Latest Briefs

Al-Shabaab Leader Abu Ubaidah Reemerges From the Shadows
Al-Shabaab leader Ahmed Umar Abu Ubaidah (alias Ahmed Diriye) is notorious for keeping out of the spotlight. He had, for example, never made a public appearance until a November 2019 video, in which he gave a motivational speech to al-Shabaab fighters before they raided the... MORE

Insani Joy Samla’s Arrest and the Annihilation of Abu Sayyaf’s Courier Network in the Philippines
On March 2, Abu Sayyaf courier Insani Joy Samla was arrested by Philippine security officers on the island of Basilan near Mindanao (akhbaralaan.net, March 2). His arrest disrupted the remaining linkages between Abu Sayyaf’s increasingly small and dispersed cells across Mindanao, which have been degraded... MORE

Jean-Louis Denis: Belgian Jihadist Caught Speeding in Benin
On January 30, 49-year old Belgian citizen Jean-Louis Denis was arrested in Tourou, Benin for speeding while driving his car. After additional investigation, however, the Beninese authorities ordered his “immediate” deportation due to his background in Belgium, where he had previously been convicted for recruiting... MORE

A Profile of Islamic State’s Former Top Operative in Somalia: Bilal al-Sudani
A 2017 UN report concerning Somalia and Eritrea found that an Islamic State (IS) fighter in Somalia who defected from the group named “Abd El-Rahman” as his immediate superior in IS in Somalia (ISS) (UN Security Council, November 2, 2017). However, according to that report,... MORE

Mahmood Barry: JNIM’s Video Monologue Militant in Mali
The Group for Supporters of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) has many different leaders among its ranks, ranging from its head, the Tuareg Iyad ag Ghaly, to the commander of JNIM’s “Macina Brigade,” the Fulani Hamadou Kouffa; recently, however, the group's most visible persona has become Mahmoud Barry (alias... MORE

AQAP’s Heru Sisanto: an Indonesian Jihadist in Yemen
Despite the geographic distance between Indonesia and Yemen and their disparate languages and cultures, the two countries also share a unique historical bond which extends well into the present day. Many Indonesians, for example, trace their ancestry to Yemen and specifically the Hadramawt region (arabnews.com,... MORE

The Post-Prison Resurrection of Indonesian Jemaa Islamiyah Founder Abubakar Baasyir
Abubakar Baasyir is an Indonesian Islamic preacher who became best known for his founding role in Jemaa Islamiyah (JI) in 1993 with, among others, Abdullahi Sungkar. Like other jihadist ideologues and founders of that era, the JI founders were inspired by the Afghan mujahidin’s victory... MORE

Saeed Aghajani, Mehdi Molashahi, and Javad Keiha: The Masterminds Behind Iran’s Drone Program
Over the last several weeks, the United States, UK, and European Union sanctioned three military commanders and a defense company over allegedly supplying drones to Russia for use in their war against Ukraine. The sanctions consist of travel bans and asset freezes on Major-General Mohammad... MORE

Peruvian Communist Rebel Leader “Jose” Palomino on Brink of Capture in VRAEM
In August, the Peruvian armed forces launched an operation targeting the base of former Shining Path commander, Victor Quispe Palomino, whose alias is “Jose.” As the Shining Path is now centered in Valle de los Ríos Apurímac, Ene, y Mantaro (Valley of the Apurimac Rivers),... MORE

Kasturi Mahkota Emerges as Potential Broker in Thai Insurgency Peace Talks
Since November 2011, Kasturi Mahkota has been the Patani United Liberation Organization (PULO)’s leader. He rose to that position after his tenure as the PULO’s Foreign Affairs Chief and Vice President, and he attained the leadership position through a vote by the organization’s Central Committee... MORE