European Union – A report in Al-jazeera on the 25 Sep 15 stated that the European Union will use warships to catch and arrest human traffickers in international waters as part of a military operation aimed at curbing the flow of refugees into Europe, the bloc's foreign affairs chief has said. "The political decision has been taken, the assets are ready," Federica Mogherini said on the 24 Sep 15 at the headquarters of the European Union's military operation in Rome. The first phase of the EU operation was launched in late Jun 15. It included reconnaissance, surveillance and intelligence gathering, and involved speaking to refugees rescued at sea and compiling data on trafficker networks. The operation currently involves four ships - including an Italian aircraft carrier - and four planes, as well as 1,318 staff from 22 European countries. Beginning on the 7 Oct 15 the new phase will allow for the seizure of vessels and arrests of traffickers in international waters, as well as the deployment of European warships on the condition that they do not enter Libyan waters. "We will be able to board, search, seize vessels in international waters, [and] suspected smugglers and traffickers apprehended will be transferred to the Italian judicial authorities," Mogherini said. "We have now a complete picture of how, when and where the smugglers' organisations and networks are operating so we are ready to actively dismantle them," she said. The new measures come at a time when Europe is enduring the largest refugee crisis since World War II. An estimated 13.9 million people became refugees in 2014, while an average of 42,500 were displaced from their homes each day due to conflict and persecution, according to the UN refugee agency. Europe has already received more than 700,000 asylum applications in 2015. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development predicts that number will exceed one million by the end of the year. Expanding the operation into Libyan waters is still pending the approval of the EU's security council and the Libyan government. "We have a lot to do in high seas, and in the meantime we are continuing to work on the legal framework that could make it possible for us to operate also in Libyan territorial waters," she added.
Italy/Bangladesh/Islamic State – Islamic State terrorists have claimed responsibility for the murder of an Italian NGO worker in the diplomatic zone of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Cesare Tavella, 50, a project manager for a food security organisation in Dhaka was shot in the back on the evening of the 28 Sep 15 by three assailants who, according to witnesses, escaped in a motorbike. In a statement published just hours after the fatal shooting, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) said that a “security detachment” had tracked and killed Tavella with “silenced weapons” and warned that “citizens of the crusader coalition” would not be safe in Muslim nations. However while speaking to reporters on the 29 Sep 15, Asaduzzaman Khan, Bangladesh’s home affairs minister, said: "There is no presence of ISIL in Bangladesh .. We do not have any information about ISIL's involvement in this killing." He added that the murder was an 'isolated incident'. The murder came two days after the Australian cricket team postponed the start of its tour of Bangladesh on the basis of "reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh". On the day of the incident, the UK and US government had also issued travel warnings to Bangladesh. Diplomats in Dhaka said that they were looking into the ISIL claim but had not yet come to any conclusions about its reliability. The murder could mark the first external terrorist activity focused on a foreign national in Bangladesh. 361 COMMENT: The chances are that this terrorist incident was carried out by external members of the ISIL. The reason that the Bangladesh government is playing the incident down is that it does not want to panic people and hopefully encourage foreign sports team to return. Cricket is big business in Asia somewhat equivalent to major football/soccer leagues. So the money that will be lost will have a big impact on the countries income. COMMENT ENDS
West/Islamic State – Islamic State-linked terror plots are increasing with attacks on the West foiled or taking place at a rate of more than two a month, according to a new study and published in a British newspaper on the 30 Sep 15. Since the declaration of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) "caliphate" last year, nine attacks unfolded out of a total of 32 ISIL-inspired plots, or 2.3 a month, the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) said. The think tank's latest study of ISIL-related terror found that the extremist group's slick media operation is contributing to the radicalisation and inspiring attacks in Europe and elsewhere. Although the US is under greater threat of attacks, countries in Europe have seen a higher number of deaths resulting from attacks. According to the report author, Robin Simcox, there are likely to be many more attacks planned that the public is not aware of. The research fellow at HJS pointed to the recent drone strikes on extremists in Syria planning to attack the UK. For example, look at Reyaad Khan who was one of those killed in the UK drone strike. He had been planning or encouraging attacks from Syria against the UK armed forces in parades as well as Junaid Hussain alongside him. "But they don't appear in my report because I was going for arrests and convictions, whereas he was in touch with people in the UK, encouraging them but it didn't lead to an arrest." Mr Simcox added that many plots were disrupted in the early stages before they led to an arrest. The report highlighted an increase in ISIL-linked plots in the last 12 months and the author told the Telegraph that his own research proved there were more attacks planned, foiled or had taken place every four weeks in the last few months. "The last five months of the period studied, there are an average of five plots that take place or foiled in three of those months and in one, there's more in one month. "So actually the number of 2.3 - which is the average and I agree it's high - it's disproportionately low when you look at the most recent months." He added: "There's no reason to believe that this rate won't remain the same. There's all sorts of things we can do to try and reduce the threat but if you look at the nature of the plots taking place in Europe, they involve guns and knives." The report released on the 30 Sep 15 exclusively to the Telegraph found that only one attack had been directly organised by ISIL itself involving fighters who had previously travelled to Syria and Iraq. Terrorists in Verviers, eastern Belgium were planning an attack after they had returned home from the Middle East. Special Forces raided the apartment of Marouane el-Bali, Sofiane Amghar and Khalid Ben Larbi, who were heavily armed and opened fire with Kalashnikovs and grenades. Amghar and Ben Larbi were killed while Bali was taken into custody and charged with participation in a terrorist organisation, possession of explosions with intent to commit a criminal attack and prohibited possession of weapons. Mr Simcox said he feared that there could be more crude attacks called for by ISIL spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani in Sep 14. "That ideology and that instruction [from al-Adnani] and that propaganda drives people into this kind of crude attack." He pointed to recent plots where terrorists or would-be terrorists moved away from al-Qaeda-type bomb-making plans to "much more low grade, crude attacks using guns and vehicles". He said there was "a clear link between the instruction by al-Adnani to carry out these attacks and then the blossoming in the months afterwards". According to Mr Simcox the threat could only be countered properly "with a more robust military response" as well as stopping people travelling to Syria to join the so-called "caliphate". He stressed the importance of showing the UK offers a "better ideology" as well as military force because a "smart press release" would not alone win the fight against ISIL.
United Kingdom – Britain's head of domestic intelligence has warned that the level of terrorist plotting against Britain is at its highest level in more than three decades, it was reported on the 17 Sep 15. Andrew Parker on Thursday used a BBC Radio interview to call for new powers to monitor communications to track terror plots. He said the proliferation of new Internet technologies poses a difficult challenge. It was the first live broadcast interview given by any British intelligence chief. Parker said "they are using secure apps and Internet communication to try to broadcast their message and incite and direct terrorism amongst people who live here who are prepared to listen." Parker said British police and security services had intervened to foil six terrorist plots in the last 12 months, more than at any point in his 32-year career.
Italy/Bangladesh/Islamic State – Islamic State terrorists have claimed responsibility for the murder of an Italian NGO worker in the diplomatic zone of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Cesare Tavella, 50, a project manager for a food security organisation in Dhaka was shot in the back on the evening of the 28 Sep 15 by three assailants who, according to witnesses, escaped in a motorbike. In a statement published just hours after the fatal shooting, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) said that a “security detachment” had tracked and killed Tavella with “silenced weapons” and warned that “citizens of the crusader coalition” would not be safe in Muslim nations. However while speaking to reporters on the 29 Sep 15, Asaduzzaman Khan, Bangladesh’s home affairs minister, said: "There is no presence of ISIL in Bangladesh .. We do not have any information about ISIL's involvement in this killing." He added that the murder was an 'isolated incident'. The murder came two days after the Australian cricket team postponed the start of its tour of Bangladesh on the basis of "reliable information to suggest that militants may be planning to target Australian interests in Bangladesh". On the day of the incident, the UK and US government had also issued travel warnings to Bangladesh. Diplomats in Dhaka said that they were looking into the ISIL claim but had not yet come to any conclusions about its reliability. The murder could mark the first external terrorist activity focused on a foreign national in Bangladesh. 361 COMMENT: The chances are that this terrorist incident was carried out by external members of the ISIL. The reason that the Bangladesh government is playing the incident down is that it does not want to panic people and hopefully encourage foreign sports team to return. Cricket is big business in Asia somewhat equivalent to major football/soccer leagues. So the money that will be lost will have a big impact on the countries income. COMMENT ENDS
West/Islamic State – Islamic State-linked terror plots are increasing with attacks on the West foiled or taking place at a rate of more than two a month, according to a new study and published in a British newspaper on the 30 Sep 15. Since the declaration of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) "caliphate" last year, nine attacks unfolded out of a total of 32 ISIL-inspired plots, or 2.3 a month, the Henry Jackson Society (HJS) said. The think tank's latest study of ISIL-related terror found that the extremist group's slick media operation is contributing to the radicalisation and inspiring attacks in Europe and elsewhere. Although the US is under greater threat of attacks, countries in Europe have seen a higher number of deaths resulting from attacks. According to the report author, Robin Simcox, there are likely to be many more attacks planned that the public is not aware of. The research fellow at HJS pointed to the recent drone strikes on extremists in Syria planning to attack the UK. For example, look at Reyaad Khan who was one of those killed in the UK drone strike. He had been planning or encouraging attacks from Syria against the UK armed forces in parades as well as Junaid Hussain alongside him. "But they don't appear in my report because I was going for arrests and convictions, whereas he was in touch with people in the UK, encouraging them but it didn't lead to an arrest." Mr Simcox added that many plots were disrupted in the early stages before they led to an arrest. The report highlighted an increase in ISIL-linked plots in the last 12 months and the author told the Telegraph that his own research proved there were more attacks planned, foiled or had taken place every four weeks in the last few months. "The last five months of the period studied, there are an average of five plots that take place or foiled in three of those months and in one, there's more in one month. "So actually the number of 2.3 - which is the average and I agree it's high - it's disproportionately low when you look at the most recent months." He added: "There's no reason to believe that this rate won't remain the same. There's all sorts of things we can do to try and reduce the threat but if you look at the nature of the plots taking place in Europe, they involve guns and knives." The report released on the 30 Sep 15 exclusively to the Telegraph found that only one attack had been directly organised by ISIL itself involving fighters who had previously travelled to Syria and Iraq. Terrorists in Verviers, eastern Belgium were planning an attack after they had returned home from the Middle East. Special Forces raided the apartment of Marouane el-Bali, Sofiane Amghar and Khalid Ben Larbi, who were heavily armed and opened fire with Kalashnikovs and grenades. Amghar and Ben Larbi were killed while Bali was taken into custody and charged with participation in a terrorist organisation, possession of explosions with intent to commit a criminal attack and prohibited possession of weapons. Mr Simcox said he feared that there could be more crude attacks called for by ISIL spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani in Sep 14. "That ideology and that instruction [from al-Adnani] and that propaganda drives people into this kind of crude attack." He pointed to recent plots where terrorists or would-be terrorists moved away from al-Qaeda-type bomb-making plans to "much more low grade, crude attacks using guns and vehicles". He said there was "a clear link between the instruction by al-Adnani to carry out these attacks and then the blossoming in the months afterwards". According to Mr Simcox the threat could only be countered properly "with a more robust military response" as well as stopping people travelling to Syria to join the so-called "caliphate". He stressed the importance of showing the UK offers a "better ideology" as well as military force because a "smart press release" would not alone win the fight against ISIL.
United Kingdom – Britain's head of domestic intelligence has warned that the level of terrorist plotting against Britain is at its highest level in more than three decades, it was reported on the 17 Sep 15. Andrew Parker on Thursday used a BBC Radio interview to call for new powers to monitor communications to track terror plots. He said the proliferation of new Internet technologies poses a difficult challenge. It was the first live broadcast interview given by any British intelligence chief. Parker said "they are using secure apps and Internet communication to try to broadcast their message and incite and direct terrorism amongst people who live here who are prepared to listen." Parker said British police and security services had intervened to foil six terrorist plots in the last 12 months, more than at any point in his 32-year career.
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