TRACWatch

13 MAY 2020

Weekly Analyst Review

Photo Above: Poster is a version of Felix The Cat cartoon strip, often used in far right extremism propaganda circulated throughout social media.

Bottom Line Up Front: I ncreasingly, the extreme far right groups are positioning the COVID-19 pandemic regulations as a battle between the proletariat and the upper class. Capitalism and big business are seen as using the working man to carry the risk burden while the wealthy remain safe in their homes. TRAC Analyst, Kelsey Tamplin uncovered the first poster reaction to the #RentStrike call to action circulated by white nationalists via Telegram. The poster immediately followed a video depicting what appeared to be an actual sabotage of the fire suppression system by disgruntled workers who purportedly had just been fired from a hangar at Heathrow airport.

Top Incidents & Analysis

Photo Above: Scene from one of the explosions near a 'market' (details vague), circulated via @Baghdad_Post

TRAC Incident Report: Islamic State Claims Five Separate Bombings Targeting Civilians in Baghdad, Iraq Senior TRAC Analyst, Daniel Lebowitz has been tracking the recent bombings in Baghdad, Iraq. Currently, Baghdad is beset with protests against the government and economic difficulties. Hundreds of demonstrators were in the streets on 10 May, the day that Islamic State allegedly detonated five explosives, targeting Shi'ite civilians across the city on both sides of the Tigris river. At least 3 civilians were wounded in one of the bombings. It is important to note that Isl amic State hasn't claimed an operation within Baghdad since at least November 2019.

(Poster / Instructional Advice) Anonymous Left Wing Anarchist: "Drone Down - 5 Widely Accessible Ways to Take Down Drones"  Increasingly, anarchists are advising individuals to break Coronavirus restrictions imposed by governments. TRAC discovered a poster, distributed by anarchists in French and English, with the advice that is clearly meant to advise potential lone wolves to be used in an urban environment and target the drones monitoring crowd behavior during pandemic. The surveillance drones are considered draconian and the downing of drones is positioned as "Increasing the Resistance" because of the government's social control.

Image Above:  A portion of the poster with suggestions on how to destroy drones was distributed in French and English.

Photo Above: Owner of Big Daddy Zane's Bar, Gabrielle Ellison, was arrested in Odessa, Texas, for disregarding Governor Abbott's Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency protocols by opening her establishment.

Bar Owner and Six Armed Men Arrested 'Protesting' Coronavirus Regulations; Extreme Right Wing Followers Celebrate Incident as "Beginning of Boogaloo" in Odessa, Texas, United States Right Wing Extremist deemed a protest over the arrests of a bar owner in Odessa, Texas for violating coronavirus closures as the beginning of the "Boogaloo." The term refers to a race war that extremists see as inevitable and ultimately bringing the collapse of the US government. Eco-Fascists and other white nationalists online have continuously promoted the idea of arming themselves due to the "war on whites." As the Coronavirus pandemic has manifested, white nationalists have continued to recruit Second Amendment supporters by positioning that COVID-19 regulations by the government threatens their liberties, rights and weapons.

On Our Radar:

Operation Thunder Strike (Nigerian Air Force) Lead a Strike that Killed 17 Militants in Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, Nigeria

Silvia Costanza Romano, an Italian Aid Worker Returns to Rome after Being Kidnapped in Kenya by Somali Militants and Held Hostage for 18 Months in East Africa near Mogadishu, Somalia

Two Bodies Recovered when Police and Fire Department Responded to a Burning Vehicle (Possible correlation to drug trafficking) in Municipality of Cadereyta, Nuevo León, Mexico

TRAC Weekly Analyst Briefing As many of our clients know, we invite one organization a week to sit in on our Analyst Briefing. The briefings take place at 10 AM US eastern time and last an hour. We meet virtually in TRAC's online conference center. If your organization is interested in attending, please schedule with the link below. We look forward to having you join us and ask questions. Attend Weekly Analyst Briefing

2020 Past Newsletters

06 May 2020 28 April 2020 21 April 2020 15 April 2020 08 April 2020 01 April 2020 24 March 2020 17 March 2020 11 March 2020 04 March 2020 24 February 2020 18 February 2020 11 February 2020 06 February 2020 28 January 2020 21 January 2020 14 January 2020 News Announcement

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