Eye on Extremism
March 5, 2024
Voice Of America: Israel, Hezbollah Exchange Strikes On Israel-Lebanon Border; 4 Dead
“An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon killed three paramedics from the militant group Hezbollah on Monday, state media in Lebanon reported, hours after a missile strike blamed on the militants killed at least one foreign worker in northern Israel. The attacks took place as U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein was arriving in Beirut for meetings with Lebanese officials. The U.S. envoy urged calm along Israel’s border with its northern neighbor, Lebanon, as the ongoing war in Gaza sparks fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East. Hochstein cautioned that even if a truce were to be reached between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, it wouldn’t necessarily mean a cessation of hostilities along Israel’s border with Lebanon. He also warned about the risks of an escalation of tension between the two countries. Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah have traded fire across their border throughout the war. Hezbollah is a Hamas ally. "Escalation of violence is in no one's interest, and there is no such thing as a limited war," Hochstein told reporters after meeting Lebanon's parliament speaker, Nabih Berri, who is close to Hezbollah.”
Reuters: Yemen's Houthis Hit Container Vessel In Gulf Of Aden With Missile, US CENTCOM Says
“One of two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis at the container vessel M/V MSC SKY II in the Gulf of Aden hit the ship and caused "damage", the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said on Tuesday. Initial reports indicated no injuries and the Liberian-flagged, Swiss-owned container vessel did not request assistance and continued on its way, CENTCOM said in a statement.”
CEP Mentions
The National: Michael Gove Rewrites Definition Of Extremism After Decades-Long Battle
“... Prof Ian Acheson, senior adviser at the Counter Extremism Project, was commissioned by Mr Gove seven years ago to look into Islamist extremism in prisons."He has always been committed to tackling the threat posed by those who advocate hateful ideas in the high-level posts he has held in government as Secretary of State for Education, Justice and now at the department responsible for communities," Prof Acheson told The National. "There is an urgent need to strengthen the state’s faltering response to ideologies that can lead to terrorism. It is no surprise to me that after the Hamas atrocity on October 7 and Israel’s response he was tasked by the Prime Minister to re-examine the definitions and policies that guide the government’s response to hateful and harmful discourse across the political and religious spectrum. "Gove will be expected to come up with a robust yet proportionate approach that balances shutting down extremists polluting our democratic values while preserving legitimate freedom of expression."
BNN: Extremist Groups Utilize Digital Platforms For Recruitment And Propaganda, Reports Counter Extremism Project
“Last week, the Counter Extremism Project (CEP) highlighted the ongoing efforts of extremist groups to harness the internet for spreading propaganda and inciting violence. The neo-Nazi group The Base, alongside other white supremacist entities, has been actively recruiting through platforms like Telegram, while pro-ISIS groups distribute explosives manuals online. Additionally, the rise of cryptocurrency as a funding mechanism for extremist activities signals a new frontier in the digital facilitation of terrorism. The Base, known for its accelerationist ideology, has recently called upon other white supremacist groups to join forces. Through a Telegram post, they emphasized the importance of cooperation to strengthen the movement, suggesting that unity could be beneficial in times of societal collapse. This call for solidarity reflects a broader trend of extremist groups leveraging social media and encrypted messaging services to organize, recruit, and disseminate their ideologies.”
International Business Times: Hotels, Heritage, And Hamas: Why The West Is Shedding Its Reliance On Qatari Cash
“... Consumers, led by the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), are boycotting HBJ's portfolio of elite London hotels, including the Connaught and Claridge's. Other five-star hotels backed by Qatari investors, including The Ritz London and The Savoy, are also named by the campaign due to the state's links to funding terror organisation Hamas. The CEP claims that 'Qatar's role in the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas in Israel is indisputable.' It stated that Ismail Haniyeh, the group's leader, 'planned and celebrated the Israeli massacre from his office in Doha, is provided with five-star accommodation in Qatar.' Notably, HBJ was prime minister of the emirate when the terror group set up its headquarters there and has been seen publicly multiple times with its leader. Haniyeh continues to direct Hamas' terror operations from his Doha headquarters. In the sporting world, fans boycotted the FIFA World Cup and, most recently, the Qatar Open, due to outrage over the human and labour rights violations that make these flashy international tournaments possible.”
EUobserver: Rafah Invasion - A Red Line For EU On Israel?
“... It's striking there's been no uncontrolled escalation [by Israelis' enemies] in the past five months", said Edmund Fitton-Brown, the UK's former ambassador to Yemen, who is now an adviser to the Counter Extremism Project, a non-profit group based in Germany and the US. "There is some sense in which Hamas foisted this crisis on everyone else and they have to calculate their own interests in response," he said. The "crisis" began when Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing around 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping some 250 others. The idea that a Rafah assault could lead to an Iran-US war was a "rather elaborate scenario", Fitton-Brown said. "The Houthis have shown the most commitment in solidarity, but their capacity to escalate beyond their current tactics are limited," he added, referring to current Houthi attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea. "But there are triggers that could cause the US to step up attacks on Iranian assets, the outcome of which would be unpredictable", he also said.” The Houthis have shown the most commitment in solidarity, but their capacity to escalate beyond their current tactics are limited," he added, referring to current Houthi attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea.”
Paudal: 'Left-Wing Extremist RAF Became An Organized Criminal Gang'
“... That photo is a boost for the German police. Strict privacy laws make detection very difficult, says German terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler. Only old images of the fugitives were known. “For example, the police are not allowed to search the internet unless there is a specific accusation of terror or an impending terrorist attack. They are also not allowed to use special tools that require them to share images with other parties.”
Turkey
Associated Press: Turkey Detains 7 More People For Allegedly Selling Information To Israel’s Spy Agency
“Turkish police on Tuesday detained seven more people suspected of selling information to the Israeli spy agency Mossad, authorities said, the latest in a wave of such arrests in Turkey. The suspects were taken into custody during simultaneous raids in Istanbul, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The raids were a joint operation with Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization. The detained are suspected of collecting data on individuals and companies in Turkey and selling it to the Israeli intelligence agency, Yerlikaya said. “We will never allow espionage activities to be carried out within the borders of our country.” It was not immediately known if any charges have been raised and authorities provided no additional information. Last month, seven other people, including private detectives, were arrested on similar suspicions. And in early January, 34 people were also detained by Turkish police on suspicion of spying for Israel.”
Pakistan
Bloomberg: Pakistan Condemns India For Seizing Cargo In Renewed Tensions
“Pakistan hit out at India for detaining cargo bound for the country that New Delhi suspects was meant for Islamabad’s weapons program, a development that could spark a fresh round of tensions between the South Asian rivals. Indian media reported on the weekend that a shipment en route to Karachi in Pakistan was seized by Indian customs officials on Jan. 23 at the port city of Mumbai. The cargo originating from China contained equipment that could help Pakistan’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, Press Trust of India and others said. A senior Indian government official, who asked not to be identified in order to discuss the matter, confirmed that India seized the cargo containing advanced computer numerical machines — technology that uses a computer program to control mechanical tools. India suspected the equipment could be used for Pakistan’s weapons manufacturing program, the person said.”
Yemen
Reuters: Ships Entering Yemeni Waters Must Obtain Permit, Houthi Minister Says
“Ships will have to obtain a permit from Yemen's Houthi-controlled Maritime Affairs Authority before entering Yemeni waters, Houthi Telecommunications Minister Misfer Al-Numair said on Monday. Houthi militants have repeatedly launched drones and missiles against international commercial shipping in the Gulf of Aden since mid-November, saying they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians against Israel's offensive in Gaza. The near-daily attacks have forced firms into long and costly diversions around southern Africa, and stoked fears that the Israel-Hamas war could destabilise the wider Middle East. The United States and Britain have bombed Houthi targets in response. "(We) are ready to assist requests for permits and identify ships with the Yemeni Navy, and we confirm this is out of concern for their safety," Al Masirah TV, the main television news outlet run by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, reported Al-Numair as saying.”
Associated Press: 3 Red Sea Data Cables Cut As Houthis Launch More Attacks In The Vital Waterway
“Three cables under the Red Sea that provide global internet and telecommunications have been cut as the waterway remains a target of Yemen’s Houthi rebels, officials said Monday. Meanwhile, a Houthi missile attack set a ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden, but caused no injuries. What cut the lines remains unclear. There has been concern about the cables being targeted in the Houthi campaign, which the rebels describe as an effort to pressure Israel to end its war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have denied attacking the lines, however. While global shipping has already been disrupted through the Red Sea, a crucial route for cargo and energy shipments from Asia and the Middle East to Europe, the sabotage of telecommunication lines could further escalate the monthslong crisis. The cut lines include Asia-Africa-Europe 1, the Europe India Gateway, Seacom and TGN-Gulf, Hong Kong-based HGC Global Communications said. It described the cuts as affecting 25% of the traffic flowing through the Red Sea. It described the Red Sea route as crucial for data moving from Asia to Europe and said it had begun rerouting traffic.”
Middle East
Associated Press: Israel Escalates Its Criticism Of A UN Agency In Gaza. It Says 450 Of Its Workers Are Militants
“Israel ramped up its criticism of the embattled U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees Monday, saying 450 of its employees were members of militant groups in the Gaza Strip, though it provided no evidence to back up its accusation. Major international funders have withheld hundreds of millions of dollars from the agency, known as UNRWA, since Israel accused 12 of its employees of participating in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 people and left about 250 others held hostage in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the agency known as UNRWA, told a press conference late Monday that he “has never been informed” or received any evidence of Israel’s claims, and this is not the first. Every year, he said, UNRWA provides Israel and the Palestinian Authority with a list of its staff “and I never have received the slightest concern about the staff that we have been employing.” The only allegation communicated to him verbally was about 12 UNRWA staffers alleged to have participated in the Oct. 7 attacks, he said, and they appeared so serious that they were fired, and two U.N.-ordered investigations are underway.”
Reuters: UN Team Says Rape, Gang Rape Likely Occurred During Hamas Attack On Israel
“A team of United Nations experts reported on Monday that there were "reasonable grounds to believe" sexual violence, including rape and gang rape, occurred at several locations during the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas militants. The team - led by U.N. special envoy for sexual violence in conflict Pramila Patten - visited Israel between Jan. 29 and Feb. 14 on a mission intended to gather, analyze and verify information on sexual violence linked to the Oct. 7 attacks. "Credible circumstantial information, which may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence, including genital mutilation, sexualized torture, or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, was also gathered," read the 24-page U.N. report. Palestinian militant group Hamas has repeatedly rejected accusations of sexual violence. Hamas fighters attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing 253 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's retaliation against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has since killed around 30,000 Palestinians, health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave say.”
Africa
Reuters: Tunisia Forces Seize Bomb Cache, Arrest Militants
“Tunisian security forces have arrested two Islamist militants accused in last week's bombing in Tunis and seized a cache of weapons and explosives they were planning to use for more attacks, the interior ministry said. In a late Sunday raid in Medenine in the south of the country, officials found Kalashnikov rifles, a suicide bomb belt, explosive materials for making car bombs, grenades and detonators, the statement said. Tunisia is under a state of emergency since Tuesday when a suicide bomber killed 12 people aboard a bus carrying presidential guards in the capital Tunis. Islamic State has claimed the bombing, the third major militant attack in Tunisia this year following assaults on a beach resort at Sousse and the Bardo museum in the capital, both of which targeted foreign visitors. A Tunisian security source said the two men arrested on Sunday night were brothers. Tuesday's attacker was a street seller who lived near Ettadhamen, one of the poorer neighborhoods of Tunis.”
Europe
Politico: 4 Teens Arrested For Planning Terrorist Attack In Brussels
“Three minors and an adult were arrested in Belgium on terrorism charges on Sunday, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office said on Monday. Federal judicial police from Liège, Brussels, Charleroi and Ghent conducted searches on Sunday morning as part of ongoing investigations. Police seized phones and laptops but found no weapons. An 18-year-old is accused of “participating in the activities of a terrorist group and preparatory acts with the aim to commit a terrorist attack,” the prosecutors announced in a press release. The minors, aged 15-17, were questioned by a judge in Dendermonde, East Flanders, who reported concrete plans to attack a concert hall in Brussels “within a few weeks.” The prosecutor’s spokesperson could not confirm the name of the target to POLITICO, but local media cited Le Botanique, a cultural center and music venue in the center of Brussels where concerts attract hundreds of spectators. According to Belgian media, the suspects belong to a jihadist movement; the spokesperson declined to comment on that information.”
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