1st of two report(s):

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New CEP Report Reveals That Illicit Trade In East Africa Is Funding Extremists, Terrorists, And Warlords
By: Counter Extremism Project Report 1 of 2
Re: info@counterextremism.com

Report 1 of 2:

New CEP Report Reveals That Illicit Trade In East Africa Is Funding Extremists, Terrorists, And Warlords

(New York, N.Y. / Nairobi, Kenya) – East Africa—a key security partner in the war on terror and a principal engine of economic development on the African continent—is being critically undermined by illicit trade, according to the new report An Unholy Alliance: Links Between Extremism and Illicit Trade in East Africa from the Counter Extremism Project (CEP).

Terror groups such as al-Shabaab and ISIS-linked affiliates in Somalia and Mozambique, as well as Central African militias, urban gangs, and international crime groups are increasingly targeting East Africa as a destination market for illicit trade, as well as a transport hub for the mass import and export of illegal goods.

Terrorists groups continue to cash in on the illegal ivory trade to pay their soldiers and fund their campaigns of terror, while Somali warlords profit from the thousands of bags of cheap, illicit sugar that are smuggled into Kenya every day. Meanwhile, the multi-million-dollar illegal tobacco industry funds corruption, insurgency, and the illegal arms trade across the region.

Sir Ivor Roberts, CEP senior advisor and author of the report, outlined the difficulties faced by the region: “As illicit trade networks continue to expand and mature in their sophistication, the cost to East African society has been enormous. At every link in the illicit chain, economic, social, and political harm is done to East African society, while terror and crime groups grow stronger.”

Many terrorist and extremist groups operating in and around East Africa, including al-Shabaab, ISIS, and the Lord’s Resistance Army, are supported and sustained by the illicit trade, as they continue to benefit from ill-gotten gains. Asian crime syndicates, Latin American narco-traffickers, and other international crime groups have also earmarked the region as a key location for smuggling narcotics, wildlife, precious stones, and counterfeit goods.

As East Africa struggles to recover from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sir Ivor believes the region must prioritise measures which target illicit trafficking.

Sir Ivor said: “The most effective way from the East African region, and the wider international community, to fight extremism, crime, and corruption is to turn off the taps of illicit trade. This can ensure critical revenues are not lost to the shadow economy but are instead invested in key services. Combating illicit trade should be the number one priority for East African governments and their international allies. This issue goes beyond the borders of East Africa, and it is imperative that the international community pay heed.”

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Report 2 of 2
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Extremist Content Online: Manufacturing Guides For Explosives, Suicide Belts Located On The Internet Archive
By: Counter Extremism Project
Re: info@counterextremism.com

Extremist Content Online: Manufacturing Guides For Explosives, Suicide Belts Located On The Internet Archive

(New York, N.Y.) – The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by extremists to exploit the Internet and social media platforms to recruit followers and incite violence. Last week, CEP researchers located dozens of manuals on the Internet Archive, including print and video guides for making explosives, bomb components, suicide belts, and incendiary weapons. Additionally, CEP researchers located a YouTube video advertising a pro-ISIS propaganda website.

Meanwhile, CEP researchers located an English language pro-ISIS website that contains numerous articles from the official ISIS weekly newsletter Al-Naba and an English language pro-ISIS publication. Also, CEP researchers located multiple pieces of neo-Nazi content on Instagram, including one account that posted a copy of James Mason’s book Siege for sale on the platform.

Additionally, CEP researchers located a neo-Nazi Telegram channel that posted several bomb-making manuals and guides to homemade production of firearms, including craft production and 3D printed weapons. Finally, CEP researchers located a store on Teespring selling clothing and accessories with Nazi and neo-Nazi iconography, including versions of the SS death’s head and insignia for a Waffen SS division.

Large Quantity of Explosives and Weapons Guides Located on the Internet Archive

On March 22, CEP researchers located dozens of manuals on the Internet Archive, including print and video guides for making explosives, bomb components, suicide belts, and incendiary weapons. Additional files included tips on committing lone actor attacks taken from previously released official ISIS publications. In total, the files consisted of over 4GB worth of material. The links had been posted in a pro-ISIS online chat. The Internet Archive removed the files after CEP reported them.

Video on YouTube Located Advertising Pro-ISIS Propaganda Website

On March 22, CEP researchers located a YouTube video advertising a pro-ISIS propaganda website. The video, which was over two minutes long and consisted of unrelated footage, contained links in the video description directing users to the website. The account used to upload the video used a still image taken from an official ISIS propaganda video as its icon. YouTube removed the video by March 25.

The website advertised in the video, currently on the .de domain, has previously been removed from numerous web domains. The website contains violent ISIS propaganda videos, the terror group’s weekly newsletters, and Amaq News updates. The website has been changing domain names since at least March 2020. A similar video advertising the website was located on YouTube in December 2020 and February 2021.

Pro-ISIS Website Located

CEP researchers located an English language pro-ISIS website that contains numerous articles from the official ISIS weekly newsletter Al-Naba and an English language pro-ISIS publication. The website also includes many works from individuals affiliated with ISIS, the Islamic State of Iraq, or al-Qaeda. Content on the website consists of religious justifications for violence and praise for ISIS. The site uses Blue Host as its name server and Fast Domain as its registrar.

Neo-Nazi Propaganda, Including Atomwaffen Division Videos, Located on Instagram

The week of March 21 to March 27, CEP researchers located multiple pieces of neo-Nazi content on Instagram. One account posted a copy of James Mason’s book Siege for sale on the platform. An account active for three months posted multiple pieces of neo-Nazi propaganda, including images glorifying the Christchurch attacker and advocating acts of terrorism, and segments from a neo-Nazi podcast. Another account posted an Atomwaffen Division propaganda video that had been on the site for one month and viewed 35 times. Another account posted multiple neo-Nazi propaganda clips in 2021, including three videos originally made by the Atomwaffen Division, all posted on March 11 or March 12. The same account also posted videos that showed violent attacks committed against people of color and an image glorifying the Christchurch attacker. Videos posted by this account had dozens of likes or views. Another user identified themselves in their profile as a “supporter” of the Christchurch attacker and made a veiled reference to the terrorist attack in their Instagram username.

After content was reported for violating Instagram’s Community Guidelines, an account that uploaded several Atomwaffen Division videos was removed, as was the account that praised the Christchurch attacker, however the account that advertised Siege was not removed, nor was the post. An account that posted an Atomwaffen Division video and various other pieces of neo-Nazi propaganda had those specific posts removed, but the account itself was allowed to remain on the platform.

Bomb Making Instructions Located on Neo-Nazi Telegram Channel and Telegra.ph Platform

CEP researchers located a neo-Nazi Telegram channel that posted several bomb-making manuals and guides to homemade production of firearms, including craft production and 3D printed weapons. The channel advocated using violence in multiple posts, including praising white supremacist terrorists such as Anders Breivik and posting a video showing the beheading and shooting execution of two men allegedly from 2007. One of the bomb instruction manuals on the channel initially appeared in an English language al-Qaeda magazine. CEP researchers also found explosives making instructions on the Telegra.ph platform posted on an affiliated Telegram channel. The step-by-step explosives guide was originally posted on Telegra.ph in November 2019. Neither the Telegram channel, nor the Telegra.ph link were removed approximately three days after they were reported to Telegram for violating their Terms of Service regarding the promotion of violence.

Neo-Nazi Clothing and Accessories Located on Teespring

CEP researchers located a store on Teespring selling clothing and accessories with Nazi and neo-Nazi iconography, including versions of the SS death’s head and insignia for a Waffen SS division active during World War II. CEP has previously found similar content on Teespring, such as shirts and stickers celebrating white supremacist terrorist attacks, including the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and anti-Semitic shirts. Teespring’s Terms of Service prohibit content used to “promote or glorify hatred toward people based on their age, race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and religion, including people, organizations or symbols dedicated to hatred against these groups.” The store was still online three days after CEP reported it to Teespring.

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Personal note: These issues never seem to stop more and Counter Extremism is occurring more everyday. It's a mad house out there nowadays and it keeps growing! How do we stop it - I don't know?
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