An article at the Counter Extremism Project, “Eyes of the Regime: How the Houthi Security and Intelligence Service Ensures Political Domination in Yemen,” described Marani as a key figure in the Houthi intelligence system. “As early as 2017, Hassan al-Marrani was appointed director of the Intelligence Department in the National Security Bureau. In 2018, al-Marrani was also serving in the ostensibly benign role of director general at the Yemeni Economic Corporation. In this capacity, according to a leaked document, he worked to promote Houthi recruitment by calling ‘for the speedy preparation of lists of the names of employees who are ready to participate in the war and submitting them to administrative affairs for qualification, within three days.’”

The UN further stated that the greatest danger comes from IS-KP, which has around 2,000 fighters and, in recent years, has carried out deadly attacks in Russia, Iran, and Pakistan, showing the group’s capability across borders. Hans-Jakob Schindler, a former coordinator of a UN committee monitoring armed groups, told AFP on Thursday, “The risk is very high that IS-KP will see these newly returned Afghan citizens as an opportunity for recruitment.” According to Schindler, “Since August 2021, the group has continued to recruit not only disgruntled Taliban members but also Afghans who feel excluded from the new government.”

"Drone flights over critical infrastructure, military installations, and military transport are clearly intended to gather information and intelligence about these facilities, as well as about German response patterns," security expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler told Lusa.

Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, Director of the Counter Extremism Project, describes the arrests of the Hamas cell in 2023 as a "turning point". "Its members had already deposited weapons in Europe years before. Anyone storing weapons in Poland or Bulgaria is certainly not doing so for use in the Gaza Strip," Schindler told WELT AM SONNTAG. This points to an overarching strategy that could be activated if necessary. The connection to criminal gangs follows a well-known logic. "The relationships between organized crime and terrorist organizations are often structural," explains Schindler. Such connections are not atypical, especially when it comes to procuring weapons. In most cases, terrorist organizations rely on criminal networks to obtain weapons - whether through smuggling or the black market.

Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interviewed regarding drones in Germany, this time at the Munich Airport [starting at 09:28]. 

But what about the protection of synagogues in the UK? Terrorism expert Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler from the Counter Extremism Project explains that some protective measures did work in Manchester - for example, the attacker was unable to enter the synagogue and the police were probably "extremely quick on the scene". However, what did not work and now needs to be investigated is the lack of barriers around the synagogue, especially for traffic, explained Schindler. Given the large Jewish community in Manchester, it would have been natural to assume that significantly more worshippers would come to the synagogue on Yom Kippur than on normal days, says Schindler.

According to Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, the arrests show that the risk of Hamas attacks in Germany remains high. "The initial investigations seem to confirm that the Islamist organization planted terrorists in Germany years ago," says the senior director and head of the Berlin office of the international Counter Extremism Project. Hamas operates with a high degree of professionalism. "The members of the terror cells, for example, try to act as inconspicuously as possible so as not to come to the attention of the security services." This includes not appearing as activists at propaganda events, for example. In addition, two of the suspected attackers who have now been arrested have taken German citizenship.

‘Are you living a double standard when it comes to Israel?’ Counter Extremism Project Senior Director Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler says the Israel-Gaza conflict has allowed Hamas to ‘instil a victim’ narrative, which has facilitated a ‘higher comfort level’ with antisemitism.

German security authorities have arrested a cell in Berlin, with the suspects said to be acting on behalf of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler is interviewed on the unfolding story (starts at 4:32).