefighters tested positive,” Primm said. “The fire departments had an event on the Fourth of July; he was at that event.”It is unclear what, if any, social distancing or protective equipment rules were or were not being followed, but the party wasn’t just a handful of people. Read more: https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2020/07/07/westmoreland-county-allegheny-township-volunteer-firefighter-coronavirus-positive/...

Reuters Pompeo Says US Seized Iranian Weapons On Way To Houthi Rebels In Yemen  WASHINGTON - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced on Wednesday that U.S. and partner forces seized a boat in June carrying Iranian weapons to Houthi rebels in Yemen as he renewed his call for the U.N. Security Council to extend an arms embargo on Iran."The Security Council must extend the arms embargo on Iran to prevent further conflict in the region," Pompeo told a State Department news conference. "No serious person can possibly believe Iran will use any weapon it receives for peaceful ends."Pompeo is leading a U.S. drive to persuade the Security Council to extend the embargo due to expire in mid-October under the terms of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal from which the United States withdrew in 2018.He took his appeal directly to the council last week, with an address to its 15...

BBC News Burkina Faso: 180 Bodies Found In 'Killing Field' At least 180 bodies have been found in mass graves in northern Burkina Faso where soldiers are fighting jihadists, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report says."Available evidence suggests government forces were involved in mass extrajudicial executions," HRW says.Over seven months, the bodies had been dumped near the town of Djibo in groups of up to 20, before being buried by local residents.Burkina Faso's defence minister suggested militants might be to blame."It is difficult for the population to distinguish between armed terrorist groups and the defence and security forces," Chérif Moumina Sy told the campaign group in response to the findings.But the minister said the government would investigate the allegations. Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-53333366...