UAE Terror Suspect Tells Court He's An IS 'Emir'
A man on trial in the United Arab Emirates accused of plotting bomb attacks and an assassination told a court today that he has appointed himself the 'Emir' or leader of the IS group in the country.
The National reports:
M A H, 34, husband of Reem Island killer Alaa Al Hashemi, who was executed last year for the murder of American teacher Ibolya Ryan, is charged with seven terror-related offenses. These included a plan to bomb Yas Marina Circuit and Ikea, as well as plans to assassinate one of the UAE’s leaders.
Syria's Opposition To Meet In Riyadh, Cast Doubt On Talks
The Saudi-backed Syrian opposition has cast doubt on whether it would go to peace talks planned to start in Geneva on Jan. 29 and is meeting today to decide whether or not to go, according to Reuters.
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said that he plans to issue invitations today. But it seems the Saudi-backed opposition may not show up.
Reuters reports:
Opposition official Asaad al-Zoubi told Arabic news channel Al-Hadath that he was pessimistic, though the final decision would be taken at the opposition meeting in Riyadh.
The opposition have accused U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry of threatening to stop aid unless they attended the peace talks with Arabic press reports saying Kerry was "carrying the dictates of Russia and Iran," according to Bloomberg.
Kerry dismissed the accusations this morning, saying that the "position of the United States is and hasn't changed; that we are still supporting the opposition politically, financially and militarily."
"I don't know where this is coming from. Maybe it's a pressure thing or maybe it's an internal political thing. Maybe it's a -- I don't know, but that is not the situation," CNN quoted Kerry as saying.
Lavrov Urges UN Not To Speculate On Situation In Syria's Madaya
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has also commented on the situation in the besieged rebel-held Syrian town of Madaya, saying that the issue of the besieged town had been "made into some sort of fetish" ahead of planned talks on Syria.
The town near the Lebanese border has been under siege by Syrian government forces and Hizbullah fighters for the past seven months.
The United Nations say that more than 30 people have died of severe malnutrition there, including five since the first aid trucks arrived earlier this month. Aid was also sent to two Shi'ite towns besieged by rebels including Al-Qaeda affiliate the Al-Nusra front.
Lavrov said that humanitarian aid to Madaya should not become the subject of speculation and a precondition for the start of talks on a political solution to the crisis in Syria.
"Regarding Madaya -- there was a package agreement: the Syrian government had to allow humanitarian aid into Madaya, and the militants had to allow humanitarian aid into two other towns. The UN acted as broker. The Syrian government ultimately allowed entrance [of aid] even though the militants refused to reciprocate at the last minute," Lavrov said.
The situation in Madaya had been turned into a "fetish" whereby "if humanitarian aid is allowed into Madaya then the talks will get off to a good start," Lavrov added.
"If not, then the opposition might not come and so on. We told our UN colleagues including representatives from the Human Rights Council, who made the relevant reports, where Madaya was practically the only point of concern, we told them that everything should be done honestly and that they should act as UN officials and not as the perpetrators of someone's order, the more to speculate about people's suffering," RIA quoted Lavrov as saying.
Lavrov's Main Points On Syria, IS
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov gave an annual press conference this morning. Here is a summary of his main points on Syria and the IS group, as reported by TASS.
-- According to unofficial reports, the first draft of the UN Security Council resolution on the suppression of terror financing does not mention "the facts of the smuggling of oil from Syria to Turkey." These "facts" "must be reflected in the report."
-- One of the key moments of 2015 was the initiative of Russian President Putin to form a broad anti-terror coalition under the auspices of the UN.
-- The Russian air force operations in Syria in response to a request from the Syrian government have helped change the situation in Syria and ensure that the area controlled by terrorists has been reduced.
-- "The picture has been clarified of who is fighting the terrorist and who are their accomplices and are trying to use them for their selfish purposes."
-- Syria talks without the Syrian Kurds cannot bring any result. "The Syrian Kurds are around 15 percent of the population and a significant, key territory."
-- The decision of whether the Kurds should participate in Syria talks should be taken by UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura.
-- Lavrov addressed Western media reports that ex-GRU chief Igor Sergun asked Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down. "I read the speculation that was spread regarding the late Igor Sergun, which alleged he made a special trip to Damascus and there asked President Assad to go. This is not true. Such a conversation with President Assad was not necessary."
-- Attempts to organize any joint war on terror in Syria on condition that Assad steps down is a "big mistake."
Double Suicide Bombing In Homs Kills 22
Reuters has tweeted these images of the aftermath of this morning's double suicide bombing in the Syrian city of Homs. The attacks happened at a government-controlled checkpoint in the al-Zahraa district.
The video below shows footage from the scene of the attacks.
More from Turkish Prime Minister Davotoglu on Turkey's insistence that the Kurdish YPG militia -- which is involved in fighting against the IS group in Syria -- should not attend the Syria talks.
Invitations for the talks are due to be sent out today and Turkey is lobbying for the YPG not to be invited as a member of the Syrian opposition.
Davutoglu: No Difference For Us Between PKK, Syrian YPG
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that Turkey sees no difference between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and its armed wing, the YPG.
The YPG is fighting against the IS group in Syria.
In Turkey, however, the Turkish military has intensified its campaign against the PKK separatist militants, particularly in towns and villages in predominantly Kurdish south eastern Turkey.
Turkey has said that the Syrian YPG should not be invited to Syria peace talks, scheduled for later this week. Russia says that it would be a "serious mistake" not to invite Kurdish groups.
Video Footage Inside Syria's Sheikh Miskeen, Recaptured By Government
Syrian state news agency SANA has published this video report, which includes footage taken inside the southern Syrian town of Sheikh Miskeen, a rebel stronghold in Daraa province recaptured by government forces on January 25.
Suicide Blasts In Syria's Homs Kill 22: State Media
At least 22 people have been killed in a double suicide bombing in Syria's Homs province early this morning, according to Syrian state media.
The attacks took place in the al-Zahraa district of Homs city and targeted a government controlled checkpoint.
Russia Did Not Offer Assad Political Asylum: Lavrov
Moscow did not offer Syrian President Bashar al-Assad political asylum, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.
"In Moscow we agreed that, during the political process, for which he is prepared to send a delegation, President Assad would be prepared to consider political reforms which were ultimately incorporated into the decisions of the Vienna group and in the UN Security Council resolution 2254," Lavrov said.
"No one asked for any political asylum and no one proposed anything of the sort."