France Attacks, United States Should Take Concrete Steps to Curb Extremism

Human Rights First sends its deepest condolences to the government and people of France for the unspeakable acts of violence that killed and injured so many in Paris. The organization notes that President Obama’s statement following the attacks should be a call to action: “This is an attack not just on Paris, it’s an attack not just on the people of France, but this is an attack on all of humanity and the universal values that we share.”

“Right now addressing the urgent security situation and helping the citizens of France heal from the unspeakable tragedy are the most immediate things to focus on,” said Human Rights First’s Susan Corke, who was in Paris during the past week to meet with French officials and nongovernmental organizations working on extremism and antisemitism. “And as we look for answers, President Obama’s words remind us of the bigger picture; what differentiates France, the United States, and other democratic nations is our shared and unshakable belief in respect for human rights, rule of law, freedom, equality, and democracy. We cannot let those who seek to destroy our humanity and create a clash of civilizations succeed.”

Corke has been working on a report about how the rise of the far-right, Muslim extremism, and antisemitism are converging to fuel intolerance and violence in France. Today Human Rights First released preliminary recommendations that stem from her ongoing research and recent trip to Paris, including recommendations for how the United States can best support France and provide the sort of solidarity that ensures, as Obama said, that our “values are going to endure far beyond any act of terrorism.”

Human Rights First’s recommendations include:

• Combating hatred and violent extremism should not only occur through military, intelligence, and police measures. Governments should see this tragedy as a call to strengthen the transatlantic security institutions based on democratic principles.
• A commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law must be at the heart of counterterrorism measures. The United States and France, with participation from civil society, should share experiences around advancing human rights to build more cooperative relationships with communities affected by terrorism and violent extremism.
• Many of the refugees who have fled Syria to Europe are fleeing terrible violence, in many cases at the hands of the same group of people that share responsibility for the Paris massacre and other extremist groups. They deserve a Europe-wide inclusive solution to the current crisis; they should not be a focus of exclusion, hatred or violence.
• Public statements from U.S. officials should be sensitive to the current marginalization of many Muslims in France. In France, the Muslim community is diverse and also suffering from hate crimes, discrimination and social and economic marginalization. How U.S. officials speak about this tragedy should avoid fueling a “clash of civilization” narrative and instead urge tolerance and inclusion.
• Better information is needed to understand the root causes of extremism, antisemitism, and intolerance in France. The United States should work in partnership with France to boost capacity for data collection on hate crimes, victimization surveys, and the factors driving radicalization.
• The United States should support the strengthening of civil society cooperation to build partnerships and exchange of experiences to develop strategies to combat intolerance – particularly the interrelated forces of extremism and antisemitism. This should include funding exchanges, educational opportunities, and grants to collaborative civil society initiatives.
• A joint task force including government officials, civil society, youth and religious leaders should be created to look at concrete and tangible areas where collaborative effort could yield outcomes such as combating hatred on the Internet.

“We know that the cycle of violence is hard to break,” Corke concluded. “The response to Friday's deadly attacks will be determinative in whether France moves toward a path of solidarity or polarization. This matters to all of us—to protect our citizens and shared values.”

CIA Director Cites ‘Impact of Climate Change as Cause of Global Instability

Speaking today at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan said that CIA analysts see “climate change” as a “deeper cause” of the instability seen in places like Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Yemen and Libya.

“Mankind’s relationship with the natural world is aggravating these problems and is a potential source of crisis itself,” Brennan said at one point in his speech. “Last year was the warmest on record, and this year is on track to be even warmer.”

“When CIA analysts look for deeper causes of this rising instability, they find nationalistic, sectarian, and technological factors that are eroding the structure of the international system,” he said in another part of his speech. “They also see socioeconomic trends, the impact of climate change, and other elements that are cause for concern.”

Here are key excerpts from Brennan’s speech:

“The impression one might get from the daily headlines is that the world has become more unstable. And indeed, the historical record supports that judgment.

“In the past three years, there have been more outbreaks of instability than at any time since the collapse of the Soviet Union, matching the rate we saw during decolonization in the 1960s. This has not just been a period of protests and government change, but of violent insurgency and, in particular, of breakdowns in many states’ ability to govern.

“Ongoing conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, and parts of Africa are clear examples. The human toll is reflected in the UN’s recent announcement that the number of refugees and internally displaced persons in the world is the highest it has been since World War II. And of course, all this localized strife gives rise to the persistent threat of international terrorism.

“When CIA analysts look for deeper causes of this rising instability, they find nationalistic, sectarian, and technological factors that are eroding the structure of the international system. They also see socioeconomic trends, the impact of climate change, and other elements that are cause for concern. ….

“In many developing societies, growing pessimism about the prospects for economic advancement is fueling instability. Regions with burgeoning youth populations, such as the Arab world, have been unable to achieve the growth needed to reduce high unemployment rates. Perceptions of growing inequality have resulted in more assertive street politics and populism. At the same time, slower growth has left these nations with fewer resources to devote to economic, humanitarian, and peacekeeping assistance to address these challenges.

“Mankind’s relationship with the natural world is aggravating these problems and is a potential source of crisis itself. Last year was the warmest on record, and this year is on track to be even warmer.

“Extreme weather, along with public policies affecting food and water supplies, can worsen or create humanitarian crises. Of most immediate concern, sharply reduced crop yields in multiple places simultaneously could trigger a shock in food prices with devastating effect, especially in already fragile regions such as Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Compromised access to food and water greatly increases the prospect for famine and deadly epidemics. 

Entertainers canceling events in Paris

 The Foo Fighters, Natalie Portman, U2 and other entertainers have canceled events in Paris following deadly terrorist attacks in the city.

The Foo Fighters canceled the remaining dates of their European tour, including a planned show in Paris on Monday. Film distributor Mars said Saturday it had canceled promotional appearances for the film "Jane Got a Gun" starring Portman.

The Oscar-winning actress was scheduled to appear at the film's premiere and junket interviews on Monday in Paris.

"Because of the events (Friday) night, we are canceling TV appearances, junket and preview appearances with Natalie Portman Nov. 15-16," the film distributor said in a statement Saturday.

A Sunday photo call for the film "Bridge of Spies" - where Steven Spielberg, Mark Rylance and Amy Ryan were scheduled to appear - was canceled by the film's distributor, Twentieth Century Fox.

U2 postponed its Saturday night concert in Paris, which was to be aired by HBO. The Foo Fighters were scheduled to play at the Accor Hotels Arena in Paris on Monday. The Dave Grohl-led band canceled Friday night's show in Casalecchio Di Reno, Italy, as well as concerts in Turin, Italy; Lyon, France; and Barcelona, Spain.

"It is with profound sadness and heartfelt concern for everyone in Paris that we have been forced to announce the cancellation of the rest of our tour. In light of this senseless violence, the closing of borders, and international mourning, we can't continue right now," the band said in a statement released Saturday.

"There is no other way to say it. This is crazy and it sucks. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone who was hurt or who lost a loved one."

At least 129 people were killed Friday at suicide bombings near France's national stadium, shootings at Paris cafes and a hostage-taking inside the concert theater Bataclan, where the American rock band Eagles of Death Metal was scheduled to perform.

The terrorism-themed movie "Made in France" had a Nov. 18 release date but it was being postponed. The French film's poster shows an automatic rifle on top of the Eiffel Tower.

The Grammy-winning U.S. rock band Deftones were also scheduled to play at the venue on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

"Thank for all your inquiries on our well being. Band/Crew all safe and accounted for at this time. Prayers for those affected in these tragic events," Deftones wrote on its Facebook page on Friday.

U2 said they will perform their show "at an appropriate time."

"We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight," the band said in a statement released Friday. "We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans. And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe."

After Paris Attacks, Brands Show Support on Social

When tragic events like Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris unfold, marketers face a challenge: Should they show their support for victims on social media, and if so, how do they do so in an authentic way? 

This weekend, many major brands—including Amazon, Google and Uber—swiftly took to Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and other platforms to show their solidarity with France, often using the #PrayforParis hashtag. The rush to join the discussion didn't sit well with some consumers: 

Still, Steven Heller, author of a number of books on design, told Fast Company that sharing supportive images is important: "We need symbols to express what [we] cannot say." They also offer brands a subtle way to join the conversation—to say something without sounding off. While many companies used the viral "Peace for Paris" sketch, others created their own images. 

Uber, for example, added the image of the French flag to the cars in its app:

Amazon had its own spin, putting the flag front and center on its homepage:

Airbnb, like many companies, made the French flag part of its logo while also offering help to those stranded in Paris: 

Google, Skype, Verizon and Sprintall made international calls free for consumers:

And, given Paris's place in the fashion world, many fashion brands were among those showing solidarity: 

But even as many brands worked to be sensitive and add relevant points to the cultural conversation, some posts, like 50 Cent's, read as insincere because they used branded hashtags:

ISIS Threatens U.S

After the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday, there have been a series of developments ranging from a pummeling attack by the French on ISIS in Syria to President Obama declaring ISIS as the “face of evil” on Monday.

The attacks have led to several key developments for France and the U.S. Here are 5:

1. French President Francois Hollande extending State of Emergency

On Monday, French President Hollande will propose extending the country’s state of emergency to three months, he told Parliament.

To get the extension past 12 days, he’ll need parliamentary approval. In the aftermath of the attacks, Hollande declared war on ISIS and backed it up with pummeling airstrikes on Saturday at ISIS compounds in Raqqa, Syria.

“France is at war,” he said to Parliament on Monday.

2. Attack Suspect Salah Abdeslam was stopped and later released

A key suspect in the Paris attacked was stopped at the Belgium-France border, questioned and finally released.

The 26-year-old Belgian man, Salah Adbeslam, is one of the three brothers linked to the attacks. NBC News reported his name was on rental documents for a Belgian-registered black Volkswagen Polo found outside the Bataclan concert hall where most of the 130 victims were killed on Friday.

He had an international warrant for his arrest but the information about him was not relayed in time to officials at the border.

French police have put out his information to the public in a request for help as they try to capture him.

3. President Obama stays the course, refuses to put American boots on the ground in Syria 

Speaking at the G20 international conference in Turkey on Monday, President Obama declared ISIS as “the face of evil” but didn’t say he would alter U.S. military policy against the “barbaric” terrorist group to include sending ground troops into Syria to fight ISIS.

“What I do not do is take actions, either because it’s going to work politically or it’s going to somehow in the abstract make America look tough, or make me look tough,” the president said.

“We play into the ISIL narrative when we act as if they are a state and we use routine tactics used to fight a state that is not a state,” Obama said. “That’s not what is going on here. These are killers with fantasies of glory.” He reiterated that the U.S. hasn’t underestimated ISIS and that when he said the U.S. is “containing” ISIS, he was referring to ISIS holding less territory in Syria and Iraq.

Predictably, he is getting hammered by Republican political pundits and of course, presidential candidates like Jeb Bush.

4. ISIS threatens to attack Washington, D.C

On Monday, ISIS warned countries helping France’s strike against them would suffer the same fate as the European country. The terror group also threatened to target the capital of America, Washington, D.C.

“We say to the states that take part in the crusader campaign that, by God, you will have a day, God willing, like France’s and by God, as we struck France in the center of its abode in Paris, then we swear that we will strike America at its center in Washington,” a man wearing fatigues and a turban said.

The video aired footage of the aftermath of the Paris attacks. President Obama and security officials have said there are no credible threats of an ISIS attack on America.

5. After Paris attacks, more U.S. States refuse to accept Syrian refugees

Amid the heightened security in the U.S. following the Paris attacks, several states have announced they won’t accept any Syrian refugees for fear of ISIS penetrating the evacuees.

Michigan and Alabama were the first states to announce they’d be opting out; Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Indiana have also said no.

“Michigan is a welcoming state and we are proud of our rich history of immigration,” Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said. “But our first priority is protecting the safety of our residents.”

Paris Attacks 'Organized' in Belgium

As heavily-armed police today raced around Brussels chasing leads related to the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris, terrorism experts and analysts told ABC News the chaos in the normally-buttoned downed capital was proof that Belgium can no longer afford to be slow-footed in the small nation’s fight against the outsized presence of radical Islam.

“There has been a serious jihadi issue there for many, many years,” said Daniel Benjamin, who oversaw State Department counter-terror efforts during President Obama’s first term. “A number of European countries have underestimated the threat and have been in denial about the dangers they faced… The Belgians especially were in denial.”

Today French President Francois Hollande said that the suicide terror attacks that claimed more than 120 lives in Paris had been “organized” in Belgium, and over the weekend two men were arrested in the Molenbeek district of Brussels and charged with terrorism-related offenses. Officials said Brussels is also home to at least two of the suicide bombers. One of them, as well as a man more recently identified as the suspected “mastermind” of the attack, was from Molenbeek.

The purported mastermind, Abdelhamid Abaaoud, was previously linked to smaller terror plots in Europe, including foiled European train and church attacks earlier this year. After a gun-battle with police in another Belgian suburb that killed two officers in January, he told an ISIS magazine he was able to escape into Syria. He’s believed to still be there, where one French official said he’s considered a “high-profile terrorism figure.”

In the days leading up to Friday’s violence, the Belgian cell purportedly procured the rental cars used in the attack and may have supplied the weapons and explosive vests. At least one of those involved escaped back over the France-Belgium border after the attack and is now the subject of a massive manhunt, European officials said. He was thought to have been surrounded by police in Molenbeek, but the police raid revealed he wasn’t there after all.

"We're talking about a network," the Molenbeek’s mayor, Francoise Schepmans, said in a Reuters report Sunday, referring to individuals arrested there.

Before the Paris massacre last week, the Belgian capital and often the specific district of Molenbeek repeatedly have found themselves playing a supporting role in past plots. After 12 people were killed by three gunmen in the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris in January, authorities raided locations in Molenbeek and other Belgian cities in during an investigation purportedly unrelated to the shootings that nevertheless “concerning several people who [Belgian authorities thought] are an operational cell” made of people who had been in Syria. Other reports said one of the Charlie Hebdo gunmen got his weapons in Molenbeek.

The young man who attempted to open fire on a French train earlier this year reportedly stayed for a time in Molenbeek before the attack. And greater Brussels was the site of an attack on a Jewish museum in May 2014 that claimed four lives.

Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel expressed deep concerns this weekend about the scope of the problem facing his country.

“Almost every time, there is a link to Molenbeek,” Michel said. “We have to clean up that terrorism in Molenbeek . That’s the main issue here.”

Residents and politicians of the small district are becoming exasperated with its reputation, according to Germany’s Der Spiegel.

“They don’t all come from here,” district Mayor Schepmans told the paper. “Most of the time, they are just traveling through.”

Security experts told ABC News that the jihadists in the most recent attack took advantage of an intelligence and security apparatus in Belgium that was slow to recognize and respond to the threat, and remains poorly equipped to monitor those plotting future attacks.

Belgium has served as a European pipeline for extremists looking to join ranks with ISIS. About six percent of Belgium’s population is Muslim, but conditions in the country have produced the largest number, per capita, of foreign fighters traveling to Syria or Iraq to join ISIS and other extremist groups.

A 2014 estimate by a Belgian researcher who tracks extremist activity there put a conservative estimate of the number of Belgian foreign fighters at 400, but indicated that number could actually be twice as high.

The potential for ISIS sympathizers in Brussels to pose a danger to the rest of Europe has been a longstanding concern of the U.S., Benjamin said.

“My impression is that Belgian authorities have been taking the threat more seriously as time has gone by,” Benjamin said. “But I don’t believe they have the capacities of the British or the French.”

Howard Gutman, a veteran Washington lawyer who served as U.S. Ambassador to Belgium until 2013, said the Belgians began updating their laws over the past decade to enhance their ability to monitor extremists.

But they have continued to struggle to keep pace with the growing ranks of disaffected young Muslims who fled Syria after President Assad used chemical weapons in recent years.

"There are probably 500 prime targets, which would require 5,000 agents to keep proper tabs. My best guess is that the Belgian [elite security] force probably totals about 200," Gutman told ABC News. "So they cannot watch even a fraction of the high risk threats."

Gutman said helping Belgium reach out to the large population of young Muslims was a high priority during his time in the Embassy.

"We had significant success," he said. "I visited every major mosque and Muslim community centers and established relations with the imam and in the community including in Molenbeek. For many of these visits, I was the only Western and non-Muslim visitor they had ever had."

Shortly before the attacks, Belgian Interior Minister Jan Jambon appeared at a conference sponsored by the news web site Politico dealing with extremism. The news site quoted Jambon saying that his country was getting a better handle on the problem in most Belgian cities, but said the exception was Brussels. He blamed a fragmented police force.

“Brussels is a relatively small city, 1.2 million,” Jambon told Politico. “And yet we have six police departments. Nineteen different municipalities. New York is a city of 11 million. How many police departments do they have? One.”

Two months ago, Jambon released a 12-point plan to strengthen the monitoring of Islamic radicals, expressing confidence in the country’s handle on the problem. But this week, Prime Minister Michel said that those efforts were insufficient.

“There has to be more of a crackdown,” Michel said.

French Police Carry Out 150 Raids, 23 People Arrested

French police investigating the coordinated attacks on Paris carried out more than 150 raids across France overnight, arresting 23 people and placing 104 people under house arrest, according to the French Interior Minister.

It's also been confirmed 31 weapons were discovered. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announced early Monday the “administrative searches” happened overnight local time.

The raids come less than 12 hours after French jets began bombing targets in eastern Syria connected to ISIS, which has claimed responsibility for the attacks that left at least 129 people dead and 352 wounded.

Seven of the people suspected of carrying out the six separate attacks Friday were killed, but the French national police Sunday released the name and photograph of an eighth suspect, announcing an international manhunt for a man described as "dangerous."

Salah Abdeslam, a 26-year-old French national who was born in Brussels, is believed to be the gunman who led the team shooting at people in restaurants and bars. Officials said he is one of three brothers: One of the three, Brahim Abdeslam, died during the attacks and another was detained in Belgium. 

The attacks, carried out at a stadium where the French national soccer team was playing Germany, a concert hall where the U.S. band Eagles of Death Metal was playing, and at restaurants and cafes, were prepared in Belgium and the suspects received help in France, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Sunday. 

Over the weekend, police detained several people in France and Belgium, including two men in Belgium who officials say were directly involved –- indicating authorities believe at least 10 people played a role in the complex assault.

Some of the men under arrest had been tracked to Belgium after being spotted on surveillance tape in a rental car purportedly used in one of the shootings. One car apparently used in the attack was discovered Sunday with "several" Kalashnikov rifles, the Paris prosecutor said.

Two of the deceased gunmen have been identified by French officials: 29-year-old French citizen Omar Ismail Mostefai and another man whose photo appears on a Syrian passport. However, authorities are carefully examining the authenticity of the passport, which shows the man slipped into Europe through Greece, then Serbia and Croatia in early October and then eventually to France, according to European officials.

Two of the suspects who died during the attack were French nationals living in Belgium, officials said Sunday. One of the dead attackers lived in the Brussels suburb of Molenbeek, where raids took place Saturday, and a second attacker lived in the broader Brussels area, a Federal Prosecutor spokesman told ABC News.

In memory of the victims, the 28 member states of the European Union will join France in a minute of silence Monday at noon Paris time, and President Obama ordered that the U.S. flag fly at half-staff all week.

Public cultural establishments, including museums and theaters, are expected to reopen Monday afternoon in Paris and its surrounding suburbs, said the Minister of Culture and Communication.