Islamist Extremism |
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Anti-Israel demonstrators at the Consulate General of Israel on October 09, 2023 in New York City - Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images |
Egyptian College Student Arrested for Planning Attack on Israeli Consulate
A George Mason University freshman with reported ties to ISIS was arrested on Tuesday in Falls Church, Va., and charged with planning a terror attack on the Israeli Consulate General in New York. Abdullah Ezzeldin Taha Mohamed Hassan, an 18-year Egyptian national, was in touch with an undercover FBI agent and directed the agent in how to build a bomb and to target the Israeli Consulate. Police also recently found guns and terror flags in the home of two sisters who led the George Mason chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. A George Mason spokesman told the Washington Post that the two cases appear to be unrelated. Read More Afghan Man Sentenced for Narco-Terrorism
Haji Abdul Satar Abdul Manaf, 59, received a 30-year prison sentence for attempting to import heroin into the U.S., narco-terrorism benefiting the Taliban and Haqqani Network, and witness tampering. Manaf conspired to distribute heroin in New York City, using the profits to fund violent extremist groups. While in custody, Manaf directed his family in Afghanistan to kidnap and threaten a DEA source who had testified against him, showcasing his efforts to obstruct justice. Read More Virginia Man Convicted of ISIS Crypto Financing Scheme
Mohammed Azharuddin Chhipa, 35, from Springfield, Va., was convicted for providing material support to ISIS through cryptocurrency transactions. Chhipa used Bitcoin to fund ISIS, including sending payments for the release of terrorist prisoners, demonstrating the use of digital currencies in terror financing. He maintained communications with known ISIS facilitators and paid for the release of a female ISIS member from a Kurdish detention center. Chhipa is facing up to 20 years in prison for his actions. Read More |
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Militant-Right and Militant-Left Extremism |
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Shooter Luigi Mangione is led into the Blair County Courthouse for an extradition hearing on December 10, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. - Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
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UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooter Being Praised as Anti-Capitalist Folk Hero
- Luigi Mangione, 26, who has been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, is being hailed in many left-wing corners of the internet as an anti-capitalist folk hero.
- Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pa., following a massive manhunt. Police found a 3D-printed gun, suppressor, and clothing matching the suspect's description in Mangione's possession.
- Investigators found writings suggesting Mangione had grievances against the U.S. healthcare system, specifically health insurance companies, possibly motivated by his health issues and surgery.
- His manifesto expressed disdain for corporate greed while also engaging with diverse thought leaders from across the political spectrum. NYPD intelligence officers believe Mangione might have been inspired by "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski.
- Mangione, from a prominent Maryland family, graduated as valedictorian from Gilman School and holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. Read More
Neo-Nazi Sentenced
- Robert Rundo, 34, founder of the neo-Nazi "Active Club" network, was sentenced to two years of time served for conspiracy to riot, with an additional two years of supervised release.
- Rundo's case involved dismissals, appeals, and extradition from Romania, focusing on his role in the Rise Above Movement (RAM) during 2017 political rallies in California.
- In court, Rundo claimed to have moved away from his previous extremist views, expressing a desire for non-violence and life in Florida caring for his mother, though skepticism about his sincerity persists.
- Despite his incarceration, Rundo's influence continued through the expansion of "Active Clubs" globally, which engage in physical training and political intimidation, highlighting the challenge of containing extremist networks. Read More
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Hate Crime |
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A photo from video footage of hate crime suspect James Eason, 45 - Santa Cruz Police Department via Lookout Santa Cruz screenshot |
Man Arrested for Hate Crime Vandalism
James Eason, 45, was arrested for vandalizing The Neighbor's Pub, an LGBT-friendly bar in downtown Santa Cruz, shortly after its opening. Eason is to be charged with vandalism, arson, and a hate crime after allegedly carving a homophobic slur into the glass doors and attempting to set the building on fire. Read More Indiana Woman Sentenced for Racially Motivated Attack
- Billie Davis, 57, was sentenced to 72 months in prison and three years of supervised release for a hate crime involving the stabbing of a Chinese student on a Bloomington public bus.
- On January 11, 2023, Davis attacked an 18-year-old Indiana University student, stabbing her multiple times in the head as she was exiting the bus, motivated by racial animus.
- Davis used racist slurs against the victim, claiming she attacked her because "she was Chinese" and to make "one less enemy," highlighting the racial motivation behind the assault. Read More
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School Threats |
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Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes speaks to reporters after a deadly school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisc. - Channel 3000 screenshot
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Wisconsin School Shooting Takes Three Lives
A shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisc., resulted in the death of three individuals, including the shooter. The 15-year-old female shooter died by suicide. Five other people were injured, ranging from minor to life-threatening. Read More California School Shooter Identified
- Glenn Litton, a 56-year-old with a lengthy criminal and mental health history, was identified as the suspected shooter who wounded two kindergartners before taking his own life at Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists.
- Litton left a note citing his actions as a "countermeasure" to U.S. involvement in what he described as the "genocide and oppression of Palestinians," showing a distorted connection between his actions and Middle Eastern conflicts.
- Litton used an Uber to attend a fake appointment about enrolling a nonexistent grandson at the school. Following the meeting, he opened fire on the playground.
- The two children, Roman Mendez (6) and Elias Wolford (5) remain in critical condition following the attack, with their survival described as a "miracle" by authorities. Read More
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Foreign Influence Operations |
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A TikTok creator speaks to reporters outside of the U.S. Court of Appeals on September 16, 2024, after TikTok filed an appeal of a law that forces ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, to divest control of TikTok, after the FBI designated the app as a national security risk - Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
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US Court Rejects TikTok Request to Halt Ban
A U.S. appeals court rejected TikTok's emergency appeal to temporarily halt a law mandating ByteDance to divest TikTok by January 19 or face a ban in the U.S. The court's unanimous decision was based on national security risks posed by Chinese ownership of TikTok, with no precedent found for pausing such an Act of Congress. TikTok plans to appeal to the Supreme Court, with the company arguing the law threatens free speech for its 170 million U.S. users. Read More Russian National Indicted
Alexey Komov, a Russian national, was indicted for assisting sanctioned oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev in hiring Jack Hanick, an American, to operate a Russian TV network, violating U.S. sanctions. Komov's actions included facilitating payments to Hanick post-sanction, and employing shell companies to obscure financial transactions, thus breaching the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The charges carry potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison per count. Read More |
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QUOTABLE
“ I agree to this Constitution with all its faults because I think a general Government necessary for us, and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other.”
-- Benjamin Franklin
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NOTE TO OUR READERS: We have pulled out the salient points of the articles in this newsletter to keep you informed and focused on the most relevant, important and timely news in national security and extremism. While our national security experts stand behind the summary bullets and deem them trustworthy, Clarion Project does not endorse all the views expressed in the articles linked. |
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