Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Global News on Extremism and Terrorism Eye on Extremism April 1, 2025   Top Stories RTVE: The Civil Guard arrests three people in an anti-terrorist operation in Barcelona The Civil Guard arrested three people on Tuesday in an international anti-terrorism operation carried out in Barcelona, ​​which also resulted in arrests in the United Kingdom and France. Officers raided the home on Valencia Street in the Sagrada Familia neighborhood early this morning and completed their search around 10:30 a.m. In addition to arresting three people, officers seized several bags of documents for further analysis. Jerusalem Post: Israel says it 'eliminated' operative for Hezbollah and Iran in Beirut strike The IAF killed Hassan Ali Badir, a Hezbollah and Iran Quds Forces operative, in an overnight strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, the military, Mossad, and Shin Bet said in a joint statement on Tuesday afternoon. The report came hours after the Lebanese health ministry said that at least three people were killed and seven wounded in an Israeli airstrike on Beirut's southern suburbs, further testing a shaky four-month ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. A Hezbollah source told the French news agency AFP prior that the target of the attack was Badir, who was also deputy head of Hamas's Palestinian affairs department.   S1 E5: Guns, Drugs, and Swastikas: Europe’s Neo-Nazi Mafias Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler and Alexander Ritzmann explore the deepening ties between right-wing extremists and organized crime across Europe. Drawing on CEP’s research, they reveal how groups like the Bandidos and Turonen operate as Neo-Nazi mafias, dealing in drugs, weapons, and money laundering, while law enforcement often misses ideological links due to structural blind spots. Listen here.   CEP Mentions Brasil Paralelo: The real crimes that inspired the series Adolescence that is trending on Netflix The real-life connection is no coincidence. Experts like those at the Counter Extremism Project have noticed that teenagers, still trying to figure out who they are, can easily fall into this trap. Jamie, in the series, is not born a monster; he is a normal boy who, isolated and hurt, finds incel forums as an explanation for his pain — and an excuse to lash out. News Analysis RAND Corp.: Hezbollah's Networks in Latin America Although U.S. policymakers face a variety of complex challenges in addressing transnational terrorism, one underappreciated aspect is Hezbollah's evolving presence in Latin America. Academic literature and government reports almost universally indicate that Hezbollah's activities in the region pose potential threats to U.S. national security. However, there is a significant knowledge gap in existing assessments. In this paper, the author offers an initial exploration of Hezbollah's operational footprint in Latin America, focusing on illicit funding mechanisms, violent operations, and key operational hubs — particularly in the Tri-Border Area and Venezuela. The analysis situates these activities within the broader context of Iran's regional diplomatic, economic, and cultural activities, which partially facilitate conditions amenable to Hezbollah's operations. United States Reuters: Pro-Palestinian Cornell student to leave US after officials asked for surrender A Cornell University student who participated in pro-Palestinian protests and was asked to surrender by U.S. immigration officials said on Monday he was leaving the United States, citing fear of detention and threats to his personal safety. Momodou Taal, a doctoral candidate in Africana Studies and dual citizen of the UK and The Gambia, has participated in pro-Palestinian protests against Israel's war in Gaza following an October 2023 Hamas attack. His attorneys said last month that he was asked to turn himself in and that his student visa was being revoked. Alabama Political Reporter: Sen. Britt introduces the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act U.S. Senator Katie Britt, R-Ala., joined Senator Tim Scott, R-S.C., and several of their colleagues in introducing the Stop Antisemitism on College Campuses Act, which would rescind federal funding from colleges and universities that encourage antisemitism or facilitate antisemitic events on campus. This legislation comes as the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education and the General Services Administration recently announced the cancellation of about $400 million in federal grants and contracts to Columbia University due to the school’s continued inaction in the face of persistent harassment of Jewish students. New York Times: Trump Administration Will Review Billions in Funding for Harvard The Trump administration said on Monday that it was reviewing roughly $9 billion in federal grants and contracts awarded to Harvard, claiming that the university had allowed antisemitism to run unchecked on its campus. In a statement on Monday, the administration said that it was examining about $256 million in contracts, as well as an additional $8.7 billion in what it described as “multiyear grant commitments.” I24 News: Report: Trump to stop $210 million for Princeton over antisemitism The Trump administration is set to halt $210 million in funding for Princeton University as it investigates antisemitism in the wake of the rampant anti-Israel protests since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. According to the Daily Caller, the investigation into Princeton dates back to the Biden administration after a civil rights complaint following the protests in November 2023. Evanston RoundTable: Northwestern touts 88% drop in reports of antisemitism Nearly a year after Northwestern University President Michael Schill appeared on Capitol Hill for a hearing on antisemitism, the university released a report Monday touting an 88% drop in documented incidents of antisemitic discrimination from November 2023 to November 2024. NU, facing an active Trump administration investigation over alleged antisemitism on campus, said in the update that “like many universities across the nation, Northwestern was not prepared for the antisemitism that occurred last year.” France Reuters: Le Pen's party chief calls on French people to rally against election ban Far-right party chief Jordan Bardella called on the French to rally this weekend to protest against a ruling that banned Marine Le Pen from running for public office for five years after being found guilty of embezzling European Union funds. Monday's ruling was a catastrophic setback for Le Pen, the long-time National Rally (RN) leader, who had been the front-runner in opinion polls for the 2027 presidential election. Germany Deutsche Welle: Germany could withdraw citizenship due to 'antisemitism' "Terror supporters, antisemites and extremists" could have their German citizenship revoked — if they hold a second nationality, according to planning documents. Critics of the move say it will lead to unequal treatment. Italy EURACTIV: Suspected Russian drone over EU hub in Italy triggers espionage, terror probe The Milan Prosecutor’s Office has launched an investigation into suspected political or military espionage, with possible links to terrorism, following repeated drone incursions over the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, northern Italy. According to investigators, a drone believed to be of Russian origin flew over the JRC facility - one of the EU’s largest research centers after Brussels and Luxembourg - five times over a period of six days last month. The facility first raised the alarm on Friday, prompting heightened scrutiny from Italian authorities. Daily Mail: Tesla dealership goes up in flames in Italy with 17 cars destroyed as cops probe possible arson amid spate of attacks on Musk's vehicles in Europev A Tesla dealership has gone up in flames in Italy with police investigating possible arson that destroyed at least 17 cars, a security source said. Italy's anti-terrorism police unit Digos is leading the investigation and is looking into the possibility that anarchists set fire to the cars on the eastern outskirts of Rome, the source said. Drone images showed the burnt-out remains of cars lined up in a parking lot, with two rows of vehicles back-to-back and a third row some distance away. The Netherlands Reuters: Suspect of Amsterdam stabbing seen to have had a terrorist intent – prosecutors The Ukrainian man who is suspected of having wounded five people during a stabbing rampage in Amsterdam last week is seen to have had a terrorist intent, Dutch prosecutors said on Tuesday. United Kingdom BBC: Man charged over Network Rail terror message hack A 36-year-old man has been charged in connection with a cyber attack at UK railway stations which resulted in people who accessed the wi-fi being shown a message about terror attacks. Public wi-fi services were suspended at 19 railway stations last September after messages about past terror attacks appeared on people's devices. British Transport Police said it had received various reports of imagery "intended to incite religious hatred". Russia Politico: Russia officially moves to legalize the Taliban The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office requested Monday that the Supreme Court ends a ban on the Taliban’s activities in the country. Moscow’s foreign and justice ministries submitted an appeal last week to President Vladimir Putin urging the Taliban’s removal from Russia’s list of terrorist organizations. Israel Jerusalem Post: Netanyahu rescinds appointment of new Shin Bet chief after one day Prime Minister Netanyahu has officially rescinded the appointment of former naval chief V.-Adm. (ret.) Eli Sharvit to head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency), according to the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday. The Prime Minister thanked Sharvit for his willingness to take on the role, but informed him that after further consideration he intends to examine other candidates. In initial reactions from agency sources to The Jerusalem Post, Sharvit was so unknown to them that most of them had little to say, despite a clear sense of shock that Netanyahu had not only refrained from appointing a deputy Shin Bet chief to the role, which has been customary in recent decades, but that he had taken someone outside of the agency and even outside of the IDF’s ground forces. Jewish News Syndicate: Israel warns citizens of heightened global terror risk ahead of Passover Israel’s National Security Council issued a heightened travel advisory on Tuesday, warning that Iran, Hamas and other extremist groups could target Israeli and Jewish individuals abroad during the upcoming Passover holiday. Jerusalem Post: Authorities arrest Hamas terrorist threatening to murder Samaria Regional Council head The IDF and Israel Police conducted a joint operation to arrest a Hamas terrorist for threatening to assassinate Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan on Tuesday. Khiradi Hassan is the sixth terrorist who has been arrested for threatening to assassinate Dagan. Lebanon Reuters: Israel kills Hezbollah official in deadly Beirut airstrike An Israeli airstrike killed four people including a Hezbollah official in Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, a Lebanese security source said, further testing a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. The Israeli military said the official - Hassan Bdeir - was a member of a Hezbollah unit and Iran's Quds Force, and he had assisted the Palestinian group Hamas in planning a "significant and imminent terror attack against Israeli civilians". Times of Israel: Images show slain Hezbollah operative with top Iran IRGC general Images on social media show a Hezbollah operative who was killed overnight in an Israeli strike on a flight with a top Iranian general. The photo shows Hassan Bdair sitting alongside Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Iranian IRGC Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani. Both Soleimani and al-Muhandis were killed in a US airstrike in Iraq in January 2020. Naharnet: Lebanon makes arrests over rockets fired at Israel Lebanese authorities said several suspects have been arrested after rockets were fired at Israel earlier this month, testing a fragile November ceasefire. Lebanon's General Security agency said it had "arrested a number of suspects, and the relevant authorities have begun investigations with them to determine responsibility and take the appropriate legal measures." Asharq al-Awsat newspaper meanwhile said that the Lebanese Army has arrested a group of suspects, including Lebanese citizens and at least one Palestinian, for their possible involvement in the launching of rockets. Syria New York Times: These Militias Refuse to Join Syria’s New Army As the Islamist rebels who ousted the dictator Bashar al-Assad in December set up a new government, they are seeking to fold disparate militias including this one, which sprung up during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, into a single national force. A unified military is crucial to securing control over the entire country and establishing stability, but that goal has proved elusive. Since January, several of the strongest Druse militias had been in talks with the government about their conditions for joining the new army. They were skeptical over the interim president’s pledges to protect the rights of Syria’s many religious and ethnic minorities. United Arab Emirates Newsweek: Three Sentenced to Death for Murdering Rabbi Three people have been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) after being convicted of the premeditated murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi. The ruling follows a high-profile investigation into the brutal killing, which sent shockwaves through both the local and international Jewish communities. Afghanistan Afghanistan International: US Labels Taliban ‘Terror Network Backed By Iran,’ Criticises Tehran’s Role On Monday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said Iran remains the primary state sponsor of terrorism in the region and maintains a hostile stance toward the United States and its allies. Iran “supports Hezbollah, Hamas, al-Qaeda, the Houthis, the Taliban, and other terrorist networks,” Bruce stated, underscoring what she called Iran’s extensive role in fuelling regional instability. Associated Press: The Taliban leader says there is no need for Western laws in Afghanistan The Taliban leader said Sunday there was no need for Western laws in Afghanistan and that democracy was dead as long as sharia laws are in effect. Hibatullah Akhundzada made the comments in a sermon marking the Islamic holiday of Eid Al-Fitr, in the southern city of Kandahar’s Eidgah Mosque. The 50-minute audio of his message was published on X by the Taliban government’s chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. Iran France 24: Iran will have 'no choice' but to get nukes if attacked, says Khamenei adviser Iran complained to the United Nations Security Council on Monday about "reckless and belligerent" remarks by US President Donald Trump, who threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and more tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. An adviser to the supreme leader warned that Iran would have to acquire a nuclear weapon if attacked by the US or its allies. Fox News: Trump threatens Iran over nukes as DNI Gabbard claims Tehran is not building bombs As President Donald Trump edges closer to potentially bombing Tehran, Iran, the intelligence community does not yet believe Iran is moving toward a nuclear weapon. "If they don’t do a deal, there will be bombing," Trump said Sunday. It was not clear whether that meant Israel or the U.S. would bomb Tehran. "There's a chance that if they don't make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago," he added. Secondary "tariffs," or sanctions, would mean slapping financial penalties on any country that does business with Iran. The Telegraph: Iran urged to strike Diego Garcia base ‘immediately’ Iranian armed forces have called for a preemptive strike on the Diego Garcia military base before America uses it to target the Islamic Republic. A senior Iranian official said military commanders have been asked to target the joint UK-US base, which sits on Britain’s Chagos Islands, in an attempt to deter Donald Trump from striking Iran. The official in Tehran told The Telegraph: “Top commanders are being urged to launch preemptive strikes on the island and its base if Trump’s threats have become more serious.” The Telegraph: Iran will target Britain’s Chagos base if Trump attacks Iran has warned that it will target British forces in the Chagos Islands if Donald Trump attacks the Middle Eastern nation. After Mr Trump threatened military action against the regime if it did not make a deal with the US over its nuclear programme, a senior Iranian military official told The Telegraph that Tehran would strike the joint US-UK naval base on Diego Garcia in response to any US attack. “There will be no distinction in targeting British or American forces if Iran is attacked from any base in the region or within the range of Iranian missiles,” he said on Saturday. Iraq Jerusalem Post: Where are the missing Yazidis? Thousands still held captive after ISIS attacks After over a decade of Islamic State (ISIS) terrorism on Iraq's Yazidi minority, a global network of activists, survivors, and volunteers continues their efforts to locate and rescue thousands of missing women and girls, the New York Times reported. In August 2014, ISIS terrorists committed a genocide in the Sinjar area of Iraq, home to the Yazidi community. More than 3,000 Yazidis were killed, and over 6,800 were abducted during that time, according to estimates from multiple sources, including the United Nations and Yazidi advocacy organizations. Today, despite the territorial defeat of ISIS, nearly 3,000 Yazidis are still unaccounted for, according to the Free Yazidi Foundation. Many are believed to still be held in captivity across the Middle East or to have been trafficked to families associated with ISIS fighters. Long War Journal: Pro-Iran militias parade for ‘Quds Day’ in Iraq Pro-Iranian militias from the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) took part in Quds Day events in Iraq on March 28. The annual event, part of Iran’s attempt to mobilize opposition to Israel, takes place on the last Friday of Ramadan, is widely covered by Iranian state media, and is backed by pro-Iranian organizations in the Middle East. In Iraq, the turnout for Quds Day events took place amid continuing controversy in Baghdad over the future role of the PMU. There have been calls to rein in various militias that are linked to Iran. Turkey The National: PKK’s secret money web in Europe - and how it could delay Turkey ceasefire Dutch sociologist Joost Jongerden has tracked the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) for long enough to know its fighters have more than just "considerable support" in Europe, but a lucrative financial base that now looms over an emerging peace process with Turkey. From experts such as Mr Jongerden, and a trail of court documents and intelligence reports, The National has gained an in-depth view of how the organisation is ruthless in extracting revenue from within and beyond Europe's Kurdish diaspora. Turkiye Today: PKK faces internal resistance ahead of expected disarmament decision: Report The terrorist organization PKK is expected to hold a congress in mid-April, where a formal decision on disarmament and self-dissolution is anticipated following a call from its imprisoned ringleader, Abdullah Ocalan. However, Turkish columnist Selvi stipulated that two internal groups could resist this move. Selvi, writing for Hurriyet, stated, “I don’t want to disrupt the process, but it is said that two factions might oppose the PKK’s disarmament decision: one aligned with Iran and the other known as the Tunceli group.” Yemen Associated Press: Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim they shot down another American drone as US strikes pound country Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed Tuesday that they shot down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone, even as the U.S. kept up its campaign of intense airstrikes targeting the group. The reported shootdown over Yemen’s contested Marib governate came as airstrikes hit around Sanaa, the country’s rebel-held capital, and Saada, a stronghold for the Houthis. Reuters: US says it killed top Houthi missile expert, but questions linger The White House has said that U.S. strikes in Yemen earlier this month killed the Houthi top missile expert, but the U.S. military has so far declined to confirm the death, and the identity of the Houthi commander in question is unclear. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, in public remarks to CBS News the weekend after the March 15 strikes, said the first wave killed "their head missileer." New York Post: Trump vows strikes on Houthis are just getting started: ‘The real pain is yet to come’ President Trump vowed Monday to continue striking the Houthis until the Yemeni terror group stops attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea — warning that the US has “only just begun” its retaliation. “The Iran-backed Houthi Terrorists have been decimated by the relentless strikes over the past two weeks. Many of their Fighters and Leaders are no longer with us,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “We hit them every day and night — Harder and harder. Their capabilities that threaten Shipping and the Region are rapidly being destroyed.” Bangladesh New York Times: As Bangladesh Reinvents Itself, Islamist Hard-Liners See an Opening As Bangladesh tries to rebuild its democracy and chart a new future for its 175 million people, a streak of Islamist extremism that had long lurked beneath the country’s secular facade is bubbling to the surface. In interviews, representatives of several Islamist parties and organizations — some of which had previously been banned — made clear that they were working to push Bangladesh in a more fundamentalist direction, a shift that has been little noticed outside the country. The Islamist leaders are insisting that Bangladesh erect an “Islamic government” that punishes those who disrespect Islam and enforces “modesty” — vague concepts that in other places have given way to vigilantism or theocratic rule. India Hindustan Times: Encounter underway in J&K's Kathua, three Jaish terrorists likely trapped Officials suspect that three Jaish terrorists are trapped near the Panjtirthi temple in Kathua's Billawar area. The Indian Army's Rising Star Corps, along with the Jammu and Kashmir police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), launched a search and destroy operation in Kathua's Panjtirthi area on Tuesday morning after receiving intelligence inputs about possible 'terrorist' movement in the region. Pakistan Deccan Herald: Pak think tank says militant fatalities surpass civilian, security personnel deaths in first 3 months of 2025 A Pakistan think tank in a recent report said the militant fatalities surpassed the loss of civilians and security forces’ personnel in the first quarter of this year, for the first time in the last 12 years. The Centre for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) in its report said during the first quarter of 2025, the country witnessed 897 violence-linked fatalities and 542 injuries among civilians, security personnel and outlaws. New York Times: Uncertainty Torments Afghan Refugees Facing Deportation From Pakistan In a refugee settlement on the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan, Afghan families gathered on Sunday to observe the festival of Eid al-Fitr — not in joyous celebration, but in quiet apprehension. On Monday, thousands who have called Pakistan home for generations face a deportation deadline and an uncertain, possibly dangerous future. Since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, millions of Afghans have sought refuge in neighboring Pakistan, fleeing waves of violence and instability. Over the decades, many have returned home, but conflict and political upheaval continue to send hundreds of thousands back. Washington Post: Pakistan saw the highest number of militant attacks during Ramadan for a decade Pakistan saw the highest number of militant attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in a decade, a think tank reported Monday. Some militant groups previously paused hostilities for Ramadan, but the country has seen an overall increase in violence in recent years. The Pak Institute for Peace Studies reported at least 84 attacks during Ramadan, which ended Sunday in Pakistan. It reported 26 attacks during last year’s Ramadan. Japan Japan Times: Tokyo police launch section for lone-offender terrorism The Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday set up a section specializing in investigating lone offender terrorism, which involves attacks by people who do not belong to any organizations or groups. The launch of the first such police section in Japan is designed to help prevent terrorist attacks by lone offenders on important persons and facilities. Congo Reuters: Convicted war criminal Lubanga announces new rebel group in east Congo A convicted war criminal based in Uganda has announced a new rebel movement intent on toppling the government in eastern Congo's Ituri province, creating another potential security threat in the war-scarred region. The formation of the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR) by Thomas Lubanga, an Ituri native, comes as Congo's army faces an unprecedented advance by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels elsewhere in eastern Congo. Mali Wall Street Journal: Whiskey-Drinking Rocker Transforms Into West Africa’s Most Dangerous al Qaeda Leader Back in the day, Iyad ag Ghali wrote lyrics for a flamboyant blues-rock band from the heart of the Sahara. He jammed with the guys in the group, pounding out the beat on metal jerrycans, and frequented West African nightclubs. The group, Tinariwen, went on to tour the world, win a Grammy and play with the likes of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and U2’s Bono. Ag Ghali went on to become the leader of one of the most dangerous al Qaeda franchises in the world, banning music in a swath of West Africa the size of Montana and commanding an army of extremists responsible for tens of thousands of deaths. Ag Ghali’s gunmen even ambushed Tinariwen band members and abducted the guitar player. Ag Ghali has turned West Africa into the primary battlefield where the West and local governments have clashed with Islamist extremists. His 6,000 fighters have rampaged through villages and battled French soldiers, American Green Berets and Russian mercenaries. Technology Ynet: Hackers exploit voicemail to hijack Telegram accounts in Israel, experts warn The Israeli Internet Association warned Tuesday of a surge in attempts to hijack Telegram accounts belonging to Israelis through the exploitation of voicemail systems. Hackers have been targeting existing Telegram accounts and, in some cases, registering new ones using the phone numbers of people who have never used the app, including minors, according to Yonatan Ben Hurin, director of the Safe Internet Help Line.   The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is a nonprofit and non-partisan international policy organization working to combat the growing threat posed by extremist ideologies. CEP depends on the generosity of its supporters. If you value what we do, please consider making a donation. DONATE Were you forwarded this email? Subscribe for yourself here. Counter Extremism Project (CEP) | PO Box 3980 | NEW YORK, NY 10185 US Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice