ICANN55 wrapped up today in Marrakech, Morocco, with the final day's Public Forum and ICANN Board of Directors Meeting. As expected, the ICANN Board approved the transmittal of the IANA Stewardship Transition Proposal to NTIA, U.S. Department of Commerce, in Washington, D.C., in response to NTIA's 14 March 2014 announcement. A tired and self-congratulatory mood permeated the last day of ICANN55.
Topics of interest raised at the Public Forum: • Sexual harassment issues were raised starting with a speaker who said she had been to only two ICANN meetings, and both times had been sexually harassed.
• The new gTLDs lobbyists tried again (unsuccessfully) to get a commitment from the ICANN Board that would allow them to hijack the ICANN auction proceeds for new gTLDs' marketing purposes. (The issue of use of auction proceeds will be the subject of a lengthy process--an upcoming post on Domain Mondo will have more details.)
• A domain name registrant pressed the ICANN Board about its past decisions and statements--e.g., "adding a 1000 new gTLDs per year for a 1000 years to the internet root"--and ICANN Board members replied, somewhat sheepishly, that the entire new gTLDs program is under scrutiny and review based upon experience with the first round.
The next meeting of ICANN, ICANN56, will be in Helsinki, Finland, 27-30 June--it will be a "working meeting"--no public forum, no welcome session.
ICANN Global Domains Division President Akram Atallah enjoying Wednesday night's Gala:
For a complete review of ICANN55, Domain Mondo recommends reading the Centr Report, which covers the ccNSO, GNSO and GAC sessions by topic and theme, with a special focus on the CCWG-Accountability:
Tomorrow is the final day of ICANN55 meeting in Marrakech, Morocco. Links to the public forum and public ICANN Board of Directors meeting scheduled for the last day can be found at: ICANN 55, Marrakech, Morocco, March 5-10, Info, Links, Twitter Feeds. Livestream videos (Live and Replay Archive) can be found here.
A break from ICANN55--2 days to go--time for a little sightseeing and history--
El Badi Palace - Bjørn Christian Tørrissen CC BY-SA 3.0 Wikimedia Commons
Google Earth map link showing location of El Badi Palace, above (Arabic: قصر البديع - meaning The incomparable palace), a ruined palace located in Marrakesh, Morocco. Commissioned by the Arab Saadian sultan Ahmad al-Mansur, sometime shortly after his accession in 1578, its construction was funded by a substantial ransom paid by the Portuguese after the Battle of the Three Kings. The palace is today a well known tourist attraction. See also Google 360 photo.
Morocco in U.S. History: Morocco was the first nation to recognize the United States of America as an independent nation in 1777. In the beginning of the American Revolution, American merchant ships in the Atlantic Ocean were subject to attack by the Barbary pirates. On 20 December 1777, Morocco's Sultan Mohammed III declared that American merchant ships would be under the protection of the sultanate and could thus enjoy safe passage. The Moroccan–American Treaty of Friendship, signed in 1786, stands as the U.S.'s oldest non-broken friendship treaty. In 1943, the Istiqlal Party (Independence Party) was founded to press for independence, and had discreet U.S. support. That party subsequently provided most of the leadership for the nationalist movement ... in March 1956 the French protectorate was ended and Morocco regained its independence from France as the "Kingdom of Morocco". [source: Wikipedia] Morocco in World War II:
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa during the North African Campaign of the Second World War which started on 8 November 1942. The Soviet Union had pressed the United States and United Kingdom to open a second front to reduce the pressure of German forces on the Red Army. The American Western Task Force landed before daybreak on 8 November 1942, at three points in Morocco: Safi (Operation Blackstone), Fedala (Operation Brushwood, the largest landing with 19,000 men), and Mehdiya-Port Lyautey (Operation Goalpost). Because it was hoped that the French would not resist, there were no preliminary bombardments. This proved to be a costly error as French defenses took a toll of American landing forces. U.S. Army Major General George S. Patton landed at 08:00, and the beachheads were secured later in the day. The Americans surrounded the port of Casablanca by 10 November, and the city surrendered an hour before the final assault was due to take place. Casablanca was the principal French Atlantic naval base after German occupation of the European coast.
Boeing 314 Clipper flying boat operated by Pan American (1939-1950) (Library of Congress, public domain)
Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first US President to fly while in office when he secretly departed from Miami on a Pan Am Boeing 314 Clipper, the Dixie (see photo above), arriving in Morocco, on January 14, 1943, for a high-level meeting in Casablanca with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill at which they planned World War II strategy, and agreed upon the demand for "unconditional surrender" of the Axis powers. Josef Stalin was also invited to the Casablanca Conference but could not attend due to a major Red Army offensive then underway. After the meeting, FDR visited with U.S. troops and did some sightseeing before retracing his same route back to the United States. He celebrated his 61st birthday while flying over Haiti. (Politico).
Above: Casablanca (1942) final scene - Casablanca (film): Although an initial release date was anticipated for spring 1943, the movie Casablanca was rushed into release to take advantage of the publicity from the Allied invasion of North Africa a few weeks earlier and premiered at the Hollywood Theater in New York City on November 26, 1942, to coincide with the Allied invasion of North Africa and the capture of Casablanca. It went into general release on January 23, 1943, to take advantage of the Casablanca Conference, between Churchill and Roosevelt. Casablanca won three Academy Awards - Best Picture, Director and Adapted Screenplay - and gradually its reputation grew. Its lead characters, memorable lines, and pervasive theme song have all become iconic and the film consistently ranks near the top of lists of the greatest films in history (source: Wikipedia).
Morocco
Country in Africa
Morocco, a North African country bordering the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, is distinguished by its Berber, Arabian and European cultural influences. Marrakesh’s walled medina, a mazelike medieval quarter, offers entertainment in its Djemaa el-Fna square and souks (marketplaces) selling traditional ceramics, jewelry and metal lanterns. The capital Rabat’s Kasbah of the Udayas is a 12th-century royal fort overlooking the water.
Dear Eberhard, Thank you for your question. The Afralo showcase and tribute to Fadi was held on Monday night. The 2 purposes were combined so that they don’t conflict on the schedule and to save logistics and costs. The entire event cost approximately $106,000 to ICANN which was planned for 1200 people. The Afralo showcase (musicians, dancers,…) was paid for by Afralo. In case of interest, ICANN has previously held a community farewell cocktail for exiting CEOs at their last meeting. The cost of this is typically between $50,000 and $60,000. The additional $40,000 we had to pay this time was for the fitted out marquee including AV. This was required on this particular occasion as no other room large enough to accommodate the entire community was available. I hope this is helpful and addresses your question. Best, Xavier Calvez CFO, ICANN
"Thank you very much. I am shocked at the amount of money ICANN has to waste. That does put the pressure being applied with regards to funding of WS2
into perspective. greetings, el" [Dr Eberhard W Lisse]
"Camels, Drummers And Hundreds of ICANNers: Last Night's AFRALO Showcase And Fadi Tribute Was A Hit!
"Monday's night Tribute to Fadi was a lively affair. Hundreds of ICANN55 participants filled the Orion Tent at the Palmeraie Golf Palace and Resort to enjoy the food, hear traditional Moroccan music and honor Fadi Chehadé's legacy. Many took to the stage during the evening's festivities including: El Mountassir Billah Azdine, Director General of the National Agency for Regulation of Telecommunications; Xiaodong Lee, CEO & CTO, China Internet Network Information Center; Demi Getschko, Member of the Board, Brazilian Internet Steering Committee; Rinalia Abdul Rahim, ICANN Board Member and Board Chair Steve Crocker. If you didn't get a chance to take your own camel selfie, you can download last night's photos from ICANN's Flickr account here."--source: ICANN55 newsletter (links added)
The "Fadi" referred to is Fadi Chehade, ICANN's outgoing President & CEO, who gave notice last year that he was quitting ICANN with 2 years left on his contract, and after having served only 2 1/2 years (with a salary+benefits package in the range of $1,000,000+ annually).
Domain Mondo is sure that all domain name registrants worldwide (who fund the bulk of ICANN's wasteful spending), and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz et al, will all be interested to see how ICANN is such a "good steward" of money. Wait until ICANN is no longer subject to U.S. government oversight when the IANA stewardship transition is finished!
Here is an ICANN tweet from last night's "Tribute to Fadi"--
Does anyone wonder what would happen if a government official in the U.S. spent taxpayer funds like ICANN officers and directors spend registrants' taxes fees? How about officers and directors of a publicly listed Fortune 500 corporation who engaged in this kind of corporate waste?
The Domain Mondonews review of the past week--and a look at the week ahead:
ICANN55 started officially on Saturday, March 5th, and runs through Thursday, March 10, 2016. Expect lots of faux applause and cheering when the long-overdue CCWG-Accountability Final Report on WS1 Recommendations is finally approved and the IANA transition plan can finally be sent by the ICANN Board at its Public Meeting on Thursday, to NTIA. Expect an appearance by ICANN's new CEO Göran Marby (though he doesn't start until May, 2016). Also expect a faux farewell to ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade. The Economist, which is paid a lot of money by ICANN as a new gTLD evaluator (The Economist Intelligence Unit), ran a soft story about ICANN55 and Fadi which concludes:
"Perhaps Fadi Chehadé, ICANN's president [& CEO] and one of the instigators of NETmundial, will be more successful getting such efforts off the ground in his new job. He will step down after the meeting in Marrakech, to be succeeded by Göran Marby, a Swedish telecoms regulator, and join the World Economic Forum to create all sorts of multi-stakeholder groups. "We need many little ICANNs," he says." --The Economist
The reality of ICANN, the IANA transition, NETmundial, ICANN's new gTLDs, and Fadi Chehade, is very different from what will be portrayed at ICANN55 in Marrakech. Here's what one leading participant in the IANA transition process (both CWG and CCWG) wrote:
"There are parts of this final Proposal I am not happy with. There are battles that were fought and lost, and consensus-building compromises that make me queasy; I believe other members of my stakeholder structure (IPC) would tend to agree. If I were so inclined (and if I were a Member or my structure had a Member able to speak for my structure alone) I could stand our ground (or lick our wounds) in a Minority Statement." --source: CCWG public mail list (emphasis added)
The only really interesting thing at ICANN55 will be to observe the GAC (Governmental Advisory Committee) deliberations, particularly the sessions concerning the CCWG WS1 recommendations (1,2,11). But, remember, GAC's approval is not needed if a sufficient number of other Chartering Organizations approve, which is likely.
There will be two Public Forums at ICANN55, but Public Forums are just another opportunity for the ICANN Board, officers, and staff to evade accountability, and avoid answering the hard questions that so desperately need to be answered and dealt with. Read more atHow ICANN and ICANN CEO Fadi Chehadé Evade Accountability.
While ICANN55 attendees are partying and enjoying the luxury resort which is the venue, the reality in Morocco is very different: Morocco’s ANRT Uses Skype, FaceTime in ICANN Conference, Bans Them for Moroccans: "The Moroccan National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) has announced that it will hold a conference [ICANN55] in Marrakech next month will utilize Skype services, despite Skype being banned for the Moroccan public. The move is the latest in a long saga after Moroccan Telecom Companies fully blocked the usage of VoIP services last week..."
Finally, on Friday, March 11th, U.S. Senators Cruz, Lankford, and Lee, are expecting answers to their questions raised in a letter to Chairman Steve Crocker which follows an earlier letter to Fadi Chehade, who avoided answering all of the Senators' questions.
CCWG-Accountability Final Report on WS1 Recommendations - read or download here
According to UK's Mark Carvell: "At its meeting in Marrakech, the GAC [Governmental Advisory Committee] has several open sessions on 6 and 8 March to discuss the CCWG proposal and prepare its response as Chartering Organisation. One session on the 8th is specifically focussed on governmental participation in the empowered community. It is relevant to be reminded in the context of the Rec 11 carve out that in their responses to the CCWG third proposal, several governments have stated that they will support solely an advisory role and would not support a decisional voting role for the GAC. The GAC session at 16:00 on the 8th is allocated to finalising the GAC response as Chartering Organisation to the CCWG and the Supplementary Report. I understand that this is an open session.
"Government ministers and senior officials will discuss the Accountability proposal and the role of governments in two open sessions at the biennial ICANN High Level Governmental Meeting which will be hosted by the Moroccan Digital Economy Minister H.E.M, Moulay Hafid Elalamy:
"7 March: 10.15-11:30:Session 1: IANA Stewardship Transition Outcomes - Introduction by Mr. Thomas Schneider, Chair of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) - Presentation by Mr. Fadi Chehade, CEO and President of ICANN - Presentation by Mr. Larry Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information and Administrator, National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), US Department of Commerce. - Open Floor and exchange of Views.
"7 March: 11.45-13:15: Session 2: Enhancing ICANN Accountability and Governments role in the new ICANN framework - Introduction by Mr. Thomas Schneider, GAC Chair on the role of governments in the ICANN and the importance of the contribution of public policy to ICANN policy development processes. - Presentation by Mr. Steve Crocker, President of the ICANN Board - Presentation by the Co-Chairs of the CCWG Accountability on the Multi-stakeholder model - Open Floor and exchange of Views focused on ICANN and the role of Government."
Is ICANN complicit in China's censorship regime? Has ICANN's relationship with the Chinese government become a 'systemic problem' within ICANN? Three U.S. Senators want to know--
"It is deeply troubling that ICANN would put registry operators in a position of becoming an actor within the Chinese censorship regime. There is concern that this action could be an example of ICANN’s desire to build a close relationship with the Chinese government which could continue to move in a troubling direction once the United States Government ends its oversight. These concerns were recently confirmed by a member of the Non-Connected Party House’s (NCPH) Commercial Stakeholder Group who participated in a meeting with ICANN in February 2016 and stated, “The ICANN board wants to engage more with China and India following the IANA transition, which somewhat explains the board’s decision not to take action against Chehadé.”" --excerpt from US Sens. Cruz, Lankford, Lee letter, infra (emphasis added)
"Cruz, Lankford, and Lee Raise New Concerns About ICANN’s Relationship with Authoritarian China" is the headline in the latest (March 3, 2016) press release from the office U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, below (emphasis and links added):
"U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah) today sent a letter to Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) Chairman Dr. Stephen Crocker, outlining new concerns that ICANN may have a direct operational relationship with the Chinese government and its potential implications for an Internet transition that ICANN is expected to approve in Morocco next week.
"Today’s letter to Dr. Crocker follows a letter Cruz, Lankford, and Lee sent to ICANN’S CEO Fadi Chehadé last month. The letter to Mr. Chehadé stated serious concerns and requested information regarding his involvement with the World Internet Conference, organized by the Chinese government, a regime notorious for its censorship of the Internet and criminalization of forms of online speech.
"“Last month, we sent you a letter stating our concerns regarding ICANN CEO Fadi Chehadé’s participation in the Chinese-government-sponsored World Internet Conference,” the senators wrote today. “Mr. Chehadé’s participation resulted in an agreement to co-chair a high-level advisory committee for the conference, which could make ICANN complicit in the Chinese censorship regime. Since sending our letter, additional evidence has come to light suggesting that ICANN’s relationship with the Chinese government may be a systemic problem within the organization itself and not limited to a single individual.”"
The letter seeks answers to a series of questions:
Read the latest letter from Senators Cruz, Lankford, and Lee to ICANN Board Chairman Steve Crocker in its entirety here (pdf) and embedded below:
Are you attending, in person or remotely, ICANN55 in Marrakech, Morocco, March 5-10? Are you troubled by ICANN's pivot towards, and 'unrelenting propaganda' about, new generic top-level domain names (“new gTLDs”)? Are you tired of ICANN pushing 'garbage extensions' to a user base that 'quietly knows better' ? Isn't it time for ALL of the failed leadership at ICANN, including its Board of Directors, to resign?
Mr. David E. Panos
Chairman of the Board
Rightside Group, Ltd.
5808 Lake Washington Boulevard NE
Suite 300
Kirkland, WA 98033
Dear Mr Panos
I am troubled by the pivot toward, and unrelenting propaganda about, new generic top-level domain names (“GTLDs”). Whilst I concede that new GTLDs are one of many opportunities in the emerging market for second generation domain names, Rightside Group, Ltd. (“Rightside”, “NAME”, or our “Company”) is the second-largest domain name registrar, a business that is here and now. I don’t hear Rightside speaking to this strength. Our Company glosses over this critical revenue component and plays up new GTLDs at the expense of the revenue contribution made by the traditional registrar business.
The user interfaces at eNom and Namejet look and feel clumsy and stale. Looking past the main page of NAME’s sites, the logged-in front-end infrastructure is untouched and acts like time capsule to what existed half a decade ago. Most of our growth in names under management is coming from a reseller channel that is out-executing your own in-house registrar eNom.
While I am a believer in new GTLDs, it is going to be many years before their revenue in any way materially approaches the revenue potential of our registrar operations. In my view, NAME’s registrar has become like a crazy aunt kept in the basement, one that you refuse to adequately clothe or feed, but who steadfastly spins straw into gold used to subsidize a stable of largely substandard new GTLDs such as .democrat, .dance, .army, .navy, and .airforce. Most of these new GTLDs are irrelevant and will never be sold in material volumes. NAME is holding back the growth potential of your registrar by pushing garbage extensions to a user base that quietly knows better.
Rightside is a gem in that it has many assets which are unique or difficult to duplicate. Cannell Capital LLC would not have acquired 1,389,953 shares otherwise. We have some good new domain-endings as well, with .news being one example, but this particular domain-ending and a clutch of others like it do not constitute enough of a “front” to gloss over the majority of your extensions which are low in value and should be spun-off. I believe that we should sell or even abandon some of our worst extensions. They should not consume all the resources of our Company at the expense of the assets that are currently profitable.
The current members of the Board of Directors and indeed many of your shareholders don’t seem to recognize this. I do. Today I stand up to be that paladin. To wit, I submit both a plan and a request: (i) Unify all Company products under the eNom.com brand; (ii) Terminate no less than 20% of your weaker staff; (iii) Move the Name.com entity to Seattle under the eNom.com brand and close expensive ancillary offices; (iv) Rebuild and relaunch the front-end infrastructure at eNom.com to bring it to the current standard expected by consumers; (v) Refinance all debt; and (vi) Add two new board members with a suggestion, but not a requirement thattwo incumbents resign.
I would prefer to avoid waging an expensive proxy battle to elect my own slate of directors. Such a fight would be costly to both myself and our Company. It is my sincere hope that substantive discussions between myself and the current Board of Directors could result in the infusion of fresh blood without such a fight.
Best Regards!
Sincerely,
/s/
J. Carlo Cannell
Cannell Capital LLC
--end of letter--
See also on Domain Mondo: ICANN Damaged a Competitive Domain Name Market With Its New gTLDs Editor's note: a copy of this post has been sent to Steve Crocker (Chairman of the iCANN Board of Directors), Larry Strickling (NTIA, US Department of Commerce), and select members of the U.S. Congress.
Busy week!--here's the Domain Mondonews review of the past week--
More ISIS (Daesh) terrorist cells discovered inside Morocco this week, in addition to the cell of seven suspected jihadists active in Marrakech, Laayoune and Boujdour, uncovered earlier this month. Marrakech is the location of ICANN55 which meets March 5-10, 2016. Morroco now claims to have dismantled 152 militant cells since 2002, including 31 since 2013 that were linked to armed terrorist groups fighting in Syria and Iraq. Read more, including updates, at: DomainMondo.com: ICANN 55, Marrakech, Morocco: Travel Warnings, Threat of Terrorist Acts.
ICANN Accountability WS1 Proposal (part of the IANA stewardship transition) delayed. The CCWG-Accountability Final Report was scheduled to be published and distributed to the Chartering Organizations on Friday, but has been delayed due to "concerns" of the ICANN Board of Directors expressed by its Chairman, Steve Crocker, in a posting to the CCWG-Accountability mail list on Friday--read more (including updates) at DomainMondo.com: IANA Stewardship Transition, New ICANN CCWG Accountability Timeline.
The Q4 2015financial reporting period concluded this week with results reported by:
Rightside $NAME on February 16th
GoDaddy $GDDY on February 17th
Find links to all this season's Q4 2015 reports on Domain Mondo at the Stock Links page.
Most popular articles at DomainMondo.com this past week (highest number of pageviews):
• UPDATE: How ICANN Lost Its IANA Trademarks and IANA dot ORG Domain Name -- Questions: Will IETF or IETF Trust, or subsidiary, eventually run IANA, and assess each TLD an annual fee plus transactional fee per change to the Root Zone file? Could ICANN be abolished?
Apple $AAPL Jan 26 5pm ET
Facebook $FB Jan 27 5pm ET
Alibaba Group $BABA Jan 28 Pre Market
Amazon $AMZN Jan 28 5pm
And see Starbucks' (SBUX) CEO Howard Schultz on Q1 2016 Results - Earnings Call Transcript | Seeking Alpha: "... I think we said three years ago publicly that we began to envision that there would be a seismic change in consumer behavior and that seismic change was due in large part to eCommerce and smartphoneshopping. I think today in the headlines you've seen just in the last three weeks store closures of almost 50 Macy's stores, 150 Walmart stores. You've got to ask yourself what's going to happen to the future of many of those malls that are anchored by those big-box retailers..."
Terrorism - "There is a high threat from terrorism in Morocco."
"Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners. In April 2011, 17 people were killed and 25 injured in a large explosion in Marrakech at the Argana Restaurant in Djema el-Fna Square. Protective security measures are in place at many Moroccan hotels and sites popular with tourists. Security measures, including security personnel, may be visible in certain areas.The Moroccan authorities have warned of an increased threat linked to the growing number of Moroccans sympathetic or belonging to international terrorist organisations operating in Syria, Iraq and Libya, and regularly report the disruption of terrorist cells. There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time." source: UK government (emphasis added)--see further below more warnings from governments, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, U.S.
*But note ICANN's response dated January 27, 2016: Safety and Security at ICANN Meetings - Jan 27, 2016 - ICANN: "... regarding ICANN55 specifically, we are in constant and on-going communication with our hosts and the Moroccan government, to assess any security concerns surrounding the upcoming meeting. In addition, we are working with a highly respected global security-consulting firm, which gives us on-going updates of potential risks. This firm has also assigned a senior level analyst to work with ICANN. As of this date, the assessments of these various security experts is that there is only a LOW risk of any type of terrorist activity in Morocco ... here are just a few [security measures] we will beinstituting for the first time in Marrakech ...
Every delegate will now need a government-issued ID to pick up a badge at the registration desk.
There will be increased security screening for those entering our meeting venue, which may include metal detectors, magnetic wands and bag checks.
There will be advanced verification of delegate registration information by Moroccan authorities.
Security will be increased at the hotels where delegates are staying.
We are establishing a 24/7 operations center at the venue..." (emphasis added)
UPDATES:
Ex-Guantanamo detainee allegedly led recruiting cell for the Islamic State #ISIS | The Long War JournalFebruary 29, 2016: "... According to the brief biography in JTF-GTMO’s assessment, which appears to be largely based on Ahmed’s own account while in custody, Ahmed and his brothers were selling drugs in the 1990s when he “became involved in the Jamaat Tablighi” and “traveled to Morocco at the invitation of an extremist recruiter.” Jamaat Tablighi is an Islamic proselytization group that JTF-GTMO found was frequently used as a cover for jihadists traveling around the globe. While in Morocco, Ahmed became interested in the jihad in Chechnya. He was allegedly “recruited by a man named ‘Naiz’ and the pair traveled to the United Kingdom (UK).” Naiz paid for Ahmed’s trip. “After arriving in the UK in May 2001,” according to the JTF-GTMO file, Ahmed “started worshipping at the Nor mosque in London,” supplementing “the income he received from his brother by selling drugs at a disco where he worked”..." Tablighi Jamaat - (Wikipedia): "In France, as many as "80% percent of the Islamist extremists" have come from Tablighi ranks ..."
UPDATE: ‘Real armed commando’: Police bust ISIS terror cell preparing ‘chemical attack’ in Morocco — RT News20 Feb 2016 (video and photos at link) and also: Today 24: (Feb 20, 2016) "... The source added that among the plans that this cell intended to implement, attack tourist structures, especially hotel establishments, including the "Sofitel" and "City" in Essaouira, the killing of Western tourists in Essaouira, and prominent personalities public civilian and military, attacking military barracks and, in particular, Meknes and Marrakesh in order to acquire firearms..." UPDATE 19 Feb 2016: ISIS plans series of terror attacks in Morocco: official - Cihan: Feb 19, 2016 - "A top Moroccan intelligence official said Friday that the Islamic State (ISIS) planned a series of terror attacks in Morocco, including a suicide car bomb attack..." See also: ISIS Terrorist Cell Dismantled in Morocco 'Planned to Use Biological Weapons' (Feb 19, 2016) UPDATE 18 Feb 2016: Report Says Morocco security services foiled “dangerous” ISIS (Islamic State affiliate) terrorist attacks and arrested 10 suspects, including a French national, on Thursday. "The members of the cell were arrested with a large stock of weapons that they were planning to use to “carry out large-scale guerrilla-style warfare” in the Kingdom, according to the release" (read more at link above). UPDATE 3 Feb 2016: Morocco: a new terrorist cell dismantled in Marrakech - Afrik.com: "A new alleged terrorist cell was dismantled on Tuesday by the Central Bureau of Judicial Investigations (BCIJ). Its members were active in Marrakech, Laayoune and Boujdour ..." (read more at link above) UPDATE 1 Feb 2016: according to a report in Middle East Eye, updated Jan 29, 2016, many of the ISIS fighters in Libya are Tunisians, Moroccans, Algerians, Nigerians and Sudanese. “Many of them have also return from the war in Syria, and they are well organised and prepared for everything. And from our interrogations with prisoners, we assume that the next targets will be Morocco and Algeria...” see also #InsideMorocco | Middle East Eye
UPDATEReport (Jan 25, 2016) Morocco reportedly will join US-led coalition against ISIS in Libya.
UPDATE ISIS sets sights on overthrowing governments of Morocco and Tunisia - Middle East - Jerusalem Post 01/21/2016: "Amid civil unrest in Tunisia and Morocco, ISIS calls on Muslims to attack both states and oust their 'apostate' democratic governments. In the wake of growing civil unrest in Tunisia and Morocco, ISIS has launched a new media campaign directed at Muslims in the Islamic Maghreb, which focuses mainly on the 'apostate' governments of Tunisia and Morocco.The campaign, launched on Thursday, consists of several videos released by different ISIS provinces. The jihadists participating in the campaign call on Muslims to join ISIS strongholds in Tunisia, Libya, Mali and Algeria in order to oust the apostate democratic governments of Tunisia and Morocco and replace them with an Islamic regime based on Sharia law..."
UPDATE 19 Jan 2016: Paris attackers linked in Morocco arrest - BBC News: "The man was detained near Casablanca on Friday, the interior ministry said, and had travelled from Syria via Turkey, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. He had fought in Syria with al-Nusra front before joining so-called Islamic State, Morocco said. The Paris attacks of 13 November [2015] killed 130 people..."(read more at link above) UPDATE 18 Jan 2016: Why did Burkina Faso become al-Qaida's latest target? | World news | The Guardian: "In a statement released online, the group said that the attack was “a new message from the heroic champions of Islam, with their blood and their bodies, to the slaves of the cross, the occupiers of our homes, the looters of our wealth, and who would undermine our security.” But putting hyperbole and propaganda aside, what message is AQIM looking to send - and for whom is it intended? First, it is a message to rival jihadist groups, particularly Islamic State (ISIS), that AQIM is once again a force to be reckoned with..." read more at link above and AQIM takes Australian couple hostage in northern Burkina Faso | The Long War Journal.
UPDATE: Profile: Al-Qaeda in North Africa - BBC News: "... Morocco's security forces clamped down on several militant cells - arresting, trying and jailing their leaders - after four incidents blamed on al-Qaeda-inspired groups in 2007. The security forces were said to be on the lookout for militants who were believed to be crossing into Morocco from Algeria. And of course the Madrid train bombs, which killed almost 200 people in 2004, were the work of a Moroccan gang ..."
Attackers raided a luxury hotel in Burkina Faso overnight, opening fire and seizing hostages in an hours-long siege that ended with at least 23 people dead. Video above published Jan 16, 2016.
Map showing location of Paris, France, and Burkina Faso in relationship to Marrakech, Morocco, ICANN55 venue
(source: Google Earth Map)
UPDATE 16 Jan 2016 - BBC: "At least 23 people of 18 different nationalities are now known to have died after Islamist militants attacked a luxury hotel in Burkina Faso [in west Africa]. ... A recently consolidated [Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb] ... is keen to cement its status as the dominant jihadist group in North Africa and the Sahel, particularly with the rise of its rival, the so-called Islamic State, in the region."
The Maghreb, or the Greater Maghreb, is usually defined as much or most of the region
(including Marrakech, Morocco) of western North Africa, west of Egypt. Wikipedia
Going to Marrakech (a/k/a Marrakesh), Morocco, for the ICANN 55 meeting, March 5-10, 2016?
Better take heed of official travel warnings and advisories issued by governments (see below, emphasis added), because you won't find any mention* of these dangers on the official ICANN 55 website:
We advise you to exercise a high degree of caution in Morocco because of thethreat of terrorist attacks. You should pay close attention to your personal security at all times. Monitor the media and other sources about possible new security risks.
The Moroccan authorities have warned of an increased threat linked to the number of Moroccans belonging to international terrorist organisations operating in Syria and Iraq. Terrorist attacks have occurred in Morocco in places frequented by tourists in the past. See Safety and security.
There is a general threat of kidnapping against Westerners in North Africa. You should maintain a high level of vigilance at all times and especially when travelling in southern and border areas of Morocco.
You should monitor the media for reports of protest activity and avoid large gatherings and demonstrations as they may turn violent. Exercise particular caution on weekends, including in the period surrounding Friday prayers.
We strongly advise you not to travel to the Western Sahara because of the risk posed by landmines. Permission from Moroccan authorities is required before travelling to Western Sahara.
Australia does not have an embassy or consulate in Morocco. The Canadian Embassy located in Rabat, provides consular assistance to Australians in Morocco. This service includes the issuance of Provisional Travel Documents. The Australian Embassy in Paris can also assist Australians in Morocco...." (emphasis added)
Government of Canada travel advice and advisories for Morocco: "MOROCCO - Exercise a high degree of caution There is no nationwide advisory in effect for Morocco. However, you should exercise a high degree of caution due to the threat of terrorism in the region."
U.S. Department of State: "... The potential for terrorist violence against U.S. interests and citizens exists in Morocco. Moroccan authorities continue to disrupt groups seeking to attack U.S. or Western-affiliated and Moroccan government targets, arresting numerous individuals associated with international terrorist groups. With indications that such groups still seek to carry out attacks in Morocco, it is important for U.S. citizens to be keenly aware of their surroundings and adhere to prudent security practices such as avoiding predictable travel patterns and maintaining a low profile. Establishments that are readily identifiable with the United States are potential targets for attacks. These may include facilities where U.S. citizens and other foreigners congregate, including clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels, movie theaters, U.S. brand establishments, and other public areas. Such targets may also include establishments where activities occur that may offend religious sensitivities, such as casinos or places where alcoholic beverages are sold or consumed ..."
UK Government: "... Morocco is a Muslim country which follows Islamic laws and customs. You should respect these at all times. See Local Laws and Customs. There is a high threat from terrorism in Morocco. See Terrorism ..."
Recent news headlines: Europe turns to Morocco in Paris attacks investigation
Reuters Morocco provided the tip-off that enabled French police to locate Abaaoud ... He returned to Morocco from France ... Morocco has stepped up its tracking of militant cells since Islamist attackers killed 17 people in Marrakesh in 2011 ...
