Eye on Extremism
August 8, 2024
Associated Press: Officials Say Suspects In Foiled Plot At Taylor Swift Shows Hoped To Kill As Many People As Possible
“Both suspects in a foiled plot to attack Taylor Swift shows in Vienna appeared to be inspired by the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, Austrian authorities said Thursday, and investigators found bomb-making materials at one of their homes. Officials said one of the two confessed to planning to “kill as many people as possible outside the concert venue.” Three sold-out concerts were canceled a day earlier because of the plot, devastating Swifties from across the globe, many of whom had dropped thousands of euros (dollars) on travel and lodging in Austria’s expensive capital city to attend the Eras Tour shows at the Ernst Happel Stadium, which sat empty Thursday morning aside from media filming outside. The foiled attack was planned for Thursday or Friday, according to Austria’s interior minister, Gerhard Karner.”
Associated Press: Israel-Hamas War Latest: Rights Group Says Israeli Forces Killed 7 Sheltering In A Gaza City Home
“A new report from Human Rights Watch says Israeli soldiers killed at least seven people and severely wounded two, including a 5-year-old, when they attacked a home in Gaza City where a Palestinian family was sheltering from the Israel-Hamas war in December. Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis with Israeli restrictions on aid and ongoing fighting limiting access to crucial medical, food and other supplies. The Health Ministry says the death toll in the territory is nearing 40,000. Regional tensions have soared since Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed July 31 in Iran by a presumed Israeli strike. Retaliation has been expected. French President Emmanuel Macron beseeched Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in a phone call to do everything in his power to avoid a new military escalation that he said would do lasting damage to regional stability.”
CEP Mentions
Hasht E Subh Daily: Same Old Taliban, Same Old Threat
“Lynne is joined by Hans-Jakob Schindler, Co-Director of the Counter Extremism Project. He began tracking and observing Al Qaeda and the Taliban before most people even knew they existed. And now that they’re back, he points out that it’s the same individuals with the same ideology and the same intentions. He's seen and heard it all before, and he doesn’t pull his punches.”
Tagesspiegel: The “Butcher Of Chan Yunis” Why The New Hamas Leader Sinwar Is So Difficult To Grasp
“He was the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip - and is now the head of the entire organization. Jihia Sinwar, the terror group announced this week on the short message service Telegram, has been appointed head of the political office. This means that power within Hamas is concentrated on the man the Israelis have been hunting for months - and who is said to have successfully hidden in the tunnels of Gaza. Who is Jihia Sinwar - and what changes will his appointment to the highest office in the terror group change? […] In fact, Sinwar had the most influence within the terrorist organization, even though Haniya held the political leadership position on paper. "As a result of the attack on October 7, the Hamas leadership in Gaza took actual control of the terrorist group," explains Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the international Counter Extremism Project.”
Independent: Declaring Unrest As Terrorism Not Ruled Out – Police Chief
“Declaring incidents of violent disorder around the country as terrorism “has not been, and will not be, ruled out”, a police chief has warned. It comes after director of public prosecutions (DPP) Stephen Parkinson suggested terrorism charges could be considered. […] Former prison governor Ian Acheson, an adviser to think tank the Counter Extremism Project, told the BBC he was “completely against” terrorism charges being considered. He said: “I think giving these people an ideological justification for what they’ve done is profoundly dangerous. These are common criminals. These are people who’ve tried to incinerate human beings in hotels. They have looted vape shops, they’ve burned down libraries. There’s no ideological coherence behind any of that. “These are common thugs, and they need to be treated as such, as they were back in 2011, and they need to be given exemplary sentences, because there’s a lot of debate to be had about the societal drivers for all of this, but for now the state has to get back in control.””
My London: UK Riots Could Be Declared As Terrorism, Warns Police Chief
“... Former prison governor Ian Acheson, an adviser to think tank the Counter Extremism Project, told the BBC he was "completely against" terrorism charges being considered. He said: "I think giving these people an ideological justification for what they've done is profoundly dangerous. These are common criminals. These are people who've tried to incinerate human beings in hotels. They have looted vape shops, they've burned down libraries. There's no ideological coherence behind any of that. "These are common thugs, and they need to be treated as such, as they were back in 2011, and they need to be given exemplary sentences, because there's a lot of debate to be had about the societal drivers for all of this, but for now the state has to get back in control."
WTOP News: The Hunt: Taylor Swift Concerts In Vienna Canceled Because Of Foiled Terror Plot
“On this week’s episode of “The Hunt with WTOP National Security Correspondent J.J. Green”, Hans Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project, said that it must haven a “serious” situation that led to the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna.”
United States
Politico: Cost Rising For US As It Fights Off Houthi Drones
“President Joe Biden says the U.S. isn’t at war anywhere in the world. But one giant asterisk to that claim is what’s been happening for nearly a year in the skies over the Red Sea. U.S. forces have launched roughly 800 missiles and seven rounds of air strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels that have controlled Yemen since November in what has become the most sustained military campaign by American forces since the anti-ISIS air war in Iraq and Syria that reached its height in 2016-2019. The battle in the Red Sea has been pushed into the background with the world’s attention fixed on the U.S. presidential election and higher-profile conflicts such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Israel’s war in Gaza. But an expected Iranian attack on Israel in the coming days will almost certainly rely heavily on proxies in Lebanon and Yemen, putting the U.S. ships in the region in the middle of the fight.”
Associated Press: Israel-Hamas War Latest: New Hamas Leader Can Ensure A Cease-Fire Deal Is Reached, Blinken Says
“U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the newly chosen Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has the power to ensure that a cease-fire deal is reached for the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. The Palestinian militant group on Tuesday chose Sinwar, its top official in Gaza who masterminded the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, after political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed July 31 in Iran by a presumed Israeli strike. Regional tensions have soared after Haniyeh’s killing, which Iran blamed on Israel, and retaliation has been expected. Concerns are also high after Israel killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon last week. Amid diplomatic efforts, U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on Tuesday about their hopes for a cease-fire deal calming tensions in the Middle East. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet over the weekend that Israel is already in a “multi-front war” with Iran and its proxies.”
Syria
Associated Press: Pro-Government Fighters Attack Areas Of Us-Backed Fighters In East Syria. 2 Killed
“Violence surged in opposition-held areas of Syria on Wednesday as government-backed fighters killed at least two people in rare violence in the east, while a truck bomb exploded in the northern city of Azaz, killing nine people, the main U.S.-backed force in the war-torn country and an opposition war monitor said. Fighters backed by the Syrian government and Iran attacked areas controlled by U.S.-backed fighters in the country’s east, killing at least two people and wounding others, the main U.S.-backed force in the war-torn country said Wednesday. To the west, a truck bomb exploded Wednesday evening in the northern city of Azaz, which is controlled by Turkey-backed opposition fighters, killing nine people and wounding 11, the opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack in Azaz, which has witnessed such bombings in the past.”
Iran
Associated Press: Iran Warns Airlines To Avoid Its Airspace For 3 Hours On Thursday Over Military Drills, Egypt Says
“Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry said Wednesday it has ordered Egyptian airlines to avoid Iranian airspace for three hours the following day after a notice from Tehran to do so because of military exercises. The warning comes amid soaring tensions in the region following last week’s assassination of Hamas’ leader in Tehran. The Egyptian ministry said the warning came in a notice sent by Iran to all commercial airlines. The ministry said the ban from Iranian airspace was to last for three hours, 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. Iran’s warning also covered three hours earlier on Wednesday, the ministry added. Speaking to Iran’s ISNA news agency, the head of Iran’s international airport in Tehran, Saeed Chalandari, denied reports of a warning against entering the airspace of western Iran, but it was not clear if that applied to the entire country.”
BBC: Iran Will Respond At ‘Right Time’ To Killing Of Hamas Leader
“Iran’s acting foreign minister has said the country will respond to the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at the “right time” in the "appropriate" manner, following a day of intense diplomacy in the Middle East. His comments came during an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a group of states with Muslim-majority populations, which convened in Saudi Arabia to discuss Iran’s response to the killing. The US said it hoped OIC members would caution Iran against taking “steps to escalate the conflict”. Tensions in the Middle East have soared since Haniyeh’s assassination in Tehran last week. Iran and its allies blamed Israel, though Israel has not commented. The OIC convened in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Wednesday, at the request of Iranian and Palestinian officials. Acting Iranian Foreign Minister Baqeri Ali Bagheri Kani told members “it is expected” that they support Iran’s response to the killing.”
Turkey
Associated Press: Turkey Formally Asks To Join The Genocide Case Against Israel At The UN Court
“Turkey on Wednesday filed a request with a U.N. court to join South Africa’s lawsuit accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, the foreign minister said. Turkey’s ambassador to the Netherlands, accompanied by a group of Turkish legislators, submitted a declaration of intervention to the International Court of Justice in The Hague. With the development, Turkey, one of the fiercest critics of Israel’s actions in Gaza, becomes the latest nation seeking to participate in the case. Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Nicaragua and Libya have also asked to join the case, as have Palestinian officials. The court’s decision on their requests is still pending. “We have just submitted our application to the International Court of Justice to intervene in the genocide case filed against Israel,” Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan wrote on the social media platform X. “Emboldened by the impunity for its crimes, Israel is killing more and more innocent Palestinians every day.””
Afghanistan
Voice Of America: Religious Freedom In Taliban-Ruled Afghanistan On Steady Decline, US Watchdog Says
“An independent U.S. federal government agency reported Wednesday that Afghanistan has experienced a “continual and significant" decline in religious freedom under the de facto Islamist Taliban rule. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF, charged in its new report that Taliban authorities “have continued to repress and significantly stifle any action or behavior that does not conform with their strict interpretation of Islam.” The Taliban seized power after the exit of U.S.-led international forces in August 2021. De facto Afghan authorities have implemented an extreme interpretation of Islamic laws, leading to sweeping curbs on personal freedoms and restricting Afghan women from participating in most aspects of public life. The USCIRF stated that the hard-line leaders have silenced religious clerics, prevented religious minorities from observing religious ceremonies, and continued to restrict the movement and educational access of Afghan women and girls.”
Saudi Arabia
Reuters: Saudi Arabia Says Hamas Leader's Killing Was 'Blatant Violation' Of Iran's Sovereignty
“Saudi Arabia said on Wednesday the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was a "blatant violation" of Iran's sovereignty. The comment by the Saudi deputy foreign minister during an extraordinary meeting of members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was the first by the kingdom, the region's major power alongside Iran, since the killing of the Palestinian Islamist leader in the Iranian capital on July 31. The minister, Waleed Al-Khuraiji, added that Saudi Arabia rejects "any violation of the sovereignty of states or interference in the internal affairs of any country".”
Lebanon
The Washington Post: As War Looms And Flights Dwindle, Lebanese Grapple With Whether To Flee
“Vacations cut short, hurried goodbyes and last-minute flights at exorbitant fares — residents and tourists, heeding warnings of an impending war, are scrambling to leave summertime Lebanon as tensions build between Israel and Hezbollah, Iran’s Lebanese ally. Britain has ordered its citizens to “leave Lebanon now,” while Paris is urging French nationals to depart “as soon as possible.” The U.S. Embassy in Beirut, in an alert over the weekend, instructed Americans who wish to leave to “book any ticket available to them.” At the Beirut airport, passengers waited for delayed flights or for seats to open up, tired children resting against luggage carts piled high with suitcases, their parents sipping coffee out of paper cups. As airlines such as Lufthansa, Air France and Royal Jordanian cancel flights to and from the country, ticket prices have skyrocketed, putting them out of reach for many Lebanese grappling with the effects of an economic crisis, including soaring inflation and a currency that has lost much of its value.”
Middle East
Voice Of America: Israel Carries Out Airstrikes In Southern Lebanon
“Israel’s military said Thursday its forces carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah targets in several areas of southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s National News Agency said one of the strikes in the town of Doueir destroyed a house, but that no casualties were reported. The Israeli military also said Thursday it conducted raids in the Rafah area in the southern Gaza Strip, where it has battled Hamas militants for months. Israeli fighter jets also destroyed a militant firing site in northern Gaza, the military said. Aid group World Central Kitchen said Thursday a Palestinian member of its warehouse team was killed in central Gaza. The group said it was seeking details about Nadi Sallout’s death, and that it believed he was off duty at the time. Israel’s military said it was “unaware of any incident in which an employee of the organization was harmed during his work in recent days.””
Reuters: Hamas' Hayya Seen In Key Role Under New Leader Sinwar, Sources Say
“Hamas politician Khalil al-Hayya is set to continue leading indirect negotiations with Israel for a Gaza ceasefire with guidance from the group's newly appointed leader, Yahya Sinwar, who continues to run the war effort inside the enclave, three Palestinian sources including a Hamas official said. Hamas announced on Tuesday that it had picked Sinwar - one of the masterminds of the militant group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel - as overall leader, replacing Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Iran last month. The choice of Sinwar, whom Israel has vowed to kill, is seen signalling a defiant stance by Hamas as the Gaza war grinds on, handing the leadership to a man who is widely thought to be running the war from tunnels beneath the enclave. Experts on Palestinian politics had seen Hayya as a leading candidate to replace Haniyeh, due partly to his good ties with the group's main backer, Iran, whose support will be vital for the movement to recover after the war.”
Africa
Bloomberg: Egypt, Djibouti Offer To Support New Somalia Peacekeeping Force
“Egypt and Djibouti have offered to support a new African Union peacekeeping mission to Somalia that will replace a similar force being retired at the end of this year, according to the continental body. The AU’s peace and security council met on Aug. 1 and endorsed the formation of the new mission that will be known as the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia, or Aussom. The council “welcomes the offer made by Egypt and Djibouti to contribute to the elements of the Aussom and encourages other AU member states in a position to do so, to contribute,” the AU said in an emailed statement. The AU first intervened in Somalia in 2007 and has had troops from nations including Kenya, Uganda and Burundi supporting the fledgling government since.”
BBC: Niger's Junta Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Ukraine
“Niger has cut diplomatic ties with Ukraine, a move which signals a burgeoning rift between some West African states and Kyiv. Niger's military government said it made the move in "solidarity" with neighbouring Mali, who severed their own relations with Ukraine two days ago. Both countries cited comments by a Ukrainian military official, who suggested Kyiv played a role in the killing of dozens of Malian soldiers last month. Ukraine has been trying to win allies in Africa throughout its war with Russia, likely in an attempt to counter Moscow's growing influence on the continent. At the end of July, scores of Malian soldiers, along with mercenaries from Russia's Wagner group, were killed in clashes with separatist rebels and al-Qaeda-linked militants. Mali's military regime had turned to the notorious Wagner group in 2021, seeking support in tackling its crippling insecurity issues.”
Garowe Online: Kenya's Military Crushes Al-Shabaab In Three Separate Operations
“Leading the multi-agency security teams within Kenya, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) has managed to crush Al-Shabaab militants in three different locations within the East African nation, in the latest success against the terrorists. According to security forces, the KDF targeted Al-Shabaab in Mandera, Wajir, and Garissa Counties. The three counties are prone to Al-Shabaab raids but the intensity has significantly reduced in the latest outings due to high-security surveillance. Along the borders of Mandera and Wajir counties, an intelligence-led operation was conducted on suspected Al Shabaab hideouts spread across Iresqinto, Kutayu, and Boji area, officials confirmed, while acknowledging that the military and their counterparts are still alert. Subsequently, several items dug and hidden into the ground were retrieved, among them AK47 and PKM ammunition, medical equipment, drugs, and several jerricans filled with water.”
France
Associated Press: Israeli Athletes Receive Threats In Paris As Tensions Simmer Over Gaza
“Israel’s Olympic team said some athletes have received threats as they compete in Paris amid larger tensions over Palestinian deaths during the war in Gaza and the threat of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East. Yael Arad, president of the Israeli National Olympic Committee, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that team members had received “centralized” threats meant to generate “psychological terror” in athletes, without giving further details. Last week, Paris prosecutors opened an investigation into emailed death threats to Israeli athletes, and the national cybercrime agency is looking into the leak of some Israeli athletes’ personal data online, which has since been taken down. Prosecutors also launched an inquiry into inciting racial hated after Israeli athletes received ‘’discriminatory gestures” during an Israel-Paraguay match.”
Europe
Politico: Danish Far-Right Extremist Charged Over Quran Burnings
“A 42-year-old man has been charged with incitement against an ethnic group and insult on Wednesday, Swedish prosecutors said in a statement. While the Swedish Prosecution Authority did not name the suspect, Swedish media, including Dagens Nyheter, Sveriges Radio, and Aftonbladet, have identified him as Rasmus Paludan, a Swedish-Danish extremist who over the past few years attracted international attention with public Quran burnings. The statement said the charges related to two incidents in April and September 2022 in Malmö. Paludan had attended public gatherings in the Swedish city at both those times, during which he made hateful comments directed at Muslims, Arabs and Africans. “My assessment is that there are sufficient grounds to bring charges, and now the district court will consider the case,” senior prosecutor Adrien Combier-Hogg said.”
Bloomberg: Taylor Swift Shows In Vienna Canceled After Terror Plot Arrest
“Taylor Swift shows planned for this week have been canceled in Vienna after Austrian police said they had arrested two people with suspicion of planning a terrorist attack. The shows have been canceled due to the Austrian government confirming the planned terror attack at the Ernst Happel Stadium, concert organizer Barracuda Music said on its website. A government spokesman said the decision was made by the organizer. Taylor Swift was scheduled to perform three shows in Vienna as part of her Eras Tour on Thursday-Saturday before the last European performances in London.”
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