Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Mossad exposes Hamas network plotting attacks on Jewish targets in Europe Eye on Extremism November 19, 2025   Top Stories Daily Post: Terrorist groups expanding across West Africa, Sahel – UK The United Kingdom has voiced its concern about the continued expansion of Islamic State and Al-Qaeda affiliates across West Africa and the Sahel. James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, issued the alert on Tuesday during a United Nations Security Council meeting on West Africa. I24News: Mossad exposes Hamas network plotting attacks on Jewish targets in Europe Israeli authorities revealed on Wednesday that a major Hamas terror network operating across Europe has been exposed and dismantled through a series of joint operations between the Mossad and European intelligence and law enforcement agencies. The network, described by Israeli officials as the “Hamas Octopus,” had been working to establish operational cells and weapons stockpiles for attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets on European soil.   CEP's ARCHER at House 88 The Auschwitz Research Centre on Hate, Extremism and Radicalization (ARCHER) at House 88 is sited at the former residence of Rudolf Höss, Commandant of the Auschwitz concentration and death camp from 1940-1944. We will transform it into a unique symbol of the fight against antisemitism, extremism, and terrorism. Follow ARCHER at House 88 on X, Facebook, and Instagram to stay updated on our progress.   CEP Mentions France 24: The "Active Clubs": from far-right "fight clubs" to neo-Nazi militias ready for action? "The Active Clubs were originally founded by American neo-Nazi activist Robert Rundo in response to the arrests of members of his former group 'Rise Above Movement'," explains Alexander Ritzmann, a specialist in these movements for the Counter Extremism Project. iDNES: The risk of a Hamas attack in Europe is now higher, the network extends through the Czech Republic, warns expert Hamas was willing to kill Muslims in Berlin, has had weapons buried in Europe for years, and is using the Czech Republic as a quiet base to prepare for attacks, warns elite counterterrorism expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler in an interview for iDNES.cz. He also reveals that the order to attack in Europe came months before the war in Gaza, and explains why the risk of a terrorist attack is higher this year. Analysis Afghanistan International: The Leverage Of War: Why The Taliban Refuse To Lose The TTP Card In Khost province, where the Taliban’s checkpoints often feel more symbolic than functional, Ikramullah Mehsud moves with a kind of impunity that borders on ceremony. When he steps inside the Taliban’s security compound, a beige, low-slung building ringed with sandbags and lethargic guards, no one stops him, and no one asks why he’s there. Police commanders and intelligence officers glance up from their desks, exchange faint, knowing smiles, and offer the same greeting each time: “The killer of Benazir Bhutto has arrived.” His car, a battered Toyota with its paint scoured by years of travel along the eastern frontier, never pulls into a filling station. The Taliban, in an unspoken gesture of hospitality or debt, keep its tank perpetually full. Iran International: Tehran media debate merits of new ‘armed negotiations’ doctrine Iran’s strategy post-war and post-UN sanctions appears to have taken shape into what some in Tehran media have called “armed negotiations,” warning that it could make a thaw with Washington less likely. Under the doctrine, officials say diplomacy is still possible—but only from a position of maximum strength and full military readiness, especially if talks were to resume under a second Trump administration. Jewish Insider: Fighting back against right-wing antisemitism As 2,000 Jewish philanthropists, activists and professionals prepared to leave Washington on Tuesday as the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly wrapped up, they heard a stern warning from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX): Americans must confront antisemitism on both sides, including the right; if they don’t, the nation will face an “existential crisis.” United States Times of Israel: Imam at NYC college interfaith event blames Jewish speaker for Gaza, leads walkout Muslim leader at a New York City college interfaith event last week accosted the Jewish representative as a “Zionist” responsible for deaths in Gaza and led Muslim students out of the room. The college said it was aware of the incident and investigating. ABC News: Victims of extremist 764 network warn parents about predators targeting kids online Parents speak out about how their 13-year-old son was allegedly coerced into taking his own life by the sinister online network, which has spread around the world. ABC 7: Terrorism charges recently filed against violent online 764 network targeting minors It is described as an extremist network, using various platforms to prey on vulnerable children here, and around the world. For the past six months, the I-Team, along with ABC News, have been investigating the disturbing rise of 764. Federal law enforcement is now referring to it as modern-day terrorism. Washington Examiner: Abbott designates Muslim Brotherhood and CAIR as terrorist organizations in anti-sharia push Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) on Tuesday designated the Muslim Brotherhood and the Center for American Islamic Relations as “radical extremist” foreign terrorist organizations. The designation permits authorities to increase surveillance on the organizations and their affiliates, and permanently bans them from purchasing or acquiring land in the state. NPR: Antisemitism task force regroups after severing ties with the Heritage Foundation After cutting ties with the Heritage Foundation, an antisemitism task force formed to address what they described as left-wing antisemitism has reformed independently and broadened its focus. Jewish Insider: Cruz to Jewish philanthropists: Fighting antisemitism is ‘saving America’ Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) upped the ante on his recent rhetoric targeting right-wing podcaster Tucker Carlson, telling a gathering of Jewish leaders in Washington that calling out antisemitism from Carlson and his Republican allies is necessary to defend American values. He said America faces an “existential crisis” if the rising antisemitism on the American right is not addressed. Jewish Insider: Antisemitism envoy nominee Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun to receive confirmation hearing Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun is scheduled for a confirmation hearing to be the Trump administration’s antisemitism envoy on Wednesday, a last-minute addition to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee schedule. Kaploun, an Orthodox Jewish businessman and Chabad rabbi, was a Trump campaign surrogate during the 2024 campaign and, though he has not yet been confirmed, has been a frequent fixture at D.C.-area events focused on combating antisemitism since he was first nominated for the post in April and has met with other Trump administration officials. Fox News: Unearthed antisemitic, anti-Israel posts from Mamdani aide spark GOP outrage New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani is facing heat from two New York lawmakers who spoke to Fox News Digital after a report showing a member of his transition team espoused vitriolic anti-Israel sentiments under the backdrop of Mamdani's promises to combat antisemitism as mayor. Hassaan Chaudhary, according to a New York Post report on Sunday, has a social media presence littered with anti-Israel posts, including calling the country "barbaric," using the term "Jew" as a slur, and praising Iran’s former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Reuters: EEOC says University of Pennsylvania flouting subpoena in antisemitism probe The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Tuesday said it is investigating alleged antisemitic conduct against faculty and staff at the University of Pennsylvania, and asked a federal judge to force the school to comply fully with a subpoena. The EEOC in a filing, opens new tab in Philadelphia federal court said UPenn has refused to hand over discrimination complaints by Jewish employees, a list of members of Jewish-related campus groups and the names of employees in the school's Jewish Studies Program. Associated Press: Trump’s comments about Fuentes and Carlson could prolong GOP rift over antisemitism When President Donald Trump doesn't like someone, he knows how to show it. In just the last few days, he's described Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene as a traitor, mocked Rep. Thomas Massie's second marriage after his first wife died and demanded that comedian Seth Meyers get fired from his late-night television show. WJLA: Northern Virginia school settles over claim it wrongfully kicked out 3 Jewish students school in Herndon has agreed to a settlement with a Jewish family who claimed their children were wrongfully kicked out after the parents reported their daughter was targeted for her religion and ethnicity. The parents filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Office of Civil Rights, which later issued a charge of discrimination for Nysmith School for the Gifted. It alleged that students at the school picked on the 11-year-old girl for being "Israeli." Europe SWI: How the far right became a Europe-wide movement After the fascist and Nazi regimes were defeated in 1945, European post-war historiography largely overlooked right-wing extremism. New research now shows how extremists rebuilt cross-border networks in Europe and the part Switzerland played. EU Reporter: Anti-semitism‘ Morally required to hate Jews’: Scholar warns European Parliament of a new era of normalized antisemitism Europe’s universities are becoming “morally required” to hate Jews, warned Dr. Charles Asher Small, Founding Director and President of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP), in a blistering address to the European Parliament last week. Speaking at a plenary session organized by the Simon Wiesenthal Center and the Belgian Friends of Israel, and hosted by MEPs Lukas Mandl (EPP, Austria), Moritz Körner (Renew Europe/FDP, Germany) and Hannes Heide (S&D, Austria), Small said antisemitism in Europe had reached a level of social acceptance unseen in generations. France Jerusalem Post: French Muslim boy jailed for rape of 12-year-old Jewish girl has sentence commuted in retrial One of two French Muslim teenagers found guilty of raping a 12-year-old Jewish girl in 2024 has had his sentence commuted on account of "need to prepare for future reintegration." The original sentences were handed down on June 15 of this year. The two boys were given seven and nine-year prison sentences, respectively, for their participation in the gang rape of a minor under the age of 15 on the basis of religion. Germany France 24: Germany's LGBT+ community worried at rise in hate crimes In recent months, Germany has seen a sharp rise in hate crimes targeting the queer community. Figures from the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Federal Ministry of the Interior recorded 1,765 criminal offences in 2024 under the subcategory "sexual orientation" – an increase of around 18 percent compared to the previous year. The surge in attacks is largely attributed to the far right and is causing deep concern within the LGBT+ community, in a country long regarded as tolerant toward sexual and gender minorities – particularly in the capital Berlin. Times of Israel: Lebanese man goes on trial in Germany for supplying Hezbollah with drone parts A Lebanese man went on trial Tuesday in Celle, Germany, where he is accused of being a member of the Hezbollah terror group and procuring drone components that were exported for use in attacks against Israel. The defendant, identified under local privacy laws only as Fadel Z, supplied thousands of parts, some of which were used in two attacks on Israel, including a 2024 strike on a retirement home in the central Israel city of Herzliya, prosecutors say. Haaretz: Germany's Antisemitism Czar Braces for Backlash Over Move to Rein in pro-Palestinian Protests Germany's commissioner for combating antisemitism is promoting legislation that would criminalize chants that call or could be interpreted as calling for Israel's destruction, including "From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free." "I think we want to have a political debate that is fair and rational, but to call for the death of a country means to calls for the death of the people who live there," Dr. Felix Klein, who operates under the auspices the German interior ministry, said in an interview at his Berlin office with Haaretz. Spain Reuters: Far-right uptick in Spain raises spectre of Franco 50 years after his death A spike in support for Spain's far right is reviving memories of late dictator Francisco Franco and burnishing his legacy among disaffected young Spaniards, even as the left-wing government seeks to eradicate symbols of the fascist past. AI-generated clips of Franco railing against modern ills proliferate on social media along with revisionist history lessons and nightclubs playing techno remixes of Spain's fascist-era anthem. The Guardian: ‘Dangerous nostalgia’: did Spain’s ‘pact of forgetting’ after Franco leave new generation open to far right? “Surveys have shown us that about 24% or 25% of people aged 18 to 30 said they wouldn’t mind living under an authoritarian regime,” said Fernando Martínez López, a historian who serves as Spain’s secretary of state for democratic memory. United Kingdom Telegraph: Terrorist could receive damages for being locked up 22 hours a day A terrorist could receive damages after claiming that his isolation for 22 hours a day in a jail separation unit breached his human rights. Sahayb Abu was jailed for life in 2021 after he was found guilty of buying a sword, knife and combat clothing to use in a planned knife rampage during the pandemic. The Guardian: Starmer urges Farage to explain himself over claims of past racist behaviour Keir Starmer has called on Nigel Farage to urgently explain himself after the Reform leader wholesale denied numerous detailed allegations of racist behaviour during his teenage years. Responding to the Reform MP Lee Anderson at prime minister’s questions, Starmer raised the Guardian’s reporting of allegations from well over a dozen school contemporaries of Farage. The Guardian: Shabana Mahmood accused of ‘ethnic stereotyping’ by Albania’s PM Shabana Mahmood has been accused of “ethnic stereotyping” and “indecent demagoguery” by Albania’s prime minister after the home secretary singled out Albanian families and children for refusing to return to their homeland. Edi Rama, the Socialist party leader, has questioned why a Labour politician can “so poorly echo the rhetoric of the populist far-right” after Mahmood’s officials singled out 700 Albanian families for deportation. Russia Reuters: Russia puts Khodorkovsky on list of 'extremists and terrorists', RIA reports Russia has added Mikhail Khodorkovsky to its list of "extremists and terrorists", the RIA news agency reported on Wednesday, citing the country's financial watchdog. Gaza Strip/West Bank Associated Press: The US plan for Gaza won UN backing. Carrying it out could be far more difficult The U.N. Security Council has backed the United States’ ambitious plan for the future of the Gaza Strip. How and when it will be carried out remain largely unknown. In a twist unimaginable across the tumultuous history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the plan would mean U.S. President Donald Trump becomes the de facto ruler of Gaza. The territory remains devastated by Israel’s campaign to eliminate Hamas after its Oct. 7, 2023, attack that sparked the war. Times of Israel: Meeting between Witkoff and Hamas official said canceled due to Israeli pressure A planned meeting between US envoy Steve Witkoff and Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya, scheduled to take place Wednesday in Turkey, has been canceled due to Israeli pressure, the Lebanese channel Al-Mayadeen reported. There was no immediate confirmation of the report from the Hezbollah-linked outlet. Times of Israel: Masked assailants attack vehicle of Israeli activists aiding Palestinians in the West Bank Masked assailants attacked activists helping Palestinians in the village of Mukhmas, north of Jerusalem, today. In a video, the assailants can be seen spraying pepper spray at one of the activists and smashing the vehicle’s windows. An activist who requested to remain anonymous tells The Times of Israel that no one was injured in the incident. Times of Israel: Despite promising change, Palestinian Authority still teaching antisemitism in school, study finds A new study examining Palestinian Authority textbooks for the first time in four years finds that no changes have been made to them, despite the PA promising reforms. The PA had previously reassured the US and the European Union that it would revise the educational materials taught in the Palestinian territories to remove content that promotes hatred and violence. However, a new study by the IMPACT-SE institute — which examines the textbooks used in the current school year — finds that no changes have been made. Iran Iran International: IAEA urges Iran to restore full access to nuclear sites hit in June strikes The UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday it needs more Iranian cooperation to restore full inspections at sites hit in June’s strikes, warning that verification of enriched uranium stocks is “long overdue.” In his opening statement to the IAEA Board of Governors, UN nuclear chief Rafael Grossi said the agency urgently needs access to Iran’s inventories of low-enriched and high-enriched uranium, which have not been checked for five months. Israel Reuters: After UN vote, Netanyahu calls for Hamas' expulsion from the region Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday called for Hamas to be expelled from the region, a day after the U.N. Security Council endorsed President Donald Trump's plan to end the war that offers the Palestinian militant group amnesty. Netanyahu publicly endorsed the plan during a White House visit in late September. However, his latest remarks appear to show that there are differences with the United States on the path forward. Hamas has also objected to parts of the plan. Lebanon Times of Israel: IDF strikes Hamas facility near Lebanon’s Sidon; local officials say 13 killed The Israel Defense Forces carried out an airstrike Tuesday in the Ain al-Hilweh Palestinian refugee camp near the Lebanese coastal city of Sidon. The strike killed 13 people, according to Lebanese authorities. The IDF confirmed the strike, saying it targeted terror operatives at a Hamas training facility. Naharnet: Hezbollah urges Lebanese leaders not to 'show leniency' amid increasing Israeli attacks Hezbollah, in a statement issued Wednesday, condemned in the strongest terms what it called "the horrific massacre perpetrated by the criminal Zionist enemy last night in the Ain al-Helweh camp in Sidon,” which resulted in the death of thirteen Palestinian refugees and a large number of wounded. “The attack targeted a densely populated area filled with innocent civilians and children, in a yet another brutal act added to the enemy's dark record of crimes and genocide against Palestinians, Lebanese and the peoples of the region," Hezbollah said. India NDTV: Anti-Terrorism Squad Arrests 2 Chhattisgarh Teens For ISIS Links The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Chhattisgarh detained two boys in Raipur for their alleged links with terror outfit Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma has said. After a thorough investigation, the state's ATS detained the duo who were working under the direction of ISIS modules based in Pakistan and were active on social media through fake IDs, said Sharma, who also holds the home portfolio. Times of India: 'Safe’ psychological trap: How 19 women were drawn into extremism by Dr Shaheen Shahid's manipulative speeches Investigators from Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), central intelligence units, and district police are conducting an extensive search for 19 women from Kanpur and adjoining districts who were reportedly in contact with arrested Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative Dr Shaheen Shahid. Kashmir Horizons: Show zero tolerance towards terrorism: Jaishankar To SCO at top meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday said that Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was founded to combat the three evils – terrorism, separatism and extremism. The remarks came days after deadly suicide blast claimed 15 lives and injured others near Delhi’s iconic Red Fort. Pakistan Afghanistan International: Pakistan’s Demand For Taliban Action Against TTP Is Reasonable, Says EU Envoy The European Union’s ambassador to Islamabad, Raimundas Karoblis, has said Pakistan’s request that the Taliban take action against Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is reasonable. He added that Islamabad’s concerns stem from security threats originating from across the border. Africa Channel Africa: UN Chief warns that expanding terrorist networks in West Africa pose global threat Expanding terrorist networks, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services in West Africa and the Sahel are deepening global concern. This is according to United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres, who told the UN Security Council on Monday that the surge in extremist groups is “not only a regional dramatic reality”. Mali Reuters: Mali army killed 31 villagers in attacks on insurgent area, HRW says Mali's military and allied militias killed at least 31 people in attacks on two villages in the central Segou region where the main insurgent group linked to al Qaeda operates, Human Rights Watch said in a report on Tuesday. The first attack took place on October 2 in the village of Kamona, where the army and militia forces killed least 21 men and burned homes, the HRW report said. The second, it reported, occurred in the village of Balle about 55 km (34 miles) away, where at least 10 people including one woman had been killed. Wall Street Journal: How al Qaeda Stands on the Edge of Toppling a Government Al Qaeda is sieging the capital of Mali, the West African nation nearly twice the size of Texas. WSJ explains how 24 years after the 9/11 attacks, the region is now the center of global terrorism. Nigeria Reuters: Gunmen attack church in Nigeria, killing two and kidnapping others Gunmen have attacked a church in Nigeria, killing at least two people and kidnapping the pastor and some worshippers, police and witnesses said on Wednesday, days after 25 girls were abducted from a boarding school. The attack on Tuesday evening in Eruku, a town in central Nigeria's Kwara state, puts more pressure on the government, which is under scrutiny from U.S. President Donald Trump who has threatened military action over what he says is persecution of Christians. Somalia Horn Observer: U.S. Forces Target ISIS Hide-Outs in Northeastern Somalia The US Africa reportedly conducted an airstrike at the Golis Mountains, approximately 65 km southeast of Bossaso on Tuesday, US Africa Command said in a press release. Regional forces allied with Somalia’s Puntland state of Somalia, getting limited air support from the International partners, have been fighting ISIS fighters based on the mountainous areas of Bari region with partial success. TRT Africa: Somali forces kill 11 Al Shabab terrorists, foil suicide attack The Somali army and allied community fighters killed 11 Al Shabab terrorists in separate operations in the Mudug and Bakool regions and foiled an attempted suicide attack, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. Indonesia First Post: Jakarta mosque blast: Teen suspect's diary reveals loneliness, online radicalisation behind attack Jakarta authorities have unearthed new details in the investigation into the November 7 bombing at a school mosque, tracing how a 17-year-old student planned the attack largely in isolation. The teenager, hospitalised after sustaining injuries in the blast, is being treated as a minor under Indonesia’s juvenile justice system, as reported by Reuters. Australia Australian Broadcasting Corporation: NSW government to bring in tougher laws to combat public displays of Nazi ideology Police and courts will be given greater powers to combat public displays of Nazi ideology in NSW following a rally outside state parliament earlier this month. The rally on November 8 featured two rows of men clad in black, displaying a banner calling to "Abolish the Jewish lobby". The Guardian: Tony Burke reviewing anti-hate laws and says South African neo-Nazi will not be allowed back into Australia The Albanese government is reviewing anti-hate laws after a neo-Nazi protest in Sydney, with the New South Wales government also moving to ban white supremacist slogans and chants after police authorised the demonstration outside state parliament. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said a South African neo-Nazi whose visa was cancelled will not be allowed back into the Australian community, accusing members of the National Socialist Network of seeking to cloak their “bigotry in patriotism”. Technology Sky News: How violent extremists are thriving online - and why it's getting harder to catch them Violent extremists are using AI to evade social media moderation, according to the leader of one of Europe's leading violence prevention task forces. Speaking at TikTok's Trust and Safety forum in Dublin, Judy Korn, managing director of the Violence Prevention Network, said the nature of extremism was changing along with the tactics used. The Irish Independent: TikTok to crack down on extremist and AI content TikTok has outlined new measures targeting violent extremism and will tighten controls around AI-generated content. At its European Trust and Safety Forum, which took place in Dublin, the platform said it had removed more than 6.5 million videos in the first half of the year for breaching its rules on violent and hateful content. CEP Podcasts Unpacking the week's extremism-related anniversaries and news, as well as counter extremism developments and prospects. A deep dive into CEP's research and topics that are relevant to our mission, from our Berlin-based team.   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