Latest Terrorism Focus Articles
The New York Plot: The Impact of Bin Laden’s Campaign to Inspire Jihad
The recent disruption of a developing terrorist plot to destroy an underwater tunnel connecting New Jersey and New York City and inundate lower Manhattan offers an opportunity to assess the impact of Osama bin Laden's decade-plus effort to inspire others to undertake operations against the... MORE
Jihadi Web Forums Revel in Lebanon Confrontation
As fighting intensifies between Israel and Hezbollah, discussion on the jihadi forums focused on the impact of these actions on the mujahideen in the region, and to the longer term Middle East strategy for the global jihad. A concisely written article, entitled "The Dangers of... MORE
Mogadishu’s Ports to Provide Significant Funding for Somalia’s Islamists
On July 11, Somalia's Islamic Courts Union (ICU) established control over Mogadishu's sea port after a two day battle in which over 100 people died and 200 were wounded. With the capture of the port, the ICU now controls most of the city, which had... MORE
Iraqi Insurgent Groups Respond to al-Maliki’s Reconciliation Initiative
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hopes to put an end to the terrorism that has enveloped Iraq by offering a comprehensive national security plan. The plan was announced on the heels of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's death by a coalition air strike. A key component of... MORE
Kabul Bombings Reveal Mounting Challenges Faced by the Karzai Government
A bomb detonated outside the Afghan Justice Ministry on July 4, injuring several civilians and shattering windows in nearby buildings. Three additional devices exploded across Kabul on July 5, targeting buses carrying Afghan government personnel, as well as an Afghan National Army (ANA) convoy in... MORE
Florida African-American Group Inspired by al-Qaeda Ideology
On June 23, seven members of the obscure Seas of David group were arrested by federal and local security officials in a low-income housing project in the Liberty City section of Miami and in Atlanta. The arrests were part of a four month operation and... MORE
Bin Laden Seizes Opportunities in his June and July Speeches
Osama bin Laden's speeches on June 30 and July 1 are notable because they portray his confidence and focus, command of the al-Qaeda organization and steady application of a strategy that seeks to prompt U.S. actions that spread U.S. military and intelligence forces in a... MORE
Statement to the Saudi Mujahideen Summons Iraq Returnees
On June 30, a media organization called al-Basha'ir (The Glad Tidings) issued a statement on the Lahdud forum (https://www.la7odood.com/vb) entitled, "who we are, what we want and what our relation is to al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula." Such media services have arisen in other arenas... MORE
Syria’s Abu al-Qaqa: Authentic Jihadist or Imposter?
Much has been written about the Aleppo-based Syrian preacher Abu al-Qaqa since Syrian security apprehended an armed group on June 2 that was attempting to carry out a terrorist attack at early dawn on the Ummayad Square in the heart of Damascus (Terrorism Focus, June... MORE
Pakistan Launches New Offensive in Balochistan
Since the forcible annexation of the Baloch Khanate of Kalat by Pakistan in 1947, the Balochistan region has seen a succession of revolts against political centralization and resource exploitation. Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province, but is sparsely populated with only six million people. A low-level... MORE