Tag Archives: ISIS

Great Britain Begins Airstrikes Against ISIS in Syria

Great Britain jets began carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State interests in Syria on Thursday, mere hours after lawmakers approved a plan to expand their military’s actions.

The fighter jets successfully attacked an ISIS-controlled oil field about 35 miles inside the country’s eastern border with Iraq, the country’s Ministry of Defense said in a news release.

The jets targeted six specific points within the Omar oil field, which is one of the Islamic State’s most significant holdings. It accounts for more than 10 percent of the potential oil income for the terrorist group, which is known as Daesh in some circles.

“Carefully selected elements of the oilfield infrastructure were targeted, ensuring the strikes will have a significant impact on Daesh’s ability to extract the oil to fund their terrorism,” Ministry of Defense officials said in the news release.

The ministry said the aircraft’s pilots ensured there were no civilians near the targets.

According to the BBC, the bombings came just a few hours after members of British parliament voted 397-223 to back their prime minister’s plan to approve carrying out airstrikes in Syria. Previously, Great Britain had only been executing airstrikes in Iraq. Those began last year.

But French leaders had asked for more help in the fight against ISIS after gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people during the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris, Reuters reported.

Video Claims to Show ISIS Beheading Russian Spy

A new Internet video purports to show the Islamic State beheading a Russian spy.

Multiple news agencies couldn’t verify the authenticity of the video or the claims within it.

The video ends with a man in an orange jumpsuit kneeling before a man holding a knife.

The man with the knife threatens Russian citizens and the country’s president, Vladimir Putin, according to reports. He then cuts the throat of the man in the jumpsuit and decapitates him.

Earlier in the video, the man in the jumpsuit is shown speaking to the camera.

Russian television network RT says the man in the jumpsuit claims to be Magomed Khasiev, a 23-year-old from Grozny. The report says the man describes how he was recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service and gathered intelligence during undercover missions in Iraq and Syria.

CNN reports the man with the knife expressed displeasure with Russia’s recent airstrikes against the Islamic State and warned Russian citizens of retaliatory violent acts against life and property.

RT reports the Russian government hadn’t indicated any of its citizens were being held by ISIS.

Russian officials accuse Turkish president of involvement with ISIS oil trade

Russian officials have reportedly accused the president of Turkey and his family of a direct tie to the Islamic State, claiming Tayyip Erdogan and his family are linked to the group’s oil smuggling.

Multiple media outlets reported the accusation Wednesday, saying Erdogan denied the notion.

According to Russian television network RT, the country’s defense ministry briefed the media on its investigation into the Islamic State’s oil activities and funding. The country’s deputy defense minister Anatoly Antonov laid out some of the evidence, claiming it directly implicates Turkey.

RT reported the evidence included clips of Russian airstrikes on ISIS oil interests, like refineries and pumping stations. The ministry reportedly claimed those strikes, and the bombing of more than 1,000 oil trucks, have cut the Islamic State’s daily income from $3 million to $1.5 million, but a significant amount of ISIS’ stolen oil was still entering Turkey via three smuggling routes.

“Turkey is the main destination for the oil stolen from its legitimate owners, which are Syria and Iraq,” Antonov said at the media briefing, according to a NBC News report. “Turkey resells this oil. The appalling part about it is that the country’s top political leadership is involved in the illegal business — President Erdogan and his family.”

But the BBC reported that Russia did not provide any concrete proof of Erdogan’s involvement at the briefing. Russia said it was only showing a portion of the evidence Wednesday, and RT reported that the ministry would be providing additional material on its website at a later date.

Erdogan reportedly dismissed the claims as slanderous.

“No one has the right to slander Turkey, especially the slander of Turkey buying ISIS oil,” CNN quoted Erdogan as saying during a speech at Qatar University. “Turkey has not lost its moral values to buy oil from a terror organization.”

Tensions between the two countries have been high since a Turkish plane shot down a Russian plane near the Syrian border last Tuesday. The two countries have disputed the circumstances of the incident, with Turkey saying the Russian plane ignored repeated warnings and crossed into its airspace and Russia claiming no warnings were given and Turkish airspace was not violated.

Earlier this week, CNN reported Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Turkey of shooting down the plane to keep its ISIS oil activity hidden. Erdogan vowed to resign if that was proven.

Russia has imposed some economic and travel sanctions on Turkey for its role in the incident.

President Barack Obama has asked the two nations to reduce tensions.

The United States has also asked Turkey to seal off its border with Syria to prevent Islamic State insurgents from shuffling oil and manpower, and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN on Wednesday that Turkey plans to shut down the portion of its border that’s still not secure.

Germany set to join fight against ISIS

German leaders have supported a plan that would allow the country to send 1,200 soldiers to the Middle East to join the fight against the Islamic State, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.

According to the Associated Press, the plan was endorsed by Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet.

The BBC reported the German soldiers won’t be used in combat, and that the country will also send a naval frigate and aircraft for refueling and reconnaissance. Reuters reported Germany’s forces would stay in the region for up to a year and the mission is expected to cost $142 million.

French leaders had asked Germany to help fight the Islamic State after gunmen and suicide bombers linked to the group attacked Paris on Nov. 13, according to multiple media reports.

Germany’s parliament still technically needs to OK the plan, but the AP notes Merkel’s group is in the majority and appears to have the necessary votes needed to formally approve the measure.

Still, some Germans are skeptical about the plan.

Reuters reported some leaders from other political parties fear joining the fight against the Islamic State will ultimately increase the odds of terrorists executing an attack in Germany.

United States issues worldwide travel warning

Americans planning to travel this holiday season should remain vigilant.

The State Department issued a worldwide travel alert on Monday, advising United States citizens of “increased terrorist threats.” The alert is effective through Feb. 24, 2016.

The State Department’s website posting does not mention a specific new threat, but noted terrorist groups Al-Qaida, the Islamic State, Boko Haram and others are continuing to plan attacks.

“These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics, using conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests,” the department wrote.

The State Department also warned of a “continuing threat” from individuals who are not affiliated with a terrorist organization, but might have been inspired by a group’s attacks.

It pointed to recent plots on sporting events, theaters and airliners, and said authorities think terrorist attacks are likely to continue as members of the Islamic State come back from Syria and Iraq.

The alert encourages travelers to remain alert, be aware of their surroundings and avoid large crowds.

“Exercise particular caution during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events,” the State Department warned.

According to its website, such travel warnings are issued when the State Department wants individuals “to consider very carefully whether (they) should go to a country at all.”

Cyber War Between Hacktivist Group “Anonymous” and ISIS Escalates

As world powers such as Russia, France, and recently China begin to ramp up the fight against ISIS on the ground, the hacktivist group “Anonymous” has escalated their fight against the terrorist organization via cyber war.

Earlier this week, Anonymous posted a video on YouTube declaring war on ISIS. Since then, CBS News reports that they have been responsible for taking down more than 3,800 ISIS-linked Twitter accounts. Their latest video, released on Wednesday, stated that they have taken down more than 20,000 accounts and even offered a link to the list of Twitter accounts that have been taken offline.

Despite their success taking down ISIS related Twitter accounts, the group has escalated their tactics. They have now issued a guideline for hacking ISIS, and indicated they would be spamming ISIS related Twitter accounts that aren’t immediately taken down, according to NBC News.

As a response to the recent threat, ISIS had issued a set of basic rules for protecting themselves against Anonymous hackers. The measures were sent via an encrypted chat app called Telegram using the alias “Khilafah News.” The International Centre for the Study of Radicalization (ICSR) was the organization that spotted the messages, and the channel ISIS was using has since been shut down.

“O’ brothers of tawheed,” the message starts (tawheed in Islam refers to the oneness of God), “The #Anonymous hackers threatened in new video release that they will carry out a major hack operation on the Islamic State (idiots)… So U should follow the instructions below to avoid being hacked.” The instructions include frequently changing IP addresses, not communicating with people they don’t know on Twitter or Telegram, and not using the same name for emails and Twitter usernames.

And while Anonymous is taking the fight to ISIS, experts say that they are doing little to hurt the terrorist organization.

“They’re not going to be able to disrupt operations or coordination within the ISIS network,” said Denise Zheng, deputy director and senior fellow for the Strategic Technologies Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies told CBS News. “It’s much more of an annoyance, really, I think, to them, than anything else.”

As mentioned above, China has recently stepped into the fight against ISIS after the terrorist group recently released an article in their magazine stating that they executed Chinese national Fan Jinghui. China has vowed to bring ISIS to justice. Jinghui is the first known Chinese national to be killed by the Islamic State, according to CNN.

 

U.S. House Approves Syrian Refugee Screening Bill Despite Veto Threat by Obama

Reuters reports that the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a new bill on Thursday that would suspend President Obama’s plan to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees into the United States within the next year and intensify the screening process.

The bill was quickly drafted this week after the terrible attacks in Paris by the Islamic State that led to the deaths of 129 people. The vote was approved 289 to 137 with 47 Democrats voting for the bill, according to Fox News.

As previously reported on our website, the issue of allowing Syrian refugees into our country has become a deeply controversial issue. While several government officials want to welcome refugees into our country to help them escape the evils of ISIS and civil war, other officials believe that ISIS could infiltrate the United States within the refugees. Their theory comes from the fact that one of the Paris attackers may have entered Europe with Syrian refugees.

Supporters for Obama’s plan to admit the 10,000 refugees also state that there is a “very, very small” chance of any of the refugees being a “terrorist.” Haaretz reports that the White House also believe the bill would place “unnecessary and impractical requirements” that would keep the U.S. from being able to help the refugees.

In a response, President Obama did tell Voice of America News that he would veto the bill if it passed the Senate.

“My expectation is, after the initial spasm of rhetoric, that people will settle down, take a look at the facts, and we’ll be able to proceed,” Obama said while attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Manila.

A Teacher at a Jewish School Stabbed in France by ISIS Supporters

On Wednesday night, a teacher at a Jewish school in the southern French city of Marseille was stabbed by three people who yelled anti-Semitic and pro-ISIS obscenities. The teacher survived the attack.

Reuters reports that the three attackers were on two scooters and approached the man in the street. One of them wore an Islamic State t-shirt while another showed pictures of Mohamed Merah – a man who killed 7 people in France in 2012 before being shot by police – on his phone to the victim. They stabbed the teacher three times in the arm and leg.

“The three people insulted, threatened and then stabbed their victim in the arm and leg. They were interrupted by the arrival of a car and fled,” Marseille prosecutor Brice Robin told Reuters.

BBC News reports that police are looking for the attackers.

Since the attacks in Paris last Friday that led to the deaths of 129 people, France has been in a state of emergency.

ISIS Threatens New York City in Latest Video; World Report Says Boko Haram Deadlier Than ISIS

The latest propaganda video that ISIS has posted online warns of an impending attack on New York City.

According to CNN, the video mentions Time Square and shows an explosive device being built and a bomber putting on a jacket over a suicide belt. CBS News adds that the video featured clips of French President Francois Hollande speaking after the attacks on Paris while the terrorists make remarks in the video.

Additional members of the NYPD’s newest anti-terrorism squad have been deployed throughout the Big Apple as a precaution.

“While some of the video footage is not new, the video reaffirms the message that New York City remains a top terrorist target,” a statement of the NYPD read. “While there is no current or specific threat to the city at this time, we will remain at a heightened state of vigilance and will continue to work with the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the entire intelligence community to keep the city of New York safe.”

However, Mayor Bill de Blasio urged citizens to continue going about their normal business and not to give into fear.

“The people of New York City will not be intimidated,” he said late Wednesday, according to CNN. “We understand it is the goal of terrorists to intimidate and disrupt our democratic society. We will not submit to their wishes.”

Police officials stated that this video was nothing new as ISIS released a similar video back in April. They realize that New York City continues to be a target for terrorist organizations. However, they assured news agencies that they are taking note of the video.

Along with the latest video, Reuters reports that ISIS also released a photo on Wednesday, showing in their official magazine how they brought down the Russian airliner over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula last month, killing all 224 people on board. The photo shows a Schweppes soft drink along with a detonator and other bomb components.

In other ISIS related news, a world report by the Institute for Economics and Peace stated that Boko Haram is a deadlier terrorist organization than ISIS, according to multiple news agencies including NPR and the Huffington Post. Out of the 32,000 people killed by terrorism in 2014, Boko Haram was responsible for 6,644 of those deaths, more than any other terrorist group. The Islamic State killed around 6,000 people in 2014. Together, the two organizations are responsible for 51% of all claimed terrorist attacks in 2014, and the majority of deaths came from the few nations of Afghanistan, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Syria. Nigeria experienced a 300% increase in terrorist attacks in 2014. In the past, Boko Haram has claimed to be a branch of ISIS.