La Turquie va révéler “toute la vérité” sur le meurtre du journaliste saoudien Jamal Khashoggi à Istanbul, a promis dimanche son président Recep Tayyip Erdogan. De son côté, Ryad a assuré ignorer le “détail” des circonstances de sa mort, comme l’endroit où se trouve son corps.

Saudi Arabia on Saturday, finally admitted that journalist, Jamal Khashoggi died in a fight inside its Istanbul consulate and that it fired two senior officials over his death.

Foreigners sold a net 4.01 billion riyals ($1.07 billion) in Saudi stocks in the week ending Oct. 18, exchange data showed on Sunday – one of the biggest selloffs since the market opened to direct foreign buying in mid-2015.

EXCLUSIVE: Malhama Tactical – A Jihadi Private Military Contractor Operating In Syria, Comprising Former Russian Soldiers – Trains Fighters From Al-Qaeda Affiliated HTS, TIP, Fundraises Using Bitcoin And Selling Merchandise Online, Is Active On Social Media
The jihadi private military contractor Malhama Tactical (MT), which operates in Syria, has worked with Jabhat Fath Al-Sham (formerly Jabhat Al-Nusra, the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria), as well as Ahrar Al-Sham.
EXCLUSIVE: Pro-Al-Qaeda Telegram Channel Criticizes Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), Other Rebel Factions And Their Online Supporters Who Are Allegedly Writing From The ‘Heart Of Europe’ In The Netherlands
On October 5, 2018, an English-language pro-Al-Qaeda Telegram channel posted a long message criticizing other rebel factions including Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), and in the process sharing alleged personal information about the online supporters of those groups.
Report: Belgian ISIS Commander Killed In Syria
On October 13, 2018, Syrian websites reported the death of a senior commander in the Islamic State (ISIS) organization, identified as Abu Hajar Al-Beljiki.(by memri org.)

 “I believe we are underestimating the potency and danger of the radicalizers who don’t carry knives, guns and overtly plot terrorist attacks but who pollute the minds of young Muslim men.” — Richard Walton, former head of Scotland Yard’s counter-terrorism command.
 “I asked the guy who spoke to him if the de-radicalization program had worked and he said, ‘No, he’s got worse. He’s hardened. He speaks in the mind-set of the victim. He sees himself as a martyr the state tried to silence.’” — Fiyaz Mughal, head of the anti-extremist group Faith Matters.
 Choudary is now considering mounting a legal challenge to the strict conditions of his release, according to the Telegraph. It reported that he has applied for legal aid funding, at taxpayer expense, to bring his action against government ministers, and arguing the parole conditions breach his human rights.(by gatestoneinstitute.org).

 To execute the IPO of Saudi Aramco in a successful and timely way, the Saudi government needs to deal appropriately with definite issues.
 These include claims that Saudi Aramco has been overvalued by Saudis; “concerns about minority shareholder rights, the transparency of oil reserves,” and “how the Saudi government will balance national interests and its duty to shareholders” ; meeting the New York Stock Exchange’s stringent transparency standards; and the possibility that a New York listing places the IPO at risk of being seized in lawsuits claiming Saudi Arabia’s involvement in 9/11 attacks.
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the strategic plan of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to boost the kingdom’s economy, is facing a major challenge. Its cornerstone — the opening up of the state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco to outside investors — is possibly being postponed by at least a year, to 2021. (by gatestoneinstitute.org)

 The policy of multiculturalism, which emphasizes the benefits of cultural diversity for society and the state, is an example of the exploitation of others based on a fantasy of virtue. Those at whom the sweet talk of multiculturalism is aimed, can see that it has done nothing to improve their lot, and are now realizing that their future is bleak.
 If we bring in highly qualified immigrants to our workforce, we would be taking away from poorer countries the best they have to offer, and the situation in those countries will further deteriorate. The result will be an even greater flow of unskilled migrants escaping those countries.
 The proponents of the new multiculturalism want to share their welfare states with masses of refugees who — through no fault of their own — will be unable to participate in financing themselves for a long time to come.
… the nature of multiculturalism has changed. It has become a means to exert fierce psychological pressure primarily on the middle- and lower-income sectors in Europe. One form this pressure has taken is the equating of the plight of the current refugees to emigrants escaping to the West from behind the Iron Curtain. The comparison, however, does not really apply. The Eastern European at that time emigrants did not aspire to achieve “multicultural status”. Their goal was to integrate — to adapt to a society that was so generous as to have accepted them.
In short, mass waves of migrants represent statistically significantly greater risks than opportunities. They do not serve to boost prosperity. Our insurance systems, which were founded by, and developed for, the nation states whose populations they were meant to serve, were simply never designed to cover them.
The proponents of the new multiculturalism want to share their welfare states with masses of refugees who — through no fault of their own — will be unable to participate in financing themselves for a long time to come.(by gatestoneinstitute.org)

Le ministre français de l’Économie, Bruno Le Maire, a annoncé le 18 octobre qu’il ne se rendrait pas à Riyad, où il devait assister au sommet économique prévu du 23 au 25 octobre, en raison de la disparition du journaliste saoudien Jamal Khashoggi.

• Columnist ‘Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari, An Unconventional Voice In The Qatari Press: Defeating Terror Requires Not Only Military Action But A Comprehensive Ideological, Cultural, Educational And Religious Campaign
• Detained ISIS Commander Abu Abd Al-Haq Al-Iraqi: Disputes Among ISIS Leaders, Unqualified Field Commanders, And Abuse Of Local Population Led To ISIS Defeat (by memri org).

 One is amazed by the audacity wherewith those foreign interveners who have caused the most destruction in Syria call upon the rest of the world to foot the bill for rebuilding what they themselves have demolished. So the First Clause of the Responsibility Principle is that those foreign countries which intervened in Syria to pursue their own political aims – primarily Iran, the Russian Federation and Turkey – should pay up to rebuild everything that they destroyed.
 The Second Clause of the Responsibility Principle is that any other country or international factor should condition any further financial assistance upon the replacement of the current Syrian regime with a plausible alternative, be it through free elections or the installation of a temporary international regime, followed by Nuremberg-type trials of the chief criminals of the current regime and the repatriation and resettlement of all refugees without any form of discrimination. The Russian Federation has the military power to keep Assad the titular president of Syria forever, but it cannot expect the rest of the world to pay for such a Syria.
…The biggest question, however, is the conditions under which the world at large, including countries that played no role whatsoever in the Syrian tragedy, can be expected to finance reconstruction. These conditions must be drastic.
To begin with, there can be no question of using international finance to reconstruct the prewar Syrian regime…Thus the first condition for international finance must be the replacement of the Syrian regime…If free elections cannot soon be organized, there may be a need for temporary international mandate to govern Syria…The second condition is to bring the chief criminals of the Assad regime to trial… The third condition is that all the Syrians displaced by the war, whether within the country, in neighboring countries or further afield, must be enabled to return to their homes. (by gatestoneinstitute.org).

EXCLUSIVE: Pakistani Cleric Samiul Haq: America Is Backing ISIS In Afghanistan; ‘Only Solution To The Problem Is An American Exit [From Afghanistan]‘
Maulana Samiul Haq, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-S) party in Pakistan, has offered to mediate peace negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, according to an Urdu daily. Haq is also the chairman of Difa-e-Pakistan Council, an alliance of radical religious and jihadi groups in Pakistan.
In Video, Al-Qaeda Leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri Lashes Out ‎At Islamic Political Parties, Muslim Brotherhood, For ‎Failing To Advocate For Shari’a Rule, Succumbing To ‎Democracy
On October 11, 2018, Al-Qaeda media wing Al-Sahab released a seven-minute video of the group’s leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in which he criticizes the various Islamic political parties for failing to advocate for the implementation of shari’a and for succumbing to secular democratic political processes.
Letter By Pro-Al-Qaeda Media Group Lashes Out At Sochi ‎Agreement, Suggests Ways To Thwart It, Including ‎Attacking Turkish Tourism Industry, Russian Bases in Syria
On September 26, 2018, the pro-Al-Qaeda Bayan Foundation for Islamic Media published a letter by Al-Qaeda supporter Adnan Hadid titled “Sochi – The Conspiracy in Its Decisive Moments,” which issues a dire warning to rebels and residents alike in Idlib against accepting the recently signed Sochi agreement.
(by memri.org).

EXCLUSIVE: Jihadi ‘Charity’ Group On Telegram Fundraises For Mujahideen And Foreign Fighters In Syria – Including Australians, Swedes, Other Europeans – And For Purchasing Drones And Other Equipment, Via Telegram And WhatsApp And Using Bitcoin Address
A jihadi “charity organization” maintains a Telegram channel that it uses primarily for raising funds for the mujahideen in Syria.
EXCLUSIVE: Profile Of French ISIS Media Operative And Preacher Abu Oussama
Since the declaration of the Islamic State (ISIS) Caliphate, the group has chosen a select few media operatives to deliver the group’s official messages in various languages through its central radio station Al-Bayan. One of these ISIS radio voices was that of French operative Adrien Guihal aka Abu Oussama aka Hamza, a French citizen from the Paris area born in 1983. Guihal was arrested in Syria in May 2018 by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and is currently in their custody in Syria. The SDF communique reporting his arrest stated: “Abu Osama is considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in ISIS ranks and had a role in launching the terrorist attacks” in France.(by memri.org).

An Italian appeal court has rejected a lawsuit by the U.S. that called for the seizure of $5 billion worth of Iranian assets in Italy, in a second win for Tehran in its legal battle against the U.S. this month, IFP news reported.

Gholamali Khoshroo, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, said on Tuesday the U.S. unilateralism is a “serious threat” to the world and suggested that a “swift” and “robust” reaction is needed by the international community to counter this policy.

 Alarmingly, three of New York City’s grant recipients are linked to Islamic extremism — the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim American Society (MAS) and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).
 It seems that ICNA, in particular, plans to use the money not for civic improvement but for religious proselytizing.
 To pay for prayer services with a government grant is a blatant violation of constitutional law, and all the more so when it is for a proselytizing purpose.
 If New Yorkers want to help Muslim communities, giving money to CAIR, ICNA and MAS should be the last thing they do.
On August 21, the New York City Council announced $250,000 in grants made to 14 Muslim community organizations, in collaboration with the New York Immigration Coalition. Alarmingly, three of the grant recipients are linked to Islamic extremism — the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim American Society (MAS) and the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA).
Worse, it seems that ICNA, in particular, plans to use the money not for civic improvement but for religious proselytizing.
The grant announcement was made at ICNA’s headquarters in Jamaica, Queens, after the jumu’ah prayer service. Present were the young speaker of the city council, Corey Johnson, and Councilman Daneek Miller, the sole Muslim member of the council.
Councilman Miller is no stranger to ICNA; his campaign website prominently features a photo of him speaking at the ICNA mosque.(by gatestoneinstitute.org).

 The situation in the Gaza Strip is unlikely to witness any positive changes. Even if Hamas were to be removed from power, the Palestinians would continue to suffer under other radical groups such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
 Even if Hamas were to wake up tomorrow morning and have an about-face, striking a genuine truce with Israel, there will always be other terrorist groups that are prepared to breach the agreement any time they wish.
 These are crucial factors that need to be taken into account by any international party that seeks a solution to the catastrophe called Gaza. Alternatively, one might to wish to continue to inhabit some alternate reality in which all be would be well if Israel would only ease restrictions on the Gaza Strip.
…If anyone was hoping that removing Hamas from power in the Gaza Strip would improve the situation there and boost the chances of peace between Palestinians and Israel, they are in for a big disappointment. Hamas, which violently seized control over the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2007, is not the only terrorist group in the coastal enclave, home to some two million Palestinians.
In addition to Hamas, these are several other Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip.
The second-largest group after Hamas is Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), which has thousands of supporters and militiamen. If and when Hamas is ever removed from power, PIJ has the strongest chance of stepping in to fill the vacuum.(by gatestonesinstitute.org).

 The new immigration law is a tacit admission that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door migration policy, which has allowed into Germany more than a million mostly unskilled migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, has failed to resolve the country’s most pressing demographic challenges and labor shortages.
 “We are creating the framework for more controlled immigration of qualified specialists.” — Interior Minister Horst Seehofer.
 By the middle of 2018, only a quarter of those who arrived during the migrant crisis had found a job and only a fifth were paying into the social welfare system, according to the Institute for Employment Research. Most of those who were employed had low-paying jobs, and many of them were receiving supplementary welfare benefits to make ends meet.
…The new law, which will tighten restrictions on the immigration of unskilled workers, is a tacit admission that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door migration policy, which has allowed into Germany more than a million mostly unskilled migrants from Africa, Asia and the Middle East, has failed to resolve the country’s most pressing demographic challenges and labor shortages. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU), Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) and Economic Affairs Minister Peter Altmaier (CDU) presented the compromise agreement during a joint press conference in Berlin on October 2.
(by gatestoneinstitute.org).

Al-Qaeda-Affiliated ‘Group For Supporting Islam And ‎Muslims’ (GSIM) Video Shows Fighters Vowing To Continue Fighting Against France And Its ‘Tails’
On September 30, 2018, Al-Zallaqa, the media arm of the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Group For Supporting Islam And Muslims, released a video featuring fighters accusing France of waging war on Islam to prevent the implementation of shari’a in Mali and vowed to continue fighting against France and its tails.
Al-Shabab Claims Responsibility For Attack On EU Military Convoy Carrying Italian Trainers In Somalia
On October 1, 2018, Shahada, the news agency of Somalia-based pro-Al-Qaeda group Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen, reported that the group had carried out a “martyrdom” operation on a European Union military convoy carrying Italian trainers on Industrial Road in the capital city of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Afghan Taliban Deny Talks With U.S. Officials At Bagram Military Base And In Dubai
On September 23, 2018, Zabihullah Mujahid, a spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization), issued a statement denying media reports that Taliban officials from Quetta (the Pakistani city where the Afghan Taliban leadership has lived for most of at least the past decade) had held talks with U.S. officials.(by memri.org)

EXCLUSIVE: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Strategy Document Lays Out Group’s Rules On Targets, Spies, Captives, Loot, And Other Subjects
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (“Movement of the Pakistani Taliban,” TTP) has released a strategy document written in September 2018. The 13-page Urdu-language document was published on the website of the TTP and has an introduction and nine chapters.
Pro-ISIS Media Group Eulogizes British ISIS Drone Developer
On October 2, 2018, the pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media group Al-Muhajireen published a eulogy for a British citizen identified as Abu Al-Wala’ Al-Britani, who played a key role in developing the organization’s drone force.
Pro-ISIS Media Outlet Continues Its Publication Of Intimidating Posters Directed At Australia
As part of a series of intimidating posters directed at Australia that were recently circulated on pro-ISIS channels, on September 29, 2018, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet published a poster threatening terror attacks in Australia.(by memri.org).

On October 2, 2018, French police raided the pro-Iran pro-Hizbullah Centre Zahra France located in a suburb of the port city of Dunkerque. The center’s assets were frozen by Paris; also frozen were the assets of Iranian Intelligence Ministry’s Directorate of Internal Security, Iranian Deputy Intelligence Minister in charge of operations Saeid Hashemi Moghadam, and Iranian diplomat in Vienna Assadollah Asadi. The same day, searches were carried out at the homes of 12 members of the center, and weapons were found. The events followed a thwarted attack on a June 30, 2018 “Free Iran” rally held outside Paris by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI).(by memri.org).

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Chinese President Xi Jinping are discussing more trade — and in their local currencies, rebuffing the dollar.
 As of now, Turkey sees the United States as an ungrateful ally and Russia is Turkey’s new love affair. For Erdoğan, it is still “Russia time.”
 Germany needs Turkey’s cooperation in halting the flow of Islamic jihadists currently stationed in Syria but who may always use Turkish territory to reach the EU. Turkey needs German technology, investment and money.(by gatestoneinstitute.org)

Iraq’s parliament elected a veteran politician as the country’s new president on Tuesday, a step toward forming a new government nearly five months after national elections.

The United Nation’s top court on Wednesday ordered the United States to lift sanctions on “humanitarian” goods to Iran that President Donald Trump reimposed after pulling out of the 2015 nuclear deal, The Daily Start reported.

 Even before such EU-wide legislation, similar ostensible “anti-terror legislation” in France, for example, is being used as a political tool against political opponents and to limit unwanted free speech.
 In France, simply spreading information about ISIS atrocities is now considered “incitement to terrorism”. It is this kind of legislation, it seems, that the European Commission now wishes to impose on all of the European Union.
 Social media giants — Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Microsoft, Google+ and Instagram — act as voluntary censors on behalf of the European Union.
 The European Commission states that it is specifically interested in funding projects that focus on the “development of technology and innovative web tools preventing and countering illegal hate speech online and supporting data collection”, and studies that analyze “the spread of racist and xenophobic hate speech in different Member States…” (by gatestonesinsitute.org).

Serica Energy said on Monday that the US Treasury had given temporary approval for certain US businesses to work on a British North Sea oil and gas field owned in part by Iran, which is targeted by US sanctions.

Russian President Vladmir Putin will be visiting India next week (October 4-5) to attend the 19th India-Russia summit with focus on advancing bilateral ties between the two countries. New Delhi is hoping to build on the momentum of the successful summit held in Sochi in May this year and follow up on the ambitious defence deals.

Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Chairman Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said on Monday that Daesh would have reached the gates of Europe if it had not been for Iran’s fight against the group in Iraq and Syria. Falahatpisheh made the remarks as ambassadors from 27 European countries had a meeting with the MPs sitting on the parliamentary committee.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Monday that Iran’s missile attacks on IS terrorists in Syria will not cause any impediment to the process of the Astana talks.Contacts and consultations among Iran, Russia and Turkey within the framework of the Astana talks will continue, he said in a press conference.

ISIS Claims Responsibility For Attack On Military Parade In Ahvaz, Iran
On September 22, 2018, A’maq, the news agency for the Islamic State (ISIS), published a report saying that ISIS fighters had carried out a commando attack using light weapons on a military parade in Ahvaz, Iran, killing or injuring 100 people.
ISIS In Kirkuk, Iraq Releases Video Featuring Fighters Condemning Kurdish Government, Parties For Associating With West
On September 25, 2018, the Islamic State (ISIS) in Kirkuk, Iraq, released a video featuring fighters condemning in Arabic and Kurdish the Kurdish government and the political parties in Kurdistan for their association with the U.S. and for aspiring to create a national state for Kurds.
Taliban’s ‘Jihadi In-Charge’ For Ghazni Province Discusses Conquest Of Ghazni
After a five-day battle that began on August 10, 2018, the fighters of the Islamic Emirate (the Taliban organization) took over the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan, which is the capital of Ghazni province and is a two-hour drive from Kabul. The fall of Ghazni is considered a significant gain for the Taliban.
(by memri.org).

Al-Qaeda Releases Video With Sheikh Hussam Abu Al-Ra’uf Condemning Pakistani Army’s Operations Against Mujahideen, Including Foreigners In Waziristan, And Refuting Allegations Linking Group To Indian Intelligence
On September 24, 2018, Al-Sahab, the media arm of Al-Qaeda released a video featuring the voice of Al-Qaeda sheikh Hussam Abd Al-Ra’uf condemning the Pakistani army on the fourth anniversary of the Pakistani army’s operations launched against the mujahideen in the north Waziristan region on June 15, 2014.
Editorial On ISIS Weekly Calls On Muslims To ‘Terrorize’ ‘Tyrants’ When Prevented From Traveling To ‘Abodes Of Islam’
On September 21, 2018, the Islamic State (ISIS) released a new issue of its weekly newspaper Al-Naba’, which includes an editorial calling on “true believers” to “terrorize” the “tyrants” who prevent them from traveling to “abodes of Islam.” (by memri.org).

The Head of the Committee for Communications and Security Arrangements Follow-up formed by the Ministry of Interior, Ramadan Zermouh, said that all parties to the conflict in the capital are committed to the cease-fire agreement. Read the rest of this entry »

The new French Ambassador to Libya Béatrice le Fraper du Hellen presented her credentials to the Secretary of Political Affairs of Foreign Ministry Lutfi Al-Maghrabi on Sunday.

Al-Maghrabi welcomed the new ambassador and reviewed with her the Libyan-French bilateral relations in all fields, including the importance of facilitating the visa procedures to Libyan citizens.

The two sides also discussed the reopening of the French Embassy in the capital Tripoli in April next year 2019.

Algeria on Sunday urged Libyan disputing parties to put an end to armed confrontations, noting that such confrontations undermine any political settlement in Libya.

“Algeria deeply concerns over recent developments in Libya, particularly the escalation of violence in Tripoli and its dire repercussions on its population,” Algeria said in a statement. Read the rest of this entry »

The headquarters of a five-nation anti-terror force in Mali has been transferred to the capital Bamako from the central town of Sevare following a deadly bomb attack, a source said on Friday.

The European Union had said in July it would finance the construction of the new headquarters. Read the rest of this entry »

After a month of militia clashes that left more than 100 people dead, Libya’s UN-backed foreign minister on Friday called for the country’s UN political mission to transform into a “security and stability” support role.

Mohamed Siala, foreign minister of the UN-backed Libyan unity government, did not specify if he had in mind a UN peacekeeping mission. Read the rest of this entry »