“They want to take over the region and take over as the regional superpower,” said former U.S. ambassador Mark Wallace, now CEO of the Counter Extremism Project, a non-profit international policy organization.

France Targets Islamic Extremists in Africa

Recent worldwide attention has focused on France’s domestic counter-extremism efforts. But the country has also been very active in the global fight against extremism, particularly in Africa. Africa’s Sahel region includes Burkina Faso, Mali...

CEP Calls on Nokan Group to Clarify Possible Facilitation of ISIS Oil Trade

The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is calling on Nokan Group to clarify its potential role in the facilitation of oil smuggling from ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and al-sham) controlled areas in Iraq and Syria.

Complexities in Profiling Western Foreign Fighters

CEP has reviewed the details of dozens of cases involving Western foreign fighters and jihadist brides who in some way were radicalized and became involved in the conflict in Iraq and Syria. Given the similarity of the end result, you would suspect...

Balochistan: Nationalist Movement at Risk From Three Sides

After more than 10 years as a failed nationalist movement, the now fragmented Baloch insurgency in Pakistan is likely to be taken over by Sunni militias. Supported by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in an effort to further antagonize Iran’s eastern front...

Digital Developments that Changed the Terror Game

The Internet has been a game changer in many ways. A globalizing force, the Internet has helped to break down the barriers between people who would have otherwise never connected. But just as fire that warms can also burn, the Internet has been used...

CEP Releases Updated Resource on Extremism and Counter-Extremism in France

The Counter Extremism Project today released an updated resource on extremism and counter extremism measures in France. ISIS’s recent release of a video showing a young boy executing an accused Israeli spy identified as Arab Israeli Muhammad Musallam...

Grooming the Next Generation of ISIS Terror

In the string of grisly videos released in the past seven months, beginning with ISIS’ execution of James Foley through the February beheading of 21 Coptic Christians, there is one that haunts me most. It is not one that showcases the devastating...

Counter Extremism Project Condemns Attack at National Bardo Museum in Tunisia

(New York, NY) – The following is a statement from Fran Townsend, President of the Counter Extremism Project: “The Counter Extremism Project condemns the horrifying attack on the National Bardo Museum in Tunisia. This murderous incident at one of the...

Girls in CrISIS

Glasgow girl, Aqsa Mahmoud , wrote on Tumblr from Syria: “The media at first used to [portray] the ones running away to join the Jihad [holy war] as being unsuccessful, [and say that they] didn’t have a future and [came] from broke down families etc...