Former British ambassador to Yemen Edmund Fitton-Brown has said that ISIS could make more jailbreak attempts in Syria and that the country's detention camps are a "ticking time bomb".
In a webinar focused on the terror threat to Europe, hosted by the Counter Extremism Project think tank, Mr Fitton-Brown revealed the risk presently posed by ISIS.
Following the group's attack on Syria's Al Sina prison, which lasted nine days and allowed for several terrorist fighters to escape, Mr Fitton-Brown said that this could happen again.
“The ISIS jail break gave it a significant propaganda boost and more jailbreak attempts should be expected, particularly in north-east Syria, and it is a jarring reminder of the precariousness of the holding arrangements in Syria,” he said.
He also raised concerns surrounding the detention of foreign terrorist fighters in camps and said international efforts to deal with the situation were “insufficient”, describing the situation as a “ticking time bomb”.
“ISIS and Al Qaeda might be weakened by a succession of leadership losses but member states still worry they will continue to exploit instability in Syria and Afghanistan,” Mr Fitton-Brown said.
“International efforts to address internally displaced camps and detention facilities in north-east Syria are still insufficient to address the seriousness of the issue.
“Besides the humanitarian issue, this is a ticking time bomb in security terms. There is a risk of thousands not having any chance of rehabilitation and creating a multiplying threat that will still be with us in 20 years.”
He also called for an investigation into British Al Qaeda cells financing fighters in Afghanistan.
“Al Shabab in Somalia is a financial hub for Al Qaeda and sends funds to Afghanistan via Yemen and there are cells in the UK,” he said.
“It is a matter that needs to be studied further. This is evolving information.”
Former European Union intelligence adviser Gerhard Conrad added during the event that terror attacks on tourists will increase and that the EU is working hard to protect its citizens.
“The external situation surrounding Europe is far more unsettled then the present situation in Europe itself,” he said.
“It’s not really good news. If we look at the situation in Afghanistan and North Africa, we have large, ungoverned spaces where they can really organise themselves.
“They are creating safe havens for themselves and for single, smaller, sub groups of terrorists that are not interested in fighting local or regional wars but are preparing themselves to fight against non-Muslims.”
He recalled how, in the early 2000s, attacks on hotels hosting tourists as well as sites in the West took place, and said “we should not overlook that risk, which is going to increase”.
“The EU is obliged to care for citizens abroad and are looking hard to understand it and prevent it in the countries concerned,” he said.
Security adviser Guido Steinberg said that ISIS-Khorasan Province is going to become the “biggest” threat in the years to come.
“ISIS-K in Mali and the neighbouring states have the potential to get into a leading position on the scene in the coming years,” he said.
“ISIS-K are looking to pose a great threat in the short to medium term in Afghanistan.
“It is influencing the Taliban to take a tougher line. It does not have external capabilities right now but has international ambitions. It is only due to the problem of reaching Afghanistan that is keeping international recruits from the West and Middle East from joining it.”
He added that the group could become the leading extremist organisation in the coming years.
“[ISIS-K] is trying to strengthen its numbers by recruiting members from other terrorist groups and attract disaffected terrorist fighters and disassociated local ethnic minorities,” he added.
“They are paid higher than the Taliban and this has created competition.”
Three-day coronation
Royal purification
The entire coronation ceremony extends over three days from May 4-6, but Saturday is the one to watch. At the time of 10:09am the royal purification ceremony begins. Wearing a white robe, the king will enter a pavilion at the Grand Palace, where he will be doused in sacred water from five rivers and four ponds in Thailand. In the distant past water was collected from specific rivers in India, reflecting the influential blend of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology on the coronation. Hindu Brahmins and the country's most senior Buddhist monks will be present. Coronation practices can be traced back thousands of years to ancient India.
The crown
Not long after royal purification rites, the king proceeds to the Baisal Daksin Throne Hall where he receives sacred water from eight directions. Symbolically that means he has received legitimacy from all directions of the kingdom. He ascends the Bhadrapitha Throne, where in regal robes he sits under a Nine-Tiered Umbrella of State. Brahmins will hand the monarch the royal regalia, including a wooden sceptre inlaid with gold, a precious stone-encrusted sword believed to have been found in a lake in northern Cambodia, slippers, and a whisk made from yak's hair.
The Great Crown of Victory is the centrepiece. Tiered, gold and weighing 7.3 kilograms, it has a diamond from India at the top. Vajiralongkorn will personally place the crown on his own head and then issues his first royal command.
The audience
On Saturday afternoon, the newly-crowned king is set to grant a "grand audience" to members of the royal family, the privy council, the cabinet and senior officials. Two hours later the king will visit the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the most sacred space in Thailand, which on normal days is thronged with tourists. He then symbolically moves into the Royal Residence.
The procession
The main element of Sunday's ceremonies, streets across Bangkok's historic heart have been blocked off in preparation for this moment. The king will sit on a royal palanquin carried by soldiers dressed in colourful traditional garb. A 21-gun salute will start the procession. Some 200,000 people are expected to line the seven-kilometre route around the city.
Meet the people
On the last day of the ceremony Rama X will appear on the balcony of Suddhaisavarya Prasad Hall in the Grand Palace at 4:30pm "to receive the good wishes of the people". An hour later, diplomats will be given an audience at the Grand Palace. This is the only time during the ceremony that representatives of foreign governments will greet the king.
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Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Avengers: Endgame
Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Josh Brolin
4/5 stars
More on Quran memorisation:
Spider-Man%202
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
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AWARDS
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Fire and Fury
By Michael Wolff,
Henry Holt
