18 July 2013
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY THE PTSS DAILY began as a means of keeping PTSS FLASH POINTS Marshall Center Alumni abreast of news related to TOP HEADLINES terrorism. THE PTSS DAILY is neither an academic journal nor the effort of a research directorate or a large SPECIAL: DID CUBA'S ARMS SHIPMENT TO NORTH KOREA VIOLATE SANCTIONS? staff. Early each morning, articles that are cited in THE U.N. WILL INVESTIGATE. PTSS DAILY are culled from hundreds of sources with COUNTERTERRORISM NEWS BY NATION & REGION the intent of providing you with the most current news, BANGLADESH discussions and commentary on terrorism and related BURMA issues such as piracy or narco-terrorism. These articles, CUBA curated from news media, academic and international COLOMBIA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO sources or submitted by many of you, give our growing EGYPT network a snapshot of this pernicious threat. FRANCE Every effort is made to ensure that credible articles are GERMANY chosen, but the intent of THE PTSS DAILY is to deliver INDIA IRAN wide coverage. You – the professional – must be the ISRAEL final discriminator on the merit of a particular article and LEBANON its value to your profession. To ensure that THE PTSS MEXICO DAILY is both relevant and valuable to the reader, we NETHERLANDS welcome and highly encourage comments from you. NIGERIA
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY SUDAN GEORGE C. MARSHALL SYRIA EUROPEAN CENTER FOR SECURITY STUDIES TURKEY UNITED KINGDOM LTG (Ret.) Keith W. Dayton, Director UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Dr. Robert Brannon, Dean, College of International VENEZUELA Security Studies YEMEN GENERAL COUNTERTERRORISM NEWS PTSS DAILY EDITORIAL STAFF AL QA’IDA & AFFILIATES Col (Ret.) Professor Nick Pratt, Executive Editor COMMENTARY & OPINION Mrs. Brenadine C. Humphrey, Managing Editor CONVERGENCE SUBSCRIPTIONS CYBER WARFARE To subscribe, unsubscribe, submit comments or news LEGAL ASPECTS & LAWFARE items, please e-mail: [email protected]. NARCO-TERRORISM
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Thought for the Day | back to top | “Cyber-terrorism threat is real and rapidly expanding (…) terrorists will either train their own recruits or hire outsiders, with an eye toward combining physical attacks with cyber attacks (…) terror groups are using the Internet to recruit, radicalize, and incite terrorism…” ~ Robert S. Mueller (Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director) Flash Points | back to top | JTIC Flashpoints JTIC 18 July 2013 SYRIA: Shortly after the ethnic Kurdish Partiya Yekîtiya Demokrat (PYD) unilaterally declared the autonomy of Kurdish regions in the north of the country early on 17 July, the PYD’s armed wing, the Yekîneyên Parastina Gel (YPG), engaged in sustained clashes with Jabhat al-Nusra, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and Ghurabaa al-Sham militants, forcing them out of the town of Ras al-Ayn in Al-Hasakah governorate and seizing the town’s border crossing with Turkey. Further clashes between the YPG and Islamist militants erupted in at least seven villages and towns in Al-Hasakah that day and were ongoing early on 18 July. Reports contained no details of any casualties in Ras al-Ayn. (Firat News Agency/Arutz Sheva/AFP)
GUINEA: Government and medical officials confirmed late on 17 July that at least 54 people had been killed and 77 others wounded in three days of ethnic clashes in Nzérékoré Prefecture between 15 and 17 July. Clashes erupted on 15 July when petrol station guards belonging to the Guerze tribe killed an ethnic Konianke man accused of stealing. (Al-Jazeera/Reuters)
AFGHANISTAN: Eight labourers – employed at the United States military’s Camp Shank in Logar province – were killed when suspected Taliban militants stopped their vehicle and executed them in the Khushi district of the province early on 18 July. (BBC/Khaama Press/AFP)
IRAQ: At least seven people were killed when an improvised explosive device (IED), emplaced by unidentified militants, exploded in a teahouse in the city of Mosul in Ninawa province on 17 July. (Reuters)
LEBANON: The head of the international relations division of the International Organisation for Arab Immigrants and a well-known political commentator supportive of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Syrian national Mohammed Darrar Jamo, was shot dead by unidentified militants inside his residence in the Hizbullah stronghold town of Sarafand in South Governorate early on 17 July. (SANA/BBC)
COLOMBIA: Two people were wounded when a remote-controlled improvised explosive device (RCIED), strapped to a dog by suspected Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) militants, was detonated outside a police station in the town of El Charco in Narino department on 17 July. (Colombia Reports/Caracol Radio)
THAILAND: Three soldiers were wounded in two separate IED attacks by suspected southern separatist militants in the Bannang Sata district of Yala province and in the Cho Airong district of Narathiwat province on 17 July. The attacks came during an agreed 40-day ceasefire between the government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN). (Bangkok Post)
SOMALIA: Suspected Shabab militants detonated an RCIED targeting an AMISOM peacekeeper patrol in the town of Kismayo in Jubbada Hoose region on 17 July. Unverified reports, citing civilian eyewitnesses, claimed that a woman had been killed and four other civilians wounded in the attack. (Radio Bar-Kulan)
BANGLADESH: The secretary-general of Islamist political party Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Ali Ahsan Mohammed Mojaheed, 65, was sentenced to death by a court in the capital Dhaka on 17 July after being convicted on charges of genocide, conspiracy in killing intellectuals, torture, and abduction during the 1971 War of Independence. Reports added that clashes erupted between JeI activists and security force personnel in several towns. (Reuters)
INTERNATIONAL: Security forces in Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands carried out at least six coordinated operations on 17 July searching the residences and prison cells of six suspected neo-Nazi militants, allegedly part of a group known as the Werewolf Squad, which authorities claimed was planning terrorist attacks. No arrests were reported. (Reuters/Der Spiegel)
FURTHER READING: OSINT Summary: M23 militants clash with DRC army forces https://janes.ihs.com/CustomPages/Janes/DisplayPage.aspx?DocType =News&ItemId=+++1580406&Pubabbrev=JTSM
Brief: Old hostilities - Mozambique's violence suggests possible RENAMO re-emergence https://janes.ihs.com/CustomPages/Janes/DisplayPage.aspx?DocType =News&ItemId=+++1579026&Pubabbrev=JTIC
Rebellious youth - The Shabab's internal rifts https://janes.ihs.com/CustomPages/Janes/DisplayPage.aspx?DocType =News&ItemId=+++1579921&Pubabbrev=JTSM
Country Briefing: Turkey https://janes.ihs.com/ExternalItems/Janes/images/hybrid/jtir/jtir2012/d ata/jtir0328_c.pdf Flashpoints courtesy of JTIC. Top Headlines | back to top | Afghan Officials: Insurgents Kill 8 Laborers Associated Press 18 July 2013 Afghan officials say insurgents have shot and killed eight day laborers on their way to work at a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan. Thursday’s attack in Logar province is the latest in an intimidation campaign against Afghans working for the government or NATO forces. Provincial spokesman Din Mohammad Darwesh says the laborers were killed just after dawn as they headed to Forward Operating Base Shank, a U.S. base located near the capital of Puli Alam. Darwesh says they were day workers and not part of the base’s local staff. Logar deputy police chief Raeis Khan Abdul Rahimzai says the victims were in their late teens and early 20′s. He says their driver was released. The Taliban have recently killed dozens of people working for the government or the international troops… Read more at: http://world.time.com/2013/07/18/afghan-officials-insurgents-kill-8-laborers/
Egypt: Suspected Militants Kill 3 Policemen Associated Press 18 July 2013 Egypt's Interior Ministry says suspected militants have killed three policemen and seriously wounded two in an attack in the Sinai Peninsula. The ministry said in a statement on Thursday that the attack took place late Wednesday night in the volatile northern part of Sinai. That part of the mostly desert peninsula has been mired in lawlessness and violence since the 2011 ouster of autocrat Hosni Mubarak. Attacks on security forces dramatically increased since the overthrow on July 3 of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. Critics of the former leader see this as evidence of his suspected links to militants in the peninsula. The area, which borders Gaza and Israel, was the scene last August of an attack that killed 16 Egyptian soldiers. Militants were also blamed for that attack… Read more at: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/egypt-suspected-militants-kill-policemen-19696457
Bomb Attack Kills Seven In Iraq Tea House: Police, Medics Reuters 18 July 2013 A bomb blast in a tea house in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul killed at least seven people on Wednesday, police and medics said. The violence is part of a sustained campaign of militant attacks this year that has prompted fears of wider conflict in a country where ethnic Kurds and Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims have yet to find a stable power- sharing compromise. Medics said they had received the corpses of six men and one child following the attack in the Bab Laqash neighbourhood of Mosul, 390 km (240 miles) north of the capital Baghdad. "We used to go to this teahouse after prayers. Tonight when we got close to it we heard a big explosion inside. At first we thought it was a gas cylinder, but police told us it was an explosion. We saw smoke and flames coming out," 45-year-old witness Haj Hassan said… Read more at: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/Jul-18/224134-bomb-attack-kills-seven-in- iraq-tea-house-police-medics.ashx#axzz2ZOhOKmNl
PA holds military funeral for former Fatah terrorist who murdered 14, injured 60 Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh 18 July 2013 The Palestinian Authority on Wednesday held a military funeral for Ahmed Abu al- Sukkar, a former Fatah prisoner who was involved in the 1975 “refrigerator bombing” in Jerusalem’s Zion Square. Fourteen people were killed and more than 60 injured in the terror attack. The 78-year-old Abu al- Sukkar died of a heart attack on Tuesday night. Draped in a Palestinian flag, his coffin was placed on a PA military vehicle, which transferred him from hospital to the center of Ramallah. From there, Abu al-Sukkar’s coffin was taken for burial in his hometown of Turmus Aiya north of Ramallah. PA President Mahmoud Abbas published a statement mourning the death of Abu al- Sukkar, whom he described as a faithful struggler for freedom and the Palestinian cause. Abbas said that Abu al- Sukkar had devoted many years to serving the interests of his people... (Photo: Reuters) Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/PA-holds-military-funeral-for-former-Fatah-terrorist-who- murdered-14-injured-60-320198
Special: Did Cuba's Arms Shipment To North Korea Violate Sanctions? U.N. Will Investigate. | back to top | Did Cuba's Arms Shipment To North Korea Violate Sanctions? U.N. Will Investigate. The Christian Science Monitor/ Reuters By By Lomi Kriel 17 July 2013 Officials in Panama interrupted a shipment of arms from Cuba to North Korea last week. Now, the U.N. Security Council will investigate the incident for a possible breach of sanctions. North Korea says the weapons were being sent in for repairs. Panama said on Wednesday it had called on the U.N. Security Council to investigate a North Korean ship caught smuggling arms from Cuba, piling more pressure on Pyongyang over a possible breach of U.N. sanctions. Panama stopped the ship last week and seized its cargo after a stand-off with the North Korean crew in which the captain tried to slit his own throat. Authorities discovered missile equipment, MiG fighter jets and other arms aboard that Cuba said were "obsolete" Soviet- era weapons being sent to North Korea for repair. "It's going to be transferred to the U.N. Security Council. They will decide what to do," Panamanian Security Minister Jose Raul Mulino said in Panama City. Five U.N. investigators, including one from the Security Council, are expected to arrive around the beginning of August once the ship, the Chong Chon Gang, has been unloaded, Panamanian government officials said. The North Korean government urged Panama to release the ship and its crew, who were detained and are in the process of being charged for failing to declare the arms on board. "This cargo is nothing but aging weapons, which are to send back to Cuba after overhauling them according to a legitimate contract," a North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the official KCNA news agency. The incident has not derailed U.S.-Cuban talks on migration, which went ahead as scheduled on Wednesday, but U.S. officials said Washington would raise the issue of the ship with Cuba very soon. One senior U.S. lawmaker called the matter a "grave violation of international treaties." The United Nations has imposed various sanctions on Pyongyang, including strict regulations on arms shipments, for flouting measures aimed at curbing its nuclear weapons program. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Panama on Wednesday for seizing the vessel, adding that the U.N. sanctions committee would take up the issue promptly. About 350 police and border patrol officials were combing through the ship, which has a dead weight of some 14,000 tonnes. Before their arrest, the ship's crew burned the electrical system to disable it, which slowed the process of unloading it, a Panamanian Foreign Ministry spokesman said. As a result, it could take up to 10 days to unload the ship, he added… ( Photo: Reuters) Read more at: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Latest-News-Wires/2013/0717/Did-Cuba-s-arms-shipment-to- North-Korea-violate-sanctions-U.N.-will-investigate Counterterrorism News by Nation & Region BANGLADESH | back to top | Death penalty for leading Bangladesh Islamist Al Jazeera 17 July 2013 A Bangladesh tribunal has sentenced a top opposition party leader to death for war crimes during the 1971 war of independence. Lawyers said that Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed, 65, was on Wednesday found guilty in the capital, Dhaka, of genocide, conspiracy in killing intellectuals, torture and abduction during the war to break away from Pakistan. Read more at: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/07/201371765535804837.html
BURMA | back to top | Myanmar’s Rohingya Exodus Creating Crisis Across Region Reuters 17 July 2013 Muhammad Muslim, 52, fled Myanmar in 1988 when the junta brutally suppressed a pro-democracy movement in the country then known as Burma. As a Rohingya from western Rakhine state, he had no passport. Myanmar’s government does not grant citizenship to the ethnic Muslims whom they consider illegal Bangladesh immigrants — even those whose families have been in the country since the colonial British brought them in during the late 19th century. Read more at: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/international/myanmars-rohingya-exodus-creating-crisis-across- region/ CUBA | back to top | Experts say seizure of Cuban arms on boat headed for N Korea could hurt US-Cuba detente Associated Press 17 July 2013 Cuba’s admission that it was secretly sending aging weapons systems to North Korea has turned the global spotlight on a little-known link in a secretive network of rusting freighters and charter jets that moves weapons to and from North Korea despite U.N. sanctions. The revelation that Cuba was shipping the arms, purportedly to be repaired and returned, is certain to jeopardize slowly warming ties between the U.S. and Havana, although the extent of the damage remains uncertain. Experts said Cuba’s participation in the clandestine arms network was a puzzling move that promised little military payoff for the risk of incurring U.N. penalties and imperiling detente with Washington. Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/cuba-calls-equipment-seized-on-north-korean- ship-obsolete-weaponry-it-had-sent-for-repair/2013/07/17/ddb2c5ee-eea6-11e2-bb32- 725c8351a69e_story.html COLOMBIA | back to top | Colombia President Santos meets surrendered ELN rebels BBC News 17 July 2013 Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has met 30 rebels of the ELN, the country's second largest armed group, who laid down their arms. Mr Santos called the development "a great step towards peace". The ELN, or National Liberation Army, is not part of the peace talks with Colombia's largest rebel group, the Farc, but its leaders have expressed interest in joining the negotiations. Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23338862 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO | back to top | Fighting for 3rd day between army rebels in Congo Associated Press 16 July 2013 Congo's army says its helicopter gunships have bombarded rebel positions during a third straight day of fighting between government forces and M23 rebels... Read more at: http://news.yahoo.com/fighting-3rd-day-between-army-rebels-congo-180811979.html
EGYPT | back to top | Brotherhood holds protest day as Egypt cabinet starts work Al Arabiya 17 July 2013 Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Egypt called on Wednesday for more mass demonstrations, naming it a “day of steadfastness” to protest against the country’s new interim cabinet lineup. The protests are set to take place in Cairo’s Rabaa al-Adawiyah Square, a popular venue for supporters of ousted President Mohammed Mursi, who hails from the Muslim Brotherhood... Read more at: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/17/Brotherhood-holds-protest-day- as-Egypt-cabinet-starts-work.html Morsi Supporters Denied Rights Amid Reports of Arrests and Beatings Amnesty International 17 July 2013 Hundreds of pro-Morsi supporters arrested by the Egyptian authorities have been denied their legal rights, said Amnesty International in a new briefing published today. The organization has gathered testimonies from detainees who said that they were beaten upon arrest, subjected to electric shocks or hit with rifle butts. The Egyptian authorities must respect the right to due process for those who have been rounded up and are facing accusations of inciting or participating in violence in the last two weeks. Allegations of ill-treatment must be investigated urgently. Read more at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201307171347.html Gunmen Attack Security Checkpoints in Sinai Aswat Masriya 17 July 2013 Gunmen attacked two security checkpoints near North Sinai's Arish International Airport and Rafah on Wednesday, security sources said. The sources reported that there had been no injuries, the assailants escaped right after their attack when chased by the security forces Read more at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201307171479.html US suggests Egyptian military averted civil war Reuters 17 July 2013 Egypt avoided a possible civil war this month, US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday, making it hard for Washington to conclude that the overthrow of Islamist President Mohamed Morsi was a military coup. The armed forces deposed the elected leader on July 3 after huge street protests against his rule, clearing the way for the installment this week of a new interim cabinet charged with restoring civilian government and reviving the troubled economy… Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/US-suggests-Egyptian-military-averted-civil-war-320166
FRANCE | back to top | France confirms body found in Mali is hostage Associated Press 15 July 2013 President Francois Hollande's office formally confirmed on Monday the death of a French hostage in Mali, ending the uncertainty about the status of one of six French citizens captured by al-Qaida's North African arm. A statement from the president's office said an autopsy would be performed to learn the cause of death of Philippe Verdon once the body is transferred to France. Tests were conducted on the body to verify the identity.
Read more at: http://news.yahoo.com/france-confirms-body-found-mali-hostage-205938550.html GERMANY | back to top | Suspected Terrorist Network: Police Raid Neo-Nazi 'Werwolf' Cell Spiegel Online by Sven Röbel and Jörg Schindler 17 July 2013 German prosecutors have been investigating six neo-Nazis suspected of forming a terrorist group, SPIEGEL has learned. Police searched homes, offices and prison cells in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland in raids on Wednesday. Police and anti-terrorism units raided 11 homes, offices and prison cells in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland on Wednesday in a joint operation targeting a suspected international neo-Nazi cell. Read more at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/european-police-raid-suspected-neo-nazi-terrorist-cell- a-911580.html INDIA | back to top | Violent protests in India over school meal deaths BBC News 17 July 2013 There have been violent protests in the Indian state of Bihar after 22 children died and dozens more fell sick after eating a tainted free school meal. Four police vehicles were set on fire in Dharmasati Gandaman in Saran district during the protests by parents and hundreds of villagers... Read more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23342003 IRAN | back to top | Iran's Rouhani dismisses Israeli threats Al Jazeera 17 July 2013 Hassan Rouhani, Iran's president-elect, has brushed off threats of military action by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu over Tehran's nuclear programme. Referring to the US and Israel, Rouhani said: "When some say that all options are on the table and when a miserable regional country says such things, it makes you laugh." In an address to Iran-Iraq war veterans on Wednesday, in which he rebuked Netanyahu, Rouhani said: "Who are the Zionists to threaten us?"… Read more at: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2013/07/201371785819650615.html ISRAEL | back to top | Report: Kerry to officially announce resumption of peace talks Jerusalem Post 18 July 2013 US secretary of state to declare resumption of peace negotiations on Friday morning, according to London-based 'Al-Hayat;' Abbas to brief PLO officials on US proposals ahead of decision to resume negotiations with Israel. Citing sources at the Palestinian embassy in Amman, the report stated that there has been significant process between Kerry and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas… Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Kerry-to-officially-announce-resumption-of-peace- processes-320222
Israel launches information war against Hezbollah The Media Line by Linda Gradstein 14 July 2013 If you click on the Israeli army’s new Hezbollah website, you will see a red and black logo that reads, “Hezbollah, Army of Terror.” The site is a combination of graphics, text and videos, all focusing on the Lebanese-based, Iran- proxy terrorist organization and its leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. One link refers back to what Israelis call the Second Lebanon War of 2006, and in fact, the site was launched on the seventh anniversary of that 34-day war between Hezbollah and Israel that was triggered by a cross-border raid by Hezbollah fighters that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and two captured. It ended with a United Nations – brokered cease-fire… Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Israel-launches-information-war-against-Hezbollah-319786 Report: Israeli submarine strike hit Syrian arms depot Jerusalem Post 14 July 2013 Sunday Times contradicts a CNN report claiming that the Israeli air force bombed the depot; attack said to be coordinated with the US… Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Israeli-submarine-strike-hit-Syrian-arms-depot-319756 LEBANON | back to top | Top Syrian pro-regime official ‘assassinated’ in southern Lebanon Al Arabiya 16 July 2013 A prominent Syrian pro-regime figure was assassinated outside his home in southern Lebanon early on Wednesday, state-run media in Damascus reported. Mohammed Darrar Jammo, a political analyst who often appeared on Arab TV stations, was gunned down outside his home in the coastal town of Sarafand by gunmen, the SANA news agency reported. The town is in predominantly Shiite southern Lebanon where Assad enjoys wide support. Read more at: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/17/Top-Syrian-pro-regime-official- assassinated-in-southern-Lebanon-.html Three injured as bomb hits Hezbollah convoy in Lebanon Reuters 16 July 2013 A convoy carrying members of Hezbollah was hit by a roadside bomb near the Lebanese-Syrian border on Tuesday, wounding three of its officials in the third attack on the Shi'ite militant group since May, security sources said. The injured men were Hezbollah security officials traveling in a convoy of two vehicles heading towards Syria. A barrage of gunfire hit the convoy after the blast, security sources said.. Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Three-injured-as-bomb-hits-Hezbollah-convoy-in-Lebanon- 320021 MEXICO | back to top | Capture of Mexican Crime Boss Appears to End a Brutal Chapter The New York times by Randal C. Archibold 17 July 2013 Body parts strewn on highways, etched with the letter Z. Videotaped torture sessions uploaded onto YouTube. Victims placed in barrels and dissolved into a “stew” of violent death. Since the Zetas emerged less than a decade ago as the brutal new figures in the storied history of organized crime here, Mexico has experienced some of its most shocking episodes of violence, and the bloodshed has seeped into other countries throughout the region..
Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/17/world/americas/capture-of-mexican-crime-boss-appears-to- end-a-brutal-chapter.html?ref=americas&_r=0
NETHERLANDS | back to top | Suspected Terrorist Network: Police Raid Neo-Nazi 'Werwolf' Cell Spiegel Online by Sven Röbel and Jörg Schindler 17 July 2013 German prosecutors have been investigating six neo-Nazis suspected of forming a terrorist group, SPIEGEL has learned. Police searched homes, offices and prison cells in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland in raids on Wednesday. Police and anti-terrorism units raided 11 homes, offices and prison cells in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland on Wednesday in a joint operation targeting a suspected international neo-Nazi cell. Read more at: http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/european-police-raid-suspected-neo-nazi-terrorist-cell- a-911580.html
NIGERIA | back to top | Nigerian activists: Arrest Sudan leader for crimes Associated Press 15 July 2013 Angry that Nigeria is hosting a fugitive accused of genocide and war crimes, human rights lawyers Monday asked the Federal High Court to issue an arrest warrant for Sudan's leader Omar al-Bashir. Nigerian civil rights activists sent an urgent request to the International Criminal Court to refer the Nigerian government to the U.N. Security Council for failing to detain al-Bashir and surrender him to the court in The Hague for trial, said the Socio- Economic Rights and Accountability Project. Read more at: http://news.yahoo.com/nigerian-activists-arrest-sudan-leader-crimes-095922428.html
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY | back to top | Egypt crisis brings Fatah, Hamas tensions to new high Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh 14 July 2013 Aggravated tensions between Palestinian groups has dashed hopes that reconciliation agreement can be completed. The crisis in Egypt has aggravated tensions between Fatah and Hamas, dashing hopes of reconciliation between the rival Palestinian parties. While Fatah supports the military coup that toppled the Muslim Brotherhood regime, Hamas has come out in favor of deposed president Mohamed Morsi. Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Egypt-crisis-brings-Fatah-Hamas-tensions-to-new-high-319751 Hamas denies 32 of its operatives killed in Sinai Jerusalem Post by Ariel Ben Solomon, Herb Kleinon , Khaled Abu T 11 July 2013 The Egyptian army killed and arrested around 200 fighters in Sinai in the past few days, according to a source quoted in the daily Al-Hayat on Thursday. Thirty-two Hamas men were among the dead and 45 Hamas members were among those arrested, according to the London-based pan-Arab paper. Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Hamas-denies-32-of-its-operatives-killed-in-Sinai-319606
SUDAN | back to top | Sudan to Pursue Darfur Killers Tanzania Daily News by Nelly Mtema 18 July 2013 Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir has assured President Jakaya Kikwete that he will ensure all those who were involved in attacking and killing seven Tanzania soldiers in peacekeeping mission in Darfur are apprehended and brought to justice. President Bashir made the pledge yesterday during talks by phone with President Kikwete, saying that he believed that those involved in the killings were criminals and must be pursued. During talks Mr Kikwete had asked Mr Bashir to pursue people involved in the ambush and killing of Tanzania peacekeepers in Darfur, Sudan last Saturday… Read more at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201307180081.html SYRIA | back to top | Top Syrian pro-regime official ‘assassinated’ in southern Lebanon Al Arabiya 16 July 2013 A prominent Syrian pro-regime figure was assassinated outside his home in southern Lebanon early on Wednesday, state-run media in Damascus reported. Mohammed Darrar Jammo, a political analyst who often appeared on Arab TV stations, was gunned down outside his home in the coastal town of Sarafand by gunmen, the SANA news agency reported. The town is in predominantly Shiite southern Lebanon where Assad enjoys wide support. Read more at: http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2013/07/17/Top-Syrian-pro-regime-official- assassinated-in-southern-Lebanon-.html TURKEY | back to top | Stray Syrian bullets kill 2 in Turkish border town Reuters 17 July 2013 Turkish troops return fire in the most serious spillover of violence into Turkey in weeks; border towns were unified in Ottoman times. A man and a 15-year-old boy were killed by stray bullets shot from Syria in a Turkish border town and Turkish troops returned fire, officials said on Wednesday, in the most serious spillover of violence into Turkey in weeks. Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Stray-bullets-from-Syria-kill-two-in-Turkish-border-town-320144 UNITED KINGDOM | back to top | British spies did NOT use US Prism programme to get round UK law, intelligence watchdog rules The Daily Mail by Matt Chorley 17 July 2013 Parliament's spy watchdog called for an investigation into Britain’s laws on intelligence eavesdropping yesterday as it cleared GCHQ of flouting the existing rules. The Intelligence and Security Committee ruled that the listening station in Cheltenham acted with ministerial backing when it requested electronic intercepts from the US National Security Agency’s Prism programme. But the committee raised questions about whether the rules governing intercepts are fit for purpose and whether there is a need for new laws... Read more at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2366726/British-spies-did-NOT-use-US-Prism-programme- round-UK-law-intelligence-watchdog-rules.html
British aid workers ‘at risk of radicalisation by Syrian rebels’ The Independent by Nigel Morris 17 July 2013 British members of humanitarian aid convoys heading for Syria are being targeted by Islamist extremists intent on radicalising them, security sources fear. The UK authorities are increasingly alarmed that potential jihadists are returning to this country from Syria having learned terrorist techniques and picked up experience of combat… Read more at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/british-aid-workers-at-risk-of-radicalisation-by- syrian-rebels-8714990.html UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | back to top | Report: Kerry to officially announce resumption of peace talks Jerusalem Post 18 July 2013 US secretary of state to declare resumption of peace negotiations on Friday morning, according to London-based 'Al-Hayat;' Abbas to brief PLO officials on US proposals ahead of decision to resume negotiations with Israel. Citing sources at the Palestinian embassy in Amman, the report stated that there has been significant process between Kerry and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Read more at: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Report-Kerry-to-officially-announce-resumption-of-peace- processes-320222 VENEZUELA | back to top | Venezuela Government Admits Keeping Crime Figures Secret Insight Crime by Miriam Wells 15 July 2013 The Venezuelan government has admitted to deliberately refraining from releasing crime statistics to the public, while asking the media to cooperate in "improving the perception of security" in one of the most violent countries in the world. In an illuminating interview with Caracas newspaper El Nacional, Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez was asked why statistics on homicide, kidnapping, and other crimes had not been made public. The minister replied he had recommended to President Nicolas Maduro that this policy should change -- but apparently only because there was some good news to report. "I told him that at some point he had to start releasing the figures, because these are in tune with what we want," said the minister. "Murders have gone down five per cent." Last month he claimed they had gone down 61 percent… Read more at: http://www.insightcrime.org/news-analysis/venezuela-government-admits-keeping-crime-figures- secret YEMEN | back to top | Saudi who became Al Qaeda second-in-command after he was freed from Guantanamo Bay is killed by U.S. drone strike in Yemen The Daily Mail by Sara Malm 17 July 2013 The second-in-command of a branch of Al Qaeda has been killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen, according to the terrorist group. Said al-Shihri rose to become number two of the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) following his 2007 release from Guantanamo Bay prison. This is the fourth time the Saudi-born Al Qaeda official has been reported dead. Read more at: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2366572/Said-al-Shihri-killed-U-S-drone-strike-Yemen.html
General CounterTerrorism News | back to top | Rolling Stone Takes Heat For Cover Featuring Rock Star Image Of Boston Bomb Suspect Tsarnaev Associated Press 17 July 2013 A Rolling Stone cover story featuring a glamorous photo of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is generating controversy, with several retailers including CVS and Walgreens announcing Wednesday that they will not carry the issue. The cover of the magazine’s Aug. 1 edition is a photo in which Tsarnaev looks more like one of the rock stars that usually grace it than a suspect in the April 15 bombings at the marathon finish line that killed three and wounded more than 260. A preview on the magazine’s website says the story by contributing editor Janet Reitman traces how “a bright kid with a charming future became a monster.” Rolling Stone editors said in a statement that the story falls within the traditions of journalism and the magazine’s commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage. “The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young, and in the same age group as many of our readers, makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens,” the statement said… (Photo: Wenner Media/Associated Press)
Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/rolling-stone-takes-heat-for-cover-featuring-rock-star- image-of-boston-bomb-suspect-tsarnaev/2013/07/17/9f573186-eef6-11e2-bb32-725c8351a69e_story.html Al Qa’ida & Affiliates | back to top | Confirmed: US Drone Strike Killed Key Al-Qa'ida Leader Saeed Al-Shihri In Yemen The Independent By Ahmed al-Haj 18 July 2013 The Yemen-based branch of al-Qa'ida confirmed today that the group's No. 2 figure, a former Guantanamo Bay prisoner, was killed in a US drone strike. The announcement, posted on militant websites, gave no date for the death of Saudi-born Saeed al-Shihri. The confirmation was significant, however, because al-Shihri had twice before been reported dead but the terror group later denied those reports. His killing is considered a major blow to the Yemen-based al-Qa'ida branch, known as al- Qa'ida in The Arabian Peninsula. Yemeni security officials said al-Shihri died of serious injuries sustained when a drone strike targeted him in November last year. Al-Shihri had survived an earlier drone attack, in September 2012, the officials added, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to media… (Photo: The Independent) Read more at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/confirmed-us-drone-strike-killed-key- alqaida-leader-saeed-alshihri-in-yemen-8713944.html
Syrian Rebels Raise The Black Flag Of Al-Qa'ida In Spite The Australian By Anthony Loyd 16 July 2013 "Kerrrump" the mortars usually start first, about an hour after dusk. "Duh-dum-duh-dum- duh-dum" - that will be the automatic grenade launcher. "Crack" - the rebel sniper a couple of blocks south of us is firing at the regime lines. And, wait for it . . . "buduhduduhduhduh" that's the regime firing back with a machinegun. These are Aleppo's night sounds. As only two of our apartment windows have been hit by shrapnel, we usually feel quite safe, and sit out each night's fighting as secure as children listening from their beds to a storm outside. Night after night, firefight after firefight, we talk into the early hours, often about spite and always about Islam. Spite is a good subject and one that is often discussed openly in Syria. I tell my hosts, our friends and fixers Mahmoud and Suhaib, of a Bosnian phrase I learnt in that war: "I am happy because my neighbour's cow is sick." They find the purity of this schadenfreude very amusing. In turn they ask me if I know why the black flag of al-Qa'ida… Read more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/syrian-rebels-raise-the-black-flag-of-al-qaida-in- spite/story-fnb64oi6-1226679796977 Commentary & Opinion | Back To Top | Silence In Cuba On North Korean Ship Detained In Panama Havana Times 16 July 2013 Weapons shipment seized in transit through Panama Panamanian police seized military equipment, including missiles, on board the North Korean ship trying to cross the Panama Canal en route from Cuba, announced Monday the country’s president, Ricardo Martinelli, reported dpa news.
The president told Radio Panama on Monday night there had been a suspicion that the ship, the Chong Chon Gang, bound for North Korea, was carrying drugs, so it was retained to verify their cargo. After the start of the search operation by armed police officers, the ship’s captain attempted to commit suicide amid a mutiny of the sailors, according to the official report. In the ship’s hold was also 220,000 quintals of sugar. Martinelli said that the waterway is administered by Panama as “a canal of peace and not of war”, noting that the transport of undeclared war weaponry will not be allowed…
Comment: “Military analyst IHS Jane’s released a statement Tuesday identifying the equipment shown in the photos as “fire control” radar equipment for surface-to-air missiles. Jane’s proposed two theories why the equipment was on board the ship. “One possibility is that Cuba could be sending the system to North Korea for an upgrade (…)Jane’s other theory was that the fire-control radar equipment could have been en route to North Korea to augment Pyongyang’s existing air defense network. North Korea’s air defense network is arguably one of the densest in the world, but it is also based on obsolete weapons, missiles and radars. ”
Comment: In short, is not a full ban on arms export, it simply bans the export of offensive equipment and parts that can be used to assemble WMDs, that’s all. The weird part is how they tried to smuggle the parts thorough the canal that was amateurish and completely foolish and well, all the circus concerning the capture of the crew.
Read more at: www.havanatimes.org/?p=96495
Is Syria Finished? The Washington Institute/Mark News By Dennis Ross 15 July 2013 If Washington doesn't help contain Syria's civil war, the whole region could plunge into chaos. What was supposed to be the Syrian phase of the so-called "Arab Spring" has evolved into one of the greatest tragedies of the 21st century. The once-peaceful opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's deeply entrenched and powerful Ba'ath Party regime has escalated into armed resistance and, finally, a brutal civil war -- one that has now claimed close to 100,000 lives. This escalation poses a serious threat, not just to Syria's neighbors, but -- given the existence of chemical weapons in Syria -- to the international community as well. The United States, like other nations supportive of the Syrian opposition, has chosen to act, but to do so primarily through diplomatic and economic means. Its hesitancy to take more direct action is understandable given the fractious nature of the opposition, but the cost of failing to influence the balance of power between the opposition and the Syrian regime could be high… Read more at: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/is-syria-finished Convergence | back to top | The Stirling Assynt Report: Latin America Update; Brazil, Mexico Stirling Assynt 17 July 2013 Brazil • Workers’ unions organize nationwide strike, thousands participate; disrupts transport, blocks access to three ports; unions seeking to capitalize on recent protests, pressure Government to meet demands; Brasilia’s response less conciliatory, but President likely to offer concessions to maintain key support base
• Senate passes legislation aimed at tackling corruption; includes prosecution of companies that pay bribes, banning of people with criminal records from Civil Service; President’s popularity based on anti-corruption credentials so further anti-graft measures likely; but corruption widespread, ongoing problem
Mexico • Zetas cartel leader Treviño Morales arrested by Marines in Tamaulipas State; brother likely to seek leadership but lacks same brutal authority; spike in violence expected in Zetas strongholds, areas where Zetas fighting with rivals for territory; arrest will be welcomed domestically and by US authorities.
• Opposition National Action Party (PAN) narrowly wins Baja California Governorship; seat of political, symbolic importance to PAN; victory will allow leader to continue cooperation with Government on reform; elections marred by further violence, corruption; no results challenged, leftist party fares worst overall.
• Leading opposition party to support energy reform requiring constitutional changes; mood in markets remains positive despite slowdown in growth in first half of year; domestic corporations increasing investment this year; but reform necessary to create growth opportunities, maintain confidence of international investors.
• Report shows high level of corruption in public services, especially police; twelve municipal police officers arrested following public protests at killing of two youths in Mexico State; four Generals released without charge after year in detention on suspicion of corruption. Read more at: www.stirlingassynt.com
Cyber Warfare | back to top | Security Isn’t About Technology. It’s About People National Security Institute July 2013 SECURITY sense is your turnkey security awareness program for addressing the critical human dimension of information security There’s a famous saying that “amateurs hack systems, while professionals hack people.” The point is that security technology designed to stop hackers, spies, phishers and frauds are always compromised by timeless human weaknesses: inattention, incompetence and complacency. The only thing standing between your company’s information systems and the people who are out to compromise them is employees. Technical security vulnerabilities can be patched but humans are always vulnerable. Read more at: http://www.nsi.org/security-sense.html Legal Aspects & Lawfare | back to top | US Court Ruling In NY Favors Anti-Terror Law, Says Plaintiffs Had No Standing To Sue Associated Press 17 July 2013 A federal appeals court in Manhattan has revived enforcement of a law that permits the indefinite detention of people suspected of supporting terrorists, saying a lower court mistakenly ruled for plaintiffs who opposed it. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling Wednesday in a lawsuit challenging the law that allows the U.S. government to detain anyone who “substantially” or “directly” provides “support” to radical forces, such as al- Qaida or the Taliban. The court found that the plaintiffs had no standing to bring the case in the first place.
In response to the decision, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, Bruce Afran, accused the appeals court of failing to address the merits of the case by instead reversing the lower court’s decision on technical grounds. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan had no comment. The decision sent the case back to the district court to let the judge consider further proceedings. But Afran said it was unclear whether that would happen… Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/federal-appeals-court-in-ny-rules-that-anti-terrorism-law- needs-further-review/2013/07/17/9fa361c2-eef7-11e2-bb32-725c8351a69e_story.html Lawmakers Of Both Parties Voice Doubts About NSA Surveillance Programs The Washington Post By Sari Horwitz 17 July 2013 Lawmakers of both parties expressed deep skepticism Wednesday about the government’s bulk collection of Americans’ telephone records and threatened not to renew the legislative authority that has been used to sanction a program described as “off the tracks legally.” The backlash appeared to focus on the concern that the Obama administration’s interpretation of its powers far exceeds what lawmakers intended. At a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, lawmakers forcefully pressed officials from the National Security Agency, the Justice Department, the FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to justify the government’s collection and storage of the communications records of vast numbers of Americans… Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/house-committee-holds-hearing-on-nsa- surveillance-programs/2013/07/17/ffc3056c-eee3-11e2-9008-61e94a7ea20d_story.html
Narco-Terrorism | back to top | Blog del Narco: US Congratulates Mexico- They Have Wanted Z-40 for a Very Long Time HS News by Author 17 July 2013 The U.S. government offered $ 5 million to whomever provides information leading to the capture of Miguel Treviño Morales, “El Z-40”, who is accused of various crimes related to drug trafficking in the District court of Houston, Texas.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency also provides different birth years: 1970, 1980, 1973 and 1976, but certainly gives the place of birth, Nuevo Laredo Tamaulipas. Currently in the United States, Jose Trevino Morales, brother of “Z-40” is being prosecuted in federal court for the Western District of Texas at Austin, having allegedly laundered tens of millions of dollars sent by his brother through ranch quarter horses he had in Oklahoma. The capture of Jose Trevino Morales was on June 12 last year, with a spectacular display of FBI agents, who confiscated during the raid of the Ranch 458 horses, some of them worth several thousand dollars. The US Treasury Department declared in July 2009 that “The Z-40” falls under the Kingpin Act, and ordered that all goods that have in the United States by itself or through partners will being frozen. Last May, US authorities again referred to “The Z-40” by publicizing the arrest of Alfredo Andrade Parra, an alleged member of Los Zetas who was involved in two court proceedings opened in the District of Texas, in 2003 and 2008. (Photo: HS News) Read more at: http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/latino-daily-news/details/blog-del-narco-us- congratulates-mexico-they-have-wanted-z-40-for-a-very-lon/25882/ Network Notes | back to top | Missing Files: BMC To Pin Responsibility The Indian Express 18 July 2013 With over 9,000 files reported missing from various offices of BMC, particularly the civic building proposals (BP) and Development Plan (DP) departments, the civic body has formed an in-house committee to recreate the files. In the past 20 days, since the file reconstruction work began, 230 files pertaining to various buildings (including blueprints) have been restored, BMC claims. "We have been able to recreate many files with the help of copies that were sent to the water and fire departments for occupation certificates (OCs). We have requested architects to share documents of earlier projects," said R S Kuknur, chief engineer of the BP and DP departments, at the corporation's standing committee meeting Wednesday… Read more at: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/missing-files-bmc-to-pin-responsibility/1143242/
Science & Technology | back to top | Study: When You’re At The Wheel, A Growing Network Of Police Cameras Are On Your Tail Associated Press by Author 18 July 2013 A rapidly growing network of police cameras is capturing, storing and sharing data on license plates, making it possible to stitch together people’s movements whether they are stuck in a commute, making tracks to the beach or up to no good. For the first time, the number of license tag captures has reached the millions, according to a study published Wednesday by the American Civil Liberties Union based on information from hundreds of law enforcement agencies. Departments keep the records for weeks or years, sometimes indefinitely, saying they can be crucial in tracking suspicious cars, aiding drug busts, finding abducted children and more. Attached to police cars, bridges or buildings — and sometimes merely as an app on a police officer’s smartphone — scanners capture images of passing or parked vehicles and pinpoint their locations, uploading that information into police databases... Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/study-when-youre-at-the-wheel-a-growing-network-of-police- cameras-are-on-your-tail/2013/07/17/50336168-ef3e-11e2-bb32-725c8351a69e_story.html Terrorist Financing | back to top | Congresswoman Urges Israelis To Testify In Terror Financing Case The Times of Israel 18 July 2013 Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says officials should provide evidence that Bank of China knowingly laundered Jihadist funds, despite Netanyahu deal with Beijing Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, in a rare rebuke of Israel, called on its government to stand by its commitment to assist an American family suing the Bank of China in a terrorist financing case. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly has instructed officials not to testify in the case brought against the Bank of China by Sheryl and Yekutiel Wultz, whose 16-year-old son Daniel was killed in a 2006 terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, and Israeli officials have evidence allegedly showing the Bank of China knowingly laundered money for the group. “My heart goes out to the Wultz family for having to endure so much with the loss of Daniel, who was killed in a vicious terrorist attack,” Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the chairwoman of the U.S. House of Representatives Middle East subcommittee and one of Israel’s staunchest defenders in Congress, told JTA in a statement Wednesday. “For many years, the family has continued its pursuit for justice for Daniel’s death. They’ve come this far and I am committed to doing everything in my power to help them in any way I can, and I hope and would expect the government of Israel to do the same. At the end of the day we should all want the same thing — to hold those responsible for the death of Daniel Wultz accountable, and to break the network of terror financing.”… Read more at: http://www.timesofisrael.com/congresswoman-urges-israelis-to-testify-in-terror-financing-case/ Transportation Security | back to top | Nevada Politicians Push DOE For Info On Uranium Transport Plan Global Security Newswire 16 July 2013 Nevada politicians are urgently calling on the Energy Department to provide them with more specifics on a federal plan to transport hundreds of large containers of dangerous radioactive material from Tennessee to the
Nevada National Security Site, the Associated Press reported on Monday. Governor Brian Sandoval in a July 12 letter to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz noted that "I have received no official communication from your office" regarding the Nevada chief executive's previous request for a meeting "and now write again to request this important meeting as soon as possible." Sandoval is concerned about an Energy plan to lower the budget for a program that financially supports states' supervision of radioactive waste activities. Nevada could see its oversight funding reduced by 30 percent or approximately $300,000 under the initial DOE budget plan, according to Nevada Conservation and Natural Resources Department Director Leo Drozdoff… Read more at: http://www.nationaljournal.com/global-security-newswire/nevada-politicians-push-doe-for-info-on- uranium-transport-plan-20130716 WMD Terrorism | back to top | Africa: New Approaches to Nuclear Weapon Disarmament Institute for Security Studies by Noel Stott 17 July 2013 Tuesday 16 July marked the anniversary of the first nuclear weapon test carried out by the United States (US) in southern New Mexico in 1945.Between then and September 1992, the US tested 1 030 nuclear weapons - all conducted by the Los Alamos National Laboratory. However, despite President Barack Obama declaring in a speech on 19 June in Berlin that 'so long as nuclear weapons exist, we are not truly safe', and his announcement that he intends to seek further bilateral nuclear weapons reductions with Russia, the US' National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) plans to extend the service life of 400 B61 bombs with an estimated cost of $10 billion, or $25 million per bomb. The B61 is the only US nuclear weapon in Europe, with about 180 stored in five NATO countries. Nuclear weapons are the most destructive, inhumane and indiscriminate weapons ever created. Unlike other weapons, they have the potential to not only kill millions of people but also to disrupt the global climate, cause widespread famine and spread genetically damaging radioactive fallout… Read more at: http://allafrica.com/stories/201307171350.html
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