CEP Strategic Advisor Liam Duffy writes: "In other ways, Lee Rigby’s murder was the kind of gruesome spectacle that al-Qaeda’s leadership would later warn against, but which Islamic State would make their hallmark. A gruesome spectacle, but a shoddy and amateurish one, too: Adebolajo and Adebowale rammed Lee Rigby with a Vauxhall Tigra before trying, and failing, to behead their victim. The rusty antique revolver they had acquired malfunctioned, and they were denied martyrdom by arriving armed police."

CEP Senior Advisor & CEP Senior Director Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler write: "Political instability in one country will inevitably have a particularly strong spillover effect across its borders. The takeover of power by the Taliban in August 2021 and the re-establishment of their regime in Afghanistan represented a shock to regional and transnational security dynamics, with neighbouring countries fearing that activities of Islamist terrorist groups present in Afghanistan would spill over into their territory. The Taliban maintain close ties with Islamist terrorist groups, essentially acting as their protector."

"Against the backdrop of rising terrorism and tension, China is now trying to negotiate peace in the Middle East.

On this week’s edition of 'The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green,' Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director at the Counter Extremism Project, said this is not a strong endorsement of U.S. influence in the region."

"'It means we need to be perfect 100% of the time. They need to be perfect only once,' said Hans-Jakob Schindler, Sr. Director of the Counter Extremism Project, in an interview.
Schindler said terror groups are essentially waiting for the right opportunity to attack western countries.

...'In their eyes, they defeated the international community in Afghanistan,' he said. 'They defeated the international community and French forces, which are withdrawing from West Africa. In the grand scheme of things, the jihadists really feel they have the upper hand right now.'"

"A recent report from the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), a non-profit NGO that monitors revenue streams for terrorism and extremism, found illegal wildlife trafficking was experiencing a post-pandemic resurgence."

On this week’s edition of “The Hunt with WTOP national security correspondent J.J. Green,” Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director at the Counter Extremist Project, sees an alarming growth in terrorism emanating from Afghanistan.