Tag: extremism

Jobs, not doctrine, the lure for Africa’s jihadists: UN

by Nina LARSON  Agence France-Presse GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — Poverty and the prospect of better-paid work, rather than ideology, are what fuel recruitment to jihadist and other violent groups in Africa, the United Nations said Tuesday. The conclusion casts doubt on conventional wisdom that religious doctrine is the main lure for joining groups like Boko Haram, al-Shabaab and the Al-Qaeda-linked Support Group for Islam and Muslims (GSIM). The UN Development Programme (UNDP) in 2021 interviewed […]

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US issues new terrorism threat warning ahead of 9/11 anniversary

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US Department of Homeland Security issued a new terrorism threat advisory on Friday ahead of the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks and amid a resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic. The National Terrorism Advisory System Bulletin said the United States faces a “heightened threat environment” from both domestic terrorists “and those inspired or motivated by foreign terrorists and other malign foreign influences.” It cited increased use of “online […]

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Student symposium to counter violent extremism held in Manila

A high-ranking United States Army official has acknowledged the role of the Philippine National Police’s Special Action Force’s engagement with communities and universities to the Philippines’ “whole of nation approach to countering violent extremism.” U.S. Army Capt. Robert Barnes made the statement after the PNP-SAF held a  regional student leadership symposium focused on countering violent extremism on June 23 and 24 in Manila. Barnes and Sgt. Luke Wernette of the Embassy’s Military Information Support Team assisted […]

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Former Afghan president Karzai proposes ways to establish peace in Afghanistan; warns vs dangers of extremism

  By Malou Francisco EBC Europe correspondent Eagle News Service BONN, Germany (Eagle News) — The former President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai proposed ways of establishing lasting peace and stability in his country, making it a place of international cooperation and not confrontation. He made it clear that success can only happen if the Afghans are the ones truly in-charge of the peace process and their internal affairs. “Peace can come only when the United […]

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Austrian govt vows to deal with anti-semitism

VIENNA, Austria (AFP) — New Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday used his first post-election speech to vow to make “combating anti-Semitism in all its forms” a top priority. “We will determinedly fight anti-Semitism  in all its forms — those already existent but also imported into our country as an essential duty of our government,” said the youthful conservative whose coalition also contains the hard right Freedom Party. Kurz made his vow three days after neighboring Germany’s interior […]

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Facebook launches plan to combat online extremism

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — US social media giant Facebook launched a campaign in Britain on Friday to counter the spread of online extremism following warnings from Prime Minister Theresa May after four terror attacks in three months. Facebook said it would seek to educate charities and other organisations on how to fight hate speech, in the wake of recent terror attacks in Belgium, Britain and France. The Online Civil Courage Initiative (OCCI) will act […]

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Google steps up efforts to block extremism, following Facebook

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Google is stepping up its efforts to block “extremist and terrorism-related videos” over its platforms, using a combination of technology and human monitors. The measures announced Sunday come on the heels of similar efforts unveiled by Facebook last week, and follow a call by the Group of Seven leaders last month for the online giants to do more to curb online extremist content. “While we and others have worked for […]

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Saudi and allies cut Qatar ties in diplomatic crisis

by Ian Timberlake with David Harding in Doha Agence France-Presse RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia and several of its allies on Monday cut relations with Qatar, accusing it of supporting extremism, in the biggest diplomatic crisis to have hit the region in years. Bahrain, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and the Maldives also severed ties with gas-rich Qatar, which Riyadh accused of supporting groups, including some backed by Iran, “that aim to destabilize […]

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After Manchester, May targets online extremism at G7

BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) — British Prime Minister Theresa May will urge internet companies to do more to remove extremist content Friday as she makes a shortened visit to the G7 summit following the Manchester attack. As British authorities hunt accomplices of the bomber who killed 22 people at a concert on Monday, May will use a meeting with world leaders in Italy to emphasize the importance of tackling the spread of terror online. “The threat […]

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Extremism and the social media

QUEZON City, Philippines (September 1) – Popular social media and micro-blogging site Twitter made the news after suspending almost 235,000 accounts for violating policies banning use of the platform to promote extremism in the first half of 2016. The company said that it has suspended a total of 360,000 accounts since June 2015. All of the accounts that are suspended promoted terrorism by posting hate speech, violent threats and terrorist propaganda online. Twitter is known worldwide for […]

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Dallas attack spotlights America’s intolerant fringe: experts

by Leila MACOR MIAMI, United States (AFP) — The Dallas ambush by a black gunman targeting white police is the latest spasm of fury that reflects what experts see as a rising tide of extremism and intolerance on the fringes of American society. Fueling the country’s polarization are racial tension, anger with establishment politicians and economic inequality, says the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors racist and hate groups in the United States. Micah Johnson, […]

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