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By ICSR research intern Joana Cook The Metropolitan police force will have 3,000 extra officers on standby this Saturday in anticipation of an English Defense League (EDL) march, though it has been formally banned. The march was meant to take place in Tower Hamlets but fears of clashes between… View the full article +
By ICSR research intern Joana Cook
The Metropolitan police force will have 3,000 extra officers on standby this Saturday in anticipation of an English Defense League (EDL) march, though it has been formally banned. The march was meant to take place in Tower Hamlets but fears of clashes between the EDL and anti-fascist demonstrators caused Home Secretary Theresa May to intervene. Recent riots in London also spread fears that this demonstration could prevent the city from moving back towards ‘normality’.
In a separate announcement by May this week, emergency legislation, which would allow the UK government to forcibly move terrorist suspects around the country, would not be abolished as previously promised. While the terrorism prevention and investigation measures bill in front of Parliament now seeks to rid the Home Secretary of this right, May has appealed for this power under ‘exceptional circumstances’.
More UK links to Norwegian shooter Anders Breivik emerged this week as police continue their investigation. Brevik has admitted to killing 77 people in a bomb blast and shooting at a youth political camp. Blogger Paul Ray, a UK resident, was questioned after it was suggested Ray was the mentor whom Breivik mentioned in his manifesto. Ray, who blogged under the name ‘Lionheart’, has denied any connection to Breivik.
David Cameron was present at the ‘Friends of Libya’ meeting held in Paris on Thursday. The group of sixty world leaders met to decide on how to best transition the country into democracy, and as one author stated, ‘jockey for oil contracts’. While French companies are already planning trade missions to Libya this month, the UK has declared no such intention until the full cessation of hostilities. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton warned that Libya still needs to be wary of Islamists.
University staff in the UK, including lecturers, chaplains and porters, are being asked to report suspicious students to the police. The new guidance meant to counter Islamist radicalisation urges staff to note isolated and depressed Muslim students to the police. Critics of this new move state that these actions infringe upon student’s rights and are discriminatory to Muslim students. This move is occurring as part of the UK’s recently released Prevent strategy, which Home Secretary Theresea May stated is about ‘stopping people drawn into terrorism.’
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By ICSR research intern Joana Cook As Britain recovers from the violent riots that swept across the country last week, many have questioned how those implicated in the violence should be dealt with. Prime Minister David Cameron has urged judges to send a ‘tough message’ to those… View the full article +
By ICSR research intern Joana Cook
As Britain recovers from the violent riots that swept across the country last week, many have questioned how those implicated in the violence should be dealt with. Prime Minister David Cameron has urged judges to send a ‘tough message’ to those involved in the riots, while the Liberal Democrats fear that the sentencing may damage the reputation of the justice system. Their main concern has been that political influence may be affecting judicial decision. Others question whether the harsh sentencing may act as a deterrent in the future and who or what was responsible for the rioting, as buzz words like ‘culture’, ‘family structure’ and ‘criminality’ continue to dominate the media.
Historian David Starkey, in a controversial interview on the BBC, discussed cultural change being responsible for the riots. Starkey stated that the violence occurred because “the whites have become black,” referring to an increase of ‘black’ patois and how this language related to gangster culture is rising in the UK and affecting the youth.
An English Defense League (EDL) protest in Wellington led to the arrest of over forty individuals on Saturday. The charges, which were only applied to ten individuals, were predominantly public order offenses. In attendance were upwards of 350 EDL members, and 250 opposition protestors. A march planned for the same day was banned by the home secretary, Theresa May, who feared it could erupt into violence. There was no damage to property reported. Another large demonstration by the EDL is being planned for September 3 and already there has been a public outcry to prevent the march from taking place in Tower Hamlets, an area home to a large Muslim population. Tommy Robinson, the head of the EDL, has said the march will go on as planned.
An opinion piece this week by the co-director of the European Muslim Research Centre Robert Lambert examines the role of Muslims during the English riots. The author points out that Muslims around the city played an important role tackling the looting and preserving public safety and describes how negative media attention to Muslims has overshadowed this. Lambert also discusses the Muslim community facing the challenge of the EDL across the country and the misused label of ‘extremist’.
Northern Ireland experienced more sectarian violence last Saturday as Protestants continued their march in the Catholic-majority city of Londonderry. Police vehicles were attacked by masked youth who threw a pipe-bomb and a number of petrol bombs. A number of vehicles were also hijacked and set on fire. Catholic-republican nationalist groups, who have been opposed to the Irish peace process, see the Protestant marches as provocative. Protestants insist it is their right to follow this tradition.
Posted by ICSR on 19/08/11
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By ICSR research intern Joana Cook The UK news was dominated this week the UK riots, which saw severe public disorder and chaos spread across the country. The riots appeared to be sparked by the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan in London on August 4. The three days of rioting saw London… View the full article +
By ICSR research intern Joana Cook
The UK news was dominated this week the UK riots, which saw severe public disorder and chaos spread across the country. The riots appeared to be sparked by the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan in London on August 4. The three days of rioting saw London and many other areas of the country gripped in fear as shops were looted, stores and homes set alight and violent assaults take place. Over 1,000 arrests have been made and 600 persons charged for the incidents in London alone. The areas of London which suffered the greatest riots were Tottenham, Croyden and Hackney.
Col Gaddafi, the Libyan president currently facing an uprising in his country, has called on British Prime Minister David Cameron to step down following the “violent repression” of “peaceful protestors.” The UK is currently engaged in Nato-led campaign in Libya to topple the government of Col Gaddafi, engaged because of Gaddafi’s severe crackdown on protestors earlier this year. Iran also urged David Cameron to “exercise restraint” against protestors and asked for independent human rights organizations to investigate the killing of Mark Duggan.
Amid continuous negative media attention, after Norway shooter Anders Breivik was linked to their group, the English Defense League have seemingly tried to improve their reputation. The group stated it had sixty of its members on the ground in Eltham on Tuesday trying to assist police in containing the violence calling their members ‘patriots’, not vigilantes. Anti-gang patrols launched by community groups feared that certain far-right groups would try and take advantage of the tension. The groups, armed with everything from baseball bats to fire extinguishers also attempted to prevent violence in some of the harder hit areas of London.
A feature in The Guardian this week offers a unique insight into the life of a former member of the BNP and National Front. Mattew Collins, who is now an anti-fascist campaigner with the group Searchlight, discusses the violent life-style that was associated with his past and his eventual rejection of the groups and move to reform himself. Collins also analyses the effect that the Norway massacre had on far-right groups within the UK, and also the threat that these groups, such as the English Defense League, pose and the community efforts that should be made to address them.
Posted by ICSR on 12/08/11
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By ICSR research intern Joana Cook New research released claims that the UK is the Western country most at risk from terrorist attacks. This ranking was, in large part, due to the increase in violence in North Ireland where 25 out of the 26 terrorist attacks occurred in the period between April… View the full article +
By ICSR research intern Joana Cook
New research released claims that the UK is the Western country most at risk from terrorist attacks. This ranking was, in large part, due to the increase in violence in North Ireland where 25 out of the 26 terrorist attacks occurred in the period between April 2010 and March 2011. While Islamic militants remain a threat to the UK, dissident Republican and Loyalist terrorist attacks remain a “strong possibility.”
A Republican Facebook page has been shut down following a bid for users to submit photos and information of officers who work with the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Police Federation Chairman Terry Spence stated that the information was “likely to be used by terrorists” and was clearly an attempt to “target police officers for murder.” The administrators of the site claimed it was only to be used to report police harassment and wasn’t meant to endanger any lives. For more on this threat, see ICSR’s report ‘Return of the Militants’.
An internet blogger, who praised Roshonara Choudhry attempted murder of British Labour MP Stephen Timms, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison. Bilal Zaheer Ahmad from Wolverhampton pleaded guilty to encouraging attacks on MPs who had supported the Iraq invasion in 2003. He was also charged with other terrorism related offenses – one count of intent to stir up religious hatred and three counts of collecting information likely to be of use to a terrorist. In the court, it was revealed that Ahmad had become radicalised as a teenage member of al-Muhajiroun and began to contribute to extremist websites.
The Far Right has been heavily examined in the period following the massacre in Norway and the UK has been showing a particular focus on groups accused killer Anders Breivik claimed association with, such as the English Defense League (EDL). A piece by the Guardian this week has offered a “snapshot analysis” of the current status of the Far Right in the UK, particularly what kind of political gains these groups seek, their use of intimidation and violence, as well as communities particularly affected by such groups.
Pressure on the UK government to deal with a growing Far Right concern has led for many to demand a ban on a planned EDL march through Tower Hamlets planned for September 3. Many see the march as a provocation that has the potential to spark violence. A group called United East End, which marched in order to counter the EDL marches in Tower Hamlets, are planning a large counter-demonstration the same day.
The EDL, which has attempted to remove any association of itself with Anders Breivik or political violence, faced further criticism this week as it was revealed that a former senior member of the EDL posted a controversial essay last year. Alan Lake, on his own personal website 4 Freedoms, posted an essay in which he discusses the execution and torture of political and religious leaders in June 2010. Lake also forewarned of “Islamic enclaves” in the UK where he urged his audience to also contribute names to the list of persons to be sent with figures such as the Archbishop of Canterbury and David Cameron.
Posted by ICSR on 05/08/11
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“A Step in the Right Direction” – Reviewing the U.S. Government’s Counter-Radicalization StrategySummaryIn no other country has the political debate about violent radicalization been more contentious than the United States. The latest installment of the so-called “King… View the full article +“A Step in the Right Direction” – Reviewing the U.S. Government’s Counter-Radicalization Strategy
Summary
In no other country has the political debate about violent radicalization been more contentious than the United States. The latest installment of the so-called “King hearings” – named after Peter King, the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee, who initiated them – has yet again shown why.
In the meantime, the White House has quietly embraced a common sense approach towards tackling radicalization. The administration’s new policy document – “Empowering Local Governments to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States” – is a step in the right direction, but leaves many questions unanswered.
Context
The latest installment of the congressional hearings on “The Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community”took place on Wednesday last week – just five days after the terrorist attacks in Oslo. In his opening statement,Representative Peter King, the Republican Chairman of the House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Committee, insisted that it was right for his Committee to focus on “Muslim radicalization”, arguing that “there is no equivalency in the threat to our homeland from a deranged gunman and the international terror apparatus of al-Qaeda and its affiliates”. King’s counterpart, Ranking Member Bennie Thompson, repeated the Democrats’ position, saying that the hearings were deeply flawed and would achieve nothing but stigmatize an entire community.
Other than strong language, neither Republicans nor Democrats on the Committee have offered any practical suggestions for how the issue should be handled. King’s comments that “over 80 per cent” of mosques in the United States are controlled by extremists, and that ordinary Muslims do not cooperate with law enforcement, are not only untrue, they are nurturing the idea that Muslim Americans are “enemies within”. In doing so, they are playing into the hands of Al Qaeda recruiters and propagandists, who keep telling their audience that they cannot be good Muslims and loyal Americans at the same time.
The Committee’s Democrats, on the other hand, have ignored their own administration’s assessments according to which Al Qaeda remains the “preeminent counterterrorism challenge we face today”, and that a “ small but increasing number of individuals here in the United States have become captivated by [Al Qaeda], seeking to commit violent acts here at home”. The refusal of Committee Democrats to contemplate any action to prevent and counter radicalization among Muslim Americans is unhelpful and short-sighted – not least because it will be ordinary, law-abiding Muslim Americans who will suffer the “backlash”that is likely to follow a homegrown terrorist attack.
The noise that has been generated by the hearings is inversely proportional to the influence they have exerted over the administration’s policymaking. Far from endorsing any of the committee’s hardline views, White House officials have quietly embraced a pragmatic, common sense position, which attempts to address the threat of homegrown terrorism by introducing new instruments for terrorism prevention, but refuses to divide the country by portraying Muslim Americans as “fifth columnists”.
Strategy
The 8-page document that was released by the White House on Wednesday is titled “Empowering Local Partners to Prevent Violent Extremism in the United States”. It sets out a framework for confronting “ideologically motivated violence”, which is thought to include white supremacists, Al Qaeda related or inspired homegrown terrorists, as well as other kinds of “domestic terrorist groups”.
Although the paper says that the framework is meant to be long-term and, therefore, needs to be flexible enough to accommodate threats other than Al Qaeda, it states clearly that – for the time being – “al-Qaeda and its adherents represent the most significant and direct terrorist threat to our country”.
One of the paper’s core messages is that counter-radicalization efforts need to be carried out in partnership with – not against – the communities that are targeted by violent extremists. The federal government, the paper argues, has a role to play – it can convene, facilitate, educate and support – but ultimately, it is the communities themselves who will have to take the lead.
The paper outlines three principal areas of activity: engagement; training; and counter-ideological messaging. It explains the purpose of these activities, and how they relate to the overall aim of countering violent radicalization.
A fourth prong – highlighted throughout the text – is the idea that many counter-radicalization activities will be part of existing government programs aimed at addressing community safety challenges and good governance. This may include programs aimed at educating new immigrants, for example, or lessons about internet safety in public schools.
The paper concludes by setting out a number of key principles that will guide the government’s counter-radicalization efforts and strategy. They emphasize the community and bottom-up driven approach of the strategy, and make it clear that people should not be targeted based on their religious practices or political convictions alone.
Assessment
The White House’s domestic counter-radicalization strategy has been long in the making. Previous governments, including the Bush administration, have worked on similar papers, but never managed to follow through. In that sense, the document is a step in the right direction.
Together with recent speeches by senior administration officials, such as President Obama’s counterterrorism czar John Brennan and Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, the document offers a good insight into the administration’s thinking, and – specifically – its desire to bypass the highly politicized discussions in Congress by opting for a “more holistic approach”.
The document is explicit in naming Al Qaeda as the priority target of future counter-radicalization efforts and making resisting Al Qaeda’s ideology one of the principal prongs in this effort. This should be welcomed by those on the Right who – in the past – have condemned the Obama administration for refusing to name Al Qaeda and counter its ideology out of fear that doing so would be seen as “politically incorrect” or “offensive” to American Muslims.
Equally, though, the paper makes a clear distinction between Al Qaeda and the Muslim American communities which Al Qaeda seeks to radicalize and recruit. Those on the Left who have argued that any effort to counter radicalization would end up victimizing Muslims and play into the hands of “Islamophobes” should be heartened by such language. The paper views Muslims as partners, not as potential terrorists, and it clearly refutes any attempt to “securitize” the government’s relationships with them.
What the document fails to provide are specifics. On one level, this may be understandable – and even intended – given that counter-radicalization is a novel concept that needs to be explained to the American public, policymakers and community leaders before jumping into specifics and details of implementation.
At the same time, considering how long this document has been in the making, it clearly should have said more about “how” exactly the government hopes to accomplish its many aims and objectives. Arguably, the speeches by senior officials that were meant to “prepare the ground” for the release of this document were richer in detail than the document itself.
No doubt, the paper goes further than previous administrations in heeding the 9/11 Commission’s call for a preventive strategy to counter violent radicalization. It educates policymakers and sets out key principles and objectives. It signals the “direction of travel”, and may help to catalyze action on the ground.
But many questions are left unanswered. For example, given that engagement, training and, to a lesser extent, messaging, have been promoted by this and previous administrations for many years, how will future efforts be different from existing ones? Will we see more of the same, or will future outreach, training and messaging be fundamentally different in nature and scope? How will such efforts be coordinated, and who will be in charge?
Because it doesn’t say much about “how” the government’s policy aims will be translated into policy practice, the document doesn’t qualify as the “strategy” as which it has been presented. It represents a framework – nothing more, nothing less. What it stands for in practice will hopefully become clearer in the process of implementation.
Implementation
ICSR has played a significant role in helping to define and create momentum behind the administration’s approach. For example,last month’s Bipartisan Policy Center report on Preventing Violent Radicalization in America – authored by ICSR Director Peter Neumann – set out key principles and recommendations that should guide the administration’s emerging policy.
A large number of the report’s recommendations are reflected in yesterday’s policy document. Others, however, still need to be addressed. They include:
• Who is going to lead federal efforts, and how are they going to be coordinated? What mechanisms will be created for sharing best practices and evaluating the effectiveness of counter-radicalization efforts?
• How will local and state officials be convinced to adopt the mission? What, if any, incentives can the federal government provide?
• What are the criteria by which local partners are to be selected? Will the federal government provide any guidance?
• What changes will be made to the provision of federal training grants? Who will do the training, and what areas and skills will it focus on?
• How can the excessive focus on policing, and – thereby – securitizing, Muslim communities be avoided? Are there any plans involving local officials, such as Mayors?
• How will the government promote counter-radicalization in“at risk” environments (e.g., the internet and prisons) and among “at risk” populations (e.g., young males)?
Finding answers to these questions will be critical to ensuring the strategy’s success. Even more important, however, is the need for persistence. According to Neumann:
“Resilience, be it national or communal, does not emerge overnight, and it will not be possible, therefore, to fully assess the effectiveness of any policy for years to come. The key to successful counter-radicalization may not lie in any particular policy prescription but, rather, how consistently the policy is implemented and maintained over a long period of time.”
“As a result, the American public will have an important role to play in holding government to its word. They need to make sure that whatever approach the government adopts, its commitment and attention to challenging and countering radicalization never wavers. As the 9/11 Commission pointed out, making America safe from terrorism is a ‘generational challenge’ and ‘the American people are entitled to expect their government to do its very best’ in meeting it.”Posted by ICSR on 04/08/11
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By ICSR research intern Joana Cook Following the tragic events in Norway, this week’s news has been dominated by a focus on right-wing political groups both in the UK around the world. That will also be the focus of this week’s NewsBlog. The Middle East and more Right-wing… View the full article +
By ICSR research intern Joana Cook
Following the tragic events in Norway, this week’s news has been dominated by a focus on right-wing political groups both in the UK around the world. That will also be the focus of this week’s NewsBlog.
The Middle East and more
Right-wing Christian fundamentalist Anders Behring Breivik killed a total of 76 people in two major attacks in Norway last Friday. This attack is the deadliest on Norwegian soil since WWII. Breivik first targeted a government building in central Oslo, badly damaging the building after detonating a home-made car bomb. While investigators were on the scene of the first attack, Breivik, dressed like a police officer, went on a shooting rampage on the island of Utoya where a Labor Party youth camp was being held. Breivik posted a 1,500-page memorandum online just days before the attack. The document, entitled, “2083, A European Declaration of Independence,” described (among other things) Breivik’s belief that the spread of Islamisation in Europe was a great danger to ethnic Europeans, feminism was weakening European men and instruction on how to create bombs and avoid suspicion.
The attack in Norway has triggered a debate across Europe on the far-Right, Islam and multiculturalis. MP’s from far-right groups in Italy and Sweden were condemned for blaming the attacks on multiculturalism. In France, a member of the far-right National Front was suspended after praising the attacks. Spectators worry about the potential political fallout that may come as many have began to analyze xenophobia and nationalism more critically in the region as the political left attempts to find new footing across the EU.
The mayor of Kandahar, Ghulam Haider Hamidi, was assassinated on Wednesday. The Taliban have claimed responsibility for the death which was carried out by a suicide bomber concealing explosives in his turban. This is the third high-profile assassination to happen in Afghanistan this month raising concerns that security gains in the south of the country may not be effective, even with increased fighting by NATO forces. The assassination was said to be motivated by Hamidi’s campaign to destroy illegal buildings in Kandahar.
President of the Palestinian Authority, Mamoud Abbas has urged mass, peaceful, demonstrations by Palestinians leading up to the September UN vote where Palestine will seek recognition as an independent state. Israel has threatened to and said that this move by Palestine is an attempt to isolate Israel and may set off more violence in the area. The US has announced this week that they will not support Palestine’s bid for independence, but as this would not be a Security Council Resolution, is unable to veto the vote.
Members of the UN peacekeeping force were the target of a roadside bombing in Lebanon on Tuesday. Three soldiers were injured in the blast that showed many similarities to a bombing that injured six Italian peacekeepers in May. No group has yet taken responsibility for the attack. There are currently 12,000 UN troops involved in the mission in Lebanon, which was originally tasked with monitoring the Israel-Lebanon border following the 2006 war.
The Taliban and emerging right-wing political-religious groups in the US may have more in common that initially meets the eye, a report this week claimed. A number of these groups aim to replace the current secular democracy with a Christian theocracy, only a single focus of their stated "strategic level spiritual warfare". One of these groups based throughout the US, named the New Apolistic Reformation has been linked to popular American politicians such as Sarah Palin and Texas Governor Rick Perry. As the debate about the far-right continues across Europe, this author asks journalists to focus more on this quickly expanding (and as he suggests, worrisome) movement in the US.
The UK
Following the tragedy in Norway, far-right links to shooter Anders Behring Breivik have started to emerge – leading these, The English Defense League (EDL). Among the connections were direct communication with the organization, an invitation for Breivik to join an EDL rally and apparent association with a number of EDL supporters. The EDL has vehemently denied any relationship or support for Breivik. Speculations on this relationship have urged some in the UK to urge the Home Office to label the group a terrorist organisation. The Home Office claimed it is investigating links between Breivik and the EDL, but the EDL would have to meet certain criteria as listed under the Terrorism Act 2000 in order to be deemed a terrorist organisation.
EUROPOL has invited the UK to participate in a European-wide police effort to identify terrorism, claiming that many of the right-wing groups throughout Europe are quickly becoming more professional, aggressive and organized. What is also becoming clear is a shift in these groups focus from Neo-Nazi extremism to more nationalist and anti-Islamic ideals. One article in the Financial Times offers a brief summary of the history of many popular far-right groups as well as current such groups across Europe, many of which will likely be focused on in the upcoming investigation. Among the mentioned are political parties such as Geert Wilders’ Party For Freedom in the Netherlands and France’s National Front, as well as organizations such as Stop Islamisation of Europe.
A British couple were detained last Friday in Afghanistan under suspicion of plotting terrorist attacks in the UK. The married, Afghan-British dual citizens were thought to be seeking out al-Qaeda and Taliban in an effort to learn bomb-making skills. They were arrested in the International Trade Hotel centre in Heart in by British troops who were also accompanied by members of the Afghan intelligence service. Few details have emerged about the case, but the couple had been investigated by Britain’s security intelligence agency MI5.
British citizen David Mockett, a marine surveyor from Plympton, was remembered this week after he was killed in Yemen last Wednesday. Mockett, who had lived in Aden for ten years, died instantly when his car exploded as he turned the engine on. Al Qaeda is suspected for the death, but an investigation is currently underway by Yemeni authorities. Only last October, a diplomatic convoy containing a British diplomat came under a rocket attack, which wounded the diplomat. Violence and unrest continues throughout the country.
Posted by ICSR on 03/08/11
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By ICSR Research Intern Joana Cook THE MIDDLE EAST AND MORE On Wednesday Goran Hazdic, a Croatian Serb Wartime leader, became the last major war crimes suspect from the 1991 – 1995 Croatian War to be arrested and sent to the Hague. He was being charged with crimes against humanity for… View the full article +
By ICSR Research Intern Joana Cook
THE MIDDLE EAST AND MORE
On Wednesday Goran Hazdic, a Croatian Serb Wartime leader, became the last major war crimes suspect from the 1991 – 1995 Croatian War to be arrested and sent to the Hague. He was being charged with crimes against humanity for ordering the deaths of hundreds and deportations of thousands of Croats and non-Serbs from the region of Croatia he took over. The move is being seen as a boost for Serbia’s entry into the EU.
Those loyal to President Bashar al-Assad surrounded the Harasta suburb in Damascus on Wednesday in a move meant to crush the growing opposition movement in Syria. The same day, the Syrian Foreign Minister banned any foreign diplomats from leaving the capital after visits by the US and French ambassadors to Hama, one of the area’s hardest hit by Assad’s troops. On Thursday, mass shootings were occurring in Syria’s third largest city of Homs as Syrian security forces swept through making mass arrests and conducting raids. The number of those killed in the four month uprising has reached 1,600, with 12,000 detained say human rights groups.
Egypt has laid out plans to hold the first democratic elections since the ousting of President Husni Mubarak’s regime in February. For reasons of national sovereignty, Egypt will not be allowing international monitors to oversee the election, announced the military. With a referendum planned in the spring, the ‘electoral process’ is set to occur this fall. Two significant changes will be introduced in these elections including the quota for the number of women in Parliament being removed and the age of lawmakers being reduced from 30 to 25. Egypt’s new cabinet will also be sworn in this Thursday to include foreign affairs and finance portfolios.
A human rights organisation in Bahrain has accused security forces of terrorizing hospital staff where injured protestors sought treatment in a report released this week. Specific allegations include the security forces attacking doctors and nurses, laying siege to hospitals and clinics, detaining those seeking medical treatment and prosecuting dozen’s of hospital staff. These were said to have occurred after the February, with many further arrests occurring after the uprising was quashed in mid-March. Around 30 people were thought to have died in the Bahraini protests while over 500 were reportedly injured.
The Taliban released a video on Monday showing the execution of 16 men believed to be Pakistani police officers. The policemen were believed to have been abducted in a cross-border raid by the Taliban on June 1 in retaliation to the alleged killings of six children in the Swat Valley. Pakistani authorities deny that the killings of these children took place and accused the Taliban of trying to use ‘terror as a tool’ to further destabilise the region.
THE UK
The UK was particularly busy this week with stories focussed on radicalisation and political violence. As seen in recent weeks, there has been a particular focus on the UK-Pakistan relationship, tackling radicalisation at home and programs abroad that will focus on predicting and addressing countries slipping into political violence.
Pakistan and the UK will be pursuing a comprehensive approach to against extremism and radicalisation, the government announced at a meeting held in London on Tuesday. The meeting was held at Lanchester House and was attended by British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Pakistani Prime Minsiter Syed Yusuf Raza. The importance of economic and bilateral cooperation was also stressed and both sides vowed to continue to work together to promote peace in the region and tackle militancy.
Britain announced on Tuesday that they will be setting up and Early Warning System that will identify and intervene in countries at risk of slipping into anarchy. The system will include new Stabilisation Response Teams and Watchlist, which will identify fragile countries that are at risk of conflict and where Britain has “significant interests at stake”. Countries thought to be analysed by this new program are South Sudan, Nepal, Somalia and Northern Nigeria. The new program will report every six months on political, economic and security shocks around the world that could trigger violence.
Pakistan is enlisting the help of psychologists from around the world to help fight radicalisation in a new non-military ‘war on terror’ strategy. The focus will be on three de-radicalisation facilities that are currently housing al Qaeda and Taliban members in Swat Valley. The new approach will also assist young boys, usually from poor and illiterate backgrounds, that are being recruited by the Taliban, often against their will. A UK psychologist, Dr. Sarah Savage of Cambridge University, has developed a psychological therapeutic approach to extremism called integrative complexity which is currently being used in the UK and now being applied to this program in Pakistan.
An interesting piece to come out of the UK this week was a story by Humza Yousaf, a Scottish Member of Parliament discussing the Scottish approach to radicalisation, including the Solas Foundation which teaches a classical form of Islam flexible enough for 21st century Scotland. Yousaf also states that Western media tends to give excessive air time to ‘fake sheiks’ which is comparable to Middle Eastern news agencies seeking a Christian view from persons like Pastor Terry Jones (the Florida preacher made infamous for burning the Quran) and misrepresents the population.
Senior UK MPs have criticised the UK for arms sales to ‘authoritarian’ regimes in the Middle East such as Egypt, Bahrain, Libya, Syria and Yemen. Following this findings earlier in the year, a review had been conducted and was released this week. Foreign secretary William Hague claimed that the review showed no weapons sold to the varying regimes were used in government offensives during the Arab Spring and there was no evidence of misuse of controlled military goods exported from the UK. MPs rebuffed this report stating that the 157 rejected arms export licenses to the region showed the ‘clearest evidence of misjudgement’ and questioned why these arms exports have, in many cases, still not been fully revoked.
Posted by ICSR on 22/07/11
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By ICSR Research Intern Joana Cook THE MIDDLE EAST AND MORE The French and US embassies in Syria were stormed by pro-Assad loyalists this past weekend, defacing and damaging property. The violence was in protest to the recent visit of US Ambassador Robert Ford (whose residence was also attacked… View the full article +
By ICSR Research Intern Joana Cook
THE MIDDLE EAST AND MORE
The French and US embassies in Syria were stormed by pro-Assad loyalists this past weekend, defacing and damaging property. The violence was in protest to the recent visit of US Ambassador Robert Ford (whose residence was also attacked in the protests) to the city of Hama, which has recently been a focal point of violent crackdowns on those demanding the departure of President Assad. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton demanded that Syria meet their international obligations and protect foreign mission staff and property in Syria.
Tuesday morning saw the assassination of the highly controversial Ahmed Wali Karzai, the half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The killer was Ahmed Karzai’s personal bodyguard who had worked with him for over eight years. The Taliban claimed they were behind the assassination, though this has been disputed. The problems only intensified when a senior Afghan cleric was one of four killed (along with 12 others injured) in a suicide bombing at a funeral service for Karzai being held in Kandahar. President Karzai was not in attendance.
The Israeli parliament passed a law this week that will punish any Israeli individual or organisation who protests the building of settlements in the West Bank. The law, deemed anti-democratic and a violation of free speech by civil rights groups in Israel, was passed by a 47-36 vote. The law would be based on those who engage in a "geographically based boycott" and who could be sued for damages if economic, academic or cultural damage could be expected from such a boycott. There is a plan to challenge this law in Israel’s High Court.
In a less common story for conflict-ridden Libya, two Libyan diplomats affiliated with General Muammar Gadhafi’s regime visited Israel in an attempt to “change Libya’s image.” The two, who apparently were not issued visas by the Israeli interior minister, met with senior members of the Israeli Knesset, including Tzipni Livni. Their visit was not urged out of political considerations, Kadima MK Meir Sheetrit said, but were instead meant to promote business in the country.
Seven Estonian cyclists who were kidnapped in Lebanon over four months ago on a trip across the country have been released in good health. The release was facilitated by the French Embassy as Estonia does not have diplomatic representation in Lebanon. It was not known if a ransom was paid. A previously unknown group called Haraket Al-Nahda Wal-Islah, or Movement for Renewal and Reform was said to be responsible for their kidnapping. Kidnappings have become extremely uncommon in Lebanon since the end of the civil war in 1990.
As the Arab Spring continues to unfold throughout the Middle East, two significant Friday protests were held this week in Syria and Egypt, while a rarer protest occurred in Jordan. Tahrir Square held thousands as citizens pushed for swifter implementation of reforms and trials for ousted President Mubarak and his aides. This week though, protests were not attended by the Muslim Brotherhood who stated that the authorities needed time to implement the changes demanded by the mass protests last week.
Syria has launched its largest protests so far with hundreds of thousands turning out around the country to demand the end of President Assad’s rule. 12 civilians were killed across four locations in the country (including the capital Damascus) by Syrian Security Forces, who were responding to the crowds with live ammunition and tear gas. President Assad has also begun to use irregular militia shabbiha forces from his Alawite minority sect, as well as regular police and military forces to quell the continuous protests.
“Reform of the regime” was demanded in Amman, Jordan as hundreds marched downtown in the capital. The protestors were met by police with batons, but no significant incidences occurred. Protests have been prevented recently by Security Forces in the country, but King Abdullah, who is responsible for appointing the cabinet, has not personally prevented public protests as of yet.
THE UK
Some of the most violent clashes seen in years between police and nationalist youth erupted in Northern Ireland this week after the July 12th parade, a day Protestants have historically celebrated as the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II in 1688. Up to 200 masked youth protested the parade and threw petrol bombs and bricks at police, injuring 22 officers. The Ulster Volunteer Force, a loyalist paramilitary group, claimed to orchestrate the violence. The event brought to mind the continued threat of the IRA throughout Northern Ireland and begs the question, “Why are there still groups so resistant to peace in Northern Ireland?”
A new initiative entitled ‘Jihad Against violence’ (JAV) from the British Muslim consultancy Inspire is set to tackle what they believe to be the two largest problems facing the Muslim population in the UK: gender inequality and extremism. The group insists it is time to bring Muslim women leaders in to help tackle these issues, particularly violence. In the UK, Muslim women, they claim, have the poorest health and are the least economically active compared to men and women of other faiths, which further emphasises the importance of their involvement tackling gender equality and condemn extremism.
Australia will be hosting the ‘Quintet’ meeting of the Attorney Generals of the UK, the US, Canada and New Zealand July 14 – 15 to deal with pressing issues of mutual concern. These are set to include national security, counter-terrorism, countering violent extremism, organised crime and legal cooperation. Australia plans to share their experience with their Combating Violent Extremism (CVE) program with the attorney generals, which has focussed on building community resilience to radicalisation and extremist views.
Posted by ICSR on 22/07/11
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By ICSR Research Intern Joana Cook THE MIDDLE EAST AND MORE Syria was the hot spot of the week in Middle Eastern news. This week Syria was openly accused of crimes against humanity by the human rights group Amnesty International in a detailed report which listed instances of torture and… View the full article +
By ICSR Research Intern Joana Cook
THE MIDDLE EAST AND MORE
Syria was the hot spot of the week in Middle Eastern news. This week Syria was openly accused of crimes against humanity by the human rights group Amnesty International in a detailed report which listed instances of torture and assaults on unarmed civilians across the country. This report follows the Syrian army moving into the city of Hama earlier this week where communication to the city was cut and many civilians fled the city. Human rights group state 1,300 civilians have been killed so far. US Ambassador to Syria Robert S. Ford made a surprise visit to Hama on Thursday as well in a show of solidarity with the residents there. Moving late into Friday afternoon, Syrian forces opened fire on protestors in Damascus and killed four. At the time of writing, half a million people were been said to be protesting on the streets of Hama in the largest protest thus far in the city.
The newly retired head of the National Counterterrorism Center in Virginia, Michael Leiter, recently commented on the changes he’s seen in terrorism in the US in his four years at the center. Specifically he touches on the rise of homegrown terror plots in the US, the difficulties of combating jihadists online and the challenges of balancing personal freedoms with public security and the importance of deeper engagement with the American-Muslim community.
An interesting story to come out of Israel this week discusses the radicalisation of the rabbinical community and the effects this is having on Israeli civil society. Specifically, the article focuses on the government’s expansion of the rights of rabbis and how this is having a negative effect on women’s status and equality in marriage, property rights, child custody and, above all, divorce rights.
From Pakistan this week comes an internal view into the countries perception as a hub of radicalisation and the challenges that Pakistanis face in countering the many problems of ethnic, linguistic, sectarian and religious extremism. This article has a section dedicated to the programs being used to deradicalise youth, children and child soldiers, including a UNICEF cricket initiative, and discusses the most vulnerable areas of the country.
Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh appeared on television Thursday for the first time since an attack on June 3 left him with severe burns and forced him to undergo eight surgeries in neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Saleh said that he welcomed power sharing as long as it was within the constitutional framework of Yemen. Forty al-Qaeda militants were also reportedly killed in Yemen this week by air strikes from the Yemeni air force as the militants were trying to take over a military camp in Abyan.
Historically, Friday is always a busy day in the Middle East and this week proved no different. An attempted “flytilla” visit to show solidarity with the Palestinians was prevented when Israel blocked 200 individuals (a large majority of which were from Europe) from boarding flights to Ben-Gurion airport in Israel. Protestors had been expecting up to 600 people to participate in the protests that were meant to draw attention to Palestinians living in the West Bank.
Thousands rallied across Egypt on Friday both to protest the slow progress of reforms promised after their January revolution and to demand the beginning of trials of those involved with injuring or killing protestors. The demonstrations had the support of almost every political party in Egypt and has been nicknamed “the march of the million.” It is thought today’s rally will have more attendees than any other protests since the fall of President Mubarak on February 11.
THE UK
This story was published just before the cut-off for last week’s stories, but found its way into this week’s NewsBlog as it gives unique personal accounts of extremism from a number of different individuals formerly associated with hate groups. Following the Summit Against Violent Extremism (SAVE) in Dublin at the end of June, former neo-Nazi skinheads and affiliates of Al Shabab, the IRA and Hizb ut-Tahrir discuss what led them to extremism and the often difficult realities that caused them to renounce violence.
If you thought airport travel security was already an annoyance, be prepared for more to come. The US has recently reported that there has been an increase in interest in surgically implanting bombs as they can be hidden from even the newly introduced full body imaging machines. The UK uncovered evidence last year about this new method of attack by al-Qaeda, though this method is not necessarily restricted to al Qaeda. The article also states that AQAP is currently the most “inventive terrorist organization these days” thanks in part to the recent printer bombs sent to synagogues in New York as well as the Christmas “underwear bomber.”
Hizb ut-Tahrir, a fundamentalist Islamic political party in the UK, is planning on holding a conference in London this 9th of July. This highly disputed party, whose stated political goal is to re-establish the Islamic caliphate around the world, will be focussing on the topic “Our Vision for the Ummah.” The far-right English Defense Leauge has said they are planning rallies around the country to counter this conference and bring attention to the organisation.
Posted by ICSR on 08/07/11
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The Middle East & more Six Taliban commandos besieged the Kabul Intercontinental hotel on Tuesday after a suicide bomber detonated at the security checkpoint. 11 Afghan civilians and the eight attackers were killed, while 14 others were injured. The five-hour siege ended when a NATO… View the full article +
The Middle East & more
Six Taliban commandos besieged the Kabul Intercontinental hotel on Tuesday after a suicide bomber detonated at the security checkpoint. 11 Afghan civilians and the eight attackers were killed, while 14 others were injured. The five-hour siege ended when a NATO helicopter arrived and Western Special Forces team entered the hotel. The Afghan National Army were also on the scene, but many showed concern about them taking over full Afghan security in 2014.
Senior Haqqani network leader, Ismail Jan, was killed on Wednesday in Afghanistan. The Haqqani’s are said to be responsible for some of the most spectacular attacks of the insurgency and were also shown to have provided material support for the Intercontinental hotel attack in Kabul on Tuesday. Though the Haqqani’s act independent of the Taliban, they are said to associate under the same aegis and have long been associated with the Pakistani intelligence agency.
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Colonel Qaddafi, one of his sons and his Chief of Intelligence, charging them with crimes against humanity for acts that occurred in the first two weeks of the Libyan uprising. This is the second time a standing president has been issued an arrest warrant and as Libya does not recognize the ICC, it could take years (if it does happen) for Qaddafi to face trial at The Hague.
Islamic militants in Yemen have taken over a strategic soccer stadium near the city of Zinjibar, not far from the town of Jaar which they seized earlier this year. With 2,000 Yemeni soldiers guarding the stadium fighting the estimated 300 militants, there are many worries surrounding Yemen’s inability to suppress the AQAP threat in the quickly expanding power vacuum in the country. Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has said that he would appear on state television this week, though he has yet to be seen. This would be the first time he has done so since the attack on his palace 3 weeks ago that sent him to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. The UN has also sent a mission to Yemen to analyse the human rights situation.
Two US senators, Ben Cardin and Susan Collins, who proposed Resolution 185 to the U.S. Senate, had it passed this week. The resolution called for a cessation of Palestinian funding from the US if they attempt to claim unilateral recognition at the UN. The senators suggested that unless independence was negotiated in a peace deal, this would be counterproductive to the peace process. A review of the Hamas-Fatah relationship was also suggested.
The UK
The Police Federation for North Ireland (PFNI) warned this week that there are 650 dissident republican terrorists still at large who are set on shattering North Ireland’s power-sharing settlement. These groups include the Real IRA, Continuity IRA and Oghlaigh naEireann who, it was suggested, have been predominantly responsible for approximately 200 gun and bomb attacks against police in the last year alone. To reinforce the severity of this problem, an unexploded pipe bomb was found outside a North Ireland police station this Friday, only 50m from a children’s park. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the bomb, but it is suggested that the IRA was involved.
18 UK military advisors, who were overseeing poorly trained Pakistani Frontier Corps in counter-terrorism around Baluchistan, were expelled from Pakistan earlier this week. Though no official reason was given for this, “security concerns” were vaguely referenced by the Pakistani authorities. It was suggested that Pakistan is trying to strengthen their independence from Western sponsors following the death of Osama Bin Laden earlier this year.
The leader of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheik Raed Salah, was detained in London on Tuesday night after he had allegedly broken a travel ban to enter the UK. Saleh had already spoken to a group at Leicester Square that night and was meant to attend a meeting at the House of Commons on Wednesday. While Salah has never been charged with anti-Semitism in Israel, he has been accused of it in the past. Some believe that Britain collaborated with Israel over this arrest.
The al-Shamukh forum, a key site for “e-jihadists” and al-Qaeda, has been removed from the internet in an apparent cyber attack that not only took down the site, but the server as well. The group who was responsible for this remains unknown, but similar instances in the past have been admitted by the US and UK, such as the UK cyber attack on al-Qaeda’s English-language magazine Inspire, where bomb making formulas were replaced with cupcake recipes.
The UN has issued indictments against Hezbollah officials over the 2005 assassination of Rafik Hariri during a meeting with three judges from the UN-backed tribunal. Lebanon has 30 days to respond to the indictment. The current cabinet is led by Hezbollah and its allies and the tribunal has long been a point of contention between rival political parties in Lebanon.
A large conference held in Dublin from June 26 – 29, The Summit Against Violence and Extremism (SAVE), had over 90 former extremists speak at the event which was co-sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations and focussed on why young people are turning to violent extremism. The attendees ranged from academics, NGOs, to inner city-gangs, right wing militias and religious extremists as well as “survivors” - former victims of violence and terrorist attacks.
Posted by ICSR on 01/07/11
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FREErad!cals is the ICSR blog. It's a forum for debate and fresh ideas on radicalisation and political violence. It features some of the most innovative, young thinkers, discussing radicals and radicalisation. They are looking at how the challenge has been understood, and how it should be addressed.
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Posted by ICSR on 02/09/11