“The death toll from a massive suicide bombing that targeted an election rally
for a pro-Taliban cleric rose to 54 Monday, as Pakistan held funerals and the
government vowed to hunt down those behind the attack. No one immediately
claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombing, which also wounded nearly 200
people, but police said their initial investigation suggested the ISIS group's
regional affiliate could be responsible. The victims were attending a rally
organized by the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and
politician Fazlur Rehman. He did not attend the rally, held under a large tent
close to a market in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that
borders Afghanistan.”











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Eye on Extremism



July 31, 2023



CBS News: Pakistan Bombing Death Toll Tops 50, ISIS Affiliate Suspected In
Attack On Pro-Taliban Election Rally
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“The death toll from a massive suicide bombing that targeted an election rally
for a pro-Taliban cleric rose to 54 Monday, as Pakistan held funerals and the
government vowed to hunt down those behind the attack. No one immediately
claimed responsibility for Sunday's bombing, which also wounded nearly 200
people, but police said their initial investigation suggested the ISIS group's
regional affiliate could be responsible. The victims were attending a rally
organized by the Jamiat Ulema Islam party, headed by hard-line cleric and
politician Fazlur Rehman. He did not attend the rally, held under a large tent
close to a market in Bajur, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that
borders Afghanistan.”



Prensa Latina: Venezuela Condemns Terrorist Attack In Syrian Capital
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“The Venezuelan government absolutely condemned the terrorist attack on
Thursday in the Sayeda Zeinab neighborhood, south of Damascus, Syria, which
left six dead and 32 wounded so far. A statement issued by the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs indicated that the tragic event hindered the religious
commemoration of the month of Muharram (first month of the Islamic calendar)
and the tranquility of the capital’s population. In the framework of the
Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace, the Venezuelan authorities repudiated these
events that “mourn the Syrian people and leave many families affected”. The
text expressed its condolences to the families, friends and relatives of the
deceased citizens, and expressed its wishes “for the prompt recovery of
absolute peace throughout the Syrian territory.”




CEP Expert Analysis

* Afghanistan Terrorism Report: June 2023
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* West Africa's Terrorism Challenge: Development Of Al-Qaeda In The Western
Sahel Region
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* West Africa's Terrorism Challenge: Status Of ISWAP And ISGS In West Africa
And Sahel
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* Civilian Counterterrorism Forces and the Fight Against Extremism: A Review
of Nigeria, Somalia, and Burkina Faso
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* Extremism in Erdogan's AKP
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United States



VICE: The Grandfather Of Modern Neo-Nazism Is Fighting With Satanic Neo-Nazis
Now <[link removed]>



“…Josh Fisher-Birch, an analyst with the Counter Extremism Project, told VICE
News that this goes along with Mason’s past statements where he accuses those
arguing for low level crime of being “feds” repeatedly and “winks at his
audience by saying that if one is going to commit an illegal act and risk
prison or death, it should ‘count’ and be done in secret.” “It suggests that
Mason does not want to be seen as someone who would never advocate violence in
any circumstance,” said Fisher-Birch. “It gives Mason an out to avoid
responsibility and tries to confer all agency on the hypothetical perpetrator.
Mason is, of course, speaking to an audience where certain members do certainly
believe in the use of violence.”



Raw Story: Leading American Neo-Nazi Embroiled In Bizarre Extremist Feud With
Right-Wing Satanic Sect: Report <[link removed]>



“…Counter Extremism Project analyst Josh Fisher-Birch says that Mason's
frantic response to the cell's attacks shows he's worried about being perceived
as soft. “It suggests that Mason does not want to be seen as someone who would
never advocate violence in any circumstance,” said Fisher-Birch. “It gives
Mason an out to avoid responsibility and tries to confer all agency on the
hypothetical perpetrator. Mason is, of course, speaking to an audience where
certain members do certainly believe in the use of violence.”



WSB: Repeat Offender Sentenced In Cherokee County For Making Terrorist
Threats, Stealing Vehicles
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“A man was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Cherokee County after pleading
guilty to terroristic threats, family violence aggravated assault, and theft by
taking. Canton police first became aware of Christopher George Roberts, 52, on
April 2, 2020, while investigating a report of a stolen truck. Roberts had
moved from Burlington, North Carolina to Canton in March 2020 to live with his
girlfriend. Also living in the house were Roberts’ ex-wife and her boyfriend.”



Syria



Iran International: Isis Takes Credit For Attack On Shiite Shrine Near Damascus
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“The Sunni militant group ISIS has claimed responsibility for a deadly
bombing that occurred south of the Syrian capital Damascus near a Shiite Shrine
on Thursday. The attack targeted the Sayeda Zeinab mausoleum, the country's
most visited Shia pilgrimage site, killing at least seven people and injuring
many more. In a statement released on the Telegram, ISIS asserted that its
members were able to breach the tight security measures imposed by the Syrian
regime and militias guarding the mausoleum area. The group claimed that they
successfully carried out the attack by parking and detonating a motorcycle bomb
amidst a gathering of Shia pilgrims, who were assembling to commemorate the
annual Shia Ashura ceremony.”



Turkey



Daily Sabah: Turkish Intelligence Eliminates Top PKK Terrorist In Iraq's North
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“A high-ranking member of the PKK terrorist group was "neutralized" by
Turkish intelligence, security sources said Friday. Photos shared on media
outlets showed a charred car in which the target was apparently traveling in
Iraq's north. The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) determined that
Zagros Cekdar, code-named "Mesut Celal Osman," forcefully recruited young
people in Syria and directed attacks on Turkish security forces, and in 2018 he
crossed over from Syria to Iraq, said the sources, who spoke on condition of
anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. According to the
sources, Osman, one of the PKK's so-called provincial commanders in Sinjar,
Iraq, was assigned by the terrorist group to seek support as it was losing
power in the region, the sources added.”



Middle East



Ynet: Bill To Indemnify Victims Of Terrorism Clears First Knesset Reading
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“In a significant step, the Knesset plenum on Sunday passed in first reading
a bill promising to compensate victims of terrorism. The bill, which received
overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle, aims to provide victims with
an avenue to claim damages from those financing terrorist elements.
Additionally, victims will receive a minimum compensation of NIS 10 million
($2.7 million). Championed by MK Yitzhak Pindros of United Torah Judaism, the
bill will enable victims and their families to file tort claims against
terrorist organizations and individuals who incentivize attacks by offering
salaries to terrorists. By seeking exemplary compensation, this legislation
sends a powerful message that terrorism will not go unpunished.”



Jerusalem Post: UN Bodies Receive Millions From ‘Terror Charities’ – Opinion
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“…According to the Counter Extremism Project (that maintains databases on
extremist groups, their ideology, leaders, history, financing, violent
activities, tactics, and rhetoric), the Qatar Charity is a member charity of
the Union of Good network. The Union of Good umbrella organization was banned
by the US Treasury in 2008 because of its status as “an organization created by
Hamas leadership to transfer funds to [Hamas]” during the Second Intifada.
Hamas is on the US State Department list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.”



India



Haaretz: Chabad House In India Was A Target Of ISIS-Inspired Terror Group
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“Indian counter-terror forces said that two apprehended men belonging to an
ISIS-inspired group Sufa were in possession of an image of the Chabad house in
Mumbai, according to The Times of India. The same Chabad house was the target
of a terror attack in 2008, in which nine people were killed. The site remained
closed for six years until it was reopened in 2014. The Israeli news site Ynet
said that the security at the site has been ramped up by Mumbai police. Indian
police had made the arrests on July 18 before anti-terror units in the western
state of Maharashtra took over the probe.”



India Today: 'Hybrid' Al Badr Terrorist Arrested In Srinagar With Arms,
Ammunition
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“An Al-Badr hybrid terrorist, who was planning terror activities here, was
arrested with arms and ammunition on Saturday, police said. Hybrid terrorists
are those who carry out attacks and then slip back into their routine lives. A
spokesperson said a Srinagar Police team arrested the terrorist linked with
proscribed Al-Badr from the Batamaloo area of the city acting on specific
intelligence. He identified him as Arfat Yusuf, a resident of Rajpora Pulwama,
the spokesperson said, adding that incriminating material such as arms and
ammunition including a pistol, 20 live rounds, two magazines have been
recovered from his possession.”



Africa



Play Crazy Game: After Coup In Niger – Terrorism Expert Warns Of Growing
Danger In Sahel Region – News
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“In Mali, they already control entire regions and cities, and parts of
Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger have also become retreat and operational areas
for several jihadist terrorist groups. They are allied with the so-called
“Islamic State” (IS) or the Al Qaeda network. Now that the government in Niger
has also been toppled, its advance threatens to accelerate. Terror expert
Hans-Jakob Schindler classifies. Hans-Jakob Schindler is senior director at the
Counter Extremism Project (CEP), an NGO in New York and Berlin. From 2013 to
2018, he was a member and coordinator of the ISIL, Al-Qaeda and Taliban
monitoring team in the UN Security Council.”



Reuters: West Africa Threatens Force On Niger Coup Leaders, French Embassy
Attacked
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“West African nations imposed sanctions and threatened force on Sunday if
Niger's coup leaders fail to reinstate ousted President Mohammed Bazoum within
a week, while supporters of the junta attacked the French embassy in Niamey.
The 15-nation ECOWAS bloc's response to the Sahel region's seventh coup of
recent years came as crowds in Niger's capital Niamey burned French flags and
stoned the former colonial power's mission, drawing tear gas from police.
Images showed fires at the embassy walls and people being loaded into
ambulances with bloodied legs. At an emergency summit in Nigeria to discuss
last week's coup, leaders of the Economic Community of West African States
called for constitutional order to be restored, warning of reprisals if not.”



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