Weekly Analyst Review

15 June 2022

Bottom Line Up Front

June is Pride Month, and across the globe, there are many events planned celebrating members of the LBGTQ community. On Saturday, 11 June 2022, Coeur D'Alene in Kootenai County Idaho became somewhat of an epicenter for right-wing extremist protests against the 'Pride in the Park' event, which attracts hundreds of attendees.

In the days leading up to the Pride event, the Proud Boys chapter in Coeur D'Alene disseminated propaganda entitled, 'No one is coming. Its up to us.' Another group that came to protest are the Panhandle Patriots, who showed up armed and planted themselves on the perimeter of the event. The Patriot Front arrived at the event with plans to not just protest, but to cause a riot. Authorities were alerted to reports of a 'little army' piling into a U-Haul truck and were able to thwart a major incident. A total of 31 Patriot Front members were arrested, including their leader, Thomas Ryan Rousseau, and charged with criminal conspiracy to riot. Additionally, authorities confiscated homemade riot shields, protective gear, and at least one smoke grenade.

This arrest of Patriot Front members is significant because the group is well known for their aggressive propaganda and rhetoric, but not really for their outright violence. However, a few days prior to the Pride in the Park event, the Patriot Front released a video of their Memorial Day Training Camp, in which they alluded to some type of physical operation that is to take place on 04 July 2022. It is not yet known if this physical operation is focused on a group-level "independence day" or a national-level "Independence Day." If the intention is a national one, then it is possible that the group's presence at the Coeur D'Alene Pride event was meant to be a small-scale preview of the 04 July operation the group is planning.

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Other Developments

TRAC Insight:

Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP) Releases a Message Concerning the Prophet Remark Row in India

Image: Screenshot from ISK Video Message released on 14 June 2022

In a televised debate back on 25 May 2022, Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) spokeswoman, Nupur Sharma made controversial remarks about the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad. Since the debate aired, Sharma and the BJP Media director have been suspended, but not before Muslims around the world perceived her remarks as a direct attack on their faith.

In recent days, Islamic State Khurasan (ISK) released a pamphlet urging Indian Muslims to wage jihad against Hindus. Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) issued their warning to the Hindu community, stating they should prepare for attacks in Delhi, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. And most recently, on 14 June 2022, ISK released a message concerning the Prophet remark row in India. This message, purportedly delivered by video, covered the controversial remarks made by ex-BJP spokeswoman, Nupur Sharma, the Taliban’s (IEA) improving relations with India, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a Gurudwara (Sikh temple).

TRAC Incident Report:

Rumored Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS) Elements

Conduct Large Scale Armed Assault Attack on Civilians,

Killing at Least 100, in Seytenga, Seno, Burkina Faso

Image: Aftermath of the attack.

On 11 June 2022, rumored Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS) elements committed a large scaled armed assault and arson attack on the town of Seytenga, Seno in Burkina Faso. The militants went door to door in the village an executed civilians, especially targeting males. Then, the militants burned down the village. There are conflicting reports on the exact number of casualties, but the number is somewhere between 100-200. TRAC is certain that ISGS elements are behind this attack, given the active chatter concerning the specifics of this attack on Telegram and the fact that IS related Telegram channels claim that the jihadists have achieved total control of the area. Also, only two days prior, ISGS militants attacked a military post and executed 11 soldiers in the same village and it is likely they did this in order to prepare for this larger scale offensive.

TRAC Incident Report:

Bandits Abduct Over 40 Wedding Guests and Traders along the Sokoto-Zamfara Road in Zamfara State, Nigeria

Image: Bandits who abducted 40 wedding guests and traders along the Sokoto-Zamfara Road

Bandits in Nigeria have recently intensified their activities despite continuous efforts by the security forces to stop them. On 11 June 2022, bandits abducted over 40 wedding guests and traders who were traveling along the Sokoto-Zamfara road in Zamfara State, Nigeria. The victims were returning from a wedding in Tambuwal LGA of Sokoto State when they ran into an ambush mounted on the road by the bandits. There were about 60 people in two buses, however, 20 managed to successfully escape from the bandits.

On Our Radar:

Video:

Official Islamic State Media Releases Video Entitled “A Book That Guides And A Prevailing Sword,” Highlighting Islamic State West Africa, Nigeria

Video:

Elements of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) Published a Video featuring the Shelling of Turkish Military Personnel from ATGMs in Heftanin District, Iraq

Claim:

Far-Left Extremist Group ‘Janes Revenge’ Claim 2 June 2022 Vandalism Attack on the Agape Pregnancy Center in Des Moines, Iowa, United States

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