Our picksThe Struggle over Chips | Remaking U.S. Intelligence | Banning Extremist Social Media Users, and more

As Capitol Riot Arrests Climb, FBI Says Extremist Oath Keepers Conspired in Attack (Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today)
Chilling details emerged this week as federal authorities continued to round up and arrest some of the hundreds who joined the deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol two weeks ago.
A criminal complaint filed Tuesday alleges conspiracy and other crimes against three members of an extremist group, the Oath Keepers. The three have been arrested. The complaint traces how they planned the attack weeks in advance, then coordinated by radio as they moved into the Capitol with precision, wearing helmets, reinforced vests and military-style insignia.

Bristol Islamic Extremist Shared ‘Terror Tutorials’ (BBC)
An Islamic extremist has admitted sharing “terrorist tutorials” and having a stash of bomb and poison-making instructions. Souhaib Embarek, 34, was arrested after firearms officers forced entry into his Bristol home on 9 December 2019. He denied two charges of disseminating a terror document but changed his plea for one count as his trial opened. Embarek had already admitted five charges of possessing information useful to a terrorist. Judge Philip Katz QC, sitting at the Old Bailey, ordered for the other charge to lie on file. Embarek, a Spanish national, rolled his eyes as he entered a guilty plea by video link from Wandsworth Prison. Prosecutor Joel Smith said Embarek threw a mobile phone from his bedroom window as his Clifton home was stormed by armed police in December 2019. He said: “After being arrested, he denied to police that he even had a mobile telephone. “Notwithstanding his attempts to frustrate the police, a number of mobile phones and a computer that he was using were recovered.” Material relating to weapons, poison, violence and terrorism, in particular radical Islamic ideology, was found on the devices at his home in Tyndale Court, Mr. Smith said.

Airbnb Used Social Media to Identify and Ban Extremist Users: Report (Michael Hollan, Foix News)
It’s not a good time to be a member of an extremist hate group who wants to go on vacation. In the wake of the riot at the U.S. Capitol, Airbnb says it has been taking more aggressive actions to prevent members of violent hate groups from using its service. The company reiterated, however, that its concern is focused on people who may commit violent acts, regardless of where they fall on the political spectrum. In a report from Engadget, which cited a tech website called The Information, Airbnb has been using dummy accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other online forums to identify users with ties to various hate groups. Members of Airbnb’s team would reportedly avoid interacting with individuals and would only search out public posts to make their determinations. Since many users link their Airbnb accounts with their Facebook accounts, team members could easily take action in those cases. When reached for confirmation, an Airbnb spokesperson told Fox News on Wednesday that the company has long taken a stance against members who are associated with “terrorist, organized criminal and violent racist groups.” The company has required users to agree to this through its Community Standards since 2016.

Trump’s Big Gamble to Gut U.S. Power Plant Emissions Rules Loses in Court, Opening a Door for New Climate Rules (Daniel Farber, The Conversation)
Joe Biden got a big judicial win for his climate agenda just hours before his inauguration as U.S. president. The case involved federal plans for cutting power plant emissions and a big gamble by the Trump administration.

I Went to High School with Biden’s Homeland Security Team (Timothy Noah, New Republic)
Washington’s new national security establishment is coming straight outta Beverly Hills.

The Struggle over Chips Enters a New Phase (Economist)
The age of their manufacture in China could be beginning.

Biden Has a Golden Chance to Remake U.S. Intelligence (Zachery Tyson Brown, Foreign Policy)
Agencies need to adapt to an information-heavy era.