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Showing posts from August 20, 2017

Boko Haram: 16 reportedly slaughtered in Kuda, Kaliyari villages in Borno

At least 16 people were reported to have been slaughtered by the dreaded islamic sect, Boko Haram in Nganzai local government area of Borno state, northeast, Nigeria. A village head of one of the villages, Alhaji Mohammed Shettima told DAILY POST on Saturday, in Maiduguri that, Kuda and Kaliyari were the villages attacked by Boko Haram insurgents. According to him, “The attack was on Thursday. We lost everything, cattle, sheep, donkeys and foodstuffs. They burnt down the whole villages and slaughtered our people like rams. We narrowly escaped. ” I was about performing my prayers in the evening when I started hearing gunshots. Suddenly, one of my children came running with words that, the Boko Haram are on their way coming with motorcycles. There was no time to carry anything as we took to our heels through the forest. ” On our way, we so the soldiers also moving towards our village. They stopped us and asked, and we told them everything. They did not waste time as they moved

Forcing China to Accept that International Law Restricts Cyber Warfare May Not Actually Benefit the U.S.

​This past June, after U.N.-sponsored negotiations on the application of international law to cyber warfare collapsed, lead U.S. negotiator  Michele Markoff released a blistering statement  criticizing those that “believe their states are free to act in or through cyberspace to achieve their political ends with no limits or constraints on their actions. That is a dangerous and unsupportable view.” There is little doubt that China, along with Russia and Cuba, was one of the countries that Markoff was speaking about. But while it is true that the Chinese government has thus far refused to clarify its views on how or whether international law constrains its cyber warfare activities, I am doubtful that persuading China to embrace international law here would actually advance U.S. interests. As I argue  in a paper recently published by the Hoover Institution , China’s interpretation of the international laws regulating the use of force by nation-states differs in fundamental ways from t

ISIS brands Australia ‘guard dog of America’

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An image from the ISIS video. Islamic State has released a graphic video from the ­besieged southern Philippines city of Marawi, appealing to Muslims across Southeast Asia to join the battle and deriding Australia as the ­“regional guard dog” of ­America for aiding the military’s effort. Regional concerns that the three-month siege of central Marawi by militants affiliated with Islamic State could spill over into Southeast Asia led Australia to deploy two P3 Orion surveillance planes to Mindanao in June to help The Philippines’ security forces to recapture the city. Australian spy chief Nick Warner met President Rodrigo Duterte this week to discuss the country’s contribution and progress in the military effort. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was forced yesterday to defend the Australian Secret Intelligence Service director-general amid criticism from rights groups and the opposition over a series of photographs taken after the meeting in which both men made the President’

North Korea Could Be Targeting Bitcoin Exchanges

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Security  North Korea has allegedly been involved in unleashing cyber attacks against South Korean bitcoin exchanges and other blockchain companies. These attacks are possibly the result of economic sanctions against North Korea.  A United Press International  article  elaborated; “The CWIC Cyber Warfare Research Center in South Korea stated a domestic exchange for bitcoin, the worldwide cryptocurrency and digital payment system, has been the target of an attempted hacking…other targets include South Korean financial technology companies and smaller businesses that use online financial tools.” Multiple Hacking Targets; Attacking Exchange Employee Email The media article mentions hackers tend to target blockchain and bitcoin companies. A  South Korean news source,  Radio Free Asia , said this has to do with the rising influence of cryptocurrency, especially since more people are investing in it. Attackers have been targeting employee emails, because they want to i

Govt troops retake grand mosque in Marawi

With the retaking of Marawi city's grand mosque early on Thursday, the Philippine military said yesterday it has finally tipped the scale and is nearing the final stage of the campaign against an uprising by ISIS-linked militants seeking a foothold in South-east Asia. "The grand mosque is the biggest and is symbolic of the Islamic nature of the city itself because of its prominence. Having it under the hands of the government provides an impetus to symbolically say that we have captured the centre of the city… The enemy's world is getting smaller," Brigadier-General Restituto Padilla told reporters. The mosque, which houses the Masjed Mindanao Islamic Centre, had been used by militants from the Maute terrorist group as a shelter, stockade, sniper's nest and holding area for their hostages. Satellite images show that the area around it has been reduced to rubble. The army had avoided bombing it out of respect for Muslims. Brig-Gen Padilla said retaking the

ISIS remains deadliest terrorist organization in the world, report says

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Experts said the Barcelona attack relied on a lone-wolf tactic that the Islamic State encourages. (Nicolas Carvalho Ochoa/Getty Images) They've taken massive hits in Syria and Iraq, but the Islamic State remains the deadliest terrorist organization in the world as its hate-filled tentacles spread across the globe. The University of Maryland’s Global Terrorism Database, which tracks terror attacks across the world, determined that ISIS claimed responsibility for more than 7,300 killings last year. In 2016, ISIS “remained the deadliest terrorist organization in the world with its ‘core’ operatives carrying out more than 1,400 attacks,” the university said in a report released last week. “This represents a 19% increase in total attacks and a 39% increase in total deaths.” ISIS claimed responsibility for 931 terror attacks in 2015, which led to 6,050 deaths, according to the U.S. Department of State. The increase in ISIS-inspired attacks comes even as the number of ter

Pro-ISIS Muslim cleric busted in native Jamaica for trying to recruit NYPD undercover cop

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(Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press) A notorious Muslim cleric with a history of terrorist recruitment was indicted after aiding an NYPD undercover’s effort to join ISIS, authorities announced Friday. Shaikh Abdullah Faisal, previously convicted and jailed for preaching jihad in England, was busted in his homeland of Jamaica on five terrorism-linked charges, a law enforcement source said. “Shaikh Faisal has used his influence and direction to groom and inspire terrorists who have bombed trains, attempted to blow up airliners and attack Americans here and abroad,” said NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr.’s office brought the indictment against the 53-year-old suspect, who has publicly offered his support for ISIS. “The way forward is not the ballot,” Faisal declared in one terrorist recruitment video. “The way forward is the bullet.” Faisal, convicted and jailed in 2003 in England, reportedly played a part in the radicaliza

Islamic State strikes back, 34 killed in Syria’s Raqqa

At least 34 Syrian soldiers and allied fighters have been killed in an Islamic State counterattack in the east of Raqqa province, rolling back regime gains, a monitor said today. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor, said the jihadist group had recaptured large swathes of territory from government forces in the fighting on Thursday. The Syrian Army is seeking to advance through Raqqa province to reach neighbouring Deir Ezzor, where jihadists have besieged government forces and civilians in the provincial capital since 2015. Earlier this month, government troops and allied fighters arrived at the outskirts of Madan, the last IS-held town in the eastern Raqa province countryside before Deir Ezzor. But in Thursday’s counterattack, IS “made major progress and... expanded the area under its control along the southern bank of the Euphrates,” the Observatory said. “IS has managed to push regime forces back 30 km from the western outskirts of Madan,” Obs

U.S. urges Myanmar to avoid reprisals after attacks kills 89

An attack by ethnic Rohingya militants in western Myanmar left 12 security personnel and 77 Rohingya Muslims dead in a dramatic escalation of communal violence that has plagued the region, as the US urged authorities to avoid a response that would inflame the tensions. The office of the country’s leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, said on Friday that military and border police responded to the attacks by launching “clearance operations.”  Police fought off groups of as many as 100 Rohingya attackers armed with guns, machetes and homemade grenades. The captured weapons were shown in photos posted online by the government. A witness in Maungdaw township in Rakhine state, contacted by phone, said soldiers entered her village at about 10 am on Friday, burned homes and property, and shot dead at least 10 people. The witness, who asked to be identified by her nickname, Emmar, because of fear of retribution, said villagers fled in many directions but mostly to a nearby mountain range. Sh

Man who shouted 'Allahu akbar' shot and killed in terrorist attack on Brussels soldiers

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A man was shot by soldiers after allegedly attacking them in central Brussels. (Thomas Da Silva Rosa/AP) A suspected terrorist with a large knife was shot and killed after yelling "Allahu Akbar" and attacking soldiers in Brussels, according to authorities. The man, a 30-year-old Belgian of Somali origin, launched the attack in the city's central shopping district on Friday evening, wounding two soldiers before being shot.  He shouted "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great," during the attack, according to Brussels mayor Philippe Close, and  Le Soir  later reported that the attacker had died. Belgium's anti-terrorism Crisis Center said that federal prosecutors are investigating the attack as a terrorist attack, though there were no claims of responsibility as of late Friday local time. View image on Twitter  Follow Thomas da Silva Rosa   @tdasilvarosa Un homme armé d'une machete a attaqué des soldats à de Brouckè

Rights Watchdog Labels Mosque Attack A War Crime

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a statement on Friday that the attack on Imam Zaman mosque in Kabul city, which killed over 30 people, is a war crime. “(This) is a serious violation of the laws of war, and an apparent war crime,” Human Rights Watch said. The attack, which lasted for over four hours, in the Qala-e-Najara neighborhood of Khair Khana in Kabul, left over 30 people dead but wounded an estimated 80. The attack started at about 1pm local time on Friday afternoon when a group of three or four attackers entered the mosque. At least 200 people had been in attendance for Friday prayers at the time – including women. The attackers gained entry after throwing hand grenades at security guards at the entrance to the mosque. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack. “An attack on a place of worship during prayers is a horrific crime meant to maximize civilian deaths,” said Patricia Gossman, senior Afghanistan researcher at Human Rights Watch. “This contemptible act

Pulwama encounter: 3 security personnel killed as gunfight with militants continues

Pulwama encounter: Locals said the firing started around 4 am. The camp, that has been attacked, is situated in a high security area and close to DC and SSP office on Shopian Pulwama highway. Three security personnel including two CRPF jawan lost their lives in an encounter with militants in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The militants, believed to be fidayeen, are hiding in a camp close to the District Police Lines. Efforts are on to neutralize them. Officials said the camp was targeted to inflict high casualties on forces especially the troops based in the District Police Lines. Choppers are hovering around the District Police Lines to locate the militants. High alert has been issued in south Kashmir. Locals said the firing started around 4 am. The camp, that has been attacked, is situated in a high security area and close to DC and SSP office on Shopian Pulwama highway. According to news agency ANI, three terrorists are said to be involved in the attack and have b

2 police hurt arresting man with knife at Buckingham Palace

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A police cordon outside Buckingham Palace where a man has been arrested after an incident, in London, Friday Aug. 25, 2017. A man armed with a knife was detained outside London’s Buckingham Palace Friday evening, and two police officers were injured while arresting him, police said. (Lauren Hurley/PA via AP) LONDON (AP) — A man armed with a knife was detained outside London's Buckingham Palace Friday evening, and two police officers were injured while arresting him, police said. The Metropolitan Police force said two officers suffered minor arm injuries while detaining the suspect, who is being held on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and assaulting police. Police said the officers did not require hospital treatment. No other injuries were reported. Police said it was too early to say whether the incident was terrorism-related. A large number of police vehicles could be seen in the Mall, the wide road outside the palace, and the road was cordoned off with police tape.

ISIS gets US boy to threaten Donald Trump

The ISIS has released a new propaganda video which shows the 10-year-old son of an American soldier threatening Trump, dailymail.co.uk reported. Washington : The ISIS issuing threat videos is nothing new. But now they have reportedly roped in a boy, and that too an American, to issue a warning to U.S. President Donald Trump. The ISIS has released a new propaganda video which shows the 10-year-old son of an American soldier threatening Trump, dailymail.co.uk reported. According to the report, in the shocking footage the child, whose father is said to have fought in Iraq, tells the US President the battle will ‘end in your lands’. The boy also calls Mr Trump a ‘puppet of the Jews’ in the clip, said to have been filmed in Raqqa, Syria.  According to newsmax.com, Yousef speaks in clear, unaccented English. He is supposedly from Raqqa, but his real identity is unknown. Yousef said he moved to Syria from the United States with his family two years ago and that his father

Chinese man arrested in Los Angeles for US cyberattacks

US authorities on Thursday arrested a visiting Chinese national of deploying malware to access sensitive records of millions of American government employees. Yu Pingan of Shanghai was arrested on Monday at Los Angeles International Airport after a federal criminal complaint accused him of conspiring with others wielding malicious software known as Sakula, a Justice Department spokesman said on Thursday. The complaint said the group attacked a seried of unnamed US companies using Sakula, the same rare program involved in US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hacks detected in 2014 and 2015. The filing did not mention the OPM hacks. The arrest could provide information on the OPM hacks which US officials have blamed on the Chinese government. In an FBI affidavit linked to the complaint, an FBI agent said he believed Yu provided versions of Sakula to two unnamed men that he knew would be used to carry out attacks on the firms. Yu's court-appointed attorney, Michae

UN extends help to wipe out terror outfits from Pak after Trump’s warning

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 UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric (Photo: Youtube) United Nations: The UN Secretary-General is ready to engage with Pakistan to help it dismantle terror sanctuaries if sought, his chief spokesperson has said after US President Donald Trump warned Islamabad for providing safe havens for terrorists. “As a matter of principle, secretary-general’s good offices are always available to any two parties who, who ask. But that is just a statement of principle,” UN chief’s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said. Commenting on Trump’s speech, Dujarric said the hope of secretary general is that the international community “will help come together and help Afghanistan find a political solution that will bring peace to the country. “And that’s also obviously through the support and efforts of the UN, of the UN Mission there,” he said. Dujarric added that UN’s focus is on “finding a political solution to the current crisis in Afghanistan” and help the Afghan people who have suffered so m

Shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ and you will be shot: Venice mayor

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The right-wing mayor of the Italian city of Venice has said anybody who shouts "Allahu akbar" in the city's famous St Mark's Square will be shot. Luigi Brugnaro said at a press conference in northeast Italy that he ordered police to shoot to kill what he called suspected terrorists. The controversial mayor said Venice was safer than the Spanish Catalan city of Barcelona where 13 people were killed earlier this month in a car-ramming attack. Tow tusk pulls away the van that rammed into a crowd Las Rambla Avenue in Barcelona, August 17, 2017. (Photo by AFP) Read more: Van plows into crowd in Spain’s Barcelona, killing 13 Spain ‘dismantles cell behind terror attacks’ Spanish police confirm Barcelona attacker shot dead Four suspects in Spain terror attacks appear in Madrid court The mayor’s warning came as the European countries have faced a string of terrorist attacks recently. He went on the recall the arrest in March of four suspected extremists wh