"There is no perfect answer to this question," says Sofia Koller, a senior research analyst at the Berlin office of the Counter Extremism Project, or CEP, who's written several reports on the topic. "Politically it [repatriation] is controversial but from many other perspectives, it's not at all. Especially if we consider what the negative outcomes of not repatriating might be — that is, the kinds of outcomes we're seeing at the moment."

Iran fires missiles at the Strait of Hormuz during a military exercise, blocking the central oil export route. Negotiations with the US remain inconclusive. “The Iranians will have difficulty blocking the straits in a real emergency,” says Middle East expert Hans-Jakob Schindler.

What happens now? How likely is it that the US will attack Iran? Barbara Parente discusses this live on ZDFheute with ZDF correspondents David Sauer in Washington and Phoebe Gaa in Tehran, as well as Middle East expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler.

CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interview discussing online radicalization in Germany.  

Although the proceedings were complex and required considerable resources, they led to a thorough investigation in many places. This includes groundbreaking decisions such as the first conviction of an IS returnee for genocide against the Yazidis (Section 6 of the International Criminal Code (VstGB)). Compared to other European countries, Germany has done a good job here, especially in international criminal law, according to extremism researcher Sofia Koller from the Counter Extremism Project in an interview with LTO.

On February 4, CEP researchers located a 35-page guide from the pro-ISIS online group Al-Saqri Foundation, regarding the basic principles and handling of explosives, building a home explosives laboratory, and specifically calling for acts of terrorism. Mega.Nz removed the manual after CEP reported it, but a page on JustPaste.It advertising the manual and an Al-Saqri Telegram bot were both still online five days after they were reported.

Analyst Sofia Koller of the international think tank Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has long pointed to the poor prison conditions, the risk of re-radicalization, and potential prison escapes. "Germany must finally take responsibility for its citizens and bring the remaining individuals back to Germany to stand trial," says Koller. This would send a strong international signal for the rule of law.

“Tomasz Szkatulski is known as the founder of a far-right clothing brand, and is linked to the Nazi organization Blood and Honour, which is classified as a terrorist organization in Canada and banned in Germany. By participating in King of the Streets on at least five occasions, he has reached an audience of millions. Among other things, he is seen fighting on a busy bicycle bridge – in central Gothenburg. Alexander Ritzmann, an expert on right-wing extremism at the Counter Extremism Project, believes that Szkatulski is using King of the streets as a platform to expose himself and his brand.”

CEP senior research analyst Sofia Koller talks to BR about German men, women, and children who are still in Syria.

How does the drone attack on an American aircraft carrier fit into this precarious situation? "The Iranian regime wants to send two messages. Domestically: 'We are strong.' And internationally: 'We can also defend ourselves,'" explains Middle East expert Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project, in an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau by Ippen.Media. In this tense situation, however, it's playing with fire: "It already has the potential to be suicidal. Or to put it another way: One has to ask whether they've lost their minds," says Schindler. "Flying a drone that close is quite clearly a provocation."