Reader’s links for Jan. 22 – 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.

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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

144 Replies to “Reader’s links for Jan. 22 – 2016”

  1. DAILY MAIL – German government admits it cannot account for 600,000 of its 1.1million asylum seekers – and many could be using multiple identities to travel across Europe

    Germany government admits it cannot account for 600,000 asylum seekers
    That is more than than half of the 1.1million applications made in country
    Delays in processing applications may account for some of those missing
    Others may have gone to other EU countries, the Interior Ministry has said

    The German government is unable to say where more than half of the one million asylum seekers allowed into the country have ended up, MailOnline can exclusively reveal.

    Government statistics show that Germany registered 1.1million applications by the end of last year under its EASY system, which does not record much more than an applicant’s country of origin.

    German Interior Ministry spokesman Dr Harald Neymanns admitted that delays in the processing of asylum seeker applications would account for some of those missing.

    But he also said that in some cases refugees may not have stayed in Germany but instead gone on to a different country elsewhere in the EU. […]

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3410787/German-government-admits-account-600-000-1-1million-asylum-seekers-using-multiple-identities-travel-Europe.html

    • Six killed in Egypt bomb attack near Giza pyramids

      The blast was carried out by the Muslim Brotherhood, which also wounded 13 people

      A bomb attack killed six people, including three police officers, on Thursday near a road leading to the pyramids in the Cairo suburb of Giza, security sources said.

      The bomb exploded as police arrived in their vehicles in front of a building where suspected militants were hiding, the sources said. Thirteen people were wounded.

      The interior ministry issued a statement saying the bomb had been planted by Muslim Brotherhood militants and went off when security forces tried to raid the building.

      Islamist militants have stepped up attacks on Egyptian soldiers and police since the army toppled President Morsi in 2013 after mass protests against his rule. Civilians have also been killed.

      http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/21/six-killed-egypt-bomb-attack-giza-pyramids

      ========================================
      Egypt’s security forces kill 9 ‘terrorists’ during raid in Giza

      The ministry of interior says that the “terrorists” were involved in the bombings of the Italian consulate in Cairo and the national security building in Qalyubia

      Nine “terrorists” involved in the July bombing of the Italian consulate in Cairo were killed by Egypt’s security forces during a raid in Giza on Friday, the ministry of interior announced in an official statement.

      According to the statement, the nine “terrorists” were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Aussim district, Giza.

      Three police officers and two conscripts were injured in the raid.

      The injured police officers and conscripts were transferred to the hospital to receive treatment.

      The statement added that the militants were found with weapons, including explosive belts used for suicide bombings.

      The ministry of interior said that the “terrorists” were involved in the bombing of the Italian consulate in Cairo in July and the bombing of the National security building in Qalyubia in August.

      An Islamic-state affiliated group in Egypt already claimed responsibility for both bombings.

      Hours before the interior ministry’s statement, officials told Reuters that security forces killed nine members of the Muslim Brotherhood in a raid in Giza.

      The now-dissolved Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, reported on its official website “Freedom and Justice Party Gate” that the nine people killed in Aussim were not members of the group nor were they Morsi supporters, according to sources in the Brotherhood.

      The Muslim Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist organization by the Egyptian government in 2013. Its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, was dissolved by an administrative court order in 2014.

      Egypt’s prosecutor general is currently investigating the incident.

      http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/144400/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-security-forces-kill–terrorists-during-rai.aspx

        • …. to confuse people …

          .. maybe the author would have prefered to use a more imprecise term like “activists” or “militants”

          or even the more neutral and impersonal "individuals"

  6. Sweden didn’t consider women when it took in migrant men disproportionately: Political scientist

    • Migrant crisis: Dozens drown in shipwrecks off Greece (BBC, Jan 22, 2016)
      http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35383371

      “A total of 42 migrants are reported to have drowned overnight in two separate shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea.

      One boat went down off the coast of the small Greek islet of Kalolimnos, killing 34 people, including 11 children.

      Another eight people died after a boat sank off the island of Farmakonisi.

      Over a million migrants arrived in Europe illegally last year. More than 700 died in the Aegean crossing from Turkey to Greece.

      At least another 100 have died in the Aegean this year.

      German Chancellor Angela Merkel is on Friday meeting Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Berlin to discuss the crisis.

      Cabinet ministers from both countries will be in attendance.”

  20. British homes earmarked for migrants will go to flood victims instead as local council chiefs tell the Government charity should begin at home.

    Flood victims are to be offered homes originally earmarked for refugees.

    Cumbria County Council is the first local authority in Britain to be granted a Government exemption from the requirement to house Syrian families.

    Those forced to abandon their homes after last month’s storms in northern England will have priority over refugees from Syria, reports suggest.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3411274/British-homes-earmarked-migrants-flood-victims.html

  21. 16 y/o German girl talks about muslim immigration, destruction of her own country (Engl. subs)

  23. Poland clouds NATO’s nuanced Russia plan

    BRUSSELS/WARSAW (Reuters) – Poland is putting its own spin on a nuanced NATO plan to deter Moscow in eastern Europe without stationing permanent troops on Russia’s borders, prompting disquiet from allies including Britain, which needs Warsaw’s help in EU reform negotiations.

    Poland’s defense minister on Thursday seized on Britain’s announcement that it is sending troops for exercises in the country, telling local radio that London would station 1,000 military personnel in Poland from next year.

    Britain’s defense ministry declined to comment, but alliance diplomats say there are no such plans. Britain is providing nearly 1,000 troops for two NATO exercises later this year, as well as 1,000 personnel in four years’ time, when Poland will lead the new NATO rapid-reaction spearhead force.

    But the subtlety of the language used to promote the new NATO deterrent policy in the east is an opportunity for Poland’s new conservative government. Warsaw, which is hosting the NATO summit in July, has called for a permanent NATO troop presence in the past and the new government has intensified those demands.

    http://www.oann.com/poland-clouds-natos-nuanced-russia-plan/

  24. Given the world situation a show of force is probably needed, the problem is that the west no longer has enough military force to maintain it commitments much less make a credible show of force. When the organic animal byproduct hits the air circulatory system it will be like the start of WWII, too little too late and nations will be conquered due to lack of military force to stop the invasions.

    • Russia does a lot of Arctic training and war exercises, which should concern Canada. Russia also stationed new weapons in the Kaliningrad Oblast. Their war exercises are more frequent which usually means that the country is preparing for war. Although NATO is in readiness for an action there is possibility that Russians may attack during the exercises and NATO may not be prepared for that possibility.

      • An over the pole attack was one of the major fears throughout the cold war, and now that our military force has been lowered well past the danger point it is once again a major fear.

  25. Five years on, unrest tests ‘Arab Spring’ model Tunisia

    KASSERINE, Tunisia (Reuters) – On Dec. 17, 2010, a young, desperate Tunisian vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself ablaze in a suicide protest over unemployment and police abuse that spread revolt across the Arab world.

    Five years on, Ridha Yahyaoui, another young Tunisian, has killed himself in frustration after being refused a job, inflaming protests through the same impoverished towns that once brought down the regime of Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali.

    If Tunisia was hailed as the success story of the Arab Spring revolts for its democratic progress, it has also become an example of the dangers in failing to tackle economic malaise, alienation and frustrations of North African youth.

    In Kasserine, the impoverished central city where this week’s protests began, more disaffected young men have threatened to kill themselves. Two were injured after trying to throw themselves off the roof of the local government building in fits of anger over the lack of jobs.

    http://www.oann.com/five-years-on-unrest-tests-arab-spring-model-tunisia/

    • Tunisia: Thousands protest against the government over unemployment rate

      Thousands of protesters marched along Habib Bourguiba Avenue in Tunis on Friday, demanding solutions to high unemployment in Tunisia and shouting anti-government slogans.

      Tunisia has seen an outbreak of violent anti-government demonstrations in several towns and cities across the country following the electrocution of a man who was protesting atop a power pole after being rejected for a government job in the northern Kasserine region. Reportedly, a member of the police forces died after his car was overturned by protesters in the town of Feriana on Thursday, with an additional 59 police officers left injured during the clashes.

      • Why do are so many North Africans attracted to IS?

        Out of the thousands who volunteered for jihad,?about 5000 fighters, originating from No.?African countries, have joined the ranks of IS and the Jabhat al-Nusra fundamentalist orgs active in Syria and Iraq. The biggest contingent is composed of Tunisians (3,000), followed by Moroccans (1,500) and Algerians (500-800) representing roughly 50% of the foreign fighters. These numbers exclude the European fighters of No.?African origin (mostly fr France, 1,800, & Belgium, 400-600).

        Ironically, most of No.?Africa’s jihadist groups were hesitant to associate themselves w the IS until the US commenced its military intervention in Iraq and Syria in August 2014. Jihadists such as Abdel Malek Droukdel from AQIM (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb), Mohammed Zahawi, fr Libya’s Ansar al-Sharia, & Mokhtar Belmokhtar from al-Mourabitoun, who fought alongside Bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, had refused, sometimes openly, to pledge allegiance to the IS — even after it captured swathes of territory in Iraq in June 2014 and declared a caliphate.

        Recently, however, No.?Africa’s younger jihadist generation has become emboldened to break away from al Qaeda, seeking instead to join Baghdadi’s IS caliphate to benefit from its success & wealth. Rather than deterring these groups, the US-led coalition’s sporadic airstrikes in Iraq and Syria seem to have afforded the IS even more legitimacy in the eyes of North Africa’s jihadists.

        Some of the Moroccan militants are filling senior positions in the IS as are “emirs,” ministers (Justice, Finance, Interior), as well as a Military Emir (Military Chief) and even the head of a geographical region (the Turkman Mountain). However, 75% of the No.?Africans are “Inghimasiyyine,” an IS terminology for an undercover operative responsible for protecting convoys and serving as the second wave of attack when an offensive mission or targeted attack is carried out.

        During the first days of the civil war in Syria, the No.?Africans were organized in brigades, one of which was named “Sham al-Islam” and headed by a Moroccan, Ibrahim Benchekroun, alias Abu Ahmad EL-Maghrebi. Some even nicknamed the brigade as the “Liwa al Infransiyyoun” (the French Brigade) since the combatants communicated among themselves in French; some of its members were French nat’ls, mostly of No.?African origins, who were integrated into the No.?African French-speaking brigade. The ill-fated brigade that was active in the Latakia region of Syria was almost annihilated by the Syrian army loyal to Bashar Assad. The remaining members were scattered in different units created since then by the IS.

        Considered by the IS as “Muhajirun” (immigrants), the No.?African fighters receive a monthly salary of $2,000-3,000 (compared to $500 paid to the local fighters). If married, the volunteer receives an additional $200 and $50 more for each of his children. A new born child will automatically generate a “bonus.”

        • Sorry, the typography weirdness is because I copied the above from my short-hand. The whole article is a good summary.

          Explaining the Islamic State Phenomenon
          The Islamic State is a terrorist state with almost all governing elements. Over the last four years, it has developed from an extremist fringe and marginal faction to become the strongest, most ferocious, best funded and armed militia in the religious and ethnic war that is waged today in Syria and Iraq.

          ISIS rules today over a swath of land bigger than the United Kingdom, with a population of almost 10 million. ISIS changed its name to the Islamic State to illustrate that its goals are not limited to Iraq and the countries of the Fertile Crescent.

          Since the fall of Muslim empires and supremacy, Muslim scholars and philosophers have tried to understand the reasons behind its collapse. The conclusion of most was that Muslim civilization had drifted away from the teachings of the Koran and adopted foreign and heretical inputs that had destroyed its fabric. The remedy they proposed was to return to “pure Islam” and reconstruct Muslim society.

          After the U.S. occupational authority in Baghdad disbanded the Iraqi army in May 2003, thousands of well-trained Sunni officers were robbed of their livelihood with the stroke of a pen, creating some of America’s most bitter and intelligent enemies. In addition, many Islamic State terrorists spent years in detention centers in Iraq after 2003.

          Never in the modern history of the Muslim world has a conflict drawn so many jihadists, who seek to participate in the establishment of an Islamic Caliphate to rule the world after the defeat in battle of the Western powers and their local Arab allies.

          For many, life in the Islamic State is better than in their country of origin. This is particularly the case for Chechen fighters who flock to the IS because the conditions of combat in Iraq and Syria are less harsh than against the Russians.

          http://jcpa.org/article/explaining-the-islamic-state-phenomenon/

  26. China jails rights activist on spying charges as crackdown widens

    BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese court has jailed a well-known rights activist for 19 years on state security charges, including supplying intelligence abroad, as the leadership widens a crackdown on rights lawyers that has triggered international condemnation.

    Zhang Haitao, a rights activist based in the troubled western region of Xinjiang who wrote online postings critical of the ruling Communist Party, was jailed for inciting subversion of state power and illegally supplying intelligence abroad, said his lawyer, Li Dunyong, by phone.

    Li added that the evidence for the latter charge might amount to nothing more than accepting phone interviews with foreign journalists.

    “The sentence was very severe, but it’s normal for that region of the country,” he said.

    The court could not be reached for comment.

    A second rights activist, Li Xin, has been missing for 10 days after leaving Thailand for Laos with the hope of returning to Thailand to apply for political asylum, said his wife, Shi Sanmei.

    http://www.oann.com/china-jails-rights-activist-on-spying-charges-as-crackdown-widens/

  27. At Senate hearing, DHS official acknowledges gaping hole in the border

    A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official testifying before Congress Wednesday affirmatively answered Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions’s question about whether there was a gaping hole in the U.S. border with Mexico.

    “Nobody’s looking for these people, right?” Sessions asked the Customs and Immigration Enforcement official, referring to foreigners who travel to the country legally but do not leave when their visa expires. “And the policies of this administration, Secretary [Jeh] Johnson, is not to look for them and not to bother to deport them, unless they are apprehended for a serious crime. Isn’t that the policy of the United States government?”

    Sessions called the official, Craig Healy, to testify before the immigration subcommittee he chairs for a hearing to examine the massive bloc of illegal aliens in America, referred to as “visa overstays.” Healy denied Sessions’s characterization of the administration’s enforcement policy but was ultimately unable to substantiate his denial.

    http://libertyunyielding.com/2016/01/22/77343/

  30. Diyala Province: Iran continues geostrategic moves against Iraq

    There might be a lot more to say about this, but we’ll keep it short tonight. Several sources, including the Wall Street Journal, have picked up on the recent walk-out from the Iraqi parliament by Sunnis, aggravated that the national government is doing nothing about Shia attacks on Sunnis in Diyala Province.

    Says WSJ:

    The parliament members, led by Speaker Salim al-Jubouri, said they are angry over the government’s inability to restrain mostly Shiite, Iran-backed militias who they accuse of burning at least seven Sunni mosques and killing at least 23 people in the city of Muqdadiya a week ago.

    Western media treat these developments as if they are solely about sectarianism. But sectarianism, in this case as in most others, is merely one factor that contributes to a bigger campaign of strategy and geography. The indispensable step in perceiving this is looking at a map.

    We’ve done this before, in posts at LU. If you want background on what Iran’s doing in Diyala Province, see here and here.

    http://libertyunyielding.com/2016/01/21/diyala-province-iran-continues-geostrategic-moves-against-iraq/

  31. NATO Chiefs of Defence of stress continued support to Afghan forces (khaama, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/nato-chiefs-of-defence-of-stress-continued-support-to-afghan-forces-0029

    “The Chiefs of Defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) stressed the continued support of the alliance to the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF).

    Reviewing the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission during the one-day meeting in Brussels, the NATO Chiefs of Defence reviewed the ongoing challenges for the way ahead in 2016.

    Commending the Afghan forces for remaining resilient amid deteriorating security situation, the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, General Pavel, said “2015 was a challenging year for the ANDSF, however they have demonstrated resilience and courage in combating the insurgency across the country.”

    “The Chiefs of Defence recommended to pursue the ongoing efforts based on conditions on the ground, thus assuring Afghanistan of our long-term commitment,” General Pavel added.

    The Afghan forces took full security assumed full charges of the security responsibilities from the NATO-led coalition security forces with the conclusion of the NATO combat mission in the end of 2014.

    The security situation has rapidly deteriorated despite efforts to bring an end to the ongoing violence through reconciliation process.”

  32. 16 militants killed, 14 wounded in Afghan armed forces operations (khaama, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.khaama.com/16-militants-killed-14-wounded-in-afghan-armed-forces-operations-0032

    “At least 16 anti-government armed militants were killed and 14 others were wounded in counter-terrorism operations conducted by the Afghan armed forces in the past 24 hours.
    The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said at least four commanders of the militants were also among those killed and four others were arrested.

    A statement by MoD said the operations were conducted in Kunar, Logar, Uruzgan, Kunduz, and Zabul provinces.

    The Afghan armed forces also confiscated various types of weapons during the operations, MoD said, adding that scores of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) were also discovered and defused.

    According to MoD, at least three members of the Afghan National Army (ANA) forces were also martyred during the operations.

    The anti-government armed militant groups have not commented regarding the reports so far.
    The Afghan security forces have increased counter-terrorism operations amid deteriorating security situation across the country with the rampant Taliban-led insurgency.

    The Taliban group has increased insurgency activities in various provinces of the country including capital Kabul despite efforts have been put in place to end the ongoing violence through reconciliation process.

    The Taliban group targeted a vehicle of the media workers in Kabul city in the latest wave of their insurgency activities in the capital on Wednesday, leaving at least seven people dead and over 20 others wounded.”

  33. Instability in Pakistan can impact nuclear security, says US Congressional report (tribune, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1032247/instability-in-pakistan-can-impact-nuclear-safety-safeguards-says-us-congressional-report/

    “Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal consists of approximately 110 to 130 India-specific nuclear warheads, a recent US Congressional report has revealed.

    “Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal probably consists of approximately 110-130 nuclear warheads, although it could have more,” the the US Congressional Research Service report read.

    Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal is widely regarded as designed to dissuade India from taking military action against Pakistan, it added….

    However, it said that a number of recent terrorist incidents have cast doubts in the durability of the measures taken by Islamabad to ensure the safety and security of its nuclear arsenal. “Some observers fear radical takeover of the Pakistani government or diversion of material or technology by personnel within Pakistan’s nuclear complex,” it said….”

  34. Muslims, Sikh file $11m lawsuit over plane eviction (tribune, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1032160/muslims-sikh-file-11m-lawsuit-over-plane-eviction/

    “Three New York Muslims and a Sikh have filed an $11 million federal lawsuit demanding a jury trial for being kicked off a flight home from Canada because of their appearance.

    The US citizens of South Asian and Arab descent are suing American Airlines and its regional partner Republic Airlines, claiming they suffered discrimination, financial injury, humiliation, mental pain and suffering.

    The student and three professionals of Bengali, Syrian and Punjabi descent, all in their 20s, say they were ordered to disembark American Airlines flight 44718 from Toronto to New York on December 8 simply because of their looks.

    The 18-page lawsuit accuses the defendants of “malicious,” “wanton” and “callous” behaviour that “showed reckless disregard” for the men’s civil rights when the four friends were returning from birthday celebrations in Canada.

    Faimul Alam, 25, manages his father’s construction business, Shan Anand, 25, works as a personal banker and creates software applications and W H, 23, is a pharmacy student who owns his own clothing line.

    The fourth petitioner, who was identified as M K, 29, also manages his father’s construction company.

    The friends were getting the same flight home, on which W H and M K each paid $70 to upgrade to business class.

    But after boarding, a stewardess demanded in a hostile manner that all four men exit the plane without questioning why, the lawsuit alleged.

    “W H was dramatically woken up by a stewardess who hurriedly demanded he exit the aircraft. Having been asleep, W H thought there was an emergency and that all passengers were exiting,” the court document said.

    “Passengers surrounding Alam and Anand made bigoted and racist comments and held their children and belongings close to their person as if something was going to happen,” it added.

    An airline official informed them the captain and crew “felt uneasy and uncomfortable with their presence on the flight” and refused to take off unless they were ejected from the plane.

    “Plaintiffs inquired whether it was due to their physical appearance being that they are dark skinned and had beards. The agent stared in response and stated that their appearance ‘did not help’,” the lawsuit said.

    The men were permitted to board the next flight to New York, but were not permitted to sit in business class.

    The lawsuit seeks $1 million compensation each from American Airlines, Republic Airlines, Envoy Air and American Eagle, and $5 million in punitive damages — totalling $11 million, a member of staff at the Aboushi Law Firm told AFP.

    American Airlines declined to comment.

    The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil liberties group in the United States, says the country has seen an unprecedented spike in anti-Muslim hate crime in recent months.

    “Reports of these kind of incidents seem to have increased in the same period we have seen a rise in anti-Muslim bigotry in our society and a rise in anti-Muslim hate crimes,” spokesperson Ibrahim Hooper told AFP.

    “That generally began with the Paris terror attacks and sustained during the San Bernardino shootings and Donald Trump’s anti-Muslim rhetoric,” he added.”

  35. Balochistan home minister escapes terror attack in Dera Bugti (tribune, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1032418/balochistan-home-minister-escapes-terror-attack-in-dera-bugti/

    “Balochistan Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti on Friday narrowly escaped an apparent terrorist attack when his convoy hit a roadside landmine in Dera Bugti district of Balochistan, Express News reported.

    According to preliminary reports, Bugti and his colleagues remained unscathed in the blast. However, two of the convoy’s vehicles were slightly damaged…”

  36. Bacha Khan University attackers vow to target schools in new video (tribune, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://tribune.com.pk/story/1032278/bacha-khan-university-attackers-vow-to-target-schools-in-new-video/

    “ISLAMABAD: The Taliban faction behind the Bacha Khan University massacre in Charsadda this week issued a video message Friday vowing to target schools throughout the country, calling them “nurseries” for people who challenge Allah’s law.

    The video, which spread rapidly on Facebook but was not released on official media accounts for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistani (TTP), shows Khalifa Umar Mansoor, whose faction claimed responsibility for the attack on the university Wednesday…”

  37. German defense minister in Turkey: Differences in fight against ‘IS’ (DW, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.dw.com/en/german-defense-minister-in-turkey-differences-in-fight-against-is/a-18997031

    “The German army has been flying reconnaissance missions over Syria and Iraq for the anti-“IS” coalition. The defense minister has lauded Germany’s role, despite open questions, reports DW’s Udo Bauer from Incirlik…

    Turkish Defense Minister Ismat Yilmaz is present during German Defense Minister Ursula on der Leyen’s visit. Pleasantries are exchanged, respects are payed to the other country’s victims of terrorism and the aim to fight terrorism is voiced. Yet there is one small but important difference between them. Yilmaz does not use the word IS. He prefers to use phrases like, “We want to fight terrorism – no matter what name it bears.” By that, he means that Turkey views the Kurdish PKK as an enemy.

    The German delegation does not comment on this. It just mentions how glad it is that Turkey has been boosting support measures in the fight against “IS.” For a long time now, Turkey had made the fight against PKK militia a priority. Only after two terrorist attacks in Turkey’s major cities did the country feel compelled to rethink the situation.

    According to the parliamentary mandate, Germany cannot completely trust its Turkish allies.

    Therefore, arrangements have been made to prevent German aerial images from being used by Turkish forces to find and attack Kurdish positions. Two German officers filter the mission orders and results before they are passed on to the Allies and guarantee, as stated in the presentation, that “faithfulness to the mandate” is guaranteed…”

  41. Biden says Turkey not setting right example on freedom of speech (france24, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.france24.com/en/20160122-biden-says-turkey-not-setting-right-example-freedom-speech

    “ISTANBUL (AFP) – US Vice President Joe Biden on Friday strongly criticised Turkey for failing to set the right “example” on freedom of expression, following the imprisonment of journalists and investigation of academics who criticised government policy.

    “When the media are intimidated or imprisoned for critical reporting… and more than 1,000 academics are accused of treason simply by signing a petition, that’s not the kind of example that needs to be set,” Biden said at a meeting with civil society representatives in Istanbul.”

  42. France pledges 1.0 bn euros in aid to Tunisia: presidency (france24, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.france24.com/en/20160122-france-pledges-10-bn-euros-aid-tunisia-presidency

    “PARIS (AFP) – France will provide one billion euros ($1.1 billion) to Tunisia over the next five years as part of an economic support package, the French presidency said Friday.

    “A major aspect of the plan aims to help poor regions and young people, putting the focus on employment,” said the office of French President Francois Hollande following a meeting with Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid in Paris.”

  43. Anti-Immigrant Vigilante Patrols Cause Concern in Finland (abcnews, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/anti-immigrant-vigilante-patrols-concern-finland-36445997

    “In the snowy streets of Finland’s cities, black-clad vigilantes are on patrol, to the alarm of the police and many residents. They say they’re there to keep Finnish people safe from what they say is a new and clear threat — the increasing numbers of asylum-seekers.

    The rise of the Soldiers of Odin, which claims 500 members, has sparked both concern and ridicule in the Nordic country. Opponents dressed as clowns recently to accompany the ominous-looking men on their patrols.

    But the Soldiers of Odin, who derive their name from a Norse god, insist their patrols are needed to protect the peace in the sparsely populated nation of 5.5 million, which wasn’t a major destination for migrants until 32,500 people applied for asylum last year. Most came from Iraq but also from Afghanistan, Somalia and Syria.

    “It’s chaotic and getting out of hand,” Mika Ranta, a 29-year-old truck driver who founded the group, told The Associated Press. “We should be more careful about who we let into the country.”

    The Soldiers of Odin say they are unarmed, though Ranta acknowledged he carries pepper spray, which is legal in Finland. They wear black jackets bearing their logo on the back — a mustachioed man wearing a Viking helmet and Finnish flag as a neckerchief.

    Speaking by phone from the northern city of Kemi, Ranta said the posse isn’t racist, but considers the newcomers a threat because “they are Muslims.”

    “Islam has never adapted anywhere and only brings problems with it. They don’t tolerate anyone else apart from believers in Islam,” Ranta said.

    He said police are overworked and need help to deal with the migration situation — a claim rejected by Finland’s top police official.

    National Police Commissioner Seppo Kolehmainen said the tenfold increase in asylum requests in 2015 has greatly increased the workload for police officers, including the need to fingerprint applicants, keep order at reception centers and protect them from arson attacks, mostly by drunk Finnish men — not always successfully.

    “But we categorically don’t accept any street patrols that have been set up solely against immigrants or asylum-seekers. It’s the duty of the police to keep law and order,” he added.

    Formed in October when the flow of migrants peaked, the Soldiers of Odin raised their profile on social media following reports that Finnish women were harassed on New Year’s Eve in incidents that resembled a string of attacks in Cologne, Germany, that were blamed largely on foreigners.

    Police are investigating 15 reported cases of sexual assault, including rape, attempted rape and groping in downtown Helsinki during New Year’s celebrations, with many of the suspected perpetrators having foreign backgrounds, including some asylum-seekers.

    So far, the Soldiers’ patrols have been uneventful — they haven’t had any encounters either with asylum-seekers or with the police.

    But they have created debates on social media, radio and TV shows and worried officials. They have also sparked counter-movements.

    Last week, a group calling itself the Sisters of Kyllikki, named after a mythological Finnish female figure, began street patrols of their own “to spread love and caring” in the southeastern town of Joensuu, where a week earlier the Soldiers of Odin held an anti-immigrant demonstration.

    That group’s fame has spread on Facebook, with patrols planned in at least four other towns.

    A troupe of clowns calling themselves the LOLdiers of Odin, in apparent reference to the text messaging abbreviation, LOL, for “laughing out loud,” has gone even further.

    Dressed in crazy clothes, including Viking helmets, tin hats, and long flowing gowns, they taunted and mocked the vigilantes on one of their patrols last week in the southern city of Tampere. The clowns sang children’s songs, threw cartwheels and slid down piles of snow along the black-clad men’s route.

    Ranta said one of the clowns poured water on a patrol member when the temperature outside was as low as minus 25 degrees Celsius (minus 14 Fahrenheit).

    “They just tried to provoke us,” he said. “If they poured water down my back I’d throw pepper spray in their face.”

    Unlike the clowns, some take the vigilantes seriously, including Prosecutor General Matti Nissinen, who described them as sending “a racist and threatening” message.

    “If we go back in history, we see that nothing good has ever come out of street patrols by this kind of uniformed group,” Nissinen said.

    The patrols have also caused consternation at government level.

    While Prime Minister Juha Sipila initially appeared to dither about taking a stand, Finance Minister Alexander Stubb quickly condemned the groups, saying the government would seek ways to ban them. Foreign Minister Timo Soini, who leads the anti-immigration Finns party, said he condemns racism but didn’t take a clear stand on the patrols.

    Ranta’s group claims offshoots in Britain, Germany, the U.S. and Estonia as well as neighboring Sweden and Norway. It hasn’t got a foothold in the Helsinki region, where people are used to foreigners and are generally welcoming toward them.

    “We’re not there yet, but it’s just a question of time,” Ranta says. “Those New Year attacks are a clear sign we are needed.””

  44. ‘Police brutality’ allegations at Macedonia migrant border crossing (BBC, video, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35379733

    “One of the flashpoints in the network of migration routes into northern Europe is the Greece-Macedonia border.

    The Macedonian government has been forced to defend itself against allegations of police brutality, with officers being accused of beating up migrants who try to slip past the recently-built border fence.

    Since November, Macedonia has deported 12,000 people it regards as economic migrants.
    James Reynolds reports.”

  45. Tunisia protests: Government clamps down with curfew (BBC, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35384181

    “The Tunisian interior ministry has announced a curfew in response to protests over unemployment, saying that national security is at stake.

    The restrictions beginning on Friday night follow “attacks against public and private property”, it said.

    Only night-shift workers and people needing urgent medical care will be exempt from the curfew.

    Protests over youth unemployment have spread from the northern region of Kasserine to towns and cities.

    The curfew will run from 20:00 to 05:00 (19:00 to 04:00 GMT).

    Demonstrations began after a man was electrocuted while protesting over his rejection for a government job.

    In the town of Feriana, a policeman died after his car was overturned on Thursday.

    Unemployment has worsened since the 2011 revolution, when President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted.”

  46. Senegal interior minister gives security ultimatum to hotels (BBC, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35382189

    “Senegal’s government has told hotels to improve security or face closure, after recent terror attacks in the region.

    Authorities would have no choice but to close hotels which failed to introduce the measures in the coming days, the interior minister told local media.

    Terror attacks on hotels in nearby Mali and Burkina Faso have left more than 50 dead since November.

    France has warned Senegal and Ivory Coast of attacks being planned on their major cities, Bloomberg news reports.

    Earlier, the US issued a warning to its nationals in Ivory Coast’s main city Abidjan and the Senegalese capital Dakar, telling them to avoid popular tourist spots and other public places.

    The message said that US authorities had intercepted messages mentioning terror attacks in the two cities.

    Senegal is one of the most popular tourist destinations in French-speaking West Africa…”

  47. Kenya military ‘warned’ over Somalia attack (BBC, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35380255

    “Kenyan forces in Somalia were warned of an impending al-Shabab attack 45 days before the group overran one of their bases, a Somali general says.

    Kenya was given “clear and reliable intelligence” about the threat, General Abas Ibrahim Gurey told the BBC.

    The Islamist militants say they killed more than 100 Kenyan troops in the attack, which would make it the deadliest attack on Kenya’s army.

    The Kenyan military has not given a death toll or responded to Gen Gurey…”

  48. Refugee ‘backlash’ as tensions rise in the Netherlands (BBC, video, Jan 22, 2016) (There is a very short Geert Wilders sequence in there.)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35379726

    “The Dutch government has been accused of ignoring predictions that 60,000 refugees were planning to travel to the Netherlands last year.

    The country is now struggling to cope with a record number of asylum claims.

    Anna Holligan reports”

  49. Migrant crisis: EU at grave risk, warns France PM Valls (BBC, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35375303

    “French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has warned that Europe’s migration crisis is putting the EU at grave risk.

    Mr Valls told the BBC Europe could not take all the refugees fleeing what he called terrible wars in Iraq or Syria.

    “Otherwise,” he said, “our societies will be totally destabilised.”

    More than a million migrants, mostly refugees, arrived in Europe last year, many making perilous journeys. On Friday, at least 21 people were killed as their boats sank off Greek islands.

    Mr Valls also said that France could extend its current state of emergency “for however long is necessary” because of the threat from Islamic State (IS) jihadists, whom he called “Daesh”.

    “We will see if we extend it,” he said. “We cannot live forever in a state of emergency.”

    The measures were introduced after the IS-led Paris attacks on 13 November and then extended for three months.

    Mr Valls said the war against IS could last for a generation. “As long as the threat is there we must use all means at our disposal.”

    Mr Valls was speaking to Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s chief international correspondent, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland…”

    • Migrants MUST be sent home or Europe will collapse, says French PM finally (express, Jan 22, 2016)
      http://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/637143/Migrant-crisis-France-prime-minister-Manuel-Valls-Europe-can-t-accept-every-refugee

      “THE French prime minister today warned Europe can’t risk ‘destabilising’ itself by accepting every refugee leaving Syria and Iraq – as he warned those migrants who aren’t genuinely fleeing conflicts will be sent home.

      Manuel Valls claimed the ongoing migrant crisis had put political union on the continent in “very grave danger” as he urged EU leaders to send a message that Europe “will not welcome all the refugees”.

      Speaking at the Davos summit of world leaders and businesses in Switzerland, Mr Valls explained how a message from European politicians would be “shared on smartphones in the refugee camps of Libya” in a matter of “seconds”.

      But the French politician refused to criticise Angela Merkel for initially welcoming every Syrian refugee into the EU, adding the German chancellor had “courage” to “welcome refugees in the name of values”….”

  50. Bangladesh detains Singapore deportees over terror links (BBC, Jan 22, 2016)
    http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35379056

    “Bangladesh authorities say 14 of its nationals deported from Singapore are being held over links to a group blamed for attacking secular writers.

    The men were part of a larger group of 26 construction workers who were expelled from Singapore last year for supporting armed jihadist ideology.

    Singapore announced the news of the deportations earlier this week.

    The city state said they were planning to take part in extremist activities elsewhere and shared jihadist material…”