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Showing posts from January 3, 2016

Security experts fear 'European 9/11' in the coming year

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Paris (AFP) - Just a week into the year, France has already been rattled by an attempted attack on a police station, but counter-terrorism officials have far graver fears for Europe in 2016. November's attacks in Paris, in which 130 people were killed by Islamic State group jihadists, showed the trauma that could be caused by a group of men with Kalashnikov rifles, but experts fear it could be just the start. "Unfortunately, I think 2015 was nothing," a counter-terrorism official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We are moving towards a European 9/11: simultaneous attacks on the same day in several countries, several places. A very coordinated thing. We know the terrorists are working on this," he added. He said the Islamic State group was recruiting and training Europeans "with the goal of sending them back to hit their countries of origin". "They have the necessary false documents, the mastery of the language, the sites, the weapons. We stop

ISIS jihadists execute Syrian woman in Raqqa on charges of spying for the U.S.-led coalition

ARA News RAQQA  – Extremists of the Islamic State group (ISIS) executed on Wednesday a woman in Syria’s northeastern city of Raqqa, local sources reported.  Lina Qasem, 35, was an employee in the Postal Corporation of Raqqa before ISIS jihadists took over the city in the summer of 2013.  She was shot dead on Wednesday on charges of leaking security information to the U.S.-led coalition–which has been striking ISIS positions in Syria and Iraq for nearly two years.  “When the militants arrested her last week we couldn’t find out the reasons behind her arrest, but today the Sharia Court issued a statement accusing Lina of cooperation with the coalition against the Caliphate,” a family member of Lina Qasem told ARA News, under the condition of anonymity for security concerns.  “She was shot dead in front of dozens of people at the central square of Raqqa,” the source said. “After the execution, the group refused to hand over her dead body to her family.” On Tuesday, the ISIS radical group 

Feds: Refugees used social media to plan terror fight

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — An Iraqi man bragged about his experience fighting in Syria and the skills he developed as a teenage insurgent as he urged a fellow Iraqi refugee in the U.S. to join him in what both hoped would be martyrdom, according to documents filed in federal court. Aws Mohammed Younis Al-Jayab , 23, of Sacramento described his experience fighting against Syrian government soldiers in heroic terms and promised in 2013 he would train Omar Faraj Saeed Al Hardan of Houston in how to use weapons and sneak into Syria to join the fight, according to an FBI affidavit unsealed in federal court in Sacramento. The two Iraqi-born Palestinians used social media to discuss their plans, according to federal authorities. The communications provided the link that led to terrorism-related charges against the men this week. Al-Jayab faces up to eight years in prison on charges of traveling to Syria to fight and lying to U.S. authorities about his travels. Al-Hardan is charged with attempt

Belgium says found possible Paris attacks bomb factory in December raid

Belgian investigators believe explosives used in the attacks in Paris in November may have been made in an apartment in Brussels that was rented under a false name and where a fingerprint of a key fugitive was found. Police found material that could be used to make explosives, traces of explosive acetone peroxide and handmade belts during a raid on the apartment on Dec. 10, federal prosecutors said in a statement on Friday. Belgian newspaper De Standaard, which reported the raid in its Friday edition, said the investigators believed the explosives were probably packed into suicide belts in a hotel outside Paris in the lead-up to the Nov. 13 attacks. Prosecutors investigating Belgian links to the Paris attacks said the apartment in the district of Schaerbeek had been rented under a false name that might have been used by a person already in custody in connection with the Paris attacks. The find adds to indications that the Nov. 13 shooting and suicide bomb attacks in Paris, in

Woman jailed for trying to take her children to live in Syria under Isis

British-born woman wanted to live under sharia law and told children’s father they were going to a party but instead boarded flight to Turkey A British-born woman who tried to take her children to  Syria  to live under Islamic State control has been jailed for more than five years. The woman, 34, who cannot be named for legal reasons, wished to live under strict sharia law and believed such a regime could only be found where Isis imposed control, Leeds crown court heard. She abducted her children in October last year with the intention of travelling to Raqqa, but was stopped by Turkish authorities in Istanbul and returned to the UK after her husband and parents contacted police. She previously pleaded guilty to two counts of child abduction, relating to her children, who were both aged under 16. Sentencing the woman to five years and four months in jail, Judge Rodney Jameson QC said: “You were determined to take them to Raqqa in Syria. Raqqa is, and was in October 2015, the

The al-Shabaab vs. Islamic State battle for foreign fighters

SPECIAL REPORT: 20160108  Please find attached our latest Special Report  The al-Shabaab vs. Islamic State battle for foreign fighters. http://vatescorp.com/specialreports/special_report_8/#/0 The report is based on a Jan 01 video released by al-Shabaab media wing, al-Kataib, “The Path to Paradise: From the Twin Cities to the Land of Two Migrations Episode 2”. This video captured the attention of international media for featuring Donald Trump's comments on suspending the Muslim immigration to the states. However our assessment examines arguably the more significant message contained in the video, regarding al-Shabaab’s battle for foreign fighters. Our report explores reasons why global jihadist groups are desperately seeking to recruit internationals into their ranks and the ideological conviction of some members of the diaspora. The Special Report can be viewed by clicking this link. For any comments or questions regarding the report, please email  info@vatescorp.c

Obama slams NRA 'fiction,' 'conspiracy' theories at town hall on guns

President Barack Obama tore into the National Rifle Association on Thursday as he sought support for his actions on gun control, accusing the powerful lobby group of peddling an "imaginary fiction" that he said has distorted the national debate about gun violence. In a prime-time, televised town hall meeting, Obama dismissed what he called a "conspiracy" alleging that the federal government — and Obama in particular — wants to seize all firearms as a precursor to imposing martial law. He blamed that notion on the NRA and like-minded groups that convince its members that "somebody's going to come grab your guns." "Yes, that is a conspiracy," Obama said. "I'm only going to be here for another year. When would I have started on this enterprise?" Obama defended his support for the constitutional right to gun ownership while arguing it was consistent with his efforts to curb mass shootings. He said the NRA refused to ackno

More than 5500 ISIS militants killed in clashes with Syrian Kurds in2015

ARA News KOBANE  – At least 5800 militant fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS) have been killed in clashes with the Kurdish forces of the People’s Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria during 2015. The YPG’s leadership said in a statement on Thursday: “A total of 5875 terrorists of ISIS were killed in clashes with our forces during the year 2015.”   “Our units have conducted 453 military operations against the terror group; 392 clashes took place during these operations. The documented death toll in the ranks of ISIS reached 5875 terrorists, and we have taken 38 terrorists as hostages,” the Kurdish leadership said in its annual report.  It added that the YPG units, in cooperation with the female fighters of the YPJ, have seized 204 ISIS military vehicles, 24 tanks, 26 armored vehicles and detonated 58 car bombs, beside seizing a large deal of ammunition.  On the other hand, 680 Kurdish fighters lost their lives while fighting ISIS over the year 2015.  In cooperation

Gunmen abduct Swiss woman in Timbuktu

Timbuktu - Gunmen abducted a Swiss woman overnight Thursday to Friday in Timbuktu in northern Mali, where she had lived for several years and was previously held by extremists, official sources told AFP. “Beatrice, a Swiss citizen, was kidnapped in her home in Timbuktu by gunmen,” a Timbuktu government official told AFP. A Malian security source said armed men had gone to her home on Thursday night, “knocked on the door, she opened, and they left with her.” Beatrice Stockly was kidnapped a first time in April 2012 by Islamist fighters but released thanks to mediation efforts by Burkina Faso authorities. Two foreign hostages seized the previous year in 2011 by members of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), a South African and a Swede, are still in captivity. Jihadist fighters including AQIM members seized control of Mali's vast remote north in March-April 2012 but were chased out the following year by a French-led military intervention. A regional French counterterrorism force i

US leaders meet with tech CEOs to fight terrorism online

The primary focus will be on countering terrorists' messages, including finding ways to "disrupt" radicalization, measure anti-terrorist efforts and recognize extremists' recruiting methods. Privacy issues like encryption are supposed to be secondary. However, there's a concern that the leadership will keep up its  push for backdoor access  despite the known security risks. The subject is bound to come up, according to some of the  Guardian 's tipsters. Whether or not the government succeeds is up in the air. While these tech firms have taken steps to fight terrorism, they're leery of anything that makes it look like they're  inviting government spies and otherwise compromising customers' privacy in the name of security. As such, it's likely that the government will only get some of what it wants. Internet companies may do more to block terrorists and send out more positive vibes, but they probably won't budge on changes to their tec

Blair Ignored Terror Warning By Gadaffi

Transcripts shows Libyan leader foresaw threat from Islamists TONY BLAIR may have “wrongfully ignored” a warning from Colonel Muammar Gadaffi of Islamist attacks on Europe, newly released telephone transcripts revealed yesterday. The former Labour prime minister made two calls to Col Gaddafi on February 25 2011, a week after the Libyan regime responded with violence to uprisings in Benghazi and other cities. Mr Blair used the correspondence to urge the Libyan leader to stand aside and accept a change of government, as demanded by the insurgents. He said refusing to do so could spell “bloodshed for a lot of Libyan people.” However, a suspicious Col Gadaffi branded Mr Blair’s plan “colonisation” and blamed the violence on al-Qaida sleeper cells in Libya. “There is no bloodshed here. It is very quiet. But if you want to reap Libya, we are ready to fight. It will be like Iraq,” the Libyan leader threatened. He said the uprising was part of a plot by armed Islamists to

ISIS militants execute three Syrian activists on charges of ‘apostasy’and ‘spying for crusaders’

ARA News ALEPPO  – The radical group of Islamic State (ISIS) executed on Thursday three Syrian activists, local sources reported. Ahmed al-Abdullah, a Syrian civil rights activist, was beheaded in the central square of Manbij city after ISIS accused him of ‘apostasy’. “The accusation was made by the ISIS-led Sharia Court, which order al-Abdullah’s immediate execution,” a local source who witnessed the execution told ARA News, under the condition of anonymity.  “The victim was working with foreign aid agencies to coordinate the delivery of humanitarian aid to the people stranded in the ISIS-held city of Manbij,” the source said.  Also on Thursday, eyewitnesses in Manbij reported that the extremist group executed media activists Ibrahim Muhammad and Sarai al-Halabi on charges of ‘spying for crusaders’.  “They were both shot dead in the al-Dalla square of Manbij city on Thursday evening in front of dozens of people,” an eyewitness told ARA News.  ISIS accused the two me

Two teenage girls gang-raped by four 'Syrian nationals' in southernGermany

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Three Syrians have been arrested in southern  Germany  for the alleged gang rape of two teenage girls on New Year’s Eve, as  reports flood in of sexual assaults against women across the country .  A 21-year-old man and two 14-year-old boys are being held in Weil am Rhein, a small town near the Swiss and German borders, for the alleged rape of two girls aged 14 and 15.  Prosecutors allege that the two girls were held for several hours and gang-raped after attending a New Year celebration at the home of the 21-year-old man in the nearby village of Friedlingen.  Police officers survey the area in front of the main train station and the Cathedral in Cologne   AFP Advertisement Although the suspects have been in custody for several days, news of the arrests only emerged on Thursday. Prosecutors said they were kept secret to protect the victims' identities Police are searching for a fourth suspect believed to be the man’s 15-year-old brother. None of those involved have

Four Palestinians killed after stabbing attempts, Israeli army says

Four Palestinians were killed Thursday after allegedly attempting to stab Israeli soldiers in two separate attacks. Three were killed after they attempted to stab an IDF force at the Gush Etzion junction in the  West Bank . Meanwhile, an  attempted stabbing against another IDF soldier was reported near Hebron, also ending without Israeli causalities. The alleged assailant was also shot dead on the scene.  According to the army, in the first incident soldiers identified three Palestinians they said appeared suspicious approaching the junction from the direction of Beit Fajjar. A force of reservists was called to the scene to search the group, during which time one of the Palestinians pulled a knife and was shot. The two other Palestinians also had knives and were also shot after attempting to use them against the soldiers, it added. All three Palestinians were killed and no soldiers were wounded in the incident, which took place at a hitchhiking post. The Palestinians,

50 militants of ISIS killed in clashes with western-backed SyrianDemocratic Forces

ARA News KOBANE  – At least 50 militant fighters of the Islamic State (ISIS) were killed and dozens more wounded in renewed clashes with the Kurdish-Arab alliance of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) northeast of Aleppo, military sources reported on Thursday.  Fierce clashes took place in the vicinity of Tishreen town on the western bank of Euphrates River in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo after a group of ISIS militants tried to infiltrate into the town –which was liberated by the western-backed SDF units end of December.  “A large group of ISIS terrorists tried to infiltrate into Tishreen town on Thursday, but our units foiled the operation and clashed with the terrorists,” an SDF spokesman told ARA News on Thursday.  “Subsequent to fierce clashes, the group withdrew from the vicinity of the town. More than 50 dead bodies of the terrorists were found in the clashes area, while dozens others were wounded and captured by our units,” the spokesman reported.  He a

Assad regime to allow aid into besieged Madaya, UN confirms

ARA News DAMASCUS  – Government of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday gave a permission to the United Nations’ agencies to deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged town of Madaya near the capital Damascus.  The United Nations confirmed in a statement that the Assad government approved U.N. demand to deliver aid to three war-torn towns in Syria, including Fuaa, Kafraya and Madaya.  “The U.N. welcomes today’s approval from the Government of Syria to access Madaya, Fuaa and Kafraya and is preparing to deliver humanitarian assistance in the coming days,” a U.N. statement said.  Madaya, located about 25km northwest of Damascus and 11km from the border with Lebanon, has been besieged by pro-Assad forces and allied Lebanese Shia militia of Hezbollah since July.  At least 25 civilians died of starvation in Madaya earlier this week, Medecins Sans Frontieres confirmed.  According to reports, more than 4.5 million people in Syria live in hard-to-reach areas, where c

Isis's latest horror video ratchets up threat against activists

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When Abu Mahmoud’s phone started ringing last Sunday night, he thought the anguished shouting of relatives on the other end was a joke. One of their family members had been killed by  Islamic State , they said. His death was on the internet. The family member was one of five men executed by Isis in the terror group’s latest propaganda video, shot in the head as they submitted to their tormentors while a new English-speaking frontman made menacing threats to Britain. “I didn’t have the courage to watch the video,” Mahmoud said nearly a week on. “When I opened it, I watched a minute of it and shut it down.” Isis’s latest snuff flick contained scenes of stylised horror that have become numbingly familiar over the series of at least seven films uploaded to the internet. As well as threatening the UK, the video also targeted another group, a resolute team of activists who use social media platforms to document abuses from within Isis’s most sensitive strongholds – Raqqa in Syria