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Showing posts from June 2, 2019

Aid workers kidnapped in Ghana

Two Canadian women working for an aid agency were kidnapped at a golf club in Ghana’s second city Kumasi this week, police said. The women, 19 and 20, were volunteering for the charity Youth Challenge International, according to a police statement. It did not name them or say when they were taken from the Royal Golf Club in Kumasi. Canada’s foreign ministry said it informed the women’s families and was working with local authorities. Kidnappings are common across West Africa and are often carried out for ransom. Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/security/human-security/aid-workers-kidnapped-in-ghana/

Islamic State claims presence in Mozambique

For the first time, Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an attack in northern Mozambique, after two years of attacks in the Cabo Delgado province which have to date killed over 200 people. This is according to SITE Intelligence, which monitors extremist activity around the globe. CITE said that Islamic State issued a statement on Tuesday claiming involvement in a clash with the Mozambican military. “The soldiers of the Caliphate were able to repulse an attack by the Crusader Mozambican army in Metubi village, in the Mocimboa area,” said the statement, according to SITE. “They clashed with them with a variety of weapons, killing and wounding a number of them. The mujahideen captured weapons, ammunition, and rockets as spoils.” Photos appeared online showing small arms and rocket propelled grenades that were apparently captured. The attack apparently happened on Monday but has not been verified and it is not clear if Islamic State was indeed responsible or has

Mechem clears thousands of landmines in Turkey

The enviable reputation built up by Denel Group company Mechem continues to grow with a report from Turkey showing it removed more than four thousand mines in a scant two month period this year. The Turkish demining operation started two years ago as a first for the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Turkish Mine Action Centre (TURMAC) transitioning from military to humanitarian demining. Mechem acting general manager Warren Faro said deployment to Turkey was a learning curve for the Mechem personnel involved, notwithstanding the experience and knowledge gained working on post-conflict demining operations in, among others, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique. Since moving into Turkey two years ago the Mechem demining record reads 16 658 land mines destroyed over five months in 2017 and 15 cleared minefields handed over notwithstanding the loss of two months operations due to extreme weather. The 2018 season “exceeded all expectations” with 2

‘White Wingers’ on the Rise in Rainbow Nation

Deep in the heart of rural South Africa, the vision of a harmonious Rainbow Nation of people of different races living in harmony, has begun to crack. Members of an all-white Christian separatist group called the Suidlanders say they feel white South Africans are under threat and must therefore prepare for what they say is an inevitable race war. Officials all the way up to the president have dismissed these claims, and critics say these beliefs are dangerous to the ideals of democratic South Africa. But the Suidlanders remain undeterred. VOA’s Anita Powell and Zaheer Cassim went to the rural South African town of Van der Kloof to investigate. Source: https://www.voanews.com/a/white-wingers-on-rise-in-rainbow-nation/4948296.html

Yemeni Kornet missiles hit Saudi armored vehicles

Yemen’s armed forces have released new footage of their latest retaliatory attacks against Saudi-backed mercenaries in the kingdom’s border region of Najran. The footage, which was released on Friday, shows Yemeni troops and fighters from the Houthi Ansarullah movement using Kornet man-portable anti-tank missiles to target Saudi armored vehicles across the southwestern Najran region. Following the strikes, mercenaries and members of the Saudi National Guard fled the battlefield and Yemeni forces managed to take control of their positions and seize a large amount of ammunition. The Yemeni troops also set the armored vehicles on fire. Ansarullah says it has recently captured 20 military sites belonging to Riyadh and its mercenaries in Najran. On May 24, Yemen’s military released footage verifying a retaliatory attack on the Abu Dhabi International Airport last year, which had been denied by the UAE officials. The

Windows users asked to update their computers due to ‘Bluekeep vulnerability’

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The Windows versions that need to be updated are Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Friday, June 07, 2019 - 17:52 Windows users need to be cautious about a vulnerability in some of the versions of the OS. The National Security Agency too, has identified the versions at risk to Bluekeep, which is the name given to this vulnerability. Experts are reminding that WannaCry, a malware that affected millions of computers all around the world in 2007, was not very different in terms of the damage Bluekeep could inflict. The Windows versions that could cause you the trouble are Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows 2003, Windows 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Interestingly, Microsoft is fully aware of the threat Bluekeep poses and has confirmed tha

Terrorist hideout busted in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda

JAMMU: Security forces recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from a cowshed turned into a terrorist hideout in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Friday, officials said. Based on specific information about terrorist hideouts and movement of suspected militants, troops of Rashtriya Rifles along with sleuths of police, launched a joint operation late Thursday night in Chilli-Balla area, Army spokesperson in Bhaderwah said. "During massive search operation of 'dhoks' (grass huts), cowsheds and houses Friday morning, a cache was busted and arms and ammunition were recovered from the cowshed owned by Abbas Ahmed," he said. The spokesperson said during the search, 64 live rounds of AK-47, one round of SLR, one Motorola radio set, batteries, beside parts of AK-47 and 12-bore gun were recovered. A case was registered in Gandoh police station and further investigation was underway, he said. Officials said militants were using cowsheds

Zakir Musa dead, al-qaeda Kashmir names new chief, 2 deputies

New Delhi: A day after an al-Qaeda offshoot in Kashmir named its new commander and his deputy, union home ministry officials citing intelligence reports said the global terror outfit might be trying to expand its footprints beyond the valley and had a presence in Punjab.  On Wednesday, Ansar Gazwa-ul-Hind (AGuH) released a 12-minute video announcing Abdul Hameed Lelhari, alias Haroon Abbas, as its local commander, succeeding Zakir Musa who was gunned down by security forces last month. According to an audio statement of al-Qaeda spokesperson Abu Ubaida, Ghazi Ibrahim Khalid has been named the deputy commander. A senior government official said the militant group might have links with Pakistan. “Pakistan has been using proxies to stoke trouble in valley. Though the group claims its affiliation to the al-Qaeda, their links with Pak-based militants cannot be ruled out,” the official added.  Musa has been the outfit’s head in Kashmir since July 27, 2017. H

Explosion in southern town in Sweden injures 19, cause unclear

STOCKHOLM: A powerful explosion in the southern Swedish town of Linkoping on Friday damaged buildings and injured 19 people, police and hospital staff said. The cause of the explosion was unclear but police said a bomb squad was on its way to the scene in downtown Linkoping and that they had opened a criminal investigation "Many people called in about a very powerful explosion which has led to a large number of windows being blown out," police spokesman Bjorn Oberg said. "So far we have been able to confirm that there are a number of people with light injuries. We have cordoned off a large area, several blocks." Oberg said he could not say anything about what might have caused the blast. Swedish public radio reported that a large blast had destroyed the windows and balconies of a five-storey residential building and damaged other buildings. Regional authorities said in a statement that 19 people had sustained minor injuries in the blast and that Lin

Moscow ready to send more military specialists to Venezuela if needed: Reports

Moscow: Russia is ready to send more military specialists to Venezuela if needed, Russia`s foreign ministry said according to state news agency RIA. Another state news agency, TASS, quoted the ministry as saying Russia did not rule out increasing the number of its military personnel in Venezuela. Moscow has previously said that a full withdrawal of Russia`s military from Venezuela would be a blow to embattled socialist President Nicolas Maduro who counts Moscow as a close ally. Source: https://zeenews.india.com/world/moscow-ready-to-send-more-military-specialists-to-venezuela-if-needed-reports-2209842.html

Hinduphobia: The Neo-Secularism

To many, whether The Economist or Time magazine commenting on the elections with a cautionary notes for voters, actor turned politician Kamal Haasan linking political assassin of Gandhiji - Nathuram Godse - to his Hindu identity, many missionary and Islamic groups coming out openly to support parties that would defeat Modi, Urban-Naxals playing their narratives of democracy in danger, some media giants attempting to invigorate caste divisions and Rajasthan Government removing a chapter on Savarkar from text-books etc may be different strategies by different players. In reality, they are part of the same grand-strategy to create the ‘Hinduphobia’ – of which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is just a symbol. If at all 2019 election campaign is to be analysed, it has to be seen in this form of Neo-Secularism.   Just before 2014 elections, ‘secularism’ was the buzz word which is completely missing from the entire election discourse. Not just the self-proclaimed intellectua

Kerala Daesh / IS leader Abdul Rashid reportedly killed in Afghanistan; He saw 'golden chance' in killing people during Kumbh Mela and Trissur Pooram

Abdul Rashid Abdullah, the Keralite from Kasaragod, who led a 21 member team to Afghanistan during May - June, 2016, is reportedly killed in US bombing in Afghanistan. Reports suggest that the incident took place about a month before. It also says, three men, two women and four children were also killed in the same attack. Abdul Rashid had fled the country with the help of his second wife Yasmin, a woman from Bihar. And, she was caught in new Delhi airport while trying to flee the country. Abdul Rashid is the kingpin of a team engaged in the recuitment of youngsters to IS. The 21 member team he led to Afghan included men, women and children. Rashid used to spread voice messages in social media including YouTube which called the youths to jump into killing spree. He was provoking the youths saying that they were educated in schools and colleges. He wondered if they were unaware of what were happening aboad. He was directly referring to the mass kilings in Europe by

Left wing extremism: Reckoning with the Shining Path and its Legacy in Peru

On the evening of May 17, 1980, five masked men entered the village clerk’s office in Chuschi, Peru, tied up the clerk, and set fire to a stack of paper ballots intended for the next day’s election. Peru was about to vote in its first presidential contest after 12 years of military rule. But nearly four decades later, the country is still reckoning with what began the evening before: a bloody attempt at revolution by the Shining Path, a Maoist rebel group that would terrorize Peru for the next decade and into the 1990s. The conflict left some 70,000 people dead at the hands of Shining Path terrorists and the police fighting against them. Today, the supporters and family of Alberto Fujimori, the imprisoned former president often credited with ending the conflict, continue to shape politics despite his conviction for crimes against humanity. Leftist parties, meanwhile, struggle to break through in a population scarred by the Shining Path’s barbarism. The publication of Th

MUSLIM Terrorists Targeting WATER WORKS

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SECURITY chiefs are exploring counter-terrorism methods to prevent a new threat posed by Islamic terrorists, it has been revealed; one that has seen major dams and water works at risk, with dyer potential consequences should an attack be successful.  I n 2014, after losing a number of Somalian cities it had captured to African Union and Somali troops, the terrorist group Al-Shabaab changed its tactics. To demonstrate its continued power and presence, Al-Shabaab cut off water supplies  to its formerly held cities. Residents from these cut-off cities were forced to fetch water from nearby towns, many of which Al-Shabaab controlled. But the terror group prevented anyone living in government-controlled territory from entering, which increased people’s frustration with the government. Soldiers guard a Dam in India after it was attacked by terrorists. Attacking water is not a new terror tactic. Three decades earlier, in the midst of Peru’s economic crisis and faile

Left wing Extremism: Massacre in northern Colombia as post-FARC turf wars continue unabated

Four people have been murdered in northern Colombia where multiple armed groups are vying for control over former FARC territory, local media reported Monday. The massacre took place in a rural part of Caceres, Antioquia , a traditionally neglected area where the FARC’s rule was law until the group’s demobilization and disarmament in 2017. According to preliminary reports, a group of 10 to 15 heavily armed men dressed in black and wearing emblems of anti- kidnapping unit Gaula arrived at a rural settlement by boat, dragged two men from one of the homes and executed them outside. The group then opened fire at neighbors trying to flee the settlement, killing another two people, including a minor. Before disappearing, the armed men threw a grenade into the home of the initial victims, destroying much of it. According to newspaper El Tiempo, the violence would be part of an ongoing turf war between the AGC and the Caparrapos , a faction that split from the paramilitary group

Catalan independence bid was ‘coup’, Spanish court hears

Spanish prosecutors argued that Catalan separatists carried out a “coup d’état” in a failed independence bid two years ago, as they delivered closing arguments on Tuesday in a long-running trial where the group faces charges of rebellion. The 12 leaders on trial were not pacifist leaders imprisoned for expressing their freedom of speech, the supreme court prosecutor’s office maintained. “The object of this trial has nothing to do with the criminalisation of political dissidence,” prosecutor Javier Zaragoza said. “The reason [for this trial] is they attempted to liquidate the Spanish Constitution of 1978, the instrument of our peaceful coexistence. “They undertook a serious attack on the constitutional order through coercive methods and used violence at those times when they believed it necessary.” If convicted of rebellion, the defendants could face jail terms of up to 25 years. The trial stems from a failed 2017 independence bid in which the separa

Two Million People Could Die of Starvation in Drought-stricken Somalia by Summer's End: UN

United Nations: A United Nations emergency relief coordinator says more than 2 million men, women and children could die of starvation in Somalia by summer's end if international aid is not sent quickly to the drought-stricken African country. UN Undersecretary-General Mark Lowcock says about USD 700 million is needed after a rainless season that has killed both livestock and crops. He said Tuesday that the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund has allocated USD 45 million to cover food shortages, water and daily necessities in Somalia as well as parts of Kenya and Ethiopia affected by droughts. Of a Somali population of 15 million people, more than 3 million are struggling just to meet minimum food requirements, he said, and the shortages are about 40 per cent worse now than this past winter. "What was forecast to be an average rainy season in Somalia is now one of the driest on record in over 35 years," he said. "Communities that were alre

Islamic State’s English-Speaking Supporters Rallying on Telegram

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English-speaking Islamic State supporters are refusing to give up on the terror group’s ability to remain a force in Syria and Iraq, according to a new study that examined their behavior on the Telegram instant messaging service. The report, "Encrypted Extremism: Inside the English-Speaking Islamic State Ecosystem on Telegram," released Thursday by George Washington University’s Program on Extremism, looked at 636 pro-Islamic State channels and groups in the 16 months from June 2017 through October 2018. It found that even as the terror group was losing ground in Syria and Iraq to U.S.-backed forces, and even as IS leadership was encouraging followers to start looking to progress in IS provinces elsewhere, English-speaking supporters turned to Telegram to reinforce their faith in the caliphate. FILE - An Islamic State flag is seen in this photo illustration. “These are supporters that like to fight uphill battles,” report co-author Benn

We must strengthen Tibet movement in free democracies: Tibetan President

New York— 'Every Tibetan living in free democracies should take upon themselves to strengthen Tibet movement in their respective host countries,' said Dr Lobsang Sangay, the President of the Tibetan-government-in-exile, officially known as Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), based in Dharamshala, India. Sakya Gongma Rinpoche and the President of the CTA, Dr Lobsang Sangay inaugurated and presided over the inauguration ceremony of the Tibetan Community Centre, Phuntsok Deshe, organised by the Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey on Sunday, June 2, 2019. The inauguration was followed by the consecration of the community centre by Sakya Gongma Rinpoche. 'Calling it an auspicious occasion, Dr Sangay congratulated and acknowledge the support of the sponsors and the unity and hard work of the members of the Tibetan community that saw the successful completion of the community centre,' said Tenzin Lhakmon, C

Radical Islamist groups posing security threat: Intel report warns Home Ministry

Intelligence agencies have raised an alarm over looming threat of radicalisation in the country. In a report submitted before the Union Home Ministry, the intelligence agencies have warned that many radical Islamist groups have been making attempts to increase their presence in several cities across the country. The report sent to the Union Home Ministry claims that some radical groups with bases in southern state of Kerala are making incessant attempts to radicalise youth living near the India-Nepal border. Such groups are also targeting Bangladeshi Muslims who reside in northeastern states like Assam. Agencies have revealed that funds coming from Gulf countries are being used to mobilise such outfits. The report says that with the help of these funds, several international radical groups are making attempts to increase their functioning and presence in major Indian cities. Sources have told Zee News that one o

Operation Blue Star's anniversary: Pro-Khalistan slogans raised inside Golden Temple

Amritsar: Tension prevailed in this Sikh holy city of Punjab on Thursday as hardliners, brandishing swords, raised pro-Khalistan slogans inside the Golden Temple complex on the culmination of special prayers to mark the 35th anniversary of Operation Bluestar. Thousands of devotees early in the morning thronged the Akal Takht -- the highest temporal seat of Sikh religion -- to attend the 'bhog' ceremony of religious prayers that began on June 4. The prayers were to mark the anniversary of Operation Bluestar that was carried out in June 1984 by the Indian Army to flush out heavily armed terrorists from inside the Golden Temple complex. Security agencies were put on high alert in and around this city in view of the anniversary. Punjab Police, paramilitary forces and intelligence personnel were stationed at different locations across the city, particularly around the Golden Temple complex. The radical Sik

YouTube to ban ‘hateful,’ ‘supremacist’ videos

YouTube announced Wednesday it would ban videos promoting or glorifying racism and discrimination as well as those denying well-documented violent events, like the Holocaust or the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting. The announcement by the Google-owned video-sharing platform was the latest of a series of tech industry moves to filter out hateful and violent content, which have spurred calls for tougher regulation. “YouTube has always had rules of the road, including a longstanding policy against hate speech,” a company statement said. “Today, we’re taking another step in our hate speech policy by specifically prohibiting videos alleging that a group is superior in order to justify discrimination, segregation or exclusion based on qualities like age, gender, race, caste, religion, sexual orientation or veteran status.” Also read: ‘Not here for decoration’: Thai transgender MPs make history in parliament The move comes after a call by world leaders in Paris last mon

Cyber threat: Israel’s airports prepare for the future of security

Anarchists, radical hackers, terrorists, disgruntled employees, organized criminals and states make up the range of potential cyber threats, according to Roee Laufer, head of Cyber and Information Security at the Israel Airports Authority (IAA). Laufer spoke recently in Tel Aviv at the International Defense, HLS & Cyber Expo (ISDEF) alongside Roni Tidhar, the head of international consulting services for IAA, and both described different sides of how Israel’s pioneering security is protecting Ben-Gurion International Airport and other airports and border crossings. Cyber security is a global problem and worldwide the number of passengers is estimated to increase from 7 billion today to 14 billion in 2029. But there is a problem. Airports are part of traditional infrastructure, and they are often dealing with technologies that are 20-30 years old. They are adapting to see digitization as a core process with information technology at the center. But as things change,

Four dead in northern Australia shooting

Four people are dead and two injured in Australia after a gunman opened fire late Tuesday in the city centre of Darwin, police said. A 45-year-old man has been taken into custody and police say there are no further public threats. “The active shooter threat has dissipated,” superintendent Gavin Kennedy, from the Northern Territory police, told AFP. Kennedy said police were investigating at least five crime scenes in the city. Article continues after ad Police had earlier shut down parts of the city and alerted the public an armed offender was on the loose. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the attack was not believed to be terror related. “Our advice is that this is not a terrorist act,” Morrison told reporters in London. Witnesses told national broadcaster ABC they saw a man with a “sawn-off shotgun” enter a Darwin hotel. “He shot up all the rooms, and he went to every room looking for somebody and he shot them all up, then we saw him rush out, jump into his Toyota

Taliban detain Afghan peace marchers during 100km journey

Peace activists marching through Taliban -controlled territory in Afghanistan against decades of war have been detained by members of the armed group. Dozens of participants in the so-called People's Peace Movement walk set out last week from Lashkar Gah, the  provincial capital of southwestern Helmand province, headed for  Musa Qala, a Taliban stronghold more than 100km away. The activists, whose march started during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, have called for peace in Afghanistan , which has been beset by war for nearly two decades, and a ceasefire over the festival of Eid al-Fitr , which started on Tuesday.  Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada, the Taliban's leader,  rejected pleas for a cessation of hostilities, however. Two supporters of the peace movement told AFP news agency on Tuesday that Taliban fighters detained about 25 marchers the day before, sparing only a few older members. The move came after the armed group forced four walkers  to acco

Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law arrested in Pakistan

Lahore:  The brother-in-law of Mumbai terror attack mastermind and proscribed Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed has been arrested for hate speech and criticising the Pakistan government, police said on Wednesday. Abdul Rehman Makki, head of JuD's political and international affairs wing and in-charge of its charity Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), was arrested during a government crackdown against the outlawed organisations, Geo News reported, quoting an Interior Ministry source. Makki has been arrested under the Maintenance of Public Order Act, Punjab Police said. He is accused of hate speech against the crackdown and criticising steps taken by the government under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) guidelines, the report said. The US Department of the Treasury has designated Saeed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, and the US, since 2012, has offered a USD 10 million reward for information that brings him to justice. In February, Paris-based

Bangladesh Student Gets 42 Years Jail For Terror Attack On Australia Host

Terror victim speaks outside court after his attacker was jailed for 42 years Roger Singaravelu speaks outside Victoria's Supreme Court after Bangladeshi student Momena Shoma was sentenced to 42 years jail. In February 2018, Mr Singaravelu and his daughter were taking a nap when Shoma stabbed him in the name of violent jih... Melbourne:  A Bangladeshi student who enrolled in an Australian university with the aim of killing someone in the name of ISIS was jailed for 42 years Wednesday for stabbing her local host as he slept. Momena Shoma, 26, admitted to engaging in a terrorist act when she stabbed Roger Singaravelu in the neck with a kitchen knife just eight days after arriving in Australia. Shoma, who wore a black niqab showing only her eyes at the sentencing hearing in Victoria state's supreme court, shouted "Allahu akbar" as she attacked Singaravelu, who survived and was also present at the hearing, the court heard. "Your deeds and words,

Low threat of terrorism in Croatia according to new intelligence report

The security situation in Croatia is stable and there are currently no indications or visible potential for its more significant destabilisation, the Security-Intelligence Agency (SOA) says in a public report on its activities in 2018, posted on its website. The threat of terrorism in Croatia is small, however, considering the nature of modern terrorist threats, Croatia's membership of Euro-Atlantic associations and belonging to western democratic value system, and its developed tourism sector and visibility in global media, there is a potential risk of terrorist threats, SOA says, noting that there is also a constant risk of lone wolves who carry out terrorist attacks on their own, encouraged by public calls from terrorist organisations. SOA says that one of the security challenges for Croatia is the transit of foreign nationals believed to support terrorist activities, in the context of migration trends. "To reduce the risks of this challenge, SOA has been

Iran Honors Iraqi Shiite Paramilitary Group That US Labels Terrorists

In an apparent effort to sway Iran’s public opinion in favor of the regime’s involvement in Middle East conflicts, the Iranian government’s television channels are airing a video that glorifies a key anti-American Iraqi Shiite group. The music video, titled “The Noble Ones," has been shown several times on state TV channels. It praises Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, an Iraqi Shiite paramilitary group that was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States earlier this year. The video, over five minutes with Persian and Arabic lyrics, depicts a fighter of the Iraqi Shiite group who joins the fight against the Islamic State and loses his life in the battle. It shows the man’s lone young son vowing to continue the group’s path. The song ends with lyrics describing how the next mission of Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba after the defeat of IS will be targeting Israel. Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, or the Movement of the Noble Ones, is a radic