Today's Newsletter
TERRORISM AND TERRORIST FINANCING REPORT
This high level terrorist financing (“TF”) document is geared towards providing an update on matters related to terrorism and terrorist financing. It is intended to facilitate and maintain a dynamic understanding of the potential scope of international and domestic terrorism and terrorist financing threats and risks faced globally. An understanding of these issues would enable persons/organizations the ability to identify and mitigate potential threats and risks in Anguilla.
The threat of terrorism for Anguilla is considered low based on the geographical location and its level of resources. There is no evidence of known and potential terrorism and TF threats and vulnerabilities in Anguilla. There are also no known terrorist groups or individuals linked to terrorism that have been identified as operating within Anguilla. Furthermore, the TF risks within the Non-Profit Organization (“NPO”) sector are assessed as MEDIUM due to several factors.
The jurisdictional terrorist financing risk has been assessed as MEDIUM.
The information provided below is intended for private use and should not be forwarded outside of your department.
The stories that are presented on this webpage are uplifted as reported from their original source and thus factual errors may be replicated if they are present in source reports. Readers are therefore advised to corroborate any reporting seen on the report and establish the veracity of information. It is intended to inform readers as to the global terrorism and terrorist financing threats.
Leading Stories
It was widely reported that a government review has concluded that the Prevent scheme "prematurely" closed its case on Axel Rudakubana three years before he carried out an attack in Southport. Rudakubana was referred to Prevent three times between 2019 and 2021 due to his interest in mass murder incidents, and the review found that counter terrorism officers staffing the Prevent scheme had "sufficient information" to escalate his case to the next stage, known as Channel. The review claimed that while officers at Prevent had demonstrated a "high level of compliance" with policies in place at the time, it highlighted the programme’s focus on Rudakubana’s lack of political or religious motivation.
The daughter of Sir David Amess has called for inquiries to be launched for victims impacted by Prevent "failings," PA Media reports. A Prevent learning review into the killing of Sir David will be released next week in a commitment to transparency over the programme by the government, but Katie Amess has called for further learning reviews into similar cases involving perpetrators referred to the counter-terrorism programme. Sir David's killer, Ali Harbi Ali, had been previously referred to Prevent prior to his attack, but his case had been closed.
The Times reports that the harm created by social media has been compared to the "cancer" caused by smoking, according to Britain’s head of counterterrorism. Matt Jukes has called for a ban on its use by children, arguing that introducing a law similar to the one introduced by Australia “warrants serious attention” and should be “explored” by ministers. Mr Jukes said the surge in counterterrorism casework policing had been driven by online racialisation and from isolation during the pandemic.
CT Topics in International Media
Details surrounding the perpetrator who carried out Sweden's worst mass shooting have been revealed, it was widely reported. Rickard Andersson, 35, was believed to have lived a reclusive life at home and had been unemployed. Police are yet to establish a motive for the shooting and said there were no immediate signs of any ideological motivation, but a video obtained and analysed by Swedish channel TV appears to capture the voice of an unknown person allegedly shouting in Swedish, “You should go away from Europe,” during gunshots.
Associated Press reports that Rwanda-backed rebels have gained further ground in eastern Congo. Congo’s M23 rebels are now approximately 31 miles north of Bukavu, the provincial capital, despite the unilateral ceasefire they declared earlier this week. The ceasefire was agreed on humanitarian grounds for the safe passage of aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people, but the United Nations has noted reports of heavy fighting with Congolese forces.
Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Jordan are to jointly combat Daesh and aim to hold a first meeting on the matter in Jordan, Reuters reports. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has announced that the four countries had reached a preliminary agreement for closer cooperation involving their foreign and defence ministries and intelligence agencies, and plan to also take measures on border security. Thousands of members of the militant group are being held in prison camps in north-east Syria, guarded by U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces.
Detailed Media Summary
United Kingdom
Prevent closed Southport killer case 'prematurely'
BBC News, 05/02/2025
The Prevent counter-extremism scheme "prematurely" closed its case on Axel Rudakubana before he went on to murder three children in Southport, a government review has found. Security minister Dan Jarvis MP told the House of Commons Rudakubana had already discussed the Manchester Arena bombing and stabbing people when Prevent decided to end its involvement with him. The now convicted triple-killer was referred to Prevent three times between December 2019 and April 2021 due to his interest in terrorist attacks and school shootings. Rudakubana was 17 when he walked into a summer holiday dance workshop on 29 July last year, stabbing 11 children and two adults and killing nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar; Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and six-year-old Bebe King.
Also: Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, (£) Daily Telegraph, Channel Four News, GB News, The Guardian, ITV News, Liverpool Echo, London Evening Standard, PA Media, Sky News, (£) The Times
Daughter of murdered MP says ‘everyone failed by Prevent’ should get inquiry
PA Media, 05/02/2025
The daughter of a murdered MP has called for “everybody else that Prevent failed” to get an inquiry into the death of their loved one. Katie Amess, 39, is the daughter of Sir David Amess, the Conservative Southend West MP who was stabbed to death as he carried out a constituency surgery at a church in Leigh-on-Sea in October 2021. It was later revealed that Sir David’s killer, Ali Harbi Ali, had been referred to the Government’s counter-terrorism programme Prevent prior to the attack, but that his case had been closed. Following the publication of a review into the handling of Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana under the same programme, security minister Dan Jarvis told the House of Commons on Wednesday that a Prevent learning review into the killing of Sir David will be released next week in a commitment to transparency over the programme.
David Lammy says Palestinians 'must be able to live in their homelands in Gaza' amid Labour fury at Trump's 'ethnic cleansing' plan for US to seize the territory and resettle people in other countries
Daily Mail, 05/02/2025
David Lammy insisted Palestinians must be able to 'live in their homelands in Gaza' today after Donald Trump unveiled an extraordinary plan for the US to take control of Gaza. Labour MPs have been voicing fury at the prospect of 'ethnic cleansing' after the US president's explosive intervention overnight threatened a delicate ceasefire. At a joint press conference with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington DC last night, Mr Trump suggested Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip could be permanently resettled elsewhere. He proposed the US taking over the vacated region - potentially using troops - and turning it from a 'demolition site' into the 'Riviera of the Middle East'.
Also: PA Media
UK rejects Donald Trump's plan to 'take over' Gaza sparking fresh row
Daily Express, 05/02/2025
President Donald Trump's audacious plan for the United States to “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents has rejected by US allies including the UK. It's another disagreement following US concern over Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer 's plan to hand the Chagos Islands, including a major US-UK military base, to Mauritius. Mr Trump wants to the US to turn Gaza, scene of destructive fighting between Israel and terror group Hamas, and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East”. But Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: "I can happily tell you what the UK government's position is, and that is that Palestinian civilians must be able to return to their homes and rebuild their lives."
Furious Labour MPs demand Starmer condemns Trump over 'ethnic cleansing' plan for US to seize Gaza and 'relocate' Palestinians to Arab countries while turning it into the 'Riviera of the Middle East'
Daily Mail, 05/02/2025
Furious Labour MPs are demanding Keir Starmer condemns Donald Trump 's extraordinary plan to seize Gaza and relocate Palestinians to Arab countries. The PM is under pressure to speak out against the prospect of 'ethnic cleansing' after the US president's explosive intervention overnight threatened a delicate ceasefire. At a joint press conference with Israeli PM Bejamin Netanyahu in Washington DC, Mr Trump suggested Palestinian refugees from the Gaza Strip could be permanently resettled elsewhere. Left-wing Labour MPs reacted angrily, with Richard Burgon saying it would be a 'war crime'. Zarah Sultana said it was 'ethnic cleansing, plain and simple'. On a round of interviews this morning, Environment Secretary Steve Reed insisted the UK still supported a two-state solution.
Swinney attacks Trump's Gaza 'take over' plans
BBC News, 06/02/2025
Scotland's first minister has accused US President Donald Trump of promoting ethnic cleansing after he announced plans to take ownership of Gaza. John Swinney said he could have "nothing to do" with suggestions Palestinians should be removed from their home. Trump has previously called for a "clean out" of Gaza, saying Palestinians should be permanently resettled. Neighbouring countries have firmly rejected the proposals. Swinney told BBC Scotland News: "I think it is important that politicians say it as it is and I cannot go along with what President Trump said in anyway shape or form. "I think what he said amounts to ethnic cleansing. It's about the forced repatriation of the Palestinian people. I cannot go along with that."
Also: PA Media, 05/02/2025
Politicians are hopelessly naive to the threat of Islamist entryism
(£) Daily Telegraph, 05/02/2025
“Civil servants should be wary of what the people they grant a seat at the table really believe,” Liam Duffy writes.
This is comment or editorial reporting.
Southport stabbings: The processes might have been followed but the systems failed
Sky News, 05/02/2025
Jason Farrell writes, “This is a government acknowledgement of what we already knew; that the system failed. There were three chances to act, which certainly cumulatively, but even individually, should have seen Rudakubana placed in a system designed to de-radicalise him, even if his ideology was poorly formed and hard to define. Today's report for the government suggests, even in his first referral to Prevent, enough was known to put Rudakubana into the Channel programme.”
This is comment or editorial reporting.
Labour need to get a grip on these grievous failings
Daily Mail, 06/02/2025
Daily Mail's editorial board writes, "The more we learn about how catastrophically badly the Southport killer was handled by the system, the less safe the public will feel."
This is comment or editorial reporting.
UK Communities and Counter-Extremism
Police accused of 'enforcing Sharia law' on the streets of Britain
Daily Express, 05/02/2025
A campaign chief has issued a warning that Sharia law is being brought to the UK A man who burned pages of a Quran at the memorial to the Manchester Arena bombing victims has had his personal details released by the police, sparking backlash. Martin Frost, 47, admitted a racially aggravated public order offence for his actions on Saturday as the Manchester Magistrates Court heard that Frost had publicised the filming of the event online before, streaming it on social media. However, the case has been heavily criticised by free speech campaigners who believe it will leave Frost in a vulnerable situation.
Also: GB News
Musk’s posts on UK child sex abuse gangs cast a spotlight on survivors. But he also stoked the fire of the far-right
CNN, 06/02/2025
The northern English town of Oldham is used to outsiders exploiting it to “drive an agenda,” local councillor Abdul Wahid said. But people here never expected to be the focus of Elon Musk, who spent much of early January posting about a historic child abuse scandal that plagued this community and many others across the United Kingdom more than a decade ago. Oldham, home to a large British Pakistani community, has previously been a flashpoint for race riots, riven by divisions that extremists have sought to take advantage of. Now, it’s in the crosshairs of the far-right again over allegations of a cover-up of child abuse, amplified by the world’s richest man.
Rioter who threw rocks at police and attempted to set bin on fire jailed for his part in summer 2024 violence
(£) Yorkshire Post, 06/02/2025
A rioter who threw rocks at police and attempted to set a bin on fire during the August 4, 2024 violence, has been jailed. Lucas Taylor, 44, confronted police during the protests that turned violent in Middlesbrough on August 4, 2024, Teesside Crown Court heard. Taylor, of Worcester Street, threw rocks at police officers and attempted to set a bin on fire during the summer violence. The 44-year-old initially pleaded not guilty to violent disorder however changed his plea on the first day of his trial on Monday (Feb 3). During his appearance, the court was shown various footage of Taylor amongst approximately 400 people challenging a line of officers at the junction of Linthorpe Road and Ayresome Street.
FGM support available in the Black Country
Express and Star, 05/02/2025
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there's no medical reason for this to be done. It's also known as female circumcision or cutting and is illegal in the UK. FGM is usually carried out on young girls between infancy and the age of 15, most commonly before puberty starts. In the Black Country, there are two dedicated clinics offering support for pregnant women and non-pregnant women, run by Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust. The clinics opened back in 2019 and have recently been commissioned for a further three years by the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board. The service is run by specialist lead midwife Alison Byrne, who has more than 22 years' experience within this field.
Technology
Social media for children ‘like cancer risk of smoking’, says anti-terror chief
(£) The Times, 05/02/2025
The harm created by social media is similar to the “cancer” caused by smoking, Britain’s head of counterterrorism has claimed, as he called for a ban on its use by children. Matt Jukes said his team had discussed the policy with colleagues in Australia, which passed a world-first ban on social media use by under-16s last year. Giving evidence to The Times Crime and Justice Commission, he said the idea of introducing a similar ban on accessing social media platforms “warrants serious attention” and should be “explored” by ministers. Jukes said the surge in young people in the casework of MI5 and counterterrorism policing had been driven by online radicalisation and had accelerated by isolation during the pandemic.
Also: PA Media
Daesh
Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Jordan aim to jointly tackle Islamic State, Ankara says
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Jordan will take steps toward jointly combating Daesh in the region and they aim to hold a first meeting on the issue in Jordan, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Wednesday. Since the ousting of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December, Western and regional countries have warned of a possible resurgence of Daesh. Thousands of members of the militant Islamist group are being held in prison camps in north-east Syria. Fidan told Turkey's state-owned Anadolu news agency that the four countries had reached a preliminary agreement for closer cooperation involving their foreign and defence ministries and intelligence agencies. The four countries plan to take measures on border security, he added, though he did not say but did not say when the first meeting would take place.
Syria's SDF says it has not received any plans from U.S. forces to withdraw
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
Syria's Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said on Wednesday the group had not received any plans from the U.S. forces in northern and eastern Syria to withdraw. "Of course, ISIS and other malicious forces are waiting for the opportunity of the U.S. withdrawal to reactivate and reach the state of 2014," the SDF's spokesperson Farhad Shami told Reuters. At the height of its powers in 2014, Daesh imposed a reign of terror over millions of people and claimed control over swathes of the combined territories of Iraq and Syria. The U.S. Department of Defense is developing plans to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, NBC News reported on Wednesday, citing two U.S. defense officials. The U.S. considers the Kurdish-led forces key allies against Daesh but neighbouring Turkey regards them as a national security threat.
Iran
Iran says Trump's concern about nuclear weapons can be resolved
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
U.S. concerns about Iran developing nuclear weapons are not a complicated issue and can be resolved given Tehran's opposition to weapons of mass destruction, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, that includes efforts to drive its oil exports down to zero in order to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. "If the main concern is that Iran should not pursue nuclear weapons, this is achievable and not a complicated issue. Iran's position is clear: it is a member of the Non Proliferation Treaty, and the Supreme Leader's fatwa has already clarified our stance [against weapons of mass destruction]," Araqchi said. "Maximum pressure is a failed experience and trying it again will lead to another failure."
Iran praises US for cutting foreign aid funding as it looks for a Trump message on nuclear talks
Associated Press, 05/02/2025
Iran's government seems to be welcoming some recent decisions by the United States - even though they happen to come from a man Iranian operatives have allegedly been plotting to assassinate. President Donald Trump's moves to freeze spending on foreign aid and overhaul, maybe even end, the U.S. Agency for International Development have been lauded in Iranian state media. The reports say the decisions will halt funding for opponents of the country's Shiite theocracy - pro-democracy activists and others supported through programs as part of U.S. government's efforts to help democracy worldwide. At the same time, Iranian officials appear to be signaling that they are waiting for a message from Trump on whether he wants to negotiate over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program.
Pakistan
Pakistan's president says extremist attacks won't end friendship with China
Associated Press, 05/02/2025
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari said Wednesday that his country's friendship with China has "gone through ups and downs" but it won't be broken down by extremist attacks that have killed Chinese nationals that have killed Chinese nationals. "Pakistan and China will always be friends, all-weather friends," he said at the opening of talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. "No matter how many terrors, how many issues crop up in the world, I will stand, Pakistan people will stand with the people of China." Thousands of Chinese workers work in Pakistan on road and other infrastructure projects under China's multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to improve trade routes and deepen China´s ties with the rest of the world. Chinese workers have been among those targeted in attacks in recent years, including seven who died last year in two separate attacks that raised renewed alarm in China.
Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories
Trump’s Gaza plan could amount to war crime, say experts
The Guardian, 05/02/2025
Donald Trump’s proposal to permanently move millions of Palestinians out of Gaza to allow its reconstruction under US “ownership” could amount to a war crime or crime against humanity, experts in international law have said. The experts said the US president’s framing of his plan without any reference to international law set a dangerous precedent that would encourage other world leaders to do similarly and contribute to a global breakdown of peace and security. “I was shocked as a scholar, a teacher of international law and as a human being,” said Dr Maria Varaki, a lecturer in international law at the department of war studies at King’s College London. “A head of state who makes no reference to international law … That’s very dangerous.”
Trump’s Gaza plan watered down amid backlash from allies
(£) The Times, 06/02/2025
Trump administration officials sought to walk back the most controversial parts of the president’s proposal to “take over” the Gaza Strip and clear it of Palestinians as the international community reacted with outrage. After a meeting at the White House with Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday night, President Trump referred to Gaza as a “demolition zone”, adding that its nearly two million-strong population should move out “permanently” to neighbouring countries in the Middle East. At a press conference with the Israeli prime minister, Trump then said: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it.” Suggesting “long-term ownership” by America, Trump said his idea would make it “the Riviera of the Middle East”.
Donald Trump's Gaza takeover comments spark outrage worldwide as leaders slam US tirade
Daily Mirror, 05/02/2025
Donald Trump's proposal that the US "take over" the Gaza Strip and resettle Palestinians outside the territory has sparked outrage around the world with leaders slamming his comments. The Republican leader outlined a vision for the Gaza Strip during a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who smiled at several points as the president made his comments. Saudi Arabia, a key American ally, swiftly rebutted the comments and said it would continue to support Palestinians. Hamas said in a statement that Trump's vision for the Gaza Strip would be a "recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region. Instead of holding the Zionist (supporters of the Jewish state) occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished, the statement said.
Also: Daily Mail, The Guardian, (£) The Independent, (£) The Times
Far-right Israeli lawmaker praises Trump's comments on resettlement of Gazans
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
Israel's former public security minister and far-right politician Itamar Ben Gvir on Tuesday praised U.S. President Donald Trump's stance that Gazans should be resettled outside of Gaza, calling it the "only solution". Ben Gvir said in a post on X that "encouraging" Gazans to migrate from the enclave was the only correct strategy at the end of the war in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. He urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt that policy "immediately". The hardline former minister, who is part of a political movement advocating for Jewish settlement in Gaza, and two other ministers from his nationalist-religious party resigned from Netanyahu's cabinet last month over a landmark deal , aimed at securing the release of hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners being held in Israeli jails.
Palestinians fear a repeat of their 1948 mass expulsion in the wake of Trump's remarks on Gaza
Associated Press, 05/02/2025
Palestinians will mark this year the 77th anniversary of their mass expulsion from what is now Israel, an event that is at the core of their national struggle. But in many ways, that experience pales in comparison to the calamity now faced in the Gaza Strip - particularly as President Donald Trump has suggested that displaced Palestinians in Gaza be permanently resettled outside the war-torn territory and that the United States take "ownership" of the enclave. Palestinians refer to their 1948 expulsion as the Nakba, Arabic for catastrophe. Some 700,000 Palestinians — a majority of the prewar population — fled or were driven from their homes before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed Israel’s establishment.
'I won't leave. Put that in your brain.' Palestinians reject Trump's call to expel them from Gaza
(£) The Independent, 05/02/2025
Saeed Abu Elaish’s wife, two of his daughters and two dozen others from his extended family were killed by Israeli airstrikes over the past 15 months. His house in northern Gaza was destroyed. He and surviving family now live in a tent set up in the rubble of his home. But he says he will not be driven out, after President Donald Trump called for transferring all Palestinians from Gaza so the United States could take over the devastated territory and rebuild it for others. Rights groups said his comments were tantamount to a call for “ethnic cleansing” and forcible expulsion. “We categorically reject and will resist any plans to deport and transfer us from our land,” he said from the Jabaliya refugee camp.
Gaza is integral part of future Palestinian state, EU spokesperson says
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
Gaza should be an essential part of a future Palestinian state, said a European Union foreign policy spokesperson on Wednesday, adding that the EU was committed to a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. President Donald Trump has proposed for the United States to take over war-ravaged Gaza after resettling Palestinians elsewhere. The comments have drawn global condemnation. "We took note of President Trump's comments. The EU remains firmly committed to a two-state solution, which we believe is the only path to long-term peace for both Israelis and Palestinians," the EU spokesperson said. "Gaza is an integral part of a future Palestinian state," he added.
Lebanese Hezbollah official says US plans for Palestinians are 'criminal'
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
An official from the Lebanese Hizballah group on Wednesday described U.S. plans to move Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip as "criminal orders". The comments by Hussein Moussawi, political advisor to the group's secretary general, were published in a statement from Hizballah. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the United States would take over Gaza after Palestinians were resettled elsewhere and develop it economically. He was speaking at a joint press conference with visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
UN chief warns against ‘ethnic cleansing’ after Trump’s Gaza proposal
The Guardian, 05/02/2025
Donald Trump’s proposal for a US takeover of Gaza was met with anger and blunt rejection from regional allies, delight from Israel’s far right and a warning against “ethnic cleansing” from the head of the UN. The secretary general, António Guterres, plans to tell a UN meeting on Wednesday that “it is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing” after the US president said he wanted to “own” Gaza and resettle its Palestinian residents elsewhere. An unusually broad wave of international outrage and condemnation followed Trump’s shock announcement after a meeting with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Germany warned that the plan violated international law and Brazil’s president described it as “incomprehensible” with China stating it opposed “forced transfer”.
Father of Israeli-American man held hostage remains hopeful his son is still alive
ABC News, 05/02/2025
The father of an Israeli-American man who has been held hostage by Hamas since the group's terror attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, says he is anxiously awaiting good news about his son's release. Jonathan Dekel-Chen, the father of Israeli-American hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, says the last update he has received about his son was in December 2023, and says the release of all remaining Israeli hostages is the "lynchpin for any better future" in Gaza. "We are incredibly grateful to the Trump administration, to the team that's working on this for those who have been released," Jonathan Dekel-Chen told ABC News. "Over the course of the week, four members of my kibbutz, my small community, have been released, and that's an incredible relief for us."
Trump's Gaza 'Riviera' echoes Kushner waterfront property dreams
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
U.S. President Donald Trump's vision of a Gaza Strip cleared of its Palestinian inhabitants and redeveloped into an international beach resort under U.S. control has revived an idea floated by his son-in-law Jared Kushner a year ago. The idea, outlined by Trump in a press conference on Tuesday, has drawn shocked reactions from both Palestinians and Western critics who say it would be tantamount to ethnic cleansing and illegal under international law. But it was not the first time Trump has spoken of Gaza in terms of real estate investment opportunities. In October last year, he told a radio interviewer Gaza could be "better than Monaco" if rebuilt in the right way.
Trump's plan for Gaza may kill Israel hostage deal – but save Netanyahu
(£) Daily Telegraph, 05/02/2025
Henry Bodkin writes: “Hamas had only just confirmed that negotiations had begun on the second phase of a deal to release some of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza when Donald Trump made his epoch-shifting announcement.
This is content or editorial reporting.
Trump's Gaza plan is so outrageous, it might just be part of something bigger
Sky News, 05/02/2025
Sky News’ Alistair Bunkall writes: “Donald Trump's Gaza solution is an idea he has repeated and now embellished, an idea so egregious that it has left diplomats and politicians in the Middle East agog.”
This is content or editorial reporting.
Expert explains why Donald Trump's plan to take over Gaza would never work
Daily Mirror, 05/02/2025
The agony of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, which we see almost daily in our news, has a long back story.
This is content or editorial reporting.
In Gaza, Trump has just shown the world what America First really means
(£) Daily Telegraph, 05/02/2025
Dominic Green writes, “He isn’t about to invade the Middle East. But unlike the isolationists, he doesn’t think that the US is finished either.”
This is comment or editorial reporting.
Trump’s Gaza power-trip tells us this: he is just another coward denying the need for a Palestinian state
The Guardian, 06/02/2025
Simon Tsidall, foreign affairs commentator for The Guardian, writes, "In demanding the permanent emptying of Gaza and the forcible resettlement of Palestinian civilians on a wholly imaginary “good, fresh, beautiful piece of land”, Donald Trump tried to break the mould. Instead, he broke hearts – and the US’s word."
This is comment or editorial reporting.
United States
Everything we know about the FBI’s involvement in the Jan 6 riots
(£) Daily Telegraph, 06/02/2025
Among the thousands of people who stormed the US Capitol on Jan 6, were members of far-Right militias, a shaman – and several FBI assets. There is no evidence that the security services sought to instigate or inflame the riot by supporters of Donald Trump four years ago. But the FBI was evidently keeping a close eye on perceived domestic terrorists who had travelled to Washington DC to protest the certification of Joe Biden’s election victory four years ago. A handful of sources were tasked with travelling to the city to monitor the events; others simply did so off their own initiatives. Most of the reliable information regarding the bureau’s involvement in the Jan 6 riot comes from a Justice Department watchdog report published in Dec 2024.
Trump is targeting antisemitism in schools. Experts fear other civil rights will be ignored
Associated Press, 05/02/2025
The federal office that enforces civil rights at schools across the U.S. has been ordered to prioritize complaints of antisemitism above all else as it molds to President Donald Trump’s agenda, raising fears that other rights violations will go unpunished. Trump’s new leader of the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights told staff this week they will be expected to aggressively pursue complaints involving antisemitism and hew closely to Trump’s wishes, according to sources who were on the call with Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights. Already there are signs of a hard turn on civil rights enforcement, including new actions focused squarely on anti-Jewish bias and transgender issues.
Cooper Union in NYC must face Jewish students' lawsuit over pro-Palestinian rally
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
A federal judge in Manhattan said the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art must face a lawsuit claiming it did nothing to help Jewish students who locked themselves in a library for protection from pro-Palestinian demonstrators. U.S. District Judge John Cronan ruled on Wednesday that the private college must face claims it violated federal and New York civil rights laws by subjecting Jewish students to "severe and pervasive" antisemitic abuse that did not qualify as constitutionally protected speech. Cronan, appointed to the bench by President Donald Trump, also said the 10 plaintiffs can seek punitive damages and an injunction to end what they called an antisemitic, anti-Israel campus environment. The judge dismissed some other claims.
Europe
Swedish school gunman shouted ‘you should go away from Europe’ as he fired on victims
(£) Daily Telegraph, 05/02/2025
The gunman who killed 10 people in an attack on a school in Sweden allegedly shouted “you should go away from Europe” in between firing shots at his victims, video analysis shows. Footage emerged on Wednesday night from what is believed to the moment Rickard Andersson, 35, carried out his attack that killed adults attending classes. The video is being investigated by police and may offer clues to a motive. The school offers Swedish classes for immigrants and programmes for people with learning disabilities. Witness reports suggested that the gunman deliberately spared some people while targeting others, although his reasons for doing so remain unclear. Police said they have no evidence yet that the attack – the largest mass shooting in the country’s history – was “ideological”.
Also: BBC News, Daily Mail, Daily Mirror, GB News, (£) The Independent, Sky News, (£) The Times
Fresh travel warning for Britons as terrorists are 'likely' to attempt attacks in European holiday spot
GB News, 05/02/2025
In a new travel advisory, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warned holidaymakers that terrorists are "likely" to attempt attacks in Belgium. The warning comes amid ongoing security concerns in the European nation, which has experienced several terrorist incidents in recent years. The FCDO shared that "the main threat comes from extremists linked to Daesh, formerly known as ISIL". In October 2023, a terrorism-related shooting in Brussels resulted in two fatalities and one serious injury.
Other Countries
Rwanda-backed rebels have seized another town in eastern Congo
Associated Press, 05/02/2025
Rwanda-backed rebels gained ground in eastern Congo on Wednesday despite the unilateral ceasefire they declared earlier this week, taking control of a town 100 kilometres (60 miles) from the provincial capital of Bukavu, civil society officials and residents told The Associated Press. Goma remains “under occupation” by Congo’s M23 rebels and the ceasefire they announced has been broken as their forces engage in heavy fighting along the main route to South Kivu’s main city Bukavu, the U.N.’s deputy representative in Congo, Vivian van de Perre said Wednesday. M23 rebels are now approximately 50 kilometres (31 miles) north of Bukavu, she added. The M23 rebels on Monday announced the ceasefire on humanitarian grounds after pleas for the safe passage of aid and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
Also: (£) Reuters
Netanyahu ‘gives Trump golden pager’ to celebrate attack on Hezbollah
(£) Daily Telegraph, 05/02/2025
Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly gave Donald Trump a golden pager in a symbolic reference to the covert operation that turned Hizballah devices into lethal explosives in an attack last year. “That was a great operation,” the US president responded, according to Israel’s Channel 12 news. Mr Trump then gave the Israeli prime minister a photo of the two of them from the latter’s US visit with the inscription: “To Bibi, a great leader.” The synchronised detonation of thousands of low-tech electronic pagers on Sept 18 killed at least 12 people, including two children and two healthcare workers, and injured more than 3,000 across Lebanon and Syria.
Australia passes tough hate crime laws with mandatory jail time for Nazi salutes
(£) Reuters, 06/02/2025
Australia passed tough anti-hate crime laws on Thursday, including mandatory minimum sentences for terror offences and displaying hate symbols, in a bid to tackle a recent surge in antisemitism. The laws will impose minimum jail sentences between 12 months for less serious hate crimes, such as giving a Nazi salute in public, and six years for those found guilty of terrorism offences. “I want people who are engaged in antisemitism to be held to account, to be charged, to be incarcerated,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who had initially opposed mandatory minimum sentences for hate crimes, told Sky News.
Hate crime laws to make anti-Semites 'think twice'
Australian Associated Press, 06/02/2025
People intent on stoking hatred and division will be made to think twice before they act, under tougher laws aimed at curbing a spate of antisemitic crimes, Jewish leaders say. Amid escalating antisemitic graffiti, firebombings and most recently a thwarted plot targeting the Great Synagogue and the Jewish Museum in central Sydney, the NSW government will make it easier to jail perpetrators for up to two years. Displaying a Nazi symbol on or near a synagogue or otherwise intentionally inciting racial hatred will be explicitly outlawed, among several changes. "Crucially, these reforms will make those intent on stoking hatred and division think twice before they act," NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said on Thursday.
Mandatory jail terms ‘clear breach’ of Labor platform and shows party ‘under pressure’, Kim Carr says
The Guardian, 06/02/2025
Former Labor senator Kim Carr has criticised his former party’s “profoundly disappointing” decision to cave to the Coalition’s demands for mandatory jail terms for terror crimes and displaying hate symbols. The government’s hate crimes legislation passed the lower house on Thursday morning after it agreed to introduce mandatory minimum sentences, including six years for terror offences, three years for financing terrorism and one year for displaying hate symbols. The decision made public late on Wednesday night marked a dramatic shift from Labor, which resisted the Coalition’s proposal since it was announced on 20 January among a package of measures to combat antisemitism.
Mandatory jail for terror risks 'serious injustice'
Australian Associated Press, 06/02/2025
People found guilty of displaying terror symbols or some terrorism offences will be jailed under new laws, but some advocates warn they could disproportionately hurt marginalised Australians. The legislation, which cleared the Senate on Thursday, will create offences for threatening force of violence against particular groups, including on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or political opinion. Mandatory minimum prison sentences were folded into the bill at the eleventh hour after Labor caved to the opposition's demands for stronger action against antisemitism.
Queensland university apologises for ‘hurt' and ‘offence' caused at anti-racism event
The Guardian, 05/02/2025
The head of the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has issued an “unreserved apology” for events at an anti-racism symposium last month that caused offence, adding the institute behind it would “not be holding events like this in the future”. Appearing before a federal parliamentary inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses on Wednesday, the vice-chancellor of QUT, Prof Margaret Sheil, was grilled over why the event went ahead despite concerns from community members about alleged “anti-Jewish” speakers. The university's Carumba Institute held the national symposium on unifying antiracist research at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre on 23 and 24 January.
War crimes tribunal closely monitoring Congo bloodshed
(£) Reuters, 05/02/2025
International Criminal Court prosecutors said on Wednesday they were closely monitoring events in Democratic Republic of Congo, where Rwandan-backed rebels are trying to expand their territory after capturing the city of Goma. "Credible sources indicate that thousands of persons have been wounded and hundreds killed in and around Goma, including civilians and peacekeepers, following months of clashes between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the March 23 Movement ("M23") and their allies," ICC prosecutors said in a statement. They urged all parties to deliver information on possible crimes.
Other Outlets UK
Southport killer’s anti-terror referral closed ‘early’ despite interest in Manchester attack & ‘wanting to stab people’
LBC News, 05/02/2025
The Prevent counter-extremism programme wrongly concluded Southport killer Axel Rudakubana posed no threat despite clear evidence to the contrary, a Government review has found.
British Hindus denounce 'Hindutva' in extremism report
Asian Voice, 06/02/2025
British Hindus have vehemently rejected a leaked Home Office report that labels them as "extremist," describing it as part of a fabricated global narrative aimed at demonising Hindus.
British politics is corrupt and morally bankrupt – Scotland needs out
(£) The National Scot, 05/02/2025
The First Minister John Swinney has condemned Donald Trump's shocking plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza, permanently settle the vast majority of its almost 2 million Palestinian residents in neighbouring countries, and for the United States to take ownership of the territory.
Palestine rally to march to US embassy amid Trump's Gaza comments
(£) The National Scot, 05/02/2025
Campaigners are set to march to the US Embassy in London to demand freedom for Palestine amid Donald Trump's comments on a Gaza ethnic cleansing plan.
Trump Is Motivating Islamist Extremists to Kill Americans
Foreign Policy, 05/02/2025
Research shows that foreign military occupation is the leading cause of the worst forms of terrorism—suicide attacks—and has also led to the rise of the terrorist groups that use these deadly tactics.
Anger flares on social media over Trump plan to 'take over' and 'own' Gaza
Middle East Eye, 05/02/2025
Thousands of people have taken to social media to slam President Donald Trump after he announced that the US could "take over" the Gaza Strip and transform it into a “holiday hub” without Palestinians.
‘In a state of shock’: Palestinians respond to Trump's proposal to take over Gaza
Middle East Eye, 05/02/2025
It’s not easy to catch Palestinians off guard, given the scenes from 15 months of Israeli bombardment, siege, starvation, and the world’s inaction to what Amnesty International has called a "genocide".
How Syrian mutinies and betrayal sunk Iran's support for Assad
Middle East Eye, 05/02/2025
Iranian-backed armed factions played a decisive role in Syria’s key battles, ensuring Bashar al-Assad's survival against both rebels and international pressure however, the death of Brigadier-General Kioumars Pourhashemi, Iran's top military adviser in Syria, that day triggered a domino effect that neither Assad nor his allies could stop.
Israel's West Bank assault displaces 26,000 from Jenin and Tulkarm camps
Middle East Eye, 05/02/2025
The Israeli military has displaced 26,000 Palestinians from their homes in Jenin and Tulkarm since launching its major assault on the occupied West Bank last month.
Netanyahu 'gave Trump a golden pager' in reference to Lebanon attack
Middle East Eye, 05/02/2025
Donald Trump was given a golden pager and a regular one by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an apparent reference to the September 2024 pager attacks on Lebanon.
Saudi Arabia plans to execute six Shia citizens on charges UN deems 'arbitrary'
Middle East Eye, 05/02/2025
Saudi Arabia is planning to execute five young Saudi Arabian Shia citizens and one businessman on charges the United Nations has deemed arbitrary and which campaigners and legal experts say are racially motivated.
Other Outlets International
Fears, anguish and frustration in a northern UK town hit by racist riots
Al Jazeera, 05/02/2025
Residents in Middlesbrough, which has witnessed several episodes of discriminatory violence, say the root causes of the summer riots and division remain unaddressed.
What exactly is in Trump’s maximum pressure policy against Iran?
Al Arabiya, 05/02/2025
US President Donald Trump signed a memo on Tuesday to increase American pressure and sanctions on Iran despite him saying he “hated doing it.”
US hostage envoy criticises Iraqi Prime Minister over kidnapping of Elizabeth Tsurkov
National Newspaper, 05/02/2025
US President Donald Trump's hostage envoy on Wednesday criticised Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani over his failure to secure the release of Elizabeth Tsurkov.
Federal, provincial govts blasted for failure to curb terrorism
The News International, 06/02/2025
Awami National Party (ANP) leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Wednesday said that terrorism was the biggest issue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and blasted the federal and provincial governments for their failure to curb the menace.
Freedom of expression at stake in Pakistan after new cybercrime law
Geo News, 05/02/2025
“I may not be able to continue hosting my show because the content I put up will most certainly land me in prison,” said senior correspondent Azaz Syed who works for Geo News, but who also has his own private online digital channel.
Two police officers killed, six injured in attack on Karak checkpost
Geo News, 06/02/2025
In an overnight assault, militants attacked a police checkpost in Karak during the early hours of Thursday, killing at least two police officers and injuring six others, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
Call to resolve Kashmir issue urgently
The News International, 06/02/2025
Kashmir Solidarity Day was observed here on Wednesday with the renewal of a pledge to continue moral support for the liberation of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
Gaza is forever Palestinian, war-weary residents tell Donald Trump
National Newspaper, 05/02/2025
Gazans were defiant on Wednesday over any attempt to relocate them from the enclave, saying US President Donald Trump's plans to take control and redevelop the territory were “fantasies” bound to fail.
Israel’s military incursions in West Bank target health care, MSF says
National Newspaper, 06/02/2025
Israel's increased military operations in the occupied West Bank over the past year have directly attacked and obstructed health care for Palestinians, against international law, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said.
Trump's Gaza takeover proposal alarms Palestinian officials
National Newspaper, 05/02/2025
Palestinians reacted in shock to US President Donald Trump 's desire for his country to “take over” the Gaza Strip, an announcement that was praised as miraculous in Israel while sending shock waves and anxiety throughout the Middle East.
Malaysia says forced resettlement of Palestinians would be ethnic cleansing
Al Jazeera, 06/02/2025
Malaysia has said it “strongly opposes” the forcible resettlement of Palestinians in Gaza after United States President Donald Trump said Washington would take over the enclave under an extraordinary redevelopment plan.
Trump must not be allowed to torpedo the Palestinian right to remain
Al Jazeera, 05/02/2025
US president’s latest comments confirm Israel’s wholesale destruction of Gaza is aimed at permanently removing its Palestinian population, Naama Blatman and Neve Gordon write.
This is comment or editorial reporting.
Iran's Khamenei names Naim Qassem, Hezbollah leader, as Lebanon ‘representative'
AFP, 05/02/2025
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has named Hizballah leader Naim Qassem as his “representative” in Lebanon, Iranian media reported Wednesday.
Italy officials say accused Libyan freed over ICC warrant ‘inaccuracies’
Al Jazeera, 05/02/2025
Italy had no choice but to free a Libyan officer wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court (ICC) because of mistakes and inaccuracies in the court’s arrest warrant, the country’s justice minister said.
International Headlines
Al Jazeera (Middle East, Arabic Language)
Rubio, Trump’s top diplomat, to skip G20 over ‘anti-Americanism’; ‘Trump is a madman’: Palestinian in Gaza mocks US president’s takeover plan; Trump signs order to bar trans women and girls from female sports; Following Trump, Argentina withdraws from World Health Organization
Al Arabiya (Middle East, Arabic Language)
Saudi Arabia’s former spy chief blasts Trump’s Gaza proposal for ‘ethnic cleansing’; ‘A remarkable idea’: Netanyahu offers support to Trump’s Gaza plan; Jordan’s King Abdullah praises Saudi stance after Trump’s Gaza proposal; Senior Trump administration officials expected in Lebanon this week; Mo Gawdat on AI, DeepSeek, and future: ‘We’re in a race that can’t be reversed’
Geo TV (Pakistan, Urdu and English)
'Complete fabrication': Expert on 'conspiracy to pack Supreme Court with pro-PTI judges'; Live updates: Middle East crisis; At least three policemen killed, six injured in Karak checkpost attack; Bangladesh protesters torch ousted PM Hasina's father's home