Latest Terrorism Focus Articles
Setmariam Nasar: Background on al-Qaeda’s Arrested Strategist
Since November, reports from Pakistan of the possible arrest of a leading al-Qaeda ideologue have been engaging the interest of media analysts on the war on terrorism. In mid-March, Pakistan security authorities again hinted that they were seeking confirmation that the man arrested last October... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Tactical Doctrine for the Long War
While the February 28 issue of Terrorism Focus outlined al-Qaeda's strategic doctrine for insurgency, it is worth examining how al-Qaeda believes its doctrine should be applied at the tactical level. As was the case for strategic doctrine, the best place to find a discussion of... MORE
The Iraqi Media’s Response to Recent Sectarian Tension in Iraq
A cartoon appearing in the al-Sabah daily on March 2 highlights an increasingly prominent feature of Iraq's post-Saddam media. Depicting the malign hand of a writer (with serpent like fingers) using Iraqi blood as ink, the cartoon tries to expose the sectarian affiliations and motives... MORE
Danish Cartoons Focus the Jihadi Lens on History
As the furor in the Islamic world over the Danish cartoon crisis recedes, commentaries are turning more reflective and are proving to be a fascinating window onto the conceptual currents in the jihadi mindset. The theme of these more pensive essays is "analyzing" the Western... MORE
Al-Qaeda Employs Assassination Strategy in Karachi
Despite early questions, a suicide car bomb attack occurring just one block away from the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, killing a U.S. diplomat, his Pakistani driver, a Pakistani Ranger, and injuring scores more, has all the markings of a sophisticated al-Qaeda operation. The attack... MORE
Salafi-Jihadists in Jordan: From Prison Riots to Suicide Operation Cells
A Jordanian security source indicated that the General Intelligence Department (Mukhbarat) was able to foil a number of terrorist attacks in Jordan since the beginning of 2005. This was part of the announcement that Jordanian security forces were able to thwart a suicide operation targeting... MORE
Mujahideen Explain Away Failures of the Abqaiq Attack
Internet mujahideen are reflecting on the meager results of the attempted bombings by al-Qaeda at the Abqaiq (also known as Buqayq) oil processing plant in Saudi Arabia. A number of postings on the Tajdeed forum are illustrative (https://tajdeed.org.uk). Most postings talk up the significance of... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Insurgency Doctrine: Aiming for a “Long War”
Conventional national militaries train, think, and fight according to their doctrine. To date, however, America and the West have not sufficiently appreciated that al-Qaeda, too, is fighting the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan according to a doctrine of its own. That doctrine has been developed... MORE
Jailed Extremists Pardoned in Tunisia
On Monday, February 27, Tunisian President Zine Abidine Ben Ali released over 1,600 prisoners by official pardon—some 70 of them considered to be Islamists from the outlawed al-Nahda (awakening) movement—many of whom had been jailed on terrorism-related charges (https://www.akhbar.tn, February 26). Nearly 1,300 of the... MORE
The Foreign Makeup of Afghan Suicide Bombers
The recent arrests of several foreign fighters, allegedly organizing or carrying out terrorist attacks in Afghanistan, demonstrate how Afghanistan is attracting international suicide bombers. According to the Afghan Interior Ministry, in the past two months police have arrested some nine foreigners—most of them Pakistani nationals—under... MORE