Latest Briefs

Nigerian Security Forces Clash with Niger Delta Militants
A series of recent government clashes with Niger Delta militants has displayed the difficulties in solving the delta crisis through the use of force. After Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo's August 15 order for security services to use "force for force" against the militants, the military... MORE
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SAUDI OFFICIALS CLAIM DECLINE IN BORDER INFILTRATIONS According to the director general of the Saudi Border Guard, Talal Anqawi, the number of infiltrators crossing the Saudi-Iraqi border has declined by 30-40% this year when compared to previous years (Asharq al-Awsat, October 16). Anqawi said that... MORE
Somalia’s ICU Declares Holy War on Ethiopia
After training its veteran fighters and newly-recruited students on jihadi tactics, the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) in Mogadishu has declared a holy war on Ethiopia. On October 9, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmad, the ICU leader who is seen as a moderate, emerged in the international... MORE
Al-Muhajir Calls for Nuclear Scientists to Join the Mujahideen in Iraq
The recent audio statement of al-Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Hamza al-Muhajir contained several points of analysis for looking at the current state of jihad in Iraq through one of its leadership nodes. Among the issues in al-Muhajir's message included his frustration with established religious... MORE
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LeT RECRUITING AFGHAN REFUGEES TO SUPPORT TALIBAN IN AFGHANISTAN According to an October 5 report on Afghan National Television, members of Pakistan's Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) party have been persuading Afghan refugees to take up arms against the Afghan government. The report cites Bakhar Information Agency stating... MORE
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KURDISTAN FREEDOM FALCONS DAMAGE TURKEY-IRAN GAS PIPELINE According to Copenhagen-based Roj TV on September 29, the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) claimed responsibility for an attack on the Turkey-Iran natural gas pipeline. The attack, which occurred on the night of September 28 on the Iranian side... MORE
New Website Incites Electronic Jihad
The latest criticism of Islam being a violent religion, which was sparked by incendiary comments made by Pope Benedict XVI, has caused internet jihadis to launch a new website called Electronic Jihad, located at https://www.al-jinan.org. The purpose of the website is to help organize an... MORE
Kenyan Media Urges Caution in Resolving Somalia Crisis
On September 24, Somalia's Islamic Courts Union (ICU) moved further south and took control of the port city of Kismayo near the Kenyan border. With the Islamist movement moving closer to Kenya, public debate in the country is raging. The Kenyan press has warned the... MORE
Pope’s Statements Bolster Radical Islamist Propaganda Efforts
As the fallout from Pope Benedict XVI's recent controversial speech continues to resonate across the Arab and Muslim world through street protests, official condemnations and even sporadic incidents of violence, radical Islamists have been busy waging their own attacks against the Vatican on Arabic language... MORE