“... Due to their scattered nature, the exact number of active clubs can be
difficult to quantify. However, a September 2023 report from the nonprofit
Counter Extremism Project identified 46 active clubs across the United States.
Most of these clubs are unique to a single state, such as the three identified
in California and two each in Pennsylvania and Nevada. But at least one of them
also crosses state lines, according to the Counter Extremism Project: the Great
Lakes active club, which has members in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota
and South Dakota. While some of these clubs may have less than 30 members, they
typically maintain a large social media presence. Active clubs are also
becoming more prevalent in other areas of the world. The Counter Extremism
Project identified 12 active clubs in Canada and 46 across Europe. Unlike the
majority of hate groups, active clubs "do not have a top-down hierarchy,"
Rolling Stone reported, instead operating as a network of "locally run cells
that all share the same ethos." The thinking behind this, according to the
Counter Extremism Project, is that the arrest of one active club leader will
not have an effect on the overall network.”











<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>



Eye on Extremism



January 16, 2024



The Week: The Role Of 'Active Clubs' In The American Far Right
<[link removed]>



“... Due to their scattered nature, the exact number of active clubs can be
difficult to quantify. However, a September 2023 report from the nonprofit
Counter Extremism Project identified 46 active clubs across the United States.
Most of these clubs are unique to a single state, such as the three identified
in California and two each in Pennsylvania and Nevada. But at least one of them
also crosses state lines, according to the Counter Extremism Project: the Great
Lakes active club, which has members in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota
and South Dakota. While some of these clubs may have less than 30 members, they
typically maintain a large social media presence. Active clubs are also
becoming more prevalent in other areas of the world. The Counter Extremism
Project identified 12 active clubs in Canada and 46 across Europe. Unlike the
majority of hate groups, active clubs "do not have a top-down hierarchy,"
Rolling Stone reported, instead operating as a network of "locally run cells
that all share the same ethos." The thinking behind this, according to the
Counter Extremism Project, is that the arrest of one active club leader will
not have an effect on the overall network.”



Associated Press: A Suicide Bomber In Western Afghanistan Targets The
Governor’s Office And Wounds 3 Guards <[link removed]>



“A suicide bomber targeted the provincial governor’s office in western
Afghanistan on Sunday and wounded three security guards, said a Taliban
official. The attacker detonated his suicide vest as he was shot by security
guards while trying to enter inside the governor’s compound in Zaranj, the
capital of Nimroz province, Abdul Mateen Qani, the spokesman for the Taliban’s
interior minister, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. No one has immediately claimed
responsibility for the attack, but the Islamic State group’s affiliate has
increased attacks in capital Kabul as well as in other parts of the country
since the beginning of the year. The IS group has carried out major assaults on
schools, hospitals and mosques and also has attacked Shiite areas across the
country in the last few years. It’s been a major rival of the Taliban since the
latter seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, as U.S. and other troops
withdrew.”

<[link removed]>



CEP Mentions



DW: Germany's Middle East Diplomacy Reaches Limits
<[link removed]>



“... Hans-Jakob Schindler, Middle East expert and Senior Director of the
transatlantic think tank Counter Extremism Project, said that the global
economy would face a grave problem if the situation continues. We cannot do
without the Suez Canal for a year," Schindler told DW. Germany is likely to
soon become involved in the US-led mission in the Red Sea to ward off Houthi
attacks. Baerbock has also indicated that Berlin would no longer oppose the
export of UK Eurofighter jets to Saudi Arabia. Germany has also authorized the
export of IRIS-T guided missiles to the Gulf state. The German foreign minister
is sticking with her earlier position on the core conflict between Israel and
the Hamas militant group. The group is classified as a terrorist organization
by a range of countries and organizations including the US, EU and Germany.
Baerbock told Israel (on Sunday) that it could firmly count on Germany's
solidarity in the fight against "the blind terror that wants to wipe Israel
from the map.”



TalkTV: “Politicisation Of Terrorism” | King’s College London Slammed For
Terming Hamas ‘Freedom Fighters’ <[link removed]>



“A former civil servant, Anna Stanley she found attending KCL’s anti-terrorism
course a deeply, existentially depressing experience. She argues that
‘prestigious’ educational institutions are delivering ‘politically biased,
anti-government training’, leading to indoctrination and that extremism and
terrorism are misunderstood by civil servants to the point of being a national
security risk.”



DW: US, UK Strike Houthi Targets
<[link removed]>



“Houthi rebels have promised to retaliate for airstrikes carried out by the US
and UK in Yemen. Washington and London say they hit the targets to protect
international shipping from Houthis attacks. Counter extremism expert
Hans-Jakob Schindler says there is no alternative to using force to keep
traffic flowing in the Red Sea.”



DW: Houthis Vow Retaliation For US, UK Attacks
<[link removed]>



“The US has carried out a second day of military strikes on Houthi rebel
targets in Yemen. US officials say the new targets posed a threat to shipping
in the Red Sea, which has been disrupted by Houthi attacks in recent weeks.
Houthi leaders have vowed to retaliate following the attacks.”



Agence-France Presse: IS Under Pressure After Hamas Attack On Israel
<[link removed]>



“... Militants also took around 250 hostages, 132 of whom Israel says remain
in Gaza, including at least 25 believed to have been killed. The war has put
the spotlight on Hamas. "Without the Gaza war, IS would get the headlines,"
said Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project think
tank. "It puts considerable pressure on IS to remain relevant."



TalkTV: “Houthis Are A Militia That Illegally Controls Parts Of Yemen” Says
Former UK Ambassador To Yemen <[link removed]>



“The US and UK have carried out airstrikes on more than a dozen sites used by
the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. This response comes as a significant move
against the Houthis, who have been launching drone and missile attacks on
commercial ships in the Red Sea, especially after the conflict in Gaza
involving Israel. The Houthis are a Yemeni militia group named after their
founder, Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi. They represent the Zaidi branch of Shia
Islam and emerged in the 1980s in opposition to Saudi Arabia's religious
influence in Yemen. With an estimated 20,000 fighters, their official name is
Ansar Allah. The group controls most of the west of Yemen and oversees the Red
Sea coastline. Vanessa Feltz speaks with the former UK ambassador to Yemen,
Edmund Brown and lecturer in political science Arash Azizi.”



United States



Reuters: Biden Says Yemen's Houthis Are A 'Terrorist' Group
<[link removed]>



“U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called Yemen's Houthi forces a "terrorist"
group, after American and British warplanes, ships and submarines launched
dozens of air strikes across Yemen overnight. Biden said Washington will
respond to the Houthis if they continued behavior that he called "outrageous."
London and Washington say their strikes in Yemen were in retaliation for months
of attacks by the movement on Red Sea shipping that the Iran-backed fighters
cast as a response to the ongoing war in Gaza. The strikes represent one of the
most dramatic demonstrations to date of the widening of the Gaza conflict. "I
think they are," Biden told reporters on Friday when he was asked if he was
willing to call the Houthis a "terrorist" group. "We will make sure that we
respond to the Houthis if they continue this outrageous behavior along with our
allies," he added. The White House said earlier on Friday the United States
does not want war with Yemen but will not hesitate to take further action.”



ABC: 3rd Victim Dies In Fiery New Year's Car Attack Near Rochester, New York,
Concert Venue
<[link removed]>



“A third person has died in the fiery crash outside a concert venue in upstate
New York early New Year's Day, authorities announced on Friday. Dawn Revette,
54, died on Wednesday from injuries sustained after she was struck by a vehicle
while in the crosswalk outside the Kodak Center in Rochester, police said. Two
people in a ride-sharing car were killed after a rented Ford Expedition driven
by the suspect slammed into it and burst into flames as it sped in the
direction of pedestrians in the crosswalk, police said. The suspect --
35-year-old Michael Avery -- also died. Multiple pedestrians and first
responders were injured, police said. One victim remains in an inpatient
treatment facility with non-life-threatening injuries while the rest have since
been released from the hospital, Rochester Police Chief David Smith said
Friday. The incident occurred as concertgoers were leaving the venue. Multiple
canisters full of gasoline were found in Avery's vehicle, police said. A
Glock-style replica handgun and several lighters were also found, Smith said.”



ABC: It's Become More Difficult To Identify Motivations Behind Mass Casualty
Attacks: DHS
<[link removed]>



“A toxic brew of ideological extremism, blended with rage, anger and violent
tendencies is making it increasingly difficult for authorities to identify
motivations behind mass casualty attacks in America, according to a new
assessment by the Department of Homeland Security. The confidential analysis,
distributed to law enforcement on Jan. 10 and obtained by ABC News, describes
the growing challenge posed by perpetrators who "espoused and engaged with an
array of narratives," often online, "likely fueling their mobilization to
violence." Those attackers' range of beliefs made it easier to escape the
longstanding templates law enforcement uses to catch would-be threats – and
made it harder for police to intervene or secure potential targets, the
analysis found. "Since 2018, we have observed mass casualty attacks in which
the perpetrators held multiple grievances, challenging our ability to identify
a primary motive," the bulletin said.”



Syria



ABC: Opening Statements In Trial Of Woman Charged With Financing Terrorist
Groups In Syria Through Cryptocurrency
<[link removed]>



“Opening statements are expected Tuesday in the trial of Victoria Jacobs, an
Uzbekistan native who is charged with using cryptocurrency to fund Syrian-based
terrorist groups and launder supporters' contributions. It is the first-ever
terrorism financing trial in the New York State court system. The six-count
indictment, filed in January 2023, charged Jacobs with providing support for an
act of terrorism, money laundering and other crimes. "This complex case
demonstrates the depth of knowledge and resources this Office has to combat
terrorism and extremism in New York and throughout the globe," Manhattan
District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at the time. Jacobs, who was known as
Bakhrom Talipov, provided material support to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, a U.S.
State Department-designated foreign terrorist organization, and provided more
than $5,000 to the terrorist training group Malhama Tactical, which fought with
and provided special tactical and military training to Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham,
the indictment said.”



Associated Press: Turkish Strikes On Infrastructure Facilities Wound 10 And
Cut Off Power In Areas In Northeast Syria
<[link removed]>



“Turkish shelling and airstrikes have targeted dozens of infrastructure
facilities in northeast Syria over the past days, wounding at least 10 people
and cutting out electricity and water supplies in wide areas held by the
U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in the war-torn country, Kurdish-led
authorities in northeast Syria said Monday. The statement by the Autonomous
Administration of North and East Syria said the 73 attacks by Turkey’s military
over the past two days have hit oil, electricity and water facilities as well
as warehouses where grain is stored. The statement added that power supplies
were cut in major towns and hundreds of villages and hamlets. “The Turkish
state aims to target all resources of life in the region,” said Siamand Ali, a
spokesman of the Syrian Democratic Forces. He added that air strikes and
artillery shelling hit northeastern towns and villages and around noon Monday,
a strike hit the Internal Security Forces building in the border town of
Qamishli.”



Iran



Associated Press: Iran Strikes Targets In Northern Iraq And Syria As Regional
Tensions Escalate
<[link removed]>



“Iran said late Monday it had launched strikes against a “spy headquarters and
gathering of anti-Iranian terrorist groups” shortly after missiles hit an
upscale area near the U.S. consulate in Irbil, the seat of Iraq’s
semi-autonomous Kurdish region. The security council of the Kurdish regional
government said in a statement that four civilians were killed and six injured
in the strikes. Peshraw Dizayi, a prominent local businessman with a portfolio
that included real estate and security services companies, was killed in one of
the strikes along with members of his family, according to a post on X,
formerly known as Twitter, by former Iraqi member of parliament Mashan
al-Jabouri, who said that one of the missiles had fallen on Dizayi’s “palace,
next to my house, which is under construction on the road to the Salah al-Din
resort.” Other regional political figures also confirmed Dizayi’s death.”



Iraq



Reuters: Islamic State Attack Kills Three Soldiers In West Iraq: Military
Sources
<[link removed]>



“Islamic State militants killed three Iraqi soldiers and wounded one during an
attack on Sunday evening on a military post in western Iraq, military sources
said. Iraqi army sources said militants in two vehicles used snipers and
semi-automatic guns in the attack on army soldiers stationed at a desert area
near the town of Haditha, 190 km (120 miles) west of Baghdad. No group has
claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iraqi security and military sources
said it was carried out by Islamic State militants who are active in the area.
Despite the defeat of the Islamic State militant group in 2017, remnants of the
group switched to hit-and-run attacks against government forces in different
parts of Iraq.”



Turkey



Reuters: Turkey Holds 18 People For 'Praising Terrorism' After Soldiers Killed
In Iraq <[link removed]>



“Turkish police have detained 18 people for "praising terrorism" after the
killing of soldiers last week, while a high-level outlawed Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) member was "neutralised" in northern Iraq, authorities said on
Monday. Nine Turkish soldiers died in clashes with the PKK in northern Iraq on
Friday, prompting Ankara to conduct air strikes and operations both there and
in northern Syria. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the United
States and the European Union, took up arms in 1984 for the rights of ethnic
Kurdish people. Turkish forces regularly strike PKK militants based in the
mountains of northern Iraq. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on social
media that police had detained 18 people for "praising a terrorist
organisation", "spreading terrorism propaganda," and "spreading misleading
information" over Turkey's operations in Iraq. Arrest warrants were issued for
19 others in Turkey and 133 abroad, Yerlikaya added, without giving further
details.”



Reuters: Turkey Says It 'Neutralises' 45 Kurdish Militants In Northern Iraq,
Syria
<[link removed]>



“Turkey said on Saturday its forces had "neutralised" 45 Kurdish militants in
northern Syria and Iraq following a clash on Friday with members of the
outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in which nine Turkish soldiers were
killed in northern Iraq. "Operations following the treacherous attack
neutralised a total of 45 terrorists, 36 in northern Iraq and 9 in northern
Syria," Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement after President
Tayyip Erdogan chaired a security meeting. Ankara typically uses the term
"neutralised" to mean killed. "Turkey will never allow the establishment of a
'terrorland' on its southern borders under any pretext and for any reason," the
statement in Turkish added. Earlier on Saturday, the Defence Ministry said the
military had carried out airstrikes in the Hakurk, Metina, Gara and Qandil
regions of northern Iraq, destroying 29 PKK targets included caves, bunkers,
shelters and oil facilities. Turkish forces have been carrying out a
cross-border operation called "Claw-Lock" in Iraq as part of the country's
offensive against PKK militants.”



Afghanistan



Associated Press: Senior Pakistani Politician Meets Reclusive Taliban Supreme
Leader In Afghanistan
<[link removed]>



“A senior Pakistani politician met the Taliban supreme leader in Afghanistan,
the politician’s office said Saturday. It’s the second publicly known meeting
between a foreign official and the reclusive Hibatullah Akhundzada, who rarely
appears in public and seldom leaves the southern Afghan province of Kandahar.
It’s also the first known meeting between Akhundzada and a Pakistani
delegation. Fazlur Rehman is the first senior Pakistani politician to visit
Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021. His Jamiat Ulema Islam
party is known for backing them. The Taliban have not confirmed the meeting
with Akhundzada. Rehman’s party did not say if it was in Kandahar or the
capital Kabul. Rehman went to Afghanistan in an effort to reduce tensions
between the two countries. Pakistan last November began expelling foreigners
living in the country without documents, mostly Afghans, to the fury of the
Taliban. The two sides have also traded blame over an increase in militant
attacks in Pakistan.”



Pakistan



Financial Times: Key Operative Of Pakistan-Based Terrorist Harvinder Rinda
Arrested From Rajasthan Village
<[link removed]>



“A key operative of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Rinda, who was
supplying weapons to the associates of a terror outfit to carry out
"sensational crimes" in Punjab, has been arrested, Director General of Police
(DGP) Gaurav Yadav said on Friday. A Chinese-made pistol and eight live
cartridges were seized following the accused's arrest from Lohawat village in
Rajasthan's Phalodi, the DGP said. "In a major breakthrough, #AGTF
(anti-gangster task force), Punjab in a joint operation with the central
agencies has arrested Kailash Khichan, a key operative of #Pak based terrorist
Harvinder Singh @ Rinda and #USA based Harpreet Singh @ Happy Passia," Yadav
posted on X. Later, in a statement, the DGP said Khichan was wanted in a case
lodged under the provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act (UAPA) in Fazilka in September 2023. Besides, the accused has a criminal
history, with a number of cases pertaining to extortion, the Narcotic Drugs and
Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and Arms Act registered against him in
Punjab and Rajasthan, the officer added.”



Associated Press: Pakistan Effectively Shuts The Key Crossing Into Afghanistan
To Truck Drivers
<[link removed]>



“Pakistan effectively closed a key northwestern border crossing with
Afghanistan to truck drivers on Saturday, Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban said.
Noor Mohammad Hanif, director of Information and Culture department in
Afghanistan’s eastern Nangarhar province said that officials at the Torkham
began asking for passports and visas from Afghan drivers. Truckers have for
years been able to pass the border without documents so they generally do not
have them. Hanif said that, in response, Afghanistan is now asking Pakistani
drivers for passports and visas. In a separate statement, the Nangarhar
governor’s office said that officials from both sides are in talks to solve the
problem, and a “decision will be made soon,” it added. The Torkham border
crossing has been closed a number of times in recent months, including in
September when it was shut for nine days due to clashes between border forces.
On Saturday, dozens of trucks carrying perishable items, including vegetables
and fruits, waited on each side of the border for the reopening of the
crossing, which is a vital commercial artery and a trade route to Central Asian
countries for Pakistan.”



Yemen



Reuters: Yemen's Houthis Hit US-Owned Dry Bulk Ship, No Injuries - US Centcom
<[link removed]>



“Houthi forces in Yemen struck the U.S.-owned and operated dry bulk ship
Gibraltar Eagle with an anti-ship ballistic missile, U.S Central Command said
on Monday, although there were no reports of injuries or significant damage.
The vessel's U.S.-based operator Eagle Bulk Shipping said that it was hit by an
"unidentified projectile" while sailing 100 miles off the Gulf of Aden and
suffered limited damage to its cargo hold, and no seafarers were injured. "As a
result of the impact, the vessel suffered limited damage to a cargo hold but is
stable and is heading out of the area," Eagle Bulk said in a statement, adding
that it was carrying a cargo of steel products. The Iran-backed Houthis who
control most of Yemen's Red Sea coast have been attacking commercial ships in
the area they say are linked to Israel or bound for Israeli ports, in action
they claim is aimed at supporting the Palestinians in the war and Hamas in
Gaza. U.S. and British forces responded last week by carrying out dozens of air
and sea strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen.”



Lebanon



Reuters: Israeli Soldiers Kill 4 Militants Infiltrating From Lebanon, Military
Says
<[link removed]>



“Israeli soldiers exchanged fire with militants attempting to cross from
Lebanon into Israel and killed four of them, the Israeli military said on
Sunday. The soldiers were on patrol in Har Dov around the disputed Shebaa Farms
area, according to the military's statement, when they spotted the four who
opened fire at the force. "During the exchanges of fire, IDF (Israel Defence
Forces) forces conducted artillery and mortar fire toward the area," the
military said.”



Middle East



Reuters: Hamas Appears To Show Dead Bodies Of Two Hostages After Warning Israel

<[link removed]>



“Hamas appeared to show the dead bodies of two Israeli hostages on Monday
after warning Israel they might be killed if it did not stop its bombardment of
Gaza. A new video released by the Palestinian militant group purportedly showed
the bodies of Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itai Svirsky, 38, who had appeared in an
initial video on Sunday. It also showed a third Israeli hostage, university
student Noa Argamani, 26, seemingly reading a script in front of a blank white
wall, saying the two were killed by Israeli strikes. Israel's military
spokesperson said there was serious concern regarding the fate of the hostages
purported to be dead in the video, while specifying that one of them, whom he
identified as Svirsky, was not killed by Israeli fire. "Itai was not shot by
our forces. That is a Hamas lie. The building in which they were held was not a
target and it was not attacked by our forces," said military spokesperson Rear
Admiral Daniel Hagari, who did not give the name or any details about the
second person as per the family's request. "We don't attack a place if we know
there may be hostages inside," he said, adding that areas nearby had been
targeted.”



CBS: Israel "Terrorist Ramming Attack" In Raanana Leaves 1 Dead And 2
Palestinian Suspects Detained
<[link removed]>



“Israeli police said Monday that a suspected car ramming attack carried out by
two Palestinians had left at least 13 people wounded in the central city of
Raanana. Meir hospital near Raanana confirmed that one woman had died of her
injuries. "A wounded woman who arrived in a critical condition after having
been hit by a vehicle has died of her injuries despite our efforts to save
her," the hospital said in a statement. A police spokesperson later called it a
"a multiple car-ramming attack" and said it involved two suspects who "stole
vehicles and ran over a number of citizens in different places" in Raanana.
They said officers were sweeping the impacted areas "to ensure no further
threats." The national police chief of staff said on Israeli TV that two
Palestinian suspects, relatives from the city of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied
West Bank, had been arrested following the incident in Raanana.”



Reuters: Iran Says Revolutionary Guards Attack Israel's 'Spy HQ' In Iraq, Vow
More Revenge
<[link removed]>



“Iran's Revolutionary Guards said they attacked the "spy headquarters" of
Israel in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, state media reported late on
Monday, while the elite force said they also struck in Syria against the
Islamic State. The strikes come amid concerns about the escalation of a
conflict that has spread through the Middle East since the war between Israel
and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas began on Oct. 7, with Iran's allies also
entering the fray from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen. "In response to the
recent atrocities of the Zionist regime, causing the killing of commanders of
the Guards and the Axis of Resistance ... one of the main Mossad espionage
headquarters in Iraq's Kurdistan region was destroyed with ballistic missiles,"
the Guards said in a statement. Reuters could not independently verify the
report. Israeli government officials were not reachable for immediate comment.
Iran had vowed revenge for the killing of three members of the Guards in Syria
last month, including a senior Guards commander, who had served as military
advisers there.”



Somalia



Reuters: Four Ukrainians On UN Helicopter That Was Seized By Somali Militants
<[link removed]>



“Four Ukrainians were on a United Nations helicopter seized by al Shabaab
militants in central Somalia this week, Ukraine's foreign ministry said on
Friday. The U.N.-contracted chopper with nine aboard was conducting a medical
evacuation when a technical problem forced it to land near Hindhere village, an
area controlled by the Islamist group. "Our citizens were members of the
helicopter crew of the UN Mission in Somalia ... Their identities have been
established," Ukrainian spokesman Oleh Nikolenko wrote on Facebook. He said the
aircraft belonged to a private Ukrainian company contracted to the United
Nations, and that the government was contacting it to coordinate actions.
Security sources earlier told Reuters that nationals from Egypt, Uganda and
Somalia were also on board. The sources asked to remain anonymous due to the
sensitivity of the issue. Somalia's government said on Thursday it was working
to rescue hostages, but military officers said it would be difficult in an area
that has been under the al Qaeda-affiliated group's control for more than a
decade.”



Africa



Associated Press: Tunisia Commemorates Anniversary Of The 2011 Revolution.
Opposition Decries Democratic Backsliding
<[link removed]>



“Thirteen years after they toppled the country’s longtime dictator, Tunisians
are protesting President Kais Saied for ushering in what they see as democratic
backsliding, blaming him for quashing the aims of the revolution that kicked
off the Arab Spring in 2011. Hundreds of members of opposition parties marched
through the streets of the country’s capital on Sunday, commemorating the
revolution and expressing outrage at Saied’s rule. They carried Palestinian and
Tunisian flags, chanting for freedom, jobs, and dignity, while mourning the
state of the current political landscape in Tunisia. Though many said they were
dismayed by the direction that Tunisia’s first-term president has taken the
country, the protest was smaller than in years past, reflecting political
apathy and an opposition struggling to remain unified as November’s
presidential election approaches.”



United Kingdom



Associated Press: Rishi Sunak Defends His Decision For The UK To Join The US
In ‘Limited’ Strikes On Yemen’s Houthis
<[link removed]>



“Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told the U.K. Parliament on Monday that U.K.
strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, conducted alongside the United States, were
“limited, not escalatory” and came in response to a threat to British vessels.
Sunak faced questions about why British lawmakers didn’t get a say on the
military action, and he didn’t rule out joining further military action if
Houthi attacks continue. Four Royal Air Force Typhoon jets took part in last
week’s U.S.-led strikes on sites used by the Iran-backed rebels, who have been
attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea. The U.S. says Friday’s strikes hit
Houthi weapons depots, radar facilities and command centers. Sunak told
lawmakers that British jets targeted launch sites for drones and ballistic
missiles, and that the U.K.'s initial assessment was that all 13 planned
targets had been destroyed, without civilian casualties. He said the aim was to
“degrade and disrupt” the Houthis’ ability to launch attacks.”



Associated Press: UK Government Says The Islamist Group Hizb Ut-Tahrir Is
Antisemitic And Moves To Ban It
<[link removed]>



“The U.K. government said Monday that the Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir is
antisemitic and should be banned as a terrorist organization. Parliament will
debate this week a proposal to make joining the group illegal in the U.K. under
terrorism laws, the Home Office said. If approved, the ban will take effect on
Friday. The group, which is based in Lebanon but operates in more than 30
countries, including the U.S. and Canada, has organized rallies in London
alongside pro-Palestinian marches in recent weeks, following the outbreak of
the Israel-Hamas war. Police said that one member was seen chanting “jihad,” or
holy war, in a video from an October march, though officers reviewing the
evidence decided at the time that no offenses were committed. “Hizb ut-Tahrir
is an antisemitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism,
including praising and celebrating the appalling Oct. 7 attacks,” Home
Secretary James Cleverly said. Security Minister Tom Tugendhat said the group’s
celebration of Hamas’ attacks on Israel was “disgraceful.”



Europe



Associated Press: Mass Killer Who Says His Rights Are Violated Should Remain
In Solitary Confinement, Norway Says <[link removed]>



“Norway’s government insisted on Friday that Anders Behring Breivik, a
right-wing extremist who killed 77 people in a bomb and gun rampage in 2011,
remains dangerous and should stay in solitary confinement, rejecting his claim
in a suit that his human rights are being violated. “There is a great danger of
violence and that he will inspire others. That is why he has to serve his time
under strict security measures,” Andreas Hjetland, a government lawyer, said on
the last day of a five-day hearing. “There is simply nothing indicating that
Breivik’s human rights are being violated,” the Norwegian news agency NTB
quoted Hjetland as saying. Breivik, who has changed his name to Fjotolf Hansen,
claims in his suit — his second against the Norwegian government — that the
isolation he has been placed under since he began his prison sentence in 2012
amounts to inhumane punishment under the European Convention on Human Rights.
He failed in a similar attempt in 2016-2017, when his appeal was ultimately
rejected by the European Court of Justice.”



Associated Press: A Denmark Terror Case Has ‘Links’ To Hamas, A Prosecutor
Tells Local Media
<[link removed]>



“A Danish prosecutor said Friday that an investigation that led to the arrests
of three suspects in Denmark last month on suspicion of plotting to carry out
“an act of terror” was linked to Hamas, according to a local media report. The
case has been shrouded in secrecy and very few details have been revealed about
it until now. ”The investigation has provided information that, according to
the police, the case has links to Hamas,” prosecutor Anders Larsson said during
a custody hearing before an appeals court according to broadcaster TV2. “That
information is no longer necessary to keep secret.” Larsson didn’t provide any
further details. On Dec. 14, Danish police said that three people were arrested
across Denmark, while a fourth person was detained in the Netherlands. The case
coincided with an arrest in the Netherlands and several in Germany of alleged
Hamas members. The Danish and German announcements were issued separately. It
was unclear how or if the arrests were connected and if they were the result of
coordinated actions, or even possibly one operation spanning the continent.”



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