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NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT

The NYPD Counterterrorism and Intelligence Bureaus compile this weekly open source brief to provide an

overview and analysis of what we assess to be the most relevant headlines and trends currently impacting

the global terrorism threat environment. This is not intended to be a comprehensive overview of all

terrorism news and inclusion is not a confirmation of credibility or an endorsement by the NYPD.

This document is intended for NYPD Shield and Global Shield Network members. It is for official use only

and we request that you do not forward or distribute it further.

W E E K LY T E R R O R I S M B R IE F

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Suicide Bombing Outside Mosque in Somalia Leaves at

Least Six Dead, Twenty Injured On September 11, at least six people were killed and 20 were

injured in a suicide bombing outside a mosque in Kismayo,

Somalia as congregants left after performing Friday prayers.

A local politician may have been the intended target in

the attack, which was claimed by al-Shabaab.

Three people died and seven more were injured on

September 9 in a suicide bombing at a restaurant in

Mogadishu.

On September 7, at least three Somali Special Forces

troops were killed and an American service member was

wounded in a car bombing and mortar attack near a

military base in the south of Somalia.

Al-Shabaab also claimed responsibility for that attack,

which the foreign terrorist organization stated left 20

dead.

Conflict has been rampant in Somalia for nearly 30

years, with the government combating al-Shabaab since

2008.

The terrorist organization carried out an attack using

guns and a bomb at an upscale beachfront hotel in

August, leaving 10 civilians and a police officer dead.

Later that same month, four members of al-Shabaab

were killed in a shootout in Mogadishu’s central prison

after they were able to obtain weapons inside the facility. (Al JAZEERA)

ISWAP Militants Kill 11 Villagers in Northeast Nigeria On September 15, ISIS West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters

in several pickup trucks opened fire on villagers in Wasaram,

Nigeria, which is approximately 55 miles from the regional

capital Maiduguri, leaving eight dead and 20 injured.

Three farmers were also killed during a separate attack

in Auno earlier that day. Militia leader Ibrahim Liman

told media sources that the ISIS militants previously

accused the villagers of “informing soldiers about their

movement to rob local traders at the weekly market” in

the nearby town of Ngamdu.

Soldiers reportedly intercepted the ISIS fighters and

engaged them in a gun battle, forcing the militants to

retreat. ISIS fighters attacked the villagers following this

exchange. (VOA)

Turkish Red Crescent Aid Workers Attacked by Armed

Men while Travelling Through Northern Syria On September 14, in northern Syria, armed men attacked a

Turkish Red Crescent vehicle, killing one aid worker and

wounding another. A third aid worker survived without injury.

The men wore masks as well as camouflage clothing and

travelled in two vehicles without license plates.

The aid worker vehicle was traveling through al-Bab, a

Turkish-controlled zone in northern Syria, but was

clearly marked with Turkish Red Crescent logos. (AP

NEWS)

Newly Established Shi’a Militia Extremist Group

Claims Bombing U.S. Intelligence Vehicles, Reports

Rocket Strike on U.S. Embassy On September 15, the Brigade of Avenger, a newly established

Iraq-based Shi’a militia extremist group, claimed responsibility

for an improvised explosive device (IED) attack on a vehicle

allegedly carrying American intelligence officers and workers

from the regional security office of the U.S. embassy.

The attack reportedly occurred near Camp Victory,

which the group referred to as “the Victoria base.”

The group stated that initial reports indicated the death

of three Americans in the attack; however, this has not

been officially confirmed by U.S. military officials.

The Brigade of Avenger also claimed infiltrating Camp

Victory and placing explosives “without any effective

monitoring by the sophisticated American cameras and

equipment surrounding the base.”

In a statement released on September 16, the group

claimed a rocket attack “on a U.S. military base in the

American Embassy.” (SITE)

Chicago Man Charged with Providing Material

Support and Resources to ISIS On September 16, the District of Columbia’s federal court

unsealed an indictment and arrest warrant for 44-year-old Lirim

Sylejmani who federal prosecutors charged with “conspiring to

provide, providing, and attempting to provide material support”

and for training with ISIS.

From November 2015 through February 2019 Sylejmani

allegedly provided ISIS with material support and

resources, and traveled to Syria for ISIS military

training.

The Syrian Democratic Forces captured Sylejmani in

2019 and recently transferred him to FBI custody.

Sylejmani is a Kosovo born naturalized U.S. citizen who

lived in Chicago with his family. (DOJ)

FBI Charges Self-Proclaimed Incel for Sending

Threatening Messages to Long Island Couple On September 4, the FBI charged David Kaufman of

Westchester, NY with threatening interstate communications and

stalking for sending threatening messages to a Long Island

couple. An unsealed indictment noted that Kaufman “adheres to

Attacks

Arrests, Trials, and Investigations

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a violent and misogynistic ideology of male supremacy, white

supremacy and entitlement of sex with women.”

In October 2019, Kaufman, who identifies as an ‘incel,’

began sending the female Facebook messages informing

her that she is “helplessly sexually attracted” to her

boyfriend’s face and not in love.

The woman blocked Kaufman and in turn, he messaged

her friend that “it should be illegal for women to say no.”

In June 2020, Kaufamn sent the woman a message with

a violent joke about the hangings of “Stacies,” a term

used by incels to refer to promiscuous women.

A few days later, he messaged the man a photo of a

woman who had been stabbed to death by incel Elliot

Rodger during a 2014 murder spree. Kaufman was

charged with three misdemeanors and ordered to stay

away from the couple. However, he continued to send

threatening messages, ultimately leading to his arrest

and indictment.

In February 2019, Kaufman had also targeted another

female, delivering a hand-written note threatening her

with rape and a bomb in her mailbox. (NYPOST)

New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Providing Funds and

Material Support to Hamas

Jonathan Xie (CBS NEW YORK)

On September 15, 21-year old Jonathan Xie, of Basking Ridge,

NJ, pleaded guilty to one count of concealing attempts to provide

material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization,

Hamas.

In December 2018, Xie sent $100 via MoneyGram to an

individual in Gaza who Xie believed to be a member of

the Al-Qassam Brigades, a faction of Hamas.

He then posted to Instagram, “Just donated $100 to

Hamas. Pretty sure it was illegal but I don’t give a

damn.”

In April 2019, Xie uploaded to Instagram several anti-

Semitic posts, including a live video where Xie

displayed a Hamas flag and a handgun, saying “I’m

gonna go to the [expletive] pro-Israel march and I’m

going to shoot everybody.”

In April 2019, Xie sent a link to a website for the Al-

Qassam Brigades to an undercover FBI employee online

in addition to other interactions with the undercover

agent, all with the goal of joining Hamas.

Xie faces a maximum 10 years in prison and a $250,000

fine. (USA TODAY NETWORK)

Texan Man Faces Five Years in Prison for Making

Threatening Facebook Posts On September 11, 25-year-old Emmanuel Quinones of Lubbock,

TX pleaded guilty to making interstate threatening

communications via Facebook posts in May.

He also admitted to bringing a loaded Smith & Wesson

.223 caliber semi-automatic rifle to a protest over the

police killing of George Floyd in June.

On May 28, he posted to Facebook that he planned to

acquire guns “to off racists and MAGA people.”

In June, he took a rifle to a protest and held it in a firing

position causing protesters around him to panic.

Quinones faces up to five years in federal prison. (JUSTICE)

Minnesota Man Charged with Providing Material

Support and Resources to ISIS On September 16, district attorneys from the National Security

Division’s Counterterrorism Section charged 23-year-old

Abdelhamid Al-Madioum, of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, with one

count of providing material support to ISIS, a designated foreign

terrorist organization.

Allegedly, from July 8, 2015 through March 15, 2019,

Al-Madioum provided material support and resources to

the terrorist group.

On July 8, 2015, after visiting extended family in

Morocco, Al-Madioum left Morocco and traveled to

Istanbul, Turkey.

From there he went on to Iraq and Syria where he joined

ISIS.

In March of 2019, Al-Madioum was captured and

detained by the Syrian Democratic Forces and turned

over to the FBI for processing. (JUSTICE)

Moroccan Police Arrest Alleged ISIS Cell Accused of

Plotting Attacks On September 11, media sources reported that Moroccan police

arrested five people suspected of plotting suicide bombings and

being part of an extremist network linked to ISIS.

According to a statement from Morocco’s Central

Bureau of Judicial Investigations, one suspect set off an

explosive device as police conducted coordinated raids

in the cities of Tangiers, Tiflet, Temara, and Skhirat.

One officer was reportedly injured when another suspect

attacked him.

Authorities reportedly seized ISIS “paraphernalia,”

explosive belts, detonators, pressure cookers loaded

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with nails, ammonium nitrate, and other chemicals used

in constructing explosives.

The statement said the suspects were in the “advanced

stages” of plotting their attacks against unidentified

sensitive targets. (ABC NEWS)

Two Hackers Indicted on Charges for Defacing U.S.

Websites in Retaliation for Soleimani Killing

Behzad Mohammadzadeh (left) and Marwan Abusrour (right) (ABC 6)

On September 15, media sources reported that two hackers—

identified as 19-year-old Behzad Mohammadzadeh and 25-year-

old Marwan Abusrour—were indicted on charges that they

defaced websites across the U.S. in retaliation for the killing of

Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Major

General Qassem Soleimani.

The men, who are believed to be living in Iran and the

Palestinian territories, are accused of hacking into U.S.

websites and replacing their content with pictures of

Soleimani and messages like “Down with America.”

According to prosecutors, the two suspects bragged

online about their actions. Mohammadzadeh has

publicly claimed the defacing of more than 1,100

websites with pro-Iranian and pro-hacker messages

across the world since 2018, while Abusrour claimed to

have defaced at least 337 websites with various pro-

Islamic, pro-Palestinian, and pro-hacker messages.

The U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National

Security said that the hackers “victimized innocent third

parties” in a campaign to retaliate for the death of

Soliemani, warning that their “misguided, illegal actions

in support of a rogue, destabilizing regime will come

back to haunt them, as they are now fugitives from

justice.”

The FBI released wanted posters with the suspects’

photographs and online monikers, urging the public to

contact the nearest authorities if they have any

information about the two men. (CBS)

Murder Suspect in Swiss Stabbing Claims Salafi-

Jihadist Extremist Motive According to media reports on September 17, a 26-year-old

Turkish-Swiss dual national previously known to the Federal

Intelligence Service (FIS) since 2017 “for the consumption and

dissemination of jihadist propaganda,” claimed that he stabbed a

29-year-old Portuguese man to death in a kebab restaurant near

the Morges train as an act of revenge against Switzerland and to

“avenge the Prophet.”

He was initially arrested in April 2019 and held in pre-

trial detention over an arson attack on a gas station.

During searches, investigators discovered possible

evidence that the suspect might subscribe to Salafi-

jihadist extremist ideology.

Although his detention was initially extended, he was

released in July 2020 and subjected to alternative

measures, including a curfew, reporting to authorities,

and was prohibited from carrying weapons.

Prior to the incident, no reporting indicated the suspect

violated the terms of his release.

The Swiss Office of the Attorney General allegedly

requested that he be committed to a psychiatric facility,

but he was ultimately released due to a lack of space. (SWISS INFO)

Russian Authorities Seek to Interview Poisoned

Political Opposition Figure in Germany

Alexei Navalny (TIME MAGAZINE)

Russian authorities announced on September 11 that they plan to

submit a request to Germany to interview Alexei Navalny, the

prominent opposition figure currently receiving treatment in

Berlin after being poisoned before boarding a plane in Siberia.

In a statement, the Siberian transport police asked that

German authorities permit Russian investigators and

“experts” to be present during their investigation.

Russian investigators are also reportedly searching for

the passengers on Navalny’s flight where he became ill.

Navalny spent time in a Siberian hospital before he was

transferred to a hospital in Germany.

While German investigators stated that Navalny was

poisoned with a Novichok-style nerve agent, Russian

authorities maintained that they did not find any

evidence of poison.

The international community has called for Russia to

open an investigation into the incident; however,

Russian officials have stated they would not do so

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because medical staff did not find any indication that

Navalny was poisoned. (i24NEWS)

Analyst Comment: In March 2018, a Russian ex-spy and his

daughter were poisoned by a Novichok-type nerve agent in

Salisbury in the U.K., prompting an international response,

including the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats from the U.S.

The former spy and his daughter survived the incident. In June

2018, a British man and woman in Amesbury exhibited symptoms

of Novichok poisoning. While the man recovered, the woman died

as a result of her exposure to the nerve agent. Russia has denied

involvement in both incidents.

Man Arrested in London over Suspicious Package British counterterrorism police officers announced on September

12 that law enforcement authorities arrested a man in his 20s in

central England for allegedly sending a suspicious package to a

property in north London the week before.

Authorities confirmed that the item was rendered safe

after it was determined to be a small improvised

explosive device (IED).

Officials confirmed that the local community is not at

risk following the arrest. (REUTERS)

President Trump Warns Iran after Reports of Plot to

Kill U.S. Ambassador to South Africa In a social media post on September 14, President Donald Trump

warned Iran that any assassination attempt or attack against the

U.S. in retaliation for the airstrike that killed IRGC Major

General Qassem Soleimani would be met with a counterattack

that “will be 1,000 times greater in magnitude.”

Speaking in a media interview hours later, President

Trump reiterated the warning, saying “we’re all set.”

The President’s statements follow media reports

claiming that the Iranian government is weighing an

assassination attempt against Lana Marks, the American

ambassador to South Africa.

The plot comes as Iran seeks ways to retaliate for

President Trump’s authorization of a targeted unmanned

aerial vehicle (UAV) operation, which resulted in the

death of Soleimani earlier this year.

The U.S. has reportedly been aware of the threat since

the spring, but the intelligence has become more specific

in recent weeks, with indications that the Iranian

embassy in Pretoria is involved in the plot. (FOX NEWS,

POLITICO)

Gun Sales Proceed without FBI Background Checks

Despite Growing Violent Social Unrest in the U.S. On September 15, the FBI disclosed that gun sales have

proceeded despite a delay in background checks.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, there has reportedly

been a dramatic increase in the number of citizens

purchasing guns overwhelming the FBI check system

and creating a backlog in requests.

Gun control advocacy group ‘Everytown for Gun

Safety’ analyzed FBI data revealing that more than 5%

of the 5.86 million background checks conducted during

the pandemic were delayed past three business days.

Under current regulations, if an FBI background check

takes longer than three business days, a gun dealer can

proceed with selling the firearm to a buyer.

The delay in background checks is reportedly due

largely to staffing issues caused by COVID-19, resulting

in a slower response from state law enforcement and

other government agencies, and overall slower

processing by the FBI. (REUTERS)

The UAE and Bahrain Sign Normalization Agreements

with Israel Despite Palestinian Disapproval On September 15, President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the foreign ministers of

the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain at the White House for the

signing of the Abraham Accords, an agreement which normalizes

Emirati and Bahraini diplomatic relations with Israel and

recognizes it as a sovereign state.

These are the third and fourth agreements Israel has

signed with Arab nations, following Egypt in 1979 and

Jordan in 1994. Netanyahu described the day as a "pivot

of history, a new dawn of peace."

Both Arab nations are U.S. allies and home to numerous

U.S. military bases. The UAE was reportedly motivated

to sign the agreement so that it would be easier to

acquire a type of stealth aircraft, F-35s, from the United

States, but also stipulated that Israel suspend its plan to

annex certain areas of the West Bank.

For both the UAE and Bahrain, the agreements pave the

way for purchasing high-tech Israeli military

technology, and cooperation on economic and health

initiatives. Some Palestinians have accused the UAE

and Bahrain of betraying Jerusalem, the al-Aqsa

mosque, and the Palestinian cause. (CNN)

U.S. Airstrike in Northwest Syria Reportedly Kills

Hurras al-Din Military Trainer On September 14, an alleged U.S. UAV strike in northwestern

Syria killed an al-Qa’ida-aligned Hurras al-Din (HaD) military

trainer identified as Sayyaf al-Tunisi.

There are conflicting reports on the identities and

number of militants killed in the airstrike. According to

SITE Intelligence Group, a Tunisian Salafi-jihadist

extremist named Safina al-Tunisi was also killed in the

strike, which targeted their vehicle in the Qasur

neighborhood of Idlib.

Global Security Developments

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The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that

the vehicle was targeted by a “Ninja” R9X missile, a

purportedly modified Hellfire platform on which the

explosive head is replaced with blades to minimize

collateral damage. Media sources also described Sayyaf

al-Tunisi as a former member of Jabhat al-Nusra, a

predecessor group to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

He was allegedly dismissed from the group and

imprisoned following the 2015 massacre of 20 Druze

villagers in Idlib Province.

A Salafi-jihadist extremist user on social media noted

that "brothers" sensed "strange movements and

monitoring" of Sayyaf al-Tunisi in the months prior to

his killing, but assumed it was HTS security rather than

the “crusader coalition.” (SITE, DEFENSE POST)

Analyst Comment: Over the past few months, U.S. military forces

have carried out repeated strikes on HaD leadership figures. On

June 14, HaD leader Khaled al-Aruri, who was described as the

Deputy Emir of the group, was killed in a military UAV strike in

Idlib. Al-Aruri was an al-Qa’ida veteran and alleged brother-in-

law of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former leader of ISIS’s

predecessor al-Qa’ida in Iraq. Last month, Abu Yahya al-Uzbeki,

a purported military trainer who worked with HaD, was killed

along with three others in a UAV strike.

29 German Police Officers Suspended For Allegedly

Participating in Far-Right Chat Group Online On September 16, German police in North Rhine-Westphalia

raided the homes and offices of colleagues in the wake of an

investigation that suspected officers of participating in at least

five private WhatsApp chat groups from 2013 to 2015 where they

shared 126 images, including a photo of Adolf Hitler.

Frank Richter, the regional police chief in Essen,

expressed shock that none of participants reported the

disturbing exchanges to their supervisors.

Twenty-nine suspects have been suspended during the

investigation and 14 will likely be fired.

Eleven of those who actively disseminated messages

will face criminal charges for alleged incitement,

according to Herbert Reul, the state’s interior minister.

The remaining individuals will likely be subject to

disciplinary action.

Authorities revealed they recovered private phones and

“extensive” evidence on storage devices during the

raids, which were carried out by approximately 200

officers in Essen, Mulheim an der Ruhr, Oberhausen,

Moers, and Selm.

The initial chat group was discovered during the

investigation into a 32-year-old police officer suspected

of providing information to a journalist. (DEUTSCHE

WELLE)

Analyst Comment: There have been a number of recent high-

profile incidents throughout Germany involving infiltration of

racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists (REMVEs)

into law enforcement and the military, prompting judicial and

policy responses. In July 2020, the German Defense Ministry

disbanded a company within the Special Commando Forces after

investigators determined that several members subscribed to

REMVE ideology.

Extremist Dead after Four Lebanese Troops Killed in

Raid Late in the evening on September 13, Khaled Tellawi, a wanted

militant leader with links to ISIS, was killed in a raid in the

northern town of Minyeh, carried out by the Lebanese military

that also left four troops dead.

During a shootout, which reportedly ensued after troops

chased Tellawi and two aides into the countryside, a

grenade detonated, killing three soldiers. The fourth died

from his wounds the following morning.

Authorities are reportedly continuing to search for the

aides. Investigators believe Tellawi is responsible for a

shooting in Kaftoun—a predominately Christian

village—that resulted in the deaths of three men.

In late August, security officials identified four

suspected perpetrators, which included a Syrian citizen

who later blew himself up to avoid arrest. (AP NEWS)

Iraqi, Kurdish Peshmerga Forces to Launch Joint Anti-

ISIS Effort On September 13, Yahya Rasool, an Iraqi military spokesperson

announced that the Iraqi military and Kurdish Peshmerga forces

will increase their cooperation in the fight against ISIS.

Joint efforts are reportedly under way to ensure the

security of Iraq’s border with Syria, as ISIS militants

continue to exploit regional instability to launch attacks

in the country.

In a statement, Rasool explained that the joint

coordination is intended to protect regions that lie

between their areas of control through operations and

intelligence sharing.

The statement comes days after Iraqi Prime Minister

Mustafa al-Kadhimi visited the Kurdistan region, where

he and Kurdish leaders discussed the continued fight

against ISIS. Iraqi and Kurdish officials at the meeting

emphasized continuing security cooperation between

forces to “bring stability and help the return of displaced

people.”

Last week, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also

announced the reduction of U.S. forces in the country

from 5,200 to 3,000, expressing confidence in the ability

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of local forces to root out remaining ISIS remnants. (VOA)

Leaders from the Taliban and Afghanistan Meet for

Peace Negotiations as U.S. Withdraws Troops On September 15, in Doha, Qatar, leaders from the Taliban and

Afghanistan met for their first session of peace negotiations.

The goal of the first session was to develop an agenda of

issues and schedule future peace negotiations as the

leaders adjust to the new context of a reduced U.S.

military presence in the region.

It is unclear whether the sides came to an agreement on

an agenda, but an Afghan presidential palace official

stated that a top priority is to work with the Taliban to

cooperate in a ceasefire, or at the very least secure a

significant reduction in violence. (REUTERS)

U.S. AFRICOM Seeks Authority for Drone Strikes in

Kenya against Al-Shabaab Fighters According to media reports on September 16, the U.S. military’s

Africa Command (AFRICOM) is reportedly pushing for

authority to carry out armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

strikes targeting al-Qa’ida-linked al-Shabaab fighters in portions

of eastern Kenya in response to a January attack on a military

base in Manda Bay, Kenya that housed U.S. troops.

The attack on the airfield killed three U.S. citizens and

caused millions of dollars in damage. U.S. commanders

traced the attack to an al-Shabaab hit team that had

infiltrated the base from Somalia, but were unable to

retaliate because the team had retreated to Kenyan

territory and there were no guidelines for pursuing a

UAV attack in that region.

The draft guidelines would reportedly authorize drone

strikes in self-defense of American troops, or collective

self-defense of partnered Kenyan forces, and also allow

for offensive strikes against suspected threats.

Some limitations to the drafted guidelines are that the

military would only be able to conduct strikes in certain

regions, likely the Garissa and Lamu Counties, and only

after consent from the Kenyan government.

In early 2019, al-Shabaab militants attacked a hotel-

shopping complex in Nairobi, Kenya, killing at least 21

people, including a police officer, and in 2013 they

stormed the Westgate Shopping Mall in the Kenyan

capital, killing at least 67 people. Rear Admiral Heidi

Berg, AFRICOM’s director of intelligence stated, “al-

Shabaab is the most capable terrorist group on the

African continent.” (THE NEW YORK TIMES)

Canadian Army Commander Takes Action to Rid

Military of Officers with Extremist Views According to local media reports on September 15, Canadian

Army Lt.-Gen. Wayne Eyre will reportedly issue a special order

that will provide specific procedures to individual army units

across Canada on how to handle soldiers suspected of hateful

conduct and extremism.

Eyre also plans to host a meeting of 450 mid-level

leaders to discuss the issue of far-right infiltration into

the military.

Eyre was motivated to take action after two incidents,

namely, the military allowing Erik Myggland of the

Ranger Unit to continue serving even after he was

identified as openly supporting two far-right groups and

a potential threat, and after the U.S. charged former

Canadian army reservist Patrik Mathews, who was

accused of recruiting for a white-supremacist

organization in the U.S.

It is unclear whether military commanders have enough

legal authority under either the National Defense Act or

the Criminal Code of Canada to take action against those

officers with extremist views, however Eyre, is

reportedly determined "crush hateful ideology and acts

in the ranks.” (CBC)

Facebook Removes Posts Attributing Oregon Fires to

Left and Right-Wing Extremist Groups Facebook has begun to remove social media posts with false

claims that the wildfires in Oregon were started by various left-

wing and right-wing groups after pressure from law enforcement

authorities.

Facebook initially attached warning labels to such posts,

but in a statement on September 12 via Twitter,

Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone said the company

decided to enforce stricter measures after receiving

reports that the rumors were “forcing local fire and

police agencies to divert resources from fighting the

fires and protecting the public.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has investigated

several reports regarding whether extremists on either

side were responsible for setting wildfires in Oregon and

have found no evidence to corroborate the allegations. (STRAIT TIMES)

Neo-Nazi Telegram User Targets Congressman Rose,

Promotes Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theories On September 6, a member of a neo-Nazi Telegram channel

posted a video recording showing a confrontation between the

user and U.S. Congressman Max Rose, who serves New York’s

11th Congressional District.

In the video, the individual confronts Congressman

Rose about various conspiracy theories involving

Jewish people.

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According to SITE Intelligence, the user has previously

targeted the congressman.

On January 9, the user posted a video of the

congressman announcing a House hearing on the rise of

anti-Semitism and neo-Nazi movements, saying ““I

tried to have him OR his staff meet with 9/11 truth

groups on the past anniversary of 9/11, they REFUSED.

We know where his allegiance lies.”

The new video was praised by other neo-Nazi Telegram

users, with one user commenting, “I love that these

people are starting to sweat,” to which the original poster

responded, “Yeah me too. Heat up the ovens.” (SITE)

Twitter Bans Accounts Associated with Far-Right

Extremist Group the ‘Oath Keepers’ Twitter announced on September 10 that it has banned accounts

associated with the far-right extremist group, the Oath Keepers

for violating Twitter policies against violent extremism.

The Oath Keepers are an anti-government movement

that alleges a membership in the thousands, mainly of

former law enforcement and military personnel.

The group recently tweeted there would be “open

warfare against the Marxist insurrectionists” on election

night, referring to Black Lives Matter supporters.

In 2015, members attended protests against police

brutality in Ferguson, MI armed with assault rifles and

other weapons.

The group also supports various conspiracy theories,

including the belief that Bill Gates and Dr. Anthony

Fauci aim to control people’s minds through requiring

mandatory vaccines. (ENGADGET)

Neo-Nazi Telegram Channel Seeks to Radicalize Police

Officers through Disinformation On September 10, a user posted to a neo-Nazi Telegram channel

encouraging the approximately 4,000 followers to circulate the

rumor that successfully defunding the police would eliminate

police officer pensions, resulting in “disastrous” consequences

for retired police officers and their families and a “fatal blow” to

current police officer morale.

The user hoped that the message would encourage early

retirements, urging members to ensure the “rumors do

not spread to police officers who share our complexion.”

The user also noted that a reduction in police forces

could pave the way for the formation of additional white

nationalist militia groups to take control of public safety. (SITE)

Neo-Nazi Group Urges Supporters to Grow Network

Offline and Form Militant Groups On September 7, in a post to a Telegram channel affiliated with

the neo-Nazi group “Iron Youth,” a user shared a new recruitment

video for the group and urged followers to leave Telegram and

communicate in person.

The recruiting video depicted scenes of Iron Youth

members conducting training sessions and distributing

flyers.

A voiceover at the beginning of the video encouraged

recruits to help “plunge the world into darkness” in order

to liberate an “enslaved” white race.

The video was posted with an Atomwaffen Division

pamphlet, which contained general guidelines for

forming militant cells.

The post encouraged supporters to grow the network

through “ear to ear” networking, claiming that Telegram

was no longer a relevant platform. (SITE)

Pro-Al-Qa’ida Group Releases Propaganda Video

Threatening French President Emmanuel Macron

AQ propaganda video threatening French President Macron (SITE)

On September 17, the pro-al-Qa’ida Thughur Media Network

published a one minute, three second propaganda video that

included an image French president Emmanuel Macron with

crosshairs over his face and the words “Soon…Your Turn.”

The video began with a clip from Macron’s September

1 speech in Beirut, Lebanon before moving on to footage

depicting al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)

fighters in the Sahara while playing an audio speech

from former al-Qa’ida religious official Abu Yahya al-

Libi.

The video ends with a Francophone fighter from AQIM

threatening soldiers in Mali. (SITE)

ISIS Takes Responsibility for Execution of Six French

Aid Workers and Nigerian Guide and Driver in Mali In issue #252 of ISIS’s propaganda newsletter al-Naba, which

was published on September 17, ISIS claimed responsibility for

the August 9 execution of six French aid workers as well as their

Nigerian guide and driver while at the Koure Giraffe Reserve

located near the Malian capital of Niamey.

The admission was part of an “exclusive” divulging

operations in the Sahel, including the targeting of

European Takuba forces, French Operation Barkhane

soldiers, Malian troops, and members of its rival group

Jama’at al-Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM). (SITE)

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ON OUR RADAR Neurotoxins Are a Rising Threats. Here’s How the Military Will Detect Them – Defense One (8 September 2020)

If Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny was, as German leaders say, poisoned with the deadly Soviet-era Novichok neurotoxin, it

would once again highlight the willingness of the Kremlin to deploy such toxins in civilian and urban areas — and the urgent need for

better ways to detect their use. The U.S. military will soon roll out one such tool: a spray that can alert troops and first responders to

the presence of such neurotoxins. Novichok, a Russian neurotoxin that GRU agents used against double agent Sergei Skripal and his

daughter in 2018, is difficult to detect until it’s too late. Same with VX, the neurotoxin that North Korean operatives used against Kim

Jong-nam in 2017 — an oily, heavy, non-volatile liquid that doesn’t decompose quickly or vaporize easily. So sensors that detect

impurities in the air are largely ineffective.

Attacks on U.S. Troops in Iraq Have Increased, U.S. Commander Says – NBC News (11 September 2020)

More than eight months after a barrage of rockets killed an American contractor and wounded four American service members in

Kirkuk, Iraq, militia groups continue to target U.S. military bases in that country, and the frequency of those attacks has increased. "We

have had more indirect fire attacks around and against our bases the first half of this year than we did the first half of last year," Gen.

Frank McKenzie, the commander of the U.S. Central Command, said. "Those attacks have been higher." "They have not been

particularly lethal and that's a good thing, but they are continuing," he said during an exclusive interview with NBC News while traveling

in the Middle East.

The Resonance of Extremist Narratives among Young People in Britain: New Research – Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (12

September 2020)

While the government is rightly focused on containing Covid-19 and resuscitating the economy, the U.K. continues to face extremist

threats on multiple fronts. The anxiety and uncertainty caused by the global health crisis is only exacerbating this, strengthening the

hand of those seeking to undermine and divide societies. In the months leading up to the pandemic, the terror attacks at Fishmongers’

Hall and in Streatham showed how Islamist extremism continues to inspire violence on the streets of Britain, while the live threat of far-

right terrorism continues to evolve against a backdrop of growing anti-establishmentarianism in the wake of Covid-19, Black Lives

Matter protests, and perceived attacks on British culture and identity.

The Fate of Women's Rights in Afghanistan – The Brookings Institute (September 2020)

As the United States reduces its military presence in Afghanistan while the Taliban remain strong on the battlefield, and while peace

negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban have commenced, a massive question mark hangs over the fate of Afghan

women and their rights. The deal that the United States signed with the Taliban in Doha on February 29, 2020, leaves the future of

Afghan women completely up to the outcomes of the intra-Taliban negotiations and battlefield developments. In exchange for the

withdrawal of its forces by summer 2021, the United States only received assurances from the Taliban that the militants would not attack

U.S. and its allies’ targets, conduct terrorist attacks against U.S. and allies’ assets, or allow the territory under Taliban control to be

used for such terrorist attacks. How Afghanistan and its political order is redesigned is left fully up to the negotiations between the

Taliban and the Afghan government and other Afghan politicians, powerbrokers, and—hopefully—representatives of Afghan civil

society. But there are strong reasons to be believe that the fate of Afghan women, particularly urban Afghan women from middle- and

upper-class families who benefited by far the most from the post-2001 order, will worsen. The United States’ leverage to preserve at

least some of their rights and privileges is limited and diminishing. But it is hardly zero. And so the U.S. must exercise whatever leverage

it has remaining to preserve the rights and protect the needs of Afghan women.

A New Look at Iran's Complicated Relationship with the Taliban – The New York Times (8 September 2020)

Eight years ago, I took part in a meeting among people from several different countries — Iran, various European countries,

Afghanistan, Turkey, and the United States. I was a part-time consultant to the U.S. government at the time, and most of the group had

been or — at least — were close to government officials. These are known as “track-two meetings.” During one of the sessions, a

European participant charged Iran with supplying military aid to the Taliban. A retired Iranian diplomat responded indignantly. “How

could Iran supply aid to its sworn enemies?” he asked. I responded that Iranians were not such simple-minded people that they could

have only one enemy or one policy at a time.

The Boogaloo Movement – Anti-Defamation League (18 September 2020)

The boogaloo movement is a developing anti-government extremist movement that arose in 2019 and features a loose anti-government

and anti-police ideology. The participation of boogaloo adherents in 2020’s anti-lockdown and Black Lives Matter protests has focused

significant attention on the movement, as have the criminal and violent acts committed by some of its adherents.