Counter Extremism Perspectives

Left-Wing Extremism and Antisemitism

Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler and Alexander Ritzmann are joined by journalist and author Nicholas Potter—who has faced death threats and intimidation because of his work—to discuss the rise in left-wing extremism and antisemitism. They talk about groups on the left that put aside ideological differences to create larger networks united in anti-democratic, illiberal and antisemitic causes.  Further reading: The New Authoritarian Left: An Acute Threat to Democratic Society [https://www.dtv.de/buch/die-neue-autoritaere-linke-26448] by Nicholas Potter.

Return of the Leader: Robert Rundo's Impact on the Violent Extreme-Right Active Club Network

Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler and Alexander Ritzmann discuss Alexander’s new Counter Extremism Project Policy Brief on Active Clubs (ACs) and the main strategic propaganda messages by the network’s co-founder and figurehead Robert Rundo since his public return in June 2025. ACs are a decentralized, transnational violent network of white supremacist groups that publicly promote combat sports, fitness training, and white brotherhood. Read Alexander Ritzmann’s Policy Brief: Return of the Leader - Robert Rundo´s Impact on the Violent Extreme-Right Active Club Network [https://www.counterextremism.com/content/return-leader-robert-rundos-impact-violent-extreme-right-active-club-network]

Disinformation and 'The Noise War'

Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler and Alexander Ritzmann are joined by JJ Green—journalist and author of The Noise War—to unpack the mechanics of disinformation: how to spot it, why it works, how it corrodes trust and fractures nations, and what can be done to fight back in an age of constant information warfare. JJ Green is the National Security Correspondent at WTOP and the author of The Noise War: How to Fight Disinformation and Find the Truth When Everything Is Lying to You [https://www.amazon.co.uk/Noise-War-Fight-Disinformation-Everything/dp/B0GBY6SHGJ]—a frontline guide to navigating a world where truth is under sustained attack.

Islamic State's Propaganda Evolution Since October 7

Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler and Alexander Ritzmann are joined by Sean McCafferty to discuss how the October 7 attacks changed online extremism, including Islamic State’s (IS) response. Since IS lost its final territorial holdout in Baghuz, Syria, in March 2019, the group’s global presence, propaganda output, and online ecosystem have evolved significantly, including to a more decentralised approach, characterised by a surge in output from its regional affiliates in Africa and South Asia. Sean is EU GLOCTER PhD Fellow, seconded to CEP and author of a blog post on Islamic State Propaganda Evolution Since October 7 [https://www.counterextremism.com/blog/islamic-state-propaganda-evolution-october-7-content] which is part of CEP’s CounterPoint series [https://www.counterextremism.com/news-and-media/blog].

The Role of Scams and Sport in Terrorist Financing

Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler and Alexander Ritzmann are joined once again by Elena Martynova to explore two underexamined areas of terrorist financing: the targeting of individuals through sophisticated scam operations and the growing exploitation of the sports sector as a financial vehicle. Drawing on Elena’s recent CEP blogs, they examine how extremist groups increasingly leverage fraud schemes, online betting, and parts of the wider sports industry to generate funds—and what this means for policymakers and practitioners working to disrupt these evolving financial networks. Elena’s CEP blogs: Terrorist Financing Through Scams: Current Evidence and Emerging Risks [https://www.counterextremism.com/blog/terrorist-financing-through-scams-current-evidence-and-emerging-risks] and  The Overlooked Nexus between Sports and Extremism Financing [https://www.counterextremism.com/blog/overlooked-nexus-between-sports-and-extremism-financing]