Latest Terrorism Monitor Articles
Syria’s Surprising Release of Jihadi Strategist Abu Mus’ab al-Suri
After weeks of rumors, a well-known contributor to jihadi web forums has confirmed the release from a Syrian prison of Abu Mus’ab al-Suri (real name Mustafa Abdul-Qadir Mustafa al-Set Mariam), one of the most prominent jihadi ideologues and strategists (Shamikh1.info, February 2). The contributor, who... MORE
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CAPTURED BOKO HARAM SPOKESMAN UNDERGOES “INTENSE INTERROGATION” After enduring strong criticism over the last two years for repeated intelligence failures in its struggle against Boko Haram militants, Nigeria’s State Security Service (SSS) appears to have scored a major intelligence coup with its capture of the... MORE
Hot Issue — Revolutionary Roadshow: Libyan Arms and Fighters Bring Instability to North and West Africa: Part Two
Executive Summary: A year after the eruption of Libya’s spontaneous revolution, there are few signs of progress towards establishing internal security or a democratic government. Real power lies in the hands of well-armed militias with little inclination to disarm or demobilize and the ruling Transitional... MORE
Hot Issue — Revolutionary Roadshow: Libyan Arms and Fighters Bring Instability to North and West Africa: Part One
Executive Summary: A year after the eruption of Libya’s spontaneous revolution, there are few signs of progress towards establishing internal security or a democratic government. Real power lies in the hands of well-armed militias with little inclination to disarm or demobilize and the ruling Transitional... MORE
The Indigenization of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan
The last major attacks in Uzbekistan associated with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) were carried out in 2004, a year in which gunmen and suicide bombers, including females, struck the U.S. and Israeli embassies, markets, and police stations in Tashkent and Bukhara (Guardian, April... MORE
Why the Arab Spring Passed By Contested Kirkuk
Kirkuk’s Sunni Arab parties are not happy over the recent decisions of the Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki and the Iraqi cabinet to turn the U.S. military base at Kirkuk into a civilian airport, to approve 1,400 new police officers requested by the Kurdish head of... MORE
The Uludere Air Raid and Systemic Gaps in Turkey’s Intelligence Infrastructure
When smugglers were mistaken for militants in southeastern Turkey on December 28, 2011, a Turkish air raid killed 35 civilians who were carrying fuel across the Turkish-Iraqi border near the village of Ortasu, in the Uludere district. In the following days, media reports hinted that... MORE
Hot Issue — The Zintan Militia and the Fragmented Libyan State
Executive Summary: In an effort to oust Qaddafi, independent militias of varying strength have been formed inside Libya and are threatening regional security inside the country. Of these the Zintan militia is one of the foremost examples of a brigade with strong organizational skills, effective... MORE
Rivalry between Iran’s Conservative Factions May Be the Biggest Threat to the Strait of Hormuz
Velayat-e 90, the 11-day Iranian naval exercise that began on December 24, 2011 in the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, has brought Iran and the United States close to a military conflict. While Tehran originally maintained that the war games were merely for defensive purposes,... MORE
Is al-Qaeda Infiltrating Syria through Lebanon’s Beka’a Valley?
Disputes over the possible presence of al-Qaeda in Lebanon’s Beka’a Valley are beginning to destabilize Syrian-Lebanese relations. Attention on the Beka’a region has intensified following the December 23, 2011 and January 6, 2012 suicide bombing attacks in Damascus, which left a combined 60 dead and... MORE