‘Most Dangerous Extremists’ report ranks Nasrallah first, ISIS’ caliph second
January 7, 2021, 11:00 am

‘Most Dangerous Extremists’ report ranks Nasrallah first, ISIS’ caliph second

Hassan Nasrallah, chief of the Shia Muslim movement Hezbollah, delivering a televised speech from an undisclosed location in Lebanon. (AFP)

Lebanon-based Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, current ISIS caliph Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, Hamas's Ismail Haniyeh, and others have been ranked as the ‘Most Dangerous Extremists’ in a report published by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP).

The list of the top 20 ‘Most Dangerous Extremists’ considered individuals from across the spectrum of ideologies and beliefs. This included, ISIS, the Muslim Brotherhood and Ma Ba Tha, the anti-Muslim Buddhist group in Myanmar. All are considered as huge threats to international security, according to the report.

Nasrallah was ranked first because it has shaped Hezbollah into the dominant political power in Lebanon, and is the “driving force” behind its military operations.

“Before September 11, 2001, Hezbollah was responsible for more deaths of Americans worldwide than any other organization,” the report added.

US State Department reward flier for al-Mawla. (US State Department)

Current ISIS caliph Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla was ranked second in the list. An Iraqi national, al-Mawla succeeded Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the leader of ISIS in 2019.

“He was a senior terrorist leader in ISIS’s predecessor organization, al-Qaeda in Iraq, and steadily rose through the ranks of ISIS,” CEP said. It reported that al-Mawla has helped drive the abduction, slaughter, and trafficking of members of Yazidi religious minority groups in Iraq.

Hamas' top leader, Ismail Haniyeh, gestures as speaks during his visit at Ain el Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp in Sidon, Lebanon September 6, 2020. (Reuters)

Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas political chief, was ranked third in the report.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas fired Haniyeh as prime minister in June 2007 following clashes between Hamas and Fatah forces. Haniyeh refused to accept his dismissal and instead expelled Fatah and the PA from Gaza.

The US Department of the Treasury designated Ismail Haniyeh as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on January 31, 2018.

Chairman of the International Union of Muslim Scholars Yusuf al-Qaradawi (R) speaks during a news conference in Doha June 23, 2014. (Reuters)

In the report, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Islamist theologian and unofficial chief ideologue of the Muslim Brotherhood, was ranked fifth in the list.

Qaradawi has been banned from the US, France, and Britain due to his extremist views. He has been designated as a terrorist by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and Bahrain.

Ashin Wirathu, Communal Leader of the anti-Muslim Movement in Myanmar, was ranked seventh on the list.

Ashin Wirathu, Communal Leader of the anti-Muslim Movement in Myanmar. (Supplied)

The report added that Wirathu is the anti-Muslim Buddhist group leader, and he has regularly called on Myanmar’s Buddhists to boycott Muslim businesses and has warned that Myanmar’s Muslims want to, “take over our country, and make it an evil Islamic nation.”

Wirathu previously served a nearly decade-long prison sentence for fomenting religious conflict, though he was released in 2012. Wirathu’s extremist and conspiratorial messaging is sold on DVDs and CDs throughout Myanmar.

Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah

Ahmad al-Hamidawi, Secretary-General of Kata’ib Hezbollah, was ranked tenth by the report.

Hamidawi is the secretary-general of the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH).

He received political, military, and intelligence training from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and was soon promoted to the KH’s Shura Council.

The report also featured multiple other extremist figures linked to al-Qaeda, ISIS, and several ultra-right Neo-Nazi movements.

source: Rawad Taha

Image source: AFP

Levant

The Age of Accelerations The Third Chapter of Coronavirus

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.