Latest Briefs
Malaysia and Thailand Wrangle over Chief Terrorist
On January 26 came official confirmation from Malaysia that Thailand's most-wanted Islamist terror suspect, Abdul Rahman Ahmad, known in Thailand both as Doramae Kuteh and Chae Kumae Kuteh, had been arrested. He is considered to be the leader of the New Pulo separatist group and... MORE
Thailand’s Election Results Bring Discouraging News for the South
Another surge of violence in Thailand's south since Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra won his second term on February 6 augurs ill for the region's future. On February 10 a bomb attempt on Governor Pracha Tehrat and senior army and police officers attending a military parade... MORE
Kazakhstan Islamist Militancy on the Rise
Kazakhstan Today reported on February 11 that police in the Manghistau region arrested a militant from a Wahhabi organization Taza Islam (Pure Islam). They also confiscated audiotapes, extremist literature, leaflets calling to perpetrate terrorist acts, some explosives — a sack of carbide and toluene cartridges... MORE
Baasyir Trial Continues in Indonesia
On February 8 the court in Jakarta reconvened, as scheduled, in the case against Indonesian cleric Abu Bakar Baasyir, for his alleged engagement in terrorism related acts. This is the second time the 66-year old Baasyir has been put on trial, having been cleared in... MORE
Registration for Pakistani Militants
The Pakistan government has begun to compile a central registry of militants and extremists along with the details of the groups with which they are affiliated. According to a February 9 report in the Pakistani Daily Times, the lists will include those working in the... MORE
Forum Jitters on the Capture of Bin Laden
Participants to a jihadist forum have been troubled by another scare story that bin Laden has been arrested. Iranian websites, apparently quoting American officials, said that Osama bin Laden had been arrested in the beginning of February by Iranian forces, while moving along the border... MORE
Libyan Islamists under Pressure
On February 24 the jihadist al-Qal'ah forum (www.qal3ati.net) ran a brief note on breaking events in Libya. Under the rubric: "Your brothers in Libya need your prayers," a contributor to the forum explained that: "For a week now, right up to the present hour, a... MORE
Evidence of Jemaah Islamiyah Expansion in the Philippines
Philippine intelligence searching for suspects for the February 14 bomb attacks in Makati, Davao and General Santos - detailed in the last edition of Terrorism Focus - claim to have been swamped with raw information on plots to bomb shopping malls and transport systems. They... MORE
Iraqi Propaganda War Begins in Earnest
Taking a leaf out of the Idarat al-Tawahhush, "The Management of Barbarism," (see "New Book Lays Out al-Qaeda's Military Strategy" in this issue) and the need to understand ‘the rules of the game' — particularly the need to sidestep traditional media channels to send the... MORE
Clashes in Saudi Arabia
U.S. warnings a week ago of an increased threat of attack to its residents in Jeddah were borne out on March 14 with news of a clash between Saudi security forces and suspected Islamist militants. As forces raided a residential building housing a wanted Islamist... MORE