Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Recent attacks have been 'inspired' by Islamic State. What does that mean? Eye on Extremism December 17, 2025   Top Stories Times of Israel: Bondi Beach Hanukkah killer charged with 59 offenses including terror, 15 counts of murder The surviving gunman in Sydney’s Bondi Beach terror attack at a Jewish community event was charged Wednesday with 59 offenses, including 15 charges of murder, as Australian authorities were investigating the two perpetrators’ links to the Islamic State terror group. Two terrorists slaughtered 15 people on Sunday in a mass shooting targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, and nearly 20 other people are still being treated in hospitals. NPR: Recent attacks have been 'inspired' by Islamic State. What does that mean? Just over a decade ago, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) held vast swaths of territory across Iraq and Syria, carried out attacks that shocked the world, and regularly flooded social media with gruesome videos depicting the beheadings of orange-jumpsuited Western captives. The Islamic State was declared wiped out by the U.S., but recent attacks linked by officials to the group suggest it continues to be viable, experts say.   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 ZDF Heute: Expert Schindler: "Surprising" failures by the authorities In an interview with ZDFheute live, extremism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler also sees this as a warning signal for Western security authorities. Analysis Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Bondi attack came after huge increase in online antisemitism, early research finds At least 16 people — including a 10-year-old child — are dead after two men opened fire on a crowd of people celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah on Sunday in a public park at Sydney's Bondi Beach. Many more are injured. I am horrified. But as a researcher who studies hate and extremist violence, I am sadly not surprised. Times of Israel: In Australia, alarm over neglected gun control laws after Bondi Hanukkah terror attack After Australia’s deadliest mass shooting in 1996, the country rushed in some of the world’s toughest gun laws, including mandatory licensing and background checks, as well as registration of every firearm. But a winding back of those laws, failure to update them in the internet age, and growing complacency with background checks may have made it easier for the two suspects behind Sunday’s terror massacre at a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney’s Bondi Beach to acquire weapons, gun safety experts said. Jerusalem Post: Is Bondi Beach a sign that ISIS is making a comeback?- analysis The two terrorists who perpetrated the Bondi Beach attack appear to have been motivated by ISIS. They join a number of recent incidents around the world in which it appears ISIS could be making a comeback. Why is this happening now, and is it a trend? United States Times of Israel: US imposes travel ban on Palestinian Authority passport holders, citing war, terror US President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded a travel ban by barring Palestinian Authority passport holders from entering the United States, along with banning five other nationalities. In a social media post, a White House account said that Trump, who has long campaigned to restrict immigration, was acting “to protect the security of the United States.” Reuters: Trump adds seven countries, including Syria, to full travel ban list U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday expanded a list of countries subject to a full travel ban, prohibiting citizens from an additional seven countries, including Syria, from entering the United States. The White House said in a statement that Trump signed a proclamation "expanding and strengthening entry restrictions on nationals from countries with demonstrated, persistent, and severe deficiencies in screening, vetting, and information-sharing to protect the Nation from national security and public safety threats." CNN: Trump condemns antisemitism after Bondi Beach shooting President Donald Trump condemned the Bondi Beach shooting as antisemitic at the White House Hanukkah Reception. Jewish Insider: At Israeli mission’s Hanukkah reception, Mike Waltz vows to confront U.N. antisemitism As Jews worldwide face a scourge of antisemitism — including the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach over the weekend — U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said on Tuesday night that the U.S. “can and will confront antisemitism without apology, without hesitation and will do so everywhere around the world, including right here in the halls of the U.N.” Jerusalem Post: Jewish man hospitalized after stabbing near Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights A 35-year-old Jewish man was stabbed on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, on Tuesday afternoon. The attacker reportedly shouted, “F*** these Jews,” and said that it would “be alright if the Holocaust happened today.” amNY: NYPD investigates wave of assaults on Jews in Brooklyn days after antisemitic Australia terrorist attack The NYPD announced that it is surging more cops to Brooklyn after a sudden spike in antisemitic attacks across the borough, days after a terrorist attack on a Hanukkah event in Australia that left 15 people dead. Police say they are investigating two caught-on-camera incidents over a two-day period to determine if they are bias assaults. Jewish Insider: Sydney Hanukkah massacre leads New York Democrats to grapple with ‘globalize the intifada’ rhetoric The deadly terrorist attack during a Hanukkah celebration in Australia on Sunday is sparking a renewed debate within the Democratic Party over anti-Israel slogans including “globalize the intifada,” and whether such extreme rhetoric fuels antisemitic prejudice that can lead to violence against Jews. CBS Austin: Texas leaders confront rising antisemitism in state, Central TX amid global tragedy In the wake of a deadly mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach, which claimed 15 lives during a Hanukkah celebration, voices within Texas's Jewish community are speaking out against antisemitism. Jackie Nirenberg of the Anti-Defamation League emphasized the importance of community involvement in combating antisemitism, stating, "A place that you know of is a community of warmth and welcoming and belonging, and we still believe it is. We just have to stand up to those few individuals." Washington Post: Heritage Foundation loses two more trustees in antisemitism controversy Two prominent conservatives quit the board of the Heritage Foundation on Tuesday as the storied right-wing think tank fights over how to handle antisemitism on the right. Abby Spencer Moffat, the CEO of the Diana Davis Spencer Foundation who joined Heritage’s board in 1992, and Shane McCullar, a former executive at McDonald’s and Rubbermaid who joined the board last year, said the institution was straying from its founding principles and losing its credibility and moral authority. WXIX Fox 19: Glendale residents plan vigil after neighbor linked to neo-Nazi demonstration Residents are organizing a peaceful vigil after a neighbor was linked to a neo-Nazi demonstration in Little Rock, Arkansas, earlier this month. An incident report from the Little Rock Police Department named Keith Elflein as a participant in a demonstration outside Little Rock Central High School on Dec. 6. News Channel 5 Nashville: A Christmas bird? Neo-Nazi's raised middle finger may keep him behind bars for the holidays Think of it as a Christmas bird. While there is no guarantee that Sean Kauffman will be served turkey this Christmas, he may be thinking of a bird of another type as he spends Christmas in the Perry County Jail. Kauffmann, a Tennessee neo-Nazi with a reputation for violence, was back in court Tuesday, facing accusations that he has repeatedly violated orders to stay away from an ex-girlfriend he is accused of assaulting in March 2024. WNEP ABC 16: Man admits he framed woman charged in Wayne County neo-Nazi email, authorities say John Maddi told Newswatch 16 he created an email address impersonating a former coworker to send an anti-Semitic email to a Jewish-owned business as payback. KTLO 97.7 FM: Little Rock Police identify Lakeview man with group of Neo Nazis marching at State Capitol Dashcam footage shows law enforcement speaking with unidentified member of group after exiting U-Haul truck. In a report recently released by the Little Rock Police Department a man from Lakeview has been identified as having marched with a group of Neo-Nazis in Little Rock near Central High School and the Capitol grounds on December 6. Canada Toronto Star: Canadian neo-Nazi was ‘man behind the curtain’ of global terror attacks, Crown says, calling for 20-year sentence While a Niagara region man may now be remorseful for producing recruitment videos for a neo-Nazi terrorist group and writing racist manifestos that inspired attacks around the world, the deadly consequences of his actions will live on for years, a Toronto judge was told Tuesday. Matthew Althorpe “remains a danger to the public,” federal prosecutor Amber Pashuk told Superior Court Justice Jane Kelly during a sentencing hearing, asking that the 30-year-old man be sent to prison for 20 years. The defence, which will present its sentencing arguments in January, is asking for a sentence of 12 to 14 years. Argentina De Ultimo Minut: The Buenos Aires Holocaust Museum investigates Nazi documents found in the Supreme Court The Holocaust Museum of Buenos Aires began this Tuesday to investigate the documents linked to Nazism recently found in the basement of the Supreme Court, after receiving the approval of the high court. The Supreme Court reported that the president of the Court, Horacio Rosatti, and the director of the Holocaust Memory Foundation - known as the Holocaust Museum -, Jonathan Karszenbaum, signed an addendum to a cooperation agreement with the aim of investigating, disseminating and preserving said documentation of high historical value linked to Nazism. The agreement will allow the museum to access the content of twelve identified, classified, and preserved boxes by Court specialists within a process that included cleaning, inventory, and digitization tasks under strict security measures. Germany Afghanistan International: Germany Deports ‘Criminal’ Afghan Refugee After Agreement With Taliban Germany has deported a criminal Afghan refugee to Afghanistan on a regular commercial flight. This mark the first such individual deportation carried out following a new agreement between the German government and the Taliban administration, according to the German newspaper Bild. Switzerland SwissInfo: A Swiss factory was part of the covert Nazi armament programme The Altes Zeughaus museum in Solothurn is presenting the history of the former arms factory, which became embroiled in Germany’s covert rearmament efforts after the First World War. The cartridge factory passed into German ownership and produced weapons, making it part of the clandestine German armaments programme. This controversial chapter in Solothurn’s past sparked opposition at the time and has now been partially re-examined by museum researchers. United Kingdom Reuters: UK police charge two men with belonging to Hezbollah, attending terrorism training Two British-Lebanese men appeared in a London court on Tuesday, charged with belonging to the banned Iran-backed group Hezbollah and attending terrorism training camps, with one of the two accused of helping procure parts for drones. Annis Makki, 40, is charged with attending a terrorist training camp at the Birket Jabbour airbase in Lebanon in 2021, being involved in the preparation of terrorist acts, being a member of Hezbollah, and expressing support both for Hezbollah and the banned Palestinian militant group Hamas. Reuters: UK police plan tougher action against antisemitic chants and protests British police on Wednesday said they would take tougher action against people who use placards and chants to target the Jewish community, saying recent violent incidents had changed the context around such protests. The move comes days after 15 people died in a mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach targeting an event for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, and following an attack at a synagogue in Manchester in northern England in October in which two Jewish worshippers were killed. Fife Today: Police probe into Kirkcaldy Nazi salute photograph A man has been arrested after a photograph showing a group of masked people standing on the steps of Kirkcaldy Town House giving a Nazi salute was circulated online. The image appeared on social media pages over the weekend sparking concern locally. Russia New York Times: 10-Year-Old Killed in Russia School Stabbing A 15-year old student killed a 10-year-old on Tuesday in a knife attack at a school in the Moscow area. The attacker also stabbed a security guard and a staff member, according to Russia’s Investigative Committee. The attacker pleaded guilty, Olga Vradiy, a representative for the committee was quoted as saying by Russia’s state news agency TASS. Afghanistan Afghanistan International: Iran Envoy Visits Kabul After Taliban Skip Tehran Talks Mohammad Reza Bahrami, director general for South Asia at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, travelled to Kabul after a regional meeting on Afghanistan in Tehran. He held talks with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, Iranian and Taliban officials said. Afghanistan International: Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Urges Clerics To Promote Preservation Of Rule Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s deputy prime minister, has called on religious clerics to promote the preservation of the Taliban administration from their pulpits, saying the Islamic narrative of jihad originated in religious schools. Gaza Strip/West Bank Jerusalem Post: IDF probing mortar fire targeting Gaza terror activity that reportedly veered off course – source IDF troops of the 16th Brigade fired mortars to disrupt terror operations on the outskirts of Gaza, a security source said on Wednesday, adding that, however, the fire appeared to have inadvertently deviated four kilometers and hit a vehicle, wounding four people. Reuters: Israeli settler kills 16-year-old Palestinian in West Bank, mayor says An Israeli settler shot dead a 16-year-old Palestinian in the town of Tuqu' on Tuesday after the funeral of another teenager, the town's mayor said. Violence has escalated in the West Bank since the beginning of the war in Gaza in October 2023. Attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank have increased sharply, with the U.N. reporting the highest number of attacks on record in October. Iraq The New Region: Iraq arrests ‘highly dangerous’ ISIS explosives expert Iraqi intelligence forces on Tuesday announced the arrest of a “highly dangerous” suspected Islamic State (ISIS) operative who specialized in making explosives, during an operation that took over ten months. Aliased “Abu Aliya,” the Iraqi National Security Service (INSS) labeled him a “highly dangerous operative,” saying he was an expert in producing explosives and began his activities in 2004 as a member of al-Qaeda in Baghdad. Shafaq News: Iraq orders penalties over Hezbollah, Houthis terror listing The Iraqi government on Tuesday approved administrative sanctions after an official publication wrongly listed Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis as terrorist organizations. According to a statement, caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani endorsed the outcomes of an investigative committee that examined content published in Al-Waqai’ Al-Iraqiyya (the Official Gazette of Iraq), Issue No. 4848 dated November 17, 2025, in which Hezbollah and the Houthis appeared under measures linked to United Nations Security Council counterterrorism resolutions. Israel Times of Israel: Prosecutors to indict 20-year-old Israeli for ISIS membership, contact with foreign agent Prosecutors plan to indict a young man suspected of membership in Islamic State and maintaining contact with a foreign agent linked to the terror group, police announced on Wednesday. The suspect, 20-year-old Kenan Azaiza, resides in the northern Arab town of Daburiyya. He was arrested alongside a second suspect, a resident of Acre, whom police did not name. Jerusalem Post: Police arrest Hilltop Youth for 'racist attack' on pregnant Arab woman, family in Jaffa – KAN The three people arrested for assaulting a nine-month pregnant Arab woman, as well as her children and mother-in-law, in Jaffa on Saturday, have been identified as Hilltop Youth, Israeli public broadcaster KAN News reported on Tuesday. Lebanon Jerusalem Post: WATCH: Israeli forces kill Hezbollah operative gathering intelligence on soldiers Israeli forces killed a Hezbollah terrorist in the southern Lebanon area of Al-Tayyiba, the IDF confirmed on Wednesday morning. According to the IDF, the terrorist, who was eliminated on Tuesday, was working to gather intelligence on Israeli forces and was engaged in attempts to rebuild the terror group’s infrastructure in violation of the ceasefire. Naharnet: Report: Hezbollah official on secret visit to Saudi Arabia Hezbollah’s Arab and international relations official, Ammar al-Moussawi, has been carrying out a secret visit to Saudi Arabia for the past three days, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Wednesday. The daily noted that Moussawi had visited Turkey on December 6-7 at the head of a Hezbollah delegation, to attend a conference on Jerusalem. Syria EU Reporter: Syria will join the US-led international coalition to combat the Islamic State group ISIS On Monday November 10, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa travelled to Washington DC for talks with US President Donald Trump, resulting in the much-needed lifting of sanctions against the recovering country. Following the historic meeting – the first time a Syrian president has visited the White House – the US agreed to a 180-day suspension of the Caesar Act, which limited and added risk to foreign investment in Syria, which is essential to the rebuilding of post-war Syria. Congo Reuters: M23 still in seized Congo town despite withdrawal pledge, residents say Rwanda-backed M23 rebels have not withdrawn from the eastern Congolese town of Uvira despite an announcement earlier this week that they would pull back, residents told Reuters on Wednesday. M23 spokesperson Willy Ngoma told Reuters on Wednesday that "we are ready to leave (Uvira), but our conditions have to be reviewed". The spokesperson added that the citizens of Uvira needed protecting and it should be occupied by a neutral force. Mali Africa Defense Forum: JNIM Targets Wealthy Foreigners for Ransoms Al-Qaida-linked terrorists have extorted a hefty ransom for an Emirati sheikh to finance their efforts to strangle the government in Mali and impose their strict interpretation of Islamic law. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) paid more than $20 million to secure the freedom of an Emirati prince kidnapped by al-Qaida’s West Africa affiliate Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), according to news reports. Some news sources had previously put the ransom figure at more than $50 million. Philippines Wall Street Journal: After Bondi Suspects’ Trip, Philippines Hunts for Signs of ISIS-Linked Resurgence Investigators are working to figure out what the two suspects in the killing of 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration were doing in the remote southern Philippines in the weeks before crowds massing on Sydney’s Bondi Beach were targeted. Australia’s prime minister said the shooters appeared to have been inspired by Islamic State. Police said they found two black, homemade Islamic State flags along with improvised explosive devices in a car registered to a 24-year-old Australian, Naveed Akram, who was charged Wednesday with 15 counts of murder and committing a terrorist act. His 50-year-old father, Indian national Sajid Akram, was shot by police at the scene and killed. AFP: Philippines says no evidence of ‘ISIS training hotspot’ after Bondi gunmen’s visit The Philippines says there is no evidence that the country was being used for terrorist training, a day after it was revealed that the men who committed the terror shooting at Sydney’s Bondi Beach had spent November on a southern island known for Islamist insurgencies. President Ferdinand Marcos’s Spokeswoman Claire Castro says at a press briefing that he “strongly rejects the sweeping statement and the misleading characterization of the Philippines as the ISIS training hotspot.” Australia Jerusalem Post: Bondi's father-son terror duo likely attended infamous 'Gas the Jews' protest in Sydney The father-son Bondi terrorist duo were likely at the 'Gas the Jews' protest in Sydney on 9 October 2023, just two days after Hamas's attacks. This was first highlighted by Campaign Against Antisemitism, which shared footage from the protest and circled the faces of whom it believes are Naveed Akram and Sajid Akram. The Guardian: Labor is fast-tracking its response to the antisemitism envoy’s report after the Bondi attack. What are the recommendations? The Albanese government says it will ramp up its response to recommendations to combat antisemitism put forward by its special envoy in the wake of Bondi’s terrorist attack. In the wake of Sunday’s shooting, the government has been criticised for its delay in responding to, or adopting, all of the July report’s “key actions”. Jerusalem Post: Jewish Australian MP discusses Bondi terror, rising antisemitism, Jewish safety – exclusive The murder of 15 people at a Hanukkah event near Sydney’s Bondi Beach has shaken Australia to its core. For Mark Dreyfus, a Jewish lawmaker, former Australian attorney-general, and senior member of the ruling Australian Labor Party (ALP), it is not only a national tragedy but a deeply personal one. NPR: What's behind the rise of antisemitism in Australia? Hate researcher Matteo Vergani and orthodox Rabbi Nomi Kaltmann examine the rise of antisemitism in Australia, as police continue to investigate the deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on Sunday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the father and son suspects were motivated by Islamic State ideology. Jewish Insider: Australian Jews’ warnings about rising antisemitism were ignored, U.S. lawmakers say Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, multiple Jewish lawmakers emphasized that the Sunday terror attack in which 15 people were killed at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia, came after warnings from the Australian Jewish community, and Jewish communities around the world, about the rising violent threats they face — warnings that have often gone ignored, the lawmakers said. Jewish Insider: After Sydney Hanukkah massacre, House lawmakers urge Australia to act to protect Jewish community The co-chairs of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism are urging Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to act more forcefully to protect Australia’s Jewish community and implement months-old recommendations from the country’s antisemitism envoy. Australian Broadcasting Corporation: Man refused bail charged with depicting Adolf Hitler and Nazi symbols on boat A Lake Macquarie man who allegedly displayed offensive antisemitic symbols on his boat has been refused bail after a prosecutor said he lacked insight into the seriousness of the charge he is facing. Police were called to a home at Swansea, south of Newcastle, on December 6, allegedly finding symbols on a boat parked there. After further investigations the home was searched on Tuesday and Jake John Dearie, 32, was charged. 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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