Latest Terrorism Focus Articles
Fears of Intelligence Penetration of the GIMF
The fallout from the arrests of Saudi mujahideen following the Abqaiq attack and the suspicions of penetration of the al-Hesbah forum by intelligence agents (Terrorism Focus, April 11) continues to concern the jihadi forum participants. Under the present state of heightened alarm, the latest organization... MORE
JI’s Two-Pronged Strategy in Indonesia
Two recent reports based on Indonesian police and intelligence sources regarding Jemaah Islamiya's (JI) changing strategies suggest that the organization continues to have a two-pronged strategy of both targeting Western interests and fomenting sectarian conflicts. While some analysts have suggested that these strategies reflect deep-seeded... MORE
Resurgence of Islamic Radicalism in Tajikistan’s Ferghana Valley
The Ferghana Valley is one of the most unstable regions in Central Asia. In early 1989, pogroms of Jews and clashes with Meskhetian Turks broke out and resulted in the deaths of 150 people. Subsequently, 15,000 Meskhetian Turks fled from the Ferghana Valley. In 1990,... MORE
Al-Qaeda in Iraq: Has al-Zawahiri Reined in al-Zarqawi?
Media reports during the past week have announced that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi—al-Qaeda's chief in Iraq—has been "replaced" or "demoted" from the leadership of Iraq's Sunni resistance coalition (Daily Star, April 3; al-Bawaba, April 2). The stories have said that al-Zarqawi was removed as "the result... MORE
Taliban Setup Office in South Waziristan
In South Waziristan, members of the local Taliban have been allowed to establish an office in Wana in an effort to restore law and order to the area (Daily Times, March 15). The decision was made in the Jamia-ul-Aloom madrassa in Wana (Daily Times, March... MORE
Salafi-Jihadist Movement Becoming a New Force in Lebanon
In July 2005, French scholar Olivier Roy argued that Iraq and Palestine are not factors in the prevalence of the Salafi-Jihadist movement. He based his argument on the fact that there are no Iraqi or Palestinian members in the Salafi-Jihadist organizations. Now, however, this argument... MORE
Abu Dujana: Jemaah Islamiyah’s New al-Qaeda Linked Leader
With the death of Jemaah Islamiyah's (JI) master bomb-maker, Azahari bin Husin, there has been intense speculation over JI's current leadership, in particular the position of Amir ("spiritual leader"), which has been vacant since 2003. In recent weeks, Indonesian authorities have focused their sights on... MORE
Jihadi Forums Marvel at New Role of Snipers
The periodic success of mujahideen snipers in Iraq has been stimulating the imagination of jihadist forum readers, and this has taken the form of a number of video productions. A high-quality, 15-minute example of the genre, entitled Qannas Baghdad ("The Sniper of Baghdad") was circulated... MORE
Al-Qaeda Doctrine: Training the Individual Warrior
While Terrorism Focus previously examined al-Qaeda's strategic and tactical doctrine (February 28, March 14), this article looks at the type and purpose of the non-military training that is given to the individual al-Qaeda fighter or mujahid. Based on al-Qaeda sources (see notes for complete listing),... MORE
Mujahideen Shura Council in Iraq: Fact or Fiction?
In a statement released on March 23, the newly-formed Mujahideen Shura Council (MSC) in Iraq announced that on the previous day a combatant from the "Abu Dujana al-Ansari Brigade" (a unit affiliated to any one of the seven insurgent organizations comprising the MSC) detonated a... MORE