Islamist Extremism |  | FBI/Getty Images | Pentagon Negotiating Deal to Save 9/11 Mastermind From Death Penalty Pentagon prosecutors are reportedly in talks with attorneys for alleged 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his four co-defendants about a plea agreement that could eliminate the prospect of the death penalty. Prosecutors instigated discussions with the terrorist’s defense teams, proposing they discuss “whether pretrial agreements are possible in all five cases.” Defense attorneys listed the removal of the death penalty as a requirement for guilty pleas. The al-Qaeda terrorists have been charged with terrorism, hijacking aircraft, conspiracy, murder in violation of the law of war, attacking civilians and more. ISIS Militant Goes on Trial The trial of former Islamic State (ISIS) militant El Shafee Elsheikh, 33, is set to begin in a Virginia federal court. Elsheikh is one of the four ISIS militants accused of the killings of U.S. journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and aid workers Peter Kassig and Kayla Mueller. Exclusive: Clarion Reports ISIS Supporters to Police The Clarion Intelligence Network has recently identified several supporters of the terrorist group ISIS and has reported them to our law enforcement partners. Clarion has uncovered an ISIS supporter living in Florida who uses his social media to call for a Caliphate and talks about buying land to build an “off the grid” compound. Help us identify and track more extremists on American soil by donating here. | | | | | Alt-Right & Alt-Left Extremism |  | Zach D Roberts/NurPhoto via Getty Images | Proud Boy Arraigned on 11 Charges - Proud Boy member Tusitala “Tiny” Toese, 25, has been arraigned on 11 charges stemming from a confrontation at a rally in August 2021.
- Toese led a group armed with paintball guns to attack the counter-protesters during a protest in northeast Portland.
- Toese is being charged with multiple counts of assault, rioting, and unlawful use of a weapon.
Charged Dropped for Antifa Member Accused of Carrying Pipe Bomb - Garrett James Smith, 22, of Oldsmar, Fla. was sentenced to six months probation and a $450 fine after running away from a protest in support of a Jan. 6 rioter.
- Prosecutors chose not to pursue the charges after the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives determined the incendiary items Smith was carrying were smoke devices and not explosives.
- At the time of the arrest, Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Tampa’s bomb technician had confirmed the pipe-style item was indeed an active explosive device.
- Police also found a "Direct Action Checklist," a gas mask and filters, pepper spray, smoke rockets, and flammable rags on Smith.
More Alt-Right Developments - Henry Hoeft, 28, from Columbus, Ohio who is involved with the Boogaloo Boi militia movement, tried joining a unit of foreign fighters in Ukraine. A video of Hoeft speaking to the camera about his experiences trying to escape the country went viral on social media and his story is now being used as Russian propaganda.
More Alt-Left Developments - A March for Freedom rally in Seattle was canceled after Antifa activists threatened to shoot up the event. The Antifa activists put up flyers that featured a rifle and a call to action against “Nazis,” with one claiming, “There is no other choice but violence.”
| | | | | Hostile Foreign Influence Operations |  | Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images | Russians Charged for Hacking Critical Infrastructure Worldwide - The Department of Justice unsealed two indictments today charging four Russian nationals, who worked for the Russian government, with a hacking campaign that targeted thousands of computers, at hundreds of companies and organizations, in approximately 135 countries.
Universities Cutting Ties With Russia - Colleges across the U.S. are divesting from Russia due to their invasion of Ukraine. Universities are pulling students from study abroad programs, ending research partnerships, and cutting financial ties.
| | | | | Hate Crimes |  | Fox 7 Austin/YouTube | Synagogue Arsonist Indicted A federal grand jury in Austin, Texas returned a three-count indictment charging Franklin Barrett Sechriest with crimes relating to the intentional fire set at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Austin on Oct. 31, 2021. New Survey of Hate Crimes Against Asian-Americans Antisemitic Attacks are Getting More Severe - A new report by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and Jewish Community Relations Council shows incidents of antisemitism are getting more severe.
| | | | | Research and Analysis | Cryptocurrency Usage by Domestic Extremists - New data shows that cryptocurrency usage from domestic extremists has spiked since the notorious “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Va. in 2017.
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“The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the convinced Communist, but people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction (i.e., the reality of experience) and the distinction between true and false (i.e., the standards of thought) no longer exist.”
--Hannah Arendt, "The Origins of Totalitarianism"
| | | NOTE TO OUR READERS: We have pulled out the salient points of the articles in this newsletter to keep you informed and focused on the most relevant, important and timely news in national security and extremism. While our national security experts stand behind the summary bullets and deem them trustworthy, Clarion Project does not endorse all the views expressed in the articles linked. | | | | |
