Integrity Insights Podcast - Show Notes

Episode Title: Countering right-wing extremism with sanctions

Guest: Hans Jacob Schindler, Senior Director at the Counter Extremism Project and former key advisor to the United Nations Security Council.

Episode Overview: In this episode, Filip Brokes sits down with Hans Jacob Schindler, a renowned expert in the field of counter-terrorism and extremism. Hans provides an in-depth analysis of the growing threat of right-wing extremism, its financing mechanisms, and the international response to this rising danger. Drawing from his extensive career, including pivotal roles within the German government and the United Nations, Hans offers a unique perspective on how these extremist groups operate and what can be done to counter them.

Key Topics:

1. The Rise of Right-Wing Extremism:
   • Comparison of right-wing extremism with traditional religious terrorism.
   • The statistical growth and increased threat perception of right-wing extremist activities in Europe and the United States.
2. Financial Streams of Extremism:
   • Exploration of the seven main income streams of right-wing extremist groups, including donations, cryptocurrencies, music, combat sports, events, merchandise, real estate, and organized crime.
   • The role of these income streams in sustaining and expanding extremist networks.
3. Global Designations and Sanctions:
   • Recent designations of far-right groups as terrorist organizations by the U.S. and the European Union.
   • Discussion on why certain groups, such as the Nordic Resistance Movement and The Base, were designated and the implications of these actions.
4. Challenges in Countering Right-Wing Extremism:
   • The difficulties in disrupting right-wing extremist networks compared to Islamist terrorism.
   • The need for enhanced legal and regulatory frameworks to combat this evolving threat.
5. International Collaboration:
   • Insights into Hans’s work with the Counter Extremism Project, advising governments on developing legislation and strategies to combat extremism.
   • The importance of transatlantic cooperation in addressing the global rise of right-wing extremism.

Resources Mentioned:

• Counter Extremism Project (CEP): www.counterextremism.com
• Publications by CEP Germany: Accessible under the "Publications" section on the CEP website.
• Reports by Alexander Ritzmann: Search for his name to find detailed analyses on right-wing extremism financing.

Quotes:

• "Right-wing extremism is now considered a terrorism threat with much stronger transnational connectivity than it had about a decade ago."
• "The German government has now written a strategy where they say, this is about the financing and we will use all available means to disrupt these networks."

Call to Action: Stay informed and engaged in the fight against extremism by subscribing to the Integrity Insights Podcast. Don't miss this crucial conversation with Hans Jacob Schindler, available now on all major platforms.

Hashtags: #IntegrityInsights #Podcast #CounterTerrorism #RightWingExtremism #FinancialCrime #Sanctions #HansJacobSchindler #GlobalSecurity

This episode provides essential insights into the challenges of combating right-wing extremism in today’s world. Make sure to tune in and stay ahead of the curve in understanding this critical

Connect with Us:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/integrity-insights/?viewAsMember=true
• Berlin Risk Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berlinrisk/?viewAsMember=true
• Website: https://berlinrisk.com/

In this episode, I spoke to Nick Raudenski, a seasoned investigator whose career journey spans both law enforcement and sports. We sat down to discuss the EU's new AML regulation labelling professional football clubs as so-called "obliged entities" for AML/CTF purposes.

Nick and I delved into his transition from federal law enforcement to the brave new world of football. He shared the challenges he faced, from understanding the intricacies of sports organizations to tackling significant issues like match-fixing, corruption, and other financial irregularities. Nick provides his unique insights into regulatory frameworks like UEFA’s Financial Fair Play and the upcoming EU AML regulations.

Tune in to learn more about the intersection of sports and financial crime, the regulatory landscape, and the need for specialized knowledge to implement effective compliance programs in football. Nick’s experiences provide a behind-the-scenes look at the critical efforts to preserve the integrity of the world's most popular sport.

For more detailed information on the subject, you can read our article in the June 2024 edition of the ACAMS Magazine accessible under the following link: https://www.acamstoday.org/european-football-clubs-under-afc-regulation/

Connect with Us:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/integrity-insights/?viewAsMember=true
• Berlin Risk Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berlinrisk/?viewAsMember=true
• Website: https://berlinrisk.com/

In this episode, I spoke to Karen Nershi, an Assistant Professor of Political Science at IE University and a former Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University's Stanford Internet Observatory and the Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC).

Karen's research examines questions of international cooperation and regulation within international political economy, including challenges emerging from the adoption of decentralized digital currency and other new technologies.

Karen recently published a research paper titled "Assessing the Political Motivations Behind Ransomware Attacks". Her research led her to the conclusion that "the Russian government maintains an informal cooperative relationship with (ransomware) groups by providing safe harbor from prosecution and receiving plausible deniability for attacks and access to skilled cyber actors".

We spoke about Russia's weaponising of private ransomware groups against Europe and the United States, the sanctions imposed on those groups, general regulation of the cybercrime space, and the role of cryptocurrency and anti-money laundering regulation.

You can also find our recent publication on the subject here: https://www.globalriskaffairs.com/2024/01/when-ransomeware-strikes-navigating-risks-and-regulatory-responses/

Connect with Us:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/integrity-insights/?viewAsMember=true
• Berlin Risk Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berlinrisk/?viewAsMember=true
• Website: https://berlinrisk.com/