Switzerland has charged a key Isis figure with terror crimes and plotting attacks. EPA/ANTHONY ANEX
Switzerland has charged a key Isis figure with terror crimes and plotting attacks. EPA/ANTHONY ANEX
Switzerland has charged a key Isis figure with terror crimes and plotting attacks. EPA/ANTHONY ANEX
Switzerland has charged a key Isis figure with terror crimes and plotting attacks. EPA/ANTHONY ANEX

ISIS leader charged over plotting Swiss terror attacks


Nicky Harley
  • English
  • Arabic

A high-ranking ISIS member who allegedly plotted terrorist attacks on Swiss soil has been charged with a number of terrorism offences.

The Iraqi man, who has not been named, is accused of operating as a recruiter and trafficker for ISIS in Switzerland.

Swiss federal prosecutors said the man had held a "position of authority" in the extremist group.

The charges against him were filed on Tuesday, the Office of the Attorney General said.

"The suspect held a position of authority in relation to other ISIS members, some also high-ranking, and functioned as a recruiter, trafficker, cash-provider and as the recipient of instructions from leading ISIS members," it said.

Its investigation uncovered an extensive network involving the man and more than 20 other alleged ISIS members in Switzerland, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Finland and another location as yet unidentified, it said.

The man, who has been held in Switzerland since May 2017 awaiting trial, is alleged to have agreed to prepare attacks in Switzerland, the OAG said, adding it had no indication an actual attack had been imminent.

Switzerland has not experienced deadly militant attacks that have hit neighbouring countries such as Germany and France, but has identified hundreds of residents deemed a threat and cases of extremists who have left the country for war zones.

Latest figures released by the Swiss Federal Office of Police reveals that almost 100 extremists travelled from the country to conflict zones.

The security services believe 31 have been killed and 16 have returned to Switzerland.

In January, Turkey deported three foreign terrorist fighters back to Switzerland.

Last year former Swiss soldier, Hanna Johannes Cosar, was prosecuted for fighting against, rather than with, ISIS forces in Iraq and Syria.

Cosar, who had commanded a Christian militia fighting ISIS in Syria, was convicted of breaching Swiss neutrality.

Switzerland bans fighting for another country without first obtaining permission from the government.

He was a former sergeant in the Swiss Army, whose family had moved to Switzerland from Syria three generations ago.

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Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDirect%20Debit%20System%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sept%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20UAE%20with%20a%20subsidiary%20in%20the%20UK%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20FinTech%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Undisclosed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Elaine%20Jones%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)

Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)

Lazio v Napoli (9pm)

Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)

Sunday

Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)

Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)

Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)

Torino v Bologna (6pm)

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Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

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Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
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Sector: Water technology 
 
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The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler

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