Active Clubs (ACs) are a network of localized, decentralized, and loosely structured chapters formally affiliated with the network that possess far-right, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi ideologies. They have a significant presence throughout the US and Europe. Their movement is fueled by physical fitness, self-improvement, and establishing a fraternal brotherhood centered around white racial consciousness. They maintain an active presence on social media platforms such as Telegram, Gab, and...

The Wagner Group is a private military company, primarily used by Russian President Putin, to complete military assignments. This paramilitary organization has been a topic of interest for many in the threat intelligence community, especially here at the Counterterrorism Group. The Wagner Group has been connected to atrocities and has had their associations and history questioned. In this episode, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Gabriel Helupka, Intelligence Analyst at The Counterterrorism...

Polish President Andrzej Duda announced in late May 2023 that he would sign a bill to create a panel to investigate allegations that the Civic Platform political party (PO) allowed Russia to influence Poland during its time in power from 2007 to 2015. The panel will have the authority to ban people found guilty of acting under Russian influence from holding security clearance or overseeing public funds, effectively disqualifying them from holding public office for 10 years. In this episode,...

On May 28, 2023, the Turkish presidential election took place. President Erdoğan, president of Turkey since 2014, was seeking re-election. This campaign had much to address like inflation, regional stability and security, geopolitical differences, economic crisis, and much more. In this episode, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Gabriel Helupka, Intelligence Analyst at The Counterterrorism Group, to discuss the real impact this change will have in the region. They will explore the key issues...

National Security is a topic vital to all governments and their citizens. It establishes the defense and security of a nation whether domestically or internationally. American National Security has been a prominent topic on all news platforms, here in the US and around the world. It has also been a talking point for those seeking political office or for others inciting certain ideologies. To take a deeper dive, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Sophia Ritscher an Intelligence Analyst here at the...

Artificial intelligence specialists and political scientists have warned about the use of AI-enabled generative tools that could sway the upcoming 2024 elections through the production and dissemination of synthetic images, video, and audio material known as “deep fakes” on social media. Evidence of AI meddling recently surfaced on May 14, 2023, during the Turkish presidential election, where several doctored videos of incumbent President Recep Erdoğan and challenger Kemal Kilicdaroglu giving...

America’s National Security has played a vital role in many areas like national defense, counterintelligence, foreign affairs, international security, and others. As a result, there have been major and historical consequences worldwide. With how important this topic is becoming, here at the Counterterrorism Group, we decided to present to our audience a Roundtable Discussion on America’s National Security and the World. To take a deeper dive, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Julia Tsarnas from...

In this episode, we will be focusing on narcoterrorism and its consequences and impact in South America. Narcoterrorism has become a topic of high importance today. It had exponents and figures such as "El Chapo Guzman" and "Pablo Escobar" in the past, it has the ability to influence economies and challenge security forces in many countries worldwide. This discussion will focus on its consequences and impacts in Latin America.  In this episode, Salomon Montaguth speaks with J. Felix, a...

In April 2023, Finland joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, also known as NATO, while war was present in Europe. The 30-nation alliance invited its 31st member after Turkey-backed Finland’s membership. To take a deeper dive, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Gabriel Helupka from the Europe Team from The Counterterrorism Group to discuss the real impact Finland’s membership into NATO will have in the region.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Invasion led by American forces to topple Iraq’s dictator Saddam Hussein. President George W. Bush, the then-American president at the time, proclaimed that Saddam Hussein and his government had Weapons of Mass Destruction, WMD. Eventually, there were no WMDs found. After 20 years, the consequences of the invasion are still felt in the Middle East and have found their place in American History as one of the least favored wars as per a Gallup poll...

Saudi Arabia and Iran resumed diplomatic relations through Chinese mediation and will reopen embassies in each other’s countries. Saudi Arabia and Iran reactivated bilateral accords for security cooperation, trade, and economic investment. Iranian-backed militant groups such as the Houthi insurgency in Yemen and Hezbollah operating in Syria have accepted this agreement. To take a deeper dive, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Christine Saddy and Jeremie Mahendroo from the Middle East team at The...

This year, Latin America, specifically Paraguay, Guatemala, and Argentina, will hold their presidential elections. Latin America has experienced a decrease in faith in democracy, which has been expressed through protests and political turmoil. These election outcomes will impact the region in the mid-2020s and beyond. The elected winners will have much to address like inflation, stability, security, climate change, and much more, all of which affect their voters.  To take a deeper dive,...

Last year, the North American team here at the Counterterrorism Group, published a Flash Alert discussing the possibility of an increased risk of violence targeting minority communities. This Flash Alert, which was used as inspiration for far-right extremists, was based on a publication in Telegram which is a social media platform. The publication was called The Hard Reset: A Terrorgram Publication. Since then, the Counterterrorism Group has been monitoring the possible impact of these...

On February 24, 2022, Russian ground forces entered and invaded Ukraine, with the intention to “denazify” the invaded nation. Russian President Putin called it a mission to get rid of Nazi influence in the region, while Ukrainian President Zelensky proclaimed that “The Ukrainians will never surrender”. The thunderous disturbance of war and its consequences have re-entered Europe, almost in parallel to World War Two. In this episode, Salomon Montaguth and Amy Mcgee from the W.A.T.C.H. team...

On February 6, 2023, Turkey and Syria experienced one of the deadliest earthquakes in modern history. Tens of thousands of lives have been lost and millions of lives have been impacted due to the destruction of their homes and their access to food and water. In this episode, Salomon Montaguth and Jennifer Radlinsky from the Emergency Management, Health, and Hazards team discuss the impact that these earthquakes have on the region and the rest of the world.

In this episode, we discuss the impact and consequences of far-right extremism in the U.S. military. To better understand this issue, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Andreea from the Extremism team at The Counterterrorism Group to discuss the real impact of far-right extremism on the U.S. military.

This episode will be our first episode in Spanish, focusing on terrorism and its consequences, as well as its impact in South America. Terrorism has caused destruction in South American nations, impacting millions of lives. With recent developments, we at the Counterterrorism Group feel that our audience would greatly benefit from learning more about the events in this region. In this episode, Salomon Montaguth speaks with J. Felix, a senior counterterrorism analyst here at The...

In this roundtable episode, Salomon Montaguth is joined by Amy McGee, Julia Tsarnas, and Mridul Jérémie Mahendroo from The Counterterrorism Group to discuss the impact of two significant events that took place in South America earlier this year. The first event is the impeachment of former Peruvian President Castillo, and its impact on Peru. The second event is the insurrection that occurred in Brazil, which highlights the significant divisions within these nations and the role of...

The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching consequences, affecting nations across the globe. In this discussion, we will focus specifically on the surge of COVID-19 in China, which is having a particularly significant impact on the elderly population. The government has recently ended mandatory mass testing amidst rising infections. In this episode, Salomon Montaguth and Jennifer Radlinsky from the Emergency Management, Health, and Hazards team discuss the impact COVID-19 has on the Chinese...

In early December 2022, German law enforcement arrested 25 individuals suspected of plotting to overthrow the German government. Many questions had arisen about motives and possible outcomes. In this episode, Andreea Troneci from the Extremism team and Peter Roberto from the Europe team join Salomon Montaguth to discuss the impact this has on democracy worldwide.

Cryptocurrency has gained the attention of Main Street and Wall Street and everyone in between. It became a trendsetter in recent years by reaching unimaginable heights and gaining large profits for its users. But now, it has raised concerns in Washington DC. Some politicians are demanding regulations, while others see regulations as defeating the purpose of cryptocurrency. With the recent bankruptcy of FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange, some are questioning the reliability of this currency. In...

Many alt-right groups and personalities have taken to other social media sites, which promote free speech, and censor-free zones. Salomon Montaguth joined by Brianna Corrie, from the Counter Threat Strategic Communications team to try and better understand the real impacts this transition to niche social media platforms has.

An independent monitoring company, TankerTrackers, identified Young Yong, a Chinese-owned supertanker, as shipping Venezuelan oil in 2021 disguised using false documents as Malaysian crude oil. The Young Yong was sanctioned in November 2022 for shipping oil from Iran, a state also subject to sanctions and known to have used false documents to disguise the origin of its cargo. Iran and Venezuela are two oil-producing sanctioned states and close allies that signed a 20-year cooperation plan in...

School shootings have been a topic that has caught the attention of millions across the US. This has led to discussions about gun accessibility, gun restrictions, and safety concerns. Today, we will refer to the 2021 Oxford High School shooting and to the 2022 Central Visual and Performing Arts High School shooting by former students. Public Service Announcement (PSA), this topic may be triggering for some. In this week's episode, Jamie Betances from the Crime team joins Salomon Montaguth to...

In early November, President Zelensky from Ukraine warned that any Russian military attacks on infrastructure would potentially leave many without energy. Klitschko advised Kyiv residents to make evacuation plans for attacks destroying the city’s infrastructure. Ukrainian officials are urging residents to leave if power is entirely cut-off. In this week's episode, Jennifer Radlinsky from the Emergency Management, Health, and Hazards team joins Salomon Montaguth to discuss the impact it will...