Friday, January 7, 2022

CLARION PROJECT

 

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 

I24News
Jewish Afghan Rescued by Clarion’s Afghan Rescue Project
  • An Afghan who identifies as Jewish and a descendent of the lost tribes of Israel was targeted for death by the Taliban but was evacuated to safety through the Clarion Intelligence Network’s Afghan Rescue Project.
  • The individual, identified as “Moshe,” is safe in the United Arab Emirates.  
  • The Taliban recently told him to surrender or be responsible for the murder of his family members, who haven’t been evacuated yet.
Albuquerque Mosque Arsonist Identified 
  • A family member identified 43-year-old Isela Camerena as the person wanted for deliberately setting fire to the Islamic Center of New Mexico in November 2021.
  • Camarena is facing charges of arson and negligent arson. 
  • Mosque officials have indicated that Camerena has tried to enter the building on previous occasions while yelling anti-Islamic obscenities and threatening to burn down the mosque.

Alt-Right & Alt-Left Extremism

YAN M. KELLY/AFP via Getty Images
 
Judge Refuses to Dismiss Proud Boys Charges Relating to US Capitol Riot 
  • A federal judge refused to dismiss an indictment charging four alleged leaders of the far-right group Proud Boys with conspiring to attack the U.S. Capitol.
  • Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Charles Donohoe were indicted in March on charges including conspiracy and obstructing an official proceeding.
  • U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly rejected defense attorneys’ arguments that the four men are charged with conduct that is protected by the First Amendment right to free speech.
Armed Man With Hit List Arrested on Way to White House
  • Kuachua Billion Xiong, 25, from Merced, Calif. was arrested during a traffic stop in Iowa after police discovered a “hit list” including the names of President Biden and Dr. Anthony Fauci.
  • An AR-15-style assault rifle, ammunition, loaded magazines, body armor, medical kits, and a grappling hook were found in his vehicle.
  • In an interview, Xiong stated that nothing would stop him from carrying out his plan of gaining access to the White House and killing the people on his hit list, and if released from custody he would immediately resume his plan.
Denver Shooting Spree Suspect Espouses Alt-Right Views  
  • Lyndon McLeod, 47, a former tattoo shop owner from Denver, killed five victims in a shooting spree.
  • The victims are believed to have been people McLeod knew and were specifically targeted.
  • McLeod espoused alt-right conspiracy theories online and had a history of psychiatric episodes.
  • McLeod died after an exchange of gunfire with police.

Hostile Foreign Influence Operations

Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images
 
China and Russia’s Military Cooperation Growing
  • joint military exercise between Russia and China this summer points to a solidifying defense alignment.
  • The exercises were the first to use a joint Russian-Chinese command-and-control set up and comprised 13,000 troops and hundreds of aircraft, drones, artillery pieces, anti-aircraft batteries and armored vehicles. 
  • In October, the two countries launched joint naval drills off Russia’s Far East coast.
  • The Office of the Director of National Intelligence reported that Beijing and Moscow are now more aligned than at any point in the past 60 years.
  • According to analysts and U.S. officials, U.S. steps to contain the two countries have given the previously contentious rivals an incentive to marshal resources and intelligence against a common adversary.
QUOTABLE

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--Benjamin Franklin

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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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