CLARION PROJECT 04/28/2021

 

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  Spencer Platt/Getty Images INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Al-Qaeda Mag Tells Jihadists to Use Protests as Cover & Incite Riots A pro-Al-Qaeda group is telling jihadists to infiltrate demonstrations and incite protestors to attack the police, such as by killing police officers engaged in a confrontation or hiring “militiamen” to carry out a vehicular attack on protestors and then blaming law enforcement for it. The magazine recommended that jihadists pretend to be protestors in order to receive lighter sentencing. The group is also offering a bitcoin worth $60,000 to the first person who kills a police officer in a Western country. Non-Muslims are eligible for the reward. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING CAIR Embroiled in #MeToo Scandal The Council on American-Islamic Relations is embroiled in a major scandal after the estranged wife of its Florida chapter leader accused the CAIR official of abuse, sparking other Muslims to come forward with complaints about CAIR officials and alleged misconduct by the organization. CAIR was listed as an “entity” of the U.S. Muslim Brotherhood by the Justice Department during a terrorism-financing trial.  The accused official, Hassan Shibly, subsequently resigned as leader of CAIR-Florida. Shibly’s extremism was first exposed by the Clarion Project’s Ryan Mauro in 2010. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING U.S. Rattles Mideast Allies with Iran Approach The Biden Administration’s attempts to positively engage the Iranian regime and re-enter the nuclear deal is rattling key U.S. allies. Tensions between the U.S. and Israel are reportedly rising, with the U.S. complaining about Israeli officials confirming to reporters that Israel is responsible for the recent sabotaging of the Natanz nuclear site. Saudi Arabia is also concerned about a loosening of sanctions on Iran enabling the regime to increase its aid to terrorists and potentially destabilize the Saudi Royal Family and global economy. “If the security situation and Western pressure prevents foreign companies and tourists from coming to Saudi Arabia, … MBS [Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman] could face massive upheaval and potentially even lose power,” Clarion Project’s Ryan Mauro told Foreign Desk News.  Alt-Right & Alt-Left Extremism  Nathan Howard/Getty Images INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Rioters in Portland Attack Church, Boys & Girls Club Over 100 took part in riots in Portland, including some who broke the windows of a church that feeds the homeless. The attackers wore “black block” attire associated with anarchism and communism. Rioters also struck Boys & Girls Club, set fire to an Apple store, and vandalized and damaged property at a bank, grocery store and other businesses. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Tensions Rise Between Antifa & Black Lives Matter  An Antifa-affiliated account in Portland declared that Black Lives Matter activists were not welcome to participate in an “occupation” of a public park and seemed to suggest that anarchists could use force to eject them.  Tensions were also reported in Minnesota when black protestors tried to stop apparent anarchists from climbing on barricades, and the aspiring rioters accused them of being paid by the police to keep order. Clarion Project saw another social media post by an Antifa-oriented anarchist account that accused Black Lives Matter of “trying to silence community members” and “cooperating” with police.   INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING FedEx Shooter Visited White Supremacist Websites The perpetrator of the mass shooting at a FedEx facility that killed 8 people and injured 7 on April 15 was visiting white supremacist websites in March 2020. Police saw the websites on his computer monitor when they visited his home after his mother called to express concern that he may try to commit suicide by getting into a gunfight with police.  The police confiscated his shotgun in March 2020 and brought him to the hospital for a mental health evaluation. The suspect was able to purchase two rifles months later in July and September.  It is suspected that the shooter targeted the facility because almost all the employees are Sikh. One eyewitness account claimed that he told a white woman to get out of the way.  INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Latest Alt-Right Prosecutions The leader of the neo-Nazi National Socialist Movement Corporation was arrested in Arizona after threatening African-American men at a rally he organized with 15 other neo-Nazis. He claims to have about 100 members nationwide.   Five white supremacists have been charged with aggravated animal cruelty for stabbing, shooting, and beheading a ram as part of a “ritual sacrifice” at a training camp in Georgia. The supremacists belong to “The Base,” a neo-Nazi terrorist group linked to Russia.  Four white supremacists are facing charges for trying to destroy evidence related to the drive-by shooting and killing of a police officer in Oakland, Calif. by a fellow member of the extremist “Boogaloo Movement” last May. The four are part of a Boogaloo group called the Grizzly Scouts.     A white supremacist has been charged for setting fire to a Massachusetts church with a mostly African-American congregation in December. The man expressed a desire to target blacks, Muslims, Asians and LGBTs and had a photo of Hitler that may indicate he had neo-Nazi beliefs. Hostile Foreign Influence Operations  FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images   INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Prominent Think Tank Admits to Foreign Funding The Brookings Institute think-tank has admitted to Congress that it received $15 million from the government of Qatar between 2013 and 2015. The Qatari government is a known sponsor of Islamist extremism and a provider of aid to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood. Brookings is considered to be one of the most influential foreign policy think-tanks, particularly for Democrats. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Senators Propose Greater Scrutiny of Chinese Funding to U.S. Universities The proposed legislation includes a measure to allow the Treasury Department to review contracts and donations to colleges and universities from Communist China that are worth over $1 million and related to technology and sensitive information.  The American Council on Education says at least 700 donations and contracts would be subject to the national security review and complained that it could undermine research projects. Clarion Project released a documentary titled Covert Cash: What U.S. Universities Don’t Want You to Know About Their Funding last year based on its research into foreign funding of U.S. colleges and universities. It can be watched here.  Other Ideological Extremism JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images   THE SOUFAN CENTER QAnon Magnified by China, Russia A new study found that “foreign states are also utilizing the QAnon conspiracy theory to sow societal discord and even potentially compromise the legitimate political processes in the country.” Fifty-eight percent of the QAnon-related posts on Facebook from foreign sources in 2021 were linked to China. About 22 percent is linked to Russia, 19 percent is linked to Iran and 1 percent is linked to Saudi Arabia. INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING Church of Scientology Seeks to Expand in Florida The Church of Scientology has a long history of criminal activity, including massive campaigns to infiltrate the U.S. government. Defectors describe it as a dangerous cult that abuses members, targets dissidents and has close ties to the Nation of Islam extremist group. The organization is bidding to develop more property in Clearwater, Fla. The Church owns at least 49 properties in the city and reportedly used affiliated entities to buy 100 other properties in the area between 2017 and 2019. A member of the City Council has expressed alarm, saying, “The logical conclusion is Scientology must have some sort of a game plan in mind, but they're not public with what it is… Typically, when people buy commercial real estate, they move forward with construction or redevelopment. That's not happening with almost any of these properties.”  QUOTABLE “I never submitted the whole system of my opinions to the creed of any party of men whatever, in religion, in philosophy, in politics, or in anything else, where I was capable of thinking for myself. Such an addiction is the last degradation of a free and moral agent.” -Thomas Jefferson: Letter to Francis Hopkinson, March 13, 1789 NOTE TO OUR READERS: We have pulled out the salient points of the articles in this newsletter to keep you informed and focused on the most relevant, important and timely news in national security and extremism. While our national security experts stand behind the summary bullets and deem them trustworthy, Clarion Project does not endorse all the views expressed in the articles linked.

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