The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | December 6th, 2024: Architect of Syria Uprising Breaks His Silence & Islamic State Terror Attack Thwarted In Germany

Episode Date: December 7, 2024

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:   We’ll begin in Syria, where the leader of the Islamic rebel insurgents has spoken publicly for the first time, vowing to overthrow the regime of Bashar al-Assad and push out Iranian and Russian interests as his fighters inch closer to Damascus. Then, we’ll look at the renewed threat Islamic terrorism poses to Europe, as intelligence authorities in Germany thwart an Islamic State inspired “lone wolf” terrorist attack targeting a popular Christmas market. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Patriot Gold: Call 1-888-870-5457 for a free investor guide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin. Although, to be fair, yes, if you're being accurate, it is the evening bulletin. And again, I apologize for my travel schedule. I'm Mike Baker. Your eyes and ears on the world stage. All right. Let's get briefed. First, an update on the Civil War in Syria, where the leader of the Islamist rebel insurgents has given his first interview, vowing to press south towards Damascus and to topple the Assad regime. Then, we'll look at the renewed threat that Islamic terrorism poses to Europe. As intelligence authorities in Germany, thwart an Islamic State-inspired lone wolf terrorist attack targeting a popular Christmas market. That's not the first time that that has happened. But first, our afternoon spotlight. We'll begin in Syria, where the leader of the Islamic rebel insurgents has spoken publicly

for the first time, vowing to overthrow the regime of President Assad and push out Iranians, and Russian interests as his fighters inch closer to Damascus. In an exclusive interview with CNN on Friday, Abu Muhammad Al-Galani, leader of the former Al-Qaeda affiliate HTS, outlined the goals of the rebel uprising, which began late last week with a surprise offensive in the north, reigniting the country's brutal civil war. So far, his fighters have managed to rapidly seize large parts of northern Syria, including the critical cities of Aleppo and Khama and are now advancing south toward the capital. Speaking from an undisclosed location, Al-Golani did not mince words, telling CNN that his coalition

of militants will not stop their offensive until they've brought an end to the authoritarian Assad regime and evicted their Russian and Iranian backers from the country. The militant leader said, quote, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It's our right to use all available means to achieve that goal. He continued, quote, the seeds of the regime's defeat have always been within it. The Iranians attempted to revive the regime, buying it time, and later the Russians also tried to prop it up. But the truth remains, this regime is dead, end quote. Now, Al-Golani, a former Al-Qaeda operative, spoke of replacing the regime with a pluralistic government based on institutions and a council chosen by the people. Well, that all sounds,

Fine, but I guess the question is, can you believe him? It was a marks change of tone from the hardline rhetoric Al-Golani used in his last interview back in 2013 when he spoke to Al-Jazeera about furthering the cause of a branch of al-Qaeda called the Nusra front in Syria. As we discussed on yesterday's PDB, Al-Golani began as a fighter for the Islamic State of Iraq before being sent back to Syria to further the interests of the emerging ISIS terrorist group after the Civil War kicked off in 2011. But in the years it followed, as splits emerged between ISIS and al-Qaeda, he turned on his backers in Iraq and began fighting ISIS in Syria alongside al-Qaeda.

He would eventually turn on al-Qaeda as well, renouncing his ties and working to consolidate his power by brutally eliminating competitors and former allies. He has since worked to remake his public image. Oh, look at that. He's on a campaign to remake his image after working for ISIS and al-Qaeda. But he's been working to remake that image as a moderate, appealing to Syria's religious and ethnic minorities. Al-Galani attempted to explain his supposed transformation to CNN, saying,

quote, a person in their 20s will have a different personality than someone in their 30s or 40s, and certainly someone in their 50s. This is human nature, end quote. Okay, so, so I worked for ISIS, and then I worked for Al-Qaeda, but you know what? I don't know, what, did he ever come to Jesus meeting? But it appears his coalition is still employing the tactical, hardline Islamic radicals. They seized the central city of Hamas on Thursday, Syria's fourth-largest city, reportedly breaking through the Syrian army's defensive lines by relying on suicide attacks. The rebels have wasted no time in pressing South since taking Hamas and as a Friday are nearing Syria's third largest city, Holmes, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

Now Holmes is the last major city in government hands on the road to the capital, Damascus, in southwest Syria, which of course is the seat of President Assad's government. If the rebels take homes, they will cut off the Assad regime from its loyalist heartland. as well as from Russian military bases on the Mediterranean coast that house bombers critical to the regime's defense. Additionally, its capture would sever smuggling routes between Lebanon and Syria used by Iran and their terrorist proxy, Chasbola. An analyst for the international crisis group told the journal, quote, If Holmes falls, I don't see how the regime can survive.

Coming up, German intelligence authorities have thwarted an Islamic State-linked terrorist bloc. to attack a popular Christmas market in Bavaria. I'll have those details when we come back. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day, like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With USAA, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%. Tap the banner to learn more and get a quote at usa.com slash bundle. Restrictions apply.

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Download today. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. Okay, fair enough. Again, it's the evening bulletin, but let's not split hairs. I want to turn your attention to Europe, which is facing. renewed threats of Islamic terrorism amid their ongoing migrant crisis. German authorities recently foiled a planned terrorist attack on a popular Christmas market in Bavaria after receiving a tip from a foreign intelligence agency about an imminent threat.

Following the tip-off, they raided a shared accommodation for asylum seekers in Augsburg, arresting a 37-year-old Iraqi asylum seeker who had engaged with operatives of the Islamic State terrorist group online. that's according to a report from Politico. The suspect had recently made a number of posts on social media, glorifying suicide bombings and executions by the Islamic State, but intended to take things further. He scouted the city's popular Christmas market,

taking photographs of the site in preparation for his attack. The suspect intended to use a vehicle to ram into the crowd, and that's a method reminiscent of past lone wolf attacks in Europe, inspired by the Islamic State. The Iraqi migrant, who is also said to have openly supported jihadist ideology in multiple online forums, is reportedly awaiting deportation under a rarely invoked measure for individuals deemed an imminent security threat. The threat of Islamic terrorism has been growing inside Germany in recent years, and Christmas markets throughout the country have emerged as particularly vulnerable targets.

Last month, authorities thwarted. There's that word again, thwarted. it's a fine word, a planned attack on a market by a 17-year-old Turkish male who also planned to plow through the crowd with a truck. The previous year, authorities foiled two separate attacks targeting Christmas markets by Iraqi and Afghan nationals. The planned attacks were likely inspired by the Berlin Christmas market attack in 2016, when a man who pledged allegiance to the Islamic state drove a truck through the crowd, killing 13 people. But the threat, is not unique to Germany. In early October, Ken McCallum, head of the UK's MI5 Security Service,

warned of the growing threat posed by Al-Qaeda and ISIS, particularly in the context of ongoing unrest in the Middle East. While militant violence linked to these groups has not yet materialized on a large scale in the UK, well, he said the risk is significant. He pointed to the increasing radicalization of young people, noting that 13% of those under investigation for terrorism-related defenses in the UK are under the age of 18. That's a threefold increase over the past three years. Let me just read that again. That is surprising. He pointed to the increasing radicalization of young people, noting that 13% of those under investigation for terrorism-related defenses in the UK are under the age of 18. McAllum warned that all of Europe was at a heightened risk as al-Qaeda in the Islamic State and other

militant groups work to exploit the conflict in the Middle East to recruit new members, in quote, resumed efforts to export terrorism. End quote. And that, my friends, is the PDB, evening or afternoon bulletin, whichever you prefer, for Friday 6 December. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. Of course, to listen to the show ad-free, well, it's simple, become a premium member of the President's Daily Brief by visiting PDB Premium.com.

And look at that. I can tell from the calendar that it's Friday. And if it's Friday, that means that every Friday evening at 10 p.m. on the first TV, well, we launch a new episode of our extended weekend show, the PDB Situation Report. We have outstanding guests this weekend, brought to you, of course, from London, England, and we'll be looking at a variety of issues. including, of course, the complex mess that is Syria and the Iranian regime's cyber attacks

against the incoming Trump administration. So join us again on the PDB Situation Report. You can find that on the first TV every Friday evening at 10 p.m. Of course, our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief, check that out, and every podcast platform where you might get your podcast stuff. I'm Mike Baker. and I'll be back over the weekend with the PDB Situation Report.

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