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Tag: ISIS

Paris attacks: Father of suspected mastermind denounces him

Abaaoud, father of Abdelhamid Abaaoud, who is suspected by European authorities of being one of the masterminds of the Paris terrorist attacks, has rejected his son’s behaviour and denounced him in Belgian media.

The Moroccan immigrants said on Wednesday in an interview in Brussels that he was so ashamed of his son.

“I am ashamed of Abdelhamid, my son, why would he want to kill innocent Belgians our family owes everything to this country.’’

Abdelhamid Abaaoud, a 28-year-old Belgian national who featured prominently in Islamic State propaganda this year, is suspected by European authorities of being one of the masterminds of the Paris terrorist attacks.

A report from Belgium said Islamic State’s magazine Dabiq, which was distributed over social media, featured him in an edition that came out in February.

“In one photo he is smiling, wearing military fatigues and holding an assault rifle.

“In a second, he stands in front of an armoured car and holds the black Islamic State flag and a copy of the Koran,’’ it said.

It said further that in the interview with Dabiq, he boasted about his involvement in a terrorist cell in Belgium.

Authorities in Brussels have suspected he was involved with an Islamist gang. A police raid in January in the eastern city Verviers left two of the cell members dead.

Abaaoud claimed there was a gun battle lasting 10 minutes at the end of which his two comrades, known as Abuz-Zubayr al-Baljiki and Abu-Khalid al-Baljiki were killed.

He said both have desired for so long for death.

Abaaoud said he travelled to Syria and claimed he was stopped by European border guards but managed to evade capture after the shootout in January.

“All this proves that a Muslim should not fear the bloated image of the crusader intelligence.

“My name and picture were all over the news yet I am able to stay in their homeland, plan operations against them, and leave safely when doing so became necessary,’’ he said.

He also talked about smuggling himself into Europe to “terrorise the crusaders waging war against the Muslims’’.

He was notoriously recorded in a 2014 video driving a car dragging mutilated bodies and boasting about killing apostates.

Abaaoud claimed in an Islamic State publication that he evaded capture this year after European officials failed to recognise and arrest him.

November 18, 2015
Sect pledges allegiance to ISIS in video

Boko Haram militants yesterday released a videoin which the speaker did not identify himself, re-affirming their allegiance to the Islamic State and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

He asserted that Boko Haram, also known as IS West Africa Province, was still under the leadership of Abubakar Shekau, who hasn’t appeared in a video since February.

The man, who spoke in both Arabic and heavily accented Hausa, denied claims by the military that some members of Boko Haram had surrendered to the army.

He also denied that the military had rescued some women and children abducted by Boko Haram, saying the security forces had failed on the battle front and were now resorting to a media campaign to rubbish the insurgents.

The violent campaign by the group would not be derailed, he said.

October 8, 2015
Buhari seeks military action against ISIS, Boko Haram, others

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday harped on the need for world leaders to take military action, effective border security, intelligence collection, sharing and vigorous policing action against the Islamic State in the Middle East and other violent extremism across the globe.

He spoke during the Global Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIS and violent extremism at the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly in United States.

Stressing that Nigeria has noted with satisfaction the efforts of the UN and the rest of the international community towards containing ISIS, he said that world leaders need to do more.

He said: “We need to take military action combined with effective border security, intelligence collection and sharing, and vigorous policing action.

“These alone may not suffice, but they can certainly stem the tide and reverse the process of recruitment, movement and effective operation of foreign terrorist fighters and their associated radical extremists.

“In order to put in place the critical components of an effective approach to countering ISIS and eventually defeating it, we must address the threat from the source.”

He said that everything must be done to prevent young people from turning to terror in the first place.

“And the young people that turn to violent extremism do not exist in a vacuum – they are often part of communities and families and are lured into the fold of barbaric and nihilistic organizations, somehow, through a misguided appeal to their worst fears, expectations and apparent frustrations.”

Apart from addressing the causes of the attraction and how to deal with them, he said that close attention should be paid to other manifest factors that may not be tangible but can be crucial including good governance, which entails transparency, accountability and rule of law.

These factors, he said, remained the basis on which the process should be kick-started to rid the world of the menace of terrorism and violent extremism.

September 29, 2015
Presidency: don’t drag Buhari into ISIS chief’s visa crisis

The Presidency yesterday cautioned against dragging the name of President Muhammadu Buhari into the controversy over how a leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Ahmed Al-Assir, got a Nigerian visa.

A presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, said yesterday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has demanded a report from the Nigerian mission in Lebanon, should be allowed to carry out the assignment.

Shehu said it was mischievous to drag the person of President Muhammadu Buhari into how the ISIS chief secured the visa.

Al-Assir, said to be the Chief Imam of ISIS was arrested on August 15 at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport in Lebanon on his way to Nigeria through Egypt.

In spite of being on the watch-list of Lebanon’s security services since 2013, Al-Assir was detected while holding a fake Palestinian passport with the Nigerian visa.

The Lebanese government accused him of involvement in the death of 17 Lebanese soldiers.

He was also sentenced to death in absentia by a Lebanese court.

But how he beat the visa process at the Nigerian Embassy in Lebanon is creating ripples in security circles.

The Federal Government is said to be disturbed that Al-Assir succeeded in deceiving the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Embassy officials.

Although the suspect reportedly changed his identity and looks and presented superficial documents for visa, the government decided to probe the incident to ascertain that there was no internal collaboration at its mission.

Some security agencies, including the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) and the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), will also be involved in the investigation to get to the root of the diplomatic challenge and how to avert a re-occurrence.

A source said: “As I talk to you, those at the nation’s embassy in Lebanon have been queried on how things went wrong.

“The embassy has been mandated to submit a comprehensive report to the Federal Government within 72 hours.

“The report is expected to cover how Al-Assir applied for visa, the documents submitted, what he claimed as his mission to Nigeria, the procedure adopted in verifying his claims; whether or not there was any collaboration with security agencies in Nigeria; and the timeline for the issuance of the visa.

“The government is also interested if the ISIS chief was questioned on where he would stay in Nigeria, his host and the duration of his trip.”

Another source added: “Besides the report, the security agencies will also look into the list of those granted visa in the last few months to ascertain whether ISIS members had covertly applied.

“We are worried because Boko Haram has pledged loyalty to ISIS. And the botched trip of Al-Assir is reawakening because it has confirmed Boko Haram’s claim.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has called for a full report on the case and it is investigating it.

“But it is mischievous for anyone to attempt to drag the person of President Muhammadu Buhari into the incident. The Buhari administration had nothing to do with the suspect or the supposed visit of the ISIS chief.

“Without prejudice to the ongoing investigation, it should be noted that Nigerian missions are to serve, they can adjudge an applicant for visa on the basis of documents presented to the Embassy. What is hidden in their heart, you will not know

“And for this applicant, we have read report of how he concealed his identity and wore a new look to get the visa.

“Since the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking into the matter, let us await the outcome of the investigation.”

August 20, 2015
Two ISIS-bound Nigerians arrested in India

Two young Nigerians suspected to be on their way to joining the Islamic State (ISIS) terror gang were on Friday arrested at the volatile India-Pakistan border after scaling a barbed wire fence near the border .

Alert Border Security Force (BSF) troopers apprehended Imran Kabeer and Sani Jamiliu both from Kano and later handed them over to Punjab Police.

The suspects aged between 24 and 25 told BSF officials they wanted to go to Pakistan and later to Iraq.

They carried no valid travel documents to enter Pakistan.

Both youths arrived in the Sikh holy city of Amritsar, 30 km from Punjab, on Thursday from Delhi in a hired taxi. They argued with the taxi driver on Thursday night, hoodwinked him and drove away his Swift Dzire car.

They arrived at the integrated check point at Attari on Friday morning.

“On finding the border gates closed, the youths moved towards a barbed wire fence along the Attari-Wagah rail track (on which the Samjhauta Express peace train between both countries plies) and jumped over the high barbed wire fence, thinking they had entered Pakistan. BSF personnel immediately nabbed them,” a BSF official said.

BSF Amritsar sector deputy inspector general, M.F. Farooqui, confirmed the arrest.

August 7, 2015
Tears as Buhari, wife meet Chibok women
- Buhari’s wife, two Chibok women weep over Chibok girls at Defence House
The wife of the President, Aisha Buhari on Friday wept at the Defence House as she received two mothers of the over 200 Chibok school girls who were abducted by Boko Haram in April 2014

The two women, who also met with President Muhammadu Buhari, were weeping as they walked out from the meeting venue.

Vice President’s wife, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo was also at the closed-door meeting.

Speaking with journalists at the end of the meeting, Mrs. Osinbajo said: “Hajia Aisha Buhari had for many months, wanted to visit Chibok.

“She also wanted to meet with the mothers. Today, we had an opportunity for them to meet face to face.

“We had two of the mothers who still have their daughters missing after a year. Hajia being a mother met with them, held them and they cried, everybody cried.

“What only a mother will do is to say wait, I want you to see your father and see what your father will do. We were all extremely overwhelmed, that at this time when the President is so busy, he had time to meet with the women from Chibok.

“He spoke to them in English and Hausa. He explained to them how he keeps telling everybody to put themselves in their place.

“So, today, we have had the opportunity for the President and Hajia to show that they are our father and mother, for that we are glad.” She stated.
June 12, 2015
UN condemns murder of over 30 Ethiopian Christians

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday condemned the murder in Libya of over 30 Ethiopian Christians by an affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh).

The council made the condemnation in a statement issued by the UN Information Centre (UNIC), which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

It described the situation as a “heinous and cowardly murder’’.

“Members of the Security Council strongly condemned the heinous and cowardly apparent murder in Libya of over 30 Ethiopian Christians by an affiliate of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh).

“This crime once again demonstrates the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities,’’ it said.

The statement quoted the council to have said that ISIL must be urgently defeated and that its intolerance, violence and hatred must be stamped out.

It also expressed the council’s “deep sympathy and condolences’’ to the affected families and Ethiopian government.

The statement also restated the council’s strong condemnation of the persecution of individuals and entire communities on the basis of their religion or belief.

“The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, to the Government of Ethiopia, as well as to the families of all victims of ISIL.

“The members of the Security Council stressed again that ISIL must be defeated and that the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out.

“The members of the Council further emphasised that such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by ISIL do not intimidate them, but rather stiffen their resolve to counter ISIL,’’ it said.

April 21, 2015
No evidence linking Boko Haram to ISIS, says Fed Govt

THE Federal Government said yesterday it does not have any evidence yet linking Boko Haram with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Coordinator of the National Information Centre, Mike Omeri, who spoke with reporters with other security chiefs, said it was an act of desperation by the Boko Haram sect to be identifying with the ISIS.

“It can best be described as an act of sympathy and desperation by the sect to be identifying with ISIS; it is unacceptable.

“We wish to state that there is no evidence that the IS operates in Nigeria and the latest attempt by Boko Haram to identify with the group is an act of desperation aimed at seeking attention and possible assistance from outside in the face of the crushing defeat they are suffering in the hands of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other regional collaborators.

“The fact of the matter is that Nigeria and her neighbours are pushing the insurgents away from their strongholds, capturing many of them and destroying several of their facilities,” he said.

Omeri added that the government would do everything within its powers to sustain the fight against Boko Haram while also striving to get back the remaining lost territories.

His words: “We wish to assure Nigerians that this tempo will be sustained until every presence of Boko Haram insurgency is totally obliterated in Nigeria.

“The only nation that will exist in Nigeria is a united Federal Republic of Nigeria, which demands the cooperation, commitment and patriotism of all its citizens,” he said.

On the clampdown on Maiduguri and other targets, Omeri urged members of the public to remain very vigilant in public and business places as well as motor parks.

He said: “In our previous alerts to the nation, we warned of the possibility that fleeing members of the insurgent group would resort to attacking communities and other soft targets on their way.

“We continue to urge Nigerians to exercise extra-vigilance, especially at this period when our security forces continue to fish out members of the group who might have been embedded in the society, and whose activities have given rise to the recent bombing incidents within Maiduguri and other locations in the Northeast zone.

“The Federal Government strongly reminds all Nigerians to exercise more scrutiny of persons and movements, especially within their areas of business and worship.

“Motor-park and market managers must step up the level of security within their business premises, while religious authorities need to put in place more effective security cordon around places of worship to ensure the safety of the adherents,” he said.

Omeri added that as the protocols guiding the various regional co-operations and alliances continue to materialise, Nigerian military forces, with the assistance of the nation’s neighbours, have continued to record more successes in the recovery and liberation of more locations in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.

He said the territories, which have been retaken since Friday, include Marte, Mafa and Damasak (Borno State) as well as Buni Yadi, headquarters of Gujba Local Government Area and Buni Gari, Yobe State, bringing the number of towns recovered to 36.

Omeri added that field reports indicated that Nigerian soldiers were determined to clear Boko Haram from the entire zone in a short while.

He praised the efforts of Nigeria’s allies from Chad, Niger and Cameroun for putting in place measures to cut-off the supply lines of the terrorists.

The coordinator hoped that the unfolding regional cooperation would hasten the total defeat and extermination of Boko Haram from the sub-region.

March 12, 2015
U.S. probing Boko Haram’s link with ISIS

THE United States (U.S.) is probing Boko Haram’s alleged link with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), it was learnt yesterday.

There are also indications that the U.S. is considering providing additional equipment, training, advisory, and logistics support for the onslaught against Boko Haram in the weeks ahead.

A transcript of the daily press briefing of the White House in Washington DC, the U.S. capital, showed that the State Department believes the allegiance pledged by Boko Haram might also be a propaganda tool.

Boko Haram, at the weekend, came out with a message pledging allegiance to ISIS.

State Department’s spokesperson Ms Jen Psaki said: “We’re undertaking to assess the validity of these reports. Regardless of what links may or may not exist, Boko Haram remains a tremendous threat to the stability of the region and the safety of civilians.

“I think it’s important to also note that Boko Haram has previously pledged allegiance to both AQIM and al-Qaeda core in the past, but those pledges were assessed to be pledges of solidarity rather than any indication that its leadership plan to take orders from or allow these groups to usurp control.

“In fact, we observed minimal operational cooperation among the groups in that particular case. So, I just thought that was relevant information in terms of what’s happened in the past. Obviously, we’ll look into this, but we’ve also seen similar claims that are more designed for propaganda purposes than operational engagement.”

She added that despite the fact that there is no indication that Boko Haram’s claim on ISIS differ from the previous ones to al-Qaeda, the U.S. “will assess what it means. We continue to watch closely, and obviously, we take any of this seriously”.

On reports of ground troops from Chad and Niger launching a ground offensive and an air offensive against Boko Haram, she said: “We are aware of reports that Chadian and Nigerian troops are taking action against Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria, as are Nigerian forces. “We welcome the coordinated efforts by the defence and security forces of the region to protect civilians from Boko Haram. We are providing general support for the counter-Boko Haram effort, including equipment, training, and intelligence. We’ll consider additional equipment, training, advisory, and logistics support in the weeks ahead, and that’s something that has been ongoing in terms of our support for the counter-Boko Haram efforts for some time now.”

March 11, 2015
‘ISIS plans to recruit Nigerians’

THE Federal Government has alerted Nigerians that agents of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are scouting to recruit the nation’s youths as fighters.

It, therefore, urged the public to be at alert and shun any such recruitment.

The NOA Director General and Coordinator, National Information Center (NIC), Mr. Mike Omeri said this in a statement yesterday, citing intelligence reports.

Omeri said intelligence reports indicated that three South Africans were among fighters recruited by ISIS agents operating in the guise of humanitarian support groups for refugees and orphans.

He noted that ISIS was scouting for fighters around the Islamic world and Africa, urging Nigerians to avoid being deceived into joining the terror group, saying that was contrary to the true nature and spirit of Nigerians.

The NOA boss said: “Nigerians are known the world over to be selfless, hospitable and humanitarian. We believe in the brotherhood of all mankind and no one should be allowed to take advantage of these virtues or turn them into vices.

“Nigerians are, therefore, advised to report to security agencies without hesitation, any group or non-governmental agency, whose overt or covert activities are suspicious or have tendencies to jeopardise the innocence of our youth and the security of our people wherever they are in the world.”

Omeri reassured Nigerians that government was leaving no room to chance in the fight against terror and the protection of lives and property.

He urged Nigerians to increase their confidence in government’s security efforts, show greater cooperation with security agencies and ensure stricter compliance with security tips, which are running on print and electronic media platforms.

December 24, 2014