News

Spain And Morocco Break Up Militant Cell Suspected Of Sending Fighters To Syria, Arrest 7

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

MADRID, Spain – Spanish and Moroccan authorities executed a series of arrests on Friday, in an effort to dismantle an Islamist militant cell that supplied fighters to areas engaged in fighting, most notably Syria.

A man suspected of being a member of a radical Islamist militant cell is arrested on Friday. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

Officials from both countries announced that they had made seven arrests in connection with the cell, including the group’s leader, a Spanish citizen. Mustafa Maya Amaya, a nationalized Spaniard that was born in Belgium, was arrested in Melilla, a Spanish enclave surrounded by Moroccan territory. Two French citizens were arrested alongside Amaya in connection with the cell, according to Spain’s interior ministry. A Tunisian individual from Malaga, Spain, and three additional Moroccans were also arrested.

Over the course of recent conflicts such as that in Syria, fighters from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and more, have joined rebel forces in conflicted countries. Spanish Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez stated that this particular cell was the largest in Europe actively recruiting jihadists for the Syrian conflict. Fernandez also stated that some of the cell’s members have had involvement with al-Qaeda-affiliated groups.

Fernandez stated that the cell is completely disassembled as all of the components had been infiltrated with arrests; document forgers, logistics organizers and jihadists all have been arrested.

“The cell was dismantled in coordination with Spanish security forces. Three Moroccans were arrested at the same time as the [Spanish] head of the cell and his acolytes have been arrested by the Spanish security services,” the Moroccan interior ministry said in a statement.

The Moroccan statement further stated that Amaya had close connections to another cell that was linked to a North African al-Qaeda branch, referred to as AQIM. AQIM had been similarly dismantled last year before it was to send fighters to Mali and Syria. According to Spanish reports, Amaya used the internet to recruit jihadists and aided them in joining movements such as the Al Qaeda group Islamic State in Iraq, as well as the Levant (IDIL), al Qaeda’s Nusra Front branch in Syria.

Morocco stated that it has broken up radical Islamist cells accused of plotting both inside and outside of its kingdom. Morocco has experienced numerous bombings by suspected Islamist guerrillas, most recently in 2011 in Marrakesh, but militant groups have so far failed to gain any power in the kingdom.

For more information, please see:

CNN – Spain Arrests 7 Suspected of Sending Militant Fighters to Syria – 14 March 2014

Fox News – Spain, Morocco Police Break up Jihadist Recruitment Cell, Arrest 7 – 14 March 2014

Reuters – Morocco, Spain Break up Militant Cell Sending Fighters Abroad – 14 March 2014

UPI – France Detains Seven Suspected of Sending Jihadists to Syria – 14 March 2014

 

Egypt’s Mansour Will Expedite Trial of Detained Australian Journalist

By Thomas Murphy
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – In a rare move, Egypt’s interim President Adly Mansour, has committed to expediting the trial of Australian journalist Peter Greste. The interim President made this known in a recent letter written to Greste’s family. Mansour is also the current Chief Justice presiding over the Supreme Constitutional Court, Egypt’s highest court.

Peter Greste and his colleagues are detained in a metal cage during their appearance before the trial court on March 5.

“I would like to assure you in my capacity as president of Egypt, that I will spare no effort to work towards the speedy resolution of the case, in a fashion consistent with the law and that guarantees the reunion of the family in the near future,” Mansour wrote in the letter, seen by The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The Al Jazeera Network has called the gesture an “encouraging sign.” Additionally, a spokesperson for the organization stated that it demonstrates the actions of their journalists in Egypt were legal and that there is no case against them.

Greste, was arrested with two Al Jazeera producers, Mohamed Fahmy and Baher Mohamed, on December 29. They have now been detained for 81 days. The three are charged with joining a terrorist organization, the Muslim Brotherhood, and broadcasting false information without proper working permits. They have all plead not guilty.

It remains unclear if the letter mentions Fahmy or Baher, even though they arrested together with Greste and thus, under the same circumstances. The trial also includes seventeen other journalists charged with similar crimes.

The trial has drawn criticism from international human rights groups who say that Egypt is merely attempting to suppress free speech. Institutions including the White House, the European Union and the United Nations have called for the release of the journalists, and for press freedoms to be upheld.

The arrests occurred at the same time as a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood. Egyptian authorities accuse the Al Jazeera Network of aiding the Muslim Brotherhood. As a result, Al Jazeera has been banned from reporting in the country.

The trial has been adjourned until March 24.

For further information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Egypt’s Mansour to expedite Al Jazeera trial – 19 March 2014

CNN – Egypt President will ‘spare no effort’ to resolve case of Al Jazeera journalist  – 19 March 2014

Montreal Gazette – Egypt leader says will try to expedite trial of detained Australian journalist – 18 March 2014

Al Jazeera – Al Jazeera journalists appear in Egypt court, see trial adjourned – 5 March 2014

al-Shabab Suicide Bomber Kills Many at Hotel

By: Danielle L. Gwozdz
Impunity Watch News Reporter, Africa

African Union and Somali government forces march around Buloburde

 

A car bomb exploded by the hotel where African Union and Somali officers were staying. Gunfire continued afterwards for five hours.

The al-Shabab suicide bomber rammed a car into the gates of the hotel before gunmen sprayed the building with bullets, killing many.

This attack occurred at nighttime in Bulobarde yesterday (Tuesday). al-Shabab abandoned Bulobarde last week when African troops advanced on the town in a new offensive aimed to flush the militants from the area.

Six soldiers were killed, including a top Somali army commander, the African Union stated.

However, the al-Shabab, who have claimed responsibility for the attack, have said that 30 African Union and army officers were killed in the attack.

A spokesman for the African Union has stated that all al-Shabab fighters involved in the attack have been killed, but he did not specify how many this was.

Local elder Hassan Nur said his nephew, a military commander, was among the killed.

“Most of the troops and civilians inside the hotel died or were wounded. We couldn’t count how many died because AU (African Union) and Somali forces swarmed all over the place,” Nur said.

The African Union force, known as AMISOM, said it stood with the “fallen soldiers” but did not state how many were killed.

al-Shabab, which is linked to al-Qaeda, has waged an eight-year insurgency to overthrow the weak UN-backed government and create an Islamic state in Somalia.

Bulobarde, which has a bridge over the River Shabelle and is a crossroads linking various regions of the country, was an important and strategic point for al-Shabab.

al-Shabab lost control of Mogadishu in 2011, but has intensified bombings and mortar raids in the city in recent weeks.

The militants, who seek to impose their version of Islamic law, were driven out of bases in the capital, but have continued to control swathes of countryside and smaller towns, which they use as launch-pads to carry out attacks at home and abroad.

Tuesday’s strike by al-Shabab followed an attack on Monday on a military convoy near the capital Mogadishu, which killed four Somali soldiers, according to an army captain.

al-Shabab said it carried out the attack to punish Kenya for sending troops to Somalia. Kenya said it had arrested two suspected al-Shabab militants on Monday with bombs that might have targeted the coast, which is popular with tourists.

For more information, please visit:

BBC News – Somalia’s al-Shabab attacks army hotel in Bulo-burde – 18 March 2014
The Frontier Post – Al-Shabab attack army hotel – 19 March 2014
Reuters – Somali militant strike kills peacekeepers, government troops – 18 March 2014
The Guardian – Somali militant strike kills peacekeepers, government troops – 19 March 2014

Voting in Referendum on Crimea Secession From Ukraine Held

by Tony Iozzo
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

SIMFEROPOL, Ukraine – Voting in a referendum to decide whether Ukraine’s southern region of Crimea will secede from the Ukraine and become a territory of Russia, ended a short while ago.

A polling station in Simferopol. (Photo courtesy of Reuters)

Approximately 1.5 million voters were expected to show up to polls, and it is widely believed that the outcome will be that Crimea will split from the Ukraine and join Russia. Polls were open for twelve hours beginning at 6:00 GMT on Sunday.

Voters had the choice of two options on the referendum ballot: either, “are you in favor of the reunification of Crimea with Russia as a part of the Russian Federation?” or “are you in favor of restoring the 1992 Constitution and the status of Crimea as a part of Ukraine?”

If Crimea citizens choose to restore the 1992 constitution, the Crimea government would be afforded broad authority to institute its own laws and structure its governance, and it would remain an area under the Ukraine. Western countries have expressed opposition to the referendum, and most have stated that they will not recognize it. The Kremlin in Russia insists that it is an instance of self-determination by the Crimea people.

The UN Security Council overwhelmingly supported a resolution that labels the Crimea referendum as illegal. Russia attempted to veto the resolution during the Security Council’s vote, but every other member nation of the Security Council favored the resolution. China, Russia’s closest ally on the Security Council, abstained from voting which left Russia as the sole proponent of the referendum.

After the Ukrainian President, Viktor Yanukovich, was ousted from office last month, Russian troops occupied Crimea, as it indeed possesses a largely ethnic-Russian population. Ihor Tenyukh, Ukraine’s acting defense minister, stated that the Ukraine and Russia had agreed on a truce in Crimea until March 21, during which “no measures will be taken against our military facilities.”

Amid the voting on the referendum, Russian troops landed on a strip of land in the southeast between Crimea and the mainland, which forced the Ukraine to also dispatch an aircraft with armed forces to stop the troops’ movement.

Meanwhile, approximately 50,000 people gathered in Moscow to protest against Russia’s intervention in the Ukraine, shouting, “The occupation of Crimea is Russia’s disgrace” and “Hands off Ukraine.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Crimeans Vote in Breakaway Referendum – 16 March 2014

BBC News – Ukraine Crisis: Crimea Holds Secession Referendum – 16 March 2014

New York Times – Under Watch of Russian Troops, Crimea Votes on Secession – 16 March 2014

Reuters – Crimea to Vote on Joining Russia, Moscow Wields U.N. Veto – 16 March 2014

Latvia Says Minister Must Go after Plans to March

By Ben Kopp
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

RIGA, Latvia – A Latvian government official has been fired for his declaration that the will march with Latvian Nazi veterans who fought off Soviets during World War II.

Many Latvians consider their Waffen SS veterans heroes who fought for Latvian independence against the Soviets. (Photo courtesy of Guardian)

At the beginning of World War II, Moscow seized Latvia in a deal with Berlin. Later, Moscow transferred approximately 15,000 Latvians to Siberia. In 1941, Germany disregarded the original deal and invaded the Soviet Union. For that reason, some Latvians claimed the Nazis were liberators, even though the Nazis went on to kill over 80% of Latvia’s Jews. By 1945, the Soviet Union had recaptured Latvia, and held it until the communist bloc dissolved fifty years later.

On 14 March 2014, Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma fired a government minister, Einars Cilinskis, who declared that he would join an annual Nazi march as a Latvian “patriot.” The Russian-speaking minority in Latvia rejected Cilinskis’ declaration, saying that the Nazi march distorts history, honors Nazism, and insults victims of World War II.

However, parade veterans insisted that their purpose was to honor the defense of Latvian homeland against Soviet occupation. Approximately 140,000 Latvians—mostly conscripts—fought in the legion, and nearly a third died either in combat or Soviet captivity. On the other hand, about 130,000 fought for the Soviets, of whom about a quarter died.

Environment Minister Einars Cilinskis planned to march with veterans of the Latvian Legion, a group formed and commanded by the Nazi SS in 1943. The parade date of March 16 marks the unsuccessful attempt to repel the Soviet invasion, which began the communist bloc’s half century of occupation. Legion veterans began marching in Riga, Latvia every March 16 since Soviet rule ended in 1991.

Prime Minister Straujuma took office in January 2014, and banned all of her ministers from joining the parade.

A spokesperson for Straujuma commented, “No minister has ever attended this event, so it is important the dismissal happens before it takes place, not afterwards.”

Efraim Zuroff of the Israel office of the Simon Wiesenthal Center stated that admirers of people like Latvian SS commander Viktor Arajs “are the spiritual heirs of those who committed the crimes of the Holocaust. It is unthinkable that they should march through European Union capitals and cause unimaginable pain to Holocaust survivors and their families.”

Latvian officials worry that Russian state media might use the story to support claims of a “rebirth of fascism” in Ukraine and its other neighbors.

On the day of the march, Crimea will hold a referendum on whether to secede from Ukraine.

The marketplace of ideas often becomes closed to the most abhorred speech before speech that resides closer to the grey zone. Even when the marketplace opens, abhorred ideas become the basis of persuading others. But is that persuasion aiding better ideas?

For further information, please see:

Aljazeera – Latvian Minister Sacked over ‘Nazi’ March – March 14, 2014

Guardian – Latvia Minister Faces Sack in Nazi Memorial Row – March 14, 2014

Jewish Telegraphic Agency – Latvian Minister to Be Fired for Endorsing SS Vets – March 14, 2014

Reuters – Latvia PM to Fire Minister over Plan to Join SS March – March 14, 2014