Reader’s links for Jan. 21 – 2016

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In order to preserve the flow of conversation about various posted items, and also in order to make it easier for visitors to find the list of related links being shared by other readers, regulars and interested parties in one place, each day a post is automatically created at a minute past midnight ET.

This way, under the various posts of the day, conversation can take place without as much ‘noise’ on the various links and articles and ideas in the main posts and all the news links being submitted can be seen under these auto-posts by clicking on the comments-link right below these ones.

Thank you all for those that take the effort to assist this site in keeping the public informed. Below, typically people can find the latest enemy propaganda, news items of related materials from multiple countries and languages, op-eds from many excellent sites who write on our topics, geopolitics and immigration issues and so on.

About Eeyore

Canadian artist and counter-jihad and freedom of speech activist as well as devout Schrödinger's catholic

71 Replies to “Reader’s links for Jan. 21 – 2016”

  1. At Least 3 Killed as Somali Extremists Attack Restaurant (abcnews, Jan 21, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/suspected-somali-extremists-attack-restaurant-capital-36425542

    “A suicide car bomber rammed the gates of a restaurant near a beach in Somalia’s capital before gunmen fought their way into the building in an attack claimed by an Islamic extremist group that killed at least three people on Thursday, a police official said.

    The assailants may have taken some hostages inside the Liido Seafood restaurant, which is popular with Mogadishu’s elite and government officials, Capt. Mohamed Hussein said.

    “The operation (to dislodge the attackers) is ongoing now. The (attackers) are still inside and fighting our troops,” Hussein said from the scene of the attack as gunfire rang out in the background. He said he had counted at least three bodies outside the restaurant. An unknown number of people are still trapped inside the restaurant, he said.

    Islamic extremist group al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack, in a broadcast on its online radio late Thursday.

    Witnesses said that gunmen shouted “Allahu akbar,” the Arabic phrase for “God is great,” and entered the restaurant from the direction of the beach as clients, sitting behind razor wire, watched the seashore.

    “They randomly fired at the people sitting near the beach before entering the restaurant,” said witness Ahmed Nur, who was strolling along on the shoreline when the attack happened…”

  2. KERRY: SOME IRAN SANCTIONS RELIEF LIKELY TO GO TO TERRORISTS (AP, Jan 21, 2016)
    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UNITED_STATES_IRAN?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-01-21-13-27-24

    “DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — It’s likely that some of the billions of dollars in sanctions relief granted to Iran under a landmark nuclear deal will go to groups deemed to be terrorists, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday. But, he added, he doesn’t believe Iran will be able to use the freed-up cash to boost funding of malign activities if it is serious about revamping its economy.

    Kerry said on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum the U.S. or others can do little to prevent the now-unfrozen assets from getting into the hands of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps or “other entities” that Iran has supported in the past. But since nuclear-related sanctions were lifted on Iran last weekend, Kerry said, there is no evidence yet to suggest such transfers have occurred…”

  3. IS RADIO BEAMS PROPAGANDA, THREATS ACROSS RURAL AFGHANISTAN (AP, Jan 21, 2016)
    http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_AFGHANISTAN_ISLAMIC_STATE_RADIO_ASOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-01-21-01-15-40

    “KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan reporters recognized the voice threatening them with death on the Islamic State group’s local radio station. It was a former colleague, who knows their names and where they work.

    The threats were made during a discussion program on “Voice of the Caliphate,” an elusive radio station operated by one of the extremist group’s newest affiliates. The so-called Khorasan Province has battled Afghan forces and the Taliban alike, carving out an enclave in Nangarhar, a rugged eastern province bordering Pakistan.

    It has adopted the media strategy of its mother organization in Syria and Iraq, including the production of grisly, professionally made videos showing battles and the killing of captives. But in impoverished Afghanistan, where few have access to the Internet, radio could prove more effective at recruiting fighters and silencing critics.

    The group is actively targeting other media outlets to prevent them from competing with its chilling broadcasts. Militants bombed a building housing two radio stations in the provincial capital, Jalalabad, in October, and attacked the local offices of the independent Pajhwok news agency and Voice of America in July.

    The menacing broadcast in mid-December, in which a former local radio broadcaster called on reporters to either join IS or risk being hunted down and killed, could be heard across Jalalabad.

    “It is a great concern for us because he knows all the journalists who are working locally,” said Shir Sha Hamdard, chairman of the Journalists’ Union of Eastern Afghanistan.

    “He also knows that as journalists we do not take sides and that our only weapon is the pen. We’ve tried to talk to representatives of IS to make sure they know this but we haven’t been successful,” he said. He and other Jalalabad-based reporters asked that The Associated Press not name the IS broadcaster for their own safety.

    IS radio can be heard across Nangarhar on an FM frequency for 90 minutes a day in both the Pashto and Dari languages. Programs include news, interviews, vitriol against the Afghan government and the Taliban, recruitment propaganda, and devotional music in multiple languages.

    The message is clear: the Afghan government is a doomed “puppet regime” of the Americans. The Taliban are a spent force hijacked by Pakistan. The caliphate is coming.

    “Soon our black flag will be flying over the (presidential) palace in Kabul,” an announcer crowed in a recent broadcast.

    The IS affiliate “is against everything – free media, civil society, education, all of which they say are secular, un-Islamic,” said Haroon Nasir, a civil society activist in Nangarhar. He said the message likely resonates among young men in impoverished rural areas, where after nearly 15 years of war many have soured on both the U.S.-backed government and the Taliban.

    In those areas – which make up most of Afghanistan – Internet access is spotty at best, and computers and smartphones are a luxury. Just 10 percent of Afghanistan’s 30 million people have access to the Internet.

    But nearly everyone has a radio….”

  4. Daesh recruiting fighters in Ghazni (khaama, Jan 21, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/daesh-recruiting-fighters-in-ghazni-4503

    “The terrorist group of the Islamic State (IS) which is locally known by its Arabic name “Daesh” has been recruiting fighters in central Ghazni province of Afghanistan.

    According to a report published by the Voice of America (VOA) on Thursday, the group has been busy in its campaign in Ghazni’s restive areas including Zana Khan, Giro, Andar and Gilan districts.

    Militants wearing black clothes have been seen in these areas urging locals to join them ‘Daesh’. They have also distributed night letters as part of their campaign.

    Ghulam Husain Yaqoubi, governor of Zana Khan District has told VOA that Daesh has shown notable presence in areas under the control of Taliban. According to Yaqoubi, the group wants one person in every two families to join their ranks.

    General Aminullah Amarkhil, police chief of Ghazni has also confirmed the report saying that Daesh is operating in a number of restive districts including Giro.

    VOA has been told by local officials that Daesh militants enter Khak-i-Afghan and Shah Joy districts of Zabul province from Pakistan and then sneak into Ghazni.

    Members of Ghazni’s Provincial Council and other residents warn government to launch a military operation against Daesh and Taliban in their province or it will face the fate of Kundoz province.”

  5. Afghan youths recruited for Yemen war from Saudi Arabia (khaama, Jan 21, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/afghan-youths-recruited-for-yemen-war-from-saudi-arabia-0027

    “Distressing reports have emerged regarding the recruitment of Afghan youths from Saudi Arabia to fight in the ongoing war in Yemen.

    The Afghan youths are mainly recruited to fight against the Houthi rebels amid ongoing campaign by Saudi-led coalition, according to BBC Persian findings.

    The revelation was made after conducting interviews with the family members of the Afghan youths who have gone missing after visiting Saudi Arabia for Hajj pilgrimage.

    Their family members however have said it is yet not clear who are deploying the youths to Yemen.

    A man whose relative has been deployed to Yemen two months ago told BBC Persian that six to seven members of his family have left for Yemen after visiting Saudi Arabia for Umra Hajj pilgrimage.

    The man identified as Ahmadeen further added that 40 to 45 people from the close villages and the youths are mainly participating in the war in Yemen to defend from Mecca holy city.

    This comes as reports emerged late in the month of August last year suggesting at least 3,500 Afghans are fighting in Syria in support of Bashar al-Assad.

    Relatives of a number of those killed while fighting for the Syrian regime have said the Afghan nationals are lured by the month salary of $700 and Iranian residency permit.

    There are no reports regarding the exact casualties of the Afghan nationals participating in the Syrian conflict as well as likely participation of the Afghan youths in Yemen war, although numerous pictures and videos of the Afghans captured by the Syrian rebels have emerged with their fate yet to be determined.”