Eye on Extremism: August 21, 2026
Top Stories
Reuters: US hits Hezbollah with fresh sanctions, emphasizing ties to Iranian government
The United States on Thursday issued fresh sanctions targeting Lebanon's Hezbollah, including re-designating it over actions on behalf of the Iranian government, according to a statement seen by Reuters.
CBS News: Woman arrested in alleged ISIS-inspired plot to bomb New York Capitol
The FBI arrested a 35-year-old woman for allegedly plotting an Islamic State-inspired attack on the New York Capitol building, federal officials said Thursday. Jessica Bowie of Albany, New York, was charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, officials said.
CEP Mentions
WELT TV: “All settlements built in the West Bank are fundamentally a problem”
“Europe simply no longer plays a role in the Middle East conflict,” says Hans-Jakob Schindler regarding the criticism of Israel’s settlement policy. The planned E1 project is likely to further complicate a two-state solution, the Middle East expert fears.
Analysis
Times of Israel: Yossi Klein Halevi: Why Jewish extremism is so seductive – and dangerous
The author of ‘Memoirs of a Jewish Extremist’ plumbs his personal experiences to share insight into the psyche of those fringe settlers who are lighting up the West Bank.
First, the good news about Representative Randy Fine’s nearly 40-point victory over podcasting conspiracy theorist Dan Bilzerian in Tuesday night’s Republican primary in Florida’s 6th Congressional District. It showed that conservative voters continue to reject antisemitism by wide margins. The bad news, however, is that nearly 17,000 voters in a state with the country’s third-largest Jewish population approved of Bilzerian’s toxic message of Jew-hate, or at the very least didn’t mind it enough to vote for any of the other three candidates besides Bilzerian and Fine.
United States
CBS News: Self-described U.S. spy who infiltrated al Qaeda at risk of ICE deportation
The Trump administration is trying to deport a self-described CIA spy who infiltrated al Qaeda after 9/11 and won his permission to live in the U.S. by helping convict terrorists
JNS: NY judge dismisses lawsuit against Columbia by former professor who said he was ‘with Hamas’
A New York judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by former Columbia University visiting professor Mohamed Abdou against the university and its former president, Minouche Shafik, over comments she made about him during congressional testimony.
New York Times: Targeted by an Islamophobic Provocateur, a City’s Muslims Are on Edge
Anti-Muslim protesters have targeted Dearborn in years past. But as war continues in the Middle East and the rhetoric from leading conservatives intensifies, many Dearborn residents are again asking whether America will ever fully accept them.
Not long after Hamas’ terror attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, members of a Jewish employee resource group at Vox Media, known as the Tribe, circulated a lengthy memo alleging several instances of bias against Israel in coverage by New York magazine, which was then a subsidiary, and Vox, the explanatory journalism site. The document offered editorial guidance for staffers writing about the attack and ensuing war in Gaza, urging colleagues to identify Hamas as a terrorist organization and avoid “both sides” framing as well as “dangerous and factually inaccurate ‘buzzwords’” including apartheid and genocide, which, the authors wrote, “are often used to evoke a visceral emotional reaction in favor of one group.” The document, recently obtained by Jewish Insider, also admonished staffers to be mindful of promoting ideas that “invoke age-old antisemitic tropes of Israel and Jews controlling the world,” citing examples that the Tribe members felt had violated this dictum.
CBS News: New York couple attacked in Surfside in alleged antisemitic assault, police say
Surfside police say a couple visiting from New York was the target of an antisemitic attack on Harding Avenue. “He charges at me, and he starts to hit me,” said the man named Abraham. He and his wife, Sophia, asked that their last name not be disclosed.
Argentina
JTA: Argentina removes federal judge over antisemitic remarks in historic first
An Argentine federal judge was removed from office Tuesday for a series of antisemitic posts on his social media accounts that constituted misconduct incompatible with his role, an impeachment panel ruled.
Germany
Deutsche Welle: Germany investigates arms cache found in woods near Berlin
Security authorities in Germany uncovered a cache of handguns in a forest near the capital Berlin last year, which they believe was intended to be used to carry out assassinations on behalf of Russia, according to reports on Friday.
Politico: A German conservative mayor backed the AfD. Now Merz is on the spot.
A conservative German mayor’s €10,000 donation to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is making things awkward for his party’s leaders. Bernd Prange, a Christian Democrat who serves as mayor of Altmärkische Höhe in Saxony-Anhalt, wrote in an open letter on Wednesday that he would be voting for the AfD in the state’s upcoming election on Sept. 6. “I want the AfD to become so strong in the Saxony-Anhalt election that it can govern alone,” wrote Prange.
The Local: ‘Disaster for democracy’: Readers sound the alarm on AfD in Saxony Anhalt
With what is set to be an historic election in Saxony Anhalt just a couple weeks away, we asked our audience of foreigners in Germany how they’re feeling about a potential victory for the far-right, anti-immigration party.
Deutsche Welle: German influencer fights extremism on TikTok
After removing her hijab, German influencer Nur El-Huda Chehade faced a wave of online abuse. Now she uses social media to confront extremism and misogyny.
Finland
A Finnish-Russian woman has been charged with trafficking her children to parts of Syria then controlled by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group, Finnish prosecutors said on Thursday. The woman has been charged with two counts of aggravated human trafficking for the alleged crimes, spanning 2014-2024, Finland's National Prosecution Authority said. She denies the charges.
Sweden
Reuters: Man armed with sword injures several people at Swedish high school
A man armed with a sword injured several people at a Swedish high school on Friday and one person was later detained, local authorities said. The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Brinell high school, which has some 450 students aged 16 to 20, in the town of Fagersta in central Sweden.
United Kingdom
New York Times: Muslim Charity in Britain Faces Scrutiny for Possible Links to Hamas
The British Department for Education is investigating a Muslim charity that operates several schools in Britain, after a man affiliated with the group was accused by the F.B.I. of financing terrorism by funding Hamas.
Iran International: British teen pleads guilty over arson attack on Iran International offices
A 19-year-old British man pleaded guilty Friday to an arson offence over an April attack on offices linked to Iran International in northwest London, while a teenage co-defendant denied the more serious charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.
The Guardian: Palestine Action ‘Barclays five’ will not be sentenced as terrorists
Five Palestine Action activists who vandalised a Barclays branch in Burnley will not be sentenced as terrorists, a judge has ruled. Dubbed the Barclays five, Brendon O’Hagan, 28; Amanda Kelly, 31; Hmeera Atiqnisar, 31; Mohammed Malik, 28; and Alma Yaniv, 70, were all found guilty in June of causing damage exceeding £200,000, after breaking windows and throwing red paint at a branch of Barclays Bank in Lancashire in August 2024.
A teenager accused of stirring up racial hatred against Jewish people and foreigners and sharing a video of a mass killing online has been remanded into custody.
Jewish Chronicle: Met Police officer sacked after liking ‘disgusting’ antisemitic posts
A Metropolitan Police officer has been sacked by a disciplinary panel after he admitted engaging with “disgusting” antisemitic social media posts. PC Mohammed Nizam “liked” post that featured “one-sided and/or politically motivated views of the war in Gaza, as well as offensive, antisemitic and transphobic messages,” according to the panel’s findings.
The Ferret: Loyalist terrorist and neo-Nazi flags displayed at Edinburgh anti-immigration protest
The flag of banned loyalist terrorist groups and a neo-Nazi banner were displayed at a protest in Edinburgh organised by a far right group called the Scottish Defence League.
The York Press: Ex-councillor on trial over alleged antisemitic tweets
A serving councillor and former town mayor posted a dozen antisemitic tweets over nearly a month, alleged the prosecution at York Crown Court.
Afghanistan
Afghan political figures, including Abdul Rashid Dostum, Salahuddin Rabbani, Atta Mohammad Noor, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Karim Khalili, and Sarwar Danish have reacted to the killing of senior NRF commander Hasib Panjshiri. The Taliban said on Thursday, 20 August, that Hasib Panjshiri had been killed during what it described as a complex operation by special forces.
Mohammad Farid Hamidi, Afghanistan’s former attorney general, says the desecration and mistreatment of the bodies of those killed and of prisoners of war by Taliban forces is a crime against humanity. He stressed that such acts constitute a clear violation of international law as well as Islamic principles and values.
Afghanistan International: Taliban Intelligence Officer Killed In Kandahar Attack, Says United Front
The United Front of Afghanistan said it targeted and killed a Taliban intelligence officer in Kandahar’s fifth police district, alleging that he was involved in the detention, torture and killing of numerous former security personnel.
Amu TV: Man in Herat says Taliban sought payment to release his daughter
A resident of Herat told Amu TV that Taliban authorities demanded money and two guarantors for the release of her daughter who was detained in the city of Herat. He said that some women and girls remained in custody for days because their families could not meet the conditions. Currentaffairs analysis
PBS Newshour: 5 years after the U.S. left, Afghan allies reflect on life under Taliban rule
This evening, we have an intimate look at the lives of three people and their families and how they are faring five years after the Taliban wrenched control of the country from the U.S.-supported government.
Gaza Strip/West Bank
The IDF confirms Palestinian reports that Israeli security forces opened fire at Palestinians in the area of the village of Sa’ir, north of Hebron, after troops were called to the area amid reports of settlers being pelted with stones.
Two Palestinians were wounded by settler gunfire in the area of Sa’ir, north of Hebron, Palestinian media outlets report. One of the injured is reportedly 70 years old.
Times of Israel: Palestinian shot dead trying to stab soldier, ID’d as father of slain terrorist
A Palestinian man was shot dead while trying to stab Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Jenin overnight Thursday-Friday, the army said. The assailant was identified as the father of a terrorist who killed three Israelis in Tel Aviv in 2022.
Israel accused Hamas on Thursday of using a southern Gaza hospital as a torture site for Palestinians to stave off an “erosion of support” for the terror group in the Strip, as progress on the US-backed plan for its disarmament continued to stall.
Iran
Kurdistan24: Iran Guards Warn Saudi Arabia Cannot Contain Houthi Attacks
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Saudi Arabia on Thursday that it will be unable to contain the Tehran-backed Houthis in Yemen or shield itself from further attacks as the Iran-Israel conflict continues to expand across the region.
Iran International: Iran military chief warns of ‘devastating’ response to threats
Iran’s Armed Forces Chief of Staff Ali Abdollahi warned that any military threat or “miscalculation” by Iran’s adversaries would face what he described as a “crushing” and “devastating” response.
Fox News: Iranian president says it’s time to end the war, appearing to take aim at radicals
Iranian president Masoud Pezeshkian called for an end to Iran’s war with the U.S. on Friday during a speech at the General Assembly of the Islamic Association of the Medical Society of Iran.
Iran International: With the war quieting, Iran’s hijab crackdown gathers pace again
The men who spent the war demanding control of the Strait of Hormuz have returned to demanding control of women's clothing. As the fighting subsides, Iran’s hardliners are pressing to revive a hijab law the state itself suspended for fear of new protests.
Iraq
Iran International: Iraqi prime minister says talks underway on militia weapons
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said his government was holding direct and indirect talks over bringing weapons held by armed factions under state control, according to remarks highlighted by the Baghdad International Dialogue.
Iran International: Iran parliament speaker visits grave of Soleimani’s Iraqi ally in Najaf
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf visited the grave of Iraqi paramilitary commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Friday, during a visit to Iraq. Muhandis, the deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces and a longtime ally of Iran, was killed alongside top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport in January 2020.
Israel
More than four years after his son murdered Tomer Morad, Barak Lufen and Eitam Magini in the heart of Tel Aviv, Fathi Hazem, the father of terrorist Raad Hazem, was killed overnight Thursday in Jenin.
Lebanon
Naharnet: Hezbollah says doesn't need validation of its ‘patriotism’ after US sanctions
Hezbollah on Friday hit back at the U.S. administration over its announcement that the group is under the control of Iran’s Quds Force, the expeditionary arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Naharnet: Hezbollah doesn't intend to cede Ali al-Taher but open to ‘compromise’
Amid conflicting reports about the situation in the Ali al-Taher area, which continues to come under Israeli airstrikes, a prominent Hezbollah source confirmed that the group “has no intention of surrendering the Ali al-Taher hill to the Lebanese Army, the enemy, or any other party.”
Times of Israel: Meet Moshe, the nonexistent ‘Israeli thinker’ Hezbollah loves to quote
Addressing his followers via video this month, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem delivered a forceful diatribe against months-long negotiations between Lebanon and Israel over a permanent agreement that would entail the disarmament of his Iran-backed terror group.
Yemen
Iran International: Iran-aligned Houthis say they struck targets in Saudi Arabia
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said Thursday they carried out two drone attacks targeting a site at Saudi Arabia’s Najran airport and Aramco facilities, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported.
Yemen Online: Gov’t Forces Say They Downed Houthi Drone in Al-Burh
Yemen’s government forces announced Thursday that their air defenses shot down a drone operated by Houthi fighters over the Al-Burh front, west of Taiz city. Military sources said the unmanned aircraft was intercepted as it attempted to target positions of government troops in the area.
Australia
The Australian: 50-year rise of Australia’s antisemitism crisis
Antisemitism in Australia did not begin on October 7. It is the culmination of a half-century shift that saw the left turn on the Jewish state.
The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church has denied it secretly paid far-right influencers to stage stunts targeting Anthony Albanese and other politicians during an appearance at a parliamentary inquiry into the 2025 election.
Courrier Mail: ‘Baby killers’: McDonald’s worker filmed in heated clash with Jewish customers
A Brisbane McDonald’s worker has been caught on camera asking two Jewish men where they were from before allegedly yelling “free, free Palestine” during a heated confrontation.
J-Wire: Opposition warns of faith communities funding gap for security
Jewish and other religious organisations face renewed uncertainty over security funding, according to the NSW Opposition, after the Safe Places for Faith Communities Program reached the end of its original $15 million allocation with no new funding announced to continue or replace it.
Technology
The two men behind Danny Bones, the AI-generated rapper who has become a prominent voice in Britain’s online far right, can be named for the first time. Denver Bamber, a music producer and sound engineer from Greater Manchester, and Theo Blackledge, a 3D artist and animator from Liverpool, are the founders of the Node Project, the previously anonymous collective behind Danny Bones.
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