Law Enforcement

Germany: Nine terror attacks prevented since Berlin Christmas market killings Police say two terror-related incidents were prevented last month alone. Germany has been on heightened alert for fresh atrocities following the death of 'Islamic State' (IS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in October.

(Deutsche Welle) Since the 2016 terrorist attack in Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, German authorities have prevented a further nine attacks of a similar nature, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) said Sunday. Indeed, last month alone, two acts of terror were thwarted, the BKA told Germany’s Welt […]

Children & Teens

Sanna Marin: ‘It’s not the government’s job to decide individual al-Hol cases’ The new PM told Yle on Saturday she wondered why the conservative NCP decided to take a hard line on Finns at al-Hol.

(Yle) Speaking on Yle’s talk show Ykkösaamu on Saturday, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said she was very pleased with the government’s decision to repatriate Finnish children from the al-Hol refugee camp. “It’s up to ministry officials to determine whether Finland will also […]

Government & Politics

Germany: Fewer Islamists pose terror risk The number of Islamists posing a terrorist risk in Germany has decreased, according to figures from Germany's Interior Ministry. One official put this down to increased vigilance following the 2016 Berlin terror attack.

(Deutsche Welle) The threat from potential Islamist terrorists in Germany has decreased from last year, according to data from the German Interior Ministry. A total of 679 Islamic extremists in Germany were considered to pose a terrorist risk at the beginning of November 2019, compared […]

Children & Teens

Foreign Ministry: Two children to be repatriated from al-Hol camp The Foreign Ministry said that it will provide an update when the children are safely in the care of Finnish officials.

(Yle) The Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that Finland is preparing to evacuate two Finnish children from the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria, where relatives of Isis combatants are being held. The ministry said that to protect the children’s privacy and ensure […]

Law Enforcement

‘Jihad is the way to go’: Connecticut man charged with trying to fight for ISIS 'I’ve been ready for quite a long time now. I just need help to get out of here,' 26-year-old Kevin Imam McCormick allegedly told an FBI informant.

(Daily Beast) After tips from Islamic centers in two different states, authorities arrested a Connecticut man they allege attempted to travel overseas to join the Islamic State. Kevin Imam McCormick, 26, was charged on Oct. 21 with providing material support to a […]

Children & Teens

‘Aren’t you ashamed?’ PM Marin stands ground during heated al-Hol debate Opposition parties came together to grill the government over a plan to repatriate Finns from a Syrian refugee camp.

(Yle) Opposition and government MPs clashed during a tense parliamentary debate over the government’s position on repatriating Finnish citizens currently at the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria on Tuesday afternoon. An opposition interpellation tabled last week set its sight on putting the […]

Government & Politics

Is Finland looking to repatriate ‘terrorists’? 5 relevant questions about the security issues around Finns held at al-Hol Finnish citizens in Syria pose a security risk that is not removed by leaving them in a prison camp.

(Yle) Finnish women should not be repatriated from the camp, because they are a security risk. That’s the reasoning of those opposed to bringing back Finnish citizens in the al-Hol camp in northern Syria, which holds refugees from the war in Syria […]

Children & Teens

Yle sources: Foreign Ministry prepped plan for Finns who wanted to leave al-Hol refugee camp Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto continued to deny the existence of a firm plan, saying that several options were explored.

(Yle) The Foreign Ministry took the lead in planning an operation to repatriate Finnish nationals who wanted to return to Finland from the al-Hol refugee camp in Syria, according to official documents seen by Yle. The material indicated that the draft plan […]

Government & Politics

French senator warns of ISIS attack over monitoring failings on anniversary of Strasbourg atrocity French senator Nathalie Goulet warns France’s terror surveillance systems are inadequate

(National-UAE) A major European counterterrorism politician has warned that France’s monitoring of extremists is still failing a year after a terror attack in Strasbourg. ISIS extremist Cherif Chekatt killed five people and wounded 11 others during a shooting and stabbing spree at […]

Government & Politics

Turkey deports 2 German citizens over Daesh/ISIS links Continuing program of returns, Turkey repatriates 2 foreign terrorist fighters with German citizenship

(Anadolu) Turkey has deported two German citizens over links to the Daesh/ISIS terrorist group, Turkish officials announced on Wednesday. An Interior Ministry statement said the extradition process continues for other foreign terrorist fighters in Turkey. The issue of the handling of Daesh/ISIS […]