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CEP Mentions
Arab News En Francais: According to Washington, Egyptian jihadist Saif al-Adl, based in Iran, is the new leader of Al-Qaeda.
He helped build the group's operational capabilities and trained some of the hijackers who took part in the September 11, 2001 attacks against the United States, according to the Counter Extremism Project.
WELT: “Israel and Saudi Arabia have advised the US against it.”
According to terrorism expert [CEP Senior Director] Hans-Jakob Schindler, Israel and Saudi Arabia have warned the Trump administration against rushing into air strikes against Iran. An attack at this point in time could backfire, as the regime is not yet sufficiently weakened.
L’Orient Today: Has the US restarted its war against the Islamic State?
Although the United States, under all administrations, has continued to conduct attacks against ISIS positions, the recent killing of the three Americans in Syria explains the intensification of U.S. operations. “It’s essentially about showing ISIS that if it carries out attacks against American interests, it must understand that there will be very serious consequences,” comments Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Counter Extremism Project in Berlin.
Analysis
Iran International: From 'grievances' to 'terrorism’: how Tehran reframed dissent
Areview of public statements by Iran’s senior officials since late December suggests a marked hardening of tone as protests escalated, a shift that coincided with a sharp intensification of the state’s security response. The protests began on December 28 amid soaring inflation. It initially drew a more measured response from the government.
United States
Wall Street Journal: With Military Action on Hold, the U.S. Puts New Sanctions on Iran
With a decision on military action on pause, the U.S. turned to economic pressure on Iran, rolling out a host of new sanctions on officials it said were responsible for the bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. Top of the Treasury Department’s new sanctions list was Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s national security council and a close counterpart to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The department accused Larijani of coordinating the crackdown, which human-rights groups estimate has left thousands dead.
Times of Israel: After Betar probe, Jewish group demands investigation of NY anti-Zionist groups
After the New York State attorney general investigated the far-right Jewish group Betar, a Jewish legal group on Wednesday demanded probes into two anti-Zionist activist groups. Attorney General Letitia James announced a settlement in an investigation into Betar on Tuesday. She said the group had targeted people due to their Arab, Muslim and Jewish identities, had agreed to halt those activities, and would be ceasing operations in New York.
WFAA: Arrest warrant details how Fort Worth arson suspect tied to extremist group targeted schools
Newly obtained court documents reveal how Fort Worth police say a string of vehicle arsons and online threats against local schools were part of a broader plan tied to an extremist group. According to an arrest warrant, 17-year-old Evan Banda admitted to joining the group just weeks before a series of fires on Fort Worth’s south side. Investigators say Banda carried out five vehicle arsons in his neighborhood, later telling police he did so out of fear he would be doxxed if he did not comply.
New York Times: N.Y.C. Council Leader Takes on Antisemitism, and Possibly Mamdani
The New York City Council’s new leader, Julie Menin, plans on Friday to unveil a sweeping antisemitism initiative to address rising fear among some Jewish New Yorkers — setting up a potential clash with Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Ms. Menin, who was sworn in as the Council’s first Jewish speaker earlier this month, said the legislative package would call for the Police Department to establish perimeters at schools and houses of worship to ensure students and congregants can safely enter if protests are underway.
Boston Globe: Antisemitic incidents surge to become most common type of hate crime in Massachusetts, data show
For the first time, Massachusetts police recorded more hate crimes targeting Jewish people than any other group in 2024, according to a state report, underscoring how a years-long rise in antisemitic incidents has taken root in the state. Law enforcement, including local and State Police, reported 147 instances of anti-Jewish crime during 2024, the highest tally in at least two decades, according to data tracked in the state’s annual hate crime reports. That marked a nearly 24 percent jump from 2023 — and the fourth straight year in which Jews and Jewish organizations were targeted more frequently than the year prior — even as the overall number of hate crime reports dipped significantly from last year’s two-decade high.
Jerusalem Post: Hochul proposes buffer zones around houses of worship after pro-Hamas synagogue protest
Legislation will be advanced to establish an anti-protest buffer zone around houses of worship in New York, Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Tuesday, following a pro-Hamas protest at a synagogue in Queens. Hochul, who had teased the legislation during a law enforcement briefing last Tuesday, said in her State of the State address that she was proposing a ban on protests within 25 feet of the property line of houses of worship.
Canada
National Post: 32 reported incidents of antisemitism in Canada 'this past week,' says Jewish group as it urges Carney to act
A Jewish advocacy group says there have been 32 reported antisemitic incidents in Canada this past week alone and is asking Prime Minister Mark Carney to act urgently. B’nai Brith Canada cited dozens of incidents across the country, including swastikas being spraypainted on the walls of a synagogue and other hateful graffiti in Winnipeg, a Jewish couple being harassed at a mall on their way to see a film in Toronto, and a man at a rally in Montreal referring to Israelis as “pedophile Nazis.”
Canadian Jewish News: A Senate committee studied Canadian antisemitism. This Senator is pushing for a speedy report
The Senate didn’t attract much attention last month, when, on Dec. 8, the Standing Committee on Human Rights wrapped up its public hearings about antisemitism. Over the course of a full year they held eight meetings, heard from 42 witnesses and received about 37 briefs. Now the senators and staffers are drafting their report. But while communal Jewish leaders welcome the Senate’s attention to antisemitism, they maintain they don’t need another study that gathers dust on the shelves. Lawmakers have a mandated deadline of the end of 2026 to release the report—but one committee member, Senator Leo Housakos, the leader of the Conservative party in the Senate, wants the final document of non-binding recommendations to come out much sooner. He believes it is urgent to convince the Carney government to tackle “a terrible crisis, and we need action quickly to start protecting our Jewish community.”
Europe
Euractiv: Iran protest deaths push Europe to consider terrorist label for key armed branch
Recent calls by European leaders to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the main branch of the country’s armed forces, as a terrorist organisation have prompted debate over whether such a move would have any real effect. The calls follow weeks of deadly repression as popular discontent with the regime has mounted in recent weeks. Iran’s security forces have gunned down an unknown number of protesters, with estimates ranging from 2,500 to as high as 20,000.
France
Times of Israel: Anti-Zionism ‘profoundly linked’ to hatred of Jews, former French PM says in Jerusalem
Anti-Zionism is equivalent to antisemitism, France’s former prime minister told The Times of Israel in Jerusalem on Thursday. “We often combat antisemitism in the name of the past,” said Manuel Valls, 63, who served as France’s prime minister between March 2014 and December 2016. “But today, antisemitism is anti-Zionism. The hatred of Jews and the hatred of Israel is profoundly linked.”
Lithuania
Caliber.Az: Lithuania charges six suspects with terrorism over attack on Ukraine-bound military aid
Lithuania’s prosecutors have referred a criminal case to court in which six foreign nationals are accused of planning a terrorist attack in September 2024 targeting a private military supplier in Šiauliai that supports Ukraine, the General Prosecutor’s Office said on January 16. Artūras Urbelis, chief prosecutor of the Organised Crime and Corruption Investigation Department, said the indictment was drawn up on January 12 and submitted to Šiauliai Regional Court on January 14, Caliber.Az reports via Lithuanian media.
Norway
Reuters: Norwegian court finds Islamist guilty of orchestrating deadly 2022 pride attack
A Norwegian court on Friday found an Islamist man guilty of orchestrating a deadly shooting at a gay bar during Oslo's 2022 Pride celebrations, sentencing him to 30 years in prison. Arfan Bhatti, a 48-year-old Norwegian citizen born in Oslo, stood trial on charges of complicity in aggravated terrorism for planning the attack even though he was in Pakistan at the time of the shooting.
Romania
Balkan Insight: Thousands of Far-Right Romanians Rally Against Anti-Extremism Law
Around 10,000 people took part on Thursday night in two demonstrations in central Bucharest, protesting against a law adopted last year that criminalises the initiation of, support for or participation in fascist, racist and xenophobic movements. The rallies were organised by the ultra-nationalist Conservative Action Party, AC, and were joined by supporters of the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians, AUR.
United Kingdom
Reuters: Five pro-Palestinian activists plead not guilty over UK military base break-in
Five pro-Palestinian activists pleaded not guilty on Friday to breaking into a British military air base and damaging two planes in protest against Britain's support for Israel. The five are accused of breaking into the Brize Norton Royal Air Force base in central England in June and spraying red paint over two Voyager aircraft used for re-fuelling and transport.
Reuters: UK teenager who praised Southport murderer jailed for possessing al Qaeda manual
A British teenager who praised the killer of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event and said he planned to bomb British rock band Oasis' reunion concert was sentenced to detention on Friday for possession of an al Qaeda manual. McKenzie Morgan, 18, was arrested at his home in Wales after sending messages on social media platform Snapchat in which he praised Axel Rudakubana, who murdered three girls and stabbed 10 others in July 2024, prosecutor Corinne Bramwell said.
Sky News: Teenager accused of planning synagogue attack had 'to-do' list of weapons and explosives, court hears
A teenager accused of planning a terrorist attack on a nearby synagogue had a "to-do list" of weapons and explosives and spent Christmas Day researching mass killers, a court has heard. The boy, who was 15-years-old at the time and cannot be named because of his age, is accused of amassing an arsenal of weapons for a planned attack on a synagogue in Newcastle, after he joined a far-right group called 'The Base'.
Russia
United24 Media: Russia to Shut Down WhatsApp in 2026 Over Meta’s “Extremist” Designation
WhatsApp, the US-based messaging platform, is set to cease operations in Russia in 2026, according to Andrei Svintsov, deputy head of the State Duma’s committee on information policy, as reported by Russian media outlet TASS on January 15. “By the end of the year, Roskomnadzor will adopt a set of measures for the final blocking of WhatsApp. This is due to the fact that WhatsApp belongs to Meta, a company recognized as extremist in Russia,” Svintsov told TASS.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan International: Taliban Morality Police Resume Violent Enforcement Of Women’s Dress Code In Herat
Afghan women who have been subjected to harassment and violence report that Taliban morality police in Herat have resumed aggressive inspections of women’s dress, and stopping. They said that these forces interrogate and abuse females ranging in age from 12 to about 70 for wearing a local dress that’s not favoured by the Taliban in public.
Gaza Strip/West Bank
Times of Israel: Palestinian media says 14-year-old shot, killed by troops in West Bank; IDF says he ran at soldiers with large rock
The IDF says troops shot and killed an individual who ran at troops holding a large rock in al-Mughayyir in the West Bank. Palestinian media names the individual as 14-year-old Muhammad Naasan.
Times of Israel: Gaza technocratic panel meets for first time, as officials fear it’s hobbled from get-go
Members of the National Committee for the Administration of the Gaza Strip (NCAG) held their first meeting on Thursday in Cairo, an Arab diplomat told The Times of Israel. The 15-member committee of Palestinian technocrats, headed by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, were joined by Nikolay Mladenov, who will be overseeing their work on behalf of the Board of Peace headed by US President Donald Trump.
Times of Israel: Israel says Gaza strikes hit senior terrorists in response to truce violation
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet carried out strikes across the Gaza Strip on Thursday against Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives, the security bodies confirmed, in response to what they describe as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement earlier this week, during which gunmen exchanged fire with troops in western Rafah.
Iran
Times of Israel: Iran’s nationwide protests appear smothered, with fate of potential US action unclear
The nationwide protests challenging Iran’s theocracy appeared to be smothered Thursday, a week after the regime shut the country off from the world and escalated a bloody crackdown that activists say killed thousands. In Tehran, witnesses say recent mornings saw no new signs of bonfires lit the night before or debris in the streets. The sound of gunfire, which had been intense for several nights, has faded.
Wall Street Journal: ‘A Massacre Happened’: The 24 Hours That Bloodied Iran
Robina Aminian was passionate about fashion, posting images of herself on Instagram wearing the dresses she hand-embroidered. She was also passionate about politics. On Jan. 8 the fashion student finished her class at Tehran’s women-only Shariati College at around 7 p.m. and joined a group of antigovernment protesters not far from campus. Iranians had been demonstrating for over a week, but Aminian knew that day was going to be different. The protests had been growing in size and expanding to more cities, with calls for regime change becoming louder. President Trump had threatened to intervene if security forces started shooting. Adding to the growing momentum, Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of the deposed shah, had urged Iranians to pour onto the streets at 8 p.m., the start of the Iranian weekend.
Israel
Times of Israel: Woman in northern Israel indicted for aiding Hamas disinformation network
A 51-year-old woman from northern Israel was arrested in recent weeks on suspicion of acting on behalf of Hamas during the war triggered by the terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught, the Shin Bet and Israel Police said on Friday. According to a joint statement, Rania Dandan, a resident of Kiryat Motzkin, allegedly assisted Hamas “out of a desire to support resistance against the State of Israel,” including by helping to run fictitious Hamas-linked social media profiles, which spread unspecified “false information” that the security agencies say was aimed at sowing fear within Israeli society.
Lebanon
Reuters: Lebanon detains Syrian who helped funnel funds to pro-Assad fighters, sources say
Lebanon has arrested a Syrian national who was helping senior associates of ousted president Bashar al-Assad finance fighters as part of a plot to destabilise Syria's new ruling order, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday. Ahmad Dunya was detained earlier this week, according to two Lebanese security sources and two of his former associates. The Lebanese security sources did not say what charges were linked to his arrest or if he would be extradited to Syria.
Naharnet: Geagea, Aoun discuss Hezbollah disarmament in phone call
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea has called President Joseph Aoun and discussed with him the state's monopoly on arms, MTV said. The call took place on Thursday and was "long" and "positive", with relations getting calmer between Geagea and Aoun, according to the Lebanese TV network.
Syria
Reuters: Syria poised to attack Kurdish-held towns to pressure stalled talks, sources say
Syrian troops are poised to attack towns in the north and east held by Kurdish fighters, sources familiar with the matter said, to pressure autonomy-minded Kurds into making concessions in deadlocked talks with the Damascus government. The threat of renewed military action highlights the deepening fault lines between the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has vowed to reunify the fractured country under one leadership after 14 years of civil war, and regional Kurdish authorities wary of his Islamist-led administration.
Kurdistan24: 'Anti-SDF Forces Follow ISIS Ideology,' Says ISIS Camp Supervisor
A senior official overseeing detention camps in Western Kurdistan (Rojava) issued a stark warning on Friday regarding the ideological composition of the forces currently engaged in hostilities against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), asserting that these groups adhere to the same extremist doctrines as the Islamic State (ISIS).
Kurdistan24: U.S. Senator Warns Damascus That Attacks on Kurds Endanger ISIS Prisoner Security
United States Republican Senator Lindsey Graham issued a stern warning to the new Syrian government on Friday, cautioning that any military escalation against Kurdish forces threatens the security of thousands of detained Islamic State (ISIS) fighters, a concern immediately echoed by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) as vital for preventing further massacres.
Pakistan
Afghanistan International: Enemies Back TTP Through Afghan Taliban, Says Pakistan PM
Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan’s prime minister, has again voiced concern over what he described as coordination and an alliance between the Afghan Taliban and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). He said that Pakistan’s enemies are supporting the Pakistani Taliban through Afghan territory.
Australia
SBS News: Neo-Nazi groups say they're disbanding but this may not be their end, experts say
Australia's most prominent neo-Nazi group has been dealt a "significant" blow by proposed hate speech laws, experts say, while warning the movement is likely to adapt rather than vanish. The proposed laws would allow the home affairs minister — with security and legal oversight — to ban groups found to be engaging in or advocating hate crimes based on race, nationality or ethnic origin, even if they fall short of the threshold for being designated a terrorist organisation.
Technology
Jerusalem Post: How one NGO is using AI to change how antisemitism is monitored
A Hungarian NGO is using an artificial intelligence-based web scraping mechanism to monitor antisemitism and sentiments on social media, with the objective of creating a monitoring system around Europe with unified metrics. Created in 2012 in a collaboration between Hungarian Jewish communities and civil society groups, the Action and Protection Foundation (TEV) began operating in 2013, with one of its tasks being the monitoring of antisemitic activity in the country.
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