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Rita Katz

Feb 23 • 10 tweets • 5 min read

@SITE_FRFL

1) As the Russia-Ukraine situation escalates, @SITE_FRFL has tracked the profound ripple effects emerging across far-right extremist communities in Ukraine, Russia, and across the West.

The following thread will provide ongoing updates on SITE’s findings.

2) Extensive online recruitment efforts have been seen from pro-Russia Donetsk militias, as well as far-right Ukrainian paramilitary groups like Azov: fundraising, enlisting potential fighters and medics, etc. ent.siteintelgroup.com/Far-Right-/-Fa…

3) In Ukraine, such far-right paramilitary entities are fundraising via an array of methods, from major Ukrainian financial institutions to crypto currency and mobile applications. ent.siteintelgroup.com/Terrorism-Fina…

4) Yet another sign of the times that the Internet—specifically, social media, messenger platforms, and fintech—are playing such a major role. These Ukraine-Russia wartime tensions on the ground are very much reflected online as well.

5) Pro-Russian #Donbass separatist militias are celebrating #Kyiv explosions, announcing:“this is the price” the pro-European Ukrainians are paying for installing a “Jewish” regime, adding:"Liberation of #Ukraine has begun...will be freed from the scum illegally placed in power"

6) Unsurprising but somehow still shocking - #QAnon followers actually claiming the explosions in #Kyiv, elsewhere are fake news promoted by "deep state"

https://twitter.com/SITE_FRFL/status/1496869542093627402

7) Western white nationalist and Neo-Nazi channels are rallying behind Ukrainians—specifically, their “full support” for far-right paramilitary groups like Azov, which such users have called “The best militant formation after the year 1945.”

https://twitter.com/SITE_FRFL/status/1496869542093627402

https://twitter.com/SITE_FRFL/status/1496898236493316098

8) Noteworthy: in an Azov recruitment chat group in recent days, non-Ukrainians inquiring about joining have been turned away--and in one case redirected toward other volunteer militias. It is unclear if this reflects a larger recruitment shift for Azov

https://twitter.com/SITE_FRFL/status/1496898236493316098

9) Breaking: Azov recruitment channel invites "all volunteers from other countries to defend Ukraine," providing address, phone number & contact. This will certainly trump recent instances of recruiters denying prospects from other countries (see my prev. tweet). #UkraineRussia

10)Ukraine is "Deep State's Hiroshima": QAnon supporters overwhelmingly pro-Russia, as reported by SITE. Cont's longstanding trend of sympathy of Putin, akin to Trump’s role within movement, alongside antipathy to “globalist” institutions like NATO.

ent.siteintelgroup.com/Ukraine-Russia…

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Rita Katz

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Feb 3

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https://twitter.com/Rita_Katz/status/1189924858571952128

2) ISIS announced Abu Ibrahim as its leader on October 31, 2019, per its Shura Council, less than a week after death of Baghdadi.

The statement claimed--via the "Qurayshi" in his name--he was from Quraysh tribe, which the Prophet Muhammad was from.

https://twitter.com/Rita_Katz/status/1189924858571952128

3) However, Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Quraysh is only his 'kunya' (nomme de guerre). ISIS never provided a name, never provided a picture, no speeches, nothing. Existed to supporters only by this alias.

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The suspect, reportedly named Muahmmad Siddqui, can be heard in livestreamed footage of the event exclaiming: “I care about her, that’s why i do it.”

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Rita Katz

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1) Over the next 36 hours, I will be tweeting commentary, analysis and breaking news around the impact of the 9/11 anniversary on terrorist and extremist groups in the U.S. and worldwide.

2) The 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks justifiably has U.S. security agencies on high alert. It is important to remain vigilant, as with every anniversary of the tragedy, which is consistently celebrated by al-Qaeda and their supporters worldwide.

3) However, what is new this year is the fact that al-Qaeda and the jihadist landscape has been transformed in recent weeks. They've expanded propaganda and recruitment campaigns, celebrating what they see as their biggest victory since 2001: Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

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Rita Katz

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Aug 26, 2021

https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/1430667319508938753

US consular affairs issued a warning to Americans remaining in Afghanistan to avoid coming to #Kabul airport, and those there to “leave immediately.” This seems to be directly related to #ISIS, which is going to attempt to capitalize on chaos and hinder US exit.

https://twitter.com/TravelGov/status/1430667319508938753

https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec/status/1430888975917453313?s=20

Following last night's warning of an imminent threat, Pentagon has confirmed an explosion outside #KabulAiport. Casualties are not confirmed but Pentagon states there will be update.

https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec/status/1430888975917453313?s=20

@BBCWorld

From @BBCWorld, the explosion occurred at the Abbey gate entrance, and a US official told Reuters that the explosion was caused by a suicide bomber.
---
No group has claimed responsibility, but this bears the hallmarks of an #ISIS strike.

bbc.com/news/live/worl…

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Rita Katz

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Aug 25, 2021

Thread
1)Jihadists aren’t the only extremists mobilized by Afghanistan: white supremacist &neo-Nazis are capitalizing on events, expressing desire to emulate Taliban’s defeat of “western Imperialism”:“If they can. We can”) & violent rhetoric about “invasions” by displaced Afghans

2) Our forthcoming bulletin on far-right extremists lays out these alarming red flags in detail. We've seen an outpouring of violent anti-refugee commentary, threatening refugees and those willing to host them.

3) Users discuss armed resistance to stop the “Great Replacement” of whites, and targeted attacks on refugee assistance organizations ("burn the offices"... "This is an enemy invasion! Arm yourself!")

Read 5 tweets

Rita Katz

@Rita_Katz

Aug 16, 2021

1) The Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan is the most significant boost to al-Qaeda since 9/11 and a triumph for the global jihadist movement. Jihadists' exuberant responses (which I will sample in this thread) are critical signals for what’s to come in the fight against terror.

2) Jihadists' reactions underscore a critical point: What is happening in Afghanistan is far from a local issue. From celebrations in Idlib mosques to al-Qaeda supporters handing sweets in Gaza, every corner of the movement is getting a major injection of recruitment capital.

3) The celebrations coming in many forms. In Gaza, a video is circulating of the al-Qaeda-linked Jaysh al-Umma fighters celebrating and handing out sweets to residents. In Yemen, celebrators set off fireworks.