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“Music, martial arts, money and violence”: Study on international right-wing extremist and terrorist networks
Right-wing extremist organisations with a propensity to violence are increasingly networked internationally. A study commissioned by the Federal Foreign Office and carried out by the Counter Extremism Project examines how exactly these structures are spreading across borders.
From the murders committed by the NSU to the attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, and the massacre in Utoya, Norway: not only in Germany but also in other countries, acts of right-wing terrorism are on the rise. Traditionally, right-wing terrorism is a national phenomenon. However, ties between right-wing extremist players and groups across national borders are being observed ever more frequently.
Foreign Minister Maas stressed:
Right-wing terrorism poses a considerable risk to public security in our country: the NSU murders, the attacks in Halle and Hanau and the cowardly murder in Kassel demonstrate that. However, this is not only happening here in Germany. Acts of right-wing terrorism are also on the rise in other countries. The scene is increasingly operating and networking at international level.
A study commissioned by the Federal Foreign Office and carried out by the non-profit NGO Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has examined the question as to how exactly the right-wing extremist scene is networked internationally. It focuses on funding strategies, the dissemination of right-wing terrorist material on the internet, training activities, martial arts and music events as well as de-radicalisation measures in various countries.
The study shows that although the violent right-wing extremist scene is fragmented globally, the scenes in individual countries are increasingly linked. The study highlights shared convictions and narratives which are frequently exchanged via the internet. Networking also takes place via music and martial arts events.
In addition to national measures, greater attention is now to be paid to right-wing terrorism at international level. Foreign Minister Maas summed this up by saying:
In order to be able to work more effectively with our partners to tackle right-wing extremist structures, we put this topic on the agenda during our Presidency of the Council of the EU and at the UN and will continue to pursue it intensively.
Both within the context of its Presidency of the Council of the EU and its membership of the UN Security Council, Germany has already placed this issue on the agenda of the relevant bodies. In the most recent EU Council conclusions on the EU’s external action concerning the prevention and fight against terrorism and violent extremism, the issue of right-wing terrorism was explicitly addressed for the first time.