Contagious Disruption: How CCP Influence and Radical Ideologies Threaten Critical Infrastructure and Campuses Across the United States

NCRI determined the following growth margins in total followers from October 6, 2023,
to April 30, 2024: Twitter +46%, Instagram +217%, TikTok +21%, and YouTube +224%.
These double and triple–digit growth margins are also clearly correlated to BT News’
pro–Hamas coverage of the October 7 attack; the inflection points for
follower/subscriber growth as well as likes/views can be clearly identified as the month
of October, as illustrated in the charts below for its YouTube channel:
Figure 8: A time series analysis of monthly follower increases for BT News on several social media
platforms.
On October 7, 2023, BT News’ TikTok account’s initial reporting on the ongoing Hamas
attack was: “Palestinian resistance forces launched an unprecedented military action
against Israel… Palestinians have captured several Israeli soldiers, spies and military
vehicles and are destroying the literal infrastructure of the occupation.”46 Later on
October 7, News’ YouTube channel uploaded an interview held in Lebanon between host
Rania Khaled (profiled below) and Marwan Abdul Al, a standing member of PFLP’s
politburo.47 Three weeks later, BT News uploaded an interview of Leila Khaled,
illustrating how the outlet provides a platform for veteran PFLP operatives and more
broadly enjoys a particularly warm relationship with the terrorist organization.
46 Btnewsroom, TikTok, October 7, 2023, tiktok.com/@btnewsroom/video/7287278292552535339.
47 BreakThrough News, “Exclusive Interview w/ Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine Leader,”
YouTube, October 7, 2023, youtube.com/watch?v=EqQUOYcJzds.

More recently, on May 3, BT News published a video interview with Al Mayadeen
correspondent Ali Mortada on “Lebanese resistance to Israeli aggression,” conveying
Hezbollah in a positive light.48 Reuters has referred to Al Mayadeen as a pro–Iran, pro–
Hezbollah Lebanese media outlet, and in 2019 Bellingcat documented Mortada’s role in
launching a social media fundraising campaign for the Iranian proxy.49
Both the Khaled and Mortada interviews were marked as fundraisers, showing how BT
News is platforming pro–Iran or pro–terrorism voices in order to generate revenue
through social media platform monetization functionalities. In the months since
October @btnewsroom’s “Palestine” playlist that contains 24 clips has accrued a total
of nearly 2.5 million views, demonstrating the significant reach achieved by the outlet.
Figure 9: October 7, 2023: BT News host Rania Khalek interviews Marwan Abdul Al, a standing member of
PFLP leadership, in Beirut.
48 Btnewsroom, X, May 3, 2024, x.com/BTnewsroom/status/1786425730731053385.
49 Hector Martinez, “Hashtaggers For Hezbollah? How Social Media Fundraising Can Skirt The Rules,”
Bellingcat, August 27, 2019, bellingcat.com/news/2019/08/27/hashtaggers–for–hezbollah–how–social–
media–fundraising–can–skirt–the–rules.

Figure 8: BT News interviews Leila Khaled, a senior PFLP terror–operative.
Figure 10: BT News interviews Ali Mortada, a host for the pro–Hezbollah mouthpiece al–Mayadeen.

BT News is just one of at least eight Singham Network–linked alternative news sources.
50 Nonetheless, its explosive growth on social media in recent months is a testament to
the growing reach enjoyed by alternative media sources that compares to or even
exceeds viewership metrics for mainstream media. BT News embodies this broader
trend as it serves as a tool for the SID4P movement specifically, and the Singham
Network more generally, to shape the online narrative around conflict in the Middle East
and America’s stance on it.
Radical Ties: SID4P’S Convenors and Terrorist Affiliations
Two key Convenors of the SID4P movement, Al–Awda and NSJP, exhibit both historic
and ongoing connections to designated terrorist organizations such as Hamas and the
PFLP. Notably, SID4P’s association with the PFLP is further reinforced through
Samidoun’s inclusion as an official Endorser of the movement, as is openly listed on
SID4P’s website.
These connections are not superficial. For instance, Charlotte Kates serves as the
Communications Officer for Al–Awda. Kates is also listed in Canadian business records
as a Director of the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network.51 On May 6,
2024, Kates spoke at an online event alongside Hamas politburo member Osama
Hamdan.52 She is married to Khalid Barakat, a known PFLP official.53 This couple’s
involvement with PFLP leadership was on display during their 2012 visit to Gaza, where
they met with PFLP deputy secretary general, Jamil Mezher.54 Both Kates and Barakat
actively promote a one–state solution and advocate for the violent dissolution of the
state of Israel.
50 William Bredderman, “U.S Tech Mogul Bankrolls Pro–Russia, Pro–China News Network,” The Daily Beast,
May 29, 2023, Ibid.
51 “National Board, Coordinating Committee,” Al–Awda, al–awdapalestine.org/about/our–aims–and–
objectives/national–board.
52 “Video: On the vision of the Resistance – Interview with Osama Hamdan of Hamas,” Palestinian
Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement, May 6, 2024, masarbadil.org/en/2024/05/4686.
53 “له يوداع حفل يتنظم والشعبية يلغزة زيارته يختتم الكندي الوفد”, Ma’an News Agency, June 24, 2012,
maannews.net/news/498073.html.
54 “Jamil Mazhar,” European Council on Foreign Relations,
cfr.eu/special/mapping_palestinian_politics/jamil–mezher.

Until at least April 20, Nerdeen Kiswani was listed as the Youth Representative on Al–
Awda’s national board.55 Kiswani is a veteran Palestinian activist who founded the New
York chapter for Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and chairs Within our Lifetime
(WOL). She is outspoken in her support for Palestinian militant actions and calls for the
globalization of the Intifada. Kiswani’s activities, including her arrests at SID4P–led
protests, underscore her influential role in promoting a more militant approach toward
pro–Palestinian activism in the New York area.56
Additionally, both SJP and PYM, another SID4P Convener, as noted above, are
supported by the Westchester Peace Action Committee (WESPAC). WESPAC provides
fiscal sponsorship to multiple advocacy groups within the Boycott, Divestment,
Sanctions (BDS) movement, including the Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Kiswani’s
WOL. SJP’s founder, Hatem Bazian, participated in fundraising activities for KindHearts,
which is an organization that had its assets frozen by the U.S. Department of Treasury
in 2006.57 Per the U.S. Department of Treasury, KindHearts “officials and fundraisers
have coordinated with Hamas leaders and made contributions to Hamas–affiliated
organizations.”58 Bazian later helped establish American Muslims for Palestine (AMP),
evolving from the Islamic Palestine Association co–founded by Musa Abu Marzuq of
Hamas.59
Several other individuals previously investigated for ties to Hamas such as Saleh
Sarsour and Osama Abu Irshaid currently serve alongside Bazian on AMP’s National
55 “National Board, Coordinating Committee,” Al–Awda, Captured by WayBack Machine April 20, 2024,
web.archive.org/web/20240420043200/al–awdapalestine.org/about/our–aims–and–objectives/national–
board.
56 Center on Extremism, “Nerdeen Kiswani and Within Our Lifetime–United for Palestine: What You Need
to Know,” Anti–Defamation League, April 26, 2024, adl.org/resources/blog/nerdeen–kiswani–and–within–our–
lifetime–united–palestine–what–you–need–know.
57 Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, “From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between
Antisemitism, Tax–Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies,
November 15, 2023, gop–waysandmeans.house.gov/wp–content/uploads/2023/11/Schanzer–
Testimony.pdf; and “Former Treasury Official: Same Network That Funded Hamas in U.S. Backs Boycotts
of Israel,” The Tower, April 20, 2016, thetower.org/3260oc–former–treasury–official–same–network–that–
funded–hamas–in–u–s–backs–boycotts–of–israel.
58 U.S. Department of the Treasury, “Treasury Freezes Assets of Organization Tied to Hamas,” February
19, 2006, home.treasury.gov/news/press–releases/js4058.
59 “Profile: American Muslims for Palestine,” Anti–Defamation League, March 29, 2013,
adl.org/sites/default/files/american–muslims–for–palestine–2013–03–29–v4.pdf.

Board.60 As recently as October 31, 2023, the Virginia Office of the Attorney General
announced: “the Attorney General will investigate allegations that the organization
[AMP] may have used funds raised for impermissible purposes under state law,
including benefitting or providing support to terrorist organizations.”61
A lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Virginia by Greenberg Traurig in 2024 alleges
that AMP and NSPJ are not merely independent activist groups, but actually “support
and further the goals and directives of Hamas.”62 The suit references an “NJSP Toolkit”
that was distributed to students on October 8th, 2023, the day following Hamas’ attack.
This toolkit included coordinated “resistance materials,” calls for mass mobilization,
and celebrations of Hamas’ attack, which it referred to as a “historic win.”
Conclusion: Strengthening Democratic Resilience Against Internal
Threats
The emergence and activities of the “Shut It Down for Palestine” (SID4P) movement
highlights a trend in which the instruments of democracy are being exploited to
undermine its foundations. This report has demonstrated how SID4P, with its
connections to, and backing from, foreign entities, and its affiliations with terrorist–
linked organizations, has effectively exploited the U.S. non–profit system and
institutions that are afforded democratic protections to propagate anti–democratic
ideologies and disrupt societal norms. Its deployment of influence and action to target
critical infrastructure and educational institutions exemplifies what appears to be a new
wave of decentralized, network–driven disruption that poses national security concerns.
As the United States approaches a presidential election, the potential for these
movements to catalyze further unrest is not only likely but could even escalate into a
scenario where electoral processes are disrupted by widespread riots and protests.
Given the explicitly anti–American and anti–capitalist ideology of the SID4P movement,
60 Dr. Jonathan Schanzer, “From Ivory Towers to Dark Corners: Investigating the Nexus Between
Antisemitism, Tax–Exempt Universities, and Terror Financing,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies,
Ibid.
61 Commonwealth of Virginia – Office of the Attorney General, “Attorney General’s Office Opens
Investigation Into American Muslims for Palestine Nonprofit,” October 31, 2023, oag.state.va.us/media–
center/news–releases/2630–october–31–2023–attorney–generals–office–opens–investigation–into–american–
muslims–for–palestine–nonprofit.
62 Parizer v. AJP Educ. Found. Inc., E.D. Va., No. 1:24–cv–00724, filed May 1, 2024,
carolinajournal.com/wp–content/uploads/2024/05/palestine–1–050124.pdf.

its deployment of social unrest and information warfare represents a hybrid threat that
requires a robust response.
To counteract these threats, it is imperative for democratic institutions to develop
robust mechanisms of transparency and oversight. Specifically, there is a critical need
for more accountability from entities that enjoy nonprofit status and other fiscal
privileges to ensure that they are not exploiting these protections to support terrorist
activities or enhance the agendas of potentially foreign powers that are hostile to the
United States. The current protections and benefits afforded to such institutions, for
instance the fiscal confidentiality enjoyed by donors to 501(c)s, need more robust
measures in place to prevent the type of misuse that threatens the social fabric of
American society, and through that, its institutions and internal stability.
Additionally, as recommended by Senator Rubio to Attorney General Garland in 2023, it
is imperative to investigate whether entities associated with Mr. Singham may be in
violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), which was enacted in 1938 to
counter Nazi propaganda. This Act requires specific agents representing foreign
principals and involved in political activities or other related activities to periodically
disclose their relationship with these foreign principals, along with their activities,
receipts, and disbursements in support of those activities. While FARA does not prohibit
lobbying or promoting foreign interests, it is intended to promote transparency with
respect to foreign influence over American public opinion.
By recognizing these movements as threats to national stability rather than as isolated
incidents of civil unrest, we can better protect the democratic values and structural
integrity of American society and its democratic institutions.

Appendix
Figure 11: A graphic depicting the relationships between entities in the Singham Network and the SID4P
movement.

International People’s Assembly
The International People’s Assembly (IPA) is the least visible of the Singham–linked
SID4P Convenors. IPA’s official social media accounts were opened in 2021 and its
Instagram profile states that the account is based in Brazil.63 Many of its audio–visual
and textual productions appear in Spanish and Portuguese alongside English,
facilitating conveyance of its target narratives to Latin America and Latino activist
circles within the US.
Notwithstanding its apparent focus on Latin America, IPA has far–reaching global
interests. According to investigative reporting performed by South Africa’s
AmaBhungane, the IPA is, “a sort of umbrella organization for trade unions, political
parties and social movements… Singham is directly involved in the IPA, and it appears
to play an important coordinating role in his network of influence.”64 Tricontinental is
listed as an official partner of the IPA, and CODEPINK is designated a member of its
coordinating committee. Another coordinating committee member is the Palestine
Workers Party, which is part of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
IPA’s activities across the global south, particularly in Latin America and sub–Saharan
Africa, warrant further analysis that is beyond the scope of this report. That said, IPA
serves as a platform for both pro–CCP and pro–terrorism voices. For example, on
October 13, 2023, IPA hosted a conference titled “Dilemmas in Humanity” in South
Africa where speakers featured Leila Khaled, a PFLP terrorist, as well as Claudia De la
Cruz of the People’s Forum and PSL.65 Tings Chak, discussed previously for her
connections to other Singham entities, likewise identifies as a member of IPA.66
Notwithstanding its clear Singham connections, IPA’s tactical role in the SID4P coalition
is more tangential than either the People’s Forum or ANSWER Coalition, given its
relatively low mobilization capacity on U.S. streets and campuses. Instead, IPA enjoys
working relationships with socialist, Marxist, and pro–CCP movements worldwide and
can be seen as a bridge between US–based and global pro–terror activism. Its
employment of official social media accounts in attaching the #ShutItDown4Palestine
63 Peoples.assembly, Instagram, instagram.com/peoples.assembly.
64 Micah Reddy, Sam Sole, “Who Killed New Frame?”, AmaBhungane, July 27, 2022,
amabhungane.org/220727–who–killed–new–frame.
65 Dilemmas for Humanity, “South Africa prepares to host historic conference on dialogues towards
socialism,” October 13, 2023, dilemmasofhumanity.org/dilemmas–south–africa.
66 T_ings, X, October 2, 2021, twitter.com/t_ings/status/1444249212074430470.

hashtag to footage of pro–Palestine demonstrations outside the U.S. point to attempts
at globalizing the SID4P initiative.67
67 Peoplesassembl_, X,
twitter.com/search?q=from%3A%40peoplesassembl_%20%23ShutItDown4Palestine