Eye on Extremism January 11, 2017

Eye on Extremism January 11, 2017 USA Today: More Than 100 Killed, Wounded As Terror Attacks Rock Afghanistan “Twin suicide blasts near the Afghan parliament during Tuesday's afternoon rush killed dozens of people and wounded dozens more as a wave of violence rocked the country. ‘Taliban terrorist group carried out two suicide attacks today in KBL targeting a bus carrying civilians, many lost their lives,’ Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said on Twitter. Two other attacks elsewhere in the country killed 12 people and wounded several more, including the United Arab Emirates ambassador to Afghanistan. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesman for the militant Afghan Taliban movement, said on social media that his group orchestrated the Kabul attack, targeting a busload of security officials. Mohibullah Zeer, an official in the Public Health Ministry, told the Associated Press that at least 38 people were killed and another 72 were wounded.” Reuters: Iraqi Forces Advance In Mosul But Civilian Toll Mounts “Iraqi forces pushed Islamic State fighters back further in Mosul on Tuesday in a renewed effort to seize the northern city and deal a decisive blow to the militant group, though progress was slow in some districts, the army said. Iraqi forces and their allies have captured villages and towns surrounding Mosul and seized at least two-thirds of its eastern districts, military officials say, reaching the eastern bank of the Tigris river for the first time on Sunday. The government had initially hoped to retake Mosul by the end of 2016 but three months into the U.S.-backed campaign, the militants control the territory to the west of the Tigris that bisects the city from north to south.” Associated Press: Fierce Battles Leave Hospital In Iraqi City Of Mosul Gutted “After weeks of airstrikes and artillery fire, Mosul's al-Salam hospital is little more than a burnt-out shell. Retaken from the Islamic State group by Iraqi forces this month, the building's top floors were almost completely destroyed. The gardens around the complex are strewn with medical records and supplies. Bright blue hospital bedsheets hang from nearby trees. The hospital in eastern Mosul was the scene of one of the most significant setbacks for Iraqi troops in the nearly 3-month operation to retake Iraq's second-largest city. On Dec. 6, after advancing too quickly, Iraqi forces found themselves surrounded by IS fighters in the hospital complex. Pummeled by wave upon wave of militant counterattacks, dozens were killed and wounded, according to Iraqi military and hospital officials, eventually forcing a withdrawal.” The New York Times: Arms Seized Off Coast Of Yemen Appear To Have Been Made In Iran “Photographs recently released by the Australian government show that light anti-armor weapons seized from a smuggling vessel near Yemen’s coast appear to have been manufactured in Iran, further suggesting that Tehran has had a hand in a high-seas gunrunning operation to the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The weapons, a selection of at least nine rocket-propelled grenade launchers, were among thousands of weapons seized by an Australian warship, the Darwin, in February from an Iranian dhow that was sailing under the name Samer. The photographs of the weapons, a sample of the much larger quantity of arms, were obtained by the Small Arms Survey, a Geneva-based international research center, after a long open-records dispute with the Australian military.” The Jerusalem Post: IDF Thwarts West Bank Stabbing Attempt, Attacker Killed “The IDF thwarted a wouldbe knife attack Tuesday morning, killing the Palestinian assailant who ran at soldiers on patrol in the vicinity of the al-Faria refugee camp near Nablus. While soldiers from the Duvdevan special forces unit were performing routine activities, the man ran at them brandishing a knife and shouting ‘Allahu Akbar,’ an army statement said. Soldiers shot at the man after initial attempts to stop the impending attack failed. He died at the scene. Palestinian media identified the man as 32-year-old Muhammad al-Salahi, who had spent three years in Israeli prisons. According to Khalid Mansour, a member of the Palestinian People’s Party who was quoted by Palestinian news agency Ma’an, Salihi had been shot at least six times by IDF soldiers who had entered his home.” ABC News: US Commandos Take Out ISIS Leader In Hunt For Top Terrorists As Obama Prepares To Leave Office “An elite team of American commandos killed a senior leader of ISIS this week, giving President Obama another name to scratch off his list of top terrorists in the final days of his presidency. Abu Anas al-Iraqi, said to be the finance chief of ISIS, was killed Sunday in an operation in Syria by an intelligence-driven U.S. special operations unit known as the Expeditionary Targeting Force, a counterterrorism official told ABC News. "He was a top ISIS emir," the counterterrorism official said, using the Arabic term for "prince" or "leader" that is commonly adopted by jihadis.” Reuters: Arizona Man Goes On Trial For Helping Student Join Islamic State “An Arizona man went on trial on Tuesday on charges that he provided support to Islamic State by helping a New York college student travel to Syria, where he died fighting for the militants. In his opening statement, a prosecutor told jurors in Manhattan federal court that Ahmed Mohammed El Gammal, 44, had in 2015 helped the student, whom he met online, to join Islamic State. It controls parts of Syria and Iraq and has claimed responsibility for bombings and shootings of civilians in other countries. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew DeFilippis said El Gammal put Samy Mohammed El-Goarany, a 24-year-old student at Baruch College in Manhattan, in touch with an associate in Turkey who could help him continue on to Syria.” The Wall Street Journal: Germany Sets Plan To Rein In Extremists “Germany released a plan to rein in known extremists after authorities failed to prevent a terrorist attack last month by a Tunisian radical on a government watch list. The proposed overhauls aim to make it easier for police to monitor, detain and deport asylum seekers believed to pose a terror threat, Germany’s interior and justice ministers said on Tuesday. The plan—which the government plans to implement with legal changes in the weeks to come—reflects efforts to tighten enforcement within the guidelines of constitutional safeguards, informed by abuses committed under the Nazis, that strongly protect personal freedom.” Newsday: Justin Kaliebe Sentenced To 13 Years In Prison In Plot To Join Al-Qaida “A Long Islander, charged as a teenager with plotting to join a branch of al-Qaida to battle against U.S. soldiers, was sentenced Tuesday to 13 years in prison by a judge in federal court in Central Islip. Justin Kaliebe, now 22, was age 18 when he was arrested in January 2013 at Kennedy Airport while attempting to board a plane to travel to Yemen and fight with al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, U.S....” Newsweek: 'Mastermind' Of Tunisia Beach And Museum Attacks Named “The suspected ringleader of two mass shootings in Tunisia that killed 60 people has been identified, according to documents obtained by the BBC. Chamseddine al-Sandi remains at large—Tunisian authorities believe him to be in Libya—following the 2015 attacks. One targeted foreign tourists on a Sousse beach that June, leaving 38 people dead, and the other killed 22 tourists at the Bardo museum in Tunis three months earlier. The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) claimed both attacks. Since its rise in June 2014, ISIS has attacked Tunisian authorities and foreign nationals in the country, severely damaging its crucial tourism industry.” MPR: Minnesotan Gets 3 Years For Lying About Contact With ISIS “A Glencoe, Minn., man will serve more than three years in prison for lying to the FBI about contact he had with recruiters for the ISIS terror group, an offense that his attorney said had more to do with his mental illness than jihadist radicalization. Abdul Raheem Ali-Skelton, 23, admitted last year to lying about his communications over social media with two British nationals, who recruited for the terrorist group. But it was another episode that drew him back into the news and eventually into federal custody: He threatened to blow up a Walgreens. That incident stemmed from a drunken "jealous rant" after seeing his wife with another man at the store, his attorney, Robert Richman said.” Financial Review: 'Dead' Austrailian ISIL Terrorists Sanctioned By US Treasury “The Obama administration has imposed financial sanctions against two Australian terrorists - at least one of whom was previously thought to be dead - for supporting the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. ISIL's most senior Australian recruiter, Melbourne-born Neil Christopher Prakash, appeared in internet videos and on social media encouraging jihadis to travel to Iraq and Syria to join ISIL. Mr Prakash, 25, was formerly believed to have been killed by a US airstrike in Mosul, northern Iraq, on April 29, 2016, according to a statement on May 5 by Attorney General George Brandis and Defence Minister Marise Payne who relied on US advice.” News24: Al-Shabaab Kills Teenage Boy, Man Over Homosexuality “The al-Shabaab extremist group announced on Tuesday it has killed a teenage boy and a young man for engaging in sexual conduct. This is the first known time that al-Shabaab has carried out what it calls executions over homosexuality. The Somalia-based extremist group announced the killings via its Andalus radio, saying they were carried out in a public square in Buale, a town in Middle Jubba region. The group said it killed 20-year-old Isaq Abshirow and 15-year-old Abdirizak Sheikh Ali after they were arrested by al-Shabaab's Islamic police and convicted by a court run by the extremists.” United States Reuters: U.S. Lawmakers Want Russia Sanctions Over Hacking, Ukraine, Syria “U.S. Republican and Democratic senators said Tuesday they want to slap a wide range of sanctions on Russia over its cyber activities and actions in Syria and Ukraine, and force President Donald Trump to formally waive them if he has objections. Ten senators - Republicans John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Ben Sasse and Rob Portman and Democrats Ben Cardin, Robert Menendez, Jeanne Shaheen, Amy Klobuchar and Richard Durbin - introduced the legislation and said they hoped to add more sponsors and push Senate leaders to allow a vote. A sanctions bill with similar provisions is being written in the House of Representatives, led by Democrats Eliot Engel, the Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member, and Gerald Connolly, a panel member.” CNN: Trump Pushes US Embassy Move In Israel Amid Outcry “The incoming Trump administration has told allies it is moving ahead with plans to relocate the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem -- even as those countries issue stark warnings of the potential impact and the Palestinians and Arab nations are escalating calls not to do it. In Israel, where officials have lobbied countries for years to move their diplomatic missions to Jerusalem, which Israel claims as its capital, there is speculation a US announcement could be made as early as May 24 – ‘Jerusalem Day’ in Israel, a celebratory national holiday. That date comes just days before a waiver signed by President Barack Obama blocking the move expires.” NBC News: Dylann Roof Sentenced To Death For Charleston Church Massacre “An admitted white supremacist was condemned to death Tuesday for massacring nine black worshipers who'd invited him to study the Bible with them at a Charleston, S.C., church, ending a two-phase federal trial that exposed the killer's hate-fueled motives and plumbed the chasms of grief left by the victims' deaths. The jury, the same that convicted Dylann Roof in the murders last month, announced its verdict after deliberating less than three hours.” Syria Reuters: Syrian Kurdish Groups Say Not Invited To Peace Talks “The Syrian Kurdish YPG militia and its political arm the PYD will not be invited to planned peace talks in Kazakhstan, a PYD official said on Tuesday, an outcome that would leave a key player in the conflict off the negotiating table. Syria's government and rebel forces started a ceasefire on Dec. 31 as a first step toward face-to face negotiations backed by Turkey and Russia, but the date and its participants remain unclear. The truce is also under growing strain as rebels have vowed to respond to government violations and President Bashar al-Assad said on Monday the army would retake an important rebel-held area near Damascus.” CNN: Syria: The Greatest Indictment Of Humanity This Century “2017 will mark the sixth anniversary of the Syrian conflict -- a war that has left nearly half a million dead and forced millions of others from their homes. The new year brought a ceasefire brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey. But the ceasefire is serving as cover for ‘business as usual.’ The Syrian government continues to use illegal means of war to crush political opponents and citizens, forcing them to accept an uncertain and unjust ‘peace.’ But peace achieved by these means cannot, and will not, hold. This should come as no surprise. Fundamental flaws are baked into this agreement. Major parties to the conflict did not sign on to the ceasefire. It allows President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies to label all opposition groups as terrorists.” Associated Press: Russian Defense Minister Lashes Back At Carter Over Syria “Russia's defense minister has lashed back at the Pentagon chief for saying that Moscow has made virtually no contribution to fighting the Islamic State group. U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Sunday on NBC's ‘Meet the Press’ that Russian forces ‘haven't done anything’ in the fight against IS, adding that Moscow's contribution has been ‘virtually zero.’ Carter said Moscow instead has ‘doubled down on the Syrian civil war.’ Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu struck back on Tuesday, saying that his U.S. counterpart ‘has mistaken the country’ while making the comment. Shoigu argued that it has been the U.S.-led coalition that has ‘achieved not just a zero result, but a negative one.’” Turkey Associated Press: Reports: Police Kill Man Who Shot At Turkish Officers “Turkish police killed an assailant who shot at officers outside a police station near Turkey's border with Syria on Tuesday, officials said. A police officer was slightly wounded in the shooting. A suspected accomplice fled the scene in the city of Gaziantep, and police were trying to catch him, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said. The man who fired on officers was killed when police fired back at him, a statement from the governor's office said. The wounded police officer was hospitalized, but wasn't in serious condition, the statement said. The state-run Anadolu Agency said bomb disposal squads were called to the scene in case the dead shooter had a bomb on him. Turkey is on edge following a spate of attacks that have been blamed on Kurdish militants and the Islamic State group, as well as grappling with the fallout from a failed coup in July.” Reuters: Two Turkish Soldiers Reported Lost In Syria Have Died: Anadolu “Two Turkish soldiers who went missing in late November while they were deployed in northern Syria have died and their bodies have been brought back to Turkey, state-run Anadolu news agency said on Tuesday. The army had said on Nov. 29 that it lost contact with two of its personnel and on the same day there was an Islamic State claim that the militant group had kidnapped a pair of Turkish soldiers. The two soldiers, identified by Anadolu as sergeants, were serving in the four-month-old 'Euphrates Shield' operation to drive Islamic State from the border and prevent a Kurdish militia seizing territory in their wake. It was not clear how the soldiers had died.” Deutsche Welle: Turkey Opposition Fears 'Dictatorship' “Kemal Kilicdaroglu doesn't mince his words. The head of the biggest Turkish opposition party, the CHP, believes that the introduction of a presidential system in the country would be tantamount to establishing a ‘dictatorship.’ One thing seems clear: If Turkey were transformed from a parliamentary democracy to a presidential system under Recep Tayyip Erdogan, it would mean the strongman at the head of the country would become even more powerful. A state of emergency has been in place in Turkey since the attempted coup last July, meaning that President Erdogan is able to rule by decree. At present, parliament has to approve these decrees retrospectively. Under the proposed presidential system, this parliamentary control would be dropped.”                     Afghanistan Reuters: Taliban Attack Near Afghan Parliament Kills More Than 30 “A Taliban suicide attack in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday killed more than 30 people and wounded some 70 others, as twin blasts hit a crowded area of the city during the afternoon rush hour. Saleem Rasouli, a senior public health official, said 33 people had been killed and more than 70 wounded in the attack on the Darul Aman road, near an annex to the new Indian-financed parliament building. He said most of the victims were parliamentary staff members. On the same day, at least another 14 people were killed and dozens injured in separate incidents in the volatile southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar.” Deutsche Welle: UAE: 5 Humanitarian Workers Killed In Afghanistan Attack “The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday announced that five members of its diplomatic staff were killed in the deadly bomb attack that struck the governor's compound in southern Afghanistan. The foreign ministry said the officials were on a ‘humanitarian mission within the program of the UAE to support the brotherly Afghan people.’ Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum ordered the nation's flags at half-staff for three days in order to honor ‘the martyrs who gave their lives in defense of humanitarian causes.’” NPR: Twin Blasts Kill Dozens In Kabul, Afghanistan “Two bomb blasts near the parliament building in Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, have killed at least 30 people and injured at least 70. ‘The first bomb exploded near a parked minibus,’ NPR's Nishant Dahiya reported. ‘The second, when the police arrived to help the victims.’ It happened during the evening rush hour as parliament staff were leaving work. A female lawmaker was said to be among the injured, Nishant added, and other parliament staff were also reportedly victims of the attack. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the bombings. ‘We planned this attack for quite some time and the plan was [to] target some senior officers of the intelligence agency. We sent one suicide bomber to target a mini bus that was carrying these officers,’ Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, according to Reuters. ‘We did exactly what we planned.’” Yemen The Guardian: Australian Man Kidnapped In Yemen Appears In Ransom Video “An Australian man abducted in Yemen has appeared in a video asking his government to meet the demands of his unidentified kidnappers, a US-based monitor said Tuesday. The video of the man, identified as Craig McAllister, shows him giving a statement with the barrel of a gun held against his head. The 12-second clip was uploaded to a file-sharing website on 10 January, said Site Intelligence Group. McAllister was taken hostage in rebel-held Sana’a in September and said in a video released in October that he had been working in Yemen as a football coach, said the monitor. In the latest video, he made no mention of what his captors’ demands were, but in October’s clip he said they were seeking money.” Middle East International Business Times: ISIS In Israel: Islamic State Blamed For Jerusalem Attack, But Officials Won't Confirm Terror Link “Following an attack in Jerusalem where a truck plowed into a group of Israeli soldiers and left 4 dead, security officials have not yet confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that the attacker was an Islamic State group supporter. Netanyahu said Sunday there are ‘signs’ that point to the work of ISIS after the attack where Palestinian resident Fadi al-Qunbar drove a truck into a crowd of soldiers in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem. Police said the driver accelerated the truck as he hit the group and video footage indicates that the driver attempted to turn the truck around and run them over a second time.” The Jerusalem Post: Shin Bet Foils Smuggling Ring That Sought To Help Hamas In Gaza “Israeli authorities have foiled a Palestinian smuggling ring seeking to provide equipment to Hamas in Gaza, the Shin Bet (Israeli Security Agency) announced Monday. In December 2016, Israeli forces arrested two members of the ring, which had been transporting illicit materials to the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel. The two suspects, named as Nofal Abu Siriya, a merchant from the Gaza Strip, and Nader Massalma, a merchant from the West Bank, were arrested in a joint Shin Bet, IDF and Israel police operation last month and indicted in the Beersheba Magistrate’s Court on Monday.” Haaretz: Israel Seeking To Strip Residency Of 12 Relatives Of Jerusalem Truck Attack Assailant “Israeli Interior Minister Arye Dery announced Tuesday that he will revoke the residency status of 12 relatives of Fadi al-Qanbar, who rammed his truck into a group of soldiers in Jerusalem on Sunday. The family members received summons to the Population and Immigration Authority Tuesday morning indicating that their residency would be revoked. The letter said that the decision had been made due to the attack and that the family is ‘suspected of having connections to ISIS’ and are a security risk ‘as long as they remain in Israel.’ The mother's summons also said that her residency was being revoked based on a false statement she made at the time she received her status some 30 years ago, when she claimed that she was not marrying as an act of bigamy.” The Jerusalem Post: Changing Trend? Arab Israeli Youth Condemn Jerusalem Terror Attack “‘I am an Arab Israeli sending condolences to the bereaved families,’ ‘God willing let them get healthy,’ and ‘I feel pangs of conscience,’ are just some of the solidarity posts put up by Arab Israelis on the Facebook page , ‘Right-wing Arabs Tweet,’ following Sunday's terror attack in Jerusalem in which four IDF soldiers were killed.  The solidarity posts came after November's string of fires in Israel saw Arab social media networks flooded with happy posts from Arab Israelis, Palestinians and Arabs from other countries, some of whom saw the fires as divine punishment for Israel because of its treatment of the Palestinians.” Germany The Washington Post: German Politicians Demand New Deportation Centers, More Police Powers And Re-Vetting Of Migrants “Germany became an asylum seeker’s utopia, a beacon of hope for the war-weary and desperate. But following a string of terrorist attacks including last month’s strike on a Christmas market here, this nation is weighing tough changes to an asylum system that critics say has exposed millions of Germans to risk. At a time when the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump has pledged a migrant crackdown in the United States, the moves in Western Europe’s most populous nation signal a harder line also forming on this side of the Atlantic.” NBC News: Migrants Shiver As Icy Blast Grips Europe's Crowded Refugee Camps “Tens of thousands of refugees and migrants — including children — are at risk of frostbite and hypothermia from a deadly winter blast that has blanketed much of Europe under heavy snow, aid groups warned Tuesday. Frigid temperatures and bitterly cold winds have created dangerous conditions across the continent, trapping families in ill-equipped camps and shelters from Greece to Hungary. The extreme weather isolated communities, caused power and water outages, froze rivers and lakes, grounded flights and triggered accidents across more than a dozen countries. Two men from Iraq and a Somali woman died from cold in the mountains of Bulgaria after crossing into Europe from Turkey, police said.” Fox News: German Minister Wants Suspected Extremists To Wear Electronic Monitors “A proposed German law could force suspected Islamic extremists to wear electronic tags without trial. Justice Minister Heiko Maas said Monday he wanted to extend the use of the ankle monitors to cover those deemed a possible terror threat even if they haven’t been convicted of a crime. Maas said the proposal was a ‘preventive offensive’ against Islamic terrorism. ‘The use of ankle tags should not be only available for convicted criminals after release from prison, but for those identified as a general threat as well.’ The proposition comes ahead of a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and top ministers in wake of last month’s truck attack on a Berlin Christmas market that left 12 people dead.” Deutsche Welle: Germany Sets Out Tougher Post-Attack Security Measures “Germany's governing parties have set out tougher measures against potential Islamist terrorists in the wake of December's Christmas market truck attack in Berlin. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), met Justice Minister Heiko Maas, of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), on Tuesday to agree the plans, and the pair presented them at a press conference in the afternoon. ‘Maas and I have agreed a series of measures,’ de Maiziere said, before listing the bullet points: tougher place-of-residence obligations for those who have faked their identity, rules that make deportation easier, and tougher surveillance on individuals considered a potential danger. The minister also said there would be wider negotiations with countries of origin over people Germany wants to deport - in other words, including development aid.” Sputnik News: Germany Hunts For Huge Neo-Nazi Underground Movement “Angela Merkel’s virtually absent migration policy is bearing fruit as Germans turn toward far-right movements and weaponise themselves, intending to take control of their homeland with their own hands, German media has warned. During 2016, some 450 arrest warrants were issued in Germany in connection to far-right extremism, reported Deutsche Welle (DW). The number of violent crimes perpetrated against asylum seekers increased five-fold in 2015, compared to the previous year, DW claimed. Various smaller far-right groups have been forced underground and are posing the beginnings of an organized force, seeking weapons to solve the problems they claim Berlin refuses to address.” France Sputnik News: Terror Fears Caused Thousands Of French Jews To Emigrate To Israel In 2016 “Around 5,000 French Jews emigrated to Israel in 2016, continuing an aliyah trend that has seen 40,000 Jewish citizens of France quit the country in a decade. The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAI) released the figures days after the second anniversary of the attacks on the office of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo and kosher supermarket Porte de Vincennes in Paris, where four shoppers were shot dead. Daniel Benhaim, head of Israel-funded Agency's French office, said insecurity in the wake of such attacks had served as a ‘catalyst’ for Jews already thinking of leaving.” Europe CNN: How To Tackle The Danger Of Returning Foreign Terrorist Fighters “President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that preventing terrorist attacks is one of his top national security priorities. In pursuit of this goal, retired Gen. John Kelly, the nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, and other members of the national security team will have to decide whether to pursue two anti-terror proposals floated during the campaign -- imposing a ban on Muslim immigrants and registering Muslim residents. The team would be wise to discard these proposals. Not only are these policies divisive and inconsistent with our national character, but they would be subject to numerous legal challenges. The new administration would spend more time defending its proposals than countering the threat posed by fanatical Islamic terror. And these policies, if attempted, would anyway prove to be ineffective and counterproductive.” Technology The Jerusalem Post: Families Of Americans Killed In Isis Attacks Suing Twitter “The families of American victims of Islamic State terrorist attacks in Europe have sued Twitter, charging that the social media giant allowed the terror group to proliferate online, according to Business Insider. The lawsuit prepared by Israeli legal NGO Shurat HaDin was filed Sunday in a New York federal court on behalf of the relatives of three US nationals who were killed by ISIS in Belgium and Paris. The lawsuit allegedly seeks monetary compensation ‘in amounts to be determined at trial’ for the plaintiffs, who argue that Twitter ‘has violated, and is continuing to violate, the [US] Anti-Terrorism Act.’” Reuters: Refugees Brave Snow, Sub-Zero Temperatures In Greek Camps “Refugees stranded in Greece suffered sub-zero temperatures and heavy snowfall on Tuesday at camps not designed for winter weather and the government promised those on one island temporary warm accommodations aboard a navy ship. A mid-winter icy spell and snowstorms have gripped central and southeastern Europe for days, and parts of Greece have been covered in rare snow with temperatures dipping to -20 degrees Celsius this week. Snow also fell in Athens on Tuesday. More than 60,000 refugees and migrants have been trapped in Greece since Balkan countries along the main, northward overland route to wealthy western Europe sealed their borders last March. Most now live in overcrowded camps across Greece in abandoned factories or warehouses, or in tents which lack insulation or heating.” Financing of Terrorism Shorouk News: Egyptian President Accuses Foreign Countries Of Financing Terrorism In Sinai “Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi heaped praise on the efforts made in northern Sinai to counter terrorism. Al-Sisi stated Monday evening that "the operation to counter terrorism does not end in a day or a night. It involves a great cost, and we are talking about directing immense resources {for this purpose}." The Egyptian leader added, "In Sinai, we are talking about a scheme, whose resources are provided by {foreign) states and agencies. I always prefer to call them the "people of evil." Al-Sisi disclosed that thousands of tons of explosives in addition to millions of {Egyptian} pounds and dollars {serving terrorists} have been uncovered in Sinai over the past three years.” ISIS Gulfeyes: Joining ISIS In Exchange For SR 33,000 “A sum of SR33,000 ($8,800) was enough to move a Saudi woman (33 years old), accompanied by her children, to ISIS in Syria. The woman is now standing trial in Saudi Arabia. The plot, coordinated with intermediaries who are illegal Syrian nationals residing in the Kingdom, was supposed to be carried out through infiltration to Yemen, and from there to Turkey and into Syria. However, Saudi security authorities were able to thwart the plot in 2015. This was after a complaint made to authorities by the brother of the accused regarding her disappearance. An investigation revealed information on her wish to join ISIS.” Muslim Brotherhood Aswat Masriya: Egyptian Judiciary Once Again Supports Overturning Seizure On Abu Treika's Funds “Egypt's Court of Administrative Justice at the State Council accepted appeals, on Tuesday, filed by retired Al Ahly Soccer Club legend Mohammed Abu Treika. He demanded the continued implementation of the ruling that invalidates the appropriation of his assets. Although this is an enforceable ruling, it may be challenged before the Supreme Administrative Court. The court explained that "the ruling was based on the true rationale for the law indicating that the Muslim Brotherhood Asset Freeze Committee is administrative and not judicial, and therefore {illegally} undertook jurisdiction belonging to the judiciary system." The court stated that the decision to seize Abu Treika's funds "involves an assault on private ownership and deprives him of his constitutional and legal rights." It added that the "Brotherhood Committee issued the decision without the authority of law.” Asrar 7days: 20 Brotherhood Leaders Obtain Funds Abroad “Brotherhood sources revealed that the group receives funds from abroad, mainly from Arab countries and individuals from Gulf countries. This is in exchange for appearing on Brotherhood satellite TV channels to smear Egypt's reputation abroad and incite the Egyptian people. Amr Farrag, a Brotherhood leader and Chairman of RNN (Rassd News Network), admitted there is a list of more than 20 leaders who receive funds from abroad, saying: "I know 20 leaders who obtain monthly payments from Gulf governments and personalities." Farrag's confession came in response to a social media post by Shahid Bolsen, an American convert to Islam, who supports the Brotherhood. He wrote this about the leaders of the Brotherhood: "They are unemployed, technically, and some of them really do not have jobs, but they get paid for every tweet, post on Facebook, discussions in forums, and appearance on satellite TV channels, speaking about jihad and succession." The US activist added on his Facebook page: "Brotherhood leaders are totally dependent on the Gulf for their livelihood, and if they do not get paid they will not be able to pay the rent.” Houthi Gulfeyes: Source: Houthis Own Three Of Yemen's Largest Oil Companies “Yemeni journalist Mohammed Alrubaa revealed that while conducting research on black market merchants it became clear to him that the three largest oil companies, which currently monopolize oil imports, are all in the hands of Houthi leaders. He stressed that the top-ranked company, "Yemen Life Oil Company", is owned by Mohammed Abdul Salam, the Houthi spokesman, and managed by his brother. The second company, "Oil Primer", belongs to notorious Houthi arms dealer, Daghsan Mohammed. The third company, "Black Gold", is controlled by Houthi leader Ali Kersha. The journalist asserted that the Houthis founded a front company abroad to purchase petroleum and avoid problems in obtaining licenses by Coalition countries.”