“The uneasy truce between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah largely held
through its second day in Lebanon on Thursday, although Israel conducted an
airstrike that it said targeted militants violating terms of the cease-fire
deal. The Israeli strike was the first of its kind since the U.S.-backed
cease-fire went into effect before dawn on Wednesday. But despite an exchange
of blame between two parties of the deal — Israel and Lebanon — neither of the
war’s combatants, Israel or Hezbollah, seemed keen to immediately return to
full-scale fighting. The Israeli military said its airstrike, near the border
in southern Lebanon, had targeted two militants arriving at a Hezbollah rocket
facility that had been used to fire into Israel. Lebanon’s army, which is set
to play a major role in enforcing the truce, accused Israel of violating the
cease-fire “several times” on Thursday afternoon. Hezbollah did not immediately
comment.”











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Eye on Extremism



December 2, 2024



The New York Times: Lebanon Cease-Fire Appears To Hold Despite Israeli Strike
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“The uneasy truce between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah largely held
through its second day in Lebanon on Thursday, although Israel conducted an
airstrike that it said targeted militants violating terms of the cease-fire
deal. The Israeli strike was the first of its kind since the U.S.-backed
cease-fire went into effect before dawn on Wednesday. But despite an exchange
of blame between two parties of the deal — Israel and Lebanon — neither of the
war’s combatants, Israel or Hezbollah, seemed keen to immediately return to
full-scale fighting. The Israeli military said its airstrike, near the border
in southern Lebanon, had targeted two militants arriving at a Hezbollah rocket
facility that had been used to fire into Israel. Lebanon’s army, which is set
to play a major role in enforcing the truce, accused Israel of violating the
cease-fire “several times” on Thursday afternoon. Hezbollah did not immediately
comment.”



Associated Press: Syria Launches Counterattacks In An Attempt To Halt
Insurgency, As Iran’s Top Diplomat Meets Assad
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"The Syrian military rushed reinforcements to the northwest and launched
airstrikes Sunday in an attempt to push back insurgents who seized the co
untry’s largest city of Aleppo, as Iran pledged to help the government counter
the surprise offensive. Iran has been a key political and military ally of
Syrian President Bashar Assad in his country’s civil war, but it was unclear
how Tehran would support Damascus in the latest flareup. Insurgents led by
jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo and
the countryside around Idlib on Wednesday, before moving toward neighboring
Hama province. On Sunday, government troops created a “strong defensive line”
in northern Hama, as they attempted to stall the insurgents’ momentum,
according to Britain-based opposition war monitor the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights."




CEP Expert Analysis

*
ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency In October 2024
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*
ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency In September 2024
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CEP Report: Civilian Counterterrorism Militias Take Action, Introduce New
Challenges to Combatting Violent Extremism in Africa
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CEP Policy Brief: Identifying and Disrupting Key Antisemitic Actors
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Extremist Content Online: Extreme Right Celebrates Anti-Muslim Immigration
Riots on Telegram and X
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CEP Mentions



Tagesschau.De: How Right-Wing Extremists Organize Themselves In "Active Clubs"
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“... For extremism expert Alexander Ritzmann, this is precisely the strategy
of the "Active Clubs". "Violent right-wing extremists train, prepare for
violence, but act as if they were just doing sports." Ritzmann works for the
non-governmental organization "Counter Extremism Project", which operates in
the USA and Europe and deals with extremist movements worldwide. In his
opinion, the "Active Clubs" serve one main purpose: to build a network of
right-wing extremists who are prepared to fight and use violence. According to
Ritzmann, it remains to be seen what really drives the right-wing extremists
behind the still young "Active Club" movement: "Will it remain a fist fight?Or
is it just a pretense, a pretext, and in fact it is an armed militia, an armed
vigilante group."”



Spiked: How Usman Khan Slipped Through The Net
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“Five years ago, convicted terrorist Usman Khan murdered two young people at
an event hosted by the prisoner-rehabilitation scheme, Learning Together, at
London Bridge. Saskia Jones and Jack Merritt were both involved in running
Learning Together, which was part of the University of Cambridge. They were
stabbed to death on 29 November 2019 by the 28-year-old Khan, who was
supposedly on community supervision nearly a year after being released from HMP
Whitemoor. Khan had taken part in previous publicity for Learning Together,
which showcased him as a reformed character, moving on from his terrorist
lifestyle. He had been sentenced to prison indefinitely in 2012 for planning a
terrorist bomb attack on the London Stock exchange with a group of nine
extremists. Prior to this sentence, Khan had written to the trial judge stating
he had repented his views.”



Spiked: Is There No End To The Prison Service’s Incompetence?
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“At the last count, in April of this year, Britain’s failing prison system
accommodated 246 prisoners convicted of terrorism-related offences. Not all of
them are extremely dangerous but enough are to warrant their dispersal across
several high-security prisons. Last week, The Times newspaper revealed that
detailed schematic plans of these high-security prisons had been found on the
dark web and could now be in the hands of criminals and terrorists. These
schematics could include the precise location of violent extremists, murderers
and other serious offenders including those deemed an escape risk. I remember
these blueprints before they were digitised. I spent some time at the
headquarters of HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) as a junior governor
and staff officer to a national-incident command unit.”



TalkTV: “Inhumane!” Former Prison Governor Blasts Standard Of Living In UK
Jails <[link removed]>



“Talk's Ian Collins is joined by former prison governor Ian Acheson to discuss
the standard of living in UK prisons. Cases of rats, broken windows,
overcrowding and violence have been reported in prisons. Ian Acheson says the
conditions are "inhumane" and prisons "don't have sufficient staff to help
prisoners" to be rehabilitated.”



UnHerd: Islamophobia Laws Would Be Disastrous For Britain
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“Yesterday in Parliament, Labour MP Tahir Ali asked Keir Starmer whether the
Government would “commit to introducing measures to prohibit the desecration of
all religious texts and the prophets of the Abrahamic religions”. Both the
question and the Prime Minister’s response have already attracted a great deal
of attention and criticism, but of perhaps overlooked significance is the way
in which the question was introduced with reference to Islamophobia Awareness
Month. Critics of both the term “Islamophobia” and its proposed definitions
have long warned that it could amount to a backdoor blasphemy law. In response,
they have frequently met with scorn, derision, and allegations of Islamophobia
— which you’d think rather proves their misgivings.”



The Guardian: Trump’s Promise To Loosen Crypto Regulations May Be Boon For
Extremist Groups
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“The return of Donald Trump in the White House is promising many things: mass
deportations, an end to inflation, and perhaps the first
cryptocurrency-friendly presidency, which is widely expected to loosen
regulations on the emergent technology… Besides legal funds, groups like the
Base and others ask for myriad reasons to send crypto. “Different entities have
previously requested cryptocurrency donations to allegedly pay for equipment,
the costs of making and spreading physical propaganda, web hosting, travel,
legal, and prisoner support,” said Joshua Fisher-Birch, an analyst at the
Counter Extremism Project. “Crypto is attractive to the extreme right because
it is easy to create a wallet and solicit donations online.”’



AlterNet: Experts Warn Trump’s Plan To Deregulate Crypto Will Help Terrorists
And Domestic Extremists <[link removed]>



“President-elect Trump campaigned on being a "crpyto president," promising to
open up the floodgates on cryptocurrency by undoing regulations imposed by
President Joe Biden's Securities and Exchange Commission… According to Joshua
Fisher-Birch, who is an analyst at the Counter Extremism Project, crypto is
extremists' preferred method of crowdfunding as any group can easily post a
link to a wallet that can serve as a central destination where supporters
around the world can channel funds. And while Bitcoin and Ethereum are among
the most popular cryptocurrencies for mainstream investors, one of terrorist
groups favorite cryptocurrencies is called Monero, due to its "untraceability."
"Monero has also become popular with pro-Islamic State and IS-linked
propagandists, who have asked for Monero donations and have posted advice on
how to purchase it," Fisher-Birch said.”



Deutsche Welle: Thousands Of Lebanese Return Home As Ceasefire Takes Hold
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“Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director at the NGO Counter Extremism Project,
spoke to DW about what the new Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire means. Asked whether
the deal could hold, as Iran, Hezbollah's main backer, seems to have agreed to
its terms, Schindler said: "Absolutely. Hezbollah, especially now in its
weakened form, is more dependent on Iran than it was a year ago. And hence, if
the guys who are paying for the show are telling you that this is the decision,
it is very clear that Hezbollah is going to keep to the agreement." Though
Schindler attested to Hezbollah's acute military weakness, he said it won't
last forever. "Hezbollah is unfortunately only temporarily weakened a couple of
years, maybe to rebuild everything. And then Israel may find itself in a very
similar situation again."”



Welt: Security Expert Warns Of New “Streams Of Refugees From Syria”
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“With the capture of Aleppo by radical Islamist rebels, the Syrian civil war
has flared up again. Ruler Assad has announced a counter-offensive. Terrorism
expert Hans-Jakob Schindler believes new flows of refugees to Europe are
possible.”



United States



USA Today: Pentagon Study On Military Extremism Used Old Data To Downplay
Problem: Report
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“A Pentagon-funded study relied on old data to conclude extremism isn’t a
major problem in the U.S. military, according to a new analysis. Meanwhile,
incoming President Trump reportedly plans to sign an executive order removing
thousands of trans service members from the military. And body camera footage
shows locals in Columbus, OH, fought back when neo-Nazis came to town. It’s the
week in extremism, from USA TODAY. Over the last few years, USA TODAY has
closely followed the Pentagon’s approach to tackling extremism in the armed
forces. In 2021, weeks after the Jan. 6 insurrection, Defense Secretary Lloyd
Austin announced a big push to weed extremists out of the military, but as USA
TODAY reported, that push largely fell apart in the years that followed.”



Fox News: Suspected Terrorist From Jordan Arrested At US Northern Border: ICE
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“Federal authorities believe a Jordanian migrant caught trying to enter the
U.S. through its northern border is a terrorist, according to ICE Enforcement
Removal Operations in Seattle. Mohammed Hasan Abdellatif Albana, 41, was
captured near the northern border of Lynden, Washington, the agency said in a
Wednesday press release. It is unclear when or where he snuck into the country.
A U.S. immigration official identified Albana as a "known or suspected
terrorist," the agency said. Albana was sent back to Jordan on November 15
after immigration proceedings, per the agency. "ERO Seattle is committed to the
removal of noncitizens who pose a risk to the national security of the U.S. Our
officers perform these removals dutifully as a part of a federal law
enforcement effort to protect Pacific Northwest Communities," said ERO Seattle
Field Office Director Drew H. Bostock.”



Syria



Associated Press: After Entering Aleppo, Syrian Insurgents Advance To A Nearby
Province. Assad Says He’ll Defeat Them
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“Thousands of Syrian insurgents took over most of Aleppo on Saturday,
establishing positions in the country’s largest city and controlling its
airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province. They faced
little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and
activists. A war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the
insurgents led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized control of Aleppo International
airport, the first international airport to be controlled by insurgents. The
fighters claimed they seized the airport and posted pictures from there.
Thousands of fighters also moved on, facing almost no opposition from
government forces, to seize towns and villages in northern Hama, a province
where they had a presence before being expelled by government troops in 2016.”



The Guardian: Syrian Militants Reach Central Aleppo As Government Forces
Appear To Retreat
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“Islamist rebels once exiled to a mountainous pocket of the Syrian
countryside now roam the streets of central Aleppo, taking pictures below its
ancient citadel and tearing down symbols of President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
The surprise offensive in which insurgents seized territory across
north-western Syria appears to have dramatically shifted the balance of power
in Aleppo, the country’s second largest city, and marks the most serious
challenge to Assad’s control in years. On Saturday night, images emerged of
fighters pushing deep into Syrian government-controlled territory towards the
city of Hama, including Kafr Nabl, a town once seen as symbolic for its
opposition to Assad. Within hours, video showed insurgents in the centre of
Hama.”



Reuters: At Least 25 Killed As Russian, Syrian Jets Intensify Bombing Of
Syrian Rebel Territory
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“At least 25 people were killed in northwestern Syria in air strikes carried
out by the Syrian government and Russia, the Syrian opposition-run rescue
service known as the White Helmets said early on Monday. Russian and Syrian
jets struck the rebel-held city of Idlib in northern Syria on Sunday, military
sources said, as President Bashar al-Assad vowed to crush insurgents who had
swept into the city of Aleppo. The army also said it had recaptured several
towns that rebels had overrun in recent days. Residents said one attack hit a
crowded residential area in the centre of Idlib, the largest city in a rebel
enclave near the Turkish border where around four million people live in
makeshift tents and dwellings. At least seven people were killed and dozens
injured, according to rescuers at the scene."



Iraq



Associated Press: Iraqi Militias Deploy In Syria To Back Government’s
Counteroffensive Against Insurgents
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“Iranian-backed Iraqi militias have deployed in Syria to back the
government’s counteroffensive against a surprise advance by insurgents who
seized the largest city of Aleppo, a militia official and a war monitor said
Monday. Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a
two-pronged attack on Aleppo last week and moved into the countryside around
Idlib and neighboring Hama province. Government troops built a fortified
defensive line in northern Hama in an attempt to stall the insurgents’ momentum
while jets on Sunday pounded rebel-held lines. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus Sunday and
announced Tehran’s full support for his government. He later arrived for talks
in Ankara, Turkey, one of the rebels main backers.”



Afghanistan



The Washington Post: Women Despair Over Taliban Rules, But Many Afghan
Returnees Don’t See It
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“For the first time since the Taliban takeover three years ago, Afghans
living outside the country have begun flocking back to their homeland, usually
to visit relatives who have remained in Afghanistan. Upon their return, few
seem preoccupied by the Taliban’s increasingly draconian restrictions on women
— including bans on women going to university and school above sixth grade — or
by the reluctance of many local women to leave their homes out of fear of
encountering the morality police, according to interviews with residents and
visitors. Instead, many of the visitors, carrying foreign passports or visas,
marvel about the sense of security and the construction of new roads under
Taliban rule. They post photos of their favorite Afghan dishes, discuss
business plans and shop in the Kabul airport’s new duty-free store.”



Pakistan



Reuters: Pakistani Journalist Probing Imran Khan Protest Casualties Charged
With Terrorism, Lawyer Says
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“A Pakistani journalist investigating claims of casualties in a protest march
demanding the release of jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan was picked up off
the street on Wednesday night and charged with terrorism, according to a
colleague and his lawyer. Television host Matiullah Jan is known as a critic of
the military's heavy influence in Pakistani politics. Hours before being picked
up, he had done a TV show where he read from what he said were hospital records
contradicting the government's denial that live ammunition had been used when
security forces dispersed the protest, or that any protesters had been killed.
Jan's colleague Saqib Bashir said on Thursday that they had both been picked up
by men wearing black uniforms from the car park of the Pakistan Institute of
Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad.”



Yemen



Reuters: US Navy Destroys Houthi Missiles And Drones Targeting American Ships
In Gulf Of Aden
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“U.S. Navy destroyers shot down seven missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s
Houthi rebels at the warships and three American merchant vessels they were
escorting through the Gulf of Aden. No damage or injuries were reported. U.S.
Central Command said late Sunday that the destroyers USS Stockdale and USS
O’Kane shot down and destroyed three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three drones
and one anti-ship cruise missile. The merchant ships were not identified. The
Houthis claimed the attack in a statement and said they had targeted the U.S.
destroyers and “three supply ships belonging to the American army in the
Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden.””



Lebanon



CBS News: Israel Says It Struck Hezbollah Weapons Smuggling Sites Along
Syria-Lebanon Border
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“Israeli aircraft struck Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites along Syria's
border with Lebanon, the Israeli military said Saturday, testing a fragile,
days-old ceasefire that has seen continued sporadic fire. The military said it
struck sites that had been used to smuggle weapons from Syria into Lebanon
after the ceasefire took effect, which the military said was a violation of its
terms. There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities or Hezbollah.
Israeli aircraft have struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, citing ceasefire
violations, several times since the truce began on Wednesday. The ceasefire
between Israel and Hezbollah does not address the war in Gaza, where fighting
rages on. An Israeli airstrike on a car in the Gaza Strip on Saturday killed
five people, including employees of World Central Kitchen.”



Middle East



Associated Press: UN Halts Aid Shipments Through Gaza’s Main Crossing After
Looting. It Blames The Crisis On Israel
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“The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Sunday it is halting aid
deliveries through the main cargo crossing into the war-ravaged Gaza Strip
because of the threat of armed gangs who have looted convoys. It blamed the
breakdown of law and order in large part on Israeli policies. In Israel, a
former defense minister and fierce critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
— and a hard-liner on the Palestinians — accused the government of ethnic
cleansing in northern Gaza, where a military offensive continues. The U.N.
agency’s decision could worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis as a second cold,
rainy winter sets in, with hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in squalid
tent camps and reliant on international aid. Experts already warned of famine
in the north, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early
October.”



Egypt



Reuters: Egypt Hosts Hamas In New Gaza Ceasefire Push, Looting Halts Aid
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“Hamas leaders held talks with Egyptian security officials on Sunday in a
fresh push for a ceasefire in the Gaza war, two Hamas sources said, and Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was set to hold security talks on the matter,
two Israeli officials said. The Hamas visit to Cairo was the first since the
United States announced on Wednesday it would revive efforts in collaboration
with Qatar, Egypt and Turkey to negotiate a ceasefire in Gaza, that would
include a hostage deal. White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan
said he thought the chances of a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Palestinian
territory were now more likely. "(Hamas) are isolated. Hezbollah is no longer
fighting with them, and their backers in Iran and elsewhere are preoccupied
with other conflicts," he told CNN on Sunday.”



Europe



Bloomberg: Arrests Made After Kosovo Blast Called Terrorism By Premier
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“Kosovo’s prime minister Albin Kurti said an explosion late Friday night that
damaged a key water canal was a “terrorist act” and accused groups aligned with
Serbia of having been behind it — an accusation Serbia called baseless.
Kosovo’s interior minister, Xhelal Svecla, announced the arrest of eight people
linked to the explosion and said police seized a large cache of weapons and
military equipment during the operation. He said the searches were carried out
at ten locations in northern Kosovo. The searches “to the confiscation of arms,
explosives, hundreds of uniforms, and other military gear, which will serve as
evidence in criminal proceedings,” he said during a press conference on
Saturday evening.”



Reuters: Three Persons Charged In Sweden With Preparation Of IS-Linked
Terrorist Crime
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“Swedish prosecutors have charged three persons with preparation of terrorist
crime with links to Islamic State (IS), they said on Monday. The Swedish
Prosecution Authority said in a statement it had also charged the three, and
one more person, with being members of a terrorist organisation, and that the
suspected crimes took place between September 2023 and March 2024. "The
investigation shows that the terrorist crimes have international links to IS,
mainly IS in Somalia, but also to people under terrorist-related investigation
abroad," it said.”



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