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Showing posts from June 11, 2017

Facebook's AI war on terror revealed: Software is learning to spot and shut down terror groups online

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Facebook's AI war on terror revealed: Software is learning to spot and shut down terror groups online By Reuters  18:15 BST 15 Jun 2017, updated 19:06 BST 15 Jun 2017 Uses image matching and language understanding to find and remove content Is rolling out the system across  all platforms including WhatsApp and Instagram Facebook has offered new insight into its efforts to remove terrorism content, a response to political pressure in Europe to militant groups using the social network for propaganda and recruiting. Facebook has ramped up use of artificial intelligence such as image matching and language understanding to identify and remove content quickly, Monika Bickert, Facebook's director of global policy management, and Brian Fishman, counterterrorism policy manager, explained in a blog post. Facebook uses artificial intelligence for image matching that allows the company to see if a photo or video being uploaded matches a known photo or video from groups it

The global war on terror seems paralysed

The global war on terror seems paralysed Syed Ata Hasnain Globally, the war on terror has never been so much in paralysis as it has been in the past few weeks. It’s almost as if it’s non-existent, with terrorists ruling the roost in many of the world’s violence-prone regions, and political leaderships aiding them with their thoughtless agendas. Britain, reputed for its excellent success in welding together communities and possessing world-class intelligence services and security forces, has been in the eye of the storm with three major attacks at Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge. France, with a respite from the chain of attacks it bore through 2015-16, once again suffered a lone wolf attack at Notre Dame on June 5. It last faced a terror strike on April 20, when a policeman was killed at Champs Elysees in Paris just before the first round of the presidential elections. With fast-moving developments in the Middle East after the Arab and Islamic summits during US Preside

Extremism grows, chiefly radical Islamists: Sweden

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Stockholm : The number of violent Islamist extremists in Sweden has soared from 200 in 2010 to "thousands", intelligence agency Sapo said Friday, while noting that only a handful were deemed able to carry out a terror attack. "We would say that (the number) has gone from hundreds to thousands now," Sapo chief Anders Thornberg told news agency TT in an interview, describing the situation as "serious". "This is the 'new normal' It is a historic challenge that extremist circles are growing," he said. He stressed, however, that only a few of the "thousands" had both the intention and ability to carry out a terror attack. A 2010 Sapo report estimated the number of violent Islamist extremists in the Scandinavian country at 200. Thornberg attributed the rise primarily to the propaganda machine of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS), which has united different groups of Islamist extremists. "We used to have different cir

UNGA approves new high-level UN office set up to fight terrorism globally

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UNGA approves new high-level UN office set up to fight terrorism globally United Nations:  The UN General Assembly has approved the establishment of a new office to coordinate counter-terrorism efforts, a move welcomed by India as a “much awaited first step” that will align the world body with needs of the global community in the fight against the menace. The 193-member General Assembly adopted a consensus resolution on Thursday creating the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism that will be headed by an undersecretary general. India welcomed the creation of the new UN counter- terrorism office, saying it demonstrates the importance member states place on collective and coordinated action on terrorism, which remains the most complex threat faced by the international community. “India believes that the creation of the Office of Counter Terrorism Coordinator is a much awaited first step in our efforts to enhance coordination of the UN’s CT (counter- terrorism) efforts,”

Court re-arrests Istanbul mayor’s son-in-law, former police chief over Gülen links

ISTANBUL An Istanbul court on June 17 ordered the arrest of Ömer Faruk Kavurmacı, the son-in-law of Istanbul mayor Kadir Topbaş, and former Istanbul police chief Hüseyin Çapkın on June 17 for the second time after they had been previously arrested over links to the Gülen movement blamed on the July 2016 failed coup attempt. The suspects' arrest comes one day after two separate arrest warrants had been issued on them over their links to the Fethullahist Terror Organization (FETÖ). Kavurmacı and Çapkın were referred to court and arrested for the second time. Kavurmacı was arrested as part of an operation against the Turkish Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON), which was affiliated with the Gülenist movement before being released by the Istanbul 5th Criminal Court of Peace on May 4 on the grounds that prison conditions were having a negative effect on the suspect, who was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2005. He was detained by police on June 17. Earlier, Çapkın h

Iraq seizes key crossing near Syria from Daesh

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A file photo of Iraqi forces at the al-Waleed crossing, which links Iraq and Syria Iraqi forces have seized from Daesh one of the official border crossings between the country and Syria, thus choking a key supply line feeding the Takfiri terrorist group. Al-Waleed, which together with two other passageways links Iraq and Syria, came under government control on Saturday, Reuters reported. The advance took place as the Syrian government and its allies are hemming the terrorists in on the other side of the border. Al-Waleed is close to the al-Tanf crossing on the common border, which is the key to the Baghdad-Damascus Highway and also links up to the main Baghdad-Amman route. Daesh seized al-Waleed in May 2015, almost a year into its deadly terror campaign in Syria and Iraq. It used the bridgehead to expand its grip there to the entirety of the common border. Syrian forces are, meanwhile, advancing toward al-Tanf, where the US forces have been based since last year on a miss

Hamas: Daesh didn’t kill Israeli soldier

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Israeli guards stand outside the Damascus Gate in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds’ Old City, June 16, 2017. (Photo by AFP) The Palestinian resistance movement of Hamas says Daesh did not kill a female Israeli soldier in the Tel Aviv-occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds, as the Takfiri terror group has claimed. According to Israeli media, officer Hadas Malka was killed in a stabbing attack on Friday near Damascus Gate, which is one of the main entrances to Jerusalem al-Quds’ Old City. Israeli forces shot three Palestinians dead in response to the reported attack. Read more: Israeli froces kill 3 Palestinians in al-Quds Some Israeli media later said that Daesh had claimed responsibility. However, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said that the Daesh claim had been an attempt to “muddy the waters,” and that the attack had been carried out by “two Palestinians from the PFLP and a third from Hamas,” referring to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine by its acronym

Al-Qaeda plans final terror call / jihad for India: Intel report points to terror recruitment drive targeting nation's Muslims

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By Abhishek Bhalla  23:36 BST 16 Jul 2014, updated 23:36 BST 16 Jul 2014 Al-Qaeda plans final jihad for India: Intel report points to terror recruitment drive targeting nation's Muslims    | Al-Qaeda is at the gates, and there are enough jihadis within already. Intelligence agencies say the terror network is making inroads into India, sowing the seeds of a "final war" across the country. Information gathered on al-Qaeda's India plans points to a mobilisation of its resources for jihad.  The ideological goal of the group, as detailed in the report, is chilling: Ghazwa-e-Hind, or the final battle in India.  Tribal militias from Pakistan (in photo) are prime candidates for the Ghazwa-e-Hind Ghazwa-e-Hind refers to an indoctrinated view of a final apocalyptic war in which India will be conquered by a jihadi army. All soldiers of this army are guaranteed a place in heaven.  This term is freely used in jihadi circles and on the web, but is consid

Armed police arrest man 'reaching for knife' outside gates of UK parliament (VIDEO)

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Armed police arrest man 'reaching for knife' outside gates of UK parliament (VIDEO) Published time: 16 Jun, 2017 10:25  Edited time: 16 Jun, 2017 13:33 British police have arrested a man suspected of carrying a knife outside the Palace of Westminster after he ran, shouting, towards one of the gates on Friday afternoon. A member of public reportedly shouted  “knife, knife, knife,” according to one Sun reporter. Witnesses say the man, who is in his 30s, was shouting and running towards one of the main gates to parliament. The suspect was tasered before being pinning to the ground while officers pointed a gun at him. "The man reached for a knife," police told Reuters.  "Nobody was injured." The suspect was taken away in a police van. Police are on high alert after a terrorist attack on Westminster Bridge on March 22. Khalid Masood killed six people including a police officer in a joint vehicle and knife attack. "At this time it i

US-led Coalition Closely Monitoring Turkish Training of Syrian Militia

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The U.S.-led coalition in Syria is closely monitoring Turkey's arming and training of a Syrian militia in northern Syria and asking Turkey instead to return the region to control of local residents, coalition sources told VOA. U.S. Army Colonel Joseph Scrocca, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition's Operation Inherent Resolve, told VOA that the coalition "feels strongly that any land seized [from Islamic State] should be returned to the people and governed by local representatives from that area." The coalition's focus is on defeating IS in Syria and Iraq, and "we urge all of our partners and allies to do the same," Scrocca said. 'National army' Scrocca's comment came as the Turkish military is working to establish a "national army" for rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters to operate in northern Syria's Jarabouls and al-Bab areas. The two areas were seized from IS during a Turkey-supported operation known as Euphrate

Terror attack: 6 policemen shot dead in LeT ambush, 2 civilians killed in clashes with securitymen

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Violence rocks Kashmir: 6 policemen shot dead in LeT ambush, 2 civilians killed in clashes with securitymen Six cops were killed as militants ambushed a police vehicle in Kashmir. Two civilians were killed and many injured in clashes during a gunbattle between LeT men and security forces. Srinagar CRPF personnel face protesters throwing stones on them during a protest at Arwani village of Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Friday. (PTI) Updated: Jun 17, 2017 07:40 IST Separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday killed at least 11 people -- six police officers, a soldier, two civilians and two suspected militants -- authorities said, as violence in the troubled region spikes. Suspected militants ambushed a police patrol in the town of Achhabal, killing five police personnel, a top police official said. Militants have stepped up attacks in recent weeks on government forces patrolling the area as counter-insurgency operations intensify. Achhabal ambush

Cat with 9 lives: The many times ISIS boss Bhagdadi died in the past

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Vicky Nanjappa June 16 2017, 14:58 [IST] Now let us wait for that confirmation and go on and find out how many times Bhagdadi had died in the past. At times they were rumours and at times it was a strategic declaration. The news of his death came up so many times that he was very often referred to as the cat with nine lives The many times that Bhagdadi died: News of his death began in the early half of 2016. This was the time that the international forces had begun targeting IS camps strongly in Iraq and Syria. It was at that time news of him being dead started doing the rounds. The report stated that someone from his inner-circle had poisoned him. The Iraq agencies along with their counterparts in Syria verified the information, but it turned out to be false. They realised that it was a strategy on part of the man who calls himself Caliph to turn down the heat on him. The next time the news of his death surfaced was in June 2016. It was said that he had been killed in an

US adds 3 IS group leaders to terrorism blacklist

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ABC News Play ABCNews.com The Trump administration on Thursday added three senior members of the Islamic State group to a terrorism blacklist, including the group's leader and chief recruiter in India and a recruiter for attackers who carried out two deadly assaults in Europe. The  State Department  and Treasury said the trio have committed or pose a significant risk of committing terrorist attacks that threaten Americans or U.S. national interests. The move adds them to a list of Specially Designated Global Terrorists, freezing any assets they may have in U.S. jurisdictions and barring Americans from any transactions with them. Authorities in France and  Belgium have identified one of the men, Oussama Atar, as an organizer of both the November 2015 attack in Paris and the March 2016 attack in Brussels that together killed 162 people. The Belgian-Moroccan national is believed to have played a major role in setting up the cell that is blamed for the two strikes. The de

Muslim groups in Germany at odds over planned anti-terrorism march

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Muslim groups in Germany at odds over planned anti-terrorism march The Nicht Mit Uns – or Not With Us – march has been planned as opposition to violence in the name of Islam, but some groups say it stigmatises Muslims Kate Connolly Last modified on Friday 16 June 2017  06.27 BST A row has broken out among organisations representing Muslims in  Germany  over a peace march to protest against terrorism due to take place at the weekend. Nicht Mit Uns – or Not With Us – has been organised by Muslim activists in Cologne to make a stand against acts of terror and violence carried out in the name of  Islam . But a the country’s biggest Islamic organisation has said it would not take part in the demonstration which it said amounted to an “assignment of guilt” which was in danger of splitting German society. The organisers of the protest have called Saturday’s event a ‘ Ramadan March of Peace ’, which they say thousands are expected to attend. They say they have specifically chos