Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) YouTube ‘nudged’ far-right group towards neo-Nazism Eye on Extremism January 21, 2026   Top Stories CNN: Why the fate of ISIS prisoners in Syria is back on the radar Questions have emerged over the fate of thousands of ISIS prisoners in northeast Syria after government forces seized swathes of territory long controlled by Kurdish forces who had been guarding the prisons. The territory was held by the mainly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), once a key United States ally in the fight against ISIS. The Times: YouTube ‘nudged’ far-right group towards neo-Nazism Members of Britain’s largest far-right white nationalist group were radicalised on YouTube after being “nudged” from “benign conservative” content to neo-Nazi propaganda by the platform’s algorithm, a study has found. Researchers at City St George’s, University of London, analysed more than 40 members of Patriotic Alternative who described their decision to join the far-right group in video interviews, podcasts and blog posts.   JOIN US THIS TUESDAY | Enduring Music: Compositions from the Holocaust will bring works nearly erased by atrocity into public consciousness, played again in remembrance of victims of the Shoah. Francesco Lotoro—world-renowned conductor, composer, and musicologist—and orchestra will premiere pieces from Maestro Lotoro's archive, honoring and bringing to life music composed in the unimaginable conditions of the death camps. Tickets now available here.   CEP Mentions WELT: Riots in Dortmund – “These conflicts are now spilling over onto our streets” Following serious riots at a Kurdish demonstration in Dortmund, terrorism expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler warns against importing the Syrian conflict to Germany. Schindler also fears an uncontrolled return of German IS fighters from Syria. Analysis Times of Israel: Trump’s Gaza push is a recipe for Hamas’s revival, but Netanyahu is unwilling to stir the pot Standing at the Knesset rostrum on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shrugged off any concerns that control over the future of Gaza might be slipping from Israel’s grasp. Days earlier, the White House had announced that it was moving ahead with the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, and invitations were zooming around the world for the Board of Peace and Gaza Executive Board, which will oversee the Strip’s transition away from Hamas rule and the disarmament of the terror group. Jewish News Syndicate: Terror threat to British, European Jewish communities remains high Jewish communities in Britain and across Europe continue to face an acute security threat from a myriad of radical Islamic terrorist elements, even as large anti-Israel street demonstrations decrease in the wake of the current Gaza truce. United States Wall Street Journal: Trump Seeks ‘Decisive’ Options for Iran as Assets Move Into Middle East After pulling back from strikes on Iran last week, President Trump is still pressing aides for what he terms “decisive” military options, U.S. officials said, as Iran appears to have tightened its control of the country and targets protesters through a crackdown that has killed thousands. New York Times: U.S. Shifts Away From Kurdish-Led Forces in Fight Against ISIS The U.S. special envoy to Syria said on Tuesday that Washington no longer needed to rely on Kurdish-led forces as its primary partner to fight the Islamic State, arguing that the Syrian government was now prepared to take over security duties. Jerusalem Post: Mamdani tells 'The View' he would push rent freeze, vows to fight antisemitism New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used an appearance on ABC’s “The View” on Tuesday to promote a rent freeze for rent-stabilized tenants and to publicly pledge a tougher fight against antisemitism, placing two of the most politically charged issues in the city into a national daytime-TV spotlight. WFAE 90.7: Nazi imagery, antisemitic graffiti found at Shalom Park in Charlotte The hub of Charlotte’s Jewish community is reporting that Nazi symbols and antisemitic graffiti were found on its facilities. Shalom Park is home to Temple Beth-El, Charlotte Jewish Day School and Temple Israel, among other institutions. On Tuesday, the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte said in a message that antisemitic signage containing Nazi imagery was discovered on the property. The signage and imagery have been removed. Shalom Park is working with law enforcement to investigate the hate speech, which it says are meant to intimidate Charlotte’s Jewish community. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: In a New Jersey church’s Christmas pageant, a Jewish caricature dances with the devil. Why? It had all the trappings of a conventional Christmas pageant: the three wise men, Christmas carols, and children dressed as angels. But there was a twist: This pageant, performed on Sunday in New Jersey, also included a Hasidic Jewish caricature, carrying a sack of money and dancing with the devil. Jewish Insider: Mike Lawler condemns campaign ad against him as antisemitic Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) condemned as antisemitic an ad running in New York’s suburban 17th Congressional District that targets him for his support for Israel and for receiving support from pro-Israel donors. “This ad is a disgrace,” Lawler said in a statement. “This kind of politics has no place in the Hudson Valley. I am calling on every candidate running in NY-17 to publicly and unequivocally denounce this ad immediately. Silence is an endorsement.” Page Six: Miami club owners who vowed to probe Nick Fuentes’ Nazi night out revealed to have partied with far-right revelers instead A Miami nightclub solemnly vowed to investigate after a group of white supremacists and accused sex-traffickers were given VIP treatment and danced to Kanye West’s song “Heil Hitler” while enjoying bottle service. But Page Six has learned that the club’s owners were partying with the vile posse. Canada Homeland Security Today: One of Canada’s First Convicted Terrorists Denied Parole and Shows ‘No Signs of De-Radicalization’ A Moroccan terrorist convicted in Quebec almost two decades ago has been denied parole in a decision that said he had no remorse and continued to legitimize violence. Said Namouh, 52, remains a “significant, indeed concerning, risk,” despite having been behind bars since 2007, according to the Parole Board of Canada. The Suburban: Declare antisemitism a civil rights emergency, Hampstead urges feds, Quebec Hampstead council unanimously passed a resolution last week urging the provincial and federal governments to declare antisemitism and violent Islamism a civil rights emergency and national security concern. The resolution, which is called a “sombre warning,” was in reaction to the Dec. 14 Hanukkah terrorist attack by an ISIS-influenced father and son on members of the Jewish community at Bondi Beach in Australia. Fifteen were killed and dozens were injured. Austria The Local: Police seize Nazi items and weapons at Lower Austria property linked to FPÖ councillor A police search in the Waldviertel uncovered extremist material and items suitable for preparing explosives. The case is linked to ongoing investigations in Austria and Germany. Belgium Ynet: '100% because of antisemitism': Israeli restaurant chain in Belgium shuts down The Israeli restaurant chain Boker Tov in Belgium has filed for bankruptcy. According to the owners, Tom Sas and Lori Dardikman, the closure followed a sustained wave of hate messages, review-bombing, harassment and death threats that began after Hamas’ October 7 massacre. Ireland Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Survey shows half of Irish adults do not know 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust Half of Irish adults do not know that 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, a new survey from the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany has found. Conducted Oct. 25 to Nov. 6, the online survey of 1,000 Irish adults also found that 8% of people in Ireland believe the Holocaust is a myth and did not happen, while 17% believe the number of Jews killed had been greatly exaggerated. Lithuania LRT: Lithuania’s govt approves action plan to combat antisemitism, xenophobia and hate Lithuania’s government on Wednesday approved a comprehensive action plan aimed at combating antisemitism, xenophobia and incitement to hatred, including measures ranging from training for officials and educators to educational programs, public awareness campaigns and the renaming of streets. Portugal Reuters: Portuguese police arrest 37 suspected ultra-right militants Portuguese police on Tuesday arrested 37 people suspected of belonging to an ultra-right group responsible for hate crimes, with links to similar international groups, in a large operation that involved around 300 officers. "Those detained ... promoted Nazi ideology, inherent to the national-socialist culture and the radical and violent extreme right, acting out of racist and xenophobic motives with the aim of intimidating, persecuting and assaulting ethnic minorities, namely immigrants," the Judicial Police said in a statement. Sweden Reuters: Syrian-Swede found guilty of preparing suicide attack on Stockholm festival A Swedish court on Wednesday sentenced a 19-year-old man to seven years and 10 months in prison for planning an attack on a cultural festival in Stockholm on behalf of the Islamic State militant group. The Stockholm District Court said in a statement that the Syrian-Swedish dual national had intended to carry out an attack in the city-centre's Kungstradgarden area in August 2025. His sentence included convictions for other crimes, including membership of a terrorist organisation. United Kingdom Afghanistan International: UK Special Envoy Holds Talks With Taliban Rep In Islamabad Richard Lindsay, the UK’s special envoy for Afghanistan, met on Tuesday with Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, the Taliban’s representative in Islamabad, to discuss regional security and the impact of Taliban policies on Afghan women and girls. Lindsay said the meeting took place during his visit to the Pakistani capital and focused on security developments in the region as well as restrictions imposed by the Taliban on women and girls in Afghanistan. Jerusalem Post: British anti-Israel group launches judicial review into NHS adoption of IHRA definition A British group has launched a judicial review challenging NHS England’s adoption of the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism. The UK’s health secretary, Wes Streeting, asked the National Health Service to adopt the non-binding definition in October 2025. Jerusalem Post: 'Are you Zionists?' British Jewish family seeks relocation due to rising antisemitism – report A Jewish family in a supposedly progressive neighborhood of Bristol, England, is seeking to relocate to a new area after facing rising antisemitism, especially since Hamas's October 7 massacre and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War, British outlet The Sunday Times reported last week. Afghanistan New York Times: Islamic State Claims Deadly Attack on Chinese Restaurant in Afghanistan A bombing claimed by the Islamic State wing in Afghanistan killed at least seven people and wounded more than a dozen in a Chinese restaurant in Kabul on Monday, officials said, in a sign of the group’s persistent threat despite the Afghan government’s claim to have vanquished it. Gaza Strip/West Bank Times of Israel: Netanyahu accepts invite to Trump’s Board of Peace; Europe formulating common position Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace, the premier’s office announced Wednesday, as Sweden and Norway became the latest nations to say they would not be joining, and Spain said European leaders were working to consolidate a common position. Times of Israel: UAE, Belarus accept offer to join Trump’s Board of Peace; Norway, UK voice concerns Abu Dhabi’s acceptance comes as governments worldwide react cautiously to Trump’s plan, which aims to begin with Gaza before widening to tackle other conflicts. The Board of Peace was initially presented as a body that would exclusively oversee the postwar management of Gaza, and, in November, the UN Security Council voted to give it a two-year mandate to do so. But its charter, obtained by The Times of Israel earlier this week, makes no mention of Gaza and appears to take a swipe at the UN, saying that the new board should have “the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed.” Reuters: Pakistan to join Trump's 'Board of Peace' on Gaza, says foreign office Pakistan will join U.S. President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" to help achieve lasting peace in Gaza, its foreign ministry said on Wednesday. Pakistan hoped "concrete steps will be taken towards the implementation of a permanent ceasefire" as well as to boost aid and Gaza's reconstruction, the ministry said in a statement. Times of Israel: Trump says ‘we think we know’ location of Ran Gvili, the last hostage in Gaza US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that “we think we know” where the body of the final hostage, slain Israel Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, is being held in the Gaza Strip. Trump made the revelation during a White House press briefing while going through his administration’s accomplishments during his first year in office. Iran Jerusalem Post: Iran escalates regional response to protests with strike on Kurdish forces – report The Kurdistan Freedom Party, an Iranian Kurdish group, claimed that Iran’s regime carried out a ballistic missile and drone attack on its forces overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday. According to a source, the attack took place in Iraq, where the PAK has fighters. The PAK said that members of its armed unit the Kurdistan National Army (SMK) were targeted. PAK is one of several important Kurdish groups that operate in Iran and oppose the regime. It has been publicly very active in backing the protests in Iran. Reuters: UN rights council to hold emergency session on Iran, document shows The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold an emergency session on Iran on Friday, with proponents aiming to discuss "alarming violence" used against protesters, a document showed on Tuesday. An Iranian official said authorities have verified at least 5,000 deaths in the protests which are the biggest demonstrations since 2022, prompting U.N. rights chief Volker Turk to condemn the violence. Iran International: No Muslim can tolerate threats against our leader, senior Iranian cleric says Nasser Makarem Shirazi, a hardline cleric who holds one of the highest ranks in Iran’s Shiite religious hierarchy, said no Muslim would accept threats against the country’s supreme leader, according to state media. “The miserable leaders of America, in a state of extreme weakness and foolishness, have spoken in the language of threats against the revered leader of the Islamic Revolution,” Makarem Shirazi said. Iraq The Arab Weekly: Iraq bolsters defences as northeast Syria violence raises security concerns Iraq has placed a strong focus on border security as military clashes intensify in northeastern Syria between Syrian government forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with officials warning of potential threats spilling over into Iraqi territory. The areas of confrontation are not only possible escape routes for Islamic State fighters into Iraq, reminiscent of the 2014 incursions, but also house detention facilities holding many of these militants. Key locations of concern include Al-Qatan prison north of Raqa and al-Hol camp near Hasakah, the provincial capital along the Iraqi border. Small Wars Journal: U.S. Forces Withdraw from Iraq’s Ain al-Asad Airbase SOFX and other media outlets report that U.S. troops have fully withdrawn from Ain al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq, with the Iraqi army assuming complete control, according to Iraq’s Defense Ministry. The withdrawal follows a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad to scale back U.S.-led coalition forces and transition to a bilateral security relationship. Israel Times of Israel: Israel demolishes UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters; UN agency: ‘Unprecedented attack’ Israel on Tuesday began demolishing the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, with Israeli forces entering the compound with bulldozers and other demolition equipment in the early morning and destroying buildings in what UNRWA called an “unprecedented attack.” The move to demolish UNRWA’s headquarters comes after years of legislative measures against the agency, which Israel accuses of collusion with Hamas and participation in terror activities. Lebanon Naharnet: Court fines Khalil and Zoaiter for obstructing port blast probe The Beirut Court of First Instance has ordered former ministers Ali Hassan Khalil and Ghazi Zoaiter to pay a compensation of 10 billion Lebanese pounds over “the abuse of the right to litigate, defend and appeal,” and for stalling the Beirut port blast case. The court accused the two ex-ministers of filing successive motions to dismiss the investigating judge and the judges overseeing those motions, with the intent of paralyzing the investigation. Syria Reuters: Syria gives Kurds four days to accept integration as US signals end of support Syria on Tuesday announced a ceasefire with Kurdish forces it has seized swathes of territory from in the northeast and gave them four days to agree on integrating into the central state, which their main ally, the United States, urged them to accept. The lightning government advances in recent days and the apparent withdrawal of U.S. support for the continued holding of territory by the Syrian Democratic Forces represent the biggest change of control in the country since rebels ousted Bashar al-Assad 13 months ago. Reuters: US estimates 200 Islamic State fighters escaped Syrian prison, US official says About 200 low-level Islamic State fighters escaped Syria's Shaddadi prison on Monday after guards from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces left the facility, but Syrian government forces recaptured many of them, a U.S. official said on Tuesday. The official, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity, said about 600 foreign fighters from Islamic State had been transferred from Shaddadi prior to January 19 to other facilities and remain in detention. New Arab: Syrian army enters Al-Hol camp holding relatives of IS militants Syria's army on Wednesday entered the country's vast Al-Hol detention camp that houses relatives of suspected Islamic State militants, from which Kurdish forces withdrew the day before, according to an AFP journalist at the scene. The correspondent saw a large number of soldiers open the camp's metal gate and enter, while others guarded the entrance. Pakistan Afghanistan International: Peace Impossible Without Eliminating Terrorism, Says Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan will not achieve stability unless the roots of terrorism are eliminated, accusing the Afghan Taliban of failing to prevent militant activities originating from Afghan soil. Speaking on Tuesday, Sharif said the fight against terrorism is a collective national decision and vowed that his government would continue its campaign until terrorism is completely eradicated. He said militant groups continue to operate from Afghanistan despite repeated assurances from the Taliban authorities. Afghanistan International: ECO Meet In Pakistan Proceeds Without Taliban Representation The 10th meeting of ministers of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) opened on Wednesday in Islamabad without the participation of a representative from the Taliban. The two-day meeting is focused on strengthening regional cooperation on disaster risk reduction. Nigeria Reuters: Nigerian troops free 62 hostages, kill two militants in northwest operations Nigerian troops have rescued 62 hostages and killed two militants in separate operations across Kebbi and Zamfara states as part of an ongoing offensive against armed groups in the northwest, the army said on Wednesday. The northwest has been hit by a surge in mass kidnappings carried out by armed gangs operating from forest hideouts. These groups have attacked villages, schools and places of worship, including the January 18 abduction of more than 160 worshippers from two churches in Kaduna. Reuters: Mass kidnapping at Kaduna churches adds to pressure on Nigeria Afiniki Moses thought her ordeal was over when armed abductors released her on January 15 after her family paid a ransom in a village in northern Kaduna state. She was wrong. The armed gang returned to Kurmin Wali village on Sunday and seized more than 170 people during a church service from two churches, including her husband and two children. Reuters: Five soldiers killed in ambush in northwestern Nigeria Five soldiers and one police officer were killed when troops were ambushed by militants in northwestern Nigeria on Monday, the military said on Tuesday. Troops traveling to respond to an attack on a village in Zamfara State were themselves attacked, the military said. It was not clear which group carried out the attack. Somalia Somali Guardian: Somalia: Al-Shabaab takes Jubaland base in Kudhaa amid surge in assaults Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab on Wednesday captured the small island town of Kudhaa in Somalia’s southern Lower Juba region following a dawn assault on bases held by Jubaland regional forces. Australia The Australian: NSW Police slap bans on neo-Nazis entering Sydney CBD on Australia Day Several neo-Nazis have been slapped with public safety orders banning them from entering Sydney's CBD during planned anti-immigration rallies on Australia Day. According to paperwork for one of the orders, seen by the ABC, the person named was prohibited from going within an 8-kilometre radius of Sydney Town Hall train station over a 24-hour period on Australia Day. Jewish News Syndicate: Australian Jewish groups welcome hate crime laws after Bondi attack Australia’s organized Jewish community on Tuesday welcomed hate crime laws passed by the country’s parliament earlier in the day, more than a month after an antisemitic terrorist attack at a Chanukah gathering at Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people. 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. 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