Belgium – Police in Belgium have made 12 arrests in a huge anti-terror operation, nearly three months after the deadly bomb attacks on Brussels it was reported on the 18 Jun 16. Those detained overnight are suspected of plotting a terrorist attack, prosecutors say. They were among 40 taken in for questioning. Searches were conducted in 16 municipalities, mainly around Brussels, with checks on 152 lock-up garages. On 22 Mar 16 bombs killed 32 people at a Brussels airport and a metro station. No arms or explosives were found during the searches, which passed off without incident, Belgium's federal prosecutor said in a statement. Among the areas where searches took place was Molenbeek, a Brussels district which has become notorious because of its associations with jihadists. The federal prosecutor said the operation had been launched after investigations which "necessitated an immediate intervention". However, the Belgian government has not raised the threat level. There were several warnings of new attacks in recent days. On the evening of the 17 Jun 16 four federal ministers including Prime Minister Charles Michel were placed under heightened police protection along with their families, Belgian media report. Belgian police are said to have recently received a warning that a group of militants from the so-called Islamic State (IS) group had left Syria en route for Europe, planning new attacks in Belgium and France. An unnamed security source was quoted by Belgian newspaper DH (in French) on the 15 Jun 16 as saying the group had "left Syria about a week-and-a-half ago aiming to reach Europe via Turkey and Greece by boat without passports". Meanwhile, a Belgian national named as Youssef EA was arrested on the 17 Jun 16 and charged on suspicion of terrorist activities in connection with the March attacks, which were claimed by IS. Belgian media report that he is the eighth person to have been charged over the attacks, which were carried out by three suicide bombers. Investigators have established connections between the Brussels bombers and the IS attacks on Paris on 13 Nov 15 in which 130 people were killed. Several of the Paris bombers came from Belgium and some of the bombs were made in a flat in Brussels. 361 COMMENT: It is difficult to assess if any of those who were arrested were from Iraq/Syria. These may have been in place for some time and waiting for guidencce or the go-ahead to conduct terrorist operations or that another group had made a new cell structure to carry out attacks, not necessary in Belgium but throughout Europe. The fact that no weapons or explosives were found may lead to a conclusion that they are still with a Quartermaster somewhere. This would indicate that there is more to come possible from other cells that have not been identified yet. COMMENT ENDS
Follow on Report – Belgian prosecutors charged three men with terrorism offences on the 18 Jun 16 following the overnight. Nine of them were released after questioning but three Belgian nationals identified as 27-year-old Samir C., 40-year-old Moustapha B., and 29-year-old Jawad B., were charged with “having attempted to commit a terrorist murder and for participation in the activities of a terrorist group”, the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.
France/United Nations/North Africa/Ansar Dine – The head of Ansar Dine extremist group , Iyad Ag Ghaly, has released his first video in 22 months, reiterating threats against France and the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in Mali. In the footage given at the weekend 25/26 Jun 16 Ag Ghaly singles out a violent protest in Kidal in north-eastern Mali in April against French forces and the 12,000-strong peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSMA, as an example of ways to confront "the crusaders' military machine". The 11-minute clip, delivered in Arabic and the Tuareg language Tamasheq, is Ag Ghaly's first since one posted online on the 5 Aug 14. Following rumours over recent months circulating in local media, Ag Ghaly appeared because "he wants to show that he is still alive", an extremist group specialist told said. Mali's vast, desolate north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with groups linked to al-Qaeda in 2012. They were largely ousted by a French-led operation preceding Barkhane in Jan 13, although they have since launched sporadic attacks on security forces from desert hideouts. Ag Ghaly has not been seen in Mali since Jan 13 just before the United States designated his group as a terror organization due to its links to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
France – French security services are investigating death threats made towards the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo it was reported on the 30 Jun 16. Le Parisien reports that a source close to the investigation told the newspaper the first threat was posted on the magazine’s Facebook account before being removed by an unknown person. The threat said that several members of the editorial team would be the targets of an attack. A similar threat, using similar language, was sent directly to the magazine’s editor. The police source told Le Parisien: “The messages raise the idea of killing several members of the editorial team, again.” Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, two brothers who became ISIS followers, attacked the Charlie Hebdo’s Paris offices on the 7 Jan 15. They killed eleven people and injured a further eleven, before being killed by the police. The magazine’s offices have since been placed under enhanced security. The Local reports that the magazine is now based at a top secret location, after initially moving from the offices where the attack took place to the offices of the daily newspaper Libération.
Spain – On the 14 Jun 16 but reported on the 16 Jun 16 the pro-ISIS media group Al-Wafa posted an article in Arabic titled "Message to the People of Andalus [i.e., Spain]." The article, signed by "Abu Bakr Al-Maghribi" and distributed via the group's Telegram page, calls upon the citizens of Spain to take advantage of the upcoming elections to replace the current ruling party with "the new political movements," hinting at the left-wing party Podemos. The author, whose name suggests he is of Moroccan origin, urges the Spaniards to elect a new government that will withdraw from the cities of Melilla and Ceuta (autonomous Spanish cities in North Africa) and "stop persecuting Muslims." Otherwise, he says, they and their families "will drown in Rivers of their own blood."
United Kingdom/Northern Ireland – Police found 1.5kg of Semtex at Maeve House in the New Lodge area on the 20 Jun16 after a report from a member of the public. It is the second time in two years that explosives have been found in Maeve House. Two-and-a-half kilos of the explosive was found in a cupboard at the building in May 2014. "There is a threat level that is rated severe in Northern Ireland and finding this quantity of Semtex points to no let-up in the determination of terrorists to kill and maim officers or other members of the security services," Mr Lindsay said. "We must be constantly vigilant and aware. There must be no let-up or relaxation in our efforts to thwart and frustrate these mindless individuals." Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said the items will now be subject to a detailed forensic examination. "This was a significant recovery and we want to make sure that we gather every single piece of available information to assist us with our inquiries," he added. "We are appealing to the public to assist us and continue working with us, and give us any information they have about any suspicious activity in this area which might assist our investigation." Justice Minister Claire Sugden said she had been briefed about the "worrying find". "Those responsible really do have no regard for public safety and they do not conduct anything with care - their intent is to cause havoc and unfortunately this can cause injury or kill," she said. "I find it incomprehensible that this material was found in a residential area." In recent months two terrorist hides containing bomb-making components were discovered in two forests near Larne. Last month it emerged that the number of bombing incidents across the region increased by 44% within a year. Last year there were 52 bomb attacks - including the booby-trap that killed prison officer Adrian Ismay - compared to 36 incidents in 2014/15, according to PSNI statistics. These incidents include devices which exploded or were defused.
Follow on Report – Belgian prosecutors charged three men with terrorism offences on the 18 Jun 16 following the overnight. Nine of them were released after questioning but three Belgian nationals identified as 27-year-old Samir C., 40-year-old Moustapha B., and 29-year-old Jawad B., were charged with “having attempted to commit a terrorist murder and for participation in the activities of a terrorist group”, the federal prosecutor's office said in a statement.
France/United Nations/North Africa/Ansar Dine – The head of Ansar Dine extremist group , Iyad Ag Ghaly, has released his first video in 22 months, reiterating threats against France and the United Nations' peacekeeping mission in Mali. In the footage given at the weekend 25/26 Jun 16 Ag Ghaly singles out a violent protest in Kidal in north-eastern Mali in April against French forces and the 12,000-strong peacekeeping mission, known as MINUSMA, as an example of ways to confront "the crusaders' military machine". The 11-minute clip, delivered in Arabic and the Tuareg language Tamasheq, is Ag Ghaly's first since one posted online on the 5 Aug 14. Following rumours over recent months circulating in local media, Ag Ghaly appeared because "he wants to show that he is still alive", an extremist group specialist told said. Mali's vast, desolate north fell under the control of Tuareg-led rebels who allied with groups linked to al-Qaeda in 2012. They were largely ousted by a French-led operation preceding Barkhane in Jan 13, although they have since launched sporadic attacks on security forces from desert hideouts. Ag Ghaly has not been seen in Mali since Jan 13 just before the United States designated his group as a terror organization due to its links to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).
France – French security services are investigating death threats made towards the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo it was reported on the 30 Jun 16. Le Parisien reports that a source close to the investigation told the newspaper the first threat was posted on the magazine’s Facebook account before being removed by an unknown person. The threat said that several members of the editorial team would be the targets of an attack. A similar threat, using similar language, was sent directly to the magazine’s editor. The police source told Le Parisien: “The messages raise the idea of killing several members of the editorial team, again.” Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, two brothers who became ISIS followers, attacked the Charlie Hebdo’s Paris offices on the 7 Jan 15. They killed eleven people and injured a further eleven, before being killed by the police. The magazine’s offices have since been placed under enhanced security. The Local reports that the magazine is now based at a top secret location, after initially moving from the offices where the attack took place to the offices of the daily newspaper Libération.
Spain – On the 14 Jun 16 but reported on the 16 Jun 16 the pro-ISIS media group Al-Wafa posted an article in Arabic titled "Message to the People of Andalus [i.e., Spain]." The article, signed by "Abu Bakr Al-Maghribi" and distributed via the group's Telegram page, calls upon the citizens of Spain to take advantage of the upcoming elections to replace the current ruling party with "the new political movements," hinting at the left-wing party Podemos. The author, whose name suggests he is of Moroccan origin, urges the Spaniards to elect a new government that will withdraw from the cities of Melilla and Ceuta (autonomous Spanish cities in North Africa) and "stop persecuting Muslims." Otherwise, he says, they and their families "will drown in Rivers of their own blood."
United Kingdom/Northern Ireland – Police found 1.5kg of Semtex at Maeve House in the New Lodge area on the 20 Jun16 after a report from a member of the public. It is the second time in two years that explosives have been found in Maeve House. Two-and-a-half kilos of the explosive was found in a cupboard at the building in May 2014. "There is a threat level that is rated severe in Northern Ireland and finding this quantity of Semtex points to no let-up in the determination of terrorists to kill and maim officers or other members of the security services," Mr Lindsay said. "We must be constantly vigilant and aware. There must be no let-up or relaxation in our efforts to thwart and frustrate these mindless individuals." Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said the items will now be subject to a detailed forensic examination. "This was a significant recovery and we want to make sure that we gather every single piece of available information to assist us with our inquiries," he added. "We are appealing to the public to assist us and continue working with us, and give us any information they have about any suspicious activity in this area which might assist our investigation." Justice Minister Claire Sugden said she had been briefed about the "worrying find". "Those responsible really do have no regard for public safety and they do not conduct anything with care - their intent is to cause havoc and unfortunately this can cause injury or kill," she said. "I find it incomprehensible that this material was found in a residential area." In recent months two terrorist hides containing bomb-making components were discovered in two forests near Larne. Last month it emerged that the number of bombing incidents across the region increased by 44% within a year. Last year there were 52 bomb attacks - including the booby-trap that killed prison officer Adrian Ismay - compared to 36 incidents in 2014/15, according to PSNI statistics. These incidents include devices which exploded or were defused.
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