Latest Articles about Latin America

Jihad Without Rules: The Evolution of al-Takfir wa al-Hijra

The September 11 attacks precipitated the uncovering of extensive al-Takfir wa al-Hijra (Excommunication and Exile) networks across Europe specialized in logistical support to terrorist groups. While the obscure group had been previously encountered by law enforcement, many were surprised at the extent and reach of... MORE

Islamic Radicalism in Mexico: The Threat from South of the Border

The ongoing controversy surrounding the debate over illegal immigration and border security issues in the United States, specifically as it applies to the porous U.S.-Mexico frontier and the status of millions of undocumented workers and other migrants that enter the country each year from Mexico,... MORE

Al-Qaeda and the Threat to Mass Surface Transportation

The March 2004 attack on commuter trains in Madrid and the three simultaneous bombings on the London underground in July 2005, which collectively killed 243 people, dramatically underscored the acute terrorist threat to mass surface transportation (MST) in the contemporary era. According to the Mineta... MORE

Jamaat al-Muslimeen on Trial in Trinidad and Tobago

The ongoing legal case against Imam Yasin Abu Bakr, the founder and leader of Trinidad's and Tobago's Jamaat al-Muslimeen (Muslim Group), continues to shed light on the group's radical and criminal activities. The 64 year-old Abu Bakr is a former police officer and Afro-Trinidadian Muslim... MORE

The 2005 Los Angeles Plot: The New Face of Jihad in the U.S.

A recent U.S. District Court indictment accused members of a shadowy Islamist gang, Jam'iyyat Ul-Islam As-Saheeh ("Assembly of Authentic Islam," JIS), of conspiring to strike U.S. military facilities, Israeli national interests and synagogues around Los Angeles sometime during the autumn 2005 Jewish holidays. Most of... MORE

Radical Islam in Latin America

In the wake of the September 11 attacks, the possibility of al-Qaeda infiltrating Latin America became a priority for U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials. However, the most publicized incidents of radical Islamist activity in Latin America have not been linked to al-Qaeda but instead... 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

UK Pressures Leading Jihadi Forum and Prominent Saudi Dissident

Fallout on the jihadi Internet forums from the London bombings continues. After the closure of the al-Qal'a forum (see Focus, Volume II, Issue 15) attention has moved to the prominent al-Tajdeed forum [www.tajdeed.org.uk] run by Saudi dissident Dr. Muhammad al-Massari. Participants to the forum noted... MORE