Latest Terrorism Monitor Articles
LIFG: An Organization in Eclipse
The British government’s decision in October 2005 to designate the al-Jama'a al-Islamiyyah al-Muqatilah fi-Libya (Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, LIFG) as a terrorist organization must have come as welcome news to Colonel Qadhafi, given that at its peak the group represented the strongest challenge the Libyan... MORE
Upheaval in Nalchik: New Directions in the Chechen Insurgency
When Abdul-Khalim Sadulaev succeeded the late Aslan Maskhadov as the leader of the Chechen resistance, he was initially described by Russian sources as an Arab and a representative of al-Qaeda. Even after it was shown that the new President was a Chechen, many observers suggested... MORE
Re-Examining Jemaah Islamiyah in the Wake of the Zawahiri Letter
On October 11, 2005, the website of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence posted a letter believed to be from al-Qaeda deputy Ayman al-Zawahiri to Iraqi insurgent leader and commander of al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Dated July 9, 2005, this letter provided not... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s WMD Strategy After the U.S. Intervention in Afghanistan
With the loss of its Afghan sanctuary following the U.S. intervention in 2001, there was a question as to what role weapons of mass destruction (WMD) would play in al-Qaeda’s newly evolving strategy. Al-Qaeda has taken advantage of its recently assumed role as the ideological... MORE
Islamic Extremism on the Rise in Nigeria
Nigeria, a major oil producer, is the most populous African country with around 130 million people, of whom half are Muslim, 40 percent are Christian and 10 percent follow indigenous faiths. Nigeria has a civilian government, but is troubled by widespread corruption and uneven institutional... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s Inroads into the Caribbean
Security threats emanating from the Caribbean Basin typically revolve around its position as a key trans-shipment point for South American narcotics to the United States and Europe, as well as illegal immigration, money laundering, and other forms of banking and document fraud. Indeed, organized criminal... MORE
Target Dostum: The Campaign Against Northern Alliance Warlords
As you enter the dusty plains city of Sheberghan in northern Afghanistan you are greeted by what has to be one of the most striking billboards in all of Eurasia. It features Northern Alliance (NA) commander General Abdul Rashid Dostum and two blond haired, blue... MORE
The Challenge of Radical Islam in Mauritania
Mauritania is grappling with a range of fundamental issues, including religion, development, political and social progress and institution building. After the August 3 bloodless military coup that toppled Mauritania's autocratic president Maaouiya Ould Taya, the country reached a critical juncture in both its efforts to... MORE
Al-Qaeda’s WMD Strategy Prior to the U.S. Intervention in Afghanistan
This is the first in a two-part series addressing al-Qaeda’s WMD strategy. Al-Qaeda’s activities concerning weapons of mass destruction (WMD), or more precisely chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons, are shrouded in secrecy. CBRN weapons are the ideal terror tactic and a tantalizing option... MORE
Al-Qaeda in Australia
Al-Qaeda and its allies pose a credible threat to Australian security. While al-Qaeda affiliates have repeatedly bombed Australian interests in Indonesia, the organization has consistently singled out Australia itself as a high priority target. The terror network is determined to make good on these threats,... MORE