'We Are Increasing Terrorism by Bombarding IS' - BBC News

Jürgen Todenhöfer is a German journalist and former MP who spent 10 days with IS last year - the first Western journalist to do so. He spoke to Ros Atkins about what he believes would be the most effective way to deal with IS.

RT Talks to Both Sides of Turkish Media for Reaction to Crackdown

Only a few independent voices are brave enough to speak out against the alleged wrong-doings of the Turkish government.

Libyen: Das Ersatzkalifat des "Islamischen Staats"

ZEIT ONLINE: Einige Tausend IS-Kämpfer haben sich in Libyen festgesetzt. Der zerfallende Staat wird zum attraktiven Ziel für den Dschihad, der Konflikt im Land ist festgefahren.

Die Gotteskrieger des "Islamischen Staats" vermarkten Libyen inzwischen als ihr zweites Kalifat. Mal posieren sie grinsend auf den Straßen, mal werben sie per Video für den Post-Gaddafi-Staat als neues Dschihad-Ziel. "Das Leben hier ist gut, man kann ein Auto und ein Haus bekommen", prahlte ein ägyptischer Extremist gegenüber Gesinnungsgenossen. "Überdenkt euren Wunsch, nach Syrien zu gehen. Libyen braucht euch", twitterte ein anderer. » | Von Martin Gehlen | Donnerstag, 3. Dezember 2015

Pegida UK: Tommy Robinson's Anti-Islam Street Movement

Tommy Robinson - the former leader of the English Defence League - says he is now planning to launch a British wing of the Pegida anti-Islam protest movement. But Robinson says that this group will be different from his last outfit - no alcohol-fuelled hooliganism, no racism, no anti-semitism and no homophobia. But he does want a five year ban on Muslim immigration to Britain. He's been talking exclusively to our Chief Correspondent, Alex Thomson.

CHANNEL 4 NEWS: Tommy Robinson is back – but what’s changed? » | Alex Thomson’s View | Thursday, December 4, 2015

Across Europe with Tommy Robinson: Inside the New Wave of Anti-immigration Protest Coming Soon to Britain

THE TELEGRAPH: The EDL founder has just announced 'Pegida UK' – part of an international network of far-Right activism given new life by the refugee crisis

Late Monday night in Dresden, Germany, former English Defence League leader Tommy Robinson gave a speech to a large group of Pegida supporters. He told the crowd that he’s been working with nationalist groups across Europe in order to coordinate a Europe wide movement that seeks to, in his words, counter the "Islamification of our countries". The first demo, he said, will be taking place on February 6, 2016, in at least 12 European countries simultaneously, all marching under a single banner: ‘'Save our Country. Save our Culture. Save Our Future." » | Jamie Bartlett | Friday, December 4, 2015

US Still Using ISIS for Political Means – Iraqi Security Official

US still using ISIS for political means, never serious in combating them, states Saad Al Mutalabi from security council of Baghdad province.

Turks Say Erdogan Won’t Go Despite Promise, Media Crackdown to Resume

RT reached out to nearly 40 Turkish media outlets asking for comment on the Russian evidence of Ankara's oil dealings with Islamic State. We've yet to receive a response from any of them. The Russian revelations come amid accusations of a crackdown on any media hostile to the Turkish government. RT's Harry Fear has more on the reaction to the oil trade allegations that are coming from inside Turkey.

Islamic State Terror Squad 'In Thailand' Planning To Kill Russians, Warns Moscow

THE TELEGRAPH: Ten-person terrorist squad entered the Kingdom in October on a mission to target Russians, Moscow warns

Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) has dispatched a ten-person squad to kill Russian tourists in Thailand, Russian security services have warned.

Thai police confirmed on Friday that they had received intelligence from Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor agency to the KGB, about 10 terrorists from Syria who reportedly entered Thailand in October.

The warning came to light in a leaked letter, marked “secret” and “urgent”, that began circulating on Thai social media on Thursday.

Thailand is a popular holiday destination for Russians, especially in the peak Christmas and New Year periods.

Phuket, Pattaya and Bangkok are all also popular with British visitors, meaning there is a high chance any terrorist attack there could also target Britons. » | Roland Oliphant, Moscow and Philip Sherwell, Bangkok | Friday, December 4, 2015

Syrien-Krieg: Trial and Terror

Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel

ZEIT ONLINE: Angela Merkel war immer skeptisch gegenüber militärischen Lösungen. Jetzt schickt sie deutsche Soldaten in den Syrien-Krieg. Was will die Kanzlerin damit erreichen?

Das Wort Krieg hat sie eigentlich immer gern vermieden. Wenn es um die deutsche Beteiligung an Missionen in Afghanistan, Irak oder Mali ging. Wenn es um Russlands Vormarsch auf die Ukraine ging und die Frage, ob sich daraus womöglich Folgen für das Baltikum ergeben könnten. Nun schickt Merkel das erste Mal in ihrer Amtszeit deutsche Soldaten in einen laufenden Kampfeinsatz.

Es ist nicht der erste deutsche Einsatz, aber es ist Merkels erster Krieg.

Sie setzt damit erneut eine Zäsur, für ihre Kanzlerschaft, aber auch für das Land. Denn dieser Krieg ist besonders gefährlich und unberechenbar: Es ist ein Einsatz, bei dem nicht nur das Ziel unklar ist, sondern auch der Weg. Nicht eigener Antrieb oder Überzeugung haben ihn bewirkt, keine überstarke Weltmacht erzwingt ihn, sondern tiefe Ohnmacht: Der Nahe Osten löst sich auf, der Terror kommt nach Europa, und die EU wirkt wie gelähmt. Und auf den Schurken von gestern ruhen die Hoffnungen für die Zukunft. » | Von Matthias Geis und Tina Hildebrandt | Freitag, 4. Dezember 2015

Read the English version of this article here »

Comment «réagir en cas d’attaque terroriste»

LE MATIN: SÉCURITÉ — Trois semaines après les attentats de Paris, le gouvernement français a publié ce vendredi une affiche indiquant au grand public la conduite à adopter en cas d'attentat.

«A la suite des attentats du 13 novembre 2015, le Gouvernement lance une campagne de sensibilisation pour mieux préparer et protéger les citoyens face à la menace terroriste. L’affiche «réagir en cas d’attaque terroriste» donne des instructions pratiques qui s'articulent autour du triptyque: "s’échapper, se cacher, alerter".», peut-on lire sur le site officiel de Matignon. De plus, le document sera placardé dans tous les lieux publics. » | Par K. A. | vendredi 4 décembre 2015

Islamic Terrorism: It’s Time to Look to Russia. The US under Obama Has Failed to Give Us Any Leadership

Sergei Lavrov has got it right; Putin has got it right. And some of us have been saying this for a very long time. It makes absolutely no sense to get rid of Bashar Al-Assad. He is certainly not perfect; but he's far better than the alternative. As Lavrov said succinctly: Haven't we learnt from our mistakes in Iraq and Libya?

It's time to work with the Russians. They understand the situation well, and are achieving results. Russia has shown real leadership in this matter. Obama should bow his head in shame. – © Mark

Working with Assad may be the only option in Syria » | Friday, December 4, 2015

This comment appears here too.

UK Airstrikes 'All Noise of Bombing and Propaganda' - Syria Minister

BBC: British warplanes have carried out their first airstrikes over Syria, after British MPs backed UK military action against so-called Islamic State (IS).

RAF Tornados conducted air strikes on six targets in Syria, according to the Ministry of Defence.

The BBC's Lyse Doucet spoke to Syria's information minister, Omran Zoubi, who described the airstrikes as "a noise of bombing and propaganda".

He also said anyone wanting to fight terrorism was "welcome" but had to do so "according to international law, and together with the Syrian government". (+ BBC video) » | Thursday, December 3, 2015

Secret Video Shows Life Inside Islamic State Stronghold of Raqqa

BBC: Syria's information minister has criticised the first British air strikes on so-called Islamic State (IS) targets in the country, describing them as "a noise of bombing and propaganda".

Omran Zoubi told the BBC that anyone wanting to fight terrorism was welcome, but that they should follow Russia's example and work with the Syrian government.

Lyse Doucet reports from the Syrian capital, Damascus, as footage emerges showing life under IS in their stronghold of Raqqa in Syria. (+ BBC video) » | Thursday, December 3, 2015

Australia Gets Tough on ISIS: Jihadis Banned from Country Even If Not Convicted

EXPRESS: ISLAMIC STATE (ISIS) jihadis fleeing Australia to fight for Daesh will be stripped of their citizenship even if they haven’t been brought before a court in a major crackdown on international terrorism.

The country’s tough stance on extremism will see anyone with dual citizenship who travels to the Middle East to fight for the crazed jihadis stranded in the group’s so-called Caliphate or deported elsewhere.

Senators voted on tough new laws targeting Islamist militants in response to the growing threat that ISIS poses to Western nations.

Security services believe that at least half of the 100 Australian extremists fighting for ISIS, also known as Daesh, hold dual nationality.

The Government has acted now to prevent them from coming back home and carrying out terrorist atrocities against innocent civilians. » | Nick Gutteridge | Friday, December 4, 2015

Schengen Crumbles: EU 'to Bring Back Borders and Passport Checks between Countries'

EXPRESS: BORDER checks could be reimposed between European Union countries under proposals expected to be put to ministers in Brussels today.

The proposal to suspend the 26-country Schengen passport-free travel zone is driven by the crisis of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other countries to Europe via Greece and Italy this year.

The mass arrivals have sparked fears about the wisdom of letting people move freely around key EU countries with no document checks after inadequate initial assessments of their origins and motives for being in Europe.

Suspending Schengen - which the UK has never been part of - is the most drastic emergency measure its members can consider. » | Alison Little | Friday, December 4, 2015

Do We Now Have to Look to Russia for Leadership? Listen to This Excellent Short Interview: ‘Business As Usual’ with Erdogan Is Now Over - Putin's Chief of Staff

‘Business as usual’ with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is now over, Sergey Ivanov, the head of Putin’s office, confirmed to RT after the Russian president’s address.

Germany: US Created IS "Monster" Through War - Die Linke's Wagenknecht

The Co-chair of Die Linke Sahra Wagenknecht fired sharp criticism against the US, saying that they are the ones "who created the monster" of the so-called Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) in order to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as she spoke in opposition to German participation in the war against IS, in Berlin, Friday.

Letter From German Nurse on Muslim Invaders

A riveting account from a nurse in Bavaria Germany you won't hear from the Mainstream media on the invasion going on in Europe by Muslims, who have no intention of assimilating to the culture of the host countries they are invading.

'Devout' Muslim and Saudi Wife Kill 14 in Massacre - Obama Says Could Be 'Terrorism'

EXPRESS: A DEVOUT Muslim and his Saudi wife were shot dead after killing at least 14 people at a work Christmas party.

Officers confirmed the suspects as Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and Tashfeen Malik, 27.

The couple had more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition and a dozen pipe bombs on them and elsewhere, authorities said as they sought to determine whether the pair had links to Islamic militant groups.

They were a married couple who dropped off their 6-month-old baby with her grandmother hours before carrying out the deadly rampage, according to a family member.

In a press conference US President Barack Obama said it is possible the mass shooting was “terror-related” but the motive is not yet clear.

Law enforcement sources have said Farook was radicalised and was in contact with an individual under FBI investigation for terrorism links but other motives may have played a role in the shooting.

Farook attended a Christmas party with colleagues at the San Bernardino County Health Public Health Department but had left in an “angry” state, according to witnesses.

He was next seen by his co-workers dressed in battle gear and wielding an assault rifle.

The suspects have killed at least 14 people and injured another 17 - two of which [sic] remain in a critical condition, California Hospital confirmed. » | Dion Dassanayake, Peter Henn, Jake Burman & Selina Sykes | Thursday, December 3, 2015

America to Allow Women to Serve in All Military Roles

THE TELEGRAPH: Ash Carter, the defence secretary, announces that woman will be able to apply for any job in the military

America is to allow women to serve in all roles in the military – including in front line combat roles – in a sweeping decision announced on Thursday by the defence secretary in a historic move to strike down gender barriers.

Ash Carter, speaking at the Pentagon, said he had decided to overrule objections raised by the Marine Corps that mixed-gender units were, in some cases, less efficient.

"I am announcing my decision to proceed with opening of all these remaining occupations and positions to women," said Mr Carter. "There will be no exceptions." » | Harriet Alexander, New York | Thursday, December 3, 2015