Russia

Government & Politics

Conservatives ask for foreign interference inquiry to look specifically at Iran 'Iranian foreign interference is an active, present threat in Canada, and one that the current government has not taken appropriate action on'

January 30, 2024   

(National Post) The federal Conservatives are asking for the inquiry into foreign interference to look specifically at Iran’s potential meddling in Canada’s elections. The inquiry began hearings this week on the topic of foreign interference in Canada. It was created after multiple […]

Law Enforcement

Dissidents in London on high terror alert despite sanctions on Iran’s IRGC 'We have to be lucky all the time,' say UK-based journalists under threat from Tehran

January 30, 2024   

(National-UAE) Vigilance against threats from Iran has increased significantly despite sanctions being imposed, journalists threatened by Tehran have told the National. Officials at the London-based Iran International TV channel, which has found itself in Tehran’s crosshairs, say they “have to be lucky […]

Government & Politics

Islamic group calling for Shariah law cancels Canadian event after U.K. declares it a terrorist entity The group’s statements are seen as starkly antisemitic, hawkish on eradicating Israel, and supporting elements of militant jihadi violence

January 24, 2024   

(National Post) The day after an Islamic organization was declared a terrorist group in Britain, the group’s Canadian branch cancelled a conference it was hosting this weekend that was calling for the resurrection of the Muslim caliphate and the imposition of Shariah […]

Crime

Court convicts first pro-Assad war crimes defendant in Netherlands While the Dutch have brought several Syrians to trial for crimes committed during their country’s civil war, previous defendants were all members of opposition forces.

January 22, 2024   

(Courthouse News) Dutch judges sentenced a former militia commander to 12 years in prison for complicity in torture and illegal detention on Monday, marking the first conviction of a pro-government Syrian defendant in the Netherlands. The 35-year-old, identified only as Mustafa A., […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Controversial government anti-racism consultant Laith Marouf is running now an anti-Israel channel Laith Marouf is the government-funded anti-racism consultant who had a record [of] hateful tweets about Jews, Francophones and black people

January 18, 2024   

(National Post) Laith Marouf, the government-funded anti-racism consultant whose record of hateful tweets became an embarrassing controversy for the Liberals, is now the director of an anti-Israel online broadcaster. Free Palestine Television (FPTV) was launched after the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians […]

Demonstrations

Outright Jew-hatred and support for terrorists on display during ‘March for Gaza’ in Washington From Hamas and Al-Qaeda flags to references to the Rothschilds and Nazis, ralliers went well beyond just 'from the river to the sea.'

January 15, 2024   

(JNS) Speakers at a “March for Gaza” in Washington on Jan. 13 promised that Israel would cease to exist and, to the cheers of thousands of attendees, accused U.S. President Joe Biden of supporting genocide against Palestinians. Osama Abuirshaid, executive director of […]

Government & Politics

American intel officials warn of risk of Hezbollah attacking U.S. Hezbollah has more capability to strike inside the U.S. than other terrorist groups like ISIS, officials say.

January 10, 2024 and   

(Politico) U.S. officials assess that there’s a rising risk Lebanese Hezbollah militants will strike Americans in the Middle East — and even potentially hit inside the United States, four officials familiar with the intelligence told POLITICO. The Iran-backed militant group would likely […]

Legal

Man jailed for spying on Iran International TV channel in London to help terror plotters Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev told the jury at his Old Bailey trial he 'quite simply liked' the buildings and architecture surrounding the west London headquarters of the Iranian television channel.

December 22, 2023   

(Sky News) A Chechen-born man has been jailed after being found guilty of spying on a London-based dissident Iranian TV station to help terror plotters. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, was accused of conducting surveillance on the west London headquarters of Iran International as […]

Legal

Man guilty of spying on London-based TV channel Iran International to help terror plotters Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev was accused of conducting surveillance on a media company that was critical of Iran. Asked why he had taken an interest in the building he told the court he was 'in wonder at the architecture.'

December 20, 2023   

(Sky News) A Chechen-born man has been found guilty of spying on a London-based dissident Iranian TV station to help terror plotters. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, was accused of conducting surveillance on the west London headquarters of Iran International as part of a […]

Books

Hugo Micheron: ‘The jihad has shifted from terrorist cells to families’ The French political scientist, an expert in Islamist extremism, cautions against becoming complacent about terrorism in Europe

December 19, 2023   

(El País) Hugo Micheron, one of the brightest in a long line of French Arabists, recently published La colère et l’oubli (Anger and oblivion, in French), a history of European jihadism in which he explores a landscape still marked by ignorance and […]

Legal

Man accused of terror spying trip to London claims he took video of TV station in ‘wonder’ of architecture Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, is on trial at the Old Bailey charged with attempting to collect information useful for terrorism. He claims he was 'in wonder' at the architecture in West London and was 'set up.'

December 14, 2023   

(Sky News) A Chechen-born man accused of being an “international terrorist” conducting hostile reconnaissance against a dissident Iranian TV station in West London has claimed he was “set up.” Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, is accused of conducting surveillance on Iran International at the […]

Legal

Russian-speaking man accused of ‘hostile reconnaissance’ for TV station terror attack told police he was sightseeing in London Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev told security guards outside Iran International's former headquarters in Chiswick that he was in the area to visit a friend and to go sightseeing in London.

December 12, 2023   

(Sky News) A Russian-speaking man accused of conducting hostile reconnaissance for a terrorist attack on a dissident Iranian TV station in West London told police he was on a weekend sightseeing visit in the capital, a court has heard. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, […]

Legal

Man ‘spied on HQ of London-based TV channel Iran International to help terror plotters’ Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, told security guards outside the channel's headquarters that he was in the area to visit a friend. But he was later arrested by police after he was seen filming the building on his mobile phone, a court was told.

December 11, 2023   

(Sky News) An Austrian man is on trial accused of carrying out “hostile reconnaissance” of a TV station in London that was potentially being targeted for a terrorist attack. Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev is said to have tried to covertly film security arrangements outside […]

Interfaith

Planned attack against Jews in Cyprus thwarted The recent arrest of two Iranians in [Cyprus] highlight[s] vulnerabilities and diplomatic challenges for the Republic

December 10, 2023   

(Kathimerini) The Cypriot police arrested two Iranians last month, alleging their connection to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards of Iran (IRGC), targeting Jewish citizens in Cyprus. The individuals are currently in custody, with a deportation warrant. This marks the third incident in the […]

Academics & Education

Paty murder trial shines a light on France’s democracy Six minors are standing trial in Paris for their alleged role in the killing of a teacher. But some feel the authorities are missing this opportunity to examine the state of freedom of expression in France.

December 7, 2023   

(Deutsche Welle) The killing of French history teacher Samuel Paty on October 16, 2020, left the country in deep shock. And yet, some feel the first court case on the alleged role of six minors in the attack is failing to bring about […]

Interfaith

Germany on guard against terrorism Against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war and one-off attacks closer to home, German authorities are confronting a 'complex threat situation.' Some observers warn against exaggerating the danger.

December 5, 2023   

(Deutsche Welle) A handful of isolated but high-profile incidents have put politically motivated crime high on Germany’s security agenda. The renewed fears follow a German tourist getting stabbed to death in Paris last weekend, allegedly by a man with a history of criminal […]

Demonstrations

MOT: Russia planned Islamophobic campaigns in Finland, Sweden to delay Nato membership The Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo) confirms that they were aware of the Russian intelligence service's plans to incite such demonstrations.

December 4, 2023   

(Yle) Russia made plans to disrupt Finland and Sweden’s accession to joining Nato, according to a secret intelligence report obtained by an Yle MOT investigation. The report found that a Russian intelligence service planned to organise disruption campaigns disguised as demonstrations before […]

Government & Politics

More EU countries threaten to close Russian borders amid migrant surge Latvia and Lithuania say they are monitoring the situation, after Finland accused Moscow of ‘cynical’ actions.

December 4, 2023   

(Politico) A growing number of asylum seekers arriving on the EU’s eastern frontier is forcing Baltic countries to consider border closures with Russia, due to fears the Kremlin is weaponizing desperate people to create a migration crisis on the continent. Latvia, Lithuania […]

Government & Politics

Far-right leader’s anti-mosque remarks could undermine Sweden’s NATO bid: former Swedish envoy Jimmie Akesson's suggestion to demolish mosques is extreme, unfortunate, says Michael Sahlin, Sweden's former ambassador to Türkiye

November 26, 2023   

(Anadolu) A far-right Swedish politician proposing blocking new mosques and demolishing existing ones could undermine the country’s NATO hopes, warned a former Swedish diplomat on Sunday. Jimmie Akesson, leader of the country’s far-right Sweden Democrats, on Saturday proposed a ban on the […]