(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports on the methods used by extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread propaganda and incite violence. In this week’s issue:

• ISIS Al-Naba Editorial Promotes Sacrifice and Fighting
• Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Releases Video Calling for Acts of Terrorism
• In Response to San Diego Mosque Attack, Online White Supremacist Accelerationists Both Celebrate Anti-Muslim Violence and Condemn Shooters
• Accelerationist Forum Claims San Diego Shooter Possible Former Member
• On Substack, Active Club Chapter Calls for Long-Term Movement Building
• Active Club Chapters Condemn Use of Brand by White Supremacist Provocateur 

ISIS Al-Naba Editorial Promotes Sacrifice and Fighting
ISIS, via the editorial in the group’s al-Naba newsletter, released on May 21, promoted bravery and self-sacrifice. The article noted that fighting and killing were religious obligations, and promoted the concept of martyrdom in defense of ISIS’s religious ideology, stating that this was not a concept part of a bygone era. The editorial concluded by calling on the reader to carry out attacks.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Releases Video Calling for Acts of Terrorism

On May 20, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released an approximately 2-minute video as part of the group’s “Inspire” series, calling for acts of terrorism as revenge for the killing of civilians in Gaza. In the video, an unidentified English-speaking narrator, using rhyming couplets, noted that it was time to put away “cowardice and fear.” The video contained clips from the Boston Marathon Bombing, the Fort Hood shooting, the Charlie Hebdo shooting, and the December 2025 Bondi Beach attack.

On May 8, the same AQAP media group released a video calling for acts of terrorism in response to Western military operations.

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula video released on May 20. Screenshot taken on May 21.

In Response to San Diego Mosque Attack, Online White Supremacist Accelerationists Both Celebrate Anti-Muslim Violence and Condemn Shooters

The week of May 18 to 22, white supremacist accelerationists mostly condemned the Monday attack on a San Diego Islamic Center by two teenagers; however, multiple users online cheered anti-Muslim violence. The two perpetrators, Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez, aged 17 and 18, who were heavily armed according to the FBI, killed three men in the shooting, including a security guard, Amin Abdullah, who engaged the gunmen and was identified as preventing the attackers from gaining access to part of the facility where 140 children were present. A video that appeared to be recorded by one of the attackers showed one of the gunmen shooting his accomplice and then himself.

In a two-part manifesto, both gunmen claimed to be accelerationists heavily inspired by the Christchurch, New Zealand, terrorist who murdered 51 people in an attack on two mosques on March 15, 2019. The gunmen also praised the actions of the 2011 Norway attacker, the May 14, 2022, Buffalo gunman, and others who claimed they were inspired to commit acts of white supremacist terrorism by the Christchurch attacker, as well as killers linked to the incel community. The manifesto also contained extreme antisemitic rhetoric, with Vazquez calling Jews the "universal enemy," and misogynistic writing, noting that women, after Jews, were the "most evil creature." Additional writing included anti-Muslim, anti-LGBTQ, and racist content. Both attackers praised the neo-Nazi accelerationist Terrorgram Collective. They recommended Terrorgram publications, as well as noted extremist works such as the anthology Siege, the white supremacist novel The Turner Diaries, and multiple others. Vazquez’s section closed with a quote from a Terrorgram video narrated by Dallas Humber.

Vazquez additionally claimed support for neo-Nazi accelerationist groups including the Atomwaffen Division (AWD) and The Base, and noted that he was a "huge fan" of former AWD leader Brandon Russell, who was included in a list that included James Mason, the October 27, 2018 Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooter, the June 12, 2016 Pulse nightclub shooter, the perpetrators of the Columbine school shooting and others. The list indicates an adherence to the Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) community, which frequently shares content made by a variety of different extremist and terrorist groups and movements. 

Multiple Telegram users shared the manifesto and the associated videos; however, most posts criticized the attackers. Posts condemned the gunmen for allegedly not being 100 percent white, taking action seen as detrimental to the online neo-Nazi community, or being associated with NVE.

Members of a neo-Nazi Telegram chat that openly supports white supremacist acts of terrorism and routinely shares violent footage from those attacks had differing views on the May 18 assault. One user noted that the gunmen did not accomplish anything useful for bringing down the governing system, while another posted in support of killing Muslims. On May 19, users of a different chat also cheered the killing of Muslims. A channel that supports terrorism shared footage glorifying the attackers on May 21.

A neo-Nazi accelerationist Telegram channel connected to former members of AWD condemned the attack and noted with dismay that the group was supported by one of the gunmen. On May 19, the channel mocked the attackers as "losers" and "cancerous," alleging that they hijacked neo-Nazi imagery for their own purposes while contributing nothing to the movement as a whole. The main AWD successor organization, National Socialist Order, notably promoted acts of violence and alleged in a video released in July 2020 that they would never "denounce anyone who has boldly taken action against the k*ke system."

A newly formed Canadian group condemned the two attackers, unlikely claiming that they had no supporters among the accelerationist community. While the group called the attack "horrible" and "violent," their only sympathy was for the neo-Nazi community, who would be further "villainize[d]." Multiple members of other white supremacist chats ridiculed the attackers, claimed it was a false flag operation, or noted that this would ultimately accomplish nothing for their movement, while causing blowback. 

Accelerationist Forum Claims San Diego Shooter Possible Former Member

Users of a neo-Nazi accelerationist forum created in June 2025 noted the strong possibility that one of the attackers previously had an account there. Posts indicate that the alleged user's profile was removed on May 12, likely for violating the site's rules. Posters commended the forum moderators for banning the account. 

Forum members mostly condemned the attackers, alleging that they were not 100 percent white, were falsely claiming an affiliation with neo-Nazism, would make the movement look bad, or claimed the attackers adhered to NVE or were part of the true crime community (TCC) subculture, and noted that promoting acts of terrorism could lead to similar "counterproductive" acts. Forum members have previously debated whether glorifying white supremacist acts of terrorism was beneficial.

A former member of AWD who led the group's successor organizations alleged the two San Diego attackers were falsely claiming affiliation and tarnishing the name of the group. 

Other forum users noted that they did not have a problem with Muslims or people of color being murdered. One prominent user with an administrator role noted that he was happy overall with the outcome of the attack.

On Substack, Active Club Chapter Calls for Long-Term Movement Building

In a Substack post on May 14, a multistate chapter of the white supremacist Active Club movement posted a strategy document that advocated focusing on building networks and communities. The post advised avoiding focusing on major global events, trending online controversies, or social media personalities, as this would only divert energy and attention. The document noted the importance of membership standards and of admitting only those deemed worthy of participation in a broader white supremacist “collective struggle,” allegedly taking the form of creating a durable network and a long-term parallel system, including employment, housing, and education.

Active Club Chapters Condemn Use of Brand by White Supremacist Provocateur 

On May 18, the main Arizona chapter of the white supremacist Active Club movement condemned the white supremacist provocateur Jake Lang for using the Active Club brand after he advertised a website using the movement’s name. Lang, a pardoned January 6 rioter, and two accomplices displayed a banner with the slogan “Save America” and promoting mass deportations at a Washington Nationals baseball game on May 17. The banner included a URL for a “Crusader Active Club,” which promoted the great replacement conspiracy theory and additional anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim themes.

The Arizona Active Club chapter accused Lang of trying to start a militia and improperly using the Active Club brand for his own purposes, claiming that legitimate club chapters avoid “impulsive firearm displays” and illegal activity. The message accused Lang of discrediting the movement and stated anyone who joined him was giving the government “the map to your own front door.”

In September 2025, the Arizona and primary Texas Active Club chapters condemned a small “rogue” chapter in the Chicago, Illinois, area, stating that they were not allowed to use the movement’s name and branding. The Illinois chapter announced in December that it was leaving the Active Club movement.