The Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies (DKI APCSS) CTGo! Counter-Terrorism & Irregular Warfare Newsletter 1 January 2021 edition – Happy New Year! Please enjoy this week’s selection of news articles provided by your DKI APCSS Counter-Terrorism & Irregular Warfare (CTIW) team:
COVID-19 and violent extremism: Pandemic makes military’s anti-terrorism drive tougher https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/12/28/supplements/pandemic-makes-militarys-anti-terrorism- drive-tougher/818462/
Africa: Mozambique Insurgents Stage Closest Attack Yet to Total LNG Site https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-29/mozambique-insurgents-stage-closest-attack- yet-to-total-lng-site
Mitigating the Impact of Media Reporting of Terrorism: Libya case study https://icct.nl/publication/mitigating-the-impact-of-media-reporting-of-terrorism-libya-case-study/
Islamic Terrorists Suspected of Killing 11 Nigerian Christians and Abducting Priest on Christmas Eve https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2020/december/islamic-terrorists-suspected-of-killing-11- nigerian-christians-and-abducting-priest-on-christmas-eve
Rethinking Crisis Responses in the Sahel https://www.csis.org/analysis/rethinking-crisis-responses-sahel
Americas: An Abridged History of America’s Terrorism Prevention Programs: Fits and Starts https://www.lawfareblog.com/abridged-history-americas-terrorism-prevention-programs-fits-and-starts
Why the Nashville bomber warned people to evacuate https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/12/30/why-nashville-bomber-warned-people- evacuate/
Girlfriend warned Nashville police Anthony Warner was building bomb a year ago, report shows https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2020/12/29/nashville-explosion-woman-warned- mnpd-warner-building-bomb-2019/4082253001/
Trump administration taking steps to designate Cuba as state sponsor of terrorism in coming days https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/30/politics/cuba-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-designation/index.html
Europe: Two Iraqi men charged with financing ISIS https://www.gov.pl/web/sluzby-specjalne/two-iraqi-men-charged-with-financing-isis
N Macedonia: 8 charged with creating terrorist organization https://apnews.com/article/arrests-islamic-state-group-c1286077aaad584ca77581b1148c7256
Policeman killed in Chechnya knife attack https://in.reuters.com/article/russia-security-grozny/two-law-enforcement-officers-killed-in-shoot-out- in-russias-chechnya-reports-idINKBN29210D
Russia repatriates 19 children from NE Syria as trickle home of ISIS-linked kids continues https://www.rudaw.net/english/world/27122020
Middle East: “Islamic State” in 2020 https://www.syriahr.com/en/198019/
Yemeni officials: Blast at Aden airport kills 22, wounds 50 https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/world/2020/12/30/yemeni-official-blast-aden-airport-kills- wounds/115235734/
Iraqi counter-terror forces arrest two ISIS militants in Kirkuk, seize mines https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/291220202
Egypt military court sentences 168 to life over terrorism charges http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/397764/Egypt/Politics-/Egypt-military-court-sentences- -to-life-over-terro.aspx
US-Backed Forces Raid ISIS Cells in Syria https://www.dailysignal.com/2020/12/28/us-backed-forces-raiding-isis-cells-in-syria/
Kuwait Thwarts Possible ISIS Terrorist Attack on New Year’s Eve https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2704456/kuwait-thwarts-possible-isis-terrorist-attack-new- year%E2%80%99s-eve
Syria attack: At least 28 killed in ambush on bus https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-55494158
North Asia: China to expand scope of legislation targeting money laundering, terrorism financing- PBOC https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-cenbank-regulation/china-to-expand-scope-of-legislation- targeting-money-laundering-terrorism-financing-pboc-idUSKBN2940V6
China-Turkey extradition bill likely to focus on counter-terrorism cooperation, experts say https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1210936.shtml
China confirms Uighur doctor imprisoned on terrorism charges https://www.wionews.com/world/china-confirms-uighur-muslim-imprisoned-on-terrorism-charges- 353614
South & Central Asia: Afghanistan: ISIS finance manager arrested https://www.indiablooms.com/world-details/SA/27407/afghanistan-isis-finance-manager-arrested.html
7 soldiers martyred in terrorist 'fire raid' on FC post in Balochistan's Harnai: ISPR https://www.dawn.com/news/1598158/7-soldiers-martyred-in-terrorist-fire-raid-on-fc-post-in- balochistans-harnai-ispr
225 Terrorists Killed In Jammu And Kashmir In 2020: State Police Chief https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/225-terrorists-killed-in-jammu-and-kashmir-in-2020-police-chief- dilbag-singh-2346164
India: Police arrests Khalistani terrorist Sukh Bikriwal at the Delhi airport https://in.news.yahoo.com/police-arrests-khalistani-terrorist-sukh-141200838.html
Southeast Asia: AMLC OKs freeze order on bank accounts, assets of IS-linked terror groups https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1376982/amlc-oks-freeze-order-on-bank-accounts-assets-of-is-linked- terror-groups
Indonesia uncovers training site for Jemaah Islamiah terrorist network in Central Java https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-uncovers-training-site-for-jemaah-islamiah- terrorist-network-in-central-java
Indonesian terrorist leader Aris Sumarsono reveals secrets about Bali bombings after his arrest https://7news.com.au/news/terrorism/indonesian-terrorist-leader-aris-sumarsono-reveals-secrets- about-bali-bombings-after-his-arrest-c-1841806
Rising in the East: The Evolution of the Islamic State in the Philippines https://ctc.usma.edu/rising-in-the-east-the-evolution-of-the-islamic-state-in-the-philippines/
Indonesia Disbands Islamic Defenders Front Over Charges of 'Terrorism' https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/30/world/asia/indonesia-islamic-defenders-front-banned.html
Government Shows Videos of FPI Pledging Allegiance to ISIS Following Ban of Group https://indonesiaexpat.biz/news/government-shows-videos-of-fpi-pledging-allegiance-to-isis-following- ban-of-group/
Philippines mall bomber killed in Maguindanao https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/12/31/2067350/cotabato-mall-bomber-killed-maguindanao
Oceania: Terrorist Abdul Nacer Benbrika to stay in jail under continuing detention order, despite finishing sentence https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-12-24/terrorist-abdul-nacer-benbrika-to-stay-in-jail/13012810
ISIS sympathiser released in NSW https://www.pressreader.com/australia/herald-sun/20201230/281895890858596
Police launch AI unit to monitor Kiwis' social media after Chch terror attack https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/holiday-breakfast/audio/paul-buchanan-police-launch-ai-unit-to- monitor-kiwis-social-media/
Right-wing: Far Right Terrorist Who Established Propaganda Website Sentenced https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/counterterrorism/far-right-terrorist-who-established- propaganda-website-sentenced/
Transnational/General: 2020 appears to be a good year for counterterrorism https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2020/12/24/2020-appears-to-be-a-good-year-for- counterterrorism
ISIS Magazine Encourages Terrorists to Try Vehicle Arson, ‘Sharpened Pencil’ Attacks https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/counterterrorism/isis-magazine-encourages-terrorists- to-try-vehicle-arson-sharpened-pencil-attacks/
Strategic Competition & Irregular Warfare: Trump was briefed that China sought to pay non-state actors to attack US forces in Afghanistan https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/30/politics/china-us-forces-afghanistan/index.html
China's political warfare strategy takes hit from coronavirus https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/chinas-political-warfare-strategy-takes-hit-from- coronavirus
Gray Zone Conflict – China Aims To Subdue Taiwan Through Exhaustion, Not Invasion https://americandefensenews.com/2020/12/28/gray-zone-conflict-china-aims-to-subdue-taiwan- through-exhaustion-not-invasion-rs-pc/
A Missile Defense “Manhattan Project” in the Middle East https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/missile-defense-manhattan-project-middle-east
US Dept. of Defense NDAA Proposal: Functional center for security studies in Irregular Warfare https://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/sec-1299l-functional-center-security-studies-irregular-warfare
Special Issue: Proxy Forces in Modern Warfare https://securityanddefence.pl/Issue-4-2020,9524
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