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CEP Mentions
Denver ABC 7: Counter Extremism Project shares red flags for parents to monitor as more kids are exposed to online extremism
Online extremism is a growing issue affecting more kids in a world where social media addiction is prevalent and real-world connections are often replaced by online interactions, according to the Counter Extremism Project [CEP]. Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler is the senior director at [CEP], an international nonprofit and non-partisan policy organization that researches and educates people about threats posed by extremist ideologies.
Berliner Morgenpost: Israel's offensive in Gaza City - how risky is the operation?
Israel's military assumes that there are up to 3,000 combat-ready members of Hamas in the city of Gaza. In total, the terrorist organization still has 16,000 to 18,000 fighters. "However, there is currently no longer any organized 'military' resistance by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The terrorists sometimes attack an Israeli tank with a rocket, sometimes they lay a booby trap," Hans-Jakob Schindler, Senior Director of the Berlin-based think tank Counter Extremism Project, told our editorial team. "In the beginning, Hamas still had real combat units, a kind of army with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 soldiers. Now it operates with cells that lure Israeli soldiers into an ambush and then retreat again. Parts of the underground tunnel system still exist as escape routes."
Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro addresses Eradicate Hate Global Summit
Shapiro’s address to the Eradicate Hate Global Summit was the first time a politician in office addressed the conference in its five-year history. A day earlier, the summit announced a collaboration with the Counter Extremism Project on the Auschwitz Research Center on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization, in which the former residence of the concentration camp’s commandant will be converted to a center combatting extremism and violence.
Jewish News Syndicate: E3 has snapped back into reality
CEP Managing Director Dan Roth writes: The 30-day countdown to the automatic reintroduction of U.N. sanctions against Iran—the “snapback”—has begun. Triggered by Britain, France and Germany (the E3), this long-overdue decision is a response to Tehran’s repeated violations of the 2015 nuclear deal. What matters now is that Europe stands firm and sees the process through.
Analysis
GNET: Evolution, Expansion and Diversification: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s Umar Media
Since 2021, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reformed its organisational structure every year – imitating the Taliban’s insurgency model – to recruit, radicalise, and incite violence. TTP has paid particular close attention to managing its information warfare. The terror group meticulously disseminates ideological narratives to defend its militant campaign in Pakistan and rebut the Pakistani state’s efforts to undermine its legitimacy by labelling it as Fitna Al-Khawarij (the menace of Islamist seceders).
Jerusalem Post: Jewish students hide their identities, facing a 'horrible reality' on campus, an ADL study shows
The overwhelming majority of college students hide their identity on campus, according to a joint study by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and World Union of Jewish Students that was released on Tuesday. The survey found that 78% of Jewish students across the globe felt the need to hide their identity. An even larger percentage of participants from across the globe, 81%, hid their Zionist identities. ADL's Vice President for International Affairs, Marina Rosenberg, explained that many of the students do so to feel safe on their college campuses.
United States
Reuters: US designates four Iran-aligned militias as terrorist organizations
The Unites States designated four Iran-aligned militia groups as foreign terrorist organizations on Wednesday, the State Department said. The groups are Harakat al-Nujaba, Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada, Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya and Kata’ib al-Imam Ali, the department said in a statement. All four have been previously cited as Specially Designated Global Terrorists and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada in 2023, it said.
NBC News: Suspect in custody after targeted 'terrorist' incident at FBI office in Pittsburgh, officials say
A suspect is in custody after the FBI in Pittsburgh launched a search for the driver of a car that allegedly rammed into its city field office on Wednesday, in what officials have described as an "act of terror." FBI Pittsburgh Assistant Special Agent in Charge Christopher Giordano said in a Wednesday news conference that the bureau was searching for Donald Henson from Penn Hills, a township east of Pittsburgh. The FBI is appealing for information on his whereabouts.
Reuters: Prosecutors to seek death penalty for Charlie Kirk's accused assassin
Utah prosecutors vowed on Tuesday to seek the death penalty for the accused assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and revealed new details of their case, including text messages in which he was alleged to have privately confessed to the fatal shooting. "I had enough of his hatred," Tyler Robinson, 22, told his roommate and romantic partner when asked why he had committed the murder, according to transcripts of messages attributed to the suspect in court documents filed by prosecutors.
New York Times: Kirk Killing Suspect Faces Aggravated Murder Charge, and Death Penalty
In the charging documents, prosecutors said the suspect sent text messages confessing to the shooting and saying of Charlie Kirk, “I had enough of his hatred.” The 22-year-old suspect made a virtual appearance in court in Utah.
Newsweek: What Is an NVE? The FBI's Latest Term for Tracking Extremist Threats
The killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has reignited debate over rising political extremism in the United States—and sharpened focus on a new category of domestic threat being tracked by federal law enforcement: nihilistic violent extremism, or NVE. While the FBI has not categorized the suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, as an NVE, the term has surfaced in media reports and political discourse since Kirk was shot during a public event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
New York Times: Bondi Prompts Broad Backlash After Saying She’ll Target ‘Hate Speech’
Attorney General Pam Bondi provoked a broad backlash this week after announcing she would “absolutely target” protesters engaging in “hate speech” — and claiming she had authority to investigate businesses that refused to print memorial vigil posters for the conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The comments by Ms. Bondi on Monday appeared to reflect a broader effort by the Trump administration to punish anyone who has celebrated Mr. Kirk’s killing or even people who denounced his killing but continued to criticize his political stances.
SpyTalk: Senators Demand Answers from FBI on Failure to Disclose Evidence on Saudi Role in 9/11 Attacks
The momentum to reexamine the events surrounding 9/11 has picked up considerably in recent weeks in light of a federal judge’s ruling that gave a green light for a two decade-old lawsuit by families who lost loved ones in the attacks accusing the Saudi government of complicity in the attacks to proceed. Nearly 3,000 people died in the airliner attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and on a hijacked airliner thought to be headed to the White House or Capitol. Thousands more were injured.
The Guardian: US justice department removes study finding far-right extremists commit ‘far more’ violence
The US justice department has scrubbed a study from its website concluding that far-right extremists have killed far more Americans than any other domestic terrorist group, just days after a gunman fatally shot the prominent conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
NPR: Most American Jews say Trump is using antisemitism as an 'excuse' to silence free speech at universities
Four out of ten American Jews say they have personally experienced antisemitism in the past two years, yet a majority disapprove of how the Trump administration has addressed the issue on college campuses, according to a new survey.
Washington Post: NEH grant to fight antisemitism is largest ever, signaling Trump-era shift
The National Endowment for the Humanities on Monday awarded $10.4 million to Jewish educational and civic nonprofit Tikvah to combat antisemitism — the largest grant in the federal agency’s history and part of an apparent shift in how it distributes money following its sweeping reorganization under the Trump administration.
Jewish News Syndicate: Wisconsin lawmakers consider adopting IHRA definition of antisemitism
Wisconsin lawmakers are weighing whether to adopt a resolution that would enshrine the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism into state law, Wisconsin Public Radio reported on Monday.
KQED: UC Labor Groups Sue Trump Over ‘Coercive’ Antisemitism Investigations and Demands
A coalition of labor groups sued the Trump administration on Tuesday over what they called the use of civil rights laws as a “coercive cudgel” to attack the University of California system and the rights of union members. The federal complaint, filed in San Francisco, followed the Trump administration’s August settlement proposal to UCLA that included a $1.2 billion fine over allegations that the university ignored antisemitism on campus. It also comes as the government continues to investigate allegations of antisemitism and demands information from several campuses, including UC Berkeley.
Politico: UC takes heat for sharing student, faculty names with Trump administration
UC Berkeley faced continued backlash Tuesday for its decision to disclose the names of 160 students, faculty and staff to Trump administration officials as part of an investigation into allegations the school fostered an atmosphere of antisemitism.
New York Times: State Terrorism Charges Against Luigi Mangione Are Dismissed
New York State terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, the defendant in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive last year, were dismissed on Tuesday, including a first-degree murder count that could have landed him in prison for the rest of his life.
Patriot-News: Pa. federal prison guard assailant is ‘dedicated believer in terrorist ideology’: prosecutor
The inmate who stabbed an Allenwood Federal Penitentiary corrections officer in the eye in 2020 continues to profess his allegiance to the ISIS foreign terrorist organization, the government claims. Evidence will be presented at the scheduled November trial of Abdulrahman el Bahnasawy that he was and is “a dedicated believer in terrorist ideology,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur stated Monday in federal court filing.
Canada
Jerusalem Post: Canadian government: Hamas, Hezbollah fundraising in country
Hamas and Hezbollah are receiving funds from sources in Canada, according to a Canadian Finance Department report that came out late last month, with Hezbollah the second most identified terrorist organization to receive funds from the country. The 2025 Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Risks in Canada detailed the vulnerabilities and risks in Canada’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing legal regime, noting that while the system was comprehensive, Canada’s open and stable economy made it an attractive target for organized crime and third-party enablers.
Jerusalem Post: 'Jews control US politics, Hollywood, big cities,' Canadian reporter says on live broadcast
After on-air statements in which a Radio-Canada reporter made statements about Jews controlling different aspects of society and countries, the national broadcaster apologized on Tuesday and suspended the journalist.
Europe
Times of India: European Union Pledges Stronger Counter-Terror Ties With India, Cites Pahalgam Attack as Warning
The European Union has directly acknowledged the human cost of terrorism, citing the Pahalgam attack as a “tragic reminder.” For India, this marks a major diplomatic win as Brussels pushes for stronger counter-terror cooperation. In its new “strategic agenda,” the EU pledged to work with India on defence, intelligence-sharing, and security, alongside trade and technology. The move elevates India as a frontline partner in global anti-terror efforts, validating its warnings on Pakistan-backed terror. With a free-trade agreement on the table and discussions of an EU-India Security and Defence Partnership, New Delhi’s role in global geopolitics has never been stronger.
Belarus
Washington Post: Belarus sentences journalist to 4 years in prison, days after release of over 50 political prisoners
Ihar Ilyash was convicted on extremism charges for articles and commentaries critical of authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko's government. Ilyash rejected the charges, saying in his final remarks at the trial that “freedom of speech isn’t a crime.”
Germany
ARD: Life imprisonment for Mannheim assassin
After the fatal knife attack on a police officer in Mannheim, the defendant has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. The court also found that the 26-year-old Afghan was guilty of a particularly serious crime. The man who killed a police officer in a knife attack in Mannheim has been sentenced to life imprisonment. The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court convicted the 26-year-old Afghan Sulaiman A. of murder and also found him to be especially guilty. This virtually rules out early release after 15 years. The accused was also convicted of four counts of attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm. The verdict is not yet final.
ARD: Knife attack in Mannheim - A verdict with a view to the victims
When a verdict is announced, the focus is usually on the defendant and their crime. This is in the nature of things, because a court has to determine whether the defendant is guilty or not. Of course, this is also the focus of today's proceedings in the well-secured courtroom in Stuttgart-Stammheim. And yet something is different: immediately after the presiding judge Herbert Anderer has announced the verdict - life imprisonment for murder, plus exceptional gravity of guilt - he turns to the parents and sister of Rouven Laur. Today he wants to focus on the victims first, not the perpetrator. That is his plan for the following three hours of sentencing.
Spain
The Olive Press: Spanish professor who heads up Russian cyber terrorism cell named in Europe’s most wanted list
A SPANISH academic once welcomed as an expert on terrorism and extremism has now been branded a cyberterrorist and placed on Europe’s “most wanted” list. The National Police have identified Enrique Arias Gil, a 37-year-old professor from Madrid, as a senior figure in the pro-Russian hacking network NoName057.
Algemeiner: Spain’s PM Sánchez Faces Backlash for Fueling Anti-Israel Hostility Amid Surge in Antisemitic Incidents
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is facing backlash from his country’s political leaders and Jewish community, who accuse him of fueling antisemitic hostility after incidents at the Vuelta a España disrupted the prestigious cycling race. Amid a sharp rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes and anti-Israel sentiment, Lorenzo Rodríguez, mayor of Castrillo Mota de Judíos in northern Spain, accused the country’s leader of “fueling a discourse of hatred” against Israel and the Jewish people.
United Kingdom
Agence France-Presse: Britain Looks For Answers After Huge Far-right Rally
Once a far-right pariah, activist Tommy Robinson attracted up to 150,000 protestors to a weekend march in London, triggering soul-searching in Britain about the mainstreaming of fringe politics. The large numbers seen on Saturday came as a shock to many in the country and raised questions about the implications for the future of British politics and society.
Iran
Reuters: Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel
Iran executed a man accused of spying for Israel, according to a report from state media on Wednesday that identified him as Babak Shahbazi. Entangled in a decades-long shadow war with Israel, Iran has put to death many individuals it accuses of having links with Israel's Mossad intelligence service and facilitating its operations in the country.
Israel
Times of Israel: UN panel claims genocide underway in Gaza; Israel blasts members as ‘Hamas proxies’
United Nations investigators on Tuesday accused Israel of committing “genocide” in Gaza in a bid to “destroy the Palestinians,” blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials for incitement. The report was immediately rejected by Israel as “distorted and false,” with Jerusalem noting its authors’ history of vehemently anti-Israeli positions. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry (COI) does not speak on behalf of the UN, and has faced harsh Israeli criticism. While it is not a legal body, its reports can influence diplomatic pressure and serve to gather evidence for later use by courts.
Times of Israel: Netanyahu says he’ll meet Trump again, issues dire warning to Hamas over hostages
US President Donald Trump invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet at the White House later this month, the Israeli leader said at a Tuesday press conference in Jerusalem, while warning Hamas against harming hostages as the military operates in Gaza City. According to Netanyahu, the visit will take place on September 29, three days after the premier’s scheduled address at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Netanyahu announced the meeting during a press conference focusing on the state of Israel’s economy after he faced intense criticism for saying a day earlier that the country would need to become increasingly self-reliant.
Reuters: Israel opens new route out of Gaza City for 48 hours as tanks advance
The Israeli military said on Wednesday it was opening an additional route for 48 hours that Palestinians could use to leave Gaza City as it stepped up efforts to empty the city of civilians and confront thousands of Hamas combatants. Hundreds of thousands of people are sheltering in the city and many are reluctant to follow Israel's orders to move south because of the dangers along the way, dire conditions, a lack of food in the southern area, and fear of permanent displacement.
Jerusalem Post: Diaspora Ministry reveals links between Sumud Flotilla, Hamas, and Muslim Brotherhood
The Sumud Flotilla, which is taking Swedish activist Gretha Thumberg with celebrities and politicians to Gaza, has been revealed to be linked to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, a new report by Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli exposed on Tuesday. According to the report, the senior leadership of the flotilla is composed of individuals with documented ties to the two organizations.
Lebanon
Naharnet: Qassem to wounded of pager attacks: Israel will fall because it is an occupation
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem on Wednesday made a video message to the wounded of the 2024 Israeli pager attacks, marking the first anniversary of the bloody operation that resembled the opening strike of an all-out war against Hezbollah. He described the wounded of those attacks at the “pioneers of insight, the key to hope, and the love of eternal life in obedience to God Almighty.”
Naharnet: Controversy after Hezbollah decides to beam leaders' images to iconic Raouche rock
Hezbollah’s decision to illuminate Beirut’s iconic Pigeons’ Rock (Rock of Raouche) with pictures of its slain leaders Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine to mark their first assassination anniversary has stirred controversy in the country. A Hezbollah spokesman said the move would take place from 5pm to 7pm on September 25, accompanied by “sea activities.”
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.
Yemen
Times of Israel: Israel strikes Houthi-held port of Hodeida in response to drone and rocket fire
The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes Tuesday against military infrastructure at the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeida in western Yemen, in response to the Iran-backed group’s repeated attacks on Israel. The rebel Al-Masirah television reported “a series of raids by Israeli enemy aircraft on the port of Hodeida,” while military spokesman Yahya Saree said the group’s air defenses were “currently confronting Israeli enemy aircraft launching an aggression against our country.” An hour and a half before the attack, the Israel Defense Forces warned it would strike Hodeida Port.
Pakistan
Arab News: Security forces kill five militants in Pakistan’s Balochistan as attacks surge
Pakistani security forces killed five militants in an intelligence-based operation in southwestern Balochistan this week, the military said on Wednesday, as a spate of attacks underscored continued instability in the country’s largest and most resource-rich province.
Arab News Pakistan: Militants kill policeman, injure two Levies troops in overnight attack on Balochistan post
Militants killed a police officer and injured two Levies personnel in a coordinated overnight assault on a security post in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, officials said on Wednesday, in one of two violent incidents reported in the resource-rich region
Niger
BBC: Gunmen kill 22 after shooting at baptism ceremony in Niger – reports
Gunmen on motorbikes have shot dead 22 people, most of them attending a baptism ceremony, in an attack on a village in western Niger, reports say. A resident told the French news agency AFP that 15 people were killed at the ceremony in Tillabéri region, which borders Mali and Burkina Faso, before moving elsewhere and killing seven others.
Technology
Global Network on Extremism & Technology: Mapping Terrorist AI Use: Identifying Factors Behind a Relatively Slow Adoption Rate
Over the past three years, regional, national, and international governments have repeatedly raised concerns that the misuse of Generative AI (Gen AI) could have a significant impact on the capabilities of terrorists and violent extremists (TVEs). These warnings have not been without foundation. Multiple TVE groups and actors have experimented with Gen AI technologies, primarily to optimise or enhance existing activities and processes.
National Post: Layoffs at Google, X helped spur 'avalanche' of online terrorist content since Oct. 7: government documents
Newly released documents show federal public safety officials quietly expressed concern over the tech industry’s ability to curb the spread of extremist and terrorist content online after sector-wide layoffs. The documents, released to the National Post under federal access-to-information legislation, were prepared ahead of a 2023 meeting with Google, which owns YouTube, as well as a meeting with X, formerly known as Twitter.
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