Email from Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Global News on Extremism and Terrorism Eye on Extremism December 1, 2025  Top Stories The Australia Today: Australia lists Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a State Sponsor of Terrorism Australia has formally designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism, marking the first listing under the country’s newly established legal framework targeting foreign state-linked terrorist activity. Jerusalem Post: International Palestinian Solidarity Day draws worldwide protests against Trump's Gaza plan Activists commemorated the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People on Saturday, at times disrupting a busy holiday weekend in the US due to Black Friday, with rallies and marches demanding an arms embargo on Israel and rejecting the US-led phased peace plan.  The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) combines rigorous research with action: exposing terrorist financing networks, building best‑in‑class global databases, disrupting extremist content online, and advising policymakers worldwide.  This Giving Tuesday, consider supporting our impactful initiatives and upcoming programming. Make a commitment to CEP's mission of combating the growing threat posed by extremist ideologies. DONATE CEP Mentions Times of Israel: Spanish police arrest cell linked to neo-Nazi terrorist group The Base The Counter Extremism Project, an association focused on extremist groups, said Nazzaro worked for the US Department of Homeland Security between 2004 and 2006, and reportedly with US forces in the Middle East on counterterrorism, a role that gave him top-secret clearance. Nazzaro resigned his US national security position after developing his white nationalist beliefs, the Counter Extremism Project said. The Bareen Initiative for Development (BID): The Expanding Shadow: Taliban Ambitions and Regional Instability CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler presentation during webinar: “Since the Taliban’s 2021 takeover, Afghanistan has become a terrorism hub, hosting Al-Qaeda, TTP, and others despite regime denials. This seminar examines the Taliban’s role in transnational threats, cross-border ambitions, and ideological ties to Hamas in Gaza and HTS in Syria. Convened by Bareen Initiative for Development (BID), it fosters evidence-based dialogue among experts and policymakers to counter extremism.” ARD: Kontraste - Were terrorists planning an attack in Berlin? CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler interviewed on Hamas networks in Germany and Europe: “At the beginning of October, three suspected Hamas terrorists were arrested in Berlin, accused by the Federal Prosecutor General of planning an attack. Now explosive details are coming to light: the warning apparently came from the Israeli secret service Mossad. German authorities then spent months tailing the suspects, observing them and tapping their phones. Finally, they were able to arrest several men and seize firearms. Possibly just in time, as our reconstruction shows.” Welt: “The extreme left-wing scene is becoming increasingly radical and dangerous.” The founding of an AfD youth organization in Giessen has put the region on high alert. 50,000 demonstrators, some of whom are prepared to use violence, are expected. “Violence is legitimized in left-wing circles,” explains security expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler. Ippen Media: Trump takes drastic measures after shooting in Washington – “highest possible price” However, the checks were probably not always particularly thorough, terrorism expert Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project, told our editorial team. “The withdrawal from Afghanistan was poorly planned and even worse executed,” said Schindler. Analysis Deutsche Welle: Why German youth embrace violence and extremism The Federal Criminal Police (BKA) has for years been recording an increase in violent crime . The number of juvenile suspects under the age of 18 has increased by almost a third since 2019, and the number of suspects under the age of 14 has even risen by two-thirds in the same period. In its latest Police Crime Statistics (PKS) report, the BKA notes some possible reasons for this development: "There are indications that psychological stress among children and adolescents has been increasing for several years. While psychological stress is not a direct cause of criminal behavior, in combination with other adverse factors, it can increase the likelihood of committing (violent) crimes." United States Associated Press: Suspect in National Guard attack struggled with ‘dark isolation’ as community raised concerns The Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members blocks from the White House had been unraveling for years, unable to hold a job and flipping between long, lightless stretches of isolation and taking sudden weekslong cross-country drives. Rahmanullah Lakanwal’s behavior deteriorated so sharply that a community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, fearing he was becoming suicidal. Afghanistan International: US To Deport Six Afghans Accused Of Terrorism & Other Crimes The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released photos of several Afghan nationals accused of terrorism-related activity and criminal offences, saying they “rewarded American generosity with violence.” DHS published the images of individuals who were allowed to remain in the United States under the Biden administration but later carried out acts of violence or other crimes. The department said Americans “do not have to suffer violence from people who should not be here at all.” New York Post: 4 arrested as rowdy anti-Israel protesters disrupt Black Friday shoppers on NYC’s ritzy Fifth Avenue Anti-Israel agitators boycotting Black Friday stormed a ritzy Fifth Avenue store in New York City Friday, disrupting shoppers and leaving four people arrested on one of the busiest shopping days of the year. About 70 rowdy protesters wearing keffiyehs blew whistles and waved Palestinian flags when they charged into the Zara store around 12:30 p.m., chanting, “They fund the genocide,” to startled shoppers as police rushed to remove them from the Midtown fashion retailer, according to police and video footage. Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Palestinian restaurant Ayat, opening near Columbia, names location ‘Hind’s Hall’ to honor campus protesters A Palestinian restaurant in New York City has named its new location “Hinds Hall” after the moniker pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University gave to a campus building they occupied last spring. In a post on Instagram on Thursday, the restaurant, Ayat NYC, which has eight locations, announced that its new storefront in Morningside Heights would be renamed in solidarity with the protesters at Columbia. Harvard Crimson: Harvard, HBS Graduate Clash in Court Over Motion to Dismiss Antisemitism Suit Lawyers for Harvard issued a final ask to dismiss a lawsuit by Harvard Business School graduate Yoav Segev on Tuesday, writing in a reply memorandum that Segev failed to provide evidence for his claims of direct discrimination or conspiracy. Hollywood Reporter: Guy Pearce Apologizes After Sharing Antisemitic Posts on Social Media Guy Pearce has apologized after posting “misinformation and falsehoods” on social media while showing his support of Palestine. According to Jewish News, the actor reportedly posted content featuring white nationalist and far-right political activist Nick Fuentes. Other posts reportedly claimed that the “top three pornography companies are owned by Jewish people,” blamed Israel for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and accused Israeli officials of orchestrating Charlie Kirk’s murder. Argentina Fox News: How Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele evaded capture in Latin America, revealed in declassified files Documents revealing how infamous Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, known as the "Angel of Death," led an open post-war life in Argentina were found among a massive trove of evidence released and declassified earlier this year by President Javier Milei. Mengele was notorious for his role as a commander in Auschwitz, where he conducted brutal medical experiments on prisoners, especially twins, under the guise of scientific research. Eyewitnesses — including some contained in the declassified Argentine files — describe his extremely cold-blooded and macabre, sadistic nature, including torturing and testing on twins in front of one another after sending their parents to the gas chambers. Albania Express: Imam Gurra warns of 'problematic mosques' in Tirana, says some have turned into extremists' nests Imam Ylli Gurra has raised the alarm about the presence of several mosques in Albania, which according to him have become hotbeds of extremism and radicalism. Gurra specifically mentioned a mosque inside the Tirana Ring Road, accusing the Muslim Community of not intervening to restore order and appoint a proper imam. Croatia Associated Press: Thousands protest far-right surge in Croatia following incidents Thousands of people on Sunday joined protest marches in Croatia against a surging far right following a spate of incidents that have fueled both ethnic and political tensions in the European Union country. Finland Helsinki Times: Far-right Active Club network spreads rapidly across Finland A far-right network with origins in the United States has established a presence in several regions of Finland, operating through local groups that promote nationalist ideology under the cover of combat sports and street activism. The group, known as Active Club, began operating in Finland in 2023. It now maintains at least eight Telegram channels corresponding to local chapters in Turku, Tampere, Oulu, Jyväskylä, Kokkola, Uusimaa, Päijät-Häme and Satakunta. France Politico: France’s business leaders scramble to shape far right’s agenda as election looms France’s business community is rushing to make inroads with the National Rally, the far-right party tipped to win the Elysée Palace in 2027. Their goal is to establish a direct line with the likes of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, who have at times struggled to articulate a coherent economic vision for France, the eurozone’s second-biggest economy. Germany Deutsche Welle: AfD Youth: A training ground for Germany's far right Jean-Pascal Hohm is young and well-groomed: a neatly shaved neck, a side part, tidy clothes and an affable demeanor. When he takes to the podium in the Brandenburg state parliament, the 28-year-old lawmaker usually sports a suit and tie. Hohm is far from being a household name across Germany, but that could soon change. He is slated to head the new youth organization of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD), which is to be founded on November 29 and 30 in the city of Giessen, a just north of Frankfurt. Politico: Germany’s far-right AfD attempts to rebrand as real power comes within reach Before Leif-Erik Holm became one of the German far right’s leading figures, he was a morning radio DJ in his home state in eastern Germany celebrated, by his station, for making “the best jokes far and wide.” Ahead of regional elections across Germany next year, Holm, 55, is now set to become the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s top candidate in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a largely rural area bordering Poland and the Baltic Sea. With polls showing the AfD in first place at 38 percent support in the state, it’s one of the places where the party — now the largest opposition group in Germany’s national parliament — is within striking distance of taking significant governing power for the first time since its formation over a decade ago. WCCS: Antifa agitation turns violent in Germany, bolstering Trump admin’s foreign terror label A mass protest on Saturday filled with many activists from the radical organization Antifa, which President Donald Trump designated as a domestic terrorist organization, delayed the start of a conference for the right-wing populist German party Alternative for Germany (AfD) youth wing called Generation Deutschland. Between 25,000 and 30,000 protesters turned out against the AfD youth convention in the central German city of Giessen, prompting the largest police contingent (6,000 officers) in the history of the state of Hesse. The Times: Germany on high alert to protect Christmas markets from terrorism Sebastian Ahlefeld, a spokesman for the organisers, said: “We’d like to open the market up, but sadly we just have to bear in mind that in an age of hot tempers and ever stronger polarisation, especially against minorities, there has to be a safe space. And sadly a safe space demands appropriate security measures.” This is the reality for Germany’s 3,250 Christmas markets. For centuries the embodiment of Gemütlichkeit, a feeling of homely cosiness, the markets are held under the shadow of steadily worsening political violence. Ireland Times of Israel: Dublin halts plans to rename city’s Herzog Park after accusations of antisemitism Dublin councillors halted plans to rename a park currently honoring a past Israeli president that had drawn criticism from the Irish and Israeli governments, the city council said on Sunday. The park, located near Dublin’s sole Jewish school, is named after Ireland-born Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth president. Times of Israel: Irish government slams Dublin plan to remove name of Chaim Herzog from city park The Irish government on Saturday urged the Dublin city council not to rename a park honoring former Israeli president Chaim Herzog. A Dublin City Council committee has proposed renaming the city’s “Herzog Park” — named after Ireland-born Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth president and the father of the current president, Isaac Herzog. Irish Independent: Ireland’s young people at greater risk of radicalisation by Islamist terror groups, senior garda warns The threat of Islamist terrorist radicalisation among young people in Ireland is growing, according to the head of An Garda Síochána’s Special Detective Unit (SDU). Poland Jewish Telegraphic Agency: Polish officials criticize Yad Vashem’s post on social media, days after US official rejects Polish complicity as ‘grotesque falsehood’ The new U.S. ambassador to Poland, Thomas Rose, has ignited debate after delivering a speech in Warsaw calling the idea of Polish complicity a “grotesque falsehood” on par with antisemitic conspiracy theories. Meanwhile, Polish government officials criticized a post by Israel’s Holocaust memorial about the Holocaust in Poland, in a sign of renewed pressure over public characterizations of Poland’s role in the Holocaust. United Kingdom Mirror: EXCLUSIVE: Rise in number of school kids being drawn into far-right extremism by online hate The number of children exposed to online hate speech and being radicalised by far-right extremism has soared, we can reveal. Worrying figures show a steep rise in how many children were considered vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism or violent fanaticism. The government’s Channel Programme was set up to help dissuade potential Islamist terrorists but now deals with as many youngsters at risk from the far-right. The National: Far-right group offers cash to 'useful idiots' to attack mosques in UK Vandalism of mosques, schools and community centres in the UK has been driven by an online far-right channel recruiting for a wave of graffiti incidents. Extremism experts told The National that offers of £100 ($130) appeared on the Telegram messaging app to draw in people – described as “useful idiots” by campaign groups – who could prove they sprayed anti-Muslim graffiti on the buildings in London. Daily Record: Humza Yousaf warns Scotland 'losing generation of boys and young men' to far-right extremists Former first minister Humza Yousaf has warned Scotland risks losing a generation of boys and young men to far-right extremists and misogynists. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Mail the ex-SNP leader slammed successive UK governments for “legitimising and mainstreaming” racist views on immigration. Russia Huffington Post: Russia Bans Human Rights Watch, Moves To Rule Punk Band As Extremist In New Crackdown The Russian authorities Friday outlawed Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable organization,” a label that under a 2015 law makes involvement with such organizations a criminal offense. The designation means the international human rights group must stop all work in Russia, and opens those who cooperate with or support the organization to prosecution. Gaza Strip/West Bank Times of Israel: Hamas commander killed trying to flee Rafah tunnel; slain IDF soldier’s rifle recovered The commander of Hamas’s East Rafah Battalion, his deputy, and two other terror operatives were confirmed by the military to have been killed early Sunday morning after attempting to flee a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. Jerusalem Post: West Bank terror weapons dealer arrested near Tulkarm, IDF announces Ahmad Nasrallah, a central weapons supplier for terrorists in the West Bank, was apprehended near Tulkarm, the IDF announced on Sunday. The suspect, identified by security officials as a key weapons dealer for the Tulkarm-area terrorist network, was transferred to the Shin Bet for interrogation. Times of Israel: Four foreign activists said wounded by settlers near Jericho, one seriously Four foreign pro-Palestinian activists — three Italians and one Canadian — were injured Sunday, one of them seriously, in a settler attack near Jericho, the Palestinian Authority’s WAFA news agency reported. Medical and security sources cited by WAFA said that, at dawn, some 10 masked settlers stormed the house where the activists were staying, beat them, and stole property, including passports and cellphones. Egypt Cairo Scene: Al‑Azhar Proposes National Network to Protect Students From Extremism Al Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism proposed establishing an early detection network inside schools to help protect students from extremist ideas. The proposal was presented during a two day regional Arab forum in Cairo organised by the UNESCO regional office in Beirut with the Egyptian National Commission for UNESCO to prepare a regional roadmap for implementing UNESCO’s 2023 recommendation on education for peace, human rights and sustainable development, under the patronage of the Minister of Education. Iraq 964 Media: Baghdad workshop promotes culture in fight against extremism The National Committee at Iraq’s National Security Advisory convened its third workshop on Sunday in Baghdad, focusing on the use of culture to prevent violent extremism and reshape narratives in areas formerly controlled by extremist groups. Lebanon Times of Israel: Ahead of Lebanon visit, Hezbollah urges Pope Leo to reject Israeli ‘aggression’ The Hezbollah terror group on Saturday urged Pope Leo XIV to reject Israeli “injustice and aggression” against Lebanon, in a message to the pontiff who arrives in Beirut this weekend. Hezbollah emerged heavily weakened from more than a year of hostilities culminating in two months of open war with Israel that began when the Iran-backed group started cross-border attacks against Israel a day after the October 7, 2023, Hamas onslaught in southern Israel that sparked the Gaza war. Times of Israel: Lebanon’s army displays underground Hezbollah sites amid push to dismantle them Deep in a rugged valley of southern Lebanon, a cave complex offers a small picture of the subterranean infrastructure Hezbollah relied on near the Israeli border, along with the difficult task the country’s army faces as it seeks to disarm the terror group. Naharnet: In Lebanon's rugged south, the army works to dismantle Hezbollah's fortifications Deep in a rugged valley of southern Lebanon, a cave complex offers a small picture of the subterranean infrastructure Hezbollah relied on near the Israeli border, along with the difficult task the country's army faces as it seeks to disarm the group. Roughly 100 meters (330 feet) long, the complex in the Zibqin area, outfitted with electrical power and ventilated shafts, likely served as a command center and contained a smattering of abandoned equipment including first-aid kits and military jackets. Weapons there had already been confiscated by the army. India The Statesman: Security forces delivering strong blows to extremism, radicalisation and narcotics: Amit Shah Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that the country’s security forces and police are delivering strong blows to extremism, radicalisation, and narcotics by focusing on three key aspects: accuracy of intelligence, clarity of objectives, and synergy in action. Addressing the 60th Director Generals of Police (DGsP) and Inspector Generals of Police (IGsP) Conference in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, Shah referred to the Modi government’s firm actions against terrorism and extremism. Pakistan Afghanistan International: Taliban Detentions Of TTP Fighters ‘Not Enough’, Says Pakistan Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s foreign minister, says that during his most recent visit to Kabul, Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi informed him that a number of members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had been arrested. Dar said this was not enough and that the Taliban must either move TTP members away from the shared border or hand them over to Pakistan. Ghana National dialogue highlights urgent need to address the risk of violent extremism in Ghana’s mining communities The West Africa Centre for Counter-Extremism (WACCE) and the Foundation for Security and Development in Africa (FOSDA), with support from Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian High Commission, convened a national dialogue today to address the rising risk of violent extremism in Ghana’s mining communities. Mali CBC: This is the deadliest place on Earth for violent extremism Mali has been battling armed groups since 2012, with violence escalating over the past decade and forcing millions to leave their homes. Freelance journalist Caitlin Kelly spoke to some of the refugees who fled to neighbouring Mauritania. Nigeria Business Insider Africa: Nigeria vows again to name terrorism sponsors amid rising violence and foreign pressure The Nigerian government has signalled plans to publicly identify individuals and networks financing terrorism, as part of broader efforts to address extremism, banditry, and organized crime that increasingly threaten national and regional security. Singapore Malaysia Today: Singapore won’t tolerate divisive foreign preachers, says minister Singapore will continue to crack down on foreign religious preachers sowing discord and seeking to divide its pluralistic society, said acting minister-in-charge of Muslim affairs Faishal Ibrahim. During a recent fireside chat with Malaysian journalists, Faishal, also Singapore’s senior minister of state for home affairs, said the Singaporean government carefully vets all religious speakers to ensure their preachings are not divisive. Australia SBS News: Iran claims Australia 'complicit' with Israel as it shares 'disgust' at IRGC terror listing Iran has expressed "disgust" at Australia's formal designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a state sponsor of terrorism, describing the move as an "unjustified and insulting action" intended to "pay ransom" to Israel. Sky News Australia: ‘The I in ISIS stands for Islamic’: Push to take religion out of terror laws Former NSW police minister David Elliott criticises the Human Rights Commission for pushing to change the definition of terrorism in this country. “The whole definition of extremism is people who have ideological and religious views that are beyond the pale or beyond what a reasonable or a sensible person would consider appropriate,” Mr Elliott told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. Sky News Australia: Police appeal for information as North Bondi wakes up to another antisemitic graffiti attack Police have launched an investigation after a series of antisemitic graffiti attacks were discovered across North Bondi in the early hours of Saturday. Officers from the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command launched an investigation after reports of multiple offensive messages were located on structures along Queen Elizabeth Drive about 2:45am on Saturday. Technology Jewish News Syndicate: Report: Instagram algorithm promoted accounts selling extremist merchandise A new report found that the social-media platform Instagram promoted accounts selling antisemitic, racist and extremist merchandise, which reached 1.5 billion views and generated more than $1.3 million in estimated sales. The 11 accounts identified in the report, conducted by the Center for Countering Digital Hate in partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America, were recommended by the Instagram algorithm. CEP Podcasts Unpacking the week's extremism-related anniversaries and news, as well as counter extremism developments and prospects. A deep dive into CEP's research and topics that are relevant to our mission, from our Berlin-based team.   The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is a nonprofit and non-partisan international policy organization working to combat the growing threat posed by extremist ideologies. CEP depends on the generosity of its supporters. 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