An attack on Belgium was not a matter of “if” but “when,” experts and officials warned. And still, the tragic events of March 22 came as a shock to us all — the counter-terrorism community included. These were the first large-scale suicide bombings coordinated in our country.
The Chechen War and the Diaspora
Chechen militants have gained notoriety thanks to their abilities on the battlefield. The two brutal wars in Chechnya produced a large set of hardcore and experienced extremist fighters.
Le double discours des représentants du culte musulman trahit une réticence à l’assimilation
Vingt-quatre heures après avoir tenu des propos intolérables sur la liberté d’expression, Mohammed Moussaoui évoque une « maladresse ».
Hashim Thaci initially argued for the establishment of the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, but as he faces possible indictment for war crimes, he has now been accused of attempting to obstruct and undermine it.
Several days after Turkish and Iranian media were given orders by the governing authorities to critique France for “Islamophobia,” condemnations have now poured in from Pakistan and the terrorist group Hezbollah.
Police in Paris, France temporarily cordoned off an area around the iconic Arc de Triomphe monument after a bomb alert on Tuesday. Metro lines in the area were also evacuated while police carried out security checks.
The alert was raised over a suspicious bag found on the nearby Champ de Mars, which local media reported as containing different kinds of ammunition.
The US Department of State has cleared the potential sale of Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) anti-ship missile systems originally developed by Norwegian Kongsberg to Romania. Interestingly, they will be purchased from the US government along with the entire command system.
The European Union on Thursday slapped sanctions on a Russian tycoon, who has close ties to President Vladimir Putin and is accused of interfering in a U.S. election, for helping undermine the security of Libya and breaking the U.N. arms embargo on the conflict-torn north African country.
Something about the idea of Europe becoming a strategic actor in global affairs brings to mind the old Irish saying: May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you’re dead.
US Defense Secretary Mark Esper is expected to start this week a tour of the Maghreb to discuss military and security cooperation with leaders of countries of this region, according to press reports.