“The U.S. embassy in Russia warned that "extremists" had imminent plans for an
attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a
planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell from the Afghan arm of Islamic State.
The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia
immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said
people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.
"The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to
target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens
should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours," the
embassy said on its website. It issued its warning several hours after Russia's
Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said
it had foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a cell of the militant
Sunni Muslim group Islamic State. It was unclear if the two statements were
linked.”











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Eye on Extremism



March 11, 2024



Reuters: US Embassy Warns Of Imminent Attack In Moscow By 'Extremists'
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“The U.S. embassy in Russia warned that "extremists" had imminent plans for an
attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they had foiled a
planned shooting at a synagogue by a cell from the Afghan arm of Islamic State.
The embassy, which has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia
immediately, gave no further details about the nature of the threat, but said
people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.
"The Embassy is monitoring reports that extremists have imminent plans to
target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts, and U.S. citizens
should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours," the
embassy said on its website. It issued its warning several hours after Russia's
Federal Security Service (FSB), the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said
it had foiled an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by a cell of the militant
Sunni Muslim group Islamic State. It was unclear if the two statements were
linked.”



Reuters: Lebanon's Hezbollah Says Stages Multi-Drone Strike On Israeli Outpost
In Golan Heights
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“Lebanon's pro-Iranian Hezbollah group said on Monday it launched a
multi-drone attack on an Israeli air defence outpost across the border in the
Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It said the rare attack, in which it deployed
four drones, hit their target with "accuracy" in what it said was another
operation in support of Palestinian militant groups in Gaza. Israel captured
the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967.”




CEP Expert Analysis

* CEP Statement Calling For U.S. Sanctions Against Qatar, DIMDEX Conference,
And Al Thani Royal Family
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* Extremist Content Online: The Base Calls For Members of Other White
Supremacist Groups to Join
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* CEP Webinar: Cruel And Unusual Punishment – How The Houthis Target Women,
Journalists And Religious Minorities
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* Counter Extremism Project Condemns X’s Sale Of Subscription Service To
Terrorist Groups
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* Extremist Content Online: Antisemitic Propaganda Video Widely Promoted On
Telegram And Twitter/X
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CEP Mentions



Jerusalem Post: Marwan Issa: Who Is The Deputy To Hamas Leader Mohammed Deif?
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“... In 2011, Issa was reportedly involved in playing a role in the Gilad
Shalit hostage-prisoner swap, where 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released
for Gilad Shalit, among them Yahya Sinwar, the grand architect of October 7,
according to the Counter Extremism Project. When Yahya Sinwar came to power in
Hamas's ranks in 2017, he surrounded himself with several associates, including
Issa, among a couple of former cellmates. Issa was most recently detained by
the Palestinian Authority in 1997 until the eruption of the second intifada in
2000. He was previously detained by Israel for five years during the first
Intifada between 1987 and 1993 for his role in terrorist attacks. According to
the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Issa was
previously responsible for Hamas’s special operations unit, where he had close
relations with Hamas’s leadership outside of Gaza. Little is known about Issa's
activities before Hamas's establishment.”



Euronews: Two Decades After The Madrid Train Bombings, Violent Extremism Is
Far From Over
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“Two decades ago, on March 11, 2004, Europe was shaken by what is still one of
the deadliest terror attacks on its soil. The Madrid train bombings, which
claimed the lives of 191 people and injured over 2,000 others, left an
indelible mark on Spain and the global community. As we mark the anniversary of
this tragic event, it is evident that despite significant advances in
counter-terrorism capabilities, the challenges posed by Islamist extremism and
terrorism remain as complex and formidable as ever.”



Iraq



Voice Of America: 10 Jihadists Killed In Iraq Anti-Is Operation, Army Says
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“Iraqi forces have killed 10 jihadists during an operation against Islamic
State group remnants in a vast desert area northwest of Baghdad, authorities
said Sunday. An Iraqi security source told AFP the operation was "a pre-emptive
measure" to thwart attacks allegedly planned for the Muslim fasting month of
Ramadan, which starts in the coming days. The army said in a statement that
troops have killed "10 terrorists in the past 24 hours." The operation,
launched on Saturday across several provinces in northern and central Iraq,
involves the regular army and Hashed al-Shaabi, mainly pro-Iran former
paramilitaries now integrated into the Iraqi armed forces. State media reported
that four jihadists were killed on Sunday and six on Saturday in Wadi
al-Tharthar, an area that stretches between Salaheddine and Anbar provinces.
The jihadist group overran large swathes of Iraq and neighboring Syria in 2014,
proclaiming its "caliphate" and launching a reign of terror. It was defeated in
Iraq in 2017 by Iraqi forces backed by a U.S.-led military coalition, and in
2019 lost the last territory it held in Syria to U.S.-backed Kurdish forces.”



Turkey



Associated Press: Turkish Police Detain 33 People Accused Of Plotting Attacks
Ahead Of Local Elections, Official Says
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“Turkish police detained 33 people suspected of ties to the Islamic State
group who were allegedly preparing attacks ahead of the country’s local
elections later this month, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Sunday. The
suspects were “preparing and searching for action before the upcoming local
elections,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter. Nationwide elections are due to
be held on March 31. Counter-terrorism police in Sakarya in northwest Turkey
recovered weapons, cash and “organizational documents” during raids. “We will
not tolerate any terrorists. We will continue our fight uninterruptedly with
the superior efforts of our security forces,” Yerlikaya said. The network was
providing personnel for war zones and financial support for IS while operating
from illegal mosques and religious schools, he said. Turkey has suffered
numerous attacks linked to IS over the last 10 years, including a gun attack on
a church in Istanbul in January that left one man dead. The group was also tied
to the country’s deadliest attack, in which more than 100 were killed at a
peace rally in Ankara in October 2015.”



Afghanistan



Voice Of America: UN Presses Taliban Again To End ‘Heartbreaking’ Curbs On
Afghan Women
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“The United Nations warned Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities Friday that their
bans on women’s education and work risk pushing the country further into deeper
poverty and international isolation. The head of the U.N. Assistance Mission in
Afghanistan, or UNAMA, called again on the fundamentalist regime to reverse the
restrictions as the world marked International Women’s Day to highlight the
need to invest in women. “It is heartbreaking that we are seeing precisely the
opposite unfolding in Afghanistan: a catastrophic and deliberate disinvestment
that is causing immense harm to women and girls, creating only barriers to
sustainable peace and prosperity,” said Roza Otunbayeva. Since reclaiming power
in August 2021, the Taliban have blocked girls from accessing secondary school
education and beyond. They have limited women’s freedom of movement outside the
home and prohibited most from public and private sector workplaces, including
the United Nations and other aid groups.”



Washington Post: The Taliban Once Smashed TVs. Now It Fosters YouTubers To
Promote Its Image.
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“The Taliban-run government is fostering a thriving community of YouTube
influencers and video bloggers in Afghanistan, seeking to shape a positive
narrative about the country by rewarding those who have welcome viewpoints with
access to stories that can draw millions of views online. The Taliban, which
smashed televisions and burned films in the 1990s during its first stint in
power, is now using modern video technology in its radical campaign to remake
Afghanistan. The regime grants influencers coveted broadcasting licenses that
put them on an equal footing with TV networks and radio stations, and threatens
to withdraw the licenses of those who break official rules. Influencers whose
work is seen as benefiting the regime have been allowed to embed with
government ministries and showcase their achievements. Meanwhile, videos that
are critical of the Taliban have largely disappeared from platforms such as
YouTube over the past two years as a result of Taliban pressure and
self-censorship, according to interviews with 10 content creators in
Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The government has tightly restricted
what can be said and worn in online appearances, and two influencers said they
were detained and interrogated after running afoul of the Taliban’s rules.”



Yemen



Associated Press: Al-Qaida’s Yemen Branch Says Leader Khalid Al-Batarfi Dead
In Unclear Circumstances
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“The leader of Yemen’s branch of al-Qaida is dead, the militant group
announced late Sunday, without giving details. Khalid al-Batarfi had a $5
million bounty on his head from the U.S. government over leading the group,
al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, through years that saw him imprisoned, freed
in a jailbreak, and governing forces in Yemen amid that country’s grinding war.
Though believed to be weakened in recent years due to infighting and suspected
U.S. drone strikes killing its leaders, the group known by the acronym AQAP has
long been considered the most dangerous branch of the extremist group still
operating after the killing of founder Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaida released a
video showing al-Batarfi wrapped in a white funeral shroud and al-Qaida’s
black-and-white flag. Militants offered no details on the cause of his death
and there was no clear sign of trauma visible on his face. Al-Batarfi was
believed to be in his early 40s. “Allah took his soul while he patiently sought
his reward and stood firm, immigrated, garrisoned, and waged jihad for His
sake,” the militants said in the video, according to the SITE Intelligence
Group.”



Middle East



New York Times: Gaza Begins Ramadan With No Cease-Fire
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“International hopes of reaching a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip before the
Muslim holy month of Ramadan were dashed on Sunday, hours before Palestinians
and other Muslims were to begin the month of daytime fasting, as Hamas repeated
demands for a comprehensive cease-fire, which Israel has rejected. Egypt, Qatar
and the United States had sought to broker a truce between Israel and Hamas
before the start of Ramadan on Monday, and there had been optimism for a
last-minute deal that would allow for the release of some Israeli hostages held
in Gaza and Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. But weeks of indirect
negotiations have stalled, and a top Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh,
said in a televised speech on Sunday that Hamas wanted an agreement that would
end the war, guarantee the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, return
displaced Palestinians to their homes and provide for the humanitarian needs of
Gazans. Israel “wants to get its prisoners back and then resume the war on our
people,” he said.”



Associated Press: An Effort To Get Aid To Gaza By Sea Is Moving Ahead. But The
First Ship Is Still Waiting In Cyprus
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“A U.S. Army vessel carrying equipment to build a temporary pier in Gaza was
heading to the Mediterranean on Sunday, after U.S. President Joe Biden
announced plans to increase aid deliveries by sea to the besieged enclave where
hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are going hungry. The new push for aid
came as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan was set to begin Monday in much of the
world after officials in Saudi Arabia saw the crescent moon. Hopes for a new
cease-fire by Ramadan faded days ago with negotiations apparently stalled. The
opening of the sea corridor, along with airdrops by the U.S., Jordan and
others, reflected growing alarm over Gaza’s deadly humanitarian crisis and a
new willingness to bypass Israeli control over land shipments. But aid
officials say that air and sea deliveries can’t make up for a shortage of land
routes. Aid trucks entering Gaza daily are far below the 500 entering before
the war.”



Nigeria



Associated Press: Gunmen Kidnap Nearly 300 Students In Northwest Nigeria. 2
Days Later, Some Lose Hope Of Finding Them
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“Rashidat Hamza is in despair. All but one of her six children are among the
nearly 300 students abducted from their school in Nigeria’s northwest, riddled
with Islamic extremists and armed gangs. It has been more than two days after
her children — ages 7 to 18 — went to school in the remote town of Kuriga in
Kaduna state only to be kidnapped by gunmen. She was still in shock Saturday.
Authorities said at least 100 children aged 12 or younger were among the
abductees in the state known for violent killings lawlessness and dangerous
roads where people get regularly snatched. “We don’t know what to do, but we
believe in God,” Hamza told The Associated Press during a visit to the town.
The mass kidnapping in Kuriga was the third in northern Nigeria since last
week; a group of gunmen abducted 15 children from a school in another
northwestern state, Sokoto, before dawn Saturday, and a few days earlier 200
people, mostly women and children displaced by conflict, were kidnapped in
northeastern Borno State.”



Associated Press: A Decade Since The Chibok Abduction, More Than 1,400
Nigerian Students Have Been Kidnapped
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“What seemed like an aberration a decade ago when militants kidnapped 276
schoolgirls in Nigeria’s Chibok community has become a recurring horror in the
country. Since then, the number of students abducted has risen to more than
1,400. The kidnapping of more than 300 students in two incidents this week in
northwestern Nigeria were the latest such attacks. Here is a timeline of some
prominent school kidnappings in Nigeria since 2014: April 14, 2014 — Members of
the Islamic militant group Boko Haram abduct 276 female students in a nighttime
attack at a government secondary school in the Borno State town of Chibok,
prompting international outrage. More than 90 of the students are still
missing, Amnesty International says. February 19, 2018 — A Boko Haram faction
abducts 110 schoolgirls from a girls’ science college in the Yobe State town of
Dapchi in northeastern Nigeria. Nearly all were later released, but five of the
girls were killed.”



Somalia



Voice Of America: Official, Witnesses: Explosives Likely Started Mogadishu
Market Fire <[link removed]>



“Explosives likely caused a huge fire that gutted a section of Mogadishu’s
biggest market, Bakara, on Sunday, an official and witnesses in the Somali
capital said. The explosions, which started just before 5 a.m. local time,
claimed the life of at least one person and destroyed several stores that sell
electronics and an assortment of goods such as coffee, shoes, and clothes,
authorities said. Frequent fires have destroyed a number of main markets in
Somalia, and the cause has largely been electrical faults. But officials in
Mogadishu said they suspect that explosives detonated at the stores were the
likely cause of the latest fire. There has been no claim of responsibility, but
officials say they suspect al-Shabab militants were behind the attack.
Al-Shabab has not yet officially commented on the Bakara market fire. For
years, al-Shabab has opposed store and street surveillance systems that can be
used to identify members who facilitate attacks.”



Africa



Associated Press: A Paramilitary Group At War With Sudan’s Military Endorses A
Cease-Fire During Holy Fasting Month
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“A Sudanese paramilitary group battling the country’s military in a nearly
yearlong ruinous conflict endorsed Saturday a resolution by the U.N. Security
Council calling for a cease-fire during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The
group, known as the Rapid Support Forces, said in a statement that it hopes the
resolution, adopted by the U.N. Security Council on Friday, would help deliver
crucially needed humanitarian assistance to millions of Sudanese trapped in the
fighting across the Northeastern African country. Ramadan, during which adult
Muslims are required to fast from dawn to sunset, is expected to start on or
around Monday, depending on the sighting of the crescent moon. The RSF said it
views the initiative as a “crucial opportunity” for the warring parties to
embark on negotiations to find a political settlement to the conflict. “We view
this as a crucial opportunity to initiate earnest discussions that could
catalyze a political pathway. This pathway must culminate in a durable
ceasefire, foster security and stability, and result in a substantive
resolution that addresses the foundational issues of the historical crisis in
Sudan,” it said.”



Europe



Associated Press: Spain’s Prime Minister Says He Will Propose That Parliament
Recognizes A Palestinian State
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“Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Saturday that he will propose that
Spain’s parliament recognizes a Palestinian state. “I will propose granting
Spain’s recognition to the Palestinian state,” Sánchez said. “I do this out of
moral conviction, for a just cause and because it is the only way that the two
states, Israel and Palestine, can live together in peace.” Sánchez added his
voice to a chorus of other European leaders and government officials who have
said that they could support a two-state solution in the Middle East as
international frustration grows with Israel’s actions in the Palestinian
territories. French President Emmanuel Macron said last month that it’s not
“taboo” for France to recognize a Palestinian state. British Foreign Minister
David Cameron said that the United Kingdom could officially recognize a
Palestinian state after a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war. Sánchez said that
his position on the conflict in the Gaza Strip is much like his country’s
support for Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion more than two years
ago.”



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