Eye on Extremism

May 1, 2024

Associated Press: The Islamic State Group Says It Was Behind A Mosque Bombing In Afghanistan That Killed 6 People

“The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for a deadly shooting this week targeting members of the country’s minority Shiite community inside a mosque in western Afghanistan that killed six people. The militant group said in a statement posted on its Telegram website late on Tuesday that one of its members attacked a “Shiite temple” in Herat province with machine-gun fire. The attack, which took place on Monday night in the district of Guzara, also left one person wounded. The attacker fled the scene. The Taliban Interior Ministry has said that an investigation is underway. Local media reported that the mosque’s imam was among those killed. Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack, saying on the social media platform X that he considers “this terrorist act against all religious and human standards.””

Los Angeles Times: Qatar’s Mediation Efforts In Israel-Hamas War Come Under Fire

“When U.S. officials needed to negotiate with the Taliban to bring an end to the Afghanistan war, they turned to Qatar.With Russia continuing its campaign in Ukraine, Qatar has become the main facilitator for what little communication there is between the two sides. In past years, this tiny desert nation has captured outsize attention largely because of the splashy real estate projects it bankrolls with proceeds from the world’s largest gas field. It’s also home to one of the United States’ most strategically important military air bases in the Middle East. But increasingly during the last six months of the war in the Gaza Strip, Qatar’s role as a mediator has come under scrutiny. Doha has had limited success forging an agreement to stop the fighting and release Israeli hostages, spurring a rush of criticism from U.S. lawmakers and Israeli officials.”

The CEP CounterPoint: Expert Analysis

• Remembering the heroism of Poway amid soaring antisemitism
• The Black Bloc: Autonomous Movement(s) in Europe 
• Violence-Oriented Right-Wing Extremist Actors in Russia: Foreign Fighters – Part 2
• Fluid Structures: Assessing Left-Wing Violent Extremist Groups' Organizational Systems
• (Mis)Understanding the transnational violent extreme-right Active Club Strategy 

CEP Mentions

CapX: No Level Of Terrorism Should Be Inevitable

“Is there such a thing as an acceptable level of terrorism? You would be forgiven for thinking so. Last week, the results of yet another inquest into a terrorist attack here, all but flattened by the news cycle juggernaut, revealed yet more failures by the state’s agencies to protect citizens.  The families of James Furlong, Patrick Edwards and David Wails were at the Old Bailey at the conclusion of the inquest into their murders at the hands of an Islamist terrorist, Khairi Saadallah. Saadallah butchered his victims in a stabbing spree in a park in Reading on June 30 2020. He was jailed for their murders and the attempted murders of three other people with the judge imposing a rare whole life sentence. He will die in prison.”

Breitbart: Turkey Claims It Thwarted ISIS Bombing of Communist May Day March

"…The Counter Extremism Project, an organization that tracks global terror activity, published a report in April concluding that “March was, by every metric, the most violent month of ISIS’s Badia [central Syrian desert] insurgency since late 2017, when the group first lost control of its territory.”

United States

Associated Press: Blinken Urges Israel And Hamas To Move Ahead With A Cease-Fire Deal And Says ‘The Time Is Now’

“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was meeting with Israeli leaders on Wednesday in his push for a cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas, saying “the time is now” for an agreement that would free hostages and bring a pause in the nearly seven months of war in Gaza. He said Hamas would bear the blame for any failure to get a deal off the ground. Blinken is on his seventh visit to the region since the war erupted in October in his bid to secure what’s been an elusive deal between Israel and Hamas that could avert an Israeli incursion into the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering. The current round of talks appears to be serious, but the sides remain far apart on one key issue — whether the war should end as part of an emerging deal. “We are determined to get a cease-fire that brings the hostages home and to get it now, and the only reason that that wouldn’t be achieved is because of Hamas,” Blinken told Israel’s ceremonial President Isaac Herzog at a meeting in Tel Aviv.”

The New York Times: New York Woman Gets 18 Years For Funding Terrorism With Cryptocurrency

“A New York woman was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Tuesday for funding terrorism by using cryptocurrency to send financial support to groups operating in Syria. After Judge Althea Drysdale imposed the sentence, the woman, Victoria Jacobs, 44, yelled that the trial had been “a sham” and “Islamophobic” as officers led her from the courtroom. Dressed in a tan sweatshirt and khaki pants, Ms. Jacobs had appeared irritated as soon as she sat down at the defense table and had asked that her handcuffs be removed. In February, a Manhattan jury convicted Ms. Jacobs of three felony counts of providing support for an act of terrorism after a trial that lasted about two weeks. The jury also found her guilty of conspiracy, money laundering and criminal possession of a weapon. The Manhattan district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, had said that the case was the first time terrorism funding had been prosecuted in New York State Supreme Court."

Afghanistan

Associated Press: Phones, Islamic Books And Currency Exchange. Some Businesses Are Making Money Out Of Taliban Rule

“Yunis Safi, a businessman in Kabul, knows very well the importance of showing off your phone if you want something done. “In Afghanistan, your phone is your personality,” he said, smiling, a jewel-encrusted ring on each hand. One boasts an emerald, the other a fat Russian diamond. “When you go to a meeting with the government, the better your phone, the more they respect you.” Safi runs a phone shop in the posh Shar-e-Naw neighborhood. An armed guard stands outside. The iPhone 15 Pro Max adorns the shop shelves, retailing for $1,400. He has customers ready to part with this sum of money, which may come as a surprise to some given the country’s economic woes and more than half the population relying on humanitarian aid to survive. Afghanistan’s finances were on shaky ground even before the Taliban seized power in 2021. The budget relied heavily on foreign aid and corruption was rife. The takeover sent Afghanistan’s economy into a tailspin, billions in international funds were frozen, and tens of thousands of highly skilled Afghans fled the country and took their money with them.”

Yemen

Voice Of America: Yemen's Houthis Claim Attack On Portuguese-Flagged Ship In Arabian Sea

“Yemen's Houthi rebels said on Tuesday that they struck a Portuguese-flagged container ship in a drone attack in the Indian Ocean. The MSC Orion was attacked on Friday, 600 kilometers (372.8 miles) off the coast of Yemen, suggesting the Houthis, or their sponsors in Iran, might have the ability to strike deep into the Arabian Sea. The ship was sailing between the ports of Sines, Portugal, and Salalah, Oman, according to LSEG and other ship-tracking data. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the attack early Tuesday but did not explain why it took days for the group to acknowledge the attack. The ship "sustained only minor damage and all crew on board are safe," said the Joint Maritime Information Center. The crew found debris from a drone on board after the attack, the center said. The MSC Orion has been associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime, controlled by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer's Zodiac Group.”

Lebanon

Associated Press: Lebanese Christian Leader Says Hezbollah’s Fighting With Israel Has Harmed Lebanon

"The leader of a main Christian political party in Lebanon blasted the Shiite militant group Hezbollah for opening a front with Israel to back up its ally Hamas, saying it has harmed Lebanon without making a dent in Israel’s crushing offensive in the Gaza Strip. In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday night, Samir Geagea of the Lebanese Forces Party said Hezbollah should withdraw from areas along the border with Israel and the Lebanese army should deploy in all points where militants of the Iran-backed group have taken positions. His comments came as Western diplomats try to broker a de-escalation in the border conflict amid fears of a wider war. Hezbollah began launching rockets toward Israeli military posts on Oct. 8, the day after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in a surprise attack that sparked the crushing war in Gaza.”

Saudi Arabia

Associated Press: Saudi Arabia Confirms A Fitness Influencer Received An 11-Year Sentence Over ‘Terrorist Offenses’

“Saudi Arabia confirmed in a letter to the United Nations that a female fitness instruction who was popular online received an 11-year prison sentence but did not specify any of her alleged “terrorism offenses.” Though the kingdom insisted the case had nothing to do with the instructor’s online presence, human rights activists say the conviction levied against Manahel al-Otaibi shows the limits of expression in Saudi Arabia. It also highlights another side of the kingdom, now run day-to-day by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who under his 88-year-old father King Salman has dramatically liberalized some aspects of women’s lives in the country. “Her charges related solely to her choice of clothing and expression of her views online, including calling on social media for an end to Saudi Arabia’s male guardianship system, publishing videos of herself wearing ‘indecent clothes’ and ‘going to the shops without wearing an abaya,’” said Amnesty International and ALQST, a London-based group advocating for human rights in Saudi Arabia that’s followed al-Otaibi’s case.”

Middle East

Associated Press: Why Israel Is So Determined To Launch An Offensive In Rafah. And Why So Many Oppose It

“Israel is determined to launch a ground offensive against Hamas in Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town, a plan that has raised global alarm because of the potential for harm to more than a million Palestinian civilians sheltering there. Even as the U.S., Egypt and Qatar pushed for a cease-fire deal they hope would avert an assault on Rafah, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated on Tuesday that the military would move on the town “with or without a deal” to achieve its goal of destroying the Hamas militant group. “We will enter Rafah because we have no other choice. We will destroy the Hamas battalions there, we will complete all the objectives of the war, including the return of all our hostages,” he said. Israel has approved military plans for its offensive and has moved troops and tanks to southern Israel in apparent preparation — though it’s still unknown when or if it will happen.”

Reuters: Netanyahu Vows Again To Storm Rafah As Israel Awaits Hamas Reply To Truce Proposal

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Tuesday to go ahead with a long-promised assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, whatever the response by Hamas to the latest proposals for a halt to the fighting and a return of Israeli hostages. Expectations that a ceasefire agreement could be in sight have grown in recent days following a renewed push led by Egypt to revive stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Gaza's ruling Palestinian Islamist group. However Netanyahu said that with or without a deal, Israel intended to pursue the operation to destroy the remaining Hamas combat formations in Rafah, where more than 1 million Gaza Palestinians displaced from their homes are seeking shelter. "The idea that we will halt the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question," he said in a statement. "We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there – with or without a deal, in order to achieve total victory."”

Mali

The New York Times: Mali Claims Death Of Terrorist Who Helped Lead Deadly Ambush In Niger

“Mali said on Monday that it had killed a high-value Islamist commander who helped lead a 2017 attack in which four American and four Nigerien soldiers were killed alongside an interpreter. The U.S. State Department had put a $5 million bounty on the head of the commander, Abu Huzeifa — a member of an affiliate of the Islamic State — after his participation in an attack in Tongo Tongo, Niger, on American Green Berets and their Nigerien comrades. At that time, the attack was the largest loss of American troops during combat in Africa since the “Black Hawk Down” debacle in Somalia in 1993. In a post on social media on Monday, Mali’s armed forces said that on Sunday they had “neutralized a major terrorist leader of foreign nationality during a large-scale operation in Liptako” — a tri-border region that contains parts of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.”

France

Reuters: France Asks Israel To Make Position Public On Lebanon Border Proposals

“France's foreign minister called on Israel to make public its position on a proposal that he shared with it aimed at defusing tensions between Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, as Paris tries to act as an intermediary between the foes. Israel and Hezbollah have been engaged in escalating daily cross-border strikes over the past six months - in parallel with the war in Gaza - and their increasing range and sophistication has raised fears of a wider regional conflict. The Shi'ite Muslim Hezbollah has amassed a formidable arsenal since a 2006 war with Israel and since October thousands of people on both sides of the border have been displaced by the clashes. "I call on Israeli authorities to take a public position on these French plans that will enable us to move to the next stage," Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday.”

Reuters: French Foreign Minister Makes Unscheduled Cairo Stop As Gaza Truce Talks Intensify

“France's foreign minister arrived in Cairo on Wednesday on an unscheduled stop during a Middle East tour as efforts to secure a truce between Israel and Hamas and the release of hostages in Gaza reach a critical point. Diplomatic efforts towards securing a ceasefire were intensifying following a renewed push led by Egypt to revive stalled negotiations between Israel and Hamas, Gaza's ruling Palestinian Islamist group. "The surprise visit of the minister is in the context of Egypt's efforts to free hostages and achieve a truce in Gaza," the source said. France has three dual-nationals still held hostage by Hamas after the group's assault on Israel on Oct. 7 and has worked closely with Cairo on providing humanitarian aid and medical assistance to Palestinians in Gaza. Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne's trip to Egypt follows stopovers in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Israel.:

Germany

Euronews: German Chancellor Scholz Says Islamist Rally Will Be Met With 'Consequences'

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that there will be “consequences” after a large Islamist rally in Hamburg raised alarm over the weekend. More than 1,000 people demonstrated in the northern German city, with some holding posters calling for the imposition of Sharia law and the establishment of a caliphate. The demonstration was linked to the "Muslim Interactive" group, which Germany's domestic intelligence services classify as an extremist organisation. At a press conference alongside the prime minister of Montenegro, Scholz said, "It is quite clear that all Islamist activities must be tackled using the possibilities and options of our constitutional state." He added that any criminal acts would be prosecuted. Germany's Interior Minister Nancy Faeser posted on X, formerly Twitter, that "anyone who wants a caliphate has come to the wrong place in Germany".”

Europe

Reuters: Poland Probing Alleged Links Between Orlen Unit's Ex-CEO And 'Terrorist Organisations'

“Poland has launched an investigation into multi-million-dollar cash losses by Polish refiner Orlen's Swiss unit and allegations that its former CEO had ties to "terrorist organisations", Warsaw chief prosecutor Malgorzata Adamajtys said on Tuesday. Polish website Onet had reported on Monday that the former CEO of Orlen Trading Switzerland, referred to only as Samer A. due to local privacy laws, was suspected by Orlen's internal security unit of having had contacts with Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Samer A., the ex-CEO of Orlen's Swiss subsidiary OTS, denied in an interview with Polish private radio RMF on Tuesday that he had any connections with Hezbollah. "I have been to Poland many times, I am a Polish citizen, I have a Polish passport. I am treated by the current authorities as a second-class citizen," he said, adding that though he was currently abroad, he was not hiding from Polish law enforcement.”

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