Terrorism Watch

Neubrandenburg, Germany:  German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday tried to placate the increasingly vocal critics of her open-door policy for refugees, insisting that asylum seekers from Syria and Iraq would go home once the conflicts there had ended. Merkel, despite appearing increasingly isolated over her policy, has resisted pressure from some conservatives to cap the influx of refugees, or to close Germany's borders. A record 1.1 million migrants arrived in Germany last year. But growing concern about the country's ability to cope and worries about crime and security after assaults on women are weighing on support for Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU). Merkel said that despite efforts to integrate refugees and help them, it was important to stress that they had only been given permission to stay for a limited period of time. "We need ... to say to people that this is a temporary

Sankar Sen Posted at: Jan 30 2016 1:53AM The Taliban attack on the prestigious Bacha Khan University in Khyber Pakhtunwah province of Pakistan has once again demonstrated that Tehrik-e-Taliban (TeT) is down but not out, and it is capable of wreaking havoc by devastating terrorist strikes. They had earlier killed more than 130 school children when they attacked the Army Public School in Peshawar. They have again threatened to attack more schools all over Pakistan. Taliban commander Umar Mansoor has justified the offensive against schools and colleges by saying that students from these institutions tend to join the army and the government. But another Taliban spokesman condemned the attack and has called it un-Islamic. This would suggest a possible split within the Pakistan Taliban. The authorities have said that the Taliban operating from inside Afghanistan along the Af-Pak border are responsible for this outrage. Some conspiracy theorists in Pakistan have accused the Indian int

BOGOTÁ — President Juan Manuel Santos would like the United States to remove the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) from its list of terrorist organizations and suspend drug warrants against guerrilla commanders if he seals a peace deal with Latin America’s oldest leftist insurgency. In an interview days before a key visit to the White House, Santos made his most-sweeping remarks in three years of peace talks about Washington’s important role at the negotiating table. His February 4 meeting with President Barack Obama will celebrate 15 years and some US$10 billion in US counterinsurgency and anti-narcotics aid to its staunchest ally in the region. The high-profile meeting underscores Colombia’s historic moment: the peace talks taking place in Cuba have reached what both sides describe as a point of no return, with a final deal to end a half-century of bloodshed expected as early as March. This week the UN Security Council unanimously endorsed sending a mission to mon

 | Jan 30,2016 Airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition targeting Yemen's Shiite rebels killed over 32 people overnight including at least eight civilians in the capital, Sanaa, officials said today. The airstrikes appeared to target a rebel camp and factories producing food and plastic in northern and western Sanaa, the security and medical officials said. Yemen has been torn by conflict since 2014, when Shiite rebels, known as Houthis, allied with a former president captured large swaths of the country, including Sanaa, which they took in September that year. The Saudi-led coalition launched its air campaign against the rebels in March 2015. Since then, more than 5,800 people have been killed and over 80 per cent of Yemen's population is in dire need of food, water and other aid, according to the United Nations. Also today, the Houthis detained several activists and critics including a local journalist in Sanaa, security officials said. The detentions are part of a Houthi crackdow

A  Taliban suicide bomber today rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the gate of an army facility in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, injuring at least six persons including two children.  A home-made bomb was used in the blast that occurred near Zhob Cantt area, injuring four personnel as well as two children, security sources were quoted as saying by The Express Tribune.  The suicide bomber rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the gate of the military compound, Dunya News reported, adding that the intensity of the blast spread fear and panic among residents. Friday prayers were going on in a nearby mosque near the compound at the time of the blast, sources said.  Heavy contingents of law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene following the incident to cordon off the area. The injured were shifted to Civil Hospital Zhob.  - See more at: http://m.greaterkashmir.com/news/world/6-injured-in-attack-on-pak-army-facility/208174.html#sthash.l98dhloD.dpuf

With the passage of time awareness is increasing among masses of Balochistan and HEC can’t continue the discriminatory practice without being called out  A couple of weeks ago, this author wrote an article for  The Nation titled  Balochistan is being cheated out of its share by HEC . The article was based on the latest annual report of Higher Education Commission (HEC) and used the quoted figures in the report to present a case on how HEC was cheating Balochistan, like the rest of the federal bodies. A few days after publication of the article, Secretary Education Balochistan Abdul Saboor Kakar held a meeting with HEC officials. In that meeting he used the same article to argue that Balochistan is being discriminated against by HEC. Initially HEC officials were adamant and claimed that Balochistan was getting 10.2% share in HEC as opposed to its 6% share. After a heated debate the HEC Chairman agreed to constitute a committee that would study resource distribution to Balochistan since

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said linking terrorism with any particular religion would only help terror forces to succeed in their motives as they use “division and confrontation in the society as their weapon”. Noting that “evil groups” like Islamic State neither has relation with any religion nor do they have any ideology, the Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs said, “These forces want to establish their evil empire by killing human values.”  He called terrorism and radicalism as the “biggest threat” to the entire world. “After recent terror incidents and arrests, it is clear that IS and other terrorist groups want to harm India, they want to disturb atmosphere of peace, harmony and prosperity. These forces are enemies of both the humanity and Islam.” He said these terror groups have been using religion as their shield and “we have to be alert against their activities”. “If we will link terrorism with any particular religion, then the terr

Sixteen PKK terrorists were killed Friday in operations in southeast Turkey, the Turkish military said Saturday. In a statement, the Turkish General Staff said nine were killed in Cizre, Sirnak province, and seven in Sur, Diyarbakir province. The two districts have been among areas that have been the focus of counter-terror operations and military curfews for more than a month. The statement said 483 PKK terrorists were “neutralized” in Cizre and 144 in Sur since early December. Security forces defused seven improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and seized firearms and ammunition in Cizre while another 37 IEDs were dismantled in Sur. Separately, security forces on Friday arrested 13 suspected PKK members in Hozat, Tunceli province. The PKK - designated a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and EU - renewed its armed campaign against the Turkish state in late July. Since then more than 240 members of the security forces have been martyred. Source http://aa.com.tr/en/turkey/16-pkk-t

Munger:  An Assistant Sub Inspector of Police was killed in an encounter between police and supporters of Maoists in Bihar's Maoist-hit Munger district today. Superintendent of Police Varun Sinha said that the Maoist supporters attacked the police over arrest of suspected Maoist Lallan Koda during combing operation in Lathiakoresi village of Munger. They opened fire on police forces resulting in death of ASI Bhavesh Singh posted at Dharhara police station. He was brought to Sadar Hospital in a critical condition where doctors declared him as brought dead, the SP said. The SP said a Maoist supporter was injured when the police returned the fire. Source http://m.ndtv.com/india-news/policeman-killed-in-encounter-with-maoist-supporters-in-bihars-munger-1271789

: January 30, 2016 14:48 IST | Peerzada Ashiq  The police on Saturday claimed to have killed a Laskhar-e-Taiba commander in a gunbattle in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, more than 90 km away from Srinagar. The gunbattle started on Friday night in Dardpora, Lol pora, when security forces cordoned off the area. A police official said the militant hiding there opened fire, ensuing an exchange of fire. The slain militant was identified as Abu Usama, a LeT commander, who worked under alias Zarar. Security agencies claim the slain militant was from Pakistan occupied Kashmir. He is believed to be part of the group comprising three to four members that infiltrated around six months ago. Two more militants are believed to be hiding inside the area. "The operation is on," said the police officer. Dozens of locals participated in the last rites of the slain militant. The area also observed a shutdown. Source http://m.thehindu.com/news/national/let-comman

Other States Three Maoists killed in Bastar Updated: January 30, 2016 13:23 IST | Pavan Dahat  Three Maoist of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed in two different encounters in Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Saturday morning, the police said. “Two encounters took place in Bastar today morning. Two woman Maoists were killed and their dead bodies were recovered after an encounter near Palamadagu village of Sukma district. The second encounter took place at Pannur village of Bijapur district leading to the death of a Maoist trainer in that area,” Bastar range Inspector General (IG) of Police, Mr. S.R.P. Kalluri said in a statement. The woman Maoists killed in Sukma encounter have been identified as Vanjam Shanti and Vanjam Pojje. “Both were militia members of Palamadagu range committee of the Maoists. Three locally made guns, detonators, uniforms and some bullets were recovered from them. The Maoist killed in Bijapur encounter has been identified

January 28, 2016 Davao City – A New People’s Army (NPA) amazon was killed during an encounter with the elements of 73rd Infantry Battalion Wednesday morning in Sitio Tinungkaan, Barangay Danwata, Malita, Davao Occidental. An M653 rifle was recovered from the fatality at the Davao encounter site, the 10th Infantry (Agila) Division said. “The armed encounter occurred when the soldiers chanced upon around 20 NPAs led by alias Joey at around 5 a.m. After an hour-long firefight, the NPAs scampered in different directions leaving behind their dead female comrade,” Capt. Rhyan Batchar, chief information officer of the 10th ID said. Pursuit operations are still on-going in the area while the authorities are still establishing the amazon’s identity. 73rd IB commander Lt. Col. Ronnie Babac said their forces will sustain efforts to force the remnants of the NPA units operating in the boundaries of Davao Occidental and Sarangani to abandon their armed struggle, return to the folds of the law and

BHABUA: A college student has allegedly received a phone call from   Pakistan  asking him to join ISI, police said today.  Mukesh Kumar filed a written complaint with Bhabua police station of Kaimur district about receiving a call from Pakistan over his mobile phone luring him to join Pakistan's intelligence agency -   ISI yesterday, Superintendent of Police Harpreet Kaur told PTI.  Kumar, who studies in Intermediate (Class 12th) and also works as a part time salesman in a cloth shop, said in his complaint that initially he did not respond to the call.  When the call came for the second time he responded to the caller who offered him handsome cash if he joined the ISI, Kumar said in his complaint filed soon after the call.  He told police that he had refused the offer to the caller.  The Kaimur SP said she had informed the state police headquarter at Patna about the incident for further action with  Intelligence Bureau  and other agencies. Source http://m.economictimes.com/news/pol

The recent execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia and the resulting anti-Iran and anti-Shi'ite rhetoric in the Arab gulf states and throughout the Sunni world suggest that Sunni-Shi'ite conflict is a developing problem. On the other hand, the Amman Message, issued more than 10 years ago, is a historic statement expressing the desire of Muslims to be united and to live lives free of sectarian strife. It is a formal statement by Muslims of a pluralistic mutual recognition and respect, and one that deserves to be highlighted in this time of tension. The first decades of the 21st century will be known as a period of great hostility between the two major denominations of Islam - the Sunnis who form the majority of the global Muslim population, and the Shi'ites, who make up about 20 per cent. Shi'ites are in the majority in Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Iran and Iraq. They also form significant, influential minorities in countries such as Lebanon, Kuwait, Turkey, Af

A  gunbattle is currently underway between security forces and militants in Kupwara District of Jammu Kashmir. One militant has been gunned down in the encounter so far. A gunbattle is currently underway between security forces and militants in Kupwara District of Jammu Kashmir. One militant has been gunned down in the encounter so far. Search operations are underway in Kupwara. Arms and ammunition have also been recovered. Further details are awaited. Source http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-militant-gunned-down-in-kupwara-encounter-underway-2171889

An undated handout photo released by West Midlands Police service and received in London on January 29, 2016, shows Tareena Shakil as she poses for a custody photograph with a head scarf. (AFP Photo / West Midlands Police LONDON:  A British woman has been found guilty of taking her toddler son to join the Islamic State group, becoming the first woman to be convicted of the offense after returning to the UK from the self-declared caliphate in Syria. Tareena Shakil, 26, was convicted of being a member of the ISIS and encouraging acts of terrorism. She will be sentenced on Monday. Police said in October 2014 she and her one-year-old son boarded a plane to Turkey, where she crossed into Syria and spent three months there. Counter-terrorism officers arrested Shakil on suspicion of Syria-related terrorism offenses and child neglect at London's Heathrow Airport when she returned last February. Her son has since been taken into social care. During her trial, Shakil denied the cha

RIYADH, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) --  Syria n opposition said on Friday it is going to attend the Geneva talks on the Syrian crisis as scheduled after receiving assurances from the  United Nations , Al Arabiya local news reported. The assurances are related to the implementation of Security Council resolutions related to humanitarian issues. The Syrian opposition higher negotiating Committee (HNC) based in Riyadh announced Thursday that it will boycott the talks until receiving official response from the UN about a list of concern. According to a local al-Hadath news channel, the HNC received both UN and U.S. guarantees. Earlier, UN Special Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura will begin by meeting the government's delegation, which is headed by the country's UN ambassador Bashar Jaafari, according to de Mistura's spokeswoman Khawla Mattar. She said the envoy is expected to later meet other participants in the talks, including civil society representatives. The indirect talks are part

ISLAMABAD: Amidst Taliban threats, over 230 educational institutions, most of them government-run, in Pakistan's Punjab province have been shut, with authorities asking them to step up security by Sunday or face action. The institutions, 138 of them run by government, in Punjab's Rawalpindi division have been asked by authorities to boost their security. As many as 53 educational institutions in the region, including Rawalpindi Medical College, were on Thursday served final notices to improve security by Sunday failing which the head of the institution would be booked, Dawn reported. In Jhelum, 15 educational institutions, including 10 government and five private schools were sealed. Chakwal saw four schools sealed and three others were given warnings. In Attock, police and intelligence agencies carried out a fresh survey of security at educational institutions and found 205 schools and colleges, including 127 government and 78 private institutions, lacked adequate security m

GENEVA: Six more children in the Central African Republic (CAR) have accused European soldiers of sex abuse, the United Nations said on Friday, with one official saying such abuse was "rampant" there. The European Union, Georgia, France and another unnamed European country are investigating the alleged crimes, including rapes, mostly committed in 2014 in or near a camp for displaced people next to the airport at Bangui, CAR's capital. One of the girls interviewed by UN staff said that in 2014 when she was 7 years old she had performed sexual acts on French soldiers, part of the EU's EUFOR force, "in exchange for a bottle of water and a sachet of cookies", a UN statement said. "What is abundantly clear in the Central African Republic is that it has been rampant. We're talking, I don't know the exact number of contingents involved, something like 10 now, both UN and non-UN, which is truly shocking," UN human rights spokesman, Rupert Colvi

WASHINGTON: Terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan, providing shelter to terrorist outfits like the Taliban and the Haqqani network, is a serious problem, a top US general nominated to be the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan said on Thursday. "I view it (terrorist safe havens inside Pakistan) as a serious problem," General John "Mick" Nicholson told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing. If confirmed by the Senate, he would replace General John Campbell as commander of the US and NATO forces in Afghanistan at a time when serious concerns have been raised about the security situation in Afghanistan, where Taliban militants have caused large numbers of casualties and Islamic State affiliates have made some inroads. "One of the biggest problems has been the sanctuary, particularly for the Haqqani Network, particularly the involvement of the ISI in Pakistan, which in many cases have been supporting the Haqqani Network