CEP Mentions
Metro: New Orleans Attack ‘Sign Of Growing ISIS Threat On West’s Doorstep’
“... Dr Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), said: ‘I’ve not seen any direct connections between the two attacks, although the symbolism — with a Tesla Cybertruck being used in the Trump Hotel attack — is similar. They both took place on New Year’s Eve, which is the last opportunity for terrorists to make national and international headlines by targeting people gathering in large numbers before a slump in the new year. So it could be a horrific coincidence. ‘The two attackers are veterans who are said to have gone to the same base, but then the American military is vast, with about 1.4 million active personnel, so I wouldn’t read too much into that.”
Frankfurter Rundschau: New Orleans Death Ride Shows Terror Innovation: How The Islamic State Recruits Lone Attackers
“... IS has not yet officially claimed responsibility for the attack in New Orleans. Terror expert Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project believes: "Everything points to a so-called inspired attack by a single perpetrator or a single terrorist cell, which was motivated by the increased IS propaganda of recent times." The "inspired attack" is a real terrorist innovation that the Islamic State has brought about, said Schindler in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIA . The principle behind it: According to the watering can principle, IS spreads its propaganda as widely as possible via social media.”
Merkur.de: Danger Of IS Attacks In Germany Grows: “Terrorists Are Becoming More Confident Again”
“For a few years, the Islamic State seemed to be nothing more than a ghost from the past. A fallacy, because it is now clear that the terrorist organization never really disappeared and is once again highly active. Terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project warns of a new danger of attacks in Europe and Germany. "What is new is that the terrorists are again daring to use more resources for elaborate attacks like the one in Moscow," said Schindler in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIA. At the end of March 2024, armed men carried out an attack on a concert hall in the Russian capital , leaving more than 140 people dead and hundreds injured.”
Reuters: Investigators Seek Clues To New Orleans Attacker's Path To Radicalization
“... Individuals susceptible to recruitment “might have lost their jobs, might have had a mental health crisis, might have just concluded that however hard they’ve tried, they never belong," said Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British diplomat who led a U.N. team that monitors Islamic State and al Qaeda. The main appeal of Islamic State is its determination to establish a Sunni Muslim “caliphate” ruled by Islamic law, unlike the Taliban, which “has sold out to Afghan nationalism,” or al Qaeda, members of which have cooperated with Iran’s Shiite Muslim-run government, he said.”
Welt: "The Islamic State Has Been Carrying A Victory Narrative Since 2021"
“In New Orleans, a military veteran drove into a crowd. The flag of the extremist militia Islamic State (IS) was apparently found in the car. Terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler speaks about a possible return of IS to Europe.”
Express: UK Terror Alert In Wake Of New Orleans Atrocity: 'Sadly A Question Of When – Not If'
“British terror police are on red alert over fears of copycat attacks following the New Orleans atrocity. Counter-terrorism chiefs and intelligence officers are monitoring for signs the attack, which killed at least 14 people in the US city, could inspire jihadis to commit more atrocities… Professor Ian Acheson, senior adviser at the Counter Extremism Project, told the Daily Express: "The New Orleans atrocity should greatly concern the security and intelligence services here. "There are tens of thousands of subjects of interest on MI5 watchlists. Islamic State encouraged its adherents to use vehicles to attack Christmas markets late last year and we saw another murderous attack in Magdeburg only a few weeks ago.”
The National Interest: After Assad, Are The Houthis Next?
“With the fall of the Assad regime in Syria and Hezbollah in Lebanon defeated and increasingly isolated, attention turns to the Houthis in Yemen. Perhaps the strongest remaining Iranian proxy force in the region, the Houthis are certainly the most active in terms of their attacks on Israel and also on international shipping in the Red Sea… Ari Heistein is an advisor to Israeli startups seeking to sell to the U.S. federal government, a consultant on issues relating to Yemen, and a nonresident fellow at the Counter Extremism Project.”
Südwest 24: New Orleans Death Ride Shows Terror Innovation: How The Islamic State Recruits Lone Attackers
“Hundreds of people were celebrating wildly in the French Quarter, the nightlife district of New Orleans in the USA. Then, at around 3 a.m. on New Year's Day, a pick-up truck suddenly rammed into the crowd . At least 14 people died and dozens were injured. The police initially spoke of 15 fatalities, but revised the number downwards during the course of the Thursday after New Year's Day… IS has not yet officially claimed responsibility for the attack in New Orleans. Terror expert Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project believes: "Everything points to a so-called inspired attack by a single perpetrator or a single terrorist cell, which was motivated by the increased IS propaganda of recent times."”
SWR Aktuell: Car Attacks: Have The Authorities Failed?
“Twice within two weeks a car was used as a murder weapon: first in Magdeburg - then in New Orleans. Security expert Hans-Jakob Schindler has a suspicion. It was sloppiness, suspects the managing director of the German branch of the international " Counter Extremism Project " in conversation with SWR Aktuell presenter Stefan Eich. The authorities in Germany and the USA did not do their homework when implementing the security concepts.”
United States
NBC News: Driver In New Orleans Terrorist Attack Acted Alone And Was ‘100% Inspired By ISIS,’ FBI Says
“The driver behind the deadly New Year’s terrorist attack in New Orleans posted videos online proclaiming his support for the Islamic State terrorist group before he rammed his truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14, the FBI said Thursday. As Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, made his way to Louisiana from his home in Texas on New Year’s Eve, he gave his social media followers a glimpse of his violent plan and radical thinking, Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, said at a briefing.”
The New York Times: As Biden’s Term Ends, Gaza Truce Efforts Proceed Cautiously
“Talks between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza and free the remaining hostages have appeared to make little headway, according to officials familiar with the discussions, as the clock runs down on the Biden administration’s remaining days to reach an agreement on a cease-fire. Israel has kept up with its campaign in Gaza even as mediators have conducted months of shuttle diplomacy. Israeli and Hamas officials said in December that there had been progress toward a deal, before each blamed the other side for throwing up fresh obstacles. Gaps have persisted amid differences between the two sides, the officials said, and the future of the talks is uncertain.”
Afghanistan
Fox News: ISIS Increasingly Unopposed Following US Withdrawal From Afghanistan, Collapse Of Syria
“The threat posed by the Islamic State has once again hit the headlines following the New Year's Day attack on a crowded street in New Orleans on Wednesday by a man who may have ties to the terrorist network. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S.-born citizen who lived in Texas and an Army Veteran, drove a pickup truck with an ISIS flag into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens of others. However, the FBI has not confirmed his direct "affiliation" or "association" with the infamous terrorist network which has been expanding across the globe in recent years, particularly in regions like the Sahel in Africa, despite the 2019 assertion that the terrorist network had been "defeated."”
Voice Of America: Taliban Rejects Islamabad's Request For Money To Transfer TTP Militants Across Durand Line
“Hamdullah Fitrat, the deputy spokesman for the Taliban government, said in an audio message published by the pro-Taliban radio station Omid Radio on Thursday, January 2 (March 13), that he did not know for what purpose Pakistani officials were making such claims. He said: "We reject this claim. The Islamic Emirate [Taliban government] has not made any such request to Pakistan. It is regrettable that high-level Pakistani officials are making such claims for any reason." Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said that the Taliban government had requested a budget of 10 billion rupees, or about $36 million, from Islamabad to transfer and redeploy Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants from areas near the Durand Line in Afghanistan to other remote areas of Afghanistan.”
Pakistan
The New York Times: A Long Fight To Keep A Closer Eye On Madrasas Unravels In Pakistan
“They draw millions of poor Pakistani children with the simple promise of free education, meals and housing. For devout families, they offer Islamic learning rooted in ancient tradition. But to the Pakistani government and Western counterterrorism officials, the religious seminaries known as madrasas also represent a potential threat. The institutions have long been accused of contributing to violence and radicalization, supplying recruits for the Taliban, Al Qaeda and other militant groups. Now, Pakistan’s Islamic schools are at the center of an intense political clash — one that jeopardizes years of hard-won progress toward bringing the seminaries under the government’s regulatory umbrella.”
Lebanon
Reuters: Israeli Military Destroys Hezbollah Rocket Launchers In Southern Lebanon
“The Israeli military said on Thursday that it had attacked and destroyed medium-range rocket launchers at a Hezbollah military site in southern Lebanon. The military said in a statement that before the strike it had sent a request to Lebanon's army to destroy the launchers and that the launchers were only attacked after the Lebanese side failed to act. The Lebanese army did not immediately respond to a request for comment.”
Middle East
Associated Press: Middle East Latest: Israeli Strikes Across Gaza Kill At Least 50, Including Several Kids
“Israeli airstrikes killed at least 50 people across central and southern Gaza, including an attack on a sprawling tent camp that Israel has repeatedly bombed despite designating it a humanitarian safe zone. Israel said the strike targeted a high-ranking police officer, and blames Hamas for civilian deaths. The airstrikes took place Thursday and continued into Friday. On Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he authorized a delegation from the country’s intelligence services and military to continue negotiations in Qatar toward a ceasefire deal in Gaza. There was no immediate comment from Hamas.”
Associated Press: Israel Struggles To Deter Escalating Attacks From Yemen’s Houthi Rebels As Other Fronts Calm
“The rockets from Gaza have mostly fallen silent. A ceasefire with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon has taken hold. But repeated fire from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, a faraway foe, is proving a stubborn threat for Israel. The Iran-backed Houthis are stepping up their missile attacks, sending hundreds of thousands of Israelis scrambling for shelter in the middle of the night, scaring away foreign airlines and keeping up what could be the last major front in the Middle East wars. “It’s like musical chairs,” said Yoni Yovel, 31, who left the northern Israeli city of Haifa late last year to avoid rocket fire from Hezbollah only to see his apartment in Tel Aviv’s Jaffa neighborhood heavily damaged by a Houthi missile.”
Somalia
Bloomberg: Ethiopia, Somalia Agree To Collaborate On Countering Insurgents
“Ethiopia and Somalia agreed to work together on a multinational force battling Islamist insurgents, signaling a further reduction of diplomatic tensions between the neighboring countries. Talks in Mogadishu on Thursday between senior government officials resulted in an agreement to “collaborate” on the so-called African Union Support and Stabilization Mission and “strengthen bilateral relations,” Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on X on Friday. It didn’t provide details on how the nations would work together. Somalia’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Ali Balcad, didn’t immediately respond to a text message requesting comment.”
France
Reuters: German, French Foreign Ministers In Damascus To Meet Syria's New Rulers
“ The foreign ministers of Germany and France said they wanted to forge a new relationship with Syria and urged a peaceful transition as they visited Damascus on Friday meet its de facto new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa on behalf of the European Union. Germany's Annalena Baerbock and France's Jean-Noel Barrot are the first ministers from the EU to visit Syria since rebels seized control of Damascus on Dec. 8 and forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war, ending his family's decades-long rule. "My trip today...is a clear signal to the Syrians: A new political beginning between Europe and Syria, between Germany and Syria, is possible," German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said before she left for Damascus.”
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