Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Global News on Extremism and Terrorism Eye on Extremism November 20, 2025   Top Stories Times of Israel: Mossad says foiled Hamas terror plots in Europe were planned in Qatar, maybe Turkey Recently foiled Hamas terrorist plots in Europe were planned in Qatar and possibly Turkey, the Mossad intelligence agency said Wednesday, detailing results of a lengthy probe into the busted schemes. The spy agency said in a statement that it carried out the investigation alongside European counterparts that resulted in the arrest of terror suspects and weapons stockpiles “intended for use by Hamas cells to harm innocent civilians on command.” Jerusalem Post: Iran coordinating with Hamas, Hezbollah to rebuild 'Axis of Resistance,' Israeli officials warn Israeli defense officials assess that Hamas is closely coordinating with Hezbollah and Iran to revive and rebuild the so-called “axis of resistance,” while the IDF expands strikes in Gaza and southern Lebanon, officials said on Thursday.   LATEST CEP WEBINAR On November 18, 2025, CEP hosted a webinar during which Sofia Koller, Senior Research Analyst at CEP Germany, and Iva Mrvová, reporter and researcher with extensive field experience in Northeastern Syria, presented key insights from their policy paper, A Lawless Space – Alleged ISIS-affiliated Men and Boys from Germany detained in Northeastern Syria. With remarks from Prof. Ben Saul, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter Terrorism. Watch here.     Analysis Jerusalem Post: Can a European-trained Palestinian police force in Gaza stop Hamas infiltration? – analysis The European Union could play a role in training thousands of police in Gaza, according to reports and a statement from the EU High Representative on November 20. However, many details remain to be clarified. The EU is already training Palestinian police, a program that EUPOL COPPS backs. The EU thus has a note of experience doing this with Palestinians. The program has been successful for the Palestinian Authority police. United States Times of Israel: Anti-Zionist protesters chant ‘Death to the IDF’ at New York City synagogue Anti-Zionist protesters chanted for an intifada and heckled Jews at a demonstration outside a prominent New York City synagogue on Wednesday night. The demonstrators gathered outside the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan to protest against an event held by Nefesh B’nefesh, an organization that helps Jews immigrate to Israel. Associated Press: Texas governor declares Muslim civil rights group a terrorist organization Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday declared one of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups in the U.S. a “foreign terrorist organization” under a proclamation that he said allows the state to try shutting them down. He also designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations “a transnational criminal organization” and said it would not be allowed to buy land in the state. The proclamation also included the Muslim Brotherhood. Jerusalem Post: Republicans must address Nazi problem among Gen Z conservatives, Trump ally Laura Loomer says A far-right figure and supporter of President Donald Trump is warning that the Republican Party has to address its “Nazi problem,” The Daily Beast reported. Laura Loomer said that a failure to do so could lead to a Democratic blue wave in the 2026 midterms and pave the way for California Gov. Gavin Newsom to take the White House in 2028, the Daily Beast reported. CBS News: 5 plead guilty to terrorism-related charges in case tied to alleged attack at North Texas ICE facility Five people pleaded guilty to a terrorism-related offense allegedly tied to antifa after a shooting at a Texas immigration detention center on the Fourth of July. Federal prosecutors alleged that operatives in a North Texas "antifa cell" plotted to target law enforcement officers with gunfire and explosives at the Prairieland ICE detention facility in Alvarado. Jewish Insider: Antisemitism envoy nominee Kaploun emphasizes need for education in Senate hearing Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the Trump administration’s nominee to be the State Department’s special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, emphasized the importance of education as the critical tool to combat antisemitism during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. USA Today: Man accused of setting woman on fire on Chicago train charged with terrorist attack A man accused of setting a woman on fire on a Chicago train this week has been federally charged with committing a terrorist attack, authorities said. Lawrence Reed, 50, was identified as the suspect in the Nov. 17 attack on a Chicago Transit Authority train in the city's Loop district, according to a federal criminal complaint. He was arrested Nov. 18 and federally charged on Nov. 19 with committing a terrorist act or other violence against a mass transportation system. I24 News: Mamdani's father linked to Hamas-connected Gaza tribunal council An investigation by Jewish Onliner has revealed that Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani, father of New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, serves on the advisory council of the Gaza Tribunal alongside Ramy Abdu, who Israel designated in 2013 as a key Hamas operative in Europe. Forward: Some blame Qatar and unions for K-12 antisemitism. Experts say that’s the wrong focus While antisemitism at colleges and universities gets the most attention, discrimination against young Jewish students is also growing in pernicious ways that often have less to do with nuanced political debates over Israel than outright bullying, including Nazi salutes, jokes about Hamas killing Jews and memes in the online forums where many students socialize. These incidents have prompted a growing interest in countering K-12 antisemitism — the Anti-Defamation League is ramping up pressure on districts and a new political action committee is seeking “pro-Jewish” school board candidates. But alongside these efforts has been a hunt for a boogeyman supposedly driving the problem. WJAR: Smithfield High School parents deny antisemitism in complaint against education department Parents of Smithfield High School football players have filed their own complaint, denying accusations of antisemitism. The 12-page complaint was filed against the Rhode Island Department of Education. According to the document, the incident began on Sept. 29 in the high school football locker room. KSEE: Porterville teen tied to online extremist group, tech expert warns of online dangers A Porterville teenager is facing up to 69 years in prison for felonies related to an online extremist group. “A parent shouldn’t be surprised by anything that can happen online,” CEO of Helpdesk Tech in Fresno, J. Colin Petersen, said. The DOJ says 19-year-old Tony Long is federally indicted on six charges, including two counts of animal crushing and sexual exploitation of a minor. Canada CBC: P.E.I. man facing what police say are 1st terrorism charges laid in Atlantic Canada A North Rustico, P.E.I., man already under a terrorism peace bond is now facing what police say are the first terrorism charges ever laid in Atlantic Canada. Daniel Desmond Crowder is facing two charges in connection with 3D-printed firearms and issuing threats, RCMP said in a news release Wednesday. Jerusalem Post: Second 'noxious substance' attack on Toronto pro-Palestinian activists in two weeks Toronto pro-Palestinian activists have been subjected to two attacks with noxious substances in just over two weeks, according to the Toronto Police Service and the National Council of Canadian Muslims. A fifty-nine-year-old man was arrested on Monday and charged with assault with a weapon and administering a noxious substance after spraying participants of a Palestinian flag raising at Toronto City Hall. Europe Politico: The EU’s far right has tasted power. Now it wants action on migrants, cars and red tape. The far right last week broke through the firewall in the European Parliament and is now looking to flex its muscles again to secure a wider set of goals. Next on the target list: Deporting more migrants, reversing a ban on the combustion engine, new rules on gene-edited crops, and even more red tape reductions for businesses. Austria DPA: Austria plans school headscarf ban from start of 2026 academic year Austria is set to ban girls under the age of 14 from wearing a headscarf in school next year, Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm said on Thursday. The draft law, which is set to be debated in parliament soon, is to apply from the 2026/2027 school year, the minister, who belongs to the centre-right Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), said. Germany I24 News: German intel agency terms anti-Zionist ‘Jewish Voice’ an extremist group The domestic intelligence agency for Germany has proscribed the anti-Zionist organization—Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East—as a pro-Palestinian extremist group. The Germany-based Jewish Voices appeared in the June intelligence report under the section titled “Secular pro-Palestinian extremism.” Deutsche Welle: How the Nuremberg Trials prosecuted Nazi war criminals "I hereby indict the following persons for crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity: Hermann Wilhelm Göring. Rudolf Hess. Joachim von Ribbentrop..." Courtroom 600 in Nuremberg's Palace of Justice was filled to capacity as Chief Prosecutor Robert H. Jackson read out a list of names, one after the other. His list was long. The Major War Crimes Trial against 24 high-ranking representatives of the Nazi state began on November 20, 1945, in the southern German city of Nuremberg. United Kingdom The Guardian: Reform UK councillor suspended over WhatsApp group featuring extremist posts A Reform UK councillor has been suspended for participating in a WhatsApp group where members allegedly called for a “mass Islam genocide”. Tom Pickup, who was elected to Lancashire county council in May, confirmed to the Guardian he was a member of the group set up by a rightwing activist. The Guardian: Joy Crookes says UK and Ireland in ‘dark time’ amid rise of far-right politics The UK and Ireland are entering a “dark time”, according to the singer Joy Crookes, who said the influence of far-right ideology on mainstream politics was comparable to the 1970s when the National Front was at its peak. Crookes, who has just played two sold-out shows at the O2 Academy in Brixton, said the recent wave of nationalism and the far-right march through central London in September made her feel unsafe in the UK. Afghanistan Afghanistan International: Indian FM, Taliban Commerce Minister Discuss Expanding Trade & Connectivity Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has met with Nooruddin Azizi, the Taliban’s minister of industry and commerce, in New Delhi to discuss expanding trade, connectivity and people-to-people ties. Jaishankar said the meeting also focused on India’s support for Afghanistan’s development and welfare. Afghanistan International: On World Children’s Day, Karzai Calls For End To Taliban Education Bans Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has renewed his call on the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls, using World Children’s Day on 20 November to press the issue once again. Karzai said Afghan children would only secure a bright future and contribute to the country’s progress if they were given the chance to gain knowledge, expertise and essential skills. In a post on X on Thursday, he said education was not only the right of every child but a necessity for society. Afghanistan International: Taliban Leader Urges Clerics To Uphold & Promote His Decrees The Taliban say their leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, has instructed clerics and members of the group to apply his decrees to themselves before presenting them to the public. He also stressed the importance of resolving internal disputes and ensuring clerics and officials adhere to organisational regulations. Gaza Strip/West Bank Times of Israel: 5 Palestinians reported killed in Israeli airstrikes in southern Gaza Five Palestinians were killed in purported Israeli airstrikes in the southern Gaza Strip today, according to Palestinian media and Hamas authorities. The Hamas-run Gaza Civil Defense agency claims that an airstrike on a home in the Khan Younis suburb of Bani Suheila early this morning killed three people, including an infant, and wounded a further 15. Times of Israel: IDF publishes footage of Hamas tunnel shaft located inside abandoned school in northern Gaza The IDF publishes footage recovered from the camera of a Hamas operative, showing armed members of the terror group operating in an abandoned elementary school in the northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun. Jerusalem Post: IDF: Hamas diverted charity funds from ‘Qawafel al-Khair’ to military wing Documents recovered in Gaza show Hamas used the Palestinian charity “Qawafel al-Khair” to channel donations to its military wing, including grants, construction support, and logistics for terrorists, the IDF’s Intelligence Directorate said on Thursday. The material, analyzed by a Military Intelligence Unit, details organized meetings in 2023 between Hamas and several NGOs, with Qawafel al-Khair at the center. Jerusalem Post: IDF reservist wounded in counter terror ops in Nablus by Palestinian fire An IDF reserves soldier sustained gunshot wounds after Palestinians fired at troops Wednesday night during counterterrorism operations in Nablus, the military said on Thursday morning. The Samaria Brigade was operating inside several villages within the West Bank city, locating weapons and arresting terrorists at the time. Iran International: Iran says UN Gaza resolution must not weaken Palestinian rights Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations said on Tuesday that a new US-backed Security Council resolution on Gaza must not be applied in any way that harms Palestinian rights. “The resolution and its mechanisms must not be interpreted or implemented in a way that violates or undermines the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” Amir Saeid Iravani said. Haaretz: The Far-right Jewish Settlers Using Chat Groups to Boast of Their Acts of Terror Against Palestinians Israel Times of Israel: Seven men indicted on suspicion of smuggling arms from Syria into Israel State prosecutors file charges against seven men on suspicion of smuggling arms from Syria earlier this year, during clashes between government forces and Druze in the country’s south. Times of Israel: High Court orders government to explain why it’s not launching Oct. 7 state inquiry The High Court of Justice on Wednesday issued a preliminary order against the government, instructing it to justify its reasons for not establishing a state commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the catastrophic Hamas invasion and massacres in southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The court demanded to know why the government is not exercising its authority to establish such a commission, which could “examine in an independent, professional, and impartial manner” the events surrounding the October 7 attacks. Times of Israel: Far-right minister criticizes journalist for ‘whining’ about threats of violence Far-right Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu has refused to condemn attacks on journalists after a death threat was spray-painted outside the offices of the Channel 13 news network and a reporter for another network was harassed and threatened. Instead, Eliyahu on Thursday criticized the Channel 12 reporter, Guy Peleg, for “whining” about it. Times of Israel: Buoyed by Trump, Marwan Barghouti’s wife presses Israelis to free terror convict for peace After months of crisscrossing the region and the globe, Fadwa Barghouti has seen her campaign to secure the release of her husband, prominent Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti, again came up short. The 66-year-old inmate, sentenced by an Israeli court in 2004 to five life sentences plus 40 years for helping plan deadly attacks during the Second Intifada, was not included on the list of nearly 2,000 Palestinians released in exchange for 20 hostages in a deal last month aimed at ending the two-year war against the Hamas terror group in Gaza. Reuters: Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of war crimes in West Bank expulsions Israel’s expulsion of tens of thousands of Palestinians from three West Bank refugee camps in early 2025 amounts to war crimes and crimes against humanity, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday, calling for urgent international measures to hold Israeli officials accountable and stop further abuses. The rights group said about 32,000 residents of Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur Shams camps were forcibly displaced by Israeli forces during "Operation Iron Wall" in January and February. The displaced have been barred from returning, and hundreds of homes were demolished, said the group's 105-page report, titled "All My Dreams Have Been Erased". Lebanon Times of Israel: Wave of IDF strikes hit Hezbollah weapons depots in south Lebanon after warnings The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday said it launched a wave of airstrikes against Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon, as the military ramped up strikes aimed at preventing the Iran-backed terror group from rearming. Naharnet: Report: US, KSA, Iran seek 10-year freezing of Hezbollah arms A “settlement” over Hezbollah’s arms might be reached between the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Iran, Lebanon’s Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Thursday. Iran has presented an offer entailing a 10-year freezing of Hezbollah’s arms with Tehran’s guarantee and a declaration that the group would totally withdraw from the South Litani area, in parallel with Hezbollah’s focus on political action during this period, the daily said. Naharnet: Israel says Hezbollah rebuilding capabilities in Beit Leef The Israeli military has accused Hezbollah of violating the terms of a ceasefire by attempting to re-establish itself in southern Lebanon a short distance from Israel’s northern border. "The Hezbollah terrorist organization has been working to rebuild its capabilities in the village of Beit Leef in southern Lebanon, in a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon," Israel’s military said Wednesday in a statement. Iran International: Lebanon president confronted Iran envoy over Hezbollah, withdrawn report says Lebanese President Joseph Aoun was quoted in an interview with a domestic news outlet which was withdrawn without explanation that he had confronted Iran's security chief about the Tehran-backed Shi'ite armed group Hezbollah. CNN Arabic and Lebanese news website Naharnet quoted the interview by ASAS Media in which Aoun, 60, the ex-commander of the US-backed Lebanese army who became president this year describes an August meeting with Ali Larijani. Syria Jerusalem Post: Downed ISIS drones spur SDF claim of Damascus collaboration in Raqqa attacks The Syrian Democratic Forces accused elements of the Damascus government of collaborating with ISIS terrorists, after the largely Kurdish militia shot down two ISIS drones launched from "positions held by Damascus government-affiliated factions" east of Raqqa on Wednesday. Kurdistan24: Two Syrian Soldiers Killed as Clashes Erupt Between Syrian Army and SDF in Northeast Syria Two Syrian army soldiers were killed in overnight clashes with Kurdish-led forces in northeastern Syria, both sides confirmed Thursday, in one of the most serious confrontations since a political reconciliation framework was announced earlier this year. The incident underscored the fragility of security arrangements in the volatile Raqqa countryside, where government troops, U.S.-backed Kurdish forces, and remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS) all operate in overlapping zones of influence. India Reuters: Four more arrested in India over deadly Delhi blast India's anti-terrorism agency said on Thursday it had arrested four more people, including three doctors, in connection with last week's deadly car blast in Delhi, the first such attack in the heavily-guarded capital in more than a decade. The car bomb killed 10 people and wounded 32 outside the historic Red Fort on November 10. 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. Associated Press: Pakistani forces step up raids near the Afghan border, killing 23 militants Pakistani security forces raided two Pakistani Taliban hideouts in the country’s northwest near the Afghan border, triggering intense shootouts that left 23 militants dead, the military said Thursday. There were no details on any casualties among the military. The raids took place on Wednesday in Kurram, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, according to a military statement. The operation followed raids earlier this week across northwestern Pakistan that the army said killed 38 militants. Arab News: Punjab launches ‘mobile Counterterrorism Department’ to monitor complex security operations in real time Pakistan’s Punjab province has launched the country’s “first mobile Counterterrorism Department” to monitor complex security operation in real time, the provincial chief minister said on Wednesday, amid a surge in militancy in the country. Niger Reuters: Al Qaeda-linked militants kill at least 10 soldiers in Niger, sources say Militants from the al Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) killed at least 10 soldiers in an attack in western Niger, security sources said on Thursday. The soldiers were attacked on Wednesday close to the village of Garbougna in the Tillaberi region near the border with Mali and Burkina Faso, the three sources said. Nigeria Reuters: Nigerian court convicts separatist leader Kanu for terrorism A Nigerian court on Thursday convicted separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu on all seven terrorism-related charges at the end of a decade-long trial that has inflamed tensions in the country's southeast. Judge James Omotosho said prosecutors, who have called for Kanu to be sentenced to death, proved that his broadcasts and orders to his now banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group incited deadly attacks on security forces and citizens. Reuters: Nigeria shuts some schools in Kwara state after church attack Nigerian authorities have shut schools in five districts in central Kwara state, fearing they could be targets of armed gangs after a deadly attack on a church in the state earlier in the week. Nigeria has witnessed a spate of attacks by gunmen, including the kidnapping on Monday of 25 schoolgirls from a boarding school in northwestern Kebbi state, putting a spotlight on insecurity and forcing President Bola Tinubu to postpone foreign trips. Australia Sydney Criminal Lawyers: Hamas Applies to be Removed from List of Terrorist Organisations Hamas has made 27 submissions to Australian home affairs minister Tony Burke in respect of an application to see itself removed from the official list of terrorist organisations, and the Palestinian political group, which has an armed military wing, argues this should occur, as, ultimately, such a listing is illegitimate and has served to facilitate Israel’s commission of genocide in Gaza. The Guardian: Man arrested in Sydney for alleged harassment of federal MP over neo-Nazi criticism A 30-year-old man has been arrested and charged by Australian police after allegedly harassing a politician who condemned a neo-Nazi protest outside the New South Wales parliament. The Australian federal police arrested the man in the Sydney suburb of Bondi and allege he sent a “menacing message” that encouraged abusive and hateful messages to be directed towards a federal politician as a result of the condemnation. Technology Jerusalem Post: Antisemitism rapidly increasing in age of AI, bad actors corrupt LLM training to create bias Antisemitism has taken on alarming new forms in the age of artificial intelligence, according to a report by Julia Senkfor of the American Security Fund (ASF). This finds expression in multiple ways, including bias in mainstream systems and the deliberate weaponization by adversarial actors that contaminates the data AI trains on and the processes AI trains through. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: AI has a reputation for amplifying hate. A new study finds it can weaken antisemitism, too. Every day, it can seem, brings a fresh headline about how AI chatbots are spreading hateful ideas. But researchers tasked with understanding antisemitism and how it can be stopped say they have found evidence that AI chatbots can actually fight hate. 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. 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