“... What does that mean? Although he does not know the internal decision-making processes in the Russian Foreign Ministry, says Hans-Jakob Schindler from the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) in The Hague. However, it can be assumed that Russia expects "something in return" for the offer to remove the Taliban from the terror list. However, that could cause problems: "The Taliban are always very willing to accept advance payments, but if there is something in return, things get very complicated with them." The German Afghanistan expert Thomas Ruttig sees the Kremlin's initiative as "a kind of salami tactic: very small steps towards official recognition - which the Taliban certainly likes." The next step after being removed from the terror list could be the recognition of the Taliban as a legitimate state power in Afghanistan, experts believe.”

"Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Berlin- and New York-based Counter Extremism Project, says drugs are 'just one of the standard income streams for terrorism financing'"

"When the US signed the Doha agreement with the Taliban in 2020, accelerating its withdrawal from Afghanistan, it contained measures specifically aimed at preventing al-Qaeda from gaining another foothold there.

But a new report circulating among Western diplomats, outlines how al-Qaeda is being allowed to rake in tens of millions of dollars a week - all under the watch of Taliban leaders.

Guest: Dr Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Berlin- and New York-based Counter Extremism Project and an expert on terrorism"

"The lack of international attention on Afghanistan’s renewed terror threat is laying the groundwork for what Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Berlin- and New York-based Counter Extremism Project, called a “back to the future” repeat of the atrocities committed by al Qaeda, with Taliban collusion, in the United States in September 2001."

"Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Berlin- and New York-based Counter Extremism Project, doesn’t believe the ban is genuine, let alone long-term. He regards it as an attempt to maximize profits while lulling the international community into recognizing the Taliban. Or it’s a diversification play."

CEP report republished: "The following is the July 2023 instalment of “Afghanistan Terrorism Report.” The authors provide a monthly analysis concerning the developing terrorist threat in Afghanistan as well as a comprehensive overview of that month’s al-Qaeda and ISIS-K propaganda."

"'It's a very, very active terrorist area, where you have al-Qaida under protection of the Taliban, ISKP opposing the Taliban, but the Taliban not being able to really push hard against ISKP, in order not to risk even more defections, and with the Haqqani Network, one of the most powerful factions in the Taliban movement, there are links to ISKP, they have been cooperating until August 2021. And those links have not been totally severed. So there's even inside the Taliban, a disagreement on how to deal with this group,' said Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, senior director of the Counter Extremism Project."