Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Man accused of setting fire to Pennsylvania governor’s home denied bail Eye on Extremism April 15, 2025   Top Stories BBC: Hamas rejects Israeli ceasefire disarmament proposal - Palestinian official Hamas is said to have rejected an Israeli proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza which called for the armed group to give up its weapons. A senior Palestinian official familiar with the talks said the plan gave no commitment to end the war or for an Israeli troop pull-out - key Hamas demands - in exchange for releasing half of the living hostages which it holds. It comes as Israel continues its military offensive in Gaza. CNN: Man accused of setting fire to Pennsylvania governor’s home denied bail The man charged with setting fire to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence has been denied bail over concerns for the safety of the suspect and the Harrisburg community. During an arraignment hearing Monday, Magistrate District Judge Dale Klein recommended that Cody Balmer remain in jail for the time being. Balmer, 38, faces charges of attempted homicide, aggravated arson, terrorism and other crimes after police say he climbed over a fence, broke into the governor’s mansion in the early hours of Sunday morning and set the fire with a homemade Molotov cocktail he fashioned from lawnmower gasoline and beer bottles.   PODCAST: 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 Conservative Home: Ian Acheson: Jenrick should make fixing the shocking treatment of prison officers a Conservative priority When I’m speaking to people who know nothing about prisons, I often start with an entertaining mind game.I ask people to imagine that they are on the board of a company with a turnover north of £6bn a year. The company makes widgets. The widgets have a failure rate of 56 per cent after 12 months. What would you do? ‘Sack the management’ is the predictable and not unreasonable cry in response. Well you can’t, I tell them. I’ve just described His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service. The widgets are the offenders, and the failure rate is the number of male adults who reoffend after a year or less inside. Why this organisation fails so badly would take a whole book. So I wrote one. But I want to focus on one issue that is so scandalously bad and so morally awful that there is only one public sector organisation that could conceal it behind the high walls, literal and figurative of our collapsing prisons: staff sickness. The Times: Manchester bomber’s brother ‘should be completely isolated’ Ian Acheson, a former prison governor who carried out a review of Islamist extremism in jails in 2016, described Hashem Abedi, 28, as the second most dangerous prisoner in the UK after the serial killer Robert Maudsley. Latin Times: Pentagon Accused of Turning Blind Eye to Extremism in Ranks as Soldier Revealed to be Neo-Nazi TikTok Follower: 'Should Be End of His Career' The soldier's social media activity also includes participation in Nazi-era WWII reenactments, according to public posts reviewed by experts consulted by The Guardian. "The TikTok account affiliated with the group includes a clear statement supporting accelerationism and advises joining the group to be linked up with other individuals to exploit 'collapse'," said Joshua Fisher-Birch, an analyst with the Counter Extremism Project. Le Podcast: Government of Last Chance Dr Hans-Jacob Schindler on Russian interference in terrorist attacks in Germany about the need to regulate social media platforms in a more strict way, requiring them to pro-actively cooperate with law enforcement in Europe (starts 19.39). United States Associated Press: Fire set at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s home is the latest in a string of political violence Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro angrily called for an end to rising political violence just hours after a man broke into the governor’s mansion and set it on fire, forcing Shapiro and his family to flee into the night. It was the latest in a string of partisan political attacks in the United States. “This kind of violence is becoming far too common in our society. And I don’t give a damn if it’s coming from one particular side or the other,” Shapiro said. “It has to stop.” Wall Street Journal: Palestinian Columbia Student Detained by ICE at U.S. Citizenship Interview A Palestinian student at Columbia University was detained by federal immigration officers after a U.S. naturalization interview, the latest arrest in the Trump administration’s campaign against campus activism. Mohsen Mahdawi, an organizer of pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Columbia last year, was met by masked ICE agents at a Vermont immigration office Monday and taken into custody, his lawyer said. Mahdawi’s case is the most recent in a series of detentions carried out by the Department of Homeland Security as part of the Trump administration’s campaign against student protests and what it calls extremist ideology. NBC News: Government's case against Mahmoud Khalil shaky and reliant on tabloid accounts, review of evidence shows The former Columbia University student arrested on campus and slated for deportation has filed evidence that shows claims underlying the government's case are dubious. NBC News reviewed more than 100 pages of documents submitted by the federal government in its effort to deport Mahmoud Khalil, as well as evidence filed by Khalil’s legal team, including his permanent residency application, several articles about his activism, and contracts and letters detailing internship and work experience. In some instances, the government appears to be relying on unverified tabloid articles about Khalil. In others, the government’s claims about him are clearly erroneous because timelines don’t match. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Pro-Israel groups called for Mohsen Mahdawi’s deportation. He was arrested at a citizenship interview. When a Cornell University pro-Palestinian activist suing to stop his deportation cited the far-right pro-Israel group Betar in his lawsuit, the group rejoiced in its apparent impact — and said it had “reason to believe” that two other activists were “on the short list of those who will shortly be deported.” On Monday, ICE agents arrested one of them, Mohsen Mahdawi, during an appointment that Mahdawi had been told was part of the process to become a U.S. citizen. “As we said,” Betar tweeted as the news broke. It said in a subsequent tweet, “We confirm we provided information on this jihadi and many more.” The Forward: Student protesters being deported are not ‘martyrs and heroes,’ says former antisemitism envoy As the Trump administration escalates its campaign to revoke the visas of hundreds of international students — many for their involvement in pro-Palestinian activism — Deborah Lipstadt, the Biden administration’s antisemitism envoy, is offering support for some of the moves. “To depict some of these people as martyrs and heroes is ludicrous,” Lipstadt said in an interview, her words pointed and deliberate. Since early this year, more than 500 students have had their visas revoked. Federal officials have cited violations of university policies, support for extremist rhetoric and concerns over antisemitism and campus safety in the wake of Hamas’ attack on Israel and the war in Gaza. In the majority of these cases, the government has offered no explanation for the attempted deportations. The sweeping effort, which includes investigations into 60 universities, marks one of the most aggressive federal crackdowns on campuses in recent memory. New York Times: Trump Administration Will Freeze $2 Billion After Harvard Refuses Demands The Trump administration acted quickly on Monday to punish Harvard University after it refused to comply with a list of demands from the federal government that the school said were unlawful. On Monday afternoon, Harvard became the first university to refuse to comply with the administration’s requirements, setting up a showdown between the federal government and the nation’s wealthiest university. By the evening, federal officials said they would freeze $2.2 billion in multiyear grants to Harvard, along with a $60 million contract. The Guardian: Fears over extremism in US military as soldier revealed as neo-Nazi TikTok follower An active-duty serviceman in the US army is openly following a proscribed neo-Nazi terrorist group on social media, one that has vowed to recruit soldiers in preparation for a so-called race war. Experts say examples like this shows how under Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon is allowing extremism to go unchecked. On the surface, following a TikTok account might seem like a minor infraction for a young private in the 1st Infantry Division. But not only has that private followed the Base, a violent neo-Nazi terrorist organization once the target of an FBI investigation, there are directives issued under Joe Biden that discourages that kind of social media activity. But in February, the Department of Defense issued a memo halting a major counter-extremism initiative rooting out white nationalists and far-right influences among servicemen, citing that it was not in line with Donald Trump’s executive orders. Since, the efficacy of rooting out the far right within the ranks remains unclear. Europe World Politics Review: Europe’s Far Right Is Winning Over Young Voters In the aftermath of last year’s European Parliament elections, far-right parties across the European Union had plenty of cause to celebrate. Having significantly increased their vote share, the movement’s newly formed Patriots for Europe alliance is now the third-largest grouping in the European Parliament. Election data released shortly after the voting also comprehensively dispelled the stereotype of the far right as exclusively appealing to angry, older white men. To the contrary, it revealed an astonishing double-digit rise in support for Alternative for Germany, or AfD, and France’s National Rally, or RN, among voters under the age of 30. Austria The Local: Convicted Austrian far-right extremist to appear on ballot in Vienna elections Just weeks ahead of Vienna’s municipal elections, a scandal has emerged over a Freedom Party (FPÖ) candidate in Donaustadt (Vienna’s 22nd district) who was convicted under Austria’s Nazi Prohibition Act in December 2024. Robert Podany, a former district councillor and long-time FPÖ figure in Donaustadt, had been seeking a return to politics with a place on the party’s district council candidate list. But according to Der Standard, his criminal record should have automatically disqualified him from running. Germany DPA: German students make far-right salute at Auschwitz concentration camp Four ninth-grade students from Germany have been photographed making a far-right extremist gesture during a visit to the Auschwitz concentration camp memorial, prompting a police investigation. A spokesman from the office for schools and education in the eastern state of Saxony confirmed the incident on Monday. He said a report has been filed with the police and investigations have been launched. Deutsche Welle: Germany continues search for last living Nazi criminals There was Klaus Barbie, head of the Gestapo in Lyon from 1942 to 1944, who came to be known as the "Butcher of Lyon" for his cruelty. There was also Kurt Lischka and Herbert Hagen, who were responsible for the deportation of 76,000 Jews from France to extermination camps, among them 11,400 children. These are just three of the many Nazi war criminals and collaborators who have been tracked down by well-known Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld. Their life's work has ensured that these three perpetrators were convicted of their crimes, yet so many other Nazis have, despite committing many atrocities, managed to live out their lives in peace. Greece Deutsche Welle: Greece: Extremist group claims railway office attack Greek anti-terrorism investigators said Monday they were looking into a previously unknown extremist group that claimed responsibility for a bomb blast outside the offices of railway company Hellenic Train last week. No one was injured in the blast last Friday evening, but the office building's facade sustained significant damage. The perpetrators had called two media organizations warning of the planned blast ahead of time. The group, calling itself "Revolutionary Class Struggle," claimed responsibility for the blast Sunday in a post on the "Athens Indymedia" website. The group also claimed a 2024 attack on the Labor Ministry in Athens, which also caused no injuries as the group gave a warning, allowing police to evacuate the area. Hungary Reuters: Hungary passes legislation targeting LGBTQ+ community as campaign heats up Hungary's parliament approved constitutional changes on Monday targeting LGBTQ+ people and what the government calls "foreign-funded political pressure networks" that undermine the country's sovereignty. Nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, in power since 2010, faces elections in 2026 with the economy struggling and a new opposition party posing the strongest challenge yet to his rule. The constitutional amendments are part of Orban's political campaign to boost his core voter base and also lure votes from the far-right, some analysts said. United Kingdom Reuters: UK sanctions Swedish criminal network over Iran-backed plots in Europe The British government on Monday sanctioned what it said was a Swedish-based criminal network and its leader, citing the group's role in attacks carried out on behalf of Iran against Israeli and Jewish targets across Europe. Britain imposed an asset freeze on the group known as "Foxtrot Network" and an asset freeze and travel ban on Rawa Majid, who the government said was in charge of the network. Daily Mail: The prison officers who fear being beheaded by Islamic extremist terrorists: Inside Britain's violent prison separation units Small, claustrophobic and fraught with danger - this is the specialist wing for radical Islamists where three prison officers nearly lost their lives in a savage attack. Hashem Abedi, 28, doused the wardens in hot oil before slashing them with a pair of makeshift blades on Saturday, leaving two still in hospital with serious injuries. The separation unit where the attack took place, at HMP Frankland in County Durham, is only one of two in the UK and houses a small number of the most radical terrorists Mirror: Notorious hate preacher Anjem Choudary 'may have inspired Manchester terrorist prison attack' A notorious extremist preacher may have inspired the attack on three prison cops in Manchester on the weekend, sources have claimed. Anjem Choudary, 58, who radicalised Islamist extremists, including the killers of soldier Lee Rigby, is accused of influencing the attack which was carried out by Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi. The hate preacher used to be banged up in the same segregation unit as Abedi at HMP Frankland in County Durham. On Saturday, Abedi hurled melted butter over a female officer before he brutally stabbed two male workers with makeshift weapons. BBC: Manchester Arena families in 'disbelief' bomber was able to attack officers The families of five people murdered by Hashem Abedi in the Manchester Arena bombing have told the justice secretary of their "absolute disbelief" that he was allowed to attack prison officers in HMP Frankland. Despite being held in a high-security unit, Abedi, 28, attacked three prison officers on Saturday with improvised blades and hot cooking oil. In a letter seen by the BBC, the families say Abedi "should not have access to anything that he can weaponise" and urged the government to ensure he "cannot be allowed to hurt anyone else". Israel Associated Press: Hamas says it’s sending a delegation to Qatar to continue Gaza ceasefire talks A Hamas official said Monday that the Palestinian militant group is sending a delegation to the Gulf state of Qatar to continue indirect ceasefire talks with Israel over the war in Gaza, as the territory’s Health Ministry said that 38 people were confirmed dead over the past day. The Hamas official said teams have been discussing terms for a new ceasefire agreement over recent days in Cairo, including a proposal that Hamas free eight to 10 hostages held in Gaza. But the Hamas official said a major sticking point remained over whether the war would end as part of any new deal. Jewish News Syndicate: IDF: Hamas terrorist involved in Oct. 7, hostage ceremonies killed The Israel Defense Forces and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) killed Hamas terrorist Hamza Wael Muhammad Asafah in a precision airstrike in central Gaza two weeks ago, the agencies said on Tuesday. Asafah, a senior member of the Nukhba Force in Hamas’s Deir al-Balah Battalion, infiltrated Israeli territory during the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre and subsequently participated in hostage release ceremonies used by Hamas for propaganda purposes. The IDF said he was involved in the return of hostages Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben-Ami and Or Levy. Fox News: Top Hamas terror leader killed in 'precise strike' by Israel: IDF The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it has killed a top Hamas leader responsible for arming terrorists with weapons used to carry out attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. Muhammad al-‘Ajlah, the commander of Hamas’ Shejaiya battalion, was taken out in a "precise strike" on Sunday, the IDF said Tuesday. Jerusalem Post: Half of Houthis' ballistic missile launches to Israel have failed, report finds Around 50% of ballistic missiles launches by the Houthi terror group in Yemen since the resumption of fighting in the Gaza Strip have failed, according to Israeli officials who spoke with N12 on Monday. According to sources, the low number of sirens that have been activated in Israel by Houthi missiles is due to technical difficulties in the failed missiles as well as the American THAAD system and Israel’s Arrow 3 system. Jordan Reuters: Jordan foils plot involving rockets and drones; source says suspects linked to Hamas Jordan said on Tuesday it had arrested 16 people, thwarting a plot that threatened national security, involving rockets, explosives and a factory to make drones. A security source said the suspects were connected to the Palestinian militant movement Hamas. The group, which has been at war with neighbouring Israel since October 2023, has been accused of instigating anti-government street protests in Jordan, which has a large Palestinian population. Lebanon Associated Press: Lebanese president says Hezbollah disarmament will come through dialogue not ‘force’ Lebanon’s president said Monday that the disarmament of the militant group Hezbollah will come through negotiations as part of a national defense strategy and not through “force.” The Lebanese government has made a decision that “weapons will only be in the hands of the state,” but there are “discussions around how to implement this decision,” President Joseph Aoun said in an interview with Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera. Naharnet: Aoun says only qualified Hezbollah fighters can be integrated into army President Joseph Aoun has said that “2025 will be the year of limiting arms to the hands of the state,” reassuring that “Hezbollah will not be dragged into a new war.” Speaking to Qatar’s al-Arabi al-Jadeed news portal ahead of a visit to Doha, Aoun explained his vision for integrating Hezbollah’s fighters into the army in the future. Aoun stressed that “the experience of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces will not be repeated in Lebanon” and that “no independent unit of Hezbollah fighters will be introduced to the Lebanese Army.” Jerusalem Post: Iran resumes smuggling arms to Hezbollah via Beirut’s port A Western intelligence source told The Jerusalem Post that Tehran had made several attempts to smuggle weapons from Iran to Hezbollah by sea via the Port of Beirut. Following former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s downfall, Iran has found it difficult to smuggle arms to Hezbollah via its usual land routes. Its ability to do so has been significantly reduced. Syria Associated Press: Syria’s Alawites still face targeted attacks a month after brutal counteroffensive A month after a wave of revenge attacks left hundreds of Alawite civilians dead, members of the Syrian religious minority are still living in fear, with dozens killed in smaller attacks since the start of April. The Muslim minority group was seen as a privileged minority under the rule of the Alawite Assad family, but since Bashar Assad ’s government fell late last year members have feared revenge from the country’s Sunni majority. Kurdistan 24: 241 ISIS Families Repatriated to Iraq from al-Hol Camp in Syria A group of 241 Iraqi families linked to ISIS fighters was repatriated on Tuesday from Syria’s al-Hol camp in Hasakah province to Iraqi territory as part of ongoing efforts to address the humanitarian and security challenges posed by the camp. "This is the 25th convoy of Iraqi families returning to their country since the beginning of this year," Shukri Haji, head of the departure office at al-Hol camp, told Iraqi media. Arab Weekly: Syria’s Sharaa, Lebanese PM aim for ‘new page’ in post-Hezbollah-Assad era Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa and visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam discussed land and sea border demarcation and security coordination on Monday, weeks after the two countries agreed on a ceasefire that ended cross-border clashes. Salam and his foreign, defence and interior ministers made the first trip to Damascus by senior Lebanese officials since a new government was formed in Beirut in February, two months after the toppling of Assad and the severe blows suffered by Hezbollah during its war with Israel leading to the decline of its political clout in Lebanon. Iran Associated Press: Another US aircraft carrier in Mideast waters ahead of second round of Iran-US nuclear talks A second U.S. aircraft carrier is operating in Mideast waters ahead of the next round of talks between Iran and the United States over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, satellite photos analyzed Tuesday by The Associated Press showed. The operation of the USS Carl Vinson and its strike group in the Arabian Sea comes as suspected U.S. airstrikes pounded parts of Yemen controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels overnight into Tuesday. American officials repeatedly have linked the U.S.’ monthlong campaign against the Houthis under President Donald Trump as a means to pressure Iran in the negotiations. Reuters: Iran's Khamenei neither 'overly optimistic nor pessimistic' about US nuclear talks Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday he was neither "overly optimistic nor pessimistic" about talks with the U.S. on Iran's nuclear programme, in an apparent move by Tehran to play down growing public expectations of a deal. Failure to reach a deal with President Donald Trump to end Iran's decades-long dispute with the West could profoundly hurt the Islamic Republic, Iranian politicians and insiders have said, even if Washington is subsequently portrayed by Tehran as the guilty party. Yemen Wall Street Journal: U.S. Strikes Spur Plans for Yemeni Ground War Against Houthis Yemeni militias are planning a ground offensive against the Houthis in an attempt to take advantage of a U.S. bombing campaign that has degraded the militant group’s capabilities, Yemeni and U.S. officials say. The Yemeni factions are sensing an opportunity to oust the Houthis from at least parts of the Red Sea coast they have controlled in the decade since they took power over much of the country’s northwest, the officials said. Associated Press: Suspected US airstrikes kill at least 7 people in Yemen, Houthi rebels say Suspected U.S. airstrikes around Yemen’s rebel-held capital killed at least seven people and wounded 29 overnight, the Houthis said Monday as they also claimed shooting down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone. Since its start nearly a month ago, the intense campaign of U.S. airstrikes under President Donald Trump targeting the rebels over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters — related to the Israel-Hamas war — has killed over 120 people, according to casualty figures released Monday by the Houthis’ Health Ministry. India Times Now: Terrorism defined in new laws; forensic investigation made mandatory for all crimes: Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah today said forensic investigation has been made mandatory for all crimes that carry a punishment of more than seven years. He expressed confidence that these changes will lead to India achieving the highest conviction rate in the world in the coming decade. “Conviction rate in the country currently stands at 54 per cent. Terrorism has been defined in the new laws. Voice logs and digital voice mail have also been given a place. Arrangements have also been made in BNSS to give legal basis to audio, video recordings, videography of forensic evidence, and digital records in interrogation,” he said. The New Indian: Terrorists Exchange Fire in Poonch; One Soldier Injured A sudden burst of gunfire erupted between terrorists and army personnel in a remote hamlet of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch region late Monday night, triggering heightened alert and a sustained security sweep through the area, officials confirmed on Tuesday. According to the security establishment, the brief clash unfolded in the Lasana area of Surankote, shortly after troops initiated a coordinated cordon and search operation based on actionable inputs suggesting the movement of terrorists in the vicinity. Pakistan Deutsche Welle: Pakistan: Blast kills 3 police officers in Balochistan At least three police officers were killed and 16 others injured on Tuesday after a bus carrying police personnel exploded in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. While no group has claimed the attack, the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) is the most active group in the region that carries out such deadly attacks on security forces. South Korea Foreign Policy: South Korea’s Far Right Has Been Terrifyingly Radicalized On April 4, South Korea’s Constitutional Court unanimously voted to sustain Yoon Suk-yeol’s impeachment, removing him from the presidency for his illegal declaration of martial law and attempted autogolpe on Dec. 3, 2024. Yoon’s bizarre and short-circuited presidency displayed many of the antidemocratic trends emerging around the world. South Koreans’ response, in turn, offers an example of the way forward. Nigeria Defense Post: Attackers Kill Over 50 in Volatile Central Nigerian State Attackers killed 52 people in Nigeria’s Plateau state, a Red Cross source said Monday, in the latest eruption of violence in a region known for intercommunal conflict and deadly land disputes. President Bola Tinubu ordered a probe into “this crisis” as the numbers killed in under two weeks in the central state topped 100. The Sunday night attack on the villages of Zike and Kimakpa, in the Bassa area, came after armed men this month struck villages in the Bokkos area of the same state, killing 52 people. National Accord: Plateau attack: Ulama Council rejects terrorists’ tag on 2 Yelwa youths The Council of Ulama of Yelwa in Shendam local government area of Plateau State has denounced the tagging of two law-abiding young tailors of the town as members of the Islamic State in West African Province (ISWAP) terrorist organisation. The headquarters of Operation Safe Haven in Plateau State, had on Saturday, 12th April, 2025 issued a press release in which it declared that its operatives had arrested members of ISWAP, neutralised a bandit and also recovered some arms. Somalia AllAfrica: Somalia: U.S. Military Strikes ISIS in Puntland, Somalia, Killing One Militant The United States military conducted an airstrike on April 11 in the semi-autonomous Puntland region of Somalia, targeting the Islamic State in Somalia (ISIS) and killing one militant, according to a statement from US Africa Command (AFRICOM). The airstrike, which took place in the northern part of Puntland, was part of ongoing efforts to disrupt the activities of ISIS affiliates operating in the region. AFRICOM confirmed the success of the strike and stated that no civilians were harmed in the operation. Eastleigh Voice: President Trump to support Somalia’s war on terror US President Donald Trump has vowed to boost Somalia's ongoing counterterrorism operations while preventing Houthi rebels from gaining influence in the Horn of Africa nation. In a social media post, Trump issued a stark warning to terrorist groups operating in the region. "Our elite forces will hunt down terrorists wherever they hide - there will be no escape from American justice," Trump said on X (formerly Twitter). "We stand with the Somali people in preventing Houthi infiltration and eradicating terrorism to bring prosperity to their nation." Hiiraan Online: U.S., Gulf states sanction 15 al-Shabaab figures over Somalia terror financing The United States and six Gulf states have imposed coordinated sanctions on 15 senior Al-Shabaab members and financial facilitators, targeting the militant group's funding networks across southern Somalia in a multilateral effort to disrupt its ability to carry out attacks and destabilize the region. The designations, announced Monday by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in partnership with the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC) in Riyadh, mark the eighth joint action by the body, which includes the United States, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Bahrain. The sanctions freeze any assets held by individuals within TFTC jurisdictions and block their access to the international financial system. Australia Neo-Nazi leader Thomas Sewell rebuked in court for video link appearance Prominent far-right activist Thomas Sewell has been scolded in court for appearing via video link and not submitting evidence about his constitutional claims. Mr Sewell has yet to enter a plea to charges relating to his alleged role in a white supremacist march involving 30 people in Ballarat in 2023. The 32-year-old has been charged with behaving in an offensive manner in a public area.   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. 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