I think groups such as Counter Extremism to a certain extent manufacture their 'extremists' — they rely on public (and private) funding so the more conspiracies they can claim to uncover the better their fundraising will be.

The trouble is that the information they supply flows through into Wikipedia, is picked up by the credulous media, and is endlessly re-quoted and eventually becomes 'the narrative.'

The government then uses the information they have sponsored to enact policy. It becomes a hall of mirrors.