“On the eve of the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, France’s interior
minister thanked Belgium Thursday for a string of raids that led to the
detention of seven people for questioning over suspected terrorist activities.
The Belgian Federal prosecutor’s office said that the people detained during 14
raids in towns and cities across the country “are suspected of participating in
the activities of a terrorist group, of financing terrorism and preparing a
terrorist attack.” Spokesperson Arnaud d’Oultremont told The Associated Press
that investigators had “not yet identified the suspects’ concrete objectives.”
While the targets of the suspected plot were not immediately clear, French
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin thanked “our Belgian friends who, today, led
a judicial operation to protect us.” He said French authorities were waiting
for more details about the raids and said no arrests were made in France as
part of the Belgian operation.”











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Eye on Extremism



July 26, 2024



Associated Press: French Minister Thanks Belgium For Detaining 7 Terror
Suspects On Eve Of Olympics Opening Ceremony
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“On the eve of the Olympics opening ceremony in Paris, France’s interior
minister thanked Belgium Thursday for a string of raids that led to the
detention of seven people for questioning over suspected terrorist activities.
The Belgian Federal prosecutor’s office said that the people detained during 14
raids in towns and cities across the country “are suspected of participating in
the activities of a terrorist group, of financing terrorism and preparing a
terrorist attack.” Spokesperson Arnaud d’Oultremont told The Associated Press
that investigators had “not yet identified the suspects’ concrete objectives.”
While the targets of the suspected plot were not immediately clear, French
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin thanked “our Belgian friends who, today, led
a judicial operation to protect us.” He said French authorities were waiting
for more details about the raids and said no arrests were made in France as
part of the Belgian operation.”



Reuters: Pakistan Using “Terrorism, Proxy War” To Stay Relevant, Says India PM
Modi
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“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that Pakistan is trying
to stay relevant through "terrorism" and "proxy war" but its "unholy plans"
will never succeed. The nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours share an uneasy
relationship and India has, for decades, accused Pakistan of backing Islamist
militants fighting its rule in Kashmir, the Himalayan region both claim in full
but rule only in part. Pakistan denies the accusations, saying it only provides
diplomatic and moral support to Kashmiris seeking self-determination in the
Muslim-majority region. Modi's comments came at an event to mark the 25th
anniversary of India's short military conflict with Pakistan in the Himalayan
region of Kargil. The arch rivals have also fought three wars, two of them over
Kashmir. They also come in the aftermath of a spate of militant attacks in the
Hindu-majority Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir - as the territory is formally
called - with almost a dozen Indian soldiers killed this year. Modi said
Pakistan was humiliated whenever it tried to further its plans but had "not
learned anything from its history".”




Recent CEP Press Releases

* Extremist Content Online: Nordic Resistance Movement Telegram Channel Still
Has Advertisements Enabled Following State Department SDGT Listing
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* Counterpoint Brief: US Designates Nordic Resistance Movement As Specially
Designated Global Terrorist Organization
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* CEP Applauds U.S. Designation Of Nordic Resistance Movement As A Specially
Designated Terrorist Organization
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* Extremist Content Online: Extreme Right Telegram Channel Promote
Homophobia, Transphobia, And Violence In Response To LGBTQ Pride Month
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* Extremist Content Online: TikTok Post Glorifying Christchurch Attacker
Receives Over 35,000 Views, Account Links To Telegram Content Celebrating
Attacker
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CEP Mentions



Jewish Standard: Reflections On A 30-Year Struggle For Justice
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“At 9:53 a.m. on July 18, 1994, an explosives-filled truck detonated at the
Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) community center in Buenos Aires,
killing 85 people and wounding 300 in the worst terror attack in Argentina’s
history. At 9:53 a.m. on July 18, 2024, a siren sounded in Buenos Aires as
hundreds gathered outside the rebuilt AMIA building to commemorate the 30th
anniversary of the attack. Holding up photographs of the 85 innocent victims,
those gathered honored the lives lost while calling for them finally to receive
justice. As family members of the victims told stories of loss, the crowded
responded loudly, “Presente!”—“Present!” acknowledging the shared pain, not
just within the Jewish community but for all of Argentina.”



ZDF Heute: Arson Attacks On Train Network: What We Know
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“Just hours before the start of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in
Paris, France's railway company SNCF reported a "massive attack" on the
high-speed train network. Arson attacks were also reported. What is currently
known about this and how are the authorities reacting? An overview of the
current situation: Acting Prime Minister Gabriel Attal spoke of "coordinated
acts of sabotage". According to media reports, signals were set on fire and
cables were cut, among other things. The SNCF said that connections in the
west, north and east of the country were affected. Trains to Belgium and Great
Britain were also affected. […] The French authorities face the major challenge
of organizing these games because the individual events are taking place in the
country's densest urban area, terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler from the
Counter Extremism Project told ZDFheute.”



ZDF Heute: Hamas Terror Warning Apparently Fake
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“"You will pay for what you have done," threatens the alleged Hamas fighter,
dressed in black. A Palestinian flag is emblazoned on his chest, and his head
and face are covered with a scarf. "You supplied the Zionists with weapons and
helped to murder our brothers and sisters and children," the man complains. His
warning, addressed to all French people and President Macron, shortly before
the start of the Olympic Games: The terror threat was shared thousands of times
and viewed millions of times on the short message service X, formerly Twitter.
Even Elon Musk responded to one of the clips, posting two exclamation marks and
thus ensuring even greater reach. Experts are indeed warning of terrorist
attacks on the Olympic Games in Paris. But the video is clearly a fake that
appears to have come from a well-known Russian disinformation group. […] The
Russian actions come as no surprise to terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler.
The aim of such a disinformation campaign is to spread uncertainty, he
explained to ZDFheute.”



United States



NBC News: Pro-Palestinian Protests Inflame Tensions In Washington Over The
Israel-Hamas War
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“The pro-Palestinian protests that erupted in Washington during Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of Congress drew
condemnation Thursday from political leaders. It was the latest inflection
point as the protests have persisted around the U.S. since Israel responded to
Hamas' terrorist attack in October. The war has engulfed the Gaza Strip, with
hostages still being held there by Hamas. The protesters have called for a
cease-fire and criticized America's ongoing support for Israel, mostly in the
form of weapons. Opponents of the protests say they ignore the ongoing hostage
situation and echo the talking points of a terrorist organization. A smaller
group of protesters returned Thursday to demonstrate outside the White House,
where Netanyahu met separately with President Joe Biden and Vice President
Kamala Harris.”



Iran



Sarajevo Times: Israel Claims That Iran Is Planning Terrorist Attacks During
The Olympics
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“Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Kac, in a letter addressed to his French
counterpart Stephane Sejourne, expressed concern that Israeli athletes and
tourists could become targets of terrorist attacks during the Summer Olympics
in Paris. The letter does not state whether Israel has any specific information
about the impending attacks, nor does it cite any evidence. The Olympic Games
begin in Paris on Friday and end on August 11. “Certain intelligence indicates
that Iranian agents and other terrorist groups are planning to attack members
of the Israeli delegation and Israeli visitors. This underscores our (Israeli
and French) mutual interest in ensuring the safety of all (Olympics)
participants,” the letter said. The Summer Olympics in Paris begin this Friday,
and security measures in the French capital are at an all-time high.”



Iraq



Reuters: Rockets Launched At Iraq’s Ain Al-Asad Airbase, No Casualties,
Sources Say
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“Multiple rockets were launched at Iraq's Ain al-Asad airbase housing
U.S.-led forces late on Thursday, U.S. and Iraqi sources said, with no damage
or casualties reported. Two U.S. officials said the base itself had not been
struck in the attack. The attack came two days after a military summit in
Washington where Iraqi and U.S. officials discussed winding down the
coalition's work a decade after it was formed to fight Islamic State as it
stormed across Iraq and Syria. No major announcement was made at the end of the
talks, though U.S. and Iraqi sources say an announcement that it will begin to
gradually wind down is likely in the coming weeks. Iran-aligned Iraqi political
and military factions have pressured the country's government to quickly draw
down the coalition's work and say they want all 2,500 troops deployed by the
country's one-time occupier to leave.”



Pakistan



Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty: New Extremist Groups – At Least In Name –
Enter Pakistan’s Militant Scene
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“Suicide bombers and gunmen penetrated a military base in northwestern
Pakistan last week, killing eight soldiers. It was just the latest in a string
of deadly attacks to hit the South Asian country, where militant violence has
surged in recent years. But what was significant about the July 15 attack in
the city of Bannu was the group that claimed responsibility -- Jaish Fursan-e
Muhammad (JFM) -- a previously unknown militant outfit. JFM is among several
new militant groups that have announced their arrival on the crowded militant
scene in Pakistan in recent months. But experts believe the new actors are in
fact fronts for existing groups, including the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP),
the most lethal militant organization waging war against Islamabad. JFM is a
believed to be a front for Hafiz Gul Bahadar (HGB), a separate extremist group.
The group is named after its leader, a former TTP commander.”



Lebanon



BBC: Rushdie Attacker Charged With Supporting Militant Group Hezbollah
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“The man accused of stabbing writer Sir Salman Rushdie in 2022 in New York
now faces a new charge of supporting a terrorist group. Hadi Matar has been
charged with providing material support to the Lebanon-based militant group
Hezbollah, according to an indictment unsealed on Wednesday. The federal
charges come weeks after Mr. Matar rejected an offer from prosecutors that
would have sentenced him to prison for a shorter period of time if he pleaded
guilty. He is also charged with attempted murder and assault for the 2022
attack which left Mr. Rushdie blind in one eye. Mr. Matar's lawyer, Nathaniel
Barone, told the BBC his client plans to plead not guilty to the new charges.
"We plan on zealously and feverishly defending him on these matters," Mr.
Barone said, adding that his client maintains his innocence on all the charges
brought against him. He has been held without bail since the attack."



Middle East



Los Angeles Times: Israel Is Spying On Hezbollah Commanders – And Killing Them
One By One
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“The first assassination took two tries. An Israeli drone fired a missile
that hit a Renault van in southern Lebanon. When the target, a Hezbollah
operative, climbed out and fled into a roadside thicket, a second missile
finished the job. — That same morning, 60 miles to the northeast, another drone
struck a Dodge pickup carrying a commander in Jamaah Al-Islamiyah, a Lebanese
Sunni Islamist faction allied with Hamas and Hezbollah. The third assassination
took place that night, when a missile slammed into a three-story building in
the town of Jmaijmeh, killing Ali Maatouq, a senior commander with Hezbollah’s
elite Radwan force. The three hits last week were part of a particularly
violent day across southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah, the Shiite paramilitary
faction and political party, has tussled with Israel for more than nine months.
But they were also another salvo in a longer-running intelligence war.”



Associated Press: Wounded In A Strike That Killed Her Family, A 2-Year-Old
Joins Gaza’s Ranks Of Thousands Of Orphans
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“The 2-year-old toddler lay on a foil blanket, her face covered with salve
for her burns and her little body riddled with scars from shrapnel. She
squirmed, her breath heaving, as doctors examined her and the tube in her
chest. Siwar Abdel-Hadi is now an orphan. She’s the lone survivor of an Israeli
strike that hit their family home in central Gaza, killing her parents, her two
sisters and her brother, along with a brother of her mother. “The whole family
was gathered around a table for lunch” when the missile struck Tuesday in the
Bureij refugee camp, said Nour Abdel-Hadi, one of Siwar’s paternal aunts. She
spoke at nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah, where the
overwhelmed staff rushed around her dealing with influxes of wounded. Israel’s
campaign of bombardment and offensives in Gaza has left thousands of orphans.”



Reuters: Battered Hamas Confounds Israel’s Bid To Declare Victory
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“Senior figures in Israel's government have said it is closing in on its war
aims of defeating Hamas militarily and the return of hostages seized on Oct. 7.
But Hamas' survival as a guerrilla force and its sway in Gaza may overshadow
any deal. After nine months of pummelling by one of the most powerful
militaries in the Middle East, Hamas is much weakened from the force that
carried out the cross-border attack on Israel on Oct. 7. Early in the war,
Hamas propaganda videos showed well-drilled fighters in body armour and battle
fatigues, their torsos wrapped with ammunition belts. Now, small groups of
insurgents in T-shirts and trainers stage hit-and-run attacks in Gaza's
bombed-out streets, the videos show. Reuters spoke with three sources with
knowledge of Hamas tactics, two former Hamas militants, three Palestinian
officials, two Israeli military sources and an Israeli defence official to shed
light on the group's losses and its strategy.”



Africa



WE News: 20 Killed In Militant Attack In Eastern DR Congo
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“At least 20 people were killed in an attack in eastern Democratic Republic
of Congo (DR Congo), local sources told AFP on Thursday who attributed the
assault to militants affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) group. The
incident, reportedly carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militant
group, occurred in the Beni territory of North Kivu province, an area plagued
by persistent unrest and armed conflict. Nicolas Kikuku, mayor of the commune
of Oicha and capital of Beni territory, confirmed the tragic event to AFP,
stating that the victims were farmers who were attacked while cultivating their
fields. “The enemy always attacks the poor farmers,” Mayor Kikuku lamented,
describing the brutal nature of the attack where victims were either shot or
killed with knives in a village located approximately 30 kilometers (19 miles)
from Oicha.”



Germany



DW: German Court Denies Protection Status To Syrians
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“For asylum seekers from Syria, a ruling could have far-reaching
consequences: the Münster Higher Administrative Court in the state of North
Rhine-Westphalia has ruled that some regions in Syria are not generally unsafe,
despite the ongoing civil war. This is the reasoning given by the court on
Monday for rejecting the appeal of a Syrian who entered Germany in 2014 and
sought before the court to qualify for subsidiary protection status. Subsidiary
protection is available to those who do not qualify as refugees as defined by
the Geneva Refugee Convention, but who are in serious danger in their home
country. Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees had previously
denied the Syrian man refugee status or subsidiary protection status as a civil
war refugee because he had been involved in smuggling people from Turkey to
Europe before entering Germany. For this, he was sentenced to several years in
prison in Austria.”



Ukraine



Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty: Series Of Terrorist Acts Prevented In
Ukraine, EU Countries, Kyiv Says
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“Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) said on July 25 that its officers, along
with the National Police, had prevented a series of terrorist attacks in the
country and IN EU member states Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland.
According to an SBU statement, the suspected organizer of the planned arson
attacks on civic buildings and an associate were detained in the western
Prykarpattya region. The two suspects allegedly coordinated, under the
supervision of Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB), the activities of 19
members of a terrorist group in several Ukrainian regions. The two men were
informed that they are suspected of high treason and forgery. Russia has not
commented on the report.”



Europe



The Moscow Times: Moscow Labels Dozens Of Indigenous Groups, Free Russia
Foundation As ‘Extremist’
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“Authorities in Moscow have added an unprecedented 54 Indigenous groups and
the U.S.-based Free Russia Foundation to the country’s growing list of
“extremist” organizations. Russia’s Justice Ministry labeled the 55 seemingly
unrelated organizations as “structural divisions” of the vaguely defined
“Anti-Russian Separatist Movement,” which Russia’s Supreme Court banned as an
“extremist” organization last month. Rights groups have said the authorities
could use the designation as a pretext for the criminal prosecution of
anti-war, anti-colonial or Indigenous rights activists. The new list of 55
“extremist” groups includes the Asians of Russia and Free Buryatia foundations,
the Free Ingria movement, the Sakha Pacifist Association community and the
World Chechen Congress. In the listing, the Justice Ministry described the
“Anti-Russian Separatist Movement” as seeking to “destroy the multinational
unity and territorial integrity of” the country. The “extremist” designation
means anyone convicted of association with the vaguely defined organization
could be imprisoned for up to six years.”



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