Reuters: Iraq Hangs 11 Convicted Of Terrorism In Latest Mass Executions

“Iraq had hanged 11 militants sentenced to death on terrorism charges, local security officials said on Thursday. The executions were carried out on Monday at a prison in the southern Iraqi city of Nassiriya and all those executed were Iraqi nationals, said a prison police officer and a local security official. They declined to be named because they were not authorised to speak to the media. They said the 11 men were convicted of joining the Islamic State militant group and taking part in "terrorist actions". In a report issued on Wednesday, Amnesty International raised concern that many more people may have been executed in secret given a "disturbing lack of transparency" regarding executions in Iraq in recent months. Iraq has put hundreds of suspected jihadists on trial and carried out several mass executions since defeating Islamic State fighters in U.S.-backed military campaign in 2014-2017.”

Associated Press: A Look At The Gaza War Protests That Have Emerged On US College Campuses

“Student protests over the Israel-Hamas war have popped up on an increasing number of college campuses following last week’s arrest of more than 100 demonstrators at Columbia University. The students are calling for universities to separate themselves from any companies that are advancing Israel’s military efforts in Gaza — and in some cases from Israel itself. Protests on many campuses have been orchestrated by coalitions of student groups. The groups largely act independently, though students say they’re inspired by peers at other universities. A look at protests on campuses in recent days: Pro-Palestinian student protesters set up a tent encampment at the Ivy League university in New York last week. Police first tried to clear the encampment on April 18, when they arrested more than 100 protesters. But the move backfired, inspiring students across the country and motivating protesters at Columbia to regroup.”

United States

Politico: California Senate Candidate Steve Garvey Calls Student Protesters ‘Terrorists’

“Republican Senate candidate Steve Garvey delivered sharp words Thursday about college students protesting the Israel-Hamas war, repeatedly calling them “terrorists” and urging university leaders and law enforcement to take action. “What they’re saying is: they’re pro-Hamas,” he said at a press conference in Los Angeles, standing in front of Israeli flags. “They’re pro-terrorists. They’re supporting terrorism.” The remarks from Garvey, the former Los Angeles Dodgers baseball star running against Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff for the late Dianne Feinstein’s Senate seat, comes a day after police arrested hundreds of students around the country for protesting the war, including in Los Angeles. At the University of Southern California, officers arrived in riot gear on Wednesday night to remove protesters who had set up an encampment at the center of campus, arresting 93, and leading them away with their hands in zip ties.”

Syria

Associated Press: Syrian Kurdish Officials Hand Over 50 Women And Children Linked To Islamic State Group To Tajikistan

“Kurdish-led authorities in northeastern Syria on Thursday handed over 50 women and children — family members of Islamic State militants — to a delegation from Tajikistan for repatriation back home. The 17 women and 33 children, all citizens of Tajikistan, were handed over to a delegation headed by the Tajik ambassador to Kuwait, Zubaydullo Zubaydzoda, Syrian Kurdish officials said. After the Islamic State group declared its caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq in June 2014, thousands of foreigners, including hundreds from Tajikistan, came to Syria to join IS and live with their families in the so-called caliphate. After IS was defeated, most of the militants family members were held in the sprawling al-Hol camp and the smaller Roj camp in northeastern Syria. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent said the women and children were taken to the airport of Qamishli where they boarded a plane “to be reunited with their families” in Tajikistan on Thursday.”

Turkey

Bloomberg: Turkey’s Erdogan To Meet Biden As Allies Work To Boost Ties

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet with President Joe Biden at the White House on May 9, according to people familiar with the matter. Erdogan’s impending visit to Washington occurs as the Israel-Hamas war continues in Gaza and after Iran and Israel attacked each other’s territory, generating fears that a wider Middle East conflict could be approaching. The two leaders are also meeting at a delicate time in their political careers. Biden faces a rematch with his 2020 opponent, former President Donald Trump, in November’s election. A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll this week found that Biden’s ahead in just one of the seven states most likely to determine the outcome. Late last month, Erdogan, who has led Turkey since 2003, suffered an embarrassing defeat in municipal elections, with voters across the nation turning against his AK party. Although parallels cannot be easily drawn, in both countries inflation has contributed to a sense of gloom and anger at the governments in power.”

Yemen

Associated Press: Ship Comes Under Attack Off Coast Of Yemen As Houthi Rebel Campaign Appears To Gain New Speed

“A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack Thursday, officials said, the latest assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The attack comes after the U.S. military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area. The Houthis claimed that Wednesday assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. In Thursday’s attack, a ship was targeted just over 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The captain “reports a loud bang heard and a splash and smoke seen coming from the sea,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel and all crew are safe.” The attack was also reported by the private security firm Ambrey. Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack late Thursday, identifying the ship the rebels tried to target as the MSC Darwin.”

Qatar

Bloomberg: UK’s Giant New LNG Tank Clears Way For More Qatari Supply

“A project that will expand UK gas storage next year has been touted as a boon for Europe’s energy security. It’s also a substantial win for the small Gulf nation of Qatar Some 37 miles east of London on the Isle of Grain, a giant cylinder is being constructed at Europe’s largest liquefied natural gas terminal and will be ready to handle imports starting mid-2025. More capacity to stockpile fuel is welcome news for a region that is once again struggling with gas price volatility. Qatar, meanwhile, has rushed to meet Europe’s booming demand for LNG, set in motion by curbed pipeline flows from Russia. The Middle Eastern nation is setting itself up to control about a quarter of all LNG by the end of the decade, and needs reliable avenues to sell its large fossil fuel volumes at a time when many of its trade partners are looking to decarbonize. “For the Qataris, having easy, guaranteed access to the European market is important,” said Jason Feer, global head of business intelligence at consulting firm Poten & Partners.”

Middle East

Associated Press: The Latest | Israeli Strikes In Rafah Kill At Least 5 As Ship Comes Under Attack In The Gulf Of Aden

“Palestinian hospital officials said Israeli airstrikes on the southern city of Rafah in the Gaza Strip killed at least five people. More than half of the territory’s population of 2.3 million have sought refuge in Rafah, where Israel has conducted near-daily raids as it prepares for an offensive in the city. The Israeli military has massed dozens of tanks and armored vehicles in the area in what appears to be preparations for an invasion of Rafah. In central Gaza, four people were killed in Israeli tank shelling. A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack Thursday, officials said, the latest assault likely carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over the Israel-Hamas war. Meanwhile, a top Hamas political official told The Associated Press that the Islamic militant group is willing to agree to a truce of five years or more with Israel.”

Associated Press: Hamas Again Raises The Possibility Of A 2-State Compromise. Israel And Its Allies Aren’t Convinced

“The Palestinian militant group Hamas has said for more than 15 years that it could accept a two-state compromise with Israel — at least, a temporary one. But Hamas has also refused to say that it would recognize Israel or renounce its armed fight against it. For Israel and many others, especially in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that spurred the latest war in Gaza, that’s proof that Hamas is still irrevocably bent on destroying Israel. The United States and European countries have joined Israel in shunning the militant group they have labeled a terrorist organization. For some observers, Hamas has signaled a potential pragmatism that could open a path to a solution. But the group’s vagueness as it tries to square the circle of its own positions has fueled suspicion. Hamas offers long-term “truces” instead of outright peace. It has dropped open pledges to destroy Israel but endorses “armed resistance” — and says it will fight for liberation of all “the land of Palestine.””

Egypt

Associated Press: The Latest | Officials Say Egypt Sending Cease-Fire Delegation To Israel

“Egypt is sending a high-level delegation to Israel in the hope of reaching a cease-fire agreement with Hamas in Gaza, while warning a possible new Israeli offensive focused on the southern city of Rafah on the border with Egypt could have catastrophic consequences for regional stability, two officials said Friday. While in Israel, Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel plans to make clear that Egypt “will not tolerate” Israel’s deployments of troops along Gaza’s borders with Egypt, an Egyptian official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the mission. Earlier Friday, Lebanon’s militant Hezbollah group fired anti-tank missiles and artillery shells at an Israeli military convoy in a disputed area along the border, killing an Israeli civilian, the group and Israel’s military. Hezbollah said that its fighters ambushed the convoy shortly before midnight Thursday, destroying two vehicles. The Israeli military said the ambush wounded an Israeli civilian doing infrastructure work, and that he later died of his wounds.”

Somalia

Garowe Online: Somalia: SNA Eliminates Over 30 Al-Shabaab Militants

“The Somali National Army (SNA) has announced the elimination of over 30 Al-Shabaab militants, in the latest operation targeting the group in central regions where the military is actively involved in the crackdown as Somalia targets to completely finish the group. For the last 18 months, the government of Somalia has activated operations against Al-Shabaab in central and southern regions, with close partnerships with the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) and the US Africa Command. A report by the government indicates that over 30 militants are in the vicinity of Carfuuda, about 20km northeast of Harardhere, Galmudug state. The operation was the collaboration of Somali forces and international partners, per the statement. It said the operation targeted two centers - for organizing and explosive preparations. The international partners have been consistent in their support against local forces, who have partly assumed ground combats as they prepare to take over security responsibilities.”

United Kingdom

BBC: Extremist Ahmed Alid Guilty Of Hartlepool Knife Murder

“An Islamic extremist has been found guilty of murdering a passer-by in the street. Moroccan asylum seeker Ahmed Alid, 45, stabbed 70-year-old Terence Carney multiple times in Hartlepool in October. He later told police it was in protest against Israel and the Gaza conflict. Alid was found guilty of murder and the attempted murder of his housemate, Javed Nouri, who he had attacked before the fatal stabbing of Mr Carney. He will be sentenced on 17 May at Teesside Crown Court. In a statement released after the verdict, Mr Carney's family said: "For us, things will never be the same again." The family thanked a number of people, especially Mr Nouri and two other men who gave evidence, Ariyan Karimi and Mohammed Karimi. "What they themselves endured that night was truly horrific, they believed they too were going to die. "Despite this, they fully assisted the police with their enquiries and gave their evidence in court, which is testament to their characters.”

France

Associated Press: Massive Policing For Paris Olympics To Include Security Checks For Some Of The Capital’s Residents

“Special anti-terrorism measures being put in place to safeguard the unprecedented opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics on the River Seine will also apply to all buildings along the route, meaning people who work and live there and their guests will be subjected to background security checks, Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said Thursday. Those affected will be cross-checked against security services’ databases, to see whether they have previously been flagged as suspected Islamist extremists or for other radicalism, Nunez said. The wildly ambitious July 26 ceremony is proving to be a gargantuan security challenge. Athletes will be paraded through the heart of the French capital on 94 boats along a 6-kilometer (nearly 4-mile) stretch of the Seine, from east to west. They’ll be accompanied by 87 other boats for security, media and other people.”

Australia

ABC: Alliance Of Peak Australian Islamic Groups Calls For Revision Of National Terrorism Laws

“An alliance of peak Islamic groups has called for Australia's terrorism laws to be changed, to remove the concept of "religiously motivated terrorism" from the legislation. In a statement, the Australian National Imams Council, the Alliance of Australian Muslims and the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network said it was necessary to "avoid simplistic attributions that target specific communities". The group's spokeswoman Ramia Abdo Sultan said terrorism was driven by political ideology and not religion. "The presumption that terrorism is inherently tied to religion is not only inaccurate but harmful," Ms Abdo Sultan told a press conference. The alliance of Islamic groups did not take questions during the four minute press conference, telling the assembled media that they could submit questions by email.”

Technology

The Wall Street Journal: How Australia Struggled To Get Elon Musk’s X To Remove Video Of A Terrorist Attack

“When Australian regulators wanted Elon Musk’s X to remove videos of the stabbing of a religious leader, they sent their requests through a website multiple times. At first, automated replies came back. Nearly 24 hours after submitting a formal notice to remove the video, an Australian official emailed an X executive directly to ask her how X was responding. She told him the social-media platform had “withheld” the video for users in Australia. The account of the attempts by regulators to get X to remove the video was revealed in court filings in a lawsuit by the Australian eSafety Commissioner, which is arguing X hasn’t really removed the video because Australians can still use a virtual private network—which masks a user’s true location—to watch it.”