CLARION PROJECT 03/18/2021

 

The Extremism Roundup Promoting Civil Discourse and Marginalizing the Extremes A weekly compilation of the most important developments in the struggle against radical ideologies

Islamist & Anti-Muslim Extremism  Daniel Munoz/Getty Images Investigative Reporting New survey sheds light on the depth of extremist beliefs among Muslim Australians According to the survey, developed with Muslim Australians, including religious scholars, community leaders and representatives of various Muslim organizations, 23% of respondents agreed that establishing a caliphate (Islamic government) is a religious obligation.  Sociological research on Islamism is rare. In 2010, a Denmark study found similar proportions of Muslims expressing broad support toward Islamist ideas (18%) and the most extremist views (5.6%). Read More>> Investigative Reporting Taliban keep close ties with Al Qaeda despite promise to U.S.  The Afghan Taliban have kept a close relationship with Al Qaeda, permitting the militants to conduct training in Afghanistan and deploy fighters. The Taliban insist that they are abiding by the accord with the U.S., in which they agreed to enter into peace talks with their foes in the Afghan government in return for a withdrawal of U.S. and other NATO troops. Read More>> Investigative Reporting The Taliban Close In on Afghan Cities, Pushing the Country to the Brink The Taliban have been encroaching on key cities around Afghanistan for months, threatening to drive the country to its breaking point. The brazen offensive has put the Biden administration into a dangerous political bind. Under the deal struck by former President Trump with the Taliban last year, all foreign troops — including the remaining 2,500 American service members who support Afghanistan’s beleaguered army and security forces — are scheduled to withdraw by May 1. Read More>> Alt-Right & Alt-Left Extremism Eze Amos/Getty Images DHS Feds now say right-wing extremists responsible for majority of deadly terrorist attacks last year According to an internal report circulated by the DHS, right-wing extremists were responsible for the majority of fatal domestic terrorist attacks last year. The report, produced by the Joint Regional Intelligence Center, a DHS-funded fusion center, was sent out to police and law enforcement agencies nationwide as part of an intelligence-sharing system created after the 9/11 attacks. Read More>> Portland Police Department Rioters Set Fire to Federal Courthouse in Portland One Day after Fencing Removed The attack came one day after authorities removed fencing initially erected over the summer, in response to continued riots following the death of George Floyd, an African American man killed during his arrest by Minneapolis police officers. The attack is said to have spun off from a protest earlier that day against the extension of an oil pipeline from the Canadian tar sands to Wisconsin. Also cited as the motive for the attack was the trial against Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, charged in the death of Floyd. Read More>> FBI Feds charge 2 with assault on officer Brian Sicknick who died in Capitol riot U.S. officials have arrested and charged two men with assaulting U.S. Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick with bear spray during the Jan. 6 riot. The circumstances surrounding Sicknick’s death remain unclear, and a final cause of death has not been determined. Read More>> DOJ & FBI Justice Department seeks to build large conspiracy case against Oath Keepers for Capitol riot The DOJ and FBI are gathering evidence to build a large conspiracy indictment against members of the Oath Keepers for their roles in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. People familiar with the case say agents are working to see if a conspiracy case can be made against the group’s founder, Stewart Rhodes. Read More>> Hostile Foreign Influence Operations NICOLAS ASFOURI/AFP via Getty Images Investigative Reporting Admiral: China and Russia Using Disinformation to Erode U.S. Hegemony Admiral Phil Davidson told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday that both China and Russia are using disinformation campaigns to erode U.S. hegemony and sow doubt about the reliability of the U.S. Davidson told senators the U.S. should increase its messaging efforts "across the globe," recalling the "immense power" of the Cold War-era State Department in promoting America's democratic, capitalist ideology and combating Soviet communist propaganda. Read More>> FBI FBI Warns of Increased Use of ‘Deepfake’ Content by State Actors In a March 10 Alert, the FBI Cyber Division warned it expects to see an increase in the use of synthetic content by malicious actors in the next 12-18 months. The alert anticipates foreign and criminal cyber actors will use the content in spearphishing and social engineering operations. Read More>> Other Ideological Extremism Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto via Getty Images   Investigative Reporting U.S. College Groups Linked To Designated Terror Organization A new report from the Clarion Project documents direct links between U.S. campus organizations claiming to fight for the rights of Palestinians and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). PFLP is listed as a designated terrorist organization by the U.S., Canada, European Union and Israel. Its stated goal is to destroy the State of Israel and remove Western capitalism from the Middle East. It is responsible for the deaths of many Israeli citizens, including through suicide bombings, and is backed by the Iranian government. Read More>> Investigative Reporting ‘Incel’ convicted in van attack that left 10 dead says Santa Barbara mass murderer Elliot Rodger helped radicalize him In addition to 10 counts of first-degree murder, Alek Minassian, 28, was found guilty of trying to kill 16 people during the attack, which unfolded in Toronto, Canada.  After his arrest, Minassian told police that he was an “incel,” or “involuntary celibate.” The controversial ideology was popularized on social media platforms like Reddit and 4chan, where men express contempt toward their sexually active counterparts. Read More>> QUOTABLE “[That these words] may now and then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of foreign intrigue, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism…”  -- George Washington’s farewell address, Sept. 19, 1796

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