Eye on Extremism: March 30, 2026
Top Stories
CNN: Iran’s efforts to mount attacks against US extend far beyond its military. Here’s what to know
As the US sends large numbers of troops to the Middle East, preparing for a possible ground incursion, Iran’s willingness to inspire lone-wolf attacks, lead cyber hacks, and conduct assassination operations abroad is likely to increase, terrorism experts and US law enforcement officials told CNN.
Jerusalem Post: Chief rabbi calls for protection of mosques, churches and synagogues after attacks
Chief Rabbi Kalman Meir Bar called on religious leaders and authorities worldwide to defend mosques, churches, synagogues, and other houses of worship after a recent wave of antisemitic attacks on Jewish institutions in the US and Europe. In a public letter on Sunday, Bar said the answer must include both forceful law enforcement and a broader rejection of religious violence.
CEP Mentions
DW News: Searching for clues - Donations for Islamist terrorism?
Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interviewed for documentary on current terrorism financing in Germany and Islamist terror networks.
ZDF Heute Live: The US is deploying thousands of soldiers to the Middle East – What's behind it
At 23:14, CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler discusses recent attacks against the Iranian nuclear program.
Welt: Warning about a ground offensive – “Then Donald Trump will have a serious political problem“
There is discussion of U.S. ground operations in Iran, but the risk of American casualties is high. “This is a high-risk strategy that requires careful consideration,” says [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler, a Middle East expert, on WELT TV.
Analysis
Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security: Are the Houthis More Ideological or More Pragmatic?
CEP Nonresident Fellow Ari Heistein writes: After staying out of the conflict for nearly a month, the Houthis’ limited strikes against Israel reflect the group’s dilemmas as “survival-first ideologues.”
Iran International: Why Iran war may not follow the region’s familiar script
It may be too early to issue verdicts on the war unfolding around Iran since conflicts of this scale rarely follow the scripts imagined in their first weeks and early judgments often prove premature. Each time tensions escalate between the United States, Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran, however, a familiar pattern emerges in Western commentary. Before events have meaningfully unfolded, a chorus of analysts moves quickly to declare failure. T
Jewish Insider: The Hasan Piker mirage: When social media extremism meets political reality
Hasan Piker, a far-left streamer who has been the subject of favorable media profiles despite a laundry list of antisemitic and terror-justifying rhetoric, is a case study in how traditional journalists normalize extremists — and how politicians conclude there’s a marketplace for radical views in the electoral marketplace, even when it’s typically a mirage.
United States
A man who fled to China after leaving an explosive device outside MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa has been indicted along with his sister in Florida on federal charges, and their mother has been detained pending deportation for overstaying her visa, a federal prosecutor said Thursday.
Homeland Security Today: Man Tied to Pro-Israel Extremists Accused of Targeting Palestinian Activist
The New York Police Department and federal authorities disrupted what officials described as a plot by a member of a pro-Israel terrorist organization to assassinate the leader of one of New York’s most active pro-Palestinian protest groups, according to officials and court papers.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is set to attend a Passover Seder on Monday night at the City Winery in Manhattan, stepping into a decades-old cultural tradition that doubles as a symbolic test of his relationship with the city’s Jewish community. Mamdani is slated to appear alongside a liberal rabbi, an Israeli musician and an observant comedian at the annual Downtown Seder hosted by nightlife impresario and entrepreneur Michael Dorf. All net proceeds from the event will be donated to Seeds of Peace, a New York-based nonprofit founded in 1993 that helps young people from conflict regions build leadership skills and engage in dialogue.
New York Post: Politico yanks antisemitic cartoon of blood-covered Trump and Netanyahu
Politico was forced to yank a controversial antismeitic cartoon depicting a blood-soaked President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an oversized nose sitting among bags of cash. The cartoon, published Friday by the outlet — which is owned by the German media group Axel Springer — shows the world leaders sitting on a rickety ship alongside a handful of top GOP officials wearing blood-stained Jewish prayer shawls and yarmulkes.
Canada
Toronto Police has received criticism for not fully enforcing a ban on pro-Palestinian protests in Jewish residential areas, despite having announced the restriction just last week.
Europe
The Guardian: ‘Assault on justice’: how far-right attacks are threatening rule of law in Europe
Judicial independence is under threat as populist politicians target judges and authoritarian governments attempt constitutional reforms.
Czech Republic
Reuters: Czechs detain fifth suspect over arson attack on drone factory
A fifth person was detained in connection with an arson attack on an optics and drone factory in the Czech Republic, a public prosecutor said on Monday. Police said on Saturday they had detained a fourth suspect over the March 20 fire, for which a previously unknown pro-Palestinian activist group had claimed responsibility. Czech police said they were searching for other suspects.
A new militant group named The Earthquake Faction has claimed responsibility for the arson attack on a defense facility in the Czech Republic linked to Israeli weapons manufacturer Elbit Systems.
France
Politico: Former French PM best placed to beat far right in 2027 presidential race, poll shows
Former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe is emerging as the strongest challenger to far-right figures Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen in next year’s presidential race, a new poll suggests. A survey published by pollster Elabe Saturday shows Philippe, whose reelection as mayor of Le Havre has helped bolster his presidential bid, separating himself from a crowded field of candidates to take on whoever represents Bardella and Le Pen’s party, the National Rally.
Germany
Reuters: Germany's Merz says Berlin will work with Syria to return refugees
Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday Germany and Syria would work together to return hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees, who he said had an important part to play in rebuilding their country. Speaking after a meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Berlin, Merz said many Syrian refugees had made a major contribution in Germany but that most wanted to return home.
Stars and Stripes: German far-right politician calls for removal of US troops
The co-chair of Germany’s increasingly popular far-right party has called for the removal of all U.S. forces from the country, adding that Berlin should follow Spain’s lead and deny the use of its bases for the Iran war. Tino Chrupalla, who leads the Alternative for Germany party alongside Alice Weidel, used a political gathering in Saxony over the weekend to push for the removal of the roughly 37,000 U.S. troops based in the country.
Ireland
Irish Examiner: Abdullah Khan case exposes ‘new reality’ of Islamist extremism and Irish attacks
The case of Abdullah Khan has provided evidence — more evidence, in fact — of the “new reality” facing Ireland. It is one where terror attacks driven by a violent extremist Islamist ideology are now happening in Ireland, as they have done in neighbouring Britain and the European continent for the last 20 years.
The Times: Gardai trial system to detect extremist recruitment in online gaming
A European-funded project led by Trinity College Dublin (TCD) working in conjunction with garda has developed an AI system called the Watchtower platform to detect extremism within the diverse world of gaming, which is expected to be used by law enforcement agencies across the world.
United Kingdom
Jerusalem Post: UK Greens delay ‘Zionism is racism’ vote after procedural chaos
The UK Green Party’s planned vote on a “Zionism is Racism” motion did not proceed after multiple no-confidence votes were submitted, creating delays and meaning it was never heard or debated.
Reuters: UK protesters march in London to oppose the rise of political right
Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of central London on Saturday for a "March to Stop the Far Right" with many demonstrators decrying the right-wing Reform UK party of Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, which is topping opinion polls. Backed by trade unions and civil society groups, the Together Alliance demonstration was attended by an estimated 50,000 people, according to police officials cited by UK media.
Reuters: UK counter terror officers join probe after car hits pedestrians, injuring 7
British counter terrorism officers are assisting police after a driver who struck pedestrians in the city of Derby on Saturday night was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, police said on Sunday. The incident occurred at 2130 GMT on Friar Gate, a usually busy street in the city centre. Seven people suffered serious but not life-threatening injuries and were treated at the scene before being taken to hospital.
The Telegraph: Israel: Anti-Semitism spreading like wildfire in Britain
Israel has warned that anti-Semitism is “spreading like wildfire” in the UK following a firebomb attack on four ambulances owned by a Jewish charity. Two British men were arrested and bailed following the incident last week in Golders Green, north London, where the ambulances were set on fire outside a synagogue.
Lone-actor terrorism has replaced organized, centralized extremism in the UK, Dave Rich, head of policy at the Community Security Trust and leading expert on left-wing antisemitism, told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. CST is the charity that protects British Jews from terrorism and antisemitism. It has held charitable status since 1994 and manages around 2,000 dedicated volunteers and over 100 staff members.
Afghanistan
The Afghanistan Freedom Front has announced it has resumed attacks against the Taliban after halting operations during Ramadan. It said that in its first spring offensive on Sunday evening, March 29, it attacked a Taliban border unit in Baharak district of Badakhshan province, killing four members.
The Taliban’s Supreme Court said on Sunday it had flogged six people, including two women, in Jawzjan province and sentenced them to prison. Some of those punished were accused of “insulting” Taliban officials. Under Afghanistan’s previous government, criticism or insults directed at officials did not carry criminal penalties. Since returning to power, however, the Taliban, similar to Iran, have detained and punished citizens on charges of insulting officials.
Afghanistan International: Taliban Seeks Annual Purchase Of 2 Million Tonnes Of Russian Fuel
Russia’s trade centre in Afghanistan said the Taliban are seeking to purchase two million tonnes of fuel annually from Russia. According to Russian media reports citing officials from the centre, a long-term fuel supply agreement is expected to be signed soon in the city of Kazan.
Afghanistan International: Several Terrorist Groups Operating In Afghanistan, Says Russia
Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan has urged the Taliban and Pakistan to cooperate in tackling terrorism, saying the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan is a real problem. Zamir Kabulov told RIA Novosti that Moscow wants both sides to avoid conflict and instead work jointly to address the presence of terrorist groups on Afghan soil.
Gaza Strip/West Bank
Jerusalem Post: IDF kills suspected terrorist after attempted vehicle ramming
IDF soldiers shot at and successfully killed a suspected terrorist near Tulkarm on Monday, the IDF announced. The suspected terrorist was reportedly accelerating his vehicle towards the soldiers in a way that posed an immediate threat to them.
JNS: Israel foils Hamas terror network run from Turkey
The Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) said on Monday it uncovered a Hamas terror network in Judea and Samaria that was directed by a Hamas operative based in Turkey. The cell was allegedly overseen by Mahmoud Radwan, a Hamas member released in a 2025 prisoner exchange and deported to Turkey after serving a prison term in Israel for his role in the 2001 murder of Yossi Alfasi. Radwan is accused of recruiting two residents of the village of Azzun, near Qalqiliya in western Samaria, for planned terrorist activity.
Iran
Iran International: World must get used to new Mideast order, IRGC-QF chief says
“Get used to the new order in the region," IRGC Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani said in a post on X on Monday. He said that attacks by Iran-aligned groups had undermined what he described as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to expand a regional security belt, warning that a new regional order was emerging.
Rudaw: IRGC media lists universities in Kurdistan, Iraq as among ‘legitimate’ military targets
Following threats by the Iranian military to target American and Israeli academic institutions in the Middle East and West Asia, a media affiliate of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Sunday published an infographic listing the “American-Zionist universities” slated as targets, including a number of campuses in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
Iran International: Rift deepens between Iran’s president and Guards chief over war, economy
Serious disagreements have emerged between Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and IRGC chief-commander Ahmad Vahidi over how to manage the war and its damaging impact on people’s livelihoods and the economy, sources with knowledge of the matter told Iran International.
Iran’s new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei has, in a written message, thanked the people of Iraq for their support in the Islamic Republic’s war against the United States and Israel, Iranian media said on Sunday.
Kurdistan24: Israel Says It Struck 'IRGC-linked Military University' in Tehran
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Monday via its official Telegram channel that it has successfully struck military infrastructure within the compound of Imam Hossein University, the primary military academic institution of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) located in Tehran.
Fox News: Al-Qaeda using Iran as a 'hub' for terrorism
Marc Thiessen warns that Iran is harboring Al Qaeda's new leader and facilitating their operations. He details how Iran could supply enriched uranium for a dirty bomb, criticizing media silence on this nuclear threat to the U.S.
Iraq
Rudaw: Iraqi forces foil rocket attack in Kirkuk amid surge in drone, missile strikes
Iraq’s defense ministry said Sunday that its forces foiled an attempted “Katyusha rocket attack” in Kirkuk, seizing several rockets and their launchers before they could be used, with no casualties reported. The incident comes amid a recent surge in attacks targeting the Iraqi army and Iran-aligned Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Kirkuk and Iraq’s western Anbar province.
Shafaq News: Iraq sentences ISIS member to death for killing Capt. Harith Al-Sudani
An Iraqi court has handed a death sentence to an ISIS member for the 2017 killing of intelligence officer Capt. Harith al-Sudani, the Supreme Judicial Council announced on Monday. The al-Karkh Criminal Court convicted Ahmad Sabri Rashid of kidnapping and killing al-Sudani and Hamza Abdul Mohsen in al-Tarmiyah district, north of Baghdad, describing the crime as an attempt “to destabilize security, spread fear among citizens, and achieve terrorist objectives.” The ruling was issued under Iraq’s Anti-Terrorism Law No. 13 of 2005.
Israel
Times of Israel: Suspect indicted for act of terror in stabbing of Ramat Gan official
The State Attorney’s Office on Monday indicted Muhammad Watad Salim, a pharmaceutical worker, who is accused of stabbing the head of Ramat Gan’s religious council earlier this month in an apparent terror attack. The 20-year-old, an employee at a Ramat Gan pharmacy from the Arab town of Jatt, is charged with attempted aggravated murder after allegedly stabbing 47-year-old Gedalyahu Ben Shimon in the Tel Aviv suburb.
The Telegraph: Israel warns Houthis will ‘pay the price’ for entering war
Israel promised the Houthis would “pay the price” after the Yemen-based terror group entered the Iran war. The Houthis, an Iranian proxy group, claimed to have targeted “secretive Israeli military sites” with a “barrage” of ballistic missiles, although Israel said only two missiles had been fired and were shot down.
An IDF soldier was killed in a Hezbollah anti-tank missile attack in southern Lebanon and four soldiers were seriously wounded in a number of separate incidents, the military said Monday, as a simultaneous missile attack by Iran and Hezbollah again caused a blaze at the main Haifa oil refinery.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had ordered the military to further expand its operations in southern Lebanon, citing continued rocket fire by Hezbollah. Israel said last week it was enlarging a "buffer zone" up to the Litani River. It was not immediately clear whether Netanyahu was referring to that area or to the seizure of additional territory.
Lebanon
The IDF said Monday it struck a Hezbollah cell in southern Lebanon over the weekend that was operating an ambulance while posing as paramedics. The terrorists, the military claimed, systematically used ambulances to transfer weapons across the country, in order to launch attacks against Israel and IDF soldiers.
Naharnet: Report: Iran told Hezbollah to reject Aoun's initiative
Iran has linked Lebanon to its front against Israel and made its inclusion in negotiations for a ceasefire a precondition for any agreement. In remarks to An-Nahar newspaper, diplomatic sources revealer that when President Joseph Aoun presented his initiative for negotiations, Tehran "instructed Hezbollah to reject it."
Naharnet: Aoun says any hand extending to harm civil peace 'will be cut off'
President Joseph Aoun warned Monday that the hand that would extend to harm civil peace will be cut off. "No one in Lebanon wants civil war, and those who seek to exploit the situation won't succeed," Aoun said, adding that Security forces are implementing strict measures to maintain order, including arrests and weapon seizures.
Reuters: Iran says envoy will remain in Beirut, defying order to leave
Iran said on Monday its ambassador to Lebanon would remain in his post in Beirut, defying the Lebanese Foreign Ministry, which has declared him persona non grata and told him to leave. With war raging in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel, the Iranian envoy's status has emerged as a focal point of tension between the Iran-backed group and the Lebanese government, which has been heavily critical of Hezbollah for entering the regional war in support of Tehran and called for talks with Israel.
Syria
Reuters: Syrian army says drone attacks targeted its bases near Iraq
The Syrian army said on Monday drone attacks targeted several of its bases near the Iraqi border, a rare attack on Syrian positions since U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran a month ago triggered a war across the Middle East.
Yemen
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for a missile attack on Israel on Saturday, raising concerns about the rebel group entering the fighting in the Middle East. Israel said it intercepted the missile, the first time it has faced fire from Yemen since the start of the war last month.
The Iranian regime-backed Houthi movement launched two missiles at Israel Saturday, creating a third front for the Jewish state in its current war against the Islamic Republic and its other terror proxy, Hezbollah, in Lebanon. The Houthis said they "targeted sensitive Israeli military sites" with a "barrage of ballistic missiles." The IDF, according to YNET, said it intercepted both a cruise and ballistic missile fired by the Houthis Saturday morning.
Congo
Reuters: Congo army launches disarmament push against Rwanda genocide-linked militia
Congo’s army has announced the start of a disarmament push against a militia linked to Rwanda’s 1994 genocide, in what would be a key step towards implementing a U.S.-brokered peace deal with neighbouring Rwanda.
Nigeria
Reuters: Gunmen kill at least 30 in Nigeria's Plateau state attack
Gunmen attacked a university community in Nigeria's central Plateau state on Sunday night, killing at least 30 people, residents and local officials said on Monday, the latest bloodshed in a region scarred by deadly farmer-herder conflicts.
South Sudan
Associated Press: Gunmen kill more than 70 in South Sudan after a dispute at a gold mine
Gunmen killed more than 70 people in South Sudan over a gold mining row on the outskirts of the capital over the weekend, a police spokesperson confirmed on Monday. A video of dozens of bodies lying on open ground was shared online, and a local journalist said many other victims are believed to have fled to the bushes.
Sudan
Associated Press: Paramilitary attack kills at least 14 in central Sudan, group says
An attack by Sudanese paramilitaries and their allied rebels in the central region of Kordofan killed at least 14 people, including five children and two women, a medical group said Sunday, in the latest deadly assault of the Sudan war. The Rapid Support Forces and their allies in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North launched a major offensive on Saturday on Dilling, the capital of South Kordofan province. The military, which recently broke the RSF siege on the city, said it fended off the attack.
Technology
An AI-generated character known as Rabbi Goldman has attracted millions of followers online by combining old anti-Semitic tropes with digital-age conspiracy theories. The avatar, presented as a caricature of a New York rabbi, plays off stereotypes of Jewish power and wealth while dispensing unsolicited “financial advice” and conspiracy-laden commentary about global elites.
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