COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER COUNTERTERRORISM 20-27 MARCH 2019 SPOTLIGHT DIGEST FBI Most Wanted Terrorist: Sajid Mir the Counterterrorism Digest Is a Compilation of |
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UNCLASSIFIED US NATIONAL COUNTERTERRORISM CENTER COUNTERTERRORISM 20-27 MARCH 2019 SPOTLIGHT DIGEST FBI Most Wanted Terrorist: Sajid Mir The Counterterrorism Digest is a compilation of | UNCLASSIFIED open source publicly available press An Analysis of Suspected Christchurch, New Zealand, Attacker’s Manifesto 3 material, to include relevant commentary on issues related to terrorism and counterterrorism over the past seven days. It is produced every Wednesday, excluding holidays. The Counterterrorism Digest ON POINT contains situational awareness items detailing 1 ILLINOIS: Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Provide Material Support to on-going terrorism-related developments which may | Terrorism be of interest to security personnel. Comments and 7 2 NORTH CAROLINA: Man Found Guilty of Attempting to Support ISIS requests for information pertaining to articles featured in 3 CALIFORNIA: Mosque Targeted in Homage to Christchurch, New Zealand, Counterterrorism Digest may be directed to nctcpao@ Attack nctc.gov. 4 UNITED STATES: Department of State (DOS) Amends ISIS Terrorist Designation 5 WORLDWIDE: Al-Qa‘ida Leadership Calls to Avenge New Zealand Shootings Information contained in the Counterterrorism Digest 6 WORLDWIDE: Al-Qa‘ida Ideologue Analyzes Writings on New Zealand is subject to change as a situation further develops. Shooter’s Weapon The inclusion of a report in Counterterrorism Digest is 7 WORLDWIDE: ISIS Releases Al-Naba 174, Urges Reprisals for New Zealand not confirmation of its credibility nor does it imply the Attacks official view or endorsement of NCTC or any allied 8 FRANCE: Authorities Charge Violent Extremist Over 2011 Kidnapping in government agency. Yemen 9 GERMANY: Authorities Arrest Eleven People on Suspicion of Terror Plot This product may contain information on US, 10 THE NETHERLANDS: Utrecht Shooting Suspect Admits to Conducting Attack Australian, British, Canadian, or New Zealand 11 HUNGARY: Authorities Arrest Syrian National for Participating in ISIS Persons, dissemination of which may be necessary Beheadings for the intended recipient to understand or assess 12 SYRIA: Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Announces Territorial Defeat of ISIS the information provided. This information has been 13 SYRIA: Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham’s (HTS) Commemorates Eighth Anniversary of highlighted in the document with the label USPER or Revolution similar references . Reference to a US, Australian, 14 EGPYT: ISIS-Sinai Releases Video of Raid Near Arish Airport British, Canadian, or New Zealand Person in this 15 TUNISIA: Security Forces Kill ISIS Leader document is not an indication of such individual’s guilt 16 SOMALIA: Al-Shabaab Attacks Somali Ministry in Mogadishu or innocence and should not be relied upon for any 17 RWANDA: Authorities Convict Suspected ISIS and Al-Shabaab Members operational or enforcement action. 18 AFGHANISTAN: ISIS Claims Responsibility for IED Attacks on Persian New Year The material contained in this weekly publication may be subject to copyright. Further reproduction or dissemination by any means of this product or the TRENDS, TACTICS, & PROCEDURES information contained herein is prohibited. Information contained in this document is presented in Royal Commission of Inquiry Announced Following Christchurch Terror summary format without altering the meaning, context, | Attacks or intent of the sources from which the information Christchurch Manifesto ‘The Great Replacement’ Classified Objectionable 12 is derived except when the original verbiage is Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) Efforts to Prevent Violent inconsistent with constitutionally protected rights. Extremism ISIS Experiments With Decentralized Platforms - Rocketchat, Zeronet, Riot EUROPOL Works to Strengthen CT Financing Investigations Sugar Company Tereos Accused of Providing Explosive Enhancers to Terrorist Groups Italy’s Returning Foreign Fighters PARTING SHOTS . | 17 1 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED EXECUTIVES’ VIEW COUNTERTERRORISM DIGEST 20-27 MARCH 2019 HIGHLIGHTS 5 WORLDWIDE 6, 7, 8 4 1 3 2 9 10 3 7 1 ILLINOIS: On 21 March, a USPER pleaded guilty to 6 FRANCE: On 21 March, French violent extremist Peter conspiring to provide material support to terrorism. The Cherif, 36, was charged with the kidnapping of three USPER faces up to 15 years in prison. [pg. 7] French aid workers in Yemen in 2011. [pg. 8] 12 NORTH CAROLINA: On 21 March, a USPER was found 17 GERMANY: On 22 March, authorities arrested 11 people guilty of lying to FBI agents about his efforts to help in Frankfurt on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack someone he thought was traveling to Syria to join ISIS. using a car and guns. [pg. 8] [pg. 7] 8 NETHERLANDS: On 22 March, Gokmen Tanis admitted 3 CALIFORNIA: On 24 March, an unidentified suspect to murder or manslaughter with a terrorist intent, intentionally used an accelerant to set fire to an attempted murder or manslaughter with a terrorist Escondido, California mosque—the Dar-ul-Arqam intent, and making threats with terrorist intent. Mosque—which caused minor damage to the building’s [pg. 9] façade, but no injuries. [pg. 7] 9 SYRIA: On March 23, Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) 4 UNITED STATES: On 21 March, the US Department of announced the liberation of Baghuz, Syria, ISIS’ last State added ISIS’ Amaq news agency and Al Hayat stronghold in the Mid-Euphrates River Valley. [pg. 9] media center to the ISIS Terrorist Designation list. 10 AFGHANISTAN: On 21 March, ISIS claimed responsibility [pg. 7] for multiple attacks on Nowruz, a Persian New Year 5 WORLDWIDE: On 23 March, al-Qa‘ida’s as-Sahab Festival, in Kabul that killed at least six people and media foundation published a statement issued on wounded 23 more. [pg. 11] the shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and called on Muslims to take revenge but avoid targeting places of worship. [pg. 7] SPOTLIGHT SUMMARY FBI MOST WANTED TERRORIST: SAJID MIR: In mid-March, Pakistan national and Lashkar-E Tayyiba (LT) external operations attack planner Sajid Mir was added to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorist List. US Department of State, through its Rewards for Justice Program, offered a reward of up to US $5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mir. (FBI, DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, US DISTRICT COURT) AN ANALYSIS OF CHRISTCHURCH, NZ ATTACKER’S MANIFESTO: In his early March manifesto “The Great Replacement,” suspected Christchurch, New Zealand, attacker argued the integrity and future of Western civilization and the strength and purity of the white race was in jeopardy and only violence against immigrant and/or nonwhite populations will push them out of Western countries, thus saving Western civilization and ensuring the future of the white race. (NCTC) 2 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED COUNTERTERRORISM DIGEST This section provides a comprehensive SPOTLIGHT look at a terrorist group(s) or leader(s), SPOTLIGHT and/or CT tools and literature. FBI Most Wanted Terrorist: Sajid Mir As of mid-March, the FBI added Pakistan national and Lashkar-E Tayyiba (LT) external operations attack planner Sajid Mir to its Most Wanted Terrorist List. US Department of State, through its Rewards for Justice Program, offered a reward of up to US $5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Mir for his alleged involvement in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India. ■ According to the FBI, beginning on 26 November 2008, and continuing through 29 November 2008, 10 LT trained attackers conducted a series of coordinated attacks against multiple targets in Mumbai, including the Taj Mahal hotel, the Jewish Community Center Chabad House, the Chhatarapati Shivaji Terminus train station, and the Leopold Café, killing approximately 166 people, including six Americans. Mir allegedly served as the chief planner of the attacks, directing preparations and reconnaissance, and was one of the Pakistan-based controllers during the attacks. According to a 2010 US District Court indictment, in late 2005, Mir and associates advised USPERDavid Coleman Headley to travel and conduct surveillance against potential targets for the attack, and recommended Headley take steps to conceal his association with Pakistan and his Muslim religion during his travels in India. Headley was not convincted on these charges in court. According to the indictment, between September 2006 and July 2008, Headley traveled to Mumbai for extended periods for the purpose of conducting surveillance of possible targets. Sajid Mir (FBI) Prior to Headley’s departure for each of these trips, Mir and associates instructed Headley regarding locations where he was to conduct video surveillance in and around Mumbai, as well as other locations in India. ■ In September 2006, Mir and an associate instructed Headley to open a business, obtain an apartment, and conduct surveillance in India, including the Taj Mahal Hotel. ■ In February and September 2007, Mir instructed Headley to conduct surveillance of the second floor of theTaj Mahal Hotel, specifically including the conference rooms and ballrooms, and to obtain schedules of future conferences at the hotel. Headley later traveled to Pakistan to provide results of the surveillance. ■ Between March and July 2008, Mir and his associates instructed Headley to conduct surveillance of the Mumbai harbor. Mir provided Headley with financial support and a GPS for use in recording possible landing sites for the attackers. According to the indictment, during the attacks, Mir advised the attackers to kill hostages, set fires, and throw grenades and also sought the