“The United States on Sunday highlighted its role in helping Israel thwart
Iran’s aerial attack as President Joe Biden convened leaders of the Group of
Seven countries in an effort to prevent a wider regional escalation and
coordinate a global rebuke of Tehran. The U.S. assisted Israel in shooting down
dozens of drones and missiles fired by Iran on Saturday in what was the first
time it had launched a direct military assault on Israel. Israeli authorities
said 99% of the inbound weapons were shot down without causing any significant
damage. U.S. officials said that despite the high interception rate, Iran’s
intent was to “destroy and cause casualties” and that if successful, the
strikes would have caused an “uncontrollable” escalation across the Mideast.
U.S. officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an
effort to contain tensions, that Washington would not participate in any
offensive action against Iran, and the president made “very clear” to Netanyahu
“that we do have to think carefully and strategically” about risks of
escalation.”











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



Eye on Extremism



April 15, 2024



Associated Press: US Works To Prevent An Escalation Across The Mideast As
Biden Pushes Israel To Show Restraint
<[link removed]>



“The United States on Sunday highlighted its role in helping Israel thwart
Iran’s aerial attack as President Joe Biden convened leaders of the Group of
Seven countries in an effort to prevent a wider regional escalation and
coordinate a global rebuke of Tehran. The U.S. assisted Israel in shooting down
dozens of drones and missiles fired by Iran on Saturday in what was the first
time it had launched a direct military assault on Israel. Israeli authorities
said 99% of the inbound weapons were shot down without causing any significant
damage. U.S. officials said that despite the high interception rate, Iran’s
intent was to “destroy and cause casualties” and that if successful, the
strikes would have caused an “uncontrollable” escalation across the Mideast.
U.S. officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an
effort to contain tensions, that Washington would not participate in any
offensive action against Iran, and the president made “very clear” to Netanyahu
“that we do have to think carefully and strategically” about risks of
escalation.”



The Jerusalem Post: Authoritarian Regimes And Terrorist Organizations Exert
Control Over The Internet Covertly - Study
<[link removed]>



“Vladimir Putin in Russia, Ali Khamenei in Iran, places run by terrorist
organizations as in Gaza, and other authoritarian regimes exert control over
the Internet through transit networks that operate covertly, according to a
recent study by researchers in the US and Germany. The work, also shows how
more sophisticated authoritarian regimes extend their influence by providing
network access in poorer but politically similar countries. Recent years have
seen an increase in government interference in digital communication. Most
research on this issue has focused on the application level, studying how
content is manipulated or removed on websites, blogs, or social media. However,
for governments to obtain and maintain control of digital data flows, they need
to secure access to the network infrastructure at the level of Internet service
providers. “This is a mechanism that autocracies seem to prefer, as it’s a lot
less visible,” said computer science Prof. Alexander Gamero-Garrido, at the
University of California, Davis and a co-author on the paper. The work was led
by Eda Keremoğlu at the University of Konstanz, Germany.”




CEP Expert Analysis

* ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency in March 2024
<[link removed]>
* CEP Report: Central Syria’s ISIS Insurgency In 2023
<[link removed]>
* CEP Statement Calling For U.S. Sanctions Against Qatar, DIMDEX Conference,
And Al Thani Royal Family
<[link removed]>
* Extremist Content Online: The Base Calls For Members of Other White
Supremacist Groups to Join
<[link removed]>
* CEP Webinar: Cruel And Unusual Punishment – How The Houthis Target Women,
Journalists And Religious Minorities
<[link removed]>



CEP Mentions



DW News: Drones And Missiles: Iran Launches Its First Direct Military Attack
Against Israel <[link removed]>



“Iran has launched dozens of drones and missiles against Israel. The Iranian
Revolutionary Guard says the assault is in retaliation for an attack on its
consulate in Syria which killed several generals. It's the first time Iran has
launched a direct military attack on Israel despite decades of enmity. Dozens
of Israeli fighter jets have been scrambled to intercept incoming missiles and
the army says its defenses are ready. Interview with Hans-Jakob Schindler.”



DW News: How Will Israel And The US Respond To Iran's Attack On Israel?
<[link removed]>



“An aerial assault was launched by Iran against Israel overnight: The Israeli
army says more than 300 missiles and drones were fired. It is the first time
Iran has launched a direct military attack on Israel despite decades of
hostility. There's been calm over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv in the wake of the
barrage. Almost all the missiles were intercepted by Israel and the US. The UK
and Jordan have also shot down drones. Air raid sirens sounded across Israel.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard says the assault was in retaliation for an
attack on its embassy in Syria on April 1st which killed 16 people including
several Iranian generals. What considerations will Israel have to take into
account as it decides how to respond? How difficult will it be for Israel and
the US to agree on a clear response to this attack? Interview with Hans-Jakob
Schindler.”



The News Daily: Ways To Counter Australia’s Growing Neo-Nazi Threat
<[link removed]>



“...Australian white supremacists and neo-Nazis are encouraging members to
undergo combat sports training and law enforcement avoidance under the banner
of “Active Clubs”, a parliamentary inquiry into right-wing extremism heard from
the Counter Extremism Project (CEP). The CEP called for close monitoring of
this activity. “There is increasing evidence suggesting that the network’s main
objective is instead the creation of shadow militias that can be activated when
the need for co-ordinated violent action on a larger scale arises,” CEP said. A
submission from Australia’s national security agency ASIO revealed
ideologically motivated extremism, particularly nationalist and racist violent
extremism, accounts for 25 per cent of the organisation’s priority
counter-terrorism caseload. The agency said the 2019 Christchurch attack was
being used as inspiration by right-wing extremists.”



Channel4: Britain’s Prisons Have Been ‘wrecked By Ideological Vandalism’, Says
Former Prison Governor Ian Acheson
<[link removed]>



"The state of Britain’s prisons is under renewed scrutiny as report after
report describes more and more jails as overcrowded, filthy places, rife with
vermin and violence. Our investigation into Wandsworth in south London revealed
a sophisticated criminal network running a drugs economy inside the prison,
turning prisoners into addicts with spiralling debts – their families
threatened with violence to make them pay up. With perhaps grimly perfect
timing, a new book examines in brutal detail what has gone wrong in the
country’s jails – and the price we will all pay if it isn’t fixed. Professor
Ian Acheson is a former prison officer and governor, and author of that book
‘Screwed – Britain’s Prison Crisis and How to Escape It’.”



DW: 'It's A Very Difficult Situation For Israel': Analyst
<[link removed]>



“Can further escalation be prevented after Iran's unprecedented attack on
Israel? The attack means a "paradigm change" in the conflict between the two
countries, said Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project in New
York.”



The Noticer: Fears Right-Wing Extremism Inquiry Will Be Weaponised By Radical
Leftists To Persecute And Silence Conservatives – Christian Group Raises Human
Rights Concerns
<[link removed]>



“...The inquiry has received 21 additional submissions, including from ASIO,
the Australian Human Rights Commission, and the Counter Extremism Project
(CEP), a New York-based “international” NGO set up by former US government
officials. The CEP submission, written by Joshua Fisher-Birch and Alexander
Ritzmann, based in the US and Germany respectively, claims that “Australian
right-wing extremists have become leading voices in the decentralised online
neo-Nazi sphere”, and warns about the “Active Club strategy”. The CEP
recommends that the Australian eSafety Commissioner “address the broad
re-emergence of Australian right-wing extremist individuals and groups with
for-profit online platforms like Twitter/X”. “These individuals or groups often
violate the terms of service of the platforms, which generally claim tha they
do not allow the presence of White supremacists/right-wing extremists on their
platform,” the CEP submission said.”



WTOL11: Ohio Woman Sentenced For Vandalizing Bowling Green Pregnancy Center
<[link removed]>



“... The Counter Extremism Project, which maintains databases on extremist
and terrorist groups around the world, calls Jane’s Revenge a “militant
pro-abortion rights group” and says the group has claimed responsibility for
arson and vandalism across the country. It is unclear if Durant is a member of
the mov”



United States



Associated Press: House Speaker Mike Johnson Says He Will Push For Aid To
Israel And Ukraine This Week
<[link removed]>



“House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday he will try to advance wartime aid
for Israel this week as he attempts the difficult task of winning House
approval for a national security package that also includes funding for Ukraine
and allies in Asia. Johnson, R-La., is already under immense political pressure
from his fellow GOP lawmakers as he tries to stretch between the Republican
Party’s divided support for helping Kyiv defend itself from Moscow’s invasion.
The Republican speaker has sat for two months on a $95 billion supplemental
package that would send support to the U.S. allies, as well as provide
humanitarian aid for civilians in Ukraine and Gaza and funding to replenish
U.S. weapons provided to Taiwan. The attack by Iran on Israel early Sunday
further ratcheted up the pressure on Johnson, but also gave him an opportunity
to underscore the urgency of approving the funding. Johnson told Fox News
Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures” that he and Republicans “understand the
necessity of standing with Israel” and he would try this week to advance the
aid.”



Associated Press: Biden To Host Iraqi Leader As Mideast Tensions Soar, Raising
More Questions About US Troop Presence
<[link removed]>



“President Joe Biden is set to host Iraq’s leader this week for talks that
come as tensions across the Middle East have soared over the war in Gaza and
Iran’s unprecedented weekend attack on Israel in retaliation for an Israeli
military strike against an Iranian facility in Syria. The sharp rise in
security fears has raised further questions about the viability of the
two-decade American military presence in Iraq, through which portions of Iran’s
Saturday drone and missile attack on Israel flew or were launched from. A U.S.
Patriot battery in Irbil, Iraq, knocked down at least one Iranian ballistic
missile, according to American officials. In addition, Iranian proxies have
initiated attacks against U.S. interests throughout the region from inside
Iraq, making Monday’s meeting between Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Shia
al-Sudani all the more critical. The talks will include a discussion of
regional stability and future U.S. troop deployments but will also focus on
economic, trade and energy issues that have become a major priority for Iraq’s
government, according to U.S. officials.”



Voice Of America: Hezbollah Launches Rockets, Drones Into Israel As US Warns
Iran
<[link removed]>



“U.S. President Joe Biden delivered a stern, one-word warning to Iran on
Friday as the world braced for Tehran to exact revenge for a deadly Israeli
airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus, Syria. “Don’t,” Biden said to
reporters following a speech on domestic policy at an event in New York City.
“We are devoted to the defense of Israel,” the president said in response to
questions from reporters. “We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel,
and Iran will not succeed." Biden’s comments followed similar expressions of
support from top U.S. defense and diplomatic officials over the past several
days and come as the U.S. military takes steps to ensure growing hostilities
between Israel and Iran do not engulf the Middle East in a wider war. "We are
moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts
and increase protection for U.S. forces," a U.S. defense official told VOA
Friday. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, declined to
share additional details.”



Iran



Reuters: Iran Attack On Israel Adds To Airline Troubles In Middle East
<[link removed](Reuters),navigating%20between%20Europe%20and%20Asia.>



“Global airlines faced disruptions to flights on Monday after Iran's missile
and drone attacks on Israel further narrowed options for planes navigating
between Europe and Asia. Iran's attack on Israel by more than 300 missiles and
drones, which were mostly shot down by Israel's U.S.-backed missile defence
system, caused chaos in the aviation industry. At least a dozen airlines have
had to cancel or reroute flights over the last two days, including Qantas
(QAN.AX), opens new tab, Germany's Lufthansa (LHAG.DE), opens new tab, United
Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab and Air India. This was the biggest single
disruption to air travel since the attack on the World Trade Centre on
September 11, 2001, according to Mark Zee, founder of OPSGROUP, which monitors
airspace and airports. "Not since then have we had a situation with that many
different air spaces closed down in that quick succession, and that creates
chaos," Zee told Reuters, adding that disruptions were likely to last a couple
more days.”



The Times Of Israel: Iran Hails Proxies For Joining Attack On Israel; IDF
Strikes Hezbollah In Response
<[link removed]>



“Iran’s proxies in the region joined its first-ever direct attack against
Israel in the early hours of Sunday morning, targeting the Jewish state with
projectiles fired in tandem to the Islamic Republic’s launch of drone and
missile swarms. Iranian media described the attack on Israel as “complex,” as
it also involved Iranian allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. “This attack did
not come from Iran only, and this regime [Israel] is being punished from four
directions,” the Tasnim news agency said. Jerusalem’s marathon ‘sleep-in’
protest. The attack, which began late Saturday, followed repeated Iranian
threats to retaliate against Israel for a deadly April 1 strike on Tehran’s
Damascus consular building. A large wave of around 300 attack drones and
missiles triggered air raid sirens throughout the country early Sunday, as the
military worked to intercept the Iranian projectiles.”



Afghanistan



Business Insider: A Bloodthirsty ISIS Branch Is 'On The Upswing' After The US
Left Afghanistan In A Lurch, A Former Top Commander Says
<[link removed]>



“In the years since the US and its NATO allies left Afghanistan, a
particularly violent branch of the Islamic State terror group has grown
stronger. ISIS-K was once relatively restricted to the country, with limited
influence beyond its borders. But it has since expanded and is now responsible
for deadly attacks farther away from its home base, including a bloody massacre
at a Moscow concert hall last month. Under the loose watch of a second Taliban
government, the terror group has found space to develop and thrive, while also
enjoying the absence of the military forces that used to be a thorn in its
side, a former top US commander said. "It doesn't take very long for these
organizations to rise up and become more capable," retired Gen. Joseph Votel,
who oversaw military operations in the Middle East in the 2010s, told Business
Insider. ISIS-K, also known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Provence, is the
notorious terror group's Afghanistan affiliate. It emerged in 2015 shortly
after the organization declared a caliphate in Iraq and Syria.”



Pakistan



Modern Diplomacy: Terrorism And Extremism: Threat To The Security Of Pakistan
<[link removed]>



“There are some events happened when world has been divided, after the cold
war the world moved to US allies and the Kashmir issue led both claimants into
the circle of nuclearization and the rise of Taliban and the 9/11, these are
the 4 events that change the entire shape of the world and world politics as
well as the foreign policies of the different countries. And the change also
come to Pakistan in the institution of foreign policy, these events force
Pakistan to change their foreign policy. These events not only changed
Pakistan’s approach towards their foreign relation but also make rapid change
in Pakistan’s economic, political and geo politics of the Pakistan. Terrorism
around the world taken as a serious threat and every country has developed
their own measures to counter it (Carey et al, 2013). Therefore, coalition and
other alliances are being formed to show the unity against the social disease.
US and their think tanks are continuously contributing towards the development
of foreign policy and taking measures against terrorism and proposing the US
government to take actions accordingly (Black and Nathan, 2013). Therefore, in
the last decade there are many wars initiated in the region of Asia and Middle
East; it includes Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and other countries
(Guihong, 2014).”



Indian Express: Baloch Militants Behind Killing Of 11 People In Pakistan’s
Balochistan
<[link removed]>



“Baloch militants claimed responsibility for killing 11 people in separate
attacks in Pakistan’s restive southwest, according to a media report on Sunday.
Nine young men, hailing from the Pakistan’s Punjab province, were killed in the
Noshki area of the Balochistan province on Saturday when gunmen forced them off
a bus they were travelling in and kidnapped them after verifying their Punjabi
ethnicity. Later, they killed them and dumped their bodies under a nearby
bridge. In a separate incident, two people were killed on the same highway when
gunmen fired at their car after they tried to break through their cordon.
Quoting local people, the report said that their actual destination was Europe,
which they wanted to reach via Turkiye but had procured valid visas for Iraq
and Iran to avoid Iranian immigration authorities. They wanted to avoid the
scrutiny of the Iranian border officials by pretending to be pilgrims going to
holy sites in the two countries.”



Qatar



MEHR News Agency: Qatari Fm Criticizes Israel For Creating Regional Instability

<[link removed]>



“The top Qatari diplomat made the remark in a phone conversation with his
Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on Sunday night. During the phone
conversation, the top Iranian diplomat informed Al Thani about the recent
developments regarding Tehran's military action against Israel which was
conducted within the framework of legitimate defense. He also emphasized that
the root cause of insecurity is the Zionist regime. The foreign minister of
Qatar, for his part, emphasized the need for ensuring stability and security in
the region, adding that the actions of the Zionist regime have caused
instability in the region. The two sides also discussed the situation in the
Gaza Strip, stressing the need to end the war crimes of the Zionist regime in
the besieged enclave and the West Bank.”



Middle East



Associated Press: West Bank Sees Biggest Settler Rampage Since War In Gaza
Began As Israeli Teen’s Body Is Found
<[link removed]>



“Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank went on the largest rampage
against Palestinians there since the war in Gaza began, as Israel’s army said
Saturday the body of a missing Israeli teen was found after he was killed in a
“terrorist attack.” Witnesses said settlers assaulted a number of communities.
The Israeli military said dozens of people were injured in confrontations in
several locations, with shots fired and rocks thrown. It did not specify how
many Palestinians and Israelis were hurt. Several companies with the defense
forces were deployed and “all of the incidents have concluded,” it asserted.
The disappearance of 14-year-old Binyamin Achimair sparked the attacks on
Palestinian villages on Friday and Saturday. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav
Gallant in a statement on social media urged people not to take the law into
their own hands in the territory where tensions have simmered for months.”



Associated Press: Israel Is Quiet On Next Steps Against Iran — And On Which
Partners Helped Shoot Down Missiles
<[link removed]>



“Israeli leaders on Sunday credited an international military coalition with
helping thwart a direct Iranian attack involving hundreds of drones and
missiles, calling the coordinated response a starting point for a “strategic
alliance” of regional opposition to Tehran. But Israel’s War Cabinet met
without making a decision on next steps, an official said, as a nervous world
waited for any sign of further escalation of the former shadow war. The
military coalition, led by the United States, Britain and France and appearing
to include a number of Middle Eastern countries, gave Israel support at a time
when it finds itself isolated over its war against Hamas in Gaza. The coalition
also could serve as a model for regional relations when that war ends. “This
was the first time that such a coalition worked together against the threat of
Iran and its proxies in the Middle East,” said the Israeli military spokesman,
Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.”



Reuters: Hamas Rejects Israel's Ceasefire Response, Sticks To Main Demands
<[link removed]>



“The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas has rejected an Israeli ceasefire
proposal, saying on Saturday it had handed to mediators in Egypt and Qatar its
response to the proposal it had received last Monday. After more than six
months of war with Israel in Gaza, the negotiations remain deadlocked, with
Hamas sticking to its demands that any agreement must end the war. "We..
reaffirm our adherence to our demands and the national demands of our people;
with a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the
entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of
residence, intensification of the entry of relief and aid, and the start of
reconstruction," the Islamist faction said. Israel wants to secure the return
of hostages seized by Hamas in its Oct. 7 attack that triggered the war, but
says it will not stop fighting until Hamas is destroyed as a military force. It
also says it still plans to carry out an assault on the southern Gaza city of
Rafah, where more than a million civilians have taken refuge.”



Somalia



Garowe Online: Airstrike Targets Al-Shabaab Militants In Somalia
<[link removed]>



“Over 20 Al-Shabaab militants have been killed in central Somalia, officials
said on Sunday, in one of the most effective airstrikes targeting the militants
who control large swathes of rural regions of the country, which is struggling
to contain the group. Al-Shabaab has been fighting to control the government of
Somalia, but strong resistance from security teams has put the militants at
bay, managing to restore order in several other frontlines. The militants are
still a threat to general security. The militants were caught up with the
airstrike in Ji'ibow within central Hiiraan in Hirshabelle, officials said.
This is the third airstrike in as many weeks but neither the US Africa Command
nor the government of Somalia are yet to acknowledge the fatalities. Sunday's
airstrike left at least 20 militants dead and several others injured with the
US Africa Command said to have participated. The precision airstrikes are
usually undertaken after thorough investigations including the movement of the
militants.”



Africa



Reuters: Nigerian Military Swoops On Militants And Oil Thieves In Week-Long
Operation
<[link removed]>



“Nigeria's military said on Friday it had inflicted heavy losses on Islamist
militant groups in the north and oil thieves in the south, arresting hundreds,
seizing weapons and rescuing kidnap victims in a week-long operation. Defence
spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba said in a statement that troops had
killed or wounded 188 militants and arrested 330 suspects across different
locations in the country. Security forces also arrested 36 suspected oil
thieves in the Niger delta region and freed 133 kidnap victims, seizing around
270 weapons and more than 5,000 rounds of ammunition during the entire
operation. "The armed forces are working decisively to kill the terrorists,
stop insecurity and ensure the safety of citizens. Troops will continue to
operate with tremendous forces against the terrorists across the country," Buba
said. Nigeria faces a raft of security challenges including a long-running
Islamist insurgency in the northeast, separatist violence in the southeast,
rampant oil theft in the Niger Delta and kidnapping for ransom by criminal
gangs.”



Reuters: Niger, Chad Armies Kill 38 Boko Haram Fighters - Niger Army
<[link removed]>



“Soldiers from Niger and Chad have killed 38 Boko Haram fighters during
operations that followed attacks by the Nigerian Islamist group on two border
towns in southeastern Niger earlier this week, Niger's army said on Saturday
Two soldiers from the bilateral force were lightly wounded in the operation,
launched after clashes in the village of Toumour, near Lake Chad and the
Nigerian border, on Monday. The Nigerien and Chadian forces also seized large
quantities of weapons and ammunition, according to the army statement read on
national radio. It said soldiers were continuing to pursue Boko Haram fighters
in the area. Boko Haram has killed thousands of civilians and displaced some
2.4 million people across Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad during a seven-year
insurgency aimed at establishing an emirate based on a radical interpretation
of Islamic law.”



The Voice Of America: Nigerian Families Cope With Trauma Of More School
Kidnappings
<[link removed]>



“His weak body stood in the doorway, exhausted and covered in dirt. For two
years, the boy had been among Nigeria's ghosts, one of at least 1,500
schoolchildren and others seized by armed groups and held for ransom. But
paying a ransom didn't work for 12-year-old Treasure, the only captive held
back from the more than 100 schoolchildren kidnapped from their school in July
2021 in the northwestern Kaduna state. Instead, his captors hung on, and he had
to escape the forests on his own in November. Treasure's ordeal is part of a
worrying new development in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country where the
mass abduction of 276 Chibok schoolgirls a decade ago marked a new era of fear
—with nearly 100 of the girls still in captivity. Since the Chibok abductions,
at least 1,500 students have been kidnapped, as armed groups increasingly find
in them a lucrative way to fund other crimes and control villages in the
nation's mineral-rich but poorly policed northwestern region.”



France



Associated Press: Top Diplomats Meet In Paris To Mobilize Aid For Sudan,
Wrecked By War And On The Brink Of Famine
<[link removed]>



“A yearlong war in Sudan has devastated the country and pushed its people to
the brink of famine. Top diplomats and aid groups are meeting Monday in Paris
to drum up humanitarian support for the northeastern African nation to prevent
further collapse and misery. Sudan descended into conflict in April last year
when simmering tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support
Forces exploded into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum and elsewhere
across the country. The U.N. humanitarian campaign needs some $2.7 billion this
year to get food, health care and other supplies to 24 million people in Sudan
– nearly half its population of 51 million. So far, funders have given only
$145 million, about 5%, according to the U.N’s humanitarian office, known as
OCHA.”



Reuters: France's Macron Urges Israel To Avoid Escalation
<[link removed]>



“French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday urged Israel to avoid any further
escalation in the Middle East following Iran's attack. Iran launched hundreds
of drones and missiles at Israel on Saturday night in response to a suspected
Israeli attack on Iran's Syria consulate on April 1. "We will do all we can to
avoid things flaring up, escalating, " Macron said, urging Israel to aim to
isolate Iran rather than escalate the situation. "We are all worried about a
possible escalation," Macron told BFM TV and RMC radio. "The situation is very
unstable today." Macron added that he would work to try and obtain ceasefires
during the upcoming summer Olympics in Paris, in line with the Games'
longstanding goal of promoting peace through sport. "We'll do all we can to
have an Olympics truce," he said, saying he had the Middle East in mind, as
well as Ukraine and Sudan.’



Germany



Associated Press: 4 Teenagers Suspected Of Planning An Islamic Extremist
Attack Arrested In Germany
<[link removed]>



“Four teenagers suspected of planning an Islamic extremist attack have been
arrested in Germany, authorities said on Friday. Three of the suspects — two
girls who are 15 and 16, and a 15-year-old boy — come from various parts of the
western North Rhine-Westphalia state, Germany’s most populous. They were
arrested after a court issued warrants for them over the Easter weekend,
prosecutors in the city of Duesseldorf said. A fourth suspect, a 16-year-old
boy, was arrested in the southwestern state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, German news
agency dpa reported. The three detained in western Germany are suspected of
having declared themselves prepared to carry out an “Islamist-motivated terror
attack” and planning such an attack, prosecutors said in a statement. They
didn’t specify how advanced the plans were, and said they couldn’t give further
details because of the suspects’ young age and the ongoing investigation.”



Voice Of America: Germany Detains Iraqi Couple Suspected Of Genocide Against
Yazidis
<[link removed]>



“German officials are interrogating an Iraqi couple who are suspected of
committing crimes that may amount to genocide while they were associated with
the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria between October 2015 and December
2017. The German federal public prosecutor general released a statement
Wednesday saying “Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. are strongly suspected of genocide
according to the German Code of Crime” against Yazidis, a religious minority
that was targeted by the Islamic State militant group in 2014. The two, who
were not further identified, were arrested this week in Regensburg and Roth
County, Germany. In March, the investigating judge at the Federal Court of
Justice issued arrest warrants for them and ordered that “they be placed in
pretrial detention.” It has been reported that the couple are originally from
the Iraqi Kurdistan region.”



Europe



Reuters: Number Of Fatal Terrorist Attacks In Western Europe Increasing, Data
Show
<[link removed]>



“The number of terrorist attacks resulting in fatalities in western Europe
increased in 2016, despite an overall drop in the number of incidents taking
place, according to data released by the Global Terrorism Database. The data
shows that there were 30 such attacks resulting in fatalities in western Europe
in 2016 and 23 in 2015. This compares with two attacks across the region
resulting in fatalities in 2014 and five in 2013. In addition, terrorist
attacks have become more deadly, with 26.5 people on average being killed in
2015 and 2016, up from an average of four a year in the preceding three years.
The deadliest incident recorded in western Europe was the series of coordinated
attacks on Paris in November 2015 that resulted in the deaths of 130 people and
was claimed by Islamic State. Experts said ISIS, responsible for seven of the
10 deadliest attacks since 2012, was increasingly encouraging the use of knives
and vehicles over firearms and explosives by their followers.”



Reuters: EU's Borrell Says Middle East On Cliff Edge, Urges Iran-Israel
De-Escalation
<[link removed]>



“The European Union's foreign policy chief said on Monday the Middle East
stood "on the edge of the cliff" and called for de-escalation in the conflict
between Israel and Iran. Iran launched hundreds of drones and missiles at
Israel on Saturday night in response to a suspected Israeli attack on the
Tehran's consulate in Damascus that killed seven officers of the Iranian
Revolutionary Guards including two senior commanders. Israel has neither
confirmed nor denied responsibility for the April 1 airstrike on the consulate
in Syria's capital. "We're on the edge of the cliff and we have to move away
from it," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told Spanish radio station Onda
Cero. "We have to step on the brakes and reverse gear." Borrell said he
expected a response from Israel to the unprecedented aerial attack by Iran but
hoped it would not spark further escalation. He said there was "profound
division" within the Israel's right-wing governing coalition between hardliners
seeking fierce retaliation and a "more moderate and sensible" faction.”



Australia



YNet: An Attack On A Sydney Shopping Mall Leaves Several Dead, Terrorism
Suspected <[link removed]>



“An incident some are saying is a terrorist attack has unfolded on Saturday
at a shopping center in the Bondi Junction suburb of Sydney, Australia, where a
man reportedly stabbed at least four people to death. Local authorities are
investigating whether it actually is act of terrorism, and there are concerns
that the casualty count may rise. The assailant was shot dead by the police, as
reported by the AFP news agency. Despite the evacuation of hundreds of people
from the bustling mall, some individuals were left trapped inside. Among the
victims is a nine-month-old baby, who was urgently taken to the hospital.
Eyewitnesses reported hearing gunshots, and Australian media outlets have
characterized the event as a "serious incident". One eyewitness recounted
seeing a woman lying on the floor before seeking refuge in a jewelry store.
Videos circulating on social media show crowds fleeing the shopping center as
police vehicles arrive at the scene. Police helicopters are also operating in
the area. Bondi Junction is known as an area where Israelis and Jews reside,
but no information has been reported about the identity of the victims at this
time.”



Technology



The Independent: Terror Trial Date Set For Teenager Allegedly In Extremist
Satanic Online Group
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“A trial date has been set for a teenager allegedly involved in an extremist
satanic online group who is accused of plotting a terror attack on a homeless
person. Cameron Finnigan, 18, appeared at the Old Bailey for a preliminary
hearing on Friday morning by video link from HMP Thameside. Finnigan, of Denne
Park, Horsham, West Sussex, has been charged with one count of preparation of
terrorist acts, one count of possessing a terrorist document, and one count of
possessing indecent images of a child. It is claimed Finnigan was “preparing
for an attack against a single homeless individual” who was living in a tent,
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard earlier this month. The 18-year-old is
alleged to have been involved in a pseudo-satanist online group called 764, the
prosecution told Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Finnigan, wearing a black
jumper, spoke to confirm his name and date of birth at the Old Bailey hearing.”



CTech: “There Are No Borders In Cyberspace. We Have To Fight Global Terrorism
Together.” <[link removed]>



“Director General at Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) Gaby Portnoy
has urged countries to collaborate on protections against global terrorism amid
Israel’s ongoing war with Hamas and the recent flare-up with Iran. Speaking on
a panel promoting international dialogue on cyber challenges for 2024, he urged
governments and institutions to trust one another. “We face so many challenges.
Think of juggling - but it's not three balls, it's 17,” he said. “It's about
people, enemies, technology, processes, regulation, media management, public
opinion, and more. There are no borders in cyberspace, and we have to fight
global terrorism together. Today it's Israel, tomorrow it can be anywhere
else.” Portnoy made the remarks at CyberTech Global Tel Aviv, a conference
connecting the cyber industry through conferences, events, and networking
opportunities. This month saw global and Israeli companies come together from
more than 60 countries to discuss the latest technological innovations,
challenges, and solutions in the cyber arena.”



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