The letter cites evidence of Iranian control of 4 U.S. mosques

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The Extremism Roundup
=====================


**Promoting Civil Discourse and Marginalizing the Extremes**
A weekly compilation of the most important developments in the struggle against radical ideologies

Islamist Extremism
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*Students at Islamic Center of Houston sing a song pledging allegiance to Ayatollah - MEMRI.org screenshot*


**Congressmen Call for Investigation of Iranian Control of US Mosques**


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Republican congressmen have sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines requesting they investigate four Shi’a mosques in the United States as "a network of regime-sponsored mosques acting as agents for a foreign adversary."


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The three-page letter includes documentation of the mosques’ funding from organizations controlled by Iran,  examples of the hatred preached in these mosques toward anyone who disagrees with the Iranian regime, and the glorification of the Ayatollah’s regime through songs and shrines.


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The mosques discussed in the letter include Islamic Education Center (IEC) in Potomac, Md., the Islamic Education Center (IEC) in Houston, Tx., the Islamic House of Wisdom (IHW) in Dearborn Heights, Mi., and the Manassas Mosque in Manassas, Va..  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email#:~:text=In%20a%20July%2028%20letter,Western%20Islamism%2C%20the%20lawmakers%20declare)**


**Blind Date Stabbing Ends in Probation**


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Nika Nikoubin, a college student, received three years of probation for stabbing her blind date, Daniel Trevino, in the neck during a sexual encounter at a Las Vegas-area hotel in March 2022.


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Nikoubin pleaded guilty to two counts of false imprisonment with the use of a deadly weapon and cited her mental health struggles, including severe depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, as contributing factors to the incident.


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She claimed the stabbing was a result of a psychotic episode and said she stabbed Trevino in retaliation for the U.S. drone strike that targeted Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020, expressing feelings of revenge for the death. Trevino forgave her but left the consequences to the law.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20230805&lctg=607d91d4373dd11b6ec349c8&utm_term=NYP%20-%20Morning%20Report)**

Alt-Right & Alt-Left Extremism
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*Children pay their respects at the memorial site outside the Tree of Life Synagogue, Oct. 2018 - Esther Wayne/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images*


**Tree of Life Shooter Sentenced to Death**


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A federal jury in Pittsburgh unanimously recommended a death sentence for Robert Bowers, who killed 11 congregants and injured others at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in October 2018.


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Bowers was found guilty on 63 counts, including hate crimes resulting in death and obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death, which were punishable by a death sentence.


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The jury found Bowers eligible for a death sentence on July 13 and, after a Sentence Selection phase from July 17 to July 31, unanimously recommended a death sentence.


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Bowers entered the synagogue armed with firearms and opened fire, killing 11 worshippers and injuring others, including congregants and police officers.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**


**Neo-Nazis Crash Pride Event**


- Neo-Nazis protested an LGBTQ Pride event in Watertown, Wisc., carrying swastika flags and shouting homophobic language.
- The protest occurred during an annual Pride in the Park event, with neo-Nazi group members wearing black face coverings, sunglasses, black shirts, and khaki pants.
- Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers condemned the protest, stating that it was a direct attack on the LGBTQ community, communities of color, and Jewish Wisconsinites, and their dangerous behavior should be condemned by all elected officials.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**
**White Supremacist Group Leader Extradited to Face Charges**


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Robert Paul Rundo, accused of leading a white supremacist group called the Rise Above Movement, has been extradited from Romania to the U.S. to face charges related to inciting violence at California political rallies in 2017.


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Rundo, a founding member of the group, is accused of planning and participating in violence at rallies in Huntington Beach, Berkeley, and San Bernardino.


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Rundo's charges were previously dismissed in 2019 but were reinstated by a federal appeals court in 2021. His trial on charges of conspiracy and rioting has been scheduled for December 12.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**


**Anti-Gun Activist Arrested  **


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A drug operation investigation in the Hudson Valley, New York, has led to charges against 15 individuals, including a Bronx community activist who works against gun violence.


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Michael Rodriguez was arrested after being found with 1.5 kgs of cocaine, $165,000 in cash, scales, two guns, and $50,000 worth of jewelry in his Yonkers home.


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Rodriguez was a member of the anti-violence program "Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence" and was involved in community-building efforts to decrease gun violence. He is now facing charges related to drug trafficking and weapon possession.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**


  Hate Crimes
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*Nicholas John Proffitt, Cape Girardeau Police Department*


**Mosque Arsonist Sentenced**


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Nicholas John Proffitt has been sentenced to 191 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $551,217.91 for the arson of the Cape Girardeau Islamic Center in Missouri.


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Proffitt, who had a history of attacking Islamic institutions, pleaded guilty to intentionally setting fire to the Islamic Center in April 2020, during the Islamic holiday month of Ramadan, causing significant damage to the building due to its religious character.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**

Hostile Foreign Influence Operations
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*U.S. Navy plebes wait in formation after the Oath of Office ceremony at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. -  Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images*


**Two US Service Members Arrested for Transmitting Military Information to China**


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Two U.S. Navy service members have been arrested in separate cases in the Southern and Central Districts of California for transmitting sensitive military information to the People’s Republic of China (PRC).


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The individuals are accused of betraying their commitments to protect the U.S. and aiding the PRC government, which poses a threat to U.S. national security.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**


**Russian Hackers Used Microsoft Teams to Infiltrate Government Agencies**


- Russian state-sponsored hacking group APT29 posed as technical support staff on Microsoft Teams to carry out a highly targeted social engineering campaign.
- The campaign began in late May and aimed to compromise dozens of global organizations, including government agencies. The group used previously compromised Microsoft 365 accounts to create new technical support-themed domains and sent Teams messages to manipulate users into granting approval for multi-factor authentication prompts.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**

 Research and Trends in Extremism
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*A mobile phone showing Twitter's new "X" icon - CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images*


**X Sues Extremism Watchdog Group**


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X (formerly known as Twitter) has filed a lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), alleging that CCDH and its backers have been making false and misleading claims to encourage advertisers to pause investment on the platform.


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The lawsuit claims that CCDH gained unauthorized access to X's data through social media analytics firm Brandwatch and used metrics out of context to make unsubstantiated assertions about X.


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X accuses CCDH of actively working to prevent free expression by targeting individuals who speak about issues that CCDH disagrees with, attempting to deplatform users with differing views, targeting free-speech organizations to remove their services, and attempting to gain unauthorized access to social media platform data. 


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The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and an injunction against CCDH's access and use of X's data.  **[Read More]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email)**

Have You Found A Story You Think We Should Cover?
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If you see an article on violent extremism in the U.S. or hostile foreign influence that is reliable, timely, and fits into one of the six categories that we cover in this newsletter, please send us a note, either by replying directly to this email or by [**submitting a contact form**]([link removed] 202308-10&utm_medium=email) under the appropriate "news tip" category.  

QUOTABLE
 
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“No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck.”

*- Frederick Douglass*

NOTE TO OUR READERS: We have pulled out the salient points of the articles in this newsletter to keep you informed and focused on the most relevant, important and timely news in national security and extremism. While our national security experts stand behind the summary bullets and deem them trustworthy, Clarion Project does not endorse all the views expressed in the articles linked.

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