
Briefs

A Profile of Mahmud Mansur Nidal: The Alleged Dagestani Connection to Boston Bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev
In connection with the tragic events in Boston, some Western journalists have started pursuing sensational angles to the story concerning the purported ties between the alleged elder Boston Marathon bomber, Tamerlan Tsnarnaev, and a Dagestani militant who went by the name of Mahmud Mansur Nidal... MORE

Who’s Who in Tunisia’s Salafi-Jihadi Community: A Look at Key Leaders of Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia
Two years ago, Ansar al-Sharia in Tunisia (AST) established itself as the premiere Salafi-Jihadi organization operating in the post-revolution environment. AST has become a key player not necessarily because of its size, but because of the anxiety it gives to many who worry about their... MORE

“I Don’t Know the Meaning of Militant”: A Profile of the Niger Delta’s Al-Haji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari: Part Two
As oil theft in southern Nigeria’s Niger Delta region reaches up to an unprecedented 250,000 barrels per day, there are signs that al-Haji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, the man who helped found the militant movements of the Delta and perfected the practice of “bunkering” (as tapping the... MORE

A Close-Up of Commander Isa Abd al-Majid Mansur of the Tubu Front for the Salvation of Libya
Isa Abd al-Majid Mansur is the leader of the southern Libyan ethnic political and militant movement the Tubu Front for the Salvation of Libya (TFSL). He is in his early-40s and is a native of the Libyan oasis town of Kufra in the southeastern Cyrenaica... MORE

“Inheriting Jihad”: A Portrait of Saudi Arabia’s Senior al-Qaeda Member Ahmed Abdullah Saleh al-Khazmari al-Zahrani
The Department of State designated Ahmed Abdullah Saleh al-Khazmari al-Zahrani (a.k.a. Abu Maryam al-Azdi) a “global terrorist” on January 24, describing him as a senior member of al-Qaeda. Al-Zahrani has been on a list of extremists wanted for extradition by the Saudi Interior Ministry since... MORE

A Sketch of Jemal Oukacha: The New Commander of AQIM in the Sahel and Sahara
Jemal Oukacha (a.k.a. “Yahya Abu al-Hammam”) is a new commander of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). As the “Emir of the Sahara,” Oukacha has control over a brigade of AQIM fighters responsible for an area stretching from the Azawad region of northern Mali to... MORE

A Preliminary Profile of the Boston Bombers: The Tsarnaev Brothers
The Tsarnaev brothers, Tamerlan, 26 years old, and 19-year-old Jokhar, have been accused of carrying out the bombing at the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 15. Tamerlan has died from injuries sustained from a shootout with police on Friday, April 19. While, as of the... MORE

Who’s Who in the Jordanian Opposition: Part Two
Inspired by the Arab Spring, the Salafi-Jihadists of Jordan have been holding demonstrations in several cities. As citizens take to the street to demand political reform, jihadists have shown that they are large in number and defiant, though they do not operate as an organization.... MORE

Succession Scenarios after Talabani: The Irreplaceable PUK Leader
Jalal Talabani, president of Iraq and leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK—Yeketî Nistîmanî Kurdistan), was admitted to a hospital in Baghdad on December 17, 2012 after he reportedly suffered a stroke. The PUK is one of the ruling parties of the autonomous Kurdistan region... MORE

A Profile of the Niger Delta’s Al-Haji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari: Part One
As oil theft in southern Nigeria’s Niger Delta region reaches up to an unprecedented 250,000 barrels per day, there are signs that al-Haji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari, the man who helped found the militant movements of the Delta and perfected the practice of “bunkering” (as tapping the... MORE