"A terrorist attack of 2015 that left her city angry and heartbroken persuaded
Paris’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, to campaign for the Olympic Games. “I said to
myself, ‘We need to do something that is unifying,’” she said in an interview
this month, remembering the horrifying afternoon when masked gunmen charged
into the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and opened fire that
January, killing 12. “Something that is very powerful, very peaceful and allows
us to move forward. So, I threw myself into it.” Nine years later, the Summer
Olympics are set to open in Paris in July with France at its highest level of
terrorism alert, after the attack on the Moscow concert hall last month. Yet
for the first time, the opening ceremony will not be held inside the barricaded
confines of a stadium. Instead, athletes will float in boats down the Seine
River through the heart of the dense, ancient city before half a million
spectators packed into stands and leaning out of windows.”











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



Eye on Extremism



April 29, 2024



The New York Times: A City Scarred By Terrorism Prepares An Olympic Opening
Without Walls
<[link removed]>



"A terrorist attack of 2015 that left her city angry and heartbroken persuaded
Paris’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, to campaign for the Olympic Games. “I said to
myself, ‘We need to do something that is unifying,’” she said in an interview
this month, remembering the horrifying afternoon when masked gunmen charged
into the offices of the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and opened fire that
January, killing 12. “Something that is very powerful, very peaceful and allows
us to move forward. So, I threw myself into it.” Nine years later, the Summer
Olympics are set to open in Paris in July with France at its highest level of
terrorism alert, after the attack on the Moscow concert hall last month. Yet
for the first time, the opening ceremony will not be held inside the barricaded
confines of a stadium. Instead, athletes will float in boats down the Seine
River through the heart of the dense, ancient city before half a million
spectators packed into stands and leaning out of windows.”



Associated Press: Hamas Is Reviewing An Israeli Proposal For A Cease-Fire In
Gaza, As A Planned Rafah Offensive Looms
<[link removed]>



“Hamas said Saturday it was reviewing a new Israeli proposal for a cease-fire
in Gaza, as Egypt intensified efforts to broker a deal to end the months-long
war and stave off a planned Israeli ground offensive into the southern city of
Rafah. Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya gave no details of Israel’s offer,
but said it was in response to a Hamas proposal two weeks ago. Negotiations
earlier this month centered on a six-week cease-fire proposal and the release
of 40 civilian and sick hostages in exchange for freeing hundreds of
Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. A separate Hamas statement said leaders
from the three main militant groups active in Gaza discussed attempts to end
the war. It didn’t mention the Israeli proposal. The statements came hours
after an Egyptian delegation ended a visit to Israel where it discussed a “new
vision” for a prolonged cease-fire in Gaza, according to an Egyptian official,
who spoke on condition of anonymity to freely discuss the developments.”




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



Daily Mail: How Gangs Are Planting Prison Officers In Jails: Cartels Are
Getting 'Clean' Members To Work Behind Bars As ‘Sleeper Agents' So They Can
Pump Drugs Across Britain's Prisons
<[link removed]>



“... Ian Acheson, a former prison governor, suggested a lack of prison
officers to carry out the tests could be to blame. 'I have my strong suspicion
this is because in many prisons, crippled by staff shortages, officers deployed
to test for drugs were instead used to maintain safe unlocking ratios on the
landings,' he said. 'But what it means is that we have no visibility on the
national scale of the problem, which is likely to be hellish and therefore
convenient to ministers and officials alike.' A Prison Service spokesperson
said: 'The overwhelming majority of our prison staff are hardworking and honest
but thanks to our action – including bolstering our Counter-Corruption Unit –
we are rooting out more of the small minority who are not.”



The Washington Post: Paris Olympics May Face Security Contractor Shortage
<[link removed]>



“... Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project,
said such agreements have been in place during major events in the past, and
they are likely to be useful in boosting French police forces’ “capacity with
individuals who speak the language of participating teams.” But coordinating
security for this high-risk Olympic Games will remain a challenge, even with
international help. “I really wouldn’t want to be the person responsible for
the Olympics in France this year,” Schindler said.”



United States



Reuters: Oil Prices Fall 1% On Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Talks, U.S. Inflation
Concerns
<[link removed]>



“Oil prices were down 1% on Monday, erasing gains from Friday as Israel-Hamas
peace talks in Cairo eased fears of a wider conflict in the Middle East and
U.S. inflation data further dimmed the prospects of interest rate cuts anytime
soon. Brent crude futures fell by as much as 98 cents, or 1.09%, to $88.52 a
barrel by 0644 GMT. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures were down 83 cents,
or 0.99%, at $83.02 a barrel. Stepped-up efforts to mediate a ceasefire between
Israel and Hamas moderated geopolitical tensions and contributed to the weak
opening on Monday, IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said. A Hamas delegation
will visit Cairo on Monday for peace talks, a Hamas official told Reuters.
Israel's foreign minister said on Saturday a planned incursion into Rafah,
where more than one million displaced Palestinians are sheltering, could be put
off in the event of a deal that involves the release of Israeli hostages.”



Associated Press: Blinken Says Israel Must Still Do More To Boost Humanitarian
Aid To Gaza
<[link removed]>



“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Monday that Israel must still do
more to increase the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged Gaza Strip and
that he would use his current Middle East trip — his seventh to the region
since the Israel-Hamas war started in October — to press that case with Israeli
leaders. Speaking to Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers in Riyadh,
Blinken said best way to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza would be to
conclude an elusive cease-fire agreement that would release hostages held by
Hamas. But, in the meantime, he said it was critical to improve conditions now.
“The most effective way to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to
alleviate the suffering of children, women and men, and to create space for a
more just and durable solution is to get a cease-fire and the hostages out,” he
said.”



Turkey



Associated Press: Ships From Turkey Planning To Deliver Aid To Gaza Were
Denied Right To Sail
<[link removed]>



“A three-ship flotilla planning to reach Gaza with humanitarian aid from
Turkey was prevented from sailing by Guinea-Bissau authorities, which took down
their country’s flags from two ships, organizers said. Just before the flotilla
was set to sail from Turkey to Gaza on Friday with 5,000 tons of aid, a
surprise inspection by the Guinea-Bissau International Ships Registry resulted
in the removal of the flags from two of the Freedom Flotilla ships. A press
release by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition described the cancellation of the
vessels’ registry as a “blatantly political move,” adding: “Without a flag, we
cannot sail.” The organizers blamed Israel for applying pressure to prevent the
flotilla. “It is obvious, and I think it is publicly known, that there has been
close contact between Israel and the president of Guinea-Bissau,” organizer and
steering committee member Torstein Dahle told The Associated Press, without
elaborating.”



Afghanistan



The Times Of India: 'You Should Have Left': Why 'Butcher Of Kabul' Is Rankling
Taliban Rulers
<[link removed]>



“In Afghanistan, where the voice of dissent is seldom heard, Gulbuddin
Hekmatyar, an ex-warlord and former prime minister, has emerged as an outspoken
critic of the Taliban regime. Despite the harsh crackdown on opposition,
Hekmatyar has been vocal about the need for elections and education for
girls—topics considered off-limits by the current government. Hekmatyar, aged
76 and leader of the Hezb-e-Islami party, has experienced significant pushback
for his defiance. The Taliban authorities have banned him from public speaking
at his mosque, evicted him from his home, and shut down his party's television
channel, Barya TV. This response underscores the tension between Hekmatyar's
calls for reform and the Taliban's stringent policies.”



Pakistan



The Voice Of America: Hostage Video Shows Pakistani Judge Pleading For His
Release
<[link removed]>



“Militants in Pakistan released a video Sunday showing a senior judge
pleading for his freedom, a day after he was taken captive in a volatile
northwestern district. In the minute-long video clip sent to journalists, Judge
Shakirullah Marwat appears alone, sitting in front of a dark fabric and stating
that he was taken hostage by the Pakistani Taliban on Saturday. He pleaded with
the chief justice of Pakistan to urgently meet the demands of the militants
holding him “to make my release possible.” He did not elaborate further. The
Pakistani Taliban did not claim responsibility for the kidnapping, nor did they
release a statement on the video. There was no immediate response from the
authorities to the purported hostage video. VOA has not been able to
independently verify the video.”



Yemen



Associated Press: Ballistic Missiles Fired By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Damage
Panama-Flagged Oil Tanker In Red Sea
<[link removed]>



“Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels caused “minor damage” to a
Panama-flagged oil tanker traveling through the Red Sea on Friday, authorities
said. The attack follows an uptick in assaults launched by the Houthis in
recent days after a relative lull in their monthslong campaign over Israel’s
war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The rebels fired three missiles in the attack,
one of which damaged the Panama-flagged, Seychelles-registered Andromeda Star,
the U.S. military’s Central Command said. The private security firm Ambrey
described the tanker as being “engaged in Russia-linked trade.” The vessel was
traveling from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, Ambrey said. Houthi
military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree later claimed the attack early
Saturday in a prerecorded statement aired by the rebels. He described the
tanker as being “directly hit.””



Associated Press: Likely Missile Attack By Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Targets A
Container Ship In The Red Sea
<[link removed]>



“A suspected missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted a container
ship in the Red Sea on Monday, authorities said, the latest assault in their
campaign against international shipping in the crucial maritime route. The
attack happened off the coast of Mokha, Yemen, the British military’s United
Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said, without offering any other
immediate details. It urged vessels to exercise caution in the area. The
private security firm Ambrey said a salvo of three missiles targeted a
Malta-flagged container ship traveling from Djibouti onward to Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia. “The vessel was targeted due to its listed operator’s ongoing trade
with Israel,” Ambrey said. Shipping manifests and vessel-tracking data
suggested the vessel targeted was the CMA CGM Manta Ray, which had been due to
sail from Djibouti on Monday. The Marseille, France-based shipper, which calls
on Israeli ports, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.”



Lebanon



Jordan News: Israeli Military Kills Two Militants In Lebanon’s Beqaa Area
<[link removed]>



“An Israeli strike in Lebanon’s Beqaa region has killed two members of a
Lebanese militant group that has fired rockets across the southern border at
Israel, the group said on Friday. Israel’s military said in a statement on
Friday that its air force “struck and eliminated Mosab Khalaf in the area of
Meidoun in Lebanon,” saying he was a member of the Jama’a Islamiya group and
had carried out attacks against Israel. In a statement, the Jama’a Islamiya
said two of its field commanders - Khalaf and relative of his - were killed in
the strike. “The Jamaa Islamiya terrorist organization recently planned and
promoted a large number of terror attacks from Lebanese territory against
Israel in the area of Har Dov, as well as additional areas in northern Israel,”
the Israeli army said in a statement.”



Middle East



Associated Press: Israeli Officials Concerned About Possible ICC Arrest
Warrants As Pressure Mounts Over War In Gaza
<[link removed]>



“Israeli officials on Monday appeared to be increasingly concerned that the
International Criminal Court may issue arrest warrants against the country’s
leaders, as international pressure mounts over its war with Hamas in the Gaza
Strip. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Rafah
overnight and into Monday killed at least 22 people, including six women and
five children, one of whom was just 5 days old, according to hospital records
and an Associated Press reporter. The ICC launched a probe three years ago into
possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian militants going back to
the 2014 Israel-Hamas war, but it has given no indication such warrants are
imminent. There was no comment from the court on Monday. Israel’s Foreign
Ministry said late Sunday that it had informed Israeli missions of “rumors”
that warrants might be issued against senior political and military officials.
It was not clear what sparked the Israeli concerns.”



Associated Press: Biden And Netanyahu Speak As Pressure’s On Israel Over
Planned Rafah Invasion And Cease-Fire Talks
<[link removed]>



“The White House on Sunday said U.S. President Joe Biden had again spoken
with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as pressure builds on Israel and
Hamas to reach a deal that would free some Israeli hostages and bring a
cease-fire in the nearly seven-month-long war in Gaza. The White House said
that Biden reiterated his “clear position” as Israel plans to invade Gaza’s
southernmost city of Rafah despite global concern for more than 1 million
Palestinians sheltering there. The U.S. opposes the invasion on humanitarian
grounds, straining relations between the allies. Israel is among the countries
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit as he returns to the Middle
East on Monday.”



Somalia



Reuters: Somalia Detains U.S.-Trained Commandos Over Theft Of Rations
<[link removed](Reuters),responsibility%20for%20provisioning%20the%20force.>



“Somalia's government said it had suspended and detained several members of
an elite, U.S.-trained commando unit for stealing rations donated by the United
States, adding that it was taking over responsibility for provisioning the
force. The Danab unit has been a key pillar of U.S.-backed efforts to combat
the al Qaeda-linked militant group al Shabaab. The United States agreed in
February to spend more than $100 million to build up to five military bases for
Danab. Somalia's defence ministry said in a statement late on Thursday that it
had notified international partners of the theft and would share the outcome of
its investigation. A U.S. official said in a statement to Reuters that
Washington takes seriously all accusations of corruption. "We look forward to
engaging with the Danab on creating the necessary safeguards and accountability
measures to prevent future incidents that could affect future assistance," the
official said, without directly addressing whether any U.S. support had already
been suspended.”



Africa



Garowe Online: Kenya Arrests Most Wanted Al-Shabaab Operative
<[link removed]>



“Kenya's multi-agency security team has arrested one of the most wanted
Al-Shabaab operatives, sources within the security sector have confirmed, in
what has been described as an 'enormous' progress in the fight against violent
extremism. Security reports indicate that Mustakima Mohammed Ali alias Abu
Mahir was arrested along the Lamu-Malindi Highway, where he had been
coordinating terror activities, leading to the loss of lives and properties in
the East African nation. Before his arrest, security teams had placed him on
the list of Al-Shabaab militants wanted "dead or alive" for the killings of a
police officer and two chiefs in Lamu County in 2019. He has been operating in
unknown locations throughout the search. He was arrested by hawk-eyed security
personnel while traveling via bus from Lamu to Malindi. Mustakima was among the
terrorists hiding in Boni Forest before running away to Somalia following
enhanced operations by Kenyan security agencies.”



The Cable: ‘Boko Haram Fighter Surrenders’ To Troops In Borno
<[link removed]>



“A Boko Haram fighter identified as Sajeh Yaga has reportedly surrendered to
troops of Operation Hadin Kai in Borno state. Zagazola Makama, a
counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, reports that
the insurgent surrendered to troops of 112 taskforce battalion on Sunday. He
was said to have surrendered to the soldiers after he “sneaked out” from the
terrorists’ camp in Sambisa forest. The suspect reportedly relinquished
weapons, including an Ak47 rifle, four Ak47 magazines, six 7.62 MM special
ammunition, and three mobile phones to the troops. The insurgent is said to be
undergoing profiling in military custody. Last week, troops of Operation
Hadarin Daji in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS)
killed seven suspected terrorists in Madachi, Isa LGA of Sokoto state. The
suspects were killed after the troops and DSS operatives responded to a
distress call.”



United Kingdom



BBC: Neo-Nazi, 19, Planned Attack On Synagogue In Hove
<[link removed]>



“A teenager described by police as holding neo-Nazi beliefs has been
convicted for having plans to attack a synagogue in Sussex. Mason Reynolds, 19,
from Brighton, faced one charge of possession of an article connected with the
preparation of an act of terrorism. Police searched Reynolds' address where
they found bomb instruction manuals and a note detailing his plans to attack a
synagogue in Hove. Reynolds was found guilty of the charge at Winchester Crown
Court on Friday. He will be sentenced on 14 June. Police said Reynolds shared
extreme right-wing videos and praised attacks by far-right terrorists. They
said he was also the administrator of a Telegram channel which shared far-right
extremist, antisemitic and racist views, as well as manuals on bomb building
and how to 3D print firearms.”



Associated Press: British Troops May Be Tasked With Delivering Gaza Aid, BBC
Report Says
<[link removed]>



“British troops may be tasked with delivering aid to Gaza from an offshore
pier now under construction by the U.S. military, the BBC reported Saturday.
U.K. government officials declined to comment on the report. According to the
BBC, the British government is considering deploying troops to drive the trucks
that will carry aid from the pier along a floating causeway to the shore. No
decision has been made and the proposal hasn’t yet reached Prime Minister Rishi
Sunak, the BBC reported, citing unidentified government sources. The report
comes after a senior U.S. military official said on Thursday that there would
be no American “boots on the ground” and another nation would provide the
personnel to drive the delivery trucks to the shore. The official, who spoke to
reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public,
declined to identify the third party.”



France



Reuters: France's Foreign Minister Looks To Prevent Israel-Hezbollah Conflict
Escalation In Lebanon Visit
<[link removed]>



“France's foreign minister will push proposals to prevent further escalation
and a potential war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah during a visit to
Lebanon on Sunday as Paris seeks to refine a roadmap that both sides could
accept to ease tensions. France has historical ties with Lebanon and earlier
this year Stephane Sejourne delivered an initiative that proposed Hezbollah's
elite unit pull back 10 km (6 miles) from the Israeli border, while Israel
would halt strikes in southern Lebanon. The two have exchanged tit for tat
strikes in recent months, but the exchanges have increased since Iran launched
a barrage of missiles on Israel in response to a suspected Israeli attack on
the Iranian embassy in the Syrian capital Damascus that killed members of
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps' overseas Quds Force.”



Germany



The Telegraph: Watch: Protesters Call For Islamic State In Germany
<[link removed]>



“More than 1,000 people marched through Hamburg on Saturday calling for a
caliphate in Germany. Protesters gathered in the northern city for a mostly
peaceful demonstration against Islamophobia, but among the masses were calls
for an Islamic state. Joe Adade Boateng, leader of Muslim Interaktiv which
organised the march, said in a speech at the march that Germany needed a
“righteous caliphate” to remedy the misrepresentation Muslim groups have faced
in the media.”



Bloomberg: German Minister Vows To Dismantle Group Accused Of Coup Plot
<[link removed]>



“Germany’s interior minister vowed to forge ahead with the dismantling of the
nation’s militant “Reichsbürger” movement, a day before members of the group go
to trial accused of planning to violently overthrow the government. More than
3,000 law-enforcement officers, including hundreds of special forces personnel,
conducted raids across Germany in December 2022 targeting the group, which
adheres to a far-right ideology that rejects the legitimacy of Germany’s
democratic order.”



Europe



Daily Mail: Far-right Extremist And Former Muslim Make Bid To Burn The Koran
In Sweden Ahead Of Eurovision
<[link removed]>



"A far-right extremist and an ex-Muslim atheist are planning to publicly burn
a copy of the Koran in the city hosting the Eurovision Song Contest a day
before the event starts, the Mail can reveal. Swedish police have received an
application to burn the Muslim holy book at the centre of Malmo before the
glare of the world's media. Jade Sandberg, 48, a Far-Right Christian extremist
who campaigns to ban Islam from Sweden, and Salwan Najem, 48, an Iraqi refugee
who has become a Swedish national, have applied for permission to conduct the
burning. There have been fears this year's Eurovision will be a prominent
target for Islamic extremists because of the inclusion of Israeli contestant
Eden Golan. Earlier this month, the Mail on Sunday revealed how two Israeli
undercover reporters posing as British tourists inside a mosque in Malmo were
warned by security guards not to attend the contest.”



Australia



Associated Press: Muslim Groups Claim Double Standards In Police Handling Of
Two High-Profile Stabbings In Sydney
<[link removed]>



“Muslim groups in Australia on Friday criticized the disparity in the police
response to two stabbing attacks in Sydney this month, saying it had created a
perception of a double standard and further alienated the country’s minority
Muslim community. The Australian National Imams Council said an attack at a
Bondi Junction shopping center was “quickly deemed a mental health issue” while
the stabbing of a Christian bishop at a Sydney church two days later was
“classified as a terrorist act almost immediately.” “The differing treatments
of two recent violent incidents are stark,” the council’s spokesperson, Ramia
Abdo Sultan, said in a statement with the Alliance of Australian Muslims and
the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network. “Such disparities in response create a
perception of a double standard in law enforcement and judicial processes,” she
said.”



The Counter Extremism Project depends on the generosity of its supporters. If
you value what we do, please consider making a donation.

DONATE NOW
<[link removed]>
 




Click here to unsubscribe.
<[link removed]>