Latest Terrorism Focus Articles
GSPC Rival Leader Hattab Reclaims Title
Following the referendum on the amnesty for Islamist militants still holding out in the mountains, Hassan Hattab, the former leader of the Groupe Salafiste pour la Prédication et le Combat (GSPC), gave a unique interview to the pan-Arab newspaper al-Hayat (www.daralhayat.com). The information he provides... MORE
Thailand Crisis Deepening
The crisis in southern Thailand took an ominous turn with the announcement on November 3 that martial law has been declared in two districts of the province of Songkhla. This is the first extension of martial law beyond the three troubled provinces of Narathiwat, Pattani... MORE
Al-Qaeda in Iraq Takes Credit for the Amman Bombings
Yesterday, November 9, a series of explosions at international hotels in the Jordanian capital appears to have claimed 50-60 lives and wounded over 100. The Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels were struck, as the Radisson was hosting a wedding reception with some... MORE
Al-Zarqawi Threatens Moroccan Diplomats, Ignites Debate Among Clerics
On November 3, al-Zarqawi’s al-Qaeda in Iraq issued a statement on the Internet sentencing two kidnapped Moroccan diplomats, Abderrahim Boualem and Abdelkrim al Mouhafidi, to death by its “Shari’ah court.” According to the statement, the accused constitute ansar al-tawaghit, or “supporters of the tyrants,” who... MORE
Can al-Qaeda Endure Beyond bin Laden?
The question of al-Qaeda’s longevity after the demise of its figurehead is ultimately unanswerable until bin Laden is actually gone. There are those who believe bin Laden is dead—which would surely be one of history’s best kept secrets—and argue that al-Qaeda has proven its survivability.... MORE
Al-Zarqawi as Master Strategist in Iraq, Rising Leader of the Global Jihad
A series of online statements posted by the mujahideen increasingly downplay the issue of foreign invasion as a factor in the rise of jihad. One of the more recent of these was a posting on October 18 by the Organization of al-Qaeda in Iraq, the... MORE
A New Alliance in the Philippines
As political talks between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) register strong progress, the military campaign to finish off the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) in the south continues. According to the October 13 edition of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, which... MORE
Jihadists Respond to Earthquake Victims in Pakistan
The magnitude of the South Asian earthquake tragedy has prompted al-Qaeda to issue a statement calling for aid for the victims. On October 23, Ayman al-Zawahiri released a video statement, broadcast by the satellite channel al-Jazeera, in which he called for Muslims to give aid... MORE
Is al-Zawahiri’s Letter to al-Zarqawi a Fake?
On October 6, U.S. intelligence in Iraq revealed the existence of a 13-page letter, dated July 9, 2005, from al-Qaeda's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri and addressed to al-Qaeda's leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. The message contained a number of interesting features, including a request... MORE
Taliban Resurgence in Afghanistan
Afghanistan has witnessed renewed violence over recent months, prompting questions on the progress of U.S. forces in bringing security to the war-torn country, and whether the Taliban are staging a campaign for permanent resurgence. On September 28, in one of the bloodiest attacks since the... MORE