Eye on Extremism: June 11, 2025

CEP Mentions

WDR: Why young people become radicalized

The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution's report shows that right-wing extremists are increasingly mobilizing young people. They are joining forces and are not shying away from committing, in some cases, serious acts of violence. An interview with Alexander Ritzmann of the Counter Extremism Project.

Metro: Ballymena rioter ‘sets himself alight with his own petrol bomb’ on second night

Ian Acheson is a senior advisor at the Counter Extremism Project. He told Metro: ‘The violence in Ballymena is a grim illustration of what happens when xenophobia collides with legitimate fears across the island of Ireland about what uncontrolled and unresourced migration is doing to local communities.

Analysis

CEP CounterPoint Blog: Beneath the Rubble of Peace: Chechnya, a Struggle Renewed

Since its brutal subjugation in the early 2000s, Russia has simultaneously succeeded and failed in establishing a stable Chechnya. It succeeded in crushing most of the armed resistance in the country, and it expelled many of those who were left to Turkey and the Middle East. But it also created a regime in Grozny that is troubled under the weight of its own contradictions and lack of vision. The ties Ramzan Kadyrov established—facilitated by Russia’s broader influence in Europe and the Middle East—that once helped him suppress opposition now appear to have diminished. The ease with which Russian state agents from Chechnya kept a tight grip on Chechen diasporas in Europe under the pretense of fighting terrorism—often in plain sight of European intelligence—no longer exists, at least not to the extent it did before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Lawfare: The Problem Is Terrorism, Not Migration

European counterterrorism officials we spoke to in the context of our research confirmed that some asylum-seekers are vulnerable to radicalization and that irregular immigrants living clandestinely raise specific challenges in terms of detection and monitoring. Some immigrants-turned-terrorists—such as Anis Amri (the perpetrator of the 2016 attack in Berlin) or Abdesalem Lassoued (the perpetrator of the 2023 attack in Brussels)—allegedly lived for several years in Europe before their attacks. Counterterrorism services are also concerned about terrorists infiltrating refugee flows to enter Europe undetected, notably via Central Asia and Ukraine.

GNET: Mapping the Money Trail: The Evolution of Terrorist Financing Networks in Indonesia

Terrorist exploitation of digital financing is a technological, regulatory, and enforcement problem everywhere extremists operate – all over the world. Indonesia, with its evolving domestic digital technology and history of Islamist extremism, make it a key case study in understanding terrorist financing. Groups like Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), Mujahid Indonesia Timur (MIT), and emerging cells have adapted their financing methods from traditional hawala and zakat-based charities to using cryptocurrencies and digital payment systems in order to evade detection. This Insight explores how these groups exploit Indonesia’s digital landscape to fund operations more securely and indirectly. The findings aim to help Indonesian and international authorities, along with tech companies, address the growing use of cryptocurrency to finance terrorism. By recognising this threat, both domestic and international firms can collaborate with governments and other stakeholders to strengthen systems and prevent exploitation.

United States

Reuters: Trump wants to 'liberate' Los Angeles, residents say 'no thanks'

U.S. President Donald Trump says he sent in the National Guard and Marines to "liberate" Los Angeles from the violence of protesters, but some residents of Little Tokyo, a neighborhood hit hardest by the unrest say "no thanks" Mr President. A dozen people who live, work or frequent the neighborhood, where Japanese is heard spoken as frequently as English in shops and restaurants, on Tuesday told Reuters that Trump's use of the military was inflaming the protests against recent immigration raids in Los Angeles.

Reuters: Trump warns protests at Army parade will be met with force

U.S. President Donald Trump warned people on Tuesday against protesting at the weekend military parade in Washington marking the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary. "For those people that want to protest, they're going to be met with very big force," Trump told reporters in the White House's Oval Office.

Reuters: Trump says he's less confident about nuclear deal with Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was less confident that Iran will agree to stop uranium enrichment in a nuclear deal with Washington, according to an interview released on Wednesday. "I don’t know," Trump told the "Pod Force One" podcast on Monday when asked if he thought he could get Iran to agree to shut down its nuclear program. "I don’t know. I did think so, and I’m getting more and more — less confident about it."

ABC 25: Rep. Mace files bill to label Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organization

U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace announced Tuesday the filing of a bill that would designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign terrorist organization within the country. According to a news release from Mace’s office, the Muslim Brotherhood is a Terrorist Organization Act would activate critical national security tools – financial sanctions, asset freezes, travel bans and targeted law enforcement – to dismantle the group’s operations within the United States and globally.

People: R. Kelly Seeks Prison Release and Asks for House Arrest After Inmate Alleges Officials Asked Him to Kill Singer

An attorney for R. Kelly is alleging that the singer's life is in danger and asking that he be removed from federal custody and placed on home detention. An emergency motion for temporary furlough filed in federal court on Tuesday, June 10, and obtained by PEOPLE alleges that three officials with the Bureau of Prisons devised a plot to have Kelly killed by a fellow inmate. The filing also includes a declaration from that inmate, Mikeal Glenn Stine, who alleges that he was asked to carry out this plot by three high-ranking individuals from the BOP while incarcerated at the United States Penitentiary Tucson in Arizona. In the declaration, Stine claims to be a longtime member of the Aryan Brotherhood and alleges he even held the title of commissioner at one point, which gave him the "power to order beatings, stabbings, and executions that were carried out by other members of the A.B."

JNS: Pakistani accused of planning mass attack on Jews in New York for ISIS extradited to US

A Pakistani national living in Canada, who is accused of plotting to target a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the one-year anniversary of Oct. 7 in support of ISIS, was extradited to the United States on Tuesday.

AZ Mirror: Hobbs vetoes antisemitism bill, says it’s an attack on teachers

Arizona’s Democratic governor has vetoed a GOP-backed bill that would ban the teaching of antisemitism in public schools and universities — and allow teachers to be personally sued for alleged violations. Critics claimed the proposal would put public school teachers, and comprehensive teaching about the Holocaust, at risk.

France

France 24: French Tesla customers file lawsuit over brand becoming 'extreme-right' symbol

A group of Tesla customers in France are demanding that their lease contracts be terminated and legal costs be reimbursed over the "direct and concrete" damage suffered from the brand's association with Elon Musk's activities in the Trump administration and his support for far-right parties in Europe.

France 24: France mulls social media ban for under-15s after fatal school stabbing

French authorities have promised a raft of measures to tackle knife crime among children following the fatal stabbing of a teaching assistant on Tuesday, with President Emmanuel Macron calling for children aged under 15 to be barred from accessing social media platforms.

Germany

Reuters: Germany's far-right AfD harbours growing number of extremists, spy agency reports

Germany's biggest opposition party the Alternative for Germany is harbouring a growing number of right-wing extremists, the domestic spy agency said in its annual report on Tuesday, reporting also a surge in overall crime motivated by right-wing extremism. The number of extremists within the AfD, which came second in a federal election in February, rose by 77% last year to 20,000 in tandem with a growth in party membership and its shift rightwards, the agency said. AfD leaders frequently made statements that could be considered to attack the constitution during state election campaigns in eastern Germany last year - and mostly were not reined in by the party, the agency said.

ARD: Suspected terrorist helper - Susann E. charged with supporting the NSU

According to the indictment, E. is said to have known since 2007 at the latest that the NSU trio Zschäpe, Uwe Böhnhardt and Uwe Mundlos were living underground. She is said to have provided Zschäpe with her health insurance card so that she could go to the doctor. She is also said to have provided her personal details to order train tickets and to have driven Zschäpe and Böhnhardt to a pick-up appointment for a mobile home in Eisenach. The NSU trio committed ten murders, two bomb attacks and a dozen or so robberies. Böhnhardt and Mundlos were followed by the police during the last robbery, for which E. is said to have provided the driving service. They evaded arrest by committing suicide.

Amadeu Antonio Stiftung: Taxpayers' money for right-wing extremism: over 120 million euros for the AfD every year

Despite the AfD being classified as "definitely right-wing extremist", huge sums of state money continue to flow to the party and its cadres. Every year, the federal government pays more than 120 million euros to a party that questions the principles of the rule of law and human rights and attacks democracy - and that's just for its electoral success at federal level. A huge financial injection for the far-right land grab and the financing of its apron. While the overdue application for a party ban procedure continues to be put on the back burner, the new AfD parliamentary group can already look forward to plenty of state funding. After all, Germany is a party democracy. Political parties enjoy a special status in this country, as they make a significant contribution to the functioning of the state. Parties and their elected representatives receive considerable sums of money in the interests of equality of opportunity and uncorruptibility.

Greece

Greek City Times: Greek Parliament Ousts Spartans Lawmakers Tied to Neo-Nazi Politician

n a landmark decision on Tuesday, Greece’s highest election court expelled three lawmakers from parliament due to their ties to a jailed far-right figure convicted of leading a violent criminal organisation. The expelled lawmakers, all elected under the far-right Spartans party in the June 2023 elections, were found to be acting under the influence of Ilias Kasidiaris, a former senior member of the neo-Nazi-inspired Golden Dawn party. Kasidiaris is currently serving a 13-year prison sentence for orchestrating attacks against migrants and political rivals, as part of his leadership in what the court ruled was a criminal organisation.

Portugal

Reuters: Neo-Nazis attack actors in Lisbon, marring Portugal Day celebrations

A group of neo-Nazis attacked several actors outside a Lisbon theatre late on Tuesday, forcing it to cancel a show about Portugal's national poet Luis de Camoes to mark Portugal Day, which commemorates the literary icon. The European Union has said hate speech is on the rise in Portugal, and the far-right is gaining support after anti-immigration party Chega became the main opposition in parliament in last month's election.

Spain

Kurdistan24: U.S., Spain Reaffirm Global Commitment to Defeat ISIS at Coalition Meeting in Madrid

Senior diplomatic officials from around the world convened in Madrid, Spain, on Tuesday for a high-level meeting of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, underscoring a unified international effort to eradicate the lingering threat of the terrorist group ISIS/Daesh. Hosted by the Kingdom of Spain, the meeting was opened by Deputy Minister of Foreign and Global Affairs Diego Martínez Belío, who stressed the urgent need for sustained global coordination to combat ISIS. The event was co-chaired by Alberto Ucelay, Director General of Foreign and Security Policy for Spain, and Gregory D. LoGerfo, the United States Acting Coordinator for Counterterrorism.

Kurdistan24: Congressman Presses U.S. CENTCOM Commander on Kurdistan, Iraq, and Syria During Anti-ISIS Meeting in Madrid

Senior diplomatic officials from across the globe gathered in Madrid on Tuesday for a high-level session of the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The summit, hosted by the Kingdom of Spain, brought together leading voices on international security, counterterrorism, and regional stability. Among the key moments of the meeting was a direct exchange between U.S. Congressman Abe Hamadeh and General Michael Kurilla, Commander of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), focused on the complex dynamics in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and Syria.

United Kingdom

Reuters: Northern Irish rioters attack police, torch houses for second night

Hundreds of masked rioters attacked police and set homes and cars on fire in the Northern Irish town of Ballymena on Tuesday, in the second successive night of disorder that followed a protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town. Seventeen officers were injured, bringing to 32 the number hurt since the violence began on Monday following a large protest over an alleged sexual assault in the town.

Afghanistan

Afghanistan International: Russia Warns Of Rising ISIS Threat In Afghanistan, Citing Regional Security Risks

Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), has warned that ISIS and its affiliates have intensified their operations in Afghanistan, posing a growing threat to regional security. Speaking at the 18th Meeting of Heads of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Counterterrorism Agencies in Moscow, Bortnikov said the leadership of international terrorist organisations is increasingly relying on militants active in Afghanistan and Syria. He also highlighted the mobilisation of former prisoners released in Syria, many of whom are citizens of Russia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus.

Afghanistan International: Two ISIS Members Killed In Kabul Raid, Claims Taliban

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for a raid on what it described as an ISIS hideout in Kabul, saying two members of the militant group were killed during the operation. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid announced on Tuesday that the raid took place on Monday night in the 15th security district of the Afghan capital. He said Taliban forces discovered and seized a cache of weapons and ammunition at the site.

Afghanistan International: Protesters Chant “Long Live Dostum” As Clashes Erupt With Taliban In Faryab

Dozens of protesters were reportedly detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan’s northern Faryab province following a demonstration against the group's police command in Dawlat Abad district, sources told Afghanistan International. At least four independent sources confirmed that protesters chanted “Long live Dostum”, a reference to Abdul Rashid Dostum, the former vice president and leader of the Junbish-e Milli party, as they rallied on Monday and entered the district’s police command compound.

Afghanistan International: Acting Cabinet Is Due to Political Considerations, Says Taliban Spokesperson

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Monday that the group’s continued use of acting ministers is based on political considerations, but stressed that the officials hold full authority despite their interim titles. In an interview with Ariana News, Mujahid stated that while the cabinet remains temporary, all ministers and department heads have been granted full powers by the group’s leadership.

Iran

Afghanistan International: Taliban, Iranian Health Ministers Hold Talks In Tehran

The Iranian Embassy in Kabul has announced that Noor Jalal Jalali, the Taliban’s Minister of Public Health, met with Iranian Health Minister Mohammad Reza Zafarghandi in Tehran to discuss expanding bilateral cooperation in the health sector. According to the embassy’s statement, the meeting aimed to strengthen collaboration between the two countries, particularly in healthcare services and the supply of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.

Reuters: Russia says it's ready to remove highly enriched uranium from Iran

Russia said on Wednesday it stood ready to remove highly enriched uranium from Iran and convert it into civilian reactor fuel as a potential way to help narrow U.S.-Iranian differences over the Islamic Republic's nuclear programme. Tehran says it has the right to peaceful nuclear power, but its swiftly-advancing uranium enrichment programme has raised fears in the wider West and across the Gulf that it wants to develop a nuclear weapon.

Israel

Reuters: Israel Knesset set to vote on disbanding in first step to possible election

Israel's parliament is set to hold a preliminary vote on Wednesday to dissolve itself following a dispute over conscription, a first step that could lead to an early election, which polls show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would lose. The vote could still be pulled at the last minute, and even if it goes against Netanyahu, it would only be the first of four needed to bring forward elections.

Jerusalem Post: London-based Hamas operative linked with org. behind Greta Thunberg's Madleen vessel

Zaher Birawi, who has been designated by Israel as a Hamas operative, has emerged as a key member of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, British newspaper The Telegraph reported on Monday. Birawi, a Palestinian-British journalist, describes himself as a founding member of the coalition, which was behind the journey of the Gaza aid vessel, the Madleen. The boat attempted to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, until it was seized in international waters on Monday morning by the IDF, who detained the 12 activists onboard. Birawi attended the launch of the Madleen from Sicily, livestreaming the event.

Reuters: Israeli fire kills 41 in Gaza, many near an aid site, medics say

Israeli gunfire and airstrikes killed at least 41 Palestinians in Gaza on Wednesday, most of them at an aid site operated by the U.S-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation in the centre of the coastal territory, local health officials said. Medical officials at Shifa and Al-Quds Hospitals said at least 25 people were killed by Israeli gunfire as they approached the aid site near the former settlement of Netzarim, and dozens were wounded.

Lebanon

Naharnet: Hezbollah MP criticizes UNIFIL but stresses need for its presence

Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayad has stressed “the need for a calm, wise and responsible approach toward any friction or tension between the South’s residents,” in the wake of a flurry of clashes and altercations in recent weeks. Fayad however criticized the U.N. forces for “entering villages, towns and private properties without coordination or the presence of the Lebanese Army, at a time (residents) do not sense any role for UNIFIL in addressing the Israeli enemy’s continued occupation of Lebanese territory, incursions, assassinations and hostile actions.”

Naharnet: Report: UNIFIL role may expand north of Litani, army says no one above law in South

Diplomatic circles have said that the work of UNIFIL may expand to include the area north of the Litani River instead of remaning confined to the area south of the Litani River, the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Naharnet: Gemayel meets Le Drian, says state can't be built unless Hezbollah disarms

French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian met Wednesday with Free Patriotic Movement chief Jebran Bassil and Kataeb leader Sami Gemayel. Gemayel urged after the meeting a road map for the disarmament of Hezbollah, adding that a state cannot be built unless illegal weapons are handed over - a request Hezbollah said will not do as long as Israeli troops remain in southern Lebanon and the Israeli air force regularly violates Lebanese air space.

Naharnet: Army searches building in Hadath for Hezbollah weapons

Army forces launched Tuesday a search in a building in a densely populated area of Hadath in Beirut's southern suburbs. A Lebanese military official said the forces were looking for weapons at the request of a five-member committee supervising the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire.

Syria

AFP: Three Alawites killed after attack on Syria government forces

Three Alawite civilians were killed in western Syria overnight, hours after an attack on government forces killed at least one officer, a war monitor said on Wednesday. Syrian authorities said four civilians were targeted by unknown attackers in the Tal Kalakh area near the Lebanese border, killing two of them.

Reuters: Pro-Israel rabbi and Trump-linked pastor visit Syria, say peace is possible

Peace between Syria and Israel is "very possible", a Trump-linked evangelical Christian pastor said after he and a pro-Israel American rabbi held talks this week with Syria's Islamist leader Ahmed al-Sharaa at the presidential palace in Damascus. Rev. Johnnie Moore, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump's first term, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, from the Jewish human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Center, have promoted interfaith dialogue in Arab states for years.

Reuters: Syria requires women to wear burkinis on public beaches

Syria's Islamist-led government has decreed that women should wear burkinis or other swimwear that covers the body at public beaches and swimming pools, while permitting Western-style beachwear at private clubs and luxury hotels. The tourism ministry decision issued this week marks the first time the Damascus authorities have issued guidelines related to what women can wear since Bashar al-Assad was toppled in December.

Yemen

Jerusalem Post: Yemen’s Al Qaeda leader threatens Trump, US officials, and Jews over Israel-Hamas War

Saad bin Atef al-Awlaki, the leader of Al Qaeda’s Yemeni arm, issued threats against US President Donald Trump and other American officials over the United States’ support for Israel in the war against Hamas. The video, which surfaced online after being spread by Awlaki’s supporters, also threatened US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of State Pete Hegseth as well as Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Australia

Jerusalem Post: 'Most important Jihadist in Sydney': Australian Jewish body takes antisemitic, IS preacher to court

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) is geared up for its four-day court hearing against antisemitic Muslim preacher, Wissam Haddad, which begins Tuesday morning in Sydney. Haddad was previously revealed by an anonymous Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO) agent to be the spiritual leader of Australia’s Islamic State network. ECAJ announced it was taking action against Haddad – also known as Abu Ousayd – and the Sydney religious center, Al Madina Dawah Centre Incorporated, over speeches that were allegedly made at the center, recordings of which have been uploaded online.

Technology

Moscow Times: Investigation Uncovers Telegram's Potential Links to Russia's FSB

The Telegram messaging app may be less secure than previously thought, as its infrastructure is controlled by a man whose companies have collaborated with Russian intelligence services, according to a new investigation by the exiled outlet IStories. The popular messaging app's founder, Russian-born Pavel Durov, has touted his platform as a haven for free speech and digital privacy, particularly in authoritarian countries. In reality, Telegram chats are not end-to-end encrypted by default like competitors WhatsApp or Signal. Unless users opt in to the app’s "secret chat" feature, these chats are decrypted and stored on servers. "This means that whoever controls the server can access the correspondence," IStories wrote.

Eurasia Review: Is X Becoming A Mouthpiece For Terrorist Propaganda? – OpEd

As technology brings us closer, social media has become both good and bad. Even though the internet provides great opportunities for people to connect and make their voice heard, it also attracts individuals and groups with harmful intentions, including terrorists who seek to teach extremist ideas, boast about violence, and encourage people to join them. Among all these networks, X, previously known as Twitter, turned out to be particularly vulnerable, allowing Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (Fitna Al Khawarij) and other violent groups to use it to support their aims.