Latest Briefs
Yemen Accuses Iran of Meddling in its Internal Affairs
In late January, a new round of fighting broke out between the Shabab al-Muminayn (The Believing Youth) and Yemeni forces in the northern governorate of Sa'dah. Government sources put the combined death toll at nearly 100, although the actual numbers are likely far higher. Like... MORE
Sawt al-Jihad Calls for Attacks on Western Energy Interests
Since Osama bin Laden first spoke about the necessity of targeting the oil industry in order to damage the U.S. economy, there has been a clear shift in al-Qaeda's operational strategy. Moreover, just months after al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri called on his fellow mujahideen... MORE
BRIEFS
ATTACKS ON OIL INTERESTS IN NIGERIA ESCALATE DRAMATICALLY During the year of 2006, approximately 70 foreigners involved in Nigeria's energy industry were taken hostage by militants. Just in January of this year, more than 50 foreigners were taken hostage, an alarming increase from the previous... MORE
Radical Islamists Target the UAE
The ruling Gulf monarchies are frequent targets of radical Islamist militant discourse on Arabic-language website discussion forums, with the Saudi royal family drawing the most ire. Islamist militants view the Gulf monarchies as heretical and apostate regimes akin to other regional governments considered illegitimate, tyrannical... MORE
Baghdad Sniper Gains Legendary Status
Snipers targeting U.S. soldiers in Baghdad and in other Iraqi cities garnered attention on jihadi forums in early 2005. It was not until November 2005, however, that these shootings received extensive press coverage when U.S. forces announced a reward for any information leading to the... MORE
Suicide Bomber Strikes on the Syria-Lebanon Border
On November 28, Syria was hit by another terrorist attack. The story, as usual, is murky and not much information is available on the background of the man who blew himself up on the Syrian-Lebanese border (Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation, November 28). The terrorist attack comes... MORE
Jihadi Forum Outlines Use of Poisons for Terrorist Attacks
Jihadi attempts to procure lethal and destructive weapons are endless. It is especially disturbing when they attempt to experiment with and acquire chemical and biological weapons. One recent post on a jihadi website outlined a user's attempts at mixing chemical components to create deadly substances... MORE
BRIEFS
PHILIPPINES ISSUES ALERT FOR AL-QAEDA OPERATIVES WITH INDIAN PASSPORTS The Philippines' Justice Department recently released a two-page memorandum for immigration supervisors, warning that al-Qaeda operatives may be attempting to infiltrate the country using forged Indian passports (Daily Tribune, November 25). The memorandum, drafted by Justice... MORE