TRACWatch
Weekly Analyst Review
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT: Racist circles on Telegram continue to intermix other fringe ideologies such as Q-Anon, disenfranchised US voters, and anti-vaccination movements in the hopes of inspiring more people to attack soft targets. Targeting vaccination efforts is commonplace in countries such as Afghanistan, unheard of in the West. Increasingly, messages such as the one below are being circulated in the name of 'freedom of government oppression'.  The Telegram channel claims that the videos that are circulating on Twitter and Telegram of people filming door to door vaccine volunteers isn't enough to dissuade the mass vaccination effort. Instead, shooting or sniping at the volunteers would scare the vaccination teams would be enough to stop the mass vaccination effort. The extreme far right hide in plain sight, often using sarcasm to allow for some kind of plausible deniability. Just because the message ends 'I don't condone it' means exactly opposite of the authors intentions.
Images (above): Book cover; (below) Screenshot Telegram channel recommending the book
(Right Wing Extremism / PDF) Ryan Fletcher aka "Fashy Fletcher" Self-Published Anti-Semitic Children's Book "Beware of the Bad Few"
On-line fascists often identify themselves as "fash" or "fashy", Ryan Fletcher aka "Fashy Fletcher" ran in 2013 as a Federal Senate candidate in Australia. Currently he writes for the extreme far right XYZ media house. His description on XYZ bio page states "Ryan is a pan-Aryan zealot, who praises Kek five times a day, while studying for his Doctorate in Zionology from /pol/ University." His on-line influence extends farther than Australia to any English-speaking audience. Ryan Fletcher's attempt to indoctrinate children into accepting anti-Semitic views is hiding in plain sight. As per the title "Beware of the Bad Few", the word few is to be replaced with Jew throughout the child's novel. Additionally, the cartoon Mickey Mouse on the cover page is pejorative, with a hunched back and exaggerated nose - a familiar crude outline of the 'Happy Merchant' cartoon that anti-Semites use from both the extreme far right and the extreme far left to insult Jews as greedy and ugly. The book is written in rhyme but it is unclear how much appeal it will have to children as the cartoons are un-engaging. The real appeal is to the parents who might attempt to read and reread the book to establish anti-Semitic base thoughts, even if subliminal. 
TRAC INCIDENT REPORT: Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) Armed Assault on Military Barracks, Five Soldiers Burned To Death, in Zigué, Logone-et-Chari, Far North, Cameroon
On 27 July, Islamic State West Africa (ISWA) fighters attacked the military barracks in Zigué. Stealing various types of weapons and ammunition, as well as a pickup truck with a large-caliber machine gun (NSV-12.7). Before leaving, the assailants set the barracks on fire, five Cameroon soldiers burned to death as well as one civilian on the base. Three more soldiers were injured in the attack. The folding in of Boko Haram (Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad) fighters into Islamic State West Africa (ISWA / ISWAP) after Shekau's death has greatly expanded ISWA's ability to attack in Cameroon's far North region. ISWA has strengthened in three departments in the Far North: Logoni-et-Shori, Mayo-Sava, Mayo-Tsanga. Locals have been warning of this new development and requesting more security assistance from the military. 
Today's attack appears to have been yet another resupply mission and marks the third attack on a military outpost this week. ISCA attacked barracks on 21st, 22nd, and now 27th of July 2021 in Cameroon's Far North region.
Images (above): Scene of attack; map inset of location.
‌
(Selfie Photos) Islamic State East Asia (ISEA) Fighters Operating in the Muslim Region of Mindanao, Philippines
Circulating selfie photos from the Philippines used to be commonplace among both Islamic State Philippines (ISEA) - Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF / ISEA) fighters on Facebook in 2017-2019. Though these photos were detected by TRAC on Telegram, Facebook is likely the original source because that is the main platform ISEA fighters use to communicate. Given the location of the base camp where photos were purportedly taken, the ISEA group is most likely Maute Group / Islamic State of Lanao / Daulat Ul Islamiya / Daulah Islamiyah (ISEA). In mid June 2021, TRAC detected another unofficial video showing Maute fighters regrouping in Marawi. It should be noted that it wasn't that long ago that official images were released from Islamic State Central Command from the Philippines. On 20 July 2021, ISEA released 'Diaries of the Soldiers of the Caliphate During Eid al-Adha Mubarak' from an undisclosed location in the Philippines.
There appears to be roughly 21 fighters operating in the base camp.
On Our Radar:
Our integrative platform helps organizations assess and manage the risk environment. TRACFusion combines the contextual power and data of TRAC’s award-winning online digital repository with direct encrypted chat access to an assigned analyst, we extend an organization’s collection capabilities and expertise. We become partners who are able to provide “red cell” thinking and “outside” perspective. Contact us for more information.
Attend 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.
2021 Past Newsletters