Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.
So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.
This is the new Samizdat. We muse use it while we can.
Boko Haram kills four Nigeria troops in assault on Buni Yadi military base (thedefensepost, Feb 17, 2019)
https://thedefensepost.com/2019/02/17/boko-haram-attack-nigeria-buni-yadi-niger/
“Four Nigerian soldiers were killed and five injured in a Boko Haram attack on a military base in Buni Yadi in Yobe state, the army said on Sunday.
The attack was the latest in a string in northern Nigeria and southern Niger in recent days.
The insurgents used captured military equipment in the attack which began at around 6:05 p.m. on Saturday, February 16, including a Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle, a MOWAG vehicle and four technicals – pickup trucks with mounted guns, Colonel Sagir Musa, Acting Director Public Relations said in a statement.
Five Boko Haram militants were killed and a significant quantity of arms and equipment was recovered, including one technical, an anti-aircraft gun, nine AK-type assault rifles, four improvized explosive devices, a motorcycle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, Musa said.
One of the soldiers killed was an officer and those injured were in a stable condition, Musa added…”
Fighting Intensify in Southern Saudi Border Region (+Video) (tasnimnews, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2019/02/17/1949170/fighting-intensify-in-southern-saudi-border-region-video
“Fighting between Yemeni Ansarullah forces and Saudi troops intensified in the southern Saudi border province of Jizan.
The fighting took place in the Saudi border positions of Shurfa and Jahfan in the southern edge of Jizan, according to al-Masirah TV channel.
The Yemeni forces have killed dozens of Saudi troops and seized control over several posts in Shurfa and Jahfan, the report added.
Fighting has been raging on and off in the southern Saudi border provinces of Jizan, Asir and Najran since 2015.
Saudi Arabia is leading an Arab military coalition that intervened in Yemen in March 2015 and launched an aggression against Yemen in 2015 to restore fugitive President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Yemen’s Army and Popular Forces have expanded their operations in retaliation for the ongoing US-backed Saudi airstrike campaign, which has killed or injured over 60,000 people as of October — as well as the devastating siege which has triggered a borderline famine. Women and children constitute most of all casualties from airstrikes and military operations.”
Saudi Interior Ministry Defends ‘Absher’ Service (aawsat, Feb 17, 2019)
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1595186/saudi-interior-ministry-defends-absher-service
“The Saudi Interior Ministry has strongly condemned the systematic campaign aimed at questioning the purpose of “Absher” services.
“These allegations aim to disable these services,” a source of the ministry told the Saudi Press Agency.
Absher provides benefits of more than 160 different procedural services to all members of the society provided by the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabian to the citizens and residents, including women, the elderly, and people with special needs.
Interior Ministry Security Spokesman Major General Mansour al-Turki described these allegations as baseless, noting that the application aims to facilitate procedures completion for citizens and residents in the kingdom.
Turki noted, in his statement on Saturday, that it was necessary to clarify the truths related to this app and the purposes behind it. There are 500,000 operations occurring via Absher platform whether through smartphones or the ministry of the interior digital portal.
Services provided by Absher encapsulate these related to security sectors, interior ministry, civil status, passports, traffic, and pilgrimage seasons.”
US Commander: Washington Can’t Back Forces that Align with Assad (aawsat, Feb 17, 2019)
https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/1595596/us-commander-washington-can%E2%80%99t-back-forces-align-assad
“The United States will have to sever its military assistance to the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling ISIS if the fighters partner with the head of the Syrian regime, Bashar Assad, or Russia, a senior US general said on Sunday.
The remarks by Army Lieutenant General Paul LaCamera, who is the commander of the US-led coalition battling ISIS in Iraq and Syria, underscore the tough decisions facing the SDF as the United States prepares to withdraw its troops from Syria.
Syrian Kurdish leaders have sought talks with Assad’s state, hoping to safeguard their autonomous region after the pullout of US troops currently backing them.
They fear an attack by neighboring Turkey.
“We will continue to train and arm them as long as they remain our partners,” LaCamera said, praising their hard-won victories against ISIS extremists.
When asked if that support would continue if they aligned themselves with Assad, LaCamera said: “No.”
“Once that relationship is severed, because they go back to the regime, which we don’t have a relationship with, (or) the Russians … when that happens then we will no longer be partners with them,” LaCamera told a small group of reporters.
On Friday, the four-star US general overseeing US troops throughout the Middle East, General Joseph Votel, told Reuters that he backed supporting the SDF as needed as long as it kept the pressure on ISIS militants.
But LaCamera’s comments make clear that the SDF may have to choose between backing from Assad, Russia or the United States.
His remarks came as Assad said Sunday that only the Syrian state can protect groups in northern Syria and the army will “liberate every inch of Syria” from foreign troops.
He did not specifically mention the planned withdrawal of 2,000 American troops from northern Syria, but in a televised speech in Damascus he said no one should bet on protection from the Americans.
Assad suggested the US had sold out its Kurdish partners, and said that the Syrian army will return to the area after the American troop pullout.”
Syria: ‘Every intruder is an enemy’ – Al Assad
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad said any intruder in Syria would be considered an enemy, speaking in Damascus on Sunday.
“Every inch of Syria will be liberated, and any intruder is an enemy. He will be treated as an occupation force, this is not a political opinion, but it’s a national and an indisputable opinion,” said Al Assad.
“The safe zone that the Turks are working on has always existed from the first year of the war,” he said. “[Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] has been calling and waiting for permission from the US in order to enter the north and north-east regions in Syria, but the Americans were telling him “keep away, your role hasn’t come yet, why?” Because terrorists used to execute their plan very well, Turkey wasn’t needed.”
The Syrian leader also mentioned that the state has sought to recover its military and civilian institutions to alleviate the pain and suffering of the refugees inside Syria and worked to return all those who left their villages and cities after they were liberated.
Saudi Arabia, France ink JV to build warships in Kingdom (saudigazette, Feb 17, 2019)
http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/559370/SAUDI-ARABIA/Saudi-Arabia-France-ink-JV-to-build-warships-in-Kingdom
“State-owned Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and France’s Naval Group plan to manufacture warships, frigates, and submarines in Saudi Arabia, SAMI’s Chief Executive Andreas Schwer said.
A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed here on Sunday on the sidelines of the International Defense Exhibition (Idex), which is one of the leading shows in the industry.
SAMI, launched by the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund in 2017, will hold 51 percent of the joint venture.
“Through design, construction and maintenance activities the joint venture will contribute significantly to further enhancing the capabilities and readiness of Royal Saudi Naval Forces,” Schwer said.
SAMI wants to raise local military procurement to 50 percent by 2030 from 2 percent today.
In November, it signed a deal with Spain’s state-owned Navantia SA to manufacture warships domestically.
The joint venture with the French is another sign that business with Saudi Arabia is proceeding apace.”
‘I only knew about weddings’: Destitute Yemenis sell their daughters to pay their debts (mee, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/i-only-knew-about-weddings-destitute-yemenis-sell-their-daughters-pay-their-debts
Rouhani says Iran ready to improve ties with Gulf states (memo, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190217-rouhani-says-iran-ready-to-improve-ties-with-gulf-states/
“Iran is ready to work with all of its neighbours to secure peace in the Middle East in the face of US and Israeli aggression, President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday according to a Reuters report, in his latest attempt to weaken ties between regional rival Saudi Arabia and America.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have been fighting proxy wars for years, backing opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
But pressure is building on Tehran after President Donald Trump pulled the United States out of a 2015 nuclear deal with six world powers and reimposed sanctions. Saudi Arabia welcomed the move.
“Iran is ready to work with regional states to preserve security in the Middle East,” Rouhani said in a public speech in the southern Hormozgan province, broadcast live on state TV. “We want to establish brotherly ties with all countries of the region … Iran has never started any aggression in the region.”
“Those regional states that believe Israel and America can establish security are wrong. We, the Muslims, should ensure the regional security,” Rouhani said, to chants of “Death to America,” and “Death to Israel”.
Rouhani’s previous overtures to Saudi Arabia, such as after his election in 2013 and efforts by his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in 2017, have had no success, and some analysts were sceptical his latest attempt would be different.
“Considering the ongoing hostility, there is no possibility of a dialogue between the arch enemies,” said Tehran-based analyst Hamid Farahvashian.
Iran accuses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates of supporting militant groups that carry out attacks against Iranian forces, including a suicide bombing on Wednesday in Iran’s southeastern province that borders Pakistan.
Read: Iran says Pakistan to ‘pay high price’ over at
Militant group Jaish al Adl (Army of Justice), which says it seeks greater rights and better living conditions for the ethnic minority Baluchis, claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 27 members of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps.
The Revolutionary Guards have threatened Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan with retaliation.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Pakistan deny backing the militants. Iran’s foreign ministry on Sunday summoned Pakistan’s ambassador to protest about Wednesday’s attack.”
Qatar aims to build $20 bln sports sector ahead of World Cup (memo, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190217-qatar-aims-to-build-20-bln-sports-sector-ahead-of-world-cup/
“Qatar wants to attract more sports companies to the Gulf state, aiming to develop a $20 billion sports sector ahead of the 2022 World Cup, a senior official said on Sunday.
Qatar Financial Center (QFC) – which licenses foreign companies, mostly in the finance sector, to exempt them from local ownership laws – aims to license about 150 sports companies by 2022, including around 25 this year, QFC’s CEO Yousuf Al-Jaida said at an event to announce the strategy. He did not give any names.
The drive to attract sports-related multinationals and facilitate the commercialisation of sports-related services in the state is part of plans to become a regional hub for sporting events in the run-up to Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 soccer World Cup, he said.
This month FIFA established a joint venture in Qatar to help run the tournament.
“A lot of the value chain is moving to Qatar as we speak for the World Cup 2022,” Jaida said.
Qatar will this year stage the World Championships in Athletics, a biennial even organised by the International Association of Athletics Federations.
“We’re looking at sports service companies, legal companies, education and training, sportswear and equipment… it’s a detailed cluster of sports companies catering to 2022,” Jaida said…”
Saudi Arabia signs oil agreement to supply Pakistan: minister (reuters, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-pakistan-energy/saudi-arabia-signs-oil-agreement-to-supply-pakistan-minister-idUSKCN1Q60R0
“Saudi Arabia has signed an agreement to supply Pakistan with crude oil and petroleum products to secure its fuel needs, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Sunday on Twitter.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Pakistan on Sunday and said Saudi Arabia has signed investment agreements worth $20 billion during his visit to the country.”
Pulwama attack: How did Masood Azhar form Jaish-e-Mohammad? (gulfnews, Feb 17, 2019)
https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/pulwama-attack-how-did-masood-azhar-form-jaish-e-mohammad-1.62132919
“Dubai: Pakistan-based banned militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and its leader Masood Azhar are once again in the spotlight after the suicide bomb attack on a convoy of Indian paramilitary men in Pulwama district of Indian administered Kashmir.
At least 49 personnel were killed in the February 14 attack claimed by JeM.
A vehicle filled with explosives rammed a bus carrying the troops to Srinagar. It is believed to be the deadliest militant attack on Indian forces in Kashmir since the insurgency began in 1989.
Since the attack, various theories, condemnations and threats have been hurling around between India and Pakistan — both at the official level and on social media.
There is no doubt that the Jaish-e-Mohmmad was once one of the most feared militant groups operating in Kashmir in 2000s, but it is not clear whether they are still strong enough to carry out such devastating attack. The group was banned in Pakistan in 2002 by the then President General Pervez Musharraf after being declared a terrorist outfit.
Their claim of the attack is also debatable, especially when its leader Azhar has been hospitalised and has been out of action for a long time.
Who is Maulana Azhar Masood?
JeM leader Masood Azhar is a former member of Harakat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM)—Azhar. Commonly known as Maulana Masood Azhar, he gained prominence in the late nineties when he was in an Indian prison for militant activities in Jammu and Kashmir.
He was released from an Indian jail during a hostage swap on December 31, 1999, following the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Flight IC 814 by HuM. Azhar went to Afghanistan after his release from India and then launched JeM on January 31, 2000 in Karachi.
Azhar was born in 1968 in Bahawalpur, a city in Southern Punjab of Pakistan and was educated at a religious madrassa known as Jamia Uloom-ul-Islamia. Though JeM is banned in Pakistan, India has been calling for international sanctions against Masood Azhar.
India has held Pakistan responsible for the attack as JeM has claimed responsibility, Pakistan has denied any hand in the attack especially when the new government of Imran Khan has been trying to push for peace talks with India.
Main target of JeM
The main goal of JeM which has been accused of armed militancy in Indian Administered Kashmir, is to unite Kashmir with Pakistan. Both India and Pakistan claim all of Muslim-majority Kashmir but only control parts of it.
Insurgency in Kashmir
The surge in insurgency in Indian-Administered Kashmir increased in 1989 after the Afghan war ended. During the Afghan war, Pakistan with the help of the US and other Western governments, supported the mujahideen (Islamic warriors) against the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.
It is a known fact that during the Afghan war, the Pakistani army not only trained militants, who were then called mujahideen, but also provided them full support backed by the US.
At that time, Pakistan’s military dictator General Ziaul Haq had embarked upon the nationwide movement of radicalisation and created various militant groups to fight in Afghanistan. Warriors from around the world, especially from Middle Eastern and African countries also joined the war that was called jihad (holy war).
The US supported that jihad to flush out the Russian army from Afghanistan.
The war ended and Russian troops were completely withdrawn by 1989. Then after seven years of chaos and infighting in Afghanistan, Taliban formed government in 1996.
Disgruntled militants
The various militant groups (called jihadi groups at that time) and the mujahideen became ‘jobless’ as the US left them alone without finding them a solution. At this point, they turned towards ‘liberating’ Kashmir as they started joining insurgent groups known as ‘freedom fighters’ in Pakistan but terrorists in India.
9/11 scenario
Then 9/11 happened in the US and it changed the whole scenario. The US, which showed ignorance towards activities of these groups, suddenly turned against them and also put immense pressure on Pakistan to ban all these militant outfits. Pakistan came under US pressure and was left with no option but to withdraw support to these groups. Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf decided to side with the US to topple the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Operation against militant groups
Pakistan relinquished its support for these militant groups and tried to divert their attention. Some of them listened to Pakistan, but there were a few which refused to budge and were divided into splinter groups which continued their activities of ‘jihad’ to earn their bread and butter.
Pakistan launched a crackdown on disgruntled militant groups declaring others as ‘strategic assets’ – a policy which backfired later as Pakistan itself became target of militancy with terrorist attacks across the country over several years. The problem continues to pose a serious challenge for Pakistani authorities
Jaish-e-Mohammad is also one such groups which was derived from Harakat-ul Mujahideen and continued its ‘jihadi’ activities. It is accused of various attacks in Indian Administered Kashmir and even in other parts of India. In Pakistan, the support in terms of funding and recruitment gradually dried out due to the Pakistan army’s massive operation against militant groups across the country.
However, JeM reportedly confined its operations within Indian administered Kashmir and continued its activities.
JeM attacks
Indian Administered Kashmir was the initial focus of most JeM operations, although it also has consistently carried out attacks in India and Pakistan since the early 2000s. Following are some of its terror attacks:
April 19, 2000 – JeM claims responsibility of carrying out one of the first suicide attacks in the history of the Kashmir conflict.
December 2001 – JeM claims attack on the parliament of India, setting off a tense political standoff between Pakistan and India. Later that month, following the Parliament attack, the US State Department added JeM to its foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) list.
December 29, 2001 – Pakistani authorities arrest Masood Azhar for his alleged involvement in the attack. He was released a year later after the Lahore High Court ruled his arrest unlawful.
February 1, 2002 – JeM members gain international notoriety when they claimed the kidnapping and later beheading American journalist Daniel Pearl in Karachi.
2003 – Group makes 2 attempts to assassinate Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.
Indian Administered Kashmir was the initial focus of most JeM operations, although it also has consistently carried out attacks in India and Pakistan since the early 2000s.
2008 – JeM also reportedly began to target Coalition forces in Afghanistan.”
Islamabad Police arrest around 1,000 murder suspects in past month (tribune, Feb 17, 2019)
https://tribune.com.pk/story/1912204/1-islamabad-police-arrest-around-1000-murder-suspects-past-month/
Erdo?an: CHP, ?Y? Party have been ‘handed over to FETÖ, PKK’ (hurriyetdailynews, Feb 17, 2019)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-chp-iyi-party-have-been-handed-over-to-feto-pkk-141303
“President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has accused the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) and its ally in the March 31 local elections, ?Y? (Good) Party, of “surrendering” to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) and the illegal PKK…”
Police detain ISIL suspects sought by Interpol (hurriyetdailynews, Feb 17, 2019)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/police-round-up-suspects-sought-by-interpol-141286
“Turkish police on Feb. 17 rounded up four suspects in an operation against ISIL in the northwestern city of Bursa, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.
The suspects were nabbed from their residence in Mudanya district of Bursa during a joint operation held by the local directorate of spy agency National Intelligence Organization and the Directorate of Intelligence Bureau.
Among the suspects, two women with fake foreign identification documents were identified only by their initials L.F. — a citizen of the Netherlands — and S.D. — a dual citizen of Morocco and the Netherlands.
They were sought with a “red” and “blue” notice by the Interpol…”
Muslim association in Vienna provides food to homeless (aa, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/muslim-association-in-vienna-provides-food-to-homeless/1395650
“A Muslim association in the Austrian capital Vienna is distributing hot meals to homeless and needy people, the association told Anadolu Agency on Sunday.
Deputy head of RAHMA Austria association Omer Batur said since three years they provide hot meals to homeless people several days of the week.
Batur said they provide hot meals to around 100 homeless people in a day.
He said both Austrians and the foreigners living in Austria received the project “very positively”.
“With projects like this, Muslims can give the message ‘we are living in this country and we are in a search of solutions to common problems of this country’ to the society they live in,” Batur stressed.
Batur said social events like this is an important way of struggling with far-right rhetoric which has risen in the latest period in Austria.
He added that RAHMA Austria association has been providing aid to many needy people around the world for 25 years, including Syrians, Rohingya Muslim, and Palestinian refugees.”
This exception does not prove the rule. Show me this care of infidels in Egypt and the rest of the islamic sewers. This like the latest Gatestone rubbish about “nice caring” muslims ONLY happens in the west when they are NOT a majority and are simply pretending to be nice.
The recipients are the showcase fake ethnicities, PR confections: “Rohingya” Muslims, and “Palestinians”.
These “Syrians” are an honorary category, useful till this tardish spat simmers down.
Turkey: 735 PKK/KCK suspects nabbed in anti-terror ops. (aa, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.aa.com.tr/en/todays-headlines/turkey-735-pkk-kck-suspects-nabbed-in-anti-terror-ops/1395553
“Security forces arrested 735 PKK/KCK terror suspects on Sunday plotting an attack before local elections in Turkey.
The Interior Ministry said that at least 150 counter-terror operations were carried out against PKK/KCK members and their supporters prior to the polls on March 31.
Turkey is gearing up for the local polls, held every five years, with 13 parties taking part this year.
The terror group members were planning to mark the 20th anniversary of jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan’s arrest.
Ocalan was arrested by Turkish security forces on Feb. 15, 1999 in Kenya and sentenced to death for forming armed gangs under Article 125 of the Turkish Penal Code. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment as the death penalty was abolished in Turkey in 2004.
Ocalan has been imprisoned on Imrali Island in the Marmara Sea since his capture in Nairobi by Turkish forces.
In Sunday’s operations, security forces seized long barreled weapons, shotguns, heavy weapon ammo, pistols, mines and handmade TNT explosives.
Turkish forces remanded 61 suspects and released 226.
Procedural acts for remaining 448 suspects are going on.
The PKK, which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU, waged a terror campaign against Turkey for more than 30 years and has been responsible for the death of nearly 40,000 people.”
Malian soldier wounded in firefight with German UN allies (dw, Feb 17, 2019)
https://www.dw.com/en/malian-soldier-wounded-in-firefight-with-german-un-allies/a-47559560
“A Malian soldier has been seriously wounded in an apparent friendly fire incident with German troops serving as UN peacekeepers. The incident occurred in the dark as German troops were returning from a mission…”
English-Speaking Narrator Behind Daesh Propaganda Videos Captured – Report (sputniknews, Feb 18, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/military/201902181072517230-daesh-narrator-captured-canadian/
“The man’s perfect English caught the world’s attention as early as 2014. Experts speculated at the time that he could have been North American or Canadian and they turned out to be correct.
A Canadian man of Ethiopian descent who immigrated to the North American nation as a child turned out to be the narrator behind numerous Daesh propaganda videos, including those that depict prisoner executions, according to a report by The New York Times.
One of the most notorious Daesh propaganda video shows Syrian prisoners digging their own graves, before allegedly being shot in the back of the head by Daesh.
It is now known that the man with the perfect English-language narration in the horrific videos is Mohammed Khalifa, a 35-year old Canadian citizen who immigrated from Saudi Arabia as a child. During his life in Canada, he learned to speak like a native Canadian, studied technology and worked on modest jobs for various computer companies.
Khalifa was captured by Kurdish SDF forces as they advanced on Daesh’s last stronghold east of the Euphrates river. He is now detained in a prison in Northern Syria.
“I don’t regret it,” Khalifa told reporters. “I was asked the same thing by my interrogators, and I told them the same thing.”
Speaking to New York Times, he described himself as a “rank-and-file” employee of the self-proclaimed caliphate’s Ministry of Media, a unit tasked with filming and publishing brutal propaganda videos that had the result of attracting new fighters to the terrorists’ cause.
After entering Syria in 2013, he worked in a studio in Raqqa — first as a translator, and later as a narrator. Their team received footage filmed in the field and then edited the imagery and recorded voiceover in a well-equipped soundproof room.
However, when airstrikes on Raqqa began, they were forced to abandon their studio base and go on the run from house to house, and then town to town, always aware that their satellite dish would eventually give them away.
During their last moments, the unit had some 20 men who worked out of their homes. Khalifa eventually took hold of a weapon himself, only to surrender to the SDF when he ran out of ammo — something in his narratives that he encouraged Daesh members to never do.
The perfect English spoken in Daesh videos attracted the attention of intelligence experts. In 2014, experts speculated that the man in the video could be an Arab, but he was more likely to be a North American or Canadian.
“If he is a North American, this is quite extraordinary, because it would be the first time a North American [Daesh] fighter has committed a war crime on camera,” Paul Cruickshank, a terrorism analyst told CNN at the time.
It is unclear what charges Khalifa will face. He denies doing any killing and claims that he was never a participant in any of the videos, instead saying he only provided the English-language voiceover.”
‘Taking their last breath’: IS hides among Syrian civilians (abcnews, Feb 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/us-backed-syria-force-holding-1000-civilians-61129504
North Macedonia police find 22 migrants trying Balkans route (abcnews, Feb 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/north-macedonia-police-find-22-migrants-balkans-route-61136926
“Police in North Macedonia say two vehicles carrying 22 migrants who allegedly planned to enter Serbia illegally and travel on to European Union countries were stopped in separate weekend incidents.
Police said Sunday that nine Pakistanis were found in a car in the country’s south late Saturday, near the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. The driver was arrested and placed in custody.
They say 13 Syrians were discovered Sunday, but their driver ran away.
Authorities said both groups would be deported to Greece, where they had been before.
North Macedonia police said they also broke up a migrant trafficking ring Saturday in which a police officer allegedly was involved.
A 2016 deal between the EU and Turkey was meant to close off the Balkans land route from Greece to western Europe.”
In the new Malaysia, signs of an older, uglier politics (cnn, Feb 17, 2019)
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/02/17/asia/malaysia-racial-politics-intl/index.html
the guardian – How Ukip normalised far-right politics
( 8 min 50 )
Since the Brexit vote in 2016 Ukip is no longer primarily concerned with attacking the European Union.
Now led by Gerard Batten the party has started to normalise far-right ideas and has given roles to figures including Tommy Robinson.
The Guardian’s Peter Walker asks how it happened and examines what it means for British politics
the guardian – Orbán, my dad and me
( 24 min 21 )
A Guardian film-maker and his father, who left communist Hungary for Britain in the 70s and now supports the nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, take a road trip through the country in the hope of understanding each other and overcoming their differences