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Counter Extremism Project
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<p>The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) is a <a href="/facts/Nonprofit_organization/AmXu2c85">non-profit</a> <a href="/facts/Non-governmental_organization/qxQSsxsI">non-governmental organization</a> that combats <a href="/facts/Extremism/2AgIalFJ">extremist groups</a> "by pressuring financial support networks, countering the narrative of extremists and their online recruitment, and advocating for strong laws, policies and regulations". </p><p>CEP was formally launched on 22 September 2014, by former senior government officials, including former the Homeland Security adviser <a href="/facts/Frances_Townsend/cxyt6dpE">Frances Townsend</a>, former Connecticut Senator <a href="/facts/Joseph_Lieberman/l6eM3lhe">Joseph Lieberman</a> and <a href="/facts/Mark_Wallace/RkRYE23x">Mark Wallace</a>, a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Other senior members of CEP include Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler and Ambassador <a href="/facts/Edmund_Fitton-Brown/Jlz0uKqs">Edmund Fitton-Brown</a>, both of whom served as coordinators for U.N. Sanctions Monitoring teams. </p><p>The mission of the organization is to fight global extremism, with an initial goal of disrupting the financing and online recruitment and propaganda of the <a href="/facts/Islamic_State_of_Iraq_and_the_Levant/agpVzR4K">Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant</a> (ISIS). The group is modeled on <a href="/facts/United_Against_Nuclear_Iran/wCNzTz3M">United Against Nuclear Iran</a>, an advocacy group led by Wallace which has had success increasing economic pressure on the <a href="/facts/Islamic_Republic_of_Iran/24yukge8">Islamic Republic of Iran</a>. Other prominent board members include <a href="/facts/Gary_Samore/z6CGxK3Q">Gary Samore</a>, August Hanning, <a href="/facts/Dennis_Ross/070CICkm">Dennis Ross</a> and <a href="/facts/Irwin_Cotler/8lkxMhmR">Irwin Cotler</a>. </p><p>CEP is a <a href="/facts/501(c)(3)/4KIsNFYp">501(c)(3)</a> non-profit organization. It can accept tax-deductible contributions on a confidential basis. For security reasons, CEP generally declines to name its financial backers, except for <a href="/facts/Thomas_Kaplan/0BFc0MAT">Thomas Kaplan</a>, a billionaire investor who also supports United Against Nuclear Iran. </p>