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Hafiz Saeed sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for terror financing
Today's Headlines
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Page 1: WoT Operations
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Page 2: WoT Background
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Page 3: Non-WoT
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Page 4: Opinion
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Page 6: Politix
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Afghanistan
NDS Forces arrest 9 ISIS sympathizers from a landmark mall in Kabul city
[KhaamaPress] The Special Forces of the National Directorate of Security
...the Afghan national intel agency...
(NDS) arrested 9 sympathizers of the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terrorist during an operation in Kabul city.

According to a statement released by NDS, the Special Forces of the Directorate arrested the ISIS sympathizers during a raid which they recently conducted in Gulbahar Center.

Haris collected a considerable amount of money in European countries under the pretext of supporting the poor Muslims and channeled the funds to ISIS group in Afghanistan.
Led by Haris who is based out of Afghanistan, the group had established a shop ’Dar-ul-Hejab’ in the second floor of Gulbahar Center, a property dealership in Qala-e Musa and a money exchange shop in Sarai Shahzada.

The statement further added that Haris had established the businesses with the support of Mohammad Edris in Kabul city in a bid to provide financial support to the terror group.

The National Directorate of Security also added that Haris collected a considerable amount of money in Europe
...the land mass occupying the space between the English Channel and the Urals, also known as Moslem Lebensraum...
an countries under the pretext of supporting the poor Moslems and channeled the funds to ISIS group in Afghanistan.

The detained ISIS sympathizers transferred the funds to various provinces of Afghanistan to help cure the maimed ISIS fighters and their family members, NDS added.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336090 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Africa North
Sinai’s terrorist attack repelled
[AlAhram] al-Ahram Weekly reports on Sinai’s second terrorist attack this month

Thanks to the efforts of the army Egypt is no longer among the top 10 countries affected by terrorism. The Egyptian army itself now ranks ninth among the strongest armies in the world.
The Armed Forces repelled a terrorist attack on a security installation in North Sinai on Sunday. According to local sources, the incident took place in al-Gora, south of Sheikh Zuweid.

In a press statement Military Spokesman Colonel Tamer al-Rifaai attributed the army’s success to "the vigilance of the guards who made it possible for the security force at the installation to intercept and engage the terrorists, killing 10 and destroying a four wheel drive vehicle."
Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/13/2020 00:03 || Comments || Link || [336107 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  Al Gora was once the home of the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) paid for by the United States and emplaced in Sinai. It was there to observe activity and maintain the peace between Egypt and Israel. It was a very large base. I suppose the relevance of the MFO is now nil.
Posted by: b || 02/13/2020 9:03 Comments || Top||


LNA spox: We saw a militant group we believe to be #ISIS in the southwest
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336075 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  Without location this item is meaningless. The western Fezzan is one huge region.
Posted by: b || 02/13/2020 9:07 Comments || Top||


Arabia
Two Hezbollah advisers and two Iraqis reportedly killed in Saudi-led coalition airstrikes east of Sanaa
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336091 views] Top|| File under: Hezbollah


India-Pakistan
Hafiz Saeed sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison for terror financing
[DAWN] A Lahore anti-terrorism court convicted Jamatud Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed
...founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and its false-mustache offshoot Jamaat-ud-Dawa. The United Nations declared the JuD a terrorist organization in 2008 and Hafiz Saeed a terrorist as its leader. Hafiz, JuD and LeT are wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Pak intel apparatus, so that amounted to squat. He is periodically placed under house arrest so it looks like the govt is doing something. Once the heat is off they let him go....
in two terror-financing cases on Wednesday.

He was slapped with a prison sentence of five-and-a-half years and a fine of Rs15,000 in each case. The sentences of both cases will run concurrently. The court also granted him the benefit of Section 382-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure (reduction of period of sentence of imprisonment). Malik Zafar Iqbal, the secretary of al-Anfaal Trust, has also been convicted in the same cases and has been awarded similar punishment.

They were convicted under the Anti-Terrorism Act Section 11-F(2) ‐ pertaining to membership, support and meetings relating to a proscribed organization ‐ and 11-N (punishment under Sections 11-H to 11-K).

Section 11H relates to fundraising for the purpose of terrorism, 11-I is about the use and possession of money or other property for terrorism, 11-J relates to funding arrangements which result in money being made available for terrorism, while 11-K relates to money laundering.
The Jerusalem Post explains why this pet of the ISI, mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai massacre that killed 160 over four days, is suddenly convicted of anything:
The Islamist leader was the first high profile figure convicted on terrorism financing charges in Pakistan, which denies regular accusations that it shelters militants.

The unprecedented ruling came ahead of a meeting of a world financial watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), next week to decide whether to blacklist Pakistan over a failure to curb terrorism financing.

Amid pressure from the FATF to take action against Saeed's militant groups, Pakistan charged him in December with collecting funds for his organizations, which are listed as terrorist organizations by the United Nations. He pleaded not guilty.

"Hafiz Saeed and another of his close aides have been sentenced in two cases of terrorism financing," prosecutor Abdul Rauf Watto told Reuters.

Saeed has denied any involvement and says his network, which spans 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance services, has no ties to militant groups.

Saeed and his group's charities had entered into the country's politics under a plan backed by Pakistan army in a bid to integrate the militants in mainstream society. They contested the 2018 general election under a new name, Milli Muslim League (MML), but did not secure any seats.
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336138 views] Top|| File under: Lashkar e-Taiba

#1  From the JP link: The unprecedented ruling came ahead of a meeting of a world financial watchdog, Financial Action Task Force (FATF), next week to decide whether to blacklist Pakistan over a failure to curb terrorism financing.
So, the Paks are tossing him under the bus to avoid being blacklisted by the FATF. But as Fred notes, once the heat is off, they'll let him out.
Posted by: Spot || 02/13/2020 13:29 Comments || Top||


Iraq
ISIS threat unabated in Diyala province’s ‘security vacuum’: Kurdish officials
[Rudaw] Fearful of attacks by Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS), 24 residents of the Diyala province village of Qalla stand guard throughout the night - a practice that has become routine since October 2017, when Peshmerga forces were driven out of the region by the Iraqi Army.

"Our situation is bad. We stand guard until the morning. We are ready for any task given to us," said villager Saman Mikael.

There is an 8 kilometer security void between the Diyala province towns of Khanaqin, Jalawla, and Qaratapa. The ungoverned space is a result of the collapse in communications between Iraqi and Kurdish forces.

Kurdish officials say ISIS remnants have capitalized on the security gap.

"It has been a long time since ISIS [Islamic State] returned to the region including Qaratapa, Jabara, Kolajo, all the way to Khanaqin in large numbers. The presence of ISIS in the region is the result of rivalries between us and the Iraqi Army leading to a security vacuum," said Shamal Abdulrahman, a local Asayesh head.

In recent weeks, the Iraqi Army has started building observation posts in the open terrain. According to Iraqi Army intelligence, ISIS has established the so-called ’Retaliatory Group’, a force made up of 15 snipers. ISIS murderous Moslems are under orders to target security forces and civilians, the army says.

Peshmerga officials want the Iraqi Army to build observation posts in coordination with Kurdish forces.

"The security void should be filled. The Iraqi Army had better establish watch posts in areas that maintain a security vacuum," Peshmerga commander Brig. Gen. Kamal Mohammed said. "ISIS [Islamic State] is capitalizing on the security voids ‐ not places where the Peshmerga are present. To fill the security voids, we have designated certain places for the Iraqi Army to go."

ISIS murderous Moslems have also upped their kidnapping campaign. At the last turn of the month, murderous Moslems kidnapped nine civilians in the Garmiyan region of Diyala, where they regularly establish fake checkpoints. The fate of the civilians remains unknown.
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336099 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State


Iraqi army launches new anti-ISIS op – without coalition or PMF backing
[Rudaw] Iraqi security forces have launched a new operation targeting the Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
(ISIS) group’s sleeper cells in areas of Anbar province bordering Syria and Jordan, military officials announced early Wednesday. It will not include the US-led coalition or the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
Ooooohhh — bold move.
The areas have seen a recent uptick in holy warrior activity, including bombings, ambushes, kidnapping, extortion, and arson.

Continued on Page 49
Posted by: trailing wife || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336091 views] Top|| File under: Islamic State

#1  Good hunting.
Posted by: gorb || 02/13/2020 9:24 Comments || Top||


#Protesters of #Babel #march toward house of governor, #Hassan #Mindeel, after end of the ultimatum granted for him to resign
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336070 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Lawyer Ali Maarij, who is in charge of defending protesters since beginning of demonstrations, shot by gunmen outside #DhiQar Federal Court
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336085 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Protesters heading toward #DhiQar police station to cordon it, in the wake of arresting four demonstraters
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336083 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Clashes between security forces and protesters near Sinek bridge in #Baghdad
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336071 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Iraqi authorities reopened one of Baghdad’s major bridges shut for months by anti-government protesters
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336090 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


Iraq's peaceful protests continue at #AlAhrar Square in #Karbala
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336117 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq


#Iraq's #SWAT forces use medium weapons, practice extreme violence against peaceful #Iraqi protesters near Al-#Nasr Bridge in #Nasiriyah city
[TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336104 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iraq

#1 
Posted by: Alistaire Phavick9449 || 02/13/2020 6:59 Comments || Top||


Syria-Lebanon-Iran
US warship seizes Iranian-designed missiles in the Arabian Sea
Link
Posted by: g(r)omgoru || 02/13/2020 15:54 || Comments || Link || [336136 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Iran

#1  Bad link.

Now Iranian designed... and built? Or just farmed out to Ethiopia?
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/13/2020 17:39 Comments || Top||

#2  JPost link substituted - should work now
Posted by: Frank G || 02/13/2020 18:31 Comments || Top||

#3  US Navy warship seizes Iranian missiles in Arabian Sea
"The weapons seized include 150 'Dehlavieh' anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), which are Iranian-manufactured copies of Russian Kornet ATGMs."
Posted by: Clyde Whesing6325 || 02/13/2020 18:33 Comments || Top||

#4  Heh... put those things on the range and see how they do.

Bet they kinda suck and counter measures can be very useful against them.
Posted by: DarthVader || 02/13/2020 19:04 Comments || Top||


The Turkish army bombed the locations of pro-Assad forces in Kafr Haleb, west of Aleppo
[PUBLISH.TWITTER]
Posted by: Fred || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336072 views] Top|| File under: Sublime Porte

#1  It should not be forgotten that Assad hates Erdogan and vice versa. It began when Assad's father destroyed the Muslim Brotherhood base at Homs, Syria, killing 20,000 and forcing Brotherhood survivors to flee to Turkey. There they found protection that continues under Erdogan.
Posted by: b || 02/13/2020 9:10 Comments || Top||


Jets Fly Show Of Force During Gunfight Between US And Syrian Troops At Checkpoint (Updated)
[The Drive] Many of the exact details about the incident are still unclear, but U.S. Air Force F-15 combat jets executed a show of force during a standoff between U.S. troops and a mob aligned with Syria's dictator Bashar Al Assad at a checkpoint, which had spiraled into a brief gunbattle. That skirmish left one Syrian dead and an American with very minor injuries. A Russian military patrol that was in the area was also on the scene during the shooting, which follows weeks of similar standoffs between U.S. and Russian personnel in northeastern Syria.

The U.S.-led coalition ostensibly fighting ISIS in both Syria and Iraq confirmed that the incident had occurred at a checkpoint near the town of Qamishli, which is situated right on the Syrian-Turkish border in Syria's northeastern corner. Syrian state media said that the altercation had taken place specifically on a stretch of road in the village of Khirbet Ammu, to the east of Qamishli. The U.S. forces were traveling in a convoy in a mix of M-ATV and MRAP mine-resistant wheeled armored vehicles at the time.

There was also a report on Feb. 9, 2020, that U.S. forces had begun building a new, semi-permanent outpost in the city of Hasakah, a major hub and capital of the province of the same name, roughly 45 miles southwest of Qamishli.

Posted by: Besoeker || 02/13/2020 00:00 || Comments || Link || [336114 views] Top|| File under: Govt of Syria

#1  I bet it didn’t take 13 Hours for the jets to arrive
Posted by: Uleck Spererong9442 || 02/13/2020 6:58 Comments || Top||

#2  More proof positive that OrangeMan is a Russian agent.
/sarc
Posted by: Lex || 02/13/2020 7:54 Comments || Top||

#3  The shi* disturbers backed off. Everyone simply departed the AO and went home for lunch. Amazing how it all happened.
Posted by: Besoeker || 02/13/2020 7:58 Comments || Top||

#4  Hillary Clinton to the white courtesy phone. Your opinion would be appreciated.
Posted by: gorb || 02/13/2020 9:28 Comments || Top||

#5  Bring back cluster munitions. Use them.
Posted by: M. Murcek || 02/13/2020 15:11 Comments || Top||

#6 
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