Latest Briefs

BRIEFS

PAKISTANI MEDIA CALLS RED MOSQUE INCIDENT AN INTELLIGENCE FAILURE The Pakistani newspaper The News published a report on July 13 that questioned how it was possible for the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) administration to smuggle in large quantities of arms and ammunition, especially considering that... MORE

BRIEFS

ANSAR AL-ISLAM IN THE MUSLIM DESERT RELEASES NEW WARNING On May 1, the website https://sahara.6te.net posted a warning to the Moroccan government that "Ansar al-Islam in the Muslim Desert" has declared "jihad against this agent government headed by Mohammed the Sixth, and all the agent... MORE

JI Weakened, Yet Potential for Violence Remains

The June arrests of two important Jemaah Islamiya (JI) leaders, Abu Dujana and Zarkasih (also known as Abu Nu'aim), along with their aides, is a major blow to the network and will weaken it significantly (The Jakarta Post, June 25; Terrorism Focus, June 19). Yet,... MORE

BRIEFS

TALIBAN'S VOICE OF SHARIA RETURNS TO THE AIR According to the July 4 issue of Kabul Weekly, the Taliban's Shariat Shagh (Voice of Sharia) radio station is back on the air in several Afghan provinces. The station broadcasts on FM 88.00 and can be heard... MORE

Forum Users Improve Electronic Jihad Technology

A previous issue of Terrorism Focus exposed a jihadi website dedicated solely to cyber attacks against websites deemed anti-Islamic (Terrorism Focus, October 3, 2006). The members of al-jinan.org have targeted websites critical of Islam and Islamic rituals. They have labeled themselves electronic jihadis and believe... MORE

BRIEFS

NIGERIAN MILITANTS PLAN REPRISAL ATTACK AGAINST AGIP Ijaw militants in the Niger Delta have threatened a new attack against Eni subsidiary Agip in response to a recent deadly confrontation at the Ogbainbiri flow station in Bayelsa state. The confrontation began on June 17, when armed... MORE

NATO Strikes Taliban Militants in Pakistani Territory

The covert understanding between the Pakistani government and NATO/ISAF in Afghanistan regarding direct U.S. military action in Pakistan's tribal areas is hardly a secret anymore. Officially, the Pakistani government forbids foreign troops from conducting military operations on its soil, whereas in reality many U.S. missile... MORE

BRIEFS

KURDS RESTRUCTURE PESHMERGA INTO "REGULAR ARMY" A June 13 article in the Turkish newspaper Milliyet reported how Kurdish border guards have withdrawn five kilometers from the Turkish-Iraqi border in response to Turkey's military build-up. The Kurdish troops have withdrawn to six new military outposts in... MORE

Somalia’s Mujahideen Youth Movement

In the ever changing dynamic of contemporary Somalia, the recently established Mujahideen Youth Movement (MYM) has emerged as the most potent militant group. Although there is little substantive information available about the group, its founding or its core leadership, much can be ascertained about its... MORE

BRIEFS

FORUM PARTICIPANT ENCOURAGES ELECTRONIC WAR AGAINST UNITED STATES A May 20 statement in the alfirdaws.org forum called on Islamists to conduct an electronic war against the "enemy." The forum participant prodded the online community with the question: "For how long are we going to be... MORE