The mujahideen in Iraq continue to demonstrate a high degree of sensitivity to the pronouncements of religious clerics on the propriety of jihadist violence. The most conspicuous example of this came in the surprising announcement by Abu Mus'ab al-Zarqawi, published November 5 on an Islamist... MORE

The al-Jazeera TV channel ran an audio tape given on November 1 by Shaykh Hammud bin Sa'ud al-Utaybi, one of the 26 names on the wanted list in Saudi Arabia. Delivered at the same time as bin Laden's address, he urged the Muslims to fulfill... MORE

The terrorist attacks of November 2003 marked a milestone in Turkey’s struggle against the forces of radical Islam. As the Turkish police and intelligence services broaden their investigation into the existence of a local terrorist cell that carried out the horrific bombings of the British... MORE

Beyond the innumerable expressions of defiance at the loss to the insurgents of Fallujah, some expressions of pessimism have crept into jihadist forums – always a useful barometer of mujahideen morale. The fall of the city is of great significance "since it was considered the... MORE

With the 60th anniversary Victory Day celebrations set for May 9, the architect of perestroika and a leading historian of that period have spoken out against what they both see as the rehabilitation of Joseph Stalin. There are ample signs that something like a rehabilitation... MORE

Gazprom's efforts to merge with the state-owned oil firm Rosneft appear to be part of a larger strategy to boost state-control over Russia's energy sector. The Gazprom-Rosneft merger, which likely will wrap up before Gazprom's June shareholder meeting, will raise the government's stake in Gazprom... MORE

In the last edition of Terrorism Focus we featured how clerics were in the firing line from Muslims liberals. Now they have come in for some stick from the jihadist leaders. On November 17 a letter of ‘advice and pity for my brothers who are... MORE

A report from a London-based Islamic affairs research centre illustrates the ongoing pressure exerted by the Egyptian government on its Islamist dissidents. A November 30 statement issued by the London-based al-Maqrizi Centre for Historical Studies, headed by former member of the outlawed Egyptian group Islamic... MORE

The attack on Monday December 6 on the U.S. consulate in Jedda, coming after a lull in high profile attacks, cast a different light from the image put out by the Saudi Arabian government on the progress against the Islamist Mujahideen in the country. The... MORE

Translation by Jamestown Researcher Jeffrey Pool Translator's Introduction: On October 17, 2004, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his Tawhid wal-Jihad organization issued an online statement pledging allegiance to al-Qaeda and its commander, Sheikh Osama bin Laden. Al-Qaeda reprinted and acknowledged the statement, responding favorably to the... MORE