Latest Briefs
Iraq’s Islamic Mujahideen Profiled by Jihadi Websites: Part Two
In the last issue of Terrorism Focus, we examined the profiles of three Iraqi jihadi groups based on information compiled by al-Haq, an Islamic news website and later distributed through a number of jihadi internet forums (haqnews.net August 7, 2008). This issue will cover four... MORE
BRIEFS
IRAN, RUSSIA AND THE UNITED STATES VIE TO ARM THE LEBANESE ARMY The day before Lebanese President Michel Suleiman began his visit to Iran, a pan-Arab daily reported that Tehran was preparing to offer the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) heavy weapons, including missiles (al-Hayat, November... MORE
Iraq’s Islamic Mujahideen Profiled by Jihadi Websites: Part One
The profiles of a number of Iraqi jihadi groups were prepared and released by al-Haq news agency (haqnews.net August 7). According to al-Haq, the material was collected through interviews with field commanders, jihadi forums and pertinent websites. The files accumulated by al-Haq, entitled, “The Media... MORE
BRIEFS
SOMALI ISLAMISTS THREATEN KENYA’S PEACEKEEPING DEPLOYMENTIn an effort to prop up Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Kenya has decided to send a battalion of troops to join the undermanned African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), which has only 3,000 of its authorized strength of 8,000... MORE
Iraq’s Jaysh al-Muslimin – Nationalists in an Islamist Resistance Movement
A recent interview with the spokesman of the Jaysh al-Muslimin in Iraq elicited mixed reactions from jihadi forum participants, many of whom commented on the issue of nationalism vs. Islamism as the focus of the Iraqi resistance (yaqen.net, November 5; hanein.net, November 6).The spokesman of... MORE
BRIEFS
SPAIN’S GUARDIA CIVIL SEIZES TERRORIST MANUAL ADVOCATING “SECRECY IN JIHAD”Spain’s Guardia Civil has released details of a terrorist manual discovered in the Catalonian home of Muhammad Mrabet, a Moroccan national accused of organizing an al-Qaeda cell that sent prospective suicide bombers to Iraq. The most... MORE
Baghdad’s Saad bin Abi Waqas Army – Former Iraqi Soldiers Fight to Restore the Caliphate
In late 2007, al-Qaeda’s second man, Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, conducted an open dialogue through the internet in which he answered questions posed by members of jihadi internet forums. Since then, some Iraqi jihadi group leaders have imitated al-Zawahiri’s example by answering questions put to them... MORE
Jihadis Criticize Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and the Islamic State of Iraq
Recent statements from the leadership of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) have generated negative reactions from members of jihadi internet forums. Statements entitled “The Divine Promise” and “The Prophetic State,” from ISI leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi and ISI Minister of War Abu Hamza... MORE
BRIEFS
MYSTERY OF ARMS SHIP SEIZED BY SOMALI PIRATES GROWS DEEPER In the holds of the Ukrainian cargo-ship MV Faina, seized by Somali pirates in September, are 33 Russian-designed T-72 battle tanks and a substantial cargo of grenade launchers, anti-aircraft guns, small arms and ammunition. Kenya... MORE