Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Says He Acted to “Speak Up” for Election – #terror

Deniers Brian Cole is accused of planting bombs near the RNC and DNC headquarters the night before the 2021 Capitol riot. The man who allegedly planted two pipe bombs in Washington, DC, the night before the January 6 Capitol riot told investigators after his arrest earlier this month that someone needed to “speak up” for people who believed that the 2020 election was stolen, according to a court filing on Sunday.  Federal prosecutors said that the defendant, Brian Cole, felt “extreme acts of violence” were necessary as Cole told them he placed the bombs near the RNC and DNC headquarters because “they were in charge.”  The bombs were not discovered until the afternoon of January 6 and did not detonate. Following his arrest this December, Cole initially denied making or planting the bombs but later confessed to transporting and planting two improvised explosive devices when presented with evidence of himself on surveillance video. In the filing, the Justice Department requested that Cole be detained until his trial, as his offense is listed as a federal terrorism crime.  Cole told investigators that although he “has never really been an openly political person,” he felt “like something was wrong” in the 2020 election and began following discussions on YouTube and Reddit. He said that “the people up top,” including “people on both sides, public figures,” should not “ignore people’s grievances” or call them “conspiracy theorists,” “bad people,” “Nazis,” or “fascists.” “If people feel that their votes are like just being thrown away, then…at the very least someone should address it,” Cole was quoted as telling investigators.  These events came as Trump repeatedly lied about winning the presidential election.

VIA MOTHERjONES. Jan. 6 Pipe Bomb Suspect Says He Acted to “Speak Up” for Election

siehe auch: Alleged Jan. 6 pipe bomber said he wasn’t targeting Congress’ certification of Biden’s victory: DOJ Brian Cole allegedly admitted his actions after his Dec. 4 arrest. Suspect in DC pipe bomb cases believed there was fraud in 2020 election, Pirro saysABC News’ Pierre Thomas breaks down what to know about suspect Brian Cole Jr.’s alleged motive. C.D. Hylton High School The Virginia man arrested and charged with placing pipe bombs outside of the Republican and Democratic National Committees the night before the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol told investigators in a lengthy confession that he wasn’t targeting the joint session of Congress that was convening to certify former President Joe Biden’s election win, according to a new court filing.  In a multiple-hour interview with authorities following his Dec. 4 arrest, Brian Cole allegedly admitted his actions in placing the pipe bombs after initially denying any involvement, prosecutors said.  Cole denied in the interview being an openly political person, but said in the wake of the 2020 election, he began following news on YouTube and Reddit and felt like “something was wrong” and that people who felt “that their votes are like just being thrown away” were being ignored, according to prosecutors.

Deepfake image creation tools found across search engines and social media

A recent study by ISD, covered by 404 Media, found that searches on Google, Yahoo and Bing for terms like “deepnude,” “nudify,” and “undress app” led users straight to tools for creating non-consensual sexually explicit images (SIIA) within the first 20 results. The research examined 31 websites offering these tools, which together drew over 21 million monthly visits. Social media platforms—including X, Reddit, Bluesky, YouTube, Tumblr, Instagram and Facebook—were found to host 410,592 mentions of these tools and websites, with X accounting for more than 70% of the activity, over a five-year period. Much of the activity was from bots. “A large volume of traffic appeared to be inorganic, based on the repetitive style of the usernames, the uniformity of posts, and the uniformity of profile pictures,” co-author Anne Craanen told 404 Media. “Nevertheless, this activity remains concerning, as its volume is likely to attract new users to these tools, which can be employed for activities that are illegal in several contexts.”

via isd: Deepfake image creation tools found across search engines and social media

siehe auch: The ecosystem of nonconsensual intimate deepfake tools online. This Dispatch explores an ecosystem of users on adult discussion forums, search engines, 4chan and X (formerly Twitter) which promotes and sells access to tools for creating “deepfakes”—sexualised or explicit images overwhelmingly of women and, increasingly, minors. Synthetic intimate image abuse (SIIA) has received years of media attention and public outcry, but sites promoting these tools continue to receive millions of monthly visits.   Tackling this issue on a larger scale than individual posts, tools and users is necessary for an ecosystem which maintains massive and enduring reach despite moderation efforts. Rather, this Dispatch envisions an approach that considers the life cycle of SIIA media, aiming to mitigate harm not after it is distributed, but at the point when tools to create it are first sought. Understanding the accessibility of SIIA-creation tools is key to effectively limiting widespread and high-impact harms.   As of May, our analysis found 31 active SIIA tools easily discoverable on X, 4chan and common search engines. These tools can create realistic, explicit deepfakes from a single photo with the potential for social exclusion, job discrimination, and debilitating emotional stress for victims–especially those in public positions—and in some cases has led to death by suicide. Even when tools are removed, new versions are quickly uploaded (often trading off the notoriety of now defunct products).   This Dispatch concludes with an analysis of proposed European and North American policies to combat SIIA tools. It recommends greater content-removal efforts on large platforms such as X and 4chan, and the removal of websites which host SIIA tools from search results. It also considers the banning of nudification apps in the first place.

‘It’s frightening’: How far right is infiltrating everyday culture

Extremist messaging now woven into music and YouTube videos, with one expert saying: ‘You can be radicalised sitting on your couch’ The two men chop peppers, slice aubergines and giggle into the camera as they delve into the art of vegan cooking. Both are wearing ski masks and T-shirts bearing Nazi symbols. The German videos – titled Balaclava Kitchen – started in 2014 and ran for months before YouTube took down the channel for violating its guidelines. But it offered a glimpse of how far-right groups have seized on cultural production – from clothing brands to top 40 music – to normalise their ideas, in a process that researchers say has hit new heights in the age of social media. “It’s frightening, honestly,” said Katherine Kondor, a researcher with the Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies. “You can be radicalised sitting on your couch.” In affiliation with the Center for Research on Extremism (C-REX), Kondor is leading a six-country project looking at how the extreme right uses aesthetics, from fitness influencers to memes and stickers, to spread their views across Europe. From Sweden to Spain, researchers found that extremist messaging was woven through cultural aspects of everyday life, both online and offline. “In Hungary we have some examples of extreme right bands becoming mainstream because they’re on the top 40 chart. I mean, what’s more normal than being on the top 40?” Kondor said. Member of far-right AfD party charged with making Nazi salute at Reichstag Read more “I have a stepson who sometimes sends videos and then I go down the rabbit hole to see who created them and it turns out it’s a far-right influencer.” So-called “tradwives”, referring to female content creators who promote traditional gender roles on social media, are another example. As the numbers of women embracing the concept online surges, the content’s far-right roots have been increasingly obscured. Even so, the views they often promote – from anti-feminism to a nostalgia for an imagined past – continue to boost far-right aims. These cultural elements serve as gateways, at times helping to reel people into extremism, Kondor said. “I think there’s a mistaken idea that people join the far right because they believe in that ideology and want to meet like-minded people,” she said. “But that’s not how it works.” While there are some who are driven by prejudices against certain groups or specific beliefs, or others who tag along with friends who are already involved, many are lured by the subcultures that encase these movements, she said. (…) Previously, however, their strength in doing so relied on the talent pool of their members, as musicians, artists and camera operators were needed to create content. With the advent of generative AI, this is no longer the case. “Now there’s technology that we can use to generate an image or video in an instant or music within just a couple of minutes,” said Jasser. “So the playbook is old, but the speed is much faster.” The economics of social media have also transformed the process, leading to questions regarding who is creating far-right content and their motivations. “It could be posted by a bot. It could be anyone and anything wanting to generate income from producing as many AI videos and images as possible,” said Jasser.

via guardian: ‘It’s frightening’: How far right is infiltrating everyday culture

Chile’s Election Marks a Strategic Win for Transnational Anti-LGBTQ+ and Anti-Woman Networks

December 17, 2025 SHARE Donald Trump has gained a new ally in his attacks against diversity, immigration, and women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. On December 14, far-right politician José Antonio Kast, 59, won Chile’s presidential election after running a campaign that targeted undocumented migrants and promised a hard-line crackdown on crime. Kast’s victory was celebrated by transnational groups that oppose women’s and LGBTQ+ rights, including Spain-based anti-LGBTQ+ CitizenGO; Hungary’s Center For Fundamental Rights, a propaganda arm of Viktor Orbán’s regime; and the U.S.-based Institute for Women’s Health and the Global Center for Human Rights. Brian Brown, co-founder of the U.S.-based National Organization for Marriage, also welcomed the result. Although Kast sought to avoid publicly addressing some of these organizations’ core priorities during the campaign –such as abortion and same sex marriage–these entities see the president-elect of Chile as one of their own. In fact, Kast led from 2022 to 2024 the Political Network for Values (PNfV), a global lobbying platform that connects far-right actors from Latin America, Africa, Europe and the U.S., and advances a conservative Christian agenda by opposing LGBTQ+ rights, women’s bodily autonomy, and euthanasia, while defending a traditional family model.

via graphe: Chile’s Election Marks a Strategic Win for Transnational Anti-LGBTQ+ and Anti-Woman Networks

Sonnwendfeier der Identitären löst Feuerwehreinsatz auf Hoher Wand aus – #noIB #loser

Trotz geltender Waldbrandverordnung sollen rechtsextreme Identitäre ein Sonnwendfeuer entzündet haben. Die Feuerwehr musste ausrücken. “Ein Feuerwehrkamerad hat abends den Lichtschein im Wald gesehen. Mehrere Kameraden sind dann ausgerückt und haben nachgesehen. Dann ist man im Wald auf das Treffen gestoßen”, berichtet Josef Laferl, Bürgermeister der Gemeinde Hohe Wand (Bezirk Wiener Neustadt), am Samstag im KURIER-Gespräch, was in der Nacht auf den 21. Dezember passiert ist. Wie es am Samstag aus gut informierten Kreisen hieß, handelte es sich bei diesem Treffen um die Wintersonnwendfeier der rechtsextremen Identitären, mutmaßlich organisiert von dem ehemaligen Leiter der Wiener Gruppierung. Dieser wurde in der Nähe des Einsatzortes angetroffen. Teilnehmer ließen auf “gewissen Hintergrund” schließen Wie auch der Bürgermeister bestätigt, haben sich einige Personen ausgewiesen, darum waren einige Namen bekannt (…) Wegen des Verdachts der Übertretung des Forstgesetzes wird ermittelt. Rauch entwickelte sich, Personen liefen davon Das offene Feuer wurde auf einem Waldstück an der Hohen Wand entzündet, ohne Einwilligung des Waldbesitzers und ohne Vorkehrungen, um das Feuer wieder zu löschen. Identitären-Camp in OÖ: Grüne wollen mehr dazu wissen Die Gruppe bestand aus rund 20 Personen, die das Weite gesucht haben sollen, als sich starker Rauch entwickelt hat.  Als die Feuerwehr eintraf, sollen die Teilnehmer geflüchtet sein.

via kurier: Sonnwendfeier der Identitären löst Feuerwehreinsatz auf Hoher Wand aus

Debatte um Anonymität im Netz – Justizministerin Hubig lehnt Klarnamenpflicht im Internet ab

Justizministerin Stefanie Hubig (SPD) sieht keine Notwendigkeit für eine Klarnamenpflicht im Internet. Anonymität müsse möglich sein, gleichzeitig müssten aber Straftaten auch online konsequent verfolgt werden. Justizministerin Stefanie Hubig (SPD) hat sich gegen eine Klarnamenpflicht im Internet ausgesprochen. „Eine staatlich verordnete Klarnamenpflicht im Internet lehne ich ab. Wer eigene Meinungen oder Erfahrungen anonym oder unter Pseudonym äußern möchte, ist dafür keine Rechenschaft schuldig“, sagte sie dem „Tagesspiegel“. Zuvor hatten sich unter anderem Bayerns Digitalminister Fabian Mehring (Freie Wähler) und der frühere Präsident des Bundesverfassungsgerichts, Andreas Voßkuhle, in der Zeitung für eine solche Pflicht ausgesprochen. Dafür wären Änderungen auf Bundesebene nötig. Bei Straftaten sieht die Ministerin Grenzen Hubig ergänzte, das „berechtigte Interesse an dauerhafter Anonymität“ ende jedoch dort, „wo Straftaten begangen werden“. „Auch im digitalen Raum hat die Meinungsfreiheit Grenzen“, sagte Hubig. Es sei deshalb wichtig, „dass kriminelle Äußerungen im Internet verfolgt werden und Täter zur Rechenschaft gezogen werden können.“ Dafür brauche es aber keine Klarnamenpflicht. Wenn die Identität von Straftätern im Nachhinein ermittelt werden könne, sei das ausreichend.

via rnd: Debatte um Anonymität im Netz Justizministerin Hubig lehnt Klarnamenpflicht im Internet ab

siehe auch: Klarnamenpflicht:  Wir alle brauchen anonyme Orte im Netz Die Forderung nach einer Klarnamenpflicht im Netz hat wieder Konjunktur. Dabei ist sie brandgefährlich für gleich mehrere Grundrechte. In einer Demokratie brauchen wir Orte, an denen wir wirklich frei kommunizieren können. Ein Kommentar. Nach dem Amoklauf von Graz wird in Österreich über eine Ausweispflicht im Netz diskutiert und die CDU in Schleswig-Holstein hat gerade gegen Hass und Hetze eine Klarnamenpflicht in sozialen Medien gefordert. Die Idee hinter der Forderung ist die Annahme, dass Menschen „mit offenem Visier“ weniger gewaltsam kommunizieren würden. Dafür gibt es jedoch wenig Belege, im Gegenteil hetzen Rassisten ganz offen. Eine Klarnamenpflicht im Internet oder in sozialen Medien ist keine gute Idee. Nicht nur das: Sie gefährdet die Pressefreiheit, die freie Entfaltung der Persönlichkeit, die Meinungsfreiheit, die Freiheit der Kunst, die informationelle Selbstbestimmung und die Religionsfreiheit. Und sie gefährdet insbesondere Minderheiten und verletzliche Gruppen. Anonymität und Pseudonymität sind notwendig für freie, demokratische Diskurse. Die Anonymität im Netz ist durch Ausweispflicht bei SIM-Karten oder durch IP-Speicherung schon heute stark eingeschränkt. Wer Anonymität und Pseudonymität im Netz weiter angreift, sägt an einem Grundpfeiler der Demokratie. (…) Eine Klarnamenpflicht ist schon in der Demokratie brandgefährlich, in den Händen von Autoritären ist sie ein mächtiges Instrument der Unterdrückung. Nicht umsonst gibt es solche Pflichten in China und Russland. Klarnamenpflicht ist eines der mächtigsten Werkzeuge, um Meinungsfreiheit zu bekämpfen, Menschen einzuschüchtern und Informationen zu kontrollieren. Selbst wenn eine Demokratie gerade nicht bedroht ist, sollte sie ein solches Werkzeug nicht einführen. Und gerade wenn eine Demokratie – wie unsere – ernsthaft bedroht ist, dann sollte sie alles daran setzen, dieses Werkzeug nicht auch noch freiwillig jenen zu überlassen, die gerade die Macht an sich reißen wollen.

Rassistischer Angriff: 65-Jährige bespuckt und gestoßen

Eine ältere Dame wird von einem Mann rassistisch beleidigt und bespuckt. Nun ermittelt der Staatsschutz. Eine 65 Jahre alte Frau mit Kopftuch ist am U-Bahnhof Gesundbrunnen rassistisch attackiert worden. Ein 44-jähriger Tatverdächtiger soll sich zunächst rassistisch gegenüber der Frau geäußert haben, sagte ein Sprecher der Polizei.  Anschließend habe der Mann die Frau bedrängt, sie an den Armen festgehalten, mehrfach geschubst, bespuckt und schließlich zu Boden gestoßen. Die Frau erlitt Hämatome an den Händen und klagte über Knieschmerzen, wie die Polizei mitteilte.

via borkener zeitung: Rassistischer Angriff: 65-Jährige bespuckt und gestoßen