Afghanistan – The Taliban on the 30 Jan 15 claimed responsibility for an apparent “insider attack” at Kabul airport in which an Afghan and three American contractors were killed.
Details of the 29 Jan 15 shooting are still unclear, but a spokesman for NATO’s Resolute Support mission said the incident was under investigation. A U.S. defence official in Washington said that the American victims, who were employed under a U.S. Defence Department contract to help train the Afghan air force, died from gunshot wounds. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a member of the insurgent movement was responsible for the attack. “A brave Afghan mujahid infiltrator working in the military side of Kabul airport opened fire on invading American soldiers, killing three Americans,” he said in a statement sent to media.
Australia – Australia on the 20 Jan 15 raised the terrorism threat level against the police force to high for the first time, saying there were small but growing numbers of citizens involved with jihadist groups and intent on attacks. Australian Federal Police said the decision had been taken based on intelligence-gathering and discussions with partners and was in line with the broader threat for the country, also raised to high in Sep 14.
“Recent events in France, Canada and Australia serve as a sobering reminder of the risks associated with policing,” the federal force said in a statement
India/Great Britain – Britain has warned India about possible attack by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and said all efforts must be taken to check activities of the Middle-East terrorist group it was reported on the 19 Jan 15. British officials have conveyed this to their Indian counterparts at the Indo-UK Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group meeting held in London on 15-16 Jan 15. Officials said that during the meeting, India had asked Britain to impress upon Pakistan not to differentiate between “good” and “bad” terrorists in the wake of recent attack on a school in Peshawar and said that it must take a firm stand on why Pakistan had become a nursery of terrorists. “We have asked Britain to be alert about possible attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba there. Britain in turn has warned us that an attack by ISIS could take place in India,” an official said. Britain was more focused on the ISIS threat than from Pakistan-based terror groups. “Britain is petrified that a terror attack can take place on its soil by ISIS and radical elements associated with it may help the group,” the official said. British security agencies have good links with Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and they feel that it is an insurance for preventing a terror attack on its soil by Pakistan-based terror groups, the official said. Four Mumbai youth had disappeared in Iraq-Syria in May 2014 and apparently joined ISIS. One of them returned in Nov 14 last year and was subsequently arrested. A Bangalore-based executive was also arrested last month for operating a pro-ISIS Twitter handle to propagate the ideology of the Middle-East terrorist group.
Japan/Islamic State – Prime Minister Abe said Japan would work with the international community to bring those responsible for Mr Goto's apparent murder to justice it was reported on the 1 Feb 15. Japan has reacted with anger and defiance to a video appearing to show the beheading of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto by an Islamic State militant. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan "would not give in to terrorism" and that he would expand his support to countries fighting IS. IS has cited Japanese aid as a reason for the hostage taking. The video comes less than a week after the apparent beheading of another Japanese man, Haruna Yukawa. Mr Goto, 47, a respected journalist known for his work covering the suffering of civilians in war zones, went to Syria in October, reportedly to try to secure Mr Yukawa's release. The video, which has all the hallmarks of previous IS propaganda videos, has not been authenticated, but Japanese officials believe it is genuine. In the video, Mr Goto is seen kneeling in an orange jumpsuit. A militant speaking with an English accent who is believed to have appeared in previous videos and is known as "Jihadi John", addresses Mr Abe, accusing him of a "reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war". Mr Abe called the killing a "heinous act", adding that Japan would work with the international community to bring those responsible for Mr Goto's apparent murder to justice.
Pakistan – An explosion at a Shia mosque in Pakistan's southern Sindh province has killed at least 20 people and left dozens more injured it was reported on the 30 Jan 15. The explosion occurred just before Friday prayers were to begin. The mosque is in the centre of Shikarpur city. Friday's explosion is the second attack on a Shia mosque since Pakistani security forces stepped up operations against the Pakistani Taliban and its allies following a Dec 14 attack on a Peshawar school. In the previous attack a Shia mosque in the city of Rawalpindi was targeted by a suicide bombing on the 10 Jan 15. Jundullah a Sunni terrorist group which does not accept Shias as Muslims claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is based in nearby Balochistan and has carried out a number of terrorist attacks in Iran.
Philippines – A powerful explosion killed at least two people and wounded 54 others in a southern Philippine port city that has been hit by similar blasts blamed on Muslim militants it was reported on the 24 Jan 15. The blast occurred at a bar across the street from a busy bus terminal in Zamboanga city. Police suspected the militant Abu Sayyaf group, which operates in Zamboanga and nearby provinces, saying the attack could have been in retaliation for the foiled prison escape of a brother of one of the group’s leaders. Earlier during the reporting period Philippine army Special Forces killed at least three Abu Sayyaf gunmen in running gun-battles and have continued to pursue the militants in nearby Basilan province. The group has previously set off bombs to divert attention from military operations.
Details of the 29 Jan 15 shooting are still unclear, but a spokesman for NATO’s Resolute Support mission said the incident was under investigation. A U.S. defence official in Washington said that the American victims, who were employed under a U.S. Defence Department contract to help train the Afghan air force, died from gunshot wounds. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said a member of the insurgent movement was responsible for the attack. “A brave Afghan mujahid infiltrator working in the military side of Kabul airport opened fire on invading American soldiers, killing three Americans,” he said in a statement sent to media.
Australia – Australia on the 20 Jan 15 raised the terrorism threat level against the police force to high for the first time, saying there were small but growing numbers of citizens involved with jihadist groups and intent on attacks. Australian Federal Police said the decision had been taken based on intelligence-gathering and discussions with partners and was in line with the broader threat for the country, also raised to high in Sep 14.
“Recent events in France, Canada and Australia serve as a sobering reminder of the risks associated with policing,” the federal force said in a statement
India/Great Britain – Britain has warned India about possible attack by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and said all efforts must be taken to check activities of the Middle-East terrorist group it was reported on the 19 Jan 15. British officials have conveyed this to their Indian counterparts at the Indo-UK Counter Terrorism Joint Working Group meeting held in London on 15-16 Jan 15. Officials said that during the meeting, India had asked Britain to impress upon Pakistan not to differentiate between “good” and “bad” terrorists in the wake of recent attack on a school in Peshawar and said that it must take a firm stand on why Pakistan had become a nursery of terrorists. “We have asked Britain to be alert about possible attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba there. Britain in turn has warned us that an attack by ISIS could take place in India,” an official said. Britain was more focused on the ISIS threat than from Pakistan-based terror groups. “Britain is petrified that a terror attack can take place on its soil by ISIS and radical elements associated with it may help the group,” the official said. British security agencies have good links with Pakistani intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and they feel that it is an insurance for preventing a terror attack on its soil by Pakistan-based terror groups, the official said. Four Mumbai youth had disappeared in Iraq-Syria in May 2014 and apparently joined ISIS. One of them returned in Nov 14 last year and was subsequently arrested. A Bangalore-based executive was also arrested last month for operating a pro-ISIS Twitter handle to propagate the ideology of the Middle-East terrorist group.
Japan/Islamic State – Prime Minister Abe said Japan would work with the international community to bring those responsible for Mr Goto's apparent murder to justice it was reported on the 1 Feb 15. Japan has reacted with anger and defiance to a video appearing to show the beheading of Japanese hostage Kenji Goto by an Islamic State militant. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Japan "would not give in to terrorism" and that he would expand his support to countries fighting IS. IS has cited Japanese aid as a reason for the hostage taking. The video comes less than a week after the apparent beheading of another Japanese man, Haruna Yukawa. Mr Goto, 47, a respected journalist known for his work covering the suffering of civilians in war zones, went to Syria in October, reportedly to try to secure Mr Yukawa's release. The video, which has all the hallmarks of previous IS propaganda videos, has not been authenticated, but Japanese officials believe it is genuine. In the video, Mr Goto is seen kneeling in an orange jumpsuit. A militant speaking with an English accent who is believed to have appeared in previous videos and is known as "Jihadi John", addresses Mr Abe, accusing him of a "reckless decision to take part in an unwinnable war". Mr Abe called the killing a "heinous act", adding that Japan would work with the international community to bring those responsible for Mr Goto's apparent murder to justice.
Pakistan – An explosion at a Shia mosque in Pakistan's southern Sindh province has killed at least 20 people and left dozens more injured it was reported on the 30 Jan 15. The explosion occurred just before Friday prayers were to begin. The mosque is in the centre of Shikarpur city. Friday's explosion is the second attack on a Shia mosque since Pakistani security forces stepped up operations against the Pakistani Taliban and its allies following a Dec 14 attack on a Peshawar school. In the previous attack a Shia mosque in the city of Rawalpindi was targeted by a suicide bombing on the 10 Jan 15. Jundullah a Sunni terrorist group which does not accept Shias as Muslims claimed responsibility for the attack. The group is based in nearby Balochistan and has carried out a number of terrorist attacks in Iran.
Philippines – A powerful explosion killed at least two people and wounded 54 others in a southern Philippine port city that has been hit by similar blasts blamed on Muslim militants it was reported on the 24 Jan 15. The blast occurred at a bar across the street from a busy bus terminal in Zamboanga city. Police suspected the militant Abu Sayyaf group, which operates in Zamboanga and nearby provinces, saying the attack could have been in retaliation for the foiled prison escape of a brother of one of the group’s leaders. Earlier during the reporting period Philippine army Special Forces killed at least three Abu Sayyaf gunmen in running gun-battles and have continued to pursue the militants in nearby Basilan province. The group has previously set off bombs to divert attention from military operations.
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