“The Islamist group has attacked the Syl Hotel before, which is popular with
government officials. Witnesses reported blasts and gunfire coming from the
hotel, telling Reuters news agency fighters were inside. Media affiliated with
the group say four Somali MPs were wounded. The government has not commented.
Al-Shabab said earlier that fighters were in control of the hotel and were
shooting "workers and officers of the... government". Resident Farah Ali, who
lives near the president's office, told Reuters: "We first heard a huge blast,
and then gunfire followed. We understand the fighters are inside [the hotel]
for we hear exchange of gunfire."











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Eye on Extremism



March 15, 2024



BBC: Al-Shabab Attacks Hotel In Somali Capital
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“The Islamist group has attacked the Syl Hotel before, which is popular with
government officials. Witnesses reported blasts and gunfire coming from the
hotel, telling Reuters news agency fighters were inside. Media affiliated with
the group say four Somali MPs were wounded. The government has not commented.
Al-Shabab said earlier that fighters were in control of the hotel and were
shooting "workers and officers of the... government". Resident Farah Ali, who
lives near the president's office, told Reuters: "We first heard a huge blast,
and then gunfire followed. We understand the fighters are inside [the hotel]
for we hear exchange of gunfire."



Associated Press: Suspected Attack By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Strikes A Ship In
The Red Sea, Though Crew Reportedly Safe
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“A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels struck a ship in the Red Sea
early Friday, causing damage to the vessel, authorities said. The attack off
the port city of Hodeida comes as part of the rebels’ campaign against shipping
over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The British military’s
United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said the ship reported being
“struck by a missile.” “The vessel has sustained some damage,” the UKMTO added.
It described the crew as being “safe” and said the ship was continuing on its
way, suggesting the damage wasn’t severe. The private security firm Ambrey also
reported the attack. The Houthis did not immediately claim the attack, though
it typically takes the rebels hours to acknowledge their assaults. The Houthis
have attacked ships since November, saying they want to force Israel to end its
offensive in Gaza.”




Recent CEP Press Releases

* Extremist Content Online: Pro-ISIS TikTok Users Celebrate Accused Attacker
In Zurich Stabbing
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* CEP Marks 20th Anniversary Of The Madrid Train Bombings
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* 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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CEP Mentions



The Spectator: Have The Tories Finally Woken Up To The Extremism Problem?
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“Michael Gove has a reliable track record for sounding the alarm on
ideological hatred, so are his latest proposals on redefining extremism a cure
for what ails us? The communities secretary has unveiled a plan to broaden the
definition of extremism. The new official meaning aims to ban those with a
‘violent or intolerant’ ideology from government links and funds. Gove named
several organisations that could fall foul of the new definition: the Muslim
Association of Britain, Mend and Cage were groups, he told the Commons, that
could be held to account. Predictably enough, critics have taken to the air to
condemn this crackdown, seeing it variously as unnecessary, unwieldy or a
downright descent into authoritarian bigotry. So who is right?”



Black Enterprise: White Supremacist ‘Active Clubs’ Use Trump’s Fat-Shaming
Tactics To Recruit For Race War
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“... In 2023, a report from the Counter Extremism Project highlighted close to
46 active clubs in 34 states. Lewis said one of the most important strength
values is their ability to recruit white men nationwide, encouraging them to
organize and lead their own clubs. “This is an unprecedented growth. I’ve never
seen a network in right-wing extremism grow so fast. Usually, it takes years to
build a transnational network,” Alexander Ritzmann, report author, said. “It’s
concerning.” These clubs don’t just find homes in the United States. Some have
been found overseas in Denmark, France, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Canada.
Once just housed online, members have begun to make real-life appearances,
primarily at anti-LGBTQ protests.”



The NEN: UK Government Strengthens Approach To Counter Extremism
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“... Professor Ian Acheson, Senior Advisor, Counter Extremism Project said:
“These are necessary next steps to confront and deter those who advocate for
violent extremism. “Hateful anti-British ideas that undermine our democracy
creating intimidation and fear need ideologues to drive them. It is intolerable
that the state underwrites people and organisations poisoning community life in
one of the most successful multi-ethnic countries in the world.”



UnHerd: Britain’s Futile Battle Against Extremism Islamism Is Still Evading
Government Censure
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“Back in 2015, word came down from on high that every British school was now
bound by law to promote “fundamental British values”, lest they fall foul of
Ofsted, or worse. Cast your mind back to the start of the year: it had kicked
off with the murder of Parisian cartoonists, swiftly followed by grainy CCTV
images of three Bethnal Green schoolgirls on their way to join Isis splashed
across every front page. The year before, a plot to de-secularise a handful of
Birmingham schools and instil an “intolerant Islamic ethos” was uncovered in
the Trojan Horse scandal — which, despite subsequent revisionism, really did
take place.”



United States



Voice Of America: More Than A Decade On, No End In Sight For Syria's War
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“As Syria's conflict enters its 14th year, analysts say a permanent political
resolution for the war-torn country remains elusive. Despite gradually
recapturing most of the territory previously held by anti-government rebels,
forces loyal to the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and their
Russian and Iranian allies remain engaged in several battles, particularly in
the northwestern part of the country, where rebels and Turkish-backed groups
still control some territories. In the northeast, U.S.-backed Kurdish-led
forces control a large swath of territory, some of which they liberated from
the Islamic State terror group. "It is hard to imagine a sustainable political
resolution in Syria while the fighting is still raging," said John Saleh, a
Washington-based Syria researcher. "The complex nature of the Syrian conflict
makes it extremely challenging to find viable solutions. This is a multifaceted
war, and ending it requires an international consensus, which is clearly hard
to get," he told VOA.”



Turkey



Bloomberg: Turkey, Iraq Reach PKK Security Deal And Seek Closer Trade Ties
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“Turkey and Iraq reached a landmark security deal to crack down on Kurdish
militants holed up in the mountains of northern Iraq. The agreement comes as
the two countries work toward building a major trade route and restarting a key
oil pipeline running from northern Iraq to Turkey’s coast. Turkey welcomed a
decision by Iraq to label the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, a “banned
organization” and the two countries discussed measures against the group,
according to a joint statement late Thursday. Ankara has long sought to prevent
the Kurdish militants — labeled as terrorists by the US and European Union —
from using northern Iraq as a springboard for attacks in their decades-long war
for autonomy in Turkey’s largely Kurdish southeast. Turkey’s looking to expand
its military operations against the PKK in Iraq. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan
— who’s expected to visit Baghdad next month — is courting nationalist voters
ahead of local elections on March 31. The cross-border operation, which is
expected to target PKK hideouts on Mount Gara, is unlikely to start before the
winter snow melts in April or May.”



Yemen



Bloomberg: Ship Hit By Missile In Red Sea As Houthis Vow To Step Up Attacks
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“A commercial ship was hit by a missile in the southern Red Sea, according to
the UK Navy, in another suspected attack by Houthi militants based in Yemen.
The vessel said it “sustained some damage,” UK Maritime Trade Operations, a
part of the navy that provides maritime-security information, said on X. “The
crew are reported safe and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call.”
The assault happened around 4 a.m. local time on Friday and 76 nautical miles
(141 kilometers) off the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah. UKMTO did not name
the vessel or give more information about it. It was the second incident in the
span of hours as the Iran-backed Houthis vow to expand their campaign of
assaults on ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Earlier, UKMTO said another
ship reported two rockets flying over it. The Islamist group started attacking
warships and merchant vessels in mid-November, saying the move was to pressure
Israel to stop its war against Hamas in Gaza.”



Middle East



Associated Press: Palestinian Leader Appoints Longtime Adviser As Prime
Minister In The Face Of Calls For Reform
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“Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has appointed his longtime economic
adviser to be the next prime minister in the face of U.S. pressure to reform
the Palestinian Authority as part of Washington’s postwar vision for Gaza.
Mohammad Mustafa, a United States-educated economist and political independent,
will head a technocratic government in the Israeli-occupied West Bank that
could potentially administer Gaza ahead of eventual statehood. But those plans
face major obstacles, including strong opposition from Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Israel-Hamas war that is still grinding on with no
end in sight. It’s unclear whether the appointment of a new Cabinet led by a
close Abbas ally would be sufficient to meet U.S. demands for reform, as the
88-year-old president would remain in overall control. “The change that the
United States of America and the countries of the region want is not
necessarily the change that the Palestinian citizen wants,” said Hani al-Masri,
a Palestinian political analyst. “People want a real change in politics, not a
change in names."



Wall Street Journal: Hamas Calls For Confrontation Against Israel In Jerusalem
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“Hamas has called for Palestinians to confront Israel at the Al Aqsa Mosque on
Friday, when the arrival of large numbers of worshipers presents a test for
Israeli authorities aiming to sustain a fragile peace over Ramadan as war rages
in Gaza. In recent years, the Islamic holy month has been an occasion for
violent confrontations between Palestinians, Israeli authorities and Jewish
worshipers at the compound in East Jerusalem, considered the holiest site in
Judaism, and one of Islam’s holiest. Jerusalem is holding its breath. “The
situation is dire in Jerusalem and this Ramadan we are not feeling any of its
spirit, neither in celebrations nor in worship because the occupation has
turned the city into a military zone,” said Maha Yaish, a tourism operator who
lives in East Jerusalem, referring to the Israeli security presence. Hamas
political leader Ismail Haniyeh last month called for Palestinians to march on
Al Aqsa at the start of Ramadan, which began Sunday. The march didn’t
materialize.”



Bloomberg: Hamas Says It’s Submitted New Cease-Fire Proposal To Mediators
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“Hamas has proposed what it’s calling a “comprehensive” cease-fire deal, in a
bid to move forward talks with Israel as their war in Gaza rages. Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the militant group is still making unrealistic
demands. But the country’s war cabinet is expected to discuss the matter on
Friday. Hamas is now proposing that Israeli women, children, elderly and ill
hostages can be freed in exchange for the release of 700-1,000 Palestinian
prisoners held in Israeli jails, Reuters reported. The details were not
published by Hamas when it released a statement on its telegram channel. That
simply said its offer was based on “principles and foundations that it
considers necessary for the agreement.” The US and other mediators including
Qatar and Egypt hoped for a breakthrough before Islam’s holy month of Ramadan,
which began on Sunday. Israel and Hamas accuse each other of stalling the
talks. In recent weeks, the parties had discussed a six-week pause in fighting,
the freeing of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and the release of
hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.”



Nigeria



Associated Press: Nigerian Leader Rules Out Ransoms For Abducted Students As
Observers Urge Dialogue
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“Nigeria’s leader has ruled out the payment of ransoms for nearly 300
schoolchildren abducted from their school in the conflict-hit north a week ago,
raising questions from analysts on Thursday about how best to rescue the
children without hurting them. Meanwhile, at least two people with extensive
knowledge of the security crisis in Nigeria’s northwest told The Associated
Press the abductors of the schoolchildren in the state of Kaduna are known and
are hiding in the vast ungoverned and unoccupied forests of the region. They
both urged the government to engage in dialogue with the armed groups to
resolve the protracted conflict. At least 1,400 students have so far been
kidnapped from Nigerian schools since the first major school abduction — in
Borno state’s Chibok village in 2014 — stunned the world. Most of those
eventually released only regained their freedom after ransom payments,
according to their schools and parents, even though the Nigerian government
does not admit to paying ransoms.”



Somalia



Voice Of America: Inside Somalia’s War On Al-Shabab Disinformation
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“Websites and social media accounts affiliated with Somalia’s al-Shabab
militants continue to operate and spread the group’s messages despite a
relentless effort by Somalia’s government to shut them down. At least two such
websites that were recently closed were quickly back up and running after being
re-registered and securing new domains. Also operating are al-Shabab affiliated
social media accounts, mainly on Telegram and Facebook, that constantly
re-emerge as soon as recognized accounts are closed. Meanwhile, al-Shabab’s two
main radio outlets continue to broadcast in Somalia. The Somali government has
within the last year and half prioritized curtailing al-Shabab’s online media
presence to reduce the group’s reach and influence. Government officials have
confirmed to VOA for the first time that there are dedicated teams at Somalia's
National Intelligence and Security Agency, or NISA, that monitor and alert tech
companies for removal of extremist content.”



United Kingdom



Associated Press: The British Government Wants To Define Extremism. Critics
Say It Risks Creating More Division
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“The British government published a new official definition of “extremism” on
Thursday, and said groups that get the label will be barred from receiving
government funding. The move is in response to a surge in reports of
antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate speech and what authorities call an increase
in radicalization in Britain since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which
triggered the war and Israel’s invasion of Gaza. But critics say branding
nonviolent groups as extremist could undermine freedom of speech and worship,
or risk unfairly targeting some people, such as Muslims, and create more
division. The government defined extremism as “the promotion or advancement of
an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance” that aims to destroy
others’ rights and freedoms or “undermine, overturn or replace the U.K.'s
system of liberal parliamentary democracy and democratic rights.” Communities
Secretary Michael Gove pointed in particular to threats from the extreme right
and Islamic “extremists who are seeking to separate Muslims from the rest of
society and create division within Muslim communities.”



Australia



Associated Press: Australia Resumes Funding For UNRWA And Pledges More Gaza Aid

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“Australia will restore funding to the United Nations relief agency for
Palestinians, weeks after the agency lost hundreds of millions of dollars in
support following Israeli allegations that some of its Gaza-based staff
participated in the Oct. 7 attack. The Australian government also pledged
Friday to increase aid for the besieged enclave, with Foreign Minister Penny
Wong expressing horror at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza.
Australia’s move follows Sweden, the European Commission and Canada in
reinstating funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees, which had seen its international funding frozen while the
allegations were investigated. “The best available current advice from agencies
and the Australian government lawyers is that UNRWA is not a terrorist
organization,” Wong told reporters Friday in Adelaide while she announced the
aid package.”



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