Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Al-Shabaab in Somalia - Why the Islamists are on the rise again Eye on Extremism September 16, 2025   Top Stories Deutsche Welle: German Chancellor Merz declares 'war' on antisemitism At the reopening of a restored synagogue in Munich on Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz appeared to be fighting back tears as he recalled the crimes committed against Jews by the Nazis. "I would like to tell you how ashamed I am of this: as chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, but also as a German, as a child of the post-war generation, as a child who grew up with 'never again' as a mission, as a duty, as a promise," said Merz during his speech. Merz said that he hopes "that Jewish life in Germany will one day get by without police protection again." "I therefore declare war on all forms of old and new antisemitism in Germany on behalf of the entire federal government of the Federal Republic of Germany," he said. ARD: Al-Shabaab in Somalia - Why the Islamists are on the rise again However, the military tide has turned back in favor of the Al-Shabaab militia. The government and army have not succeeded in securing the conquered territories. They often lack the capacity to do so, says Ulf Terlinden, head of the Heinrich Böll Foundation's Horn of Africa office based in Nairobi. "After all, it is not the combat units that were used to capture the area that could then secure civilian order once Al-Shabaab had been driven out." At the same time, the government does not seem to see the establishment of local administrative structures in the recaptured areas as a priority in many places. It should actually ensure that the state becomes visible to the population as quickly as possible: through security, schools, hospitals and a functioning justice system.   TOMORROW - This is the first webinar of a three-part series focused on highlighting various aspects of the role of antisemitism in the mobilization to violence by extremist and terrorist actors, which is supported by the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. Register here!   CEP Mentions Frankfurter Rundschau: “Not even a baseball bat is enough for them anymore” – Expert warns of new Nazi violence Terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremisms Project (CEP) in Berlin, sees a worrying trend: "The willingness to use violence in the right-wing extremist scene is increasing significantly," he said in an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper published by Ippen.Media. Analysis Jerusalem Post: Qatar faces its moment of truth after Israeli airstrike Qatar is seeking to rally support in the Middle East and around the world in the wake of Israel’s airstrike on a house where Hamas members were present last week. The airstrike was unprecedented in that it took place in a country that is a major non-NATO ally of the US. Doha has long cultivated close ties with the West and with other countries, such as Iran. It portrays itself as a neutral mediator. It also hosts Hamas leaders, however, and it hosted the Taliban prior to that group returning to power in Afghanistan. United States New York Times: Rubio, in Israel, Says a Diplomatic Solution to Gaza War May Not be Possible Secretary of State Marco Rubio cast doubt on the chances of negotiating the surrender of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, saying during a visit to Israel on Monday that a diplomatic deal to end the war in Gaza might not be possible. Mr. Rubio spoke at a news conference alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel after the two men met for several hours. His comments struck a more pessimistic tone than that of President Trump, who earlier this month said that a deal to stop the fighting in Gaza could come “very soon.” Times of Israel: Netanyahu told Trump about Doha strike in advance, he ‘didn’t say no’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Donald Trump last week about the impending strike on Hamas leaders in Doha some 50 minutes before the attack, according to a Monday report. Seven Israeli officials told Axios that the White House knew about the attack last Tuesday before missiles were launched. Trump had said the US was not given meaningful warning of the Doha strike, and told reporters on Sunday that Israel must be “very, very careful” about how it handles Qatar, which he called a “great ally.” Reuters: Americans believe harsh political rhetoric is fueling violence, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds Roughly two out of three Americans believe that the harsh rhetoric used in talking about politics is encouraging violence, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in the days following the killing of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk. The three-day poll, which closed on Sunday, revealed a nation unnerved by partisan divisions and worried over a spike in political violence that has also included the June slayings of a Democratic Minnesota lawmaker and her husband. New York Times: F.B.I. Head Says Note and DNA Link Suspect to Kirk Killing The man accused of fatally shooting Charlie Kirk wrote a note before the shooting that said he had an opportunity to kill Mr. Kirk and was going to make use of it, the director of the F.B.I. said on Monday. The director, Kash Patel, said DNA matching that of the suspect, Tyler Robinson, was found on a towel wrapped around the bolt-action rifle that was believed to be used in the shooting, as well as on a screwdriver that was found on the rooftop where the fatal shot was fired. Reuters: After Charlie Kirk's death, Trump team calls for dismantling leftist groups Vice President JD Vance and another top official in President Donald Trump's administration on Monday argued that serving the memory of Charlie Kirk means pursuing left-leaning groups they portray as bent on undermining national unity. Vance, who guest-hosted the slain conservative activist's livestream show, amplified right-wing calls for a broadside against leftist groups after Kirk was assassinated last week as he addressed college students. ABC News: Vance says 'left-wing extremism' helped lead to Charlie Kirk's killing Vice President JD Vance hosted Charlie Kirk's podcast on Monday, during which he said "left-wing extremism" is "part of the reason" Kirk was killed last week. "Of course, we have to make sure that the killer is brought to justice," Vance said. "And importantly, we have to talk about this incredibly destructive movement of left-wing extremism that has grown up over the last few years and, I believe, is part of the reason why Charlie was killed by an assassin's bullet." CBS News: Expert explains nihilistic violent extremism, FBI's new category of terrorism The FBI recently recognized a new category of terrorism labeled "nihilistic violent extremism." Matthew Kriner, executive director of the Institute for Countering Digital Extremism, joins to discuss. Fox News: Colorado teen shooter posted White supremacist content on TikTok before attack, ADL says A 16-year-old Colorado high school student, accused of shooting two classmates before taking his own life, had shown an interest in past mass shootings like Columbine and shared neo-Nazi views online, according to reports. The FBI was tipped off about Desmond Holly's online activity in July, the agency confirmed to Fox News Digital, although his identity was not known at the time. Jerusalem Post: Anti-Israel activists plan to ‘flood’ UN General Assembly with protest Anti-Israel activist groups are set to hold mass protests outside the United Nations building in New York as the General Assembly gathers this month, with smaller daily protests and events scheduled leading up to the attendance of the forum by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. During one of the daily protests against Israel, activists heckled Israeli ambassador to the UN Danny Danon on Sunday as he walked in the vicinity of the international forum. KTLA: Groypers, social media and the continued fracturing of the far-right Days after conservative influencer and activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed in broad daylight while speaking at a Utah university, questions still remain about his killer’s motive for targeting the Turning Point USA co-founder and president. Tyler Robinson, the alleged gunman who is in federal custody for killing Kirk, has reportedly been uncooperative with investigators trying to piece together what happened leading up to the high-profile assassination of the most prominent leader of the young conservative movement. New York Post: Zohran Mamdani would dismantle NYC’s definition of ‘antisemitism’ approved by Holocaust remembrance group Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani said he would drop a Holocaust remembrance group’s definition of “antisemitism” if he becomes mayor — a turnaround in police that has some Jewish rights advocates on edge. Mamdani confirmed he would oppose the definition used by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance if he becomes mayor, which would dismantle an executive order signed by Mayor Eric Adams in June as part of a push against anti-Jewish hate. Jewish Insider: Jewish social workers warn of growing antisemitism in the field: ‘Counter to everything that we learn in social work school’ Like most social workers, Jennifer Kogan went into the field to help people. A therapist who works in Ontario, Canada, and Washington, she markets her private practice as “compassion-focused counseling.” Everyone is welcome here, a banner on her website states. But Kogan’s understanding of her profession has radically shifted in the two years since the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. Despite its focus on compassion, the field of social work has been engulfed by antisemitism, according to a new report authored by Kogan and Andrea Yudell, a licensed clinical social worker in Washington and Maryland. Canada Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Two synagogues and Chabad building in Halifax, Canada, targeted with antisemitic graffiti Three synagogues in Halifax, Nova Scotia, were defaced with antisemitic graffiti over the weekend, following a contentious period in the Canadian city over an athletic match that included the Israeli team. Beth Israel Synagogue and a building associated with the Chabad-Lubavitch of the Maritimes had the phrase “Jews did 9/11” written on them with spray paint. Another synagogue on the same street as Beth Israel, Shaar Shalom, had a swastika spray-painted on its signage. Colombia Reuters: Colombia peace court sentences FARC rebel leaders to eight years for kidnappings A Colombian special court created under the terms of a 2016 peace deal on Tuesday sentenced seven former leaders from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels to the maximum of eight years of reparations work for their role in kidnappings for ransom. The sentences, for the remaining members of the FARC's secretariat, are the first individual punishments announced by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), which is trying leaders from both the FARC and the military for their part in war crimes and crimes against humanity. Ecuador Iran International: Ecuador designates Iran's IRGC, Hamas, Hezbollah as terrorist groups Ecuador has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Hamas, and Lebanon's Hezbollah as terrorist organizations under a decree signed by President Daniel Noboa on Monday. The decree cites reports from Ecuador’s National Intelligence Center (CNI) warning of the groups’ presence in South America and possible ties to criminal networks in the country. Germany Frankfurter Rundschau: 25 years after the NSU murders - many questions remain unanswered The series of murders by the right-wing extremist terrorist network that gave itself the name "National Socialist Underground (NSU)" began 25 years ago. On September 9, 2000, the terrorists Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Böhnhardt fired eight shots at the Turkish florist Enver Simsek, who lived with his family in Schlüchtern, Hesse, in Nuremberg. He died of his injuries two days later. Simsek was 38 years old. For years, the police investigated migrant milieus and the families' surroundings instead of following up on indications of right-wing crimes. The neo-Nazis Mundlos and Böhnhardt killed themselves in Eisenach in 2011. BILD: Poll: AfD ban divides Germany The discussion about a possible ban on the AfD is dividing Germany. According to an INSA survey commissioned by BILD, supporters and opponents are evenly balanced: 42% are in favor and 42% against. Eleven percent do not know how to position themselves. A further five percent do not want to comment. While AfD supporters reject a ban with a majority of 82%, the majority of BSW (67%) and FDP (58%) voters also share this rejection. The majority of all other political camps - from the CDU/CSU to the Greens - are in favor of an AfD ban. Approval here ranges from 50% to 69%. Deutsche Welle: Searches carried out against alleged right-wing extremists German police raided the homes of suspected far-right sympathizers early on Tuesday morning in the western states of Lower Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, and North Rhine-Westphalia. Thirteen dwellings were searched, relating to a group of suspects aged from 32 to 57 who were thought to be in possession of illegal weapons. United Kingdom Euro News: Unrelated and AI-generated images used to suggest far-right protests are spreading across Europe While several anti-immigration rallies organised by radical right-wing parties have been staged across Europe in recent months, online videos and images are being misleadingly used to distort the scale of the current protest movement. After a far-right rally in London drew up to 150,000 protesters on Sunday, a raft of social media posts claim to show similar demonstrations spreading across Europe. The Guardian: UK faces ‘fight of our times’ against toxic division shown in far-right rally, says Starmer The UK faces “the fight of our times” against the division exemplified by the Tommy Robinson-led far-right march in London on Saturday, Keir Starmer has told his cabinet in a robust if arguably belated response to the scenes in the capital. Starmer made the comments at Tuesday morning’s meeting of his cabinet, Downing Street said. No 10 extended the criticism to Elon Musk, saying many Britons, particularly from minority backgrounds, would have felt intimidated by “calls to violence from foreign billionaire”. Afghanistan Afghanistan International: Taliban Cleric In Khost Issues Fatwa Declaring Jihad Against Pakistan Mohammad Naseem Haqqani, head of the Taliban-appointed Sheikh Zayed University in Khost, has declared that waging jihad against Pakistan is an individual obligation. The cleric labelled the Pakistani government as “puppets” and its laws as influenced by “Jews and Christians.” Afghanistan International: Hundreds Protest In Northern Balkh Province As Taliban Move To Raze Shops Hundreds of residents of Mazar-i-Sharif city staged protests on Tuesday against the Taliban’s plan to demolish long-standing shops in the city’s auction market. Demonstrators chanted “Death to traitors” and accused the group of threatening their livelihoods. Afghanistan International: Taliban Leader Orders Nationwide Restrictions On High-Speed Internet In Afghanistan The Taliban has cut Wi-Fi services in Mazar-i-Sharif and suspended fibre-optic connections nationwide, in what sources say may be part of a broader effort to restrict high-speed internet access across Afghanistan. Residents of Mazar-i-Sharif city said the shutdown began on Monday when Taliban authorities ordered service providers to cut Wi-Fi in the city. Local telecommunications companies confirmed the decision, saying it had been issued by Taliban officials. Gaza Strip Jerusalem Post: Hamas shifts hostages above ground in Gaza City to hinder IDF offensive Hamas has begun moving some hostages above ground in the Gaza Strip in an attempt to hinder the IDF’s ground operations in Gaza City, Kan News reported Monday morning. Palestinian sources said that some hostages are being held in houses while others are in tents. Kan News also reported that Hamas is preparing a so-called “legitimacy ambush” in Gaza City. This strategy aims to exploit civilian casualties to increase international pressure on Israel to halt its offensive. Israel Jerusalem Post: IDF invasion of Gaza City erupts as Palestinians report tanks in heart of the Strip The IDF invasion of Gaza City erupted late Monday night, The Jerusalem Post can confirm. Palestinian reports said that IDF tanks had entered the heart of the city in scenes and levels of war not seen in northern Gaza in possibly two years. After weeks of increasing air force strikes on Gaza City, including bringing down an increasing number of tall multi-story buildings, it seems the IDF has finally reached the tipping point for a larger scale ground invasion. Jerusalem Post: Dozens of Mossad women penetrated Iran during 12-Day War Dozens of Mossad women penetrated Iran and had boots on the ground, performing a variety of operations during Israel’s attacks on Tehran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs in June, The Jerusalem Post has learned. Critically, the Post has come to understand that Mossad director David Barnea views the role that female Mossad agents played during the Israel-Iran war as very substantial. Jerusalem Post: Qatar leading efforts to impose blockade on Israel, Netanyahu tells 'Post' Qatar is spearheading an effort by a number of countries to impose a blockade on Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told The Jerusalem Post on Monday. “There is currently an attempt to impose a blockade on Israel by various entities and countries, led by Qatar,” the prime minister said. “This includes, first and foremost, a media blockade funded by vast sums of money from Qatar and other countries, such as China.” “In the coming years, we will need to strengthen our independent arms industries to ensure self-reliance in weaponry, munitions production, and industrial capacity. This will enable us to break through this blockade,” he added. Ynet: 'Antisemitism in Israel 2025': Swastikas spray-painted on religious youth movement HQ in Jerusalem Swastikas and other extremist graffiti were found Tuesday morning outside the national headquarters of the Bnei Akiva youth movement in Jerusalem, prompting condemnation from the group’s leaders and calls for police to find those responsible. One swastika was spray-painted beside a sign bearing the movement’s emblem and the inscription “Bnei Akiva Movement in Israel.” Another piece of graffiti depicted the Hebrew letters Tav and Ayin — which stand for Torah and Avodah (Torah and labor), the central values of the movement — arranged in the shape of a swastika. Lebanon Naharnet: Khalil says Shiites 'united' in face of 'external dictates' to disarm Hezbollah The Political Advisor to Hezbollah's Secretary General, Hussein Khalil, has accused the government of succumbing to "external dictates" when it took a decision to disarm Hezbollah, which he dubbed, in a radio interview, "a major sin". Khalil said that the decision was faced with the strength and unity of the Shiite community. Naharnet: Aoun urges Iran to 'be friends with all Lebanese' not just Hezbollah President Joseph Aoun has met, on the sidelines of an Arab summit in Doha, with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the presidency said in a statement. Aoun and al-Sharaa discussed bilateral relations, security along the Syrian-Lebanese border, the maritime border demarcation and the repatriation of Syrian refugees. Syria Reuters: Under US pressure, Syria and Israel inch toward security deal Under U.S. pressure, Syria is accelerating talks with Israel for a security pact that Damascus hopes will reverse Israel's recent seizures of its land but that would fall far short of a full peace treaty, sources briefed on the talks said. Washington is pushing for enough progress to be made by the time world leaders gather in New York for the U.N. General Assembly at the end of this month to allow President Donald Trump to announce a breakthrough, four of the sources told Reuters. AFP: Syria announces plan with Jordan, US to restore calm in Druze-majority Sweida Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani announce a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly sectarian violence in July. Israel intervened with strikes to protect the Druze. Yemen Reuters: Israeli military strikes Yemen's Red Sea port of Hodeidah Israel said it struck a military infrastructure site in its latest attack on Yemen's Houthi movement at the Red Sea port of Hodeidah on Tuesday. The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have attacked vessels in the Red Sea in what they describe as solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza. Mali Reuters: At least 40 fuel tankers burned in al Qaeda-linked attack in Mali, sources say At least 40 fuel tankers were destroyed in Mali on Sunday when al Qaeda-linked insurgents who had declared a blockade on fuel imports to the country attacked a convoy of more than 100 vehicles under military escort, two sources said on Monday. After the insurgent group, Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), announced the blockade last week, a source close to Mali's chamber of commerce said the country would run out of fuel within two weeks if supplies were completely cut off. Arab Weekly: Jihadists blockade Malian roads near Mauritanian border to disrupt trade, flex muscle Jihadist extremists have set up roadblocks in the south and west of landlocked Mali near the borders with Senegal and Mauritania where vital goods are imported daily. Mali has battled a security crisis for over a decade fueled by violence from groups affiliated with al-Qaeda and the Islamic State (ISIS) extremist groups as well as local criminal gangs, which crisis is compounded by a severe economic downturn. Since early September, jihadists have imposed intermittent roadblocks on major routes leading to the capital, disrupting the movement of goods and people near Bamako and in the west. Nigeria Reuters: Nigerian troops kill eight Islamic State fighters in Borno ambush, military says Nigerian troops killed eight fighters, including senior commanders, from the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during an ambush along a key supply route in the northeast, the military said on Tuesday. The clash occurred early on Monday near Garin Giwa on the Baga-Cross Kauwa road in Borno state, an area frequently targeted by insurgents aiming to disrupt military operations.   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