“The Islamic State confirmed on Thursday that its little-known top leader had
been killed, the third time in less than two years that the extremist group’s
senior leader had met that fate. In an audio statement attributed to its
spokesman, the group said its previous leader, code-named Abu al-Husayn
al-Qurayshi, had been killed in clashes with a rival militant group, Hayat
Tahrir al-Sham, which controls part of northwestern Syria. The statemen comes
months after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the same Islamic
State leader had been killed in a Turkish intelligence operation in northern
Syria.”
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Eye on Extremism
August 4, 2023
The Wall Street Journal: Islamic State Confirms Top Leader Is Dead
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“The Islamic State confirmed on Thursday that its little-known top leader had
been killed, the third time in less than two years that the extremist group’s
senior leader had met that fate. In an audio statement attributed to its
spokesman, the group said its previous leader, code-named Abu al-Husayn
al-Qurayshi, had been killed in clashes with a rival militant group, Hayat
Tahrir al-Sham, which controls part of northwestern Syria. The statemen comes
months after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the same Islamic
State leader had been killed in a Turkish intelligence operation in northern
Syria.”
Reuters: West Africa's Ultimatum To Niger Coup Leaders Nears Deadline
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“West Africa's regional bloc was to determine on Friday a potential
intervention to overturn Niger's coup after a mediation mission apparently
failed ahead of a weekend deadline in a crisis closely watched by global
superpowers. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has taken a
hard stance on last week's toppling of President Mohamed Bazoum: the seventh
coup in West and Central Africa since 2020. Given its uranium and oil riches
and pivotal role in the war with Islamist rebels in the Sahel region, Niger has
strategic significance for the United States, China, Europe and Russia. Various
western nations have cut aid, even though Niger is one of the poorest nations
in the world and relies on outside help for nearly half of its annual budget.”
Recent CEP Press Releases
* Extremist Content Online: Gumroad Fundraiser For Antisemitic Propaganda
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* Extremist Content Online: Twitter Allows Antisemitic Video To Generate
Nearly One Million Views
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* Hezbollah Position In Golan Heights Escalates Tensions With Israel On War's
Anniversary
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* Extremist Content Online: Pro-ISIS Propaganda Encourages Terror Attacks
Following Quran Burning
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* Hamas Claims West Bank Terror Attacks Amid Palestinian Authority's
Declining Credibility
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United States
New Jersey Spotlight News: Homegrown Violent Extremists Identified As Growing
Threat
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“Former President Donald Trump’s indictment is sparking protests around the
nation and comes amid a rise in homegrown violent extremism. According to new
analysis, domestic terror incidents have become more lethal and pose a greater
threat to society. Data from the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and
Preparedness identified at least 83 homegrown violent extremists throughout the
U.S. between 2019 and 2022 with 19 arrested in New Jersey, New York and
Pennsylvania. “During COVID with things going online, radicalization also went
online, both on the foreign terrorist side as well as on the domestic extremist
side,” Laurie Doran, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and
Preparedness, said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News.”
Turkey
Hurriyet Daily News: Nearly 1,000 Terrorists 'Neutralized' This Year, Says
Official
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“A total of 942 terrorists have been neutralized in various operations
conducted by the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) since the beginning of the year,
the Defense Ministry reported on July 3. The TKS's fight against all terrorist
groups — particularly PKK/KCK/PYD/YPG, ISIL and FETÖ — continues
uninterruptedly and with increasing intensity, said Colonel Zeki Aktürk, the
ministry's press and public relations consultant, during a press conference on
July 3. "As part of our resolute strategy to eliminate terrorism at its source,
50 terrorists were neutralized in the past week alone, spanning across the
north of Iraq and Syria. This brings the total number of terrorists neutralized
to 942 since the beginning of the year and 38,285 since July 24, 2015," Aktürk
stated.”
Daily Sabah: Turkish Intelligence Eliminates Senior PKK Terrorist In Iraq
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“A senior figure of the terrorist group PKK was eliminated in Northern Iraq's
Sinjar, security sources announced on Friday. Identified as Yılmaz Bayram, also
known by his codename Agit Gever, the terrorist was the target of an operation
by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Bayram was the group's top
logistics man providing weapons and ammunition to terrorists, said the sources,
who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. Details
of the operation were not disclosed but photos shared by security sources
showed a burned-out car, pointing out to a precision strike against the vehicle
Bayram was traveling in. Security sources said Bayram joined the terrorist
group in 2010. He was involved in a string of terror attacks targeting security
forces and civilians in and around Hakkari, a southeastern Turkish province,
between 2011 and 2016. In 2015, he was assigned to head a unit of PKK which
would later involve in notorious "ditch incidents" in Türkiye's southeast.”
Daily Sabah: Turkish Police Detain 17 Daesh Suspects In Istanbul Operations
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Daesh were captured in Istanbul in Thursday’s operations. Counterterrorism
units in Türkiye’s most populated city raided five locations in Istanbul’s four
districts against the suspects, who were in touch with terrorists in “conflict
zones,” referring to Syria where the group still has a presence despite
international operations. In 2013, Türkiye became one of the first countries to
declare Daesh a terrorist group. However, the country has since been attacked
by Daesh multiple times, with over 300 people killed and hundreds more injured
in at least 10 suicide bombings, seven bomb attacks and four armed assaults. As
a result, Türkiye launched operations at home and abroad to prevent further
attacks, including several counterterrorism operations in Syria.
Pakistan
Voice Of America: Afghan Taliban Call On Pakistan To Avoid Baseless Terror
Charges
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“Taliban leaders in Afghanistan have called on Pakistan to share its
"concerns" on cross-border terrorism formally instead of leveling unfounded
allegations in the media. Pakistani officials blame a recent uptick in
terrorist attacks on the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, and
militants linked to other extremist groups, allegedly from Afghan sanctuaries.
Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid refuted the allegations Thursday and
reiterated that his government does not allow anyone to use the territory of
Afghanistan against another country. "If there is any concern about this, it
should be shared directly with the Islamic Emirate instead of disseminating
futile claims in the media, which are not in the interest of both countries and
people," Mujahid said in his statement, using the official name of his
two-year-old government in Kabul.”
United Kingdom
The Guardian: Far-Right Satanist On Terrorist Watch Jailed For Making Child
Abuse Image
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“A convicted satanist and far-right extremist who was given a suspended
sentence as a teenager has now been imprisoned after admitting further crimes
including making an indecent photograph of a child. Harry Vaughan, from
Twickenham, south-west London, was 18 when he admitted 14 terror offences and
two of possessing indecent images of children during his first trial at the Old
Bailey. Mr Justice Sweeney handed Vaughan a two-year suspended sentence in
November 2020 along with a 60-day rehabilitation order and a terrorist
notification order for 10 years. In June, the 21-year-old, who now goes by the
name Harry Blake, pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to making an indecent
photograph of a child in September 2022.”
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