“The United States on Wednesday designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel
and other drug cartels as global terrorist organizations, according to a
Federal Register notice, a move that comes as President Donald Trump steps up
immigration enforcement against alleged gang members in the U.S. The notice
issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the groups pose a risk to U.S.
national security, foreign policy and economic interests. Trump, a Republican,
issued an executive order after taking office on January 20 that called on
officials to evaluate whether any criminal cartels or transnational gangs
should be designated as terrorism groups.”











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Eye on Extremism



February 20, 2025



Reuters: US Declares Tren De Aragua, Other Cartels Are Global Terrorist
Organizations
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“The United States on Wednesday designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel
and other drug cartels as global terrorist organizations, according to a
Federal Register notice, a move that comes as President Donald Trump steps up
immigration enforcement against alleged gang members in the U.S. The notice
issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the groups pose a risk to U.S.
national security, foreign policy and economic interests. Trump, a Republican,
issued an executive order after taking office on January 20 that called on
officials to evaluate whether any criminal cartels or transnational gangs
should be designated as terrorism groups.”



The Washington Post: Hostage Families Question Delay In Ceasefire Talks As
Hamas Proposes Freeing All Captives
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“The families of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza demanded Wednesday that
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explain the lack of progress on
stalled negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire, describing the
delays as a “clear and tangible” danger to their loved ones. The statement came
the day after an unexpected announcement from Hamas that it would expedite the
release of hostages: Instead of letting just three go on Saturday, it said it
would free all six of the remaining living hostages who are supposed to be
released during the agreement’s first phase.”





Counter Extremism Perspectives

ARCHER at House 88 - the new initiative from the Counter Extremism Project
(Podcast in German)
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CounterPod

U.K. Home Office Counter Terror ‘sprint’ report; Donald Trump on Gaza; Eric
Glass; extremism in South Africa; kicked off by an irreverent explanation of
the Tush Push.
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CEP Mentions



CPAC: Mark Wallace To Speak At CPAC In DC 2025
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“Mark Wallace, former United States Ambassador to the United Nations for
Management and Reform, is a confirmed speaker for CPAC in DC 2025. Before his
career in the United Nations, Wallace served in several high-ranking government
positions, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). As United States Ambassador to the United
Nations for Management and Reform, a role in which he served from 2006 to 2009,
he notably exposed the “Cash for Kim” scandal in North Korea. He currently
serves as the CEO of the Counter Extremism Project.”



Frankfurter Rundschau: “Hybrid Warfare Before Elections”: Russia’s Involvement
In The Munich Attack
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“Berlin – Several attacks within a few months : That can definitely change a
society. The attacks in Solingen, Mannheim, Aschaffenburg, Magdeburg and most
recently in Munich were probably motivated by extremism, the majority of them
probably Islamist. In several cases, asylum seekers were the perpetrators,
including the car attack in Munich in which a mother and her two-year-old child
were killed and dozens of people were injured, some seriously… Hans-Jakob
Schindler is aware of the theory of Russian agents in Afghanistan. "That is
entirely possible, we had corresponding indications," said the director of the
NGO Counter Extremism Project (CEP) in an interview with this editorial team.
However, this cannot currently be proven, said the terrorism expert.”



Tysol.Pl: "Russia Pays Knife Men To Disrupt Societies In The West With
Attacks?"
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“German media are reporting that immigrants who allegedly had contacts with
Russia could have been behind the recent attacks. However, experts currently
have no evidence to confirm their suspicions. "Russia is paying knife-wielding
people to break up societies in the West with attacks," Aleksandra Fedorska,
editor-in-chief of the Radio Debata agency, commented on the German media
reports… It's quite possible, we had the right premises– said Hans Jakob
Schindler, director of the non-governmental organization Counter Extremism
Project. However, according to the expert on terrorism and the Middle East,
this cannot be proven at the moment.”



Gmünder Tagespost: “Unappetizing”: AfD Election Advertising On Amazon Leads
Directly To Reich Citizens Articles
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“There are numerous AfD advertising items on Amazon – right next to fan
material for right-wing extremists. Experts consider this form of election
advertising to be highly problematic. Berlin – Shortly before the federal
election, the online mail order company Amazon is being flooded with AfD
promotional items . There are numerous T-shirts and hoodies with the party
logo, buttons and stickers with slogans. We reported on AfD merchandise on
Amazon a year ago, but one shop suddenly disappeared during our research . But
new ones have been added: Often, shipping is done directly via the Amazon
service “Merch on Demand”… Articles from other parties cannot be found on
Amazon. Experts are extremely critical of this particular form of election
advertising. Extremism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter
Extremism Project, told our editorial team: "The AfD is pursuing a
normalization strategy. The technical term for remigration is 'ethnic
cleansing'. And now the party is using it officially and it is being printed on
merchandise. That is more than worrying."”



Crime Squared: The Trial Of The Knife Attack On The Mannheim Market Square
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“The people of Mannheim have been waiting for this trial for months, one of
the largest trials in Mannheim's history: On February 13th, the trial against
Sulaiman A. began at the Higher Regional Court in Stuttgart - the man who is
said to have committed the knife attack on the Mannheim market square on May
31st, 2024. The police officer Rouven Laur was so seriously injured that he
died. Other people also sustained injuries, some of them serious - including
Michael Stürzenberger, the well-known critic of Islam.”



United States



Associated Press: Rubio Will Skip A G20 Meeting After Calling Host South
Africa’s Policies Anti-American
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“U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will skip a two-day meeting of foreign
ministers from the leading rich and developing nations that starts on Thursday
after criticizing host South Africa’s policies as anti-American. Instead, Rubio
was headed back to the United States on Wednesday from his first trip to the
Middle East as America’s chief diplomat, and after leading a U.S. delegation in
talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia over the war in Ukraine. Rubio spoke with the
foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the
European Union’s foreign policy chief to brief them immediately after Tuesday’s
meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the State Department said.”



Afghanistan



The Guardian: Off Air: One By One, The Taliban Are Removing Women’s Voices
From Afghan Radio
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“When the Taliban began marching towards cities across Afghanistan in the
summer of 2021, Alia*, a 22-year-old Afghan journalist, found herself doing
some of the most important work of her short life and career. In the weeks
leading up to the Taliban takeover in August, Alia’s voice on the radio became
familiar to many in northern Afghanistan. She reported on the withdrawal of
foreign troops, the siege of government offices and on the detention of former
officials in her province. Above all, Alia reported on the situation for women
and their fears and concerns – emotions she was experiencing herself. As the
Taliban gradually began imposing restrictions on them, Alia was documenting
history repeating itself.”



Pakistan



Associated Press: Pakistan Steps Up Arrests Of Afghans Without Papers. Kabul
Says It’s A Move To Expel All Refugees
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“Authorities have stepped up arrests of Afghan citizens in Pakistan’s capital
and a nearby city in an effort that the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad described
on Wednesday as a push to force the expulsion of all Afghan refugees from the
country. Pakistan’s foreign ministry promptly dismissed the allegation, saying
that the authorities were only trying to facilitate conditions for the swift
return of Afghans to their home country. Pakistan has long threatened to deport
Afghans living in the country illegally. Separately, Pakistan’s Prime Minister
Shehbaz Sharif last month approved a March 31 deadline to deport those awaiting
relocation to third countries unless their cases are swiftly processed by the
governments that have agreed to take them, according to a document obtained by
The Associated Press.”



Middle East



The New York Times: Hamas Hands Bodies Of 4 Hostages Back To Israel
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“Hamas said on Thursday it had handed over the bodies of four Israelis
abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel — including a woman
and her two young children — in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Large
crowds had gathered near the southern Gazan city of Khan Younis to watch the
choreographed handoff staged by Hamas. Rifle-toting gunmen were deployed around
a stage on which four black coffins — each bearing the image of a deceased
hostage — had been placed. Officials with the International Committee for the
Red Cross placed the coffins in waiting white vehicles. The Israeli government
later confirmed that the Red Cross had brought them to waiting Israeli forces
inside Gaza.”



Associated Press: Palestinian Families Flee West Bank Homes In Droves As
Israel Confronts Militants
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“By car and on foot, through muddy olive groves and snipers’ sight lines,
tens of thousands of Palestinians in recent weeks have fled Israeli military
operations across the northern West Bank — the largest displacement in the
occupied territory since the 1967 Mideast war. After announcing a widespread
crackdown against West Bank militants on Jan. 21 — just two days after its
ceasefire deal with Hamas in Gaza — Israeli forces descended on the restive
city of Jenin, as they have dozens of times since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack
on Israel. But unlike past operations, Israeli forces then pushed deeper and
more forcefully into several other nearby towns, including Tulkarem, Far’a and
Nur Shams, scattering families and stirring bitter memories of the 1948 war
over Israel’s creation.”



Associated Press: Middle East Latest: Netanyahu Appoints An Adviser With Trump
Ties To Lead Ceasefire Talks
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“An Israeli official said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has appointed a
close confidant to lead negotiations for the second stage of the ceasefire with
Hamas. The U.S.-born Ron Dermer is a Cabinet minister who’s widely seen as
Netanyahu’s closest adviser. He previously served as Israel’s ambassador to the
U.S. and is a former Republican activist with strong ties to the Trump White
House. Israel and Hamas have yet to negotiate the second and more difficult
phase of the ceasefire, and the first ends in early March. Palestinians and
Arab countries have universally rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal
to remove the Palestinian population from Gaza and take over the territory.”



Austria



Associated Press: Austrian Authorities Arrest Teenager Who Apparently Planned
An Attack At A Railway Station
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“Austrian investigators have arrested a 14-year-old who was planning an
attack at a railway station in Vienna and found material that suggested he
supported the Islamic State group, authorities said Wednesday. The Interior
Ministry said that the boy, an Austrian with Turkish roots, was arrested in the
capital on Feb. 10 and had been radicalized online. The arrest was triggered by
tips to Austrian intelligence that a supporter of IS had posted stories and
videos with Islamic extremist content on several TikTok profiles. The suspect
was identified and prosecutors ordered his arrest on suspicion of membership in
a terrorist group or criminal organization.”



Australia



ABC: Australian Women Who Lived Under Islamic State Speak From Syria For First
Time Since The Fall Of The Assad Regime
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“Kirsty Rosse-Emile is a 30-year-old mother from Melbourne who likes hip-hop
music, NBA basketball, fitness and nutrition. She lives in a place known as
Australia Street, with dozens of other Australians, but it's far, far from her
home country. Australia Street is in a camp deep in the Syrian desert, 30
kilometres from the Iraqi border. Ms Rosse-Emile has been detained in the camps
for six years, after being captured by Kurdish forces when they defeated the
Islamic State terror group in March 2019. The two detainees interviewed by the
ABC in Al Roj camp, Ms Rosse-Emile and her friend Zeinab Ahmed, 29, refused to
talk about how and why they came to be living under the Islamic State in Syria.”



Bloomberg: Australia's Growing Youth Radicalization
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“Australia’s spy chief revealed almost all foiled terrorist attacks over the
past year involved the radicalization of children. In his annual threat
assessment, the Security Intelligence Organisation Director-General Mike
Burgess said the threat of terrorism and politically-motivated violence is
rising, with individuals as young as 12 “self-radicalizing” through complicated
and contradictory systems of belief. There are probably more than 1 million
underage users in Australia on leading social media platforms such as Meta
Platforms, TikTok, Snapchat , a regulatory report said, highlighting the scale
of policy failure at the companies before the country enforces unprecedented
user age limits this year.”



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