“After carrying out dozens of strikes in Iraq and Syria last week, the U.S.
will take "more action" against Iran-backed militants in response to a deadly
drone attack on an American base in Jordan, the White House's national security
adviser said Sunday. "This was the beginning of our response, there will be
more steps," Jake Sullivan told ABC News "This Week" anchor George
Stephanopoulos. "Some of those steps will be seen, some may not be seen. But
there will be more action taken to respond to the tragic death of the three
brave U.S. service members." Late Friday, the U.S. launched its first round of
retaliatory strikes in Syria and Iraq, hitting as many as 85 targets at seven
facilities in less than 45 minutes, according to the U.S., which has blamed
Iran-backed fighters for the attack on Tower 22 in Jordan on Jan. 28. Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the targets were being used by
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps "and affiliated militias ... to attack
U.S. forces."











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Eye on Extremism



February 5, 2024



ABC: US Plans 'More Action' After Striking Militants In Response To Killing Of
3 American Troops
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“After carrying out dozens of strikes in Iraq and Syria last week, the U.S.
will take "more action" against Iran-backed militants in response to a deadly
drone attack on an American base in Jordan, the White House's national security
adviser said Sunday. "This was the beginning of our response, there will be
more steps," Jake Sullivan told ABC News "This Week" anchor George
Stephanopoulos. "Some of those steps will be seen, some may not be seen. But
there will be more action taken to respond to the tragic death of the three
brave U.S. service members." Late Friday, the U.S. launched its first round of
retaliatory strikes in Syria and Iraq, hitting as many as 85 targets at seven
facilities in less than 45 minutes, according to the U.S., which has blamed
Iran-backed fighters for the attack on Tower 22 in Jordan on Jan. 28. Defense
Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the targets were being used by
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps "and affiliated militias ... to attack
U.S. forces."



Associated Press: At Least 6 Kurdish Fighters Are Killed In A Drone Attack On
A Syrian Base Housing US Troops
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“A drone attack on a base housing U.S. troops in eastern Syria killed six
allied Kurdish fighters late Sunday, in the first significant attack in Syria
or Iraq since the U.S. launched retaliatory strikes over the weekend against
Iran-backed militias that have been targeting its forces in the region. The
U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces said Monday the attack hit a
training ground at al-Omar base in Syria’s eastern province of Deir el-Zour,
where the forces’ commando units are trained. No casualties were reported among
U.S. troops. An umbrella group of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, dubbed the
Islamic Resistance in Iraq, released a video claiming responsibility for the
attack and showing them launching a drone from an unspecified location. In late
January, a drone attack by the same group killed three U.S. troops and wounded
dozens more at a desert base in Jordan. The U.S. military launched dozens of
retaliatory strikes targeting Iran-backed militant groups in western Iraq and
eastern Syria and also struck the Houthis in Yemen.”




CEP Expert Analysis

* Extremist Content Online: Audiobook Version of Jacksonville Dollar General
Shooter’s Manifesto Released on Telegram
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* Extremist Content Online: White Supremacist Telegram Channels Spread
Manifesto of Jacksonville Gunman
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* U.K. DECLARES HIZB UT-TAHRIR A TERRORIST GROUP
<[link removed]>
* Extremist Content Online: Extreme-Right And Neo-Nazi Content Located On
TikTok, Instagram, And Twitter/X
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* ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency in December 2023
<[link removed]>



CEP Mentions


BBC: Confronting The Houthis: How Powerful Are Yemen’s Rebel Rulers?
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“... They are generally more war-like, violent and cruel," says Edmund
Fitton-Brown, who was UK ambassador to Yemen from 2015-17. "I encountered
astonishing instances of brutality in Aden and Taiz. The Houthis consider
themselves an elite from an elite (the Zaidi sect). Some of their casual
viciousness towards Sunni civilians in central and southern Yemen has been
remarkable: a readiness to deploy snipers and kill non-combatants for fun."
There has long been a concerted effort, led by the UN, to end Yemen's civil war
and the Saudis, who host the legitimate but ousted Yemeni government, have
concluded a fragile truce with the Houthis. Edmund Fitton-Brown had some
experience of dealing with them in negotiations.”



United States



Associated Press: US, Britain Strike Yemen’s Houthis In A New Wave,
Retaliating For Attacks By Iran-Backed Militants
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“The United States and Britain struck 36 Houthi targets in Yemen on Saturday
in a second wave of assaults meant to further disable Iran-backed groups that
have relentlessly attacked American and international interests in the wake of
the Israel-Hamas war. But Washington once more did not directly target Iran as
it tries to find a balance between a forceful response and intensifying the
conflict. U.S. Central Command said its forces conducted an additional strike
on Sunday “in self-defense against a Houthi anti-ship cruise missile prepared
to launch against ships in the Red Sea,” according to a post on X, formerly
Twitter. “U.S. forces identified the cruise missile in Houthi-controlled areas
of Yemen and determined it presented an imminent threat to U.S. Navy ships and
merchant vessels in the region. This action will protect freedom of navigation
and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy vessels and
merchant vessels,” the post added.”



Pakistan



Reuters: Pakistan Military Kills 24 Militants In Balochistan Week Before
Elections
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“Pakistan's military has killed 24 militants in three days in the restive
southwestern province of Balochistan, the military said in a statement on
Friday, less than a week before national elections. Four law enforcement
personnel and two civilians have also been killed, the statement said. Militant
violence in Pakistan's border areas has put authorities on alert ahead of next
Thursday's polls. Militants, including suicide bombers, attacked Mach and
Kolpur complexes in Balochistan, the military's Inter Services Public Relations
agency (ISPR) said on Tuesday. The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), the most
prominent of several separatist groups in Balochistan, claimed responsibility
for the attack. The group aims to achieve independence for mountainous and
mineral-rich Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province by territory but the
smallest in terms of population, which has seen a decades-long insurgency.
Balochistan borders Afghanistan to the north, Iran to the west and has a long
coastline on the Arabian Sea. It has Pakistan's largest natural gas field and
is believed to hold many more undiscovered reserves.”



Associated Press: Militants Attack Police Station In Northwestern Pakistan,
Killing At Least 10 Officers
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“Militants armed with rockets, guns and grenades attacked a police station in
a former stronghold of the Pakistani Taliban in the country’s northwest before
dawn on Monday, killing 10 officers before fleeing, authorities said. Six other
officers were wounded in this year’s deadliest attack in Dera Ismail Khan, a
district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. No group
immediately claimed responsibility. Senior police officer Anees-ul-Hassan said
security forces were working to find and arrest the attackers. The violence
came two months after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive-laden vehicle
outside a police station in the same district, killing at least 23 troops and
wounding 32 others. That attack was claimed by a newly formed militant group —
Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan, which is believed to be an offshoot of the Pakistani
Taliban. Following the Dec. 5 attack in Dera Ismail Khan, troops killed 27
insurgents in multiple operations, according to the military and local police
officials.”



The New York Times: Pakistan’s Military Has Swayed Many Elections. Now It’s
Going Full Tilt
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“Tucked away on a patch of dying grass on the outskirts of Islamabad, the
gathering hardly looked like a political rally at the height of an election
season. Two dozen men sat on plastic chairs in silence. There were no posters
to promote a campaign, no microphones to deliver speeches, no sound system to
amp up the crowd. Even the candidate, Aamir Mughal, was missing: He had gone
into hiding months earlier, at the first signs of a military-led crackdown on
his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or P.T.I. The authorities had
already raided his home, arrested two of his sons and lodged a case against him
in connection with anti-military protests. “They are putting pressure on us to
quit the party and to quit politics,” Mr. Mughal said in an interview from a
safe house where he stayed before emerging for gatherings this weekend. “It’s
all part of an effort to weaken and eliminate the party.”



Yemen



The Guardian: Houthis May Sabotage Western Internet Cables In Red Sea, Yemen
Telecoms Firms Warn
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“Telecom firms linked to the UN-recognised Yemen government have said they
fear Houthi rebels are planning to sabotage a network of submarine cables in
the Red Sea critical to the functioning of the western internet and the
transmission of financial data. The warning came after a Houthi-linked Telegram
channel published a map of the cables running along the bed of the Red Sea. The
image was accompanied by a message: “There are maps of international cables
connecting all regions of the world through the sea. It seems that Yemen is in
a strategic location, as internet lines that connect entire continents – not
only countries – pass near it.” Yemen Telecom said it had made both diplomatic
and legal efforts during the past few years to persuade global international
telecom alliances not to have any dealings with the Houthis since it would
provide a terrorist group with knowledge of how the submarine cables operated.
It has been estimated that the Red Sea carries about 17% of the world’s
internet traffic along fibre pipes.”



Middle East



Voice Of America: Israeli Military Says Operations Killed Dozens Of Militants
In Gaza
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“Israel’s military reported Monday killing dozens of militants in the Gaza
Strip, as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns to the region to push
for a new pause in fighting. The Israel Defense Forces said its operations
during the past day included airstrikes and ground battles in Khan Younis, in
southern Gaza, as well as raids in northern and central Gaza. The United
Nations said intense fighting in the Khan Younis area is pushing civilians
further south, toward Rafah, where more than half of Gaza’s population has
already taken refuge, many in makeshift shelters. The U.N. estimates 75% of
Gaza’s population have fled their homes, and it says the people of Gaza are
facing “acute shortages of food, water, shelter and medicine.” A proposed
temporary cease-fire would bring an increase in humanitarian aid for Gaza,
along with the release of hostages held by Hamas militants.”



Associated Press: Israel Issues Its Most Detailed Warning Yet To Hezbollah,
While The War In Gaza Marks 4 Months
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“Israel’s military on Saturday issued its most detailed warning yet to
Hezbollah in neighboring Lebanon that it would be “ready to attack immediately”
if provoked, as it recounted its actions along the northern border during four
months of war in Gaza and made a rare acknowledgement of dozens of airstrikes
inside Syria against the militant group. “We do not choose war as our first
priority, but we are certainly prepared,” military spokesperson Daniel Hagari
said, adding: “We will continue to act wherever Hezbollah is present, we will
continue to act wherever it is required in the Middle East. What is true for
Lebanon is true for Syria, and is true for other more distant places.” The
comments followed the defense minister’s warning that a cease-fire in Gaza
against the militant group Hamas wouldn’t mean Israel wouldn’t attack Hezbollah
as needed.”



Politico: 2-State Solution Remains Key To Ending Israel-Hamas War, Sullivan
Says
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“President Joe Biden remains keen on a two-state solution as a resolution to
the Israel-Hamas war, national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Sunday. “The
only long-term answer to peace in the region, to Israel’s security in the
region, is a two-state solution, with Israel’s security guaranteed. A
Palestinian state that also has security guarantees for Israel. That’s what
we’re going to keep working for,” Sullivan told host George Stephanopoulos on
ABC’s “This Week.” On Oct. 7, about 1,200 Israelis were killed in Hamas’
initial attack, with more than 200 Israelis taken hostage (more than 100 are
still being held). Over 27,000 Palestinians have been killed as the conflict
that began after that incursion reaches its fourth month. Sullivan appeared on
multiple Sunday shows discussing, among other things, U.S. involvement in
negotiations with Israel. “The president has put his shoulder to the wheel on
this. He has spoken to the leaders in both Qatar and Egypt, two countries that
are centrally involved in trying to broker this deal. We are in constant
contact with our Israeli counterparts on it,” Sullivan said.”



Somalia



BBC: Somalia Piracy: Are We Witnessing Its Return Off The Country's Coast?
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“That was when armed Somali pirates scoured the waters, forcefully boarding
vessels and raking in millions of dollars by demanding ransoms. That died down
and all but disappeared once extensive security measures were put in place, but
the events from the past few weeks has raised questions about whether a
full-scale resurgence of piracy is possible. According to EUNavfor Atalanta, a
European Union naval force responsible for maritime security along East
Africa's coast, at least 14 vessels have been hijacked off the Somali coast
since late November. These include two in that month when an Iranian-flagged
fishing boat was attacked and then two days later a Liberian-flagged ship,
Central Park, was targeted. In both cases the crews were rescued. US forces
were involved in the Central Park rescue and later said the attackers were
likely Somali and that it was "clearly a piracy-related incident."



Germany



Reuters: Around 200,000 Gather Across Germany In Latest Protests Against
Far-Right
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“Around 200,000 people took to the streets in Germany on Saturday, most of
them in the capital Berlin, as nationwide protests against the far-right
Alternative for Germany (AfD) party entered their fourth week. Protests were
also taking place in cities such as Mainz, Dresden and Hanover, in a sign of
growing alarm at strong public support for the AfD. Roughly 150,000 people
flocked to the Reichstag parliament building in Berlin, where protesters
gathered under the slogan "We are the Firewall" to protest against right-wing
extremism and to show support for democracy. "Whether in Eisenach, Homburg or
Berlin: in small and large cities across the country, many citizens are coming
together to demonstrate against forgetting, against hatred and hate speech,"
Chancellor Olaf Scholz wrote on X. He said the protests were "a strong sign in
favour of democracy and our constitution."




Europe



Voice Of America: Bombing In Greek Capital Triggers Concerns Of Terrorism
Resurgence
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“A powerful bomb blast in central Athens has sent shock waves across the
country with authorities concerned about what they call a new era of terrorism.
Surveillance footage showed the powerful blast exploding in front of the
nation’s Labor ministry, shattering its steel-and-glass façade and gutting
offices as far up as the sixth floor. Surrounding buildings were also scarred,
and metal at a nearby construction site was mangled and melted. There were no
casualties in Saturday's blast, but authorities said the fallout could have
been bloody if the explosion had hit the Greek capital’s busiest boulevard, an
area teeming with bars, coffee shops and restaurants, during business hours. It
was the first terrorist attack to mar the streets of Athens in five years, and
Public Order Minister Michalis Chrysochoides said authorities are seriously
concerned about the resurgence of terrorism.”



Reuters: Knife Attack Wounds Three In Paris, Police Rule Out Terrorism
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“A knife attack early on Saturday in the Gare de Lyon rail station in Paris
left three people wounded, police said, ruling out terrorism at this stage.
Police arrested the suspected attacker, who showed signs of mental disorders,
Paris police chief Laurent Nunes told reporters. "We found medicine on him
which suggests he was undergoing treatment." Two of the victims suffered light
wounds while the third was more seriously hurt but was not in a
life-threatening situation, police said. The attacker, who carried Italian
residence permits and was in France legally, attacked travellers with a knife
and hammer. French media said he was originally from Mali, but Nunes did not
confirm the reports.



Associated Press: Pope Reaffirms Christians’ Special Relationship With Jews
Amid Rising Antisemitism, Gaza War
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“Pope Francis on Saturday reaffirmed Christians’ special relationship with
Jews amid rising antisemitism since the outbreak of the Gaza war in a letter to
the Jews of Israel that he said was prompted by messages from Jewish
organizations around the world. The letter served as a belated fence-mending
after Francis was criticized for his initial response to the Oct. 7 Hamas
attacks on Israel. Francis said the Holy Land has been “cast into a spiral of
unprecedented violence,” part of what the pope referred to as “a sort of
‘piecemeal world war,’ with serious consequences on the lives of many
populations.’’ “My heart is torn at the sight of what is happening in the Holy
Land, by the power of so much division and so much hatred,’’ the pontiff wrote.
“The whole world looks on at what is happening in that land with apprehension
and pain.”



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