[AnNahar] An Oslo court on Wednesday jailed two jihadists of Pakistani and Chechen origin for six and seven and a half years respectively for joining the so-called Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.Adam Idrisovich Magomadov, a 23-year-old Russian of Chechen origin, and Hasan Ahmed, a 46-year-old Norwegian of Pakistani origin, were convicted of belonging to IS and of "terror conspiracy." The two men, who had been living in southeastern Norway, traveled together to Syria in August 2014, a little more than a month after the IS declared a caliphate in an area straddling Iraq and Syria. While there, the two took part in IS training programs, vowed allegiance to the group, and bore weapons in its name, the court found.
Magomadov was handed a heavier sentence because he stayed in Syria longer. The court found it likely that he had taken part in combat, that he had maintained ties with IS after returning to Norway, and that he, like his co-accused, planned to return to Syria. Ahmed, whose son Ishaq was also sentenced to eight years in prison in Norway last year for joining IS, will appeal the conviction, while Magomadov had not yet decided, their lawyers told public broadcaster NRK.
Lufthansa Warns European Terror Creating Turbulence
[AnNahar] German flag carrier Lufthansa warned Tuesday that recent terror attacks in Europe were having a "tangible impact" on business, with second-quarter profits down 17 percent. Net profits between April and June came in at 437 million euros ($488 million), the group said, slightly below analysts' expectations, who had forecast a figure of 443 million euros.
Lufthansa had already said last month that the jittery atmosphere in Europe was hitting its business and considered "a complete recovery as not likely anymore."
Pakistani Terror Suspect Captained Italy Cricket Team
[AnNahar] A Pakistani man expelled from Italy for allegedly plotting an attack in the name of the Islamic State (IS) group used to captain the Italian youth cricket team, media reports said Wednesday.Aftab Farook was caught on a wire-tap talking about using a Kalashnikov or bomb to attack targets such as a wine shop in Milan or the airport of Bergamo in northern Italy, saying the important thing was to scare Europeans, Italian newspapers reported. On Tuesday, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said the 26-year-old supported IS and was planning to go to Syria to join militants.
The news stunned locals in Vaprio d'Adda near Milan, where Farook had lived with his family since he was 13 years old.
"It hit us like lightning out of the blue, I still don't believe it," Fabio Marabini, president of the Kingsgrove Milano cricket club and a close paternal figure to Farook, told La Stampa daily. "I spoke to him just before they put him on the flight for Islamabad. He thanked me for everything I've done for him over the years and he told me he was scared, because he no longer has any ties in Pakistan."
| If only he'd supported LeT or the TTP -- then he'd have plenty of friends waiting for him. |
Italian police arrest Syrian suspected of trying to join militants
[AlAhram] Italian police arrested a Syrian man in the northern city of Genoa on Wednesday on suspicion he was planning to travel to his home country to join Islamist militants. Police said in a statement their anti-terrorism unit had arrested an unemployed man, 23, who they said was planning to return to Syria to join the rebel group Nusra Front. He was arrested on suspicion of supporting international terrorism.
The Syrian Islamist rebel group re-branded itself last week as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and
Police said they were investigating the arrested man's relationship with other foreigners in the Genoa area to determine whether they were trying to recruit fighters. They said there was no indication that attacks in Italy were being planned.
| Another Al Ahram article adds: |
| From Breitbart (all the articles below can be accessed there): |
3 August 2016
On Wednesday, a mob shouting “Allahu akhbar” stopped a bus before torching it, in what was the latest in a series of attacks on buses. Services in migrant suburbs of France have been beset for years by regular attacks, stonings, violence, and threats.
Czech President Urges Citizens To Arm Themselves, Fight Terrorists, Close Borders
3 August 2016
The president of the Czech Republic has said citizens need to be armed and ready to defend themselves and others in case of a terror attack.
European Immigration Through Turkey Surges After Coup Attempt
3 August 2016
Ever since the Turkish coup attempt two weeks ago, the number of migrants crossing the Aegean Sea from the Turkish coast into Greece has doubled relative to the preceding period.
If the EU grants visa liberalization, hundreds of thousands of migrants are likely to enter Europe “legally” from Turkey, and EU authorities will have little way of ascertaining the origins or intentions of those coming in. The risk of infiltration from Islamic terrorists is high, since the Turkish government has expressed its intention to issue some 350 thousand new passports, according to nebulous criteria.
If Europe refuses, however, Erdogan will likely reopen the floodgates of migrants across the Aegean Sea into Greece, with numbers likely to equal or exceed the waves of migrants experienced in 2015.
Archbishop Warns Europe Migration Crisis Fueled by Muslims’ ‘Will to Conquer’
3 August 2016
One of the most important prelates in the Catholic Church in Hungary has warned that the enormous waves of migrants rolling into Europe are due in no small part to a Muslim “will to conquer,” by expanding their territory into the continent.
Green Party Headquarters Bricked Up In Protest Against Mass Migration Policies
2 August 2016
Anti-mass migration protesters have built a wall at the entrance to the Austrian Green Party headquarters to protest the party’s stance on mass migration.
Cash For Repatriation Fails As Migrants Prefer To Stay In Europe
2 August 2016
The Austrian government’s policy of giving cash to migrants who chose to leave Austria is failing as the migrants would rather stay in Europe.
Migrant Crisis Leads To Surge In Netherlands Population Growth
2 August 2016
The Netherlands has experienced its highest growth in population since the turn of the century. Net migration doubled since last year, and a third of the increase was caused by Syrian ‘asylum seekers’ alone.
Three Syrian ‘Refugees’ On Trial For Terrorism In Bulgaria
2 August 2016
SOFIA, Bulgaria (Associated Press) — A specialized court in Bulgaria has opened the trial of three Syrian nationals charged with terrorism offenses.
Pro Mass Migration Labour MP Inadvertently Admits ‘Refugees’ Are a Sex Assault Risk
1 August 2016
A senior Labour MP has called for male migrants coming from Syria to the UK to receive formal lessons to prevent against sexual assault. She added that British men also need the classes, which would “provide information on how they should interact with women”.