Latest Briefs
Iran’s Missile Tests and the New Strategy of the Revolutionary Guard
Iran’s latest tests of the most advanced type of Shahab-3 (Meteor-3) medium-range ballistic missile, with a reported range of 2,000 kilometers, hint at Tehran’s readiness to fight back if Israel or the United States attacks its controversial nuclear program. The first series of missiles was... MORE
Jihadi Tutorial in Urban Terrorism and the Kidnapping of Americans
Recent postings in a jihadi internet forum give instructions on how to kidnap Americans and conduct urban terror operations. A posting entitled “The preferred rules of the art of kidnapping Americans” is an in-depth training lesson directed at the conduct of successful kidnappings (al-ekhlaas.net, July... MORE
BRIEFS
AL-QAEDA’S OPERATIONAL COMMANDER IN AFGHANISTAN PROMISES EXPANSION OF WAR INTO NORTHERN PROVINCES Pakistan’s Geo-TV has released a video interview with al-Qaeda’s operational commander in Afghanistan, the Egyptian militant Mustafa Abu al-Yazid (a.k.a. Shaykh Sa’id). With a rifle by his side, Abu al-Yazid gave the Arabic-language... MORE
Invisible Mujahideen Training Camps and the New Resistance Strategy in Iraq
Reacting to the latest decline in jihadi operations in Iraq in particular and in the world in general, a jihadi forum has discussed the need to reevaluate mujahideen tactics. The main posting is entitled “Towards a New Strategy to Resist the Occupier” (tamkeen.iraqserve.com, June 6).... MORE
BRIEFS
LIBYAN ISLAMIC FIGHTING GROUP TO RENOUNCE VIOLENCE FROM PRISON? As part of a dialogue and reconciliation process, imprisoned leaders of Al-Jama’ah al-Islamiyah al-Muqatilah (The [Libyan] Islamic Fighting Group - LIFG) appear ready to renounce political violence (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, July 6). Although the LIFG was closely... MORE
An al-Qaeda Threat in the United Arab Emirates?
Jihadi internet forums have picked up on recent British and American warnings about possible al-Qaeda terror attacks in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). One forum post, entitled “Is al-Qaeda overlooking the United Arab Emirates,” dismissed the suggestion that al-Qaeda is overlooking the UAE because al-Qaeda... MORE
BRIEFS
HEKMATYAR TELLS PAKISTANI TALIBAN TO STAY OUT OF AFGHANISTAN Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a veteran Afghan rebel and leader of the Hezb-i-Islami Party, has issued a statement asking members of the Pakistani Taliban to refrain from crossing the border to join the jihad in Afghanistan. The statement... MORE
The Paradise Boys: The Internal Debate over the Use of Child Jihadis in Iraq
Concerned about the future of al-Qaeda in Iraq due to the killing and arrests of its prominent leaders, jihadi forum participants have discussed the second generation of al-Qaeda (hanein.info, June 7). In the same context, other forum chatters discussed al-Qaeda’s recruitment of young children as... MORE
BRIEFS
TALIBAN CLAIM ARGHANDAB OCCUPATION A DIVERSION AND DEMONSTRATION OF STRENGTH Last week’s apparent attempt by the Taliban to occupy the Arghandab district of Kandahar province perplexed many observers. Following the successful raid and breakout of prisoners from Kandahar Prison on June 13, the large-scale operation... MORE
BRIEFS
AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN AGREE TO IMPLEMENT BIOMETRIC SECURITY ON BORDER The governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan have agreed to adopt a high-tech method to address the ongoing problem of suspects wanted for terrorism and other crimes crossing their mutual border. At a June 8 meeting... MORE