British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said violent protesters who had targeted
Muslim communities would swiftly face the "full force of the law" as he sought
to quell days of anti-immigration rioting. The fatal stabbing of three young
girls in the northwest English town of Southport last week has been seized on
by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups, with disinformation spread online and
amplified by high-profile far-right figures to spark disorder in towns and
cities. "Whatever the apparent motivation, this is not protest, it is pure
violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim
communities," Starmer said on Monday after an emergency meeting with police and
prison chiefs. "The full force of law will be visited on all those who are
identified as having taken part." Police chiefs said they had arrested 378
people since the start of the unrest and warned of "lengthy prison terms" for
those found guilty of violent disorder.











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Eye on Extremism



August 6, 2024



Reuters: UK’s Starmer Vows Speedy Punishment To Quell Violent Disorder
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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said violent protesters who had targeted
Muslim communities would swiftly face the "full force of the law" as he sought
to quell days of anti-immigration rioting. The fatal stabbing of three young
girls in the northwest English town of Southport last week has been seized on
by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim groups, with disinformation spread online and
amplified by high-profile far-right figures to spark disorder in towns and
cities. "Whatever the apparent motivation, this is not protest, it is pure
violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim
communities," Starmer said on Monday after an emergency meeting with police and
prison chiefs. "The full force of law will be visited on all those who are
identified as having taken part." Police chiefs said they had arrested 378
people since the start of the unrest and warned of "lengthy prison terms" for
those found guilty of violent disorder.



The Washington Post: U.S. Troops Withdraw From Strategic West African Base As
Militant Threat Grows
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“The last U.S. troops flew out of their sprawling base in Niger’s northern
desert on Monday, marking a closing chapter in the American military
relationship with this West African country and a substantial strategic setback
for Washington. The withdrawal of the U.S. forces, which had numbered 1,100 in
Niger at their peak, follows more than a decade of investment in Niger — and
months of fruitless efforts to put the country back on a democratic path after
its military seized power in a coup a year ago. The U.S. military presence here
has been a linchpin of American efforts to address rising Islamist militancy in
this part of Africa. The pullout comes at a moment when extremist violence in
West Africa is reaching record highs and Russia’s influence in the region is
growing.”



CEP Mentions



Channel 4: UK Doesn’t Have Enough Officers Or Prison Places To Curb Riots,
Says Former Prison Officer And Governor
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“Krishnan Guru-Murthy spoke to former prison governor Ian Acheson, who is now
the Senior Advisor to the Counter Extremism Project. We began by asking him if
the police and security services should’ve seen these riots coming.”



World Socialist Web Site: New Zealand Pseudo-Lefts Double Down On Support for
US-NATO Imperialism In Ukraine War
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“... Allison dismisses as Russian propaganda the abundant evidence of
fascists in Ukraine’s military leadership and the state apparatus. Her article
declares that “the significance of Nazi symbols and ideology appears to have
been greatly overstated.” To back up this assertion she quotes Alexander
Ritzmann from the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), who says Ukraine “is not a
cesspit for Nazi sympathizers.” The CEP is another pro-imperialist think tank
based in the US, Germany and the UK. Its president Mike Wallace was a senior US
State Department official and supporter of Republican President George W. Bush.
As well as producing propaganda for the war against Russia, the CEP has issued
many statements endorsing Israel’s genocide in Gaza.”



The Spectator: Can Our Prisons Take These ‘Thugs’?
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“Keir Starmer will be chairing his first Cobra meeting, as the government
continues to grapple with the rioting that has broken out across the country.
The weekend saw numerous examples of violence, including at hotels thought to
be hosting asylum seekers. We had a statement from the prime minister
condemning the ‘right wing thuggery’, but do we need a more complete approach
to extremism? And will our prisons and our courts be able to accommodate the
huge influx of offenders? Oscar Edmondson speaks to Katy Balls and Ian Acheson,
senior advisor to the Counter Extremism Project.”



The Guardian: Revealed: US Neo-Nazi Terror Group Aims To Revive Activities
Ahead Of Election
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“While far-right extremists from all corners of the internet are targeting
vice-president Kamala Harris as she takes the reins of the Democratic ticket,
one of the longer standing US-based neo-Nazi terror groups is also attempting
to continue its covert activities as the presidential election season begins in
earnest. […] Joshua Fisher-Birch, an analyst at the Counter Extremism Project
who has kept tabs on the Base since its inception, says the group maintains
several American members and that Nazzaro often talks of having poured
thousands in personal finances into the group. “Nazzaro has claimed that he has
supported the accelerationist movement with over $10,000 through his ‘personal
stash of crypto,’ and he has claimed that he has spent over $20,000 on the
Base, not including land in Washington state he purchased,” said Fisher-Birch,
who pointed out records he reviewed in the past showing Nazzaro receiving over
$3,000 in Bitcoin donations.”



Iran


Associated Press: What Iran’s Attack Against Israel Could Look Like With The
Support Of Regional Allies
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“As Iran threatens to respond to the suspected Israeli assassination of Hamas
leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, the regional militias that the Islamic
Republic has armed for decades could play a role in any attack. Here’s a look
at Iran’s history of arming militias, its allies in the region and what part
they could play. In April following an Israeli attack on the Iranian Embassy
compound in Syria, Iran launched 170 bomb-carrying drones, more than 30 cruise
missiles and more than 120 ballistic missiles toward Israel. Israel, the U.S.
and other nations shot down many of the projectiles, some of which came from
Yemen. Iran could launch a similar assault, but this time Hezbollah may get
involved as the militia seeks revenge for the Israeli strike last week killing
senior commander Fouad Shukur.”



Iraq



Reuters: US Personnel Wounded In Attack Against Base In Iraq, Officials Say
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“At least five U.S. personnel were injured in an attack against a military
base in Iraq on Monday, U.S. officials told Reuters, as the Middle East braced
for a possible new wave of attacks by Iran and its allies following last week's
killing of senior members of militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah. Two Katyusha
rockets were fired at al Asad airbase in western Iraq, two Iraqi security
sources said. One Iraqi security source said the rockets fell inside the base.
It was unclear whether the attack was linked to threats by Iran to retaliate
over the killing of the Hamas leader. The U.S. officials, who spoke to Reuters
on condition of anonymity, said one of the wounded Americans was seriously
injured. The casualty count was based on initial reports which could still
change, they said. "Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage
assessment," one of the officials added.”



Afghanistan



Associated Press: The Taliban Says People In Afghanistan On Previous
Government’s Visas Can Stay For Now
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“Afghanistan’s Taliban government said Monday it would allow people in the
country on visas issued by the former Western-backed government to stay for
now, but that they wouldn’t be allowed back in without documents from a
Taliban-approved diplomatic mission. The announcement by the Taliban’s Foreign
Ministry on the social media platform X clarified its July 30 announcement that
it would no longer accept documents from consulates and diplomatic missions
abroad staffed by member of the former government. The move is part of the
Taliban’s efforts to gain control of Afghanistan’s representation abroad since
returning to power in 2021. The Taliban’s blacklisting of diplomatic missions
in Canada, Australia and several European countries means that many people may
have to travel hundreds of even thousands of miles to get documents issued,
renewed, or certified.”



Lebanon



Associated Press: Israel-Hamas War Latest: Hezbollah Says It Launched A Drone
Attack On Northern Israel
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“The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it launched a drone attack early
Monday on northern Israel that the Israeli military said wounded two Israeli
troops. The violence came amid fears of an all-out regional war following the
killings last week of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon and Hamas’ top
political leader in Iran. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah said it targeted a
military base in northern Israel in response to “attacks and assassinations” by
Israel in several villages in southern Lebanon. The attack did not appear to be
the more intense retaliation that’s expected from Iran and its allied militias.
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged near-daily strikes for the past 10 months
during the war in Gaza. But last week’s assassinations of Hamas political
leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran’s capital and Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in
Beirut sent regional tensions soaring.”



Reuters: Lebanon Aims To Ensure Hezbollah Response To Israeli Attack Does Not
Cause Wider War
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“Lebanon is working to ensure any response to the Israeli killing of a top
Hezbollah commander in Beirut does not trigger total war in the Middle East,
its Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said on Tuesday. Tensions in the region
have spiralled in the last week following the killing in Tehran of Palestinian
militant group Hamas' leader, and an Israeli strike on Beirut's suburbs that
killed the senior commander Fuad Shukr. Hezbollah said last week that the
Iran-backed group will respond in a studied manner. Israel and Hezbollah have
been trading fire since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct.7 and ignited a war in
Gaza.”



Somalia



Associated Press: Hundreds Gather At Somalia Beach To Condemn Attack That
Killed 37 And Demand Stronger Security
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“Hundreds gathered Monday at a Somalia beach hotel, the site of an attack
claimed by al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate that left 37 people dead and dozens
wounded, to condemn the violence and demand stronger security measures.
Al-Shabab said on its radio station that its militants carried out Friday’s
attack at the popular Lido beach in the capital, Mogadishu. Witnesses said they
saw an attacker wearing an explosive vest moments before he blew himself up.
Security forces said they killed four other militants. Adar Sabriye, who lost
her son in the attack, joined the protest to call on authorities to ensure
public safety. “Abdikani was a quiet, obedient young man who devoted his life
to his studies,” she said of her son. She said he died along with several of
his friends. Another protester, Ahmed Mohamed, said the country’s security was
the responsibility of every citizen and urged young people to join the fight
against al-Shabab.”



Africa



Voice Of America: Terror Groups Poised To Fill Void With US Forces Gone From
Niger
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“The U.S. abandonment this week of its $110 million drone base in Niger, once
seen as a key hub for counterterrorism efforts, adds to a growing list of
Western withdrawals, all steadily ceding ground to terror groups affiliated
with Islamic State and al-Qaida. Officials with U.S. Africa Command announced
the final departure of troops from Air Base 201 in Agadez on Monday, completing
a process that began last year when a military junta overthrew Niger’s
democratically elected president and demanded U.S. forces leave. The U.S.
withdrawal follows the pullout of French forces from Niger late last year and
from neighboring Mali in 2022. A five-country alliance to fight terror groups
across the Sahel, likewise, collapsed in recent years. And intelligence
gathered by United Nations member states suggests the terror groups those
Western forces were hoping to curtail have made the most of their growing
absence.”



Reuters: Uganda Charges Opposition Lawmakers, Supporters Over Protest
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“Police arrested 14 Ugandan opposition officials and supporters on Monday as
they marched through their capital towards the Kenyan embassy to protest
against Nairobi's decision to detain and deport a group of their colleagues,
local media said. The arrests and last month's deportations come as both Kenya
and neighbouring Uganda have been rocked by anti-government demonstrations by
youth and opposition activists - though the streets of Uganda's capital were
otherwise quiet on Monday. Kenyan authorities on July 23 detained 36 members of
Uganda's opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) who had travelled there
for a training course, lawyers for the group said.”



United Kingdom



BBC: Ex-Police Chief Likens Riots To Terrorism
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“The former head of counter-terrorism policing says some violence during the
riots has “crossed the line into terrorism”. Neil Basu, who held the top
counter-terror job between 2018 and 2021, said: “I hope my successors are
looking at that very closely.” He told the BBC: “I think we have seen serious
acts of violence designed to cause terror to a section of our community." Mr
Basu said “people should look very carefully” at the legal definition of
terrorism when considering some of the violence and actions seen since last
week. He said the current wave of violence had been triggered by “lies spread
through social media” and “we need to do something about that”. On X far-right
activist and convicted criminal Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy
Robinson, spent the weekend posting inflammatory messages to thousands of
followers, all from the safety of a sun lounger in Cyprus.”



Technology



The Wall Street Journal: Meta Restores Malaysian Leader’s Posts About Hamas
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“Meta Platforms has restored social-media posts by Malaysia’s prime minister
concerning Hamas’s late political leader, saying their removal last week was in
error. The owner of Facebook and Instagram on Tuesday apologized for the
removal of content posted to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s accounts. The posts
have since been restored “with the correct newsworthy label,” a Meta
spokesperson said. Meta cited an operational error, without elaborating. The
technology giant regularly blocks posts it deems as violating community
standards on both Facebook and Instagram but allows some exceptions if an
internal review determines that keeping such content visible is in the public
interest. In May, Facebook removed and later restored posts by Malaysian media
covering Anwar’s meeting with Ismail Haniyeh, then the top political leader of
the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas.”



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