Latest Terrorism Focus Articles
Egyptian Gama’a al-Islamiyya’s Public Relations Campaign
In a recent interview conducted by the Dubai-based al-Arabiya news network, Dr. Nageh Ibrahim, senior leader and chief ideological theorist of the Egyptian Gama'a al-Islamiyya (EIG, Egyptian Islamic Group), reiterated the movement's pledge to renounce violence. He also reconfirmed EIG's commitment toward pursuing a peaceful... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Evolving Strategy Five Years after September 11
Five years after September 11, al-Qaeda is, in its own words, "continuing the policy of bleeding America to the point of bankruptcy," drawing the United States into a gradually widening conflict until it is no longer sustainable to continue operations against the mujahideen. Osama bin... MORE
The Western Media’s Misreading of al-Qaeda’s Latest Videotape
Al-Qaeda's 48-minute, September 2 video featured a short introduction by the group's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and a lengthy presentation by Azzam al-Amriki (Azzam the American), who apparently is U.S. citizen Adam Gadahn. The video comes just before the fifth anniversary of the 9/11 attack,... MORE
Peace Talks Resume as Cease-Fire Comes Under Strain in the Philippines
Monday, September 4 saw the resumption of formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The government had announced a major breakthrough in the talks with the MILF in April 2005 and in her... MORE
Support for Hezbollah in Egypt Threatens Mubarak’s Stability
The success of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement in battle against Israel's armed forces has reminded Egyptians of their own military difficulties against Israel in three major conflicts (1948, 1967 and 1973). The Egyptian government of President Hosni Mubarak (like Jordan and Saudi Arabia) was quick to... MORE
The Man in Nasrallah’s Shadow: A Profile of Sheikh Naim Qasim
Sheikh Naim Qasim, the deputy secretary-general of Hezbollah, is one of the most interesting politicians in Lebanon. He is also one of the most under-covered by the Western media because he remains overshadowed by the towering influence of his boss, the charismatic 46-year-old Sheikh Hassan... MORE
Somalia’s Islamists Attempt to Rein in Pirates
Months after gaining control of Mogadishu, the main seaports and most of the southern parts of the country, Somalia's Islamic Courts Union (ICU) has begun to rein in sea piracy. Somalia's 3,300 kilometer coastline has been classified by the International Maritime Bureau as one of... MORE
The Lord of the Marshes Takes a Mediating Role in Iraq
The "Lord of the Marshes" is a name that evokes a mythic image of one of Iraq's most illustrious resistance fighters. Abd Karim al-Mahmud Muhamedawi, also known as Abu Hatem, is a legendary figure inside Iraq but is little known to the outside world. A... MORE
The London Plot: A Tactical Victory in an Eroding Strategic Environment
On August 10, the British police and security services scored an impressive tactical counter-terrorism victory with the arrest of 24 British subjects—most of Pakistani ethnicity or origin—who had planned to destroy 10 airliners in flight over the Atlantic Ocean. The arrests capped what has been... MORE
Hezbollah’s Creative Tactical Use of Anti-Tank Weaponry
As the world waits to see if the UN-brokered ceasefire in Lebanon holds, the Israeli army will begin assessing its disappointing performance against Hezbollah guerrillas. Among the many aspects to be investigated is the vulnerability of Israel's powerful armored corps to small, hand-held, wire-guided anti-tank... MORE