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Caucasus Emirate eulogizes slain Ahrar al Sham leaders
The al Qaeda-linked Caucasus Emirate joins the Al Nusrah Front and other jihadist groups in offering condolences to Ahrar al Sham.
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Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent claims 2 attacks in Pakistan
AQIS has claimed two attacks in Pakistan. On Sept. 2, the group assassinated a Pakistani officer. An AQIS spokesman claims that the group attempted to take over a docked Pakistani ship on Sept. 6 and fire missiles at American warships.
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Shabaab names new emir, reaffirms allegiance to al Qaeda
Less than one week after Ahmed Abdi Godane was killed in an American airstrike, Shabaab has named a new leader and publicly reaffirmed its allegiance to al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri.
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Al Qaeda veteran takes on a more prominent role as spokesman in Syria
Abu Firas al Suri long served as a clandestine figure in al Qaeda’s international terrorist network. Today he serves as the Al Nusrah Front’s spokesman. He is tasked with defending Al Nusrah’s capture of more than 40 UN peacekeepers.
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Al Nusrah Front announces detention of 45 UN peacekeepers
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, has announced its responsibility for the detention of 45 UN peacekeepers in Syria. The group claims its actions are justified because the UN supposedly works “against Muslims.”
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Al Nusrah Front attempts to thwart Islamic State’s advances north of Aleppo
A video released by the Al Nusrah Front features three fighters shortly before they head off to fight the Islamic State’s jihadists, who have advanced on rebel positions north of Aleppo.
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Ansar al Sharia, allies seize Libyan special forces base in Benghazi
Ansar al Sharia and its allies have captured a key Libyan special forces base in the city of Benghazi. The base fell after days of heavy fighting and Ansar al Sharia is celebrating the spoils of its victory on its official Twitter page.
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Well-connected jihadist tweets, then deletes, explanation of al Qaeda’s oath to Mullah Omar
A Twitter user known as “Shaybat al Hukama” tweeted, and then quickly deleted, his explanation of al Qaeda’s relationship with the Taliban. Al Hukama appears to be well-connected to al Qaeda media operatives and leaders.
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Social Media Jihad: Zawahiri on how to build an Islamic state
Sanafi al Nasr, a senior al Qaeda operative, reposted part of a message from Ayman al Zawahiri that was released in January. The excerpt deals with how al Qaeda thinks an Islamic State should be built. It is intended as a rebuttal to the Islamic State’s announced caliphate, which al Qaeda still has not officially addressed.
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Al Qaeda ally calls for statement on Islamic State’s caliphate
Hani Sibai, a longtime ally of Ayman al Zawahiri, has called on al Qaeda to issue a statement regarding the Islamic State’s announced caliphate.
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AQAP praises Ayman al Zawahiri, defends jihadist scholars against ‘slander’
Nasir al Wuhayshi, who is the emir of AQAP as well as al Qaeda’s general manager, has released a poem praising Ayman al Zawahiri as the “Sheikh father.” A video from two leading AQAP ideologues decrying the “slander” of jihadist leaders was released shortly afterwards. Al Qaeda members are trumpeting the messages as rebuttals to the Islamic State and its newly announced caliphate.
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Benghazi suspect has ‘extensive contacts’ with jihadist leaders in Libya
In a court filing earlier this week, the US government argued that the only suspect in custody for the Sept. 11, 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya should remain in pretrial detention. Prosecutors cited his “extensive contacts” with senior members of other jihadist organizations and plans for additional attacks as reasons to keep him behind bars as he awaits trial.
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Influential Jordanian ideologue argues against Islamic State’s caliphate
Abu Muhammad al Maqdisi fears that the Islamic State will use its recent land grab and claim of ruling over a caliphate to go after its jihadist rivals.
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Iraq
ISIS militants outline chilling 5-year plan for global domination
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Iraq
Iraq crisis: al Qaeda forces seize Mosul and Tikrit – live
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Jihadists ‘are thinking in terms of generations’
Thomas Joscelyn discusses the Bowe Bergdahl – Taliban prisoner exchange and the five dangerous Taliban leaders who were released, the first American suicide bomber in Syria, and the overall war.
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Ansar Jerusalem denies death of shady figure, mocks Egyptian officials
Ansar Jerusalem says that, contrary to claims made by Egyptian security officials, Shadi el Menai has not been killed and is not the group’s leader. Ansar Jerusalem says the Egyptian government does not even know who the real leader of the group is.
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Shady Ansar Jerusalem leader reportedly killed in northern Sinai
There are reports that Shadi el Menai, a leader in near Ansar Jerusalem, has been killed in the northern Sinai. His death has not been confirmed. Indeed, little is known about el Menai’s precise role in Ansar Jerusalem.
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Social Media Jihad: Abu Qatada’s letter to Ansar al Sharia Tunisia
Ansar al Sharia Tunisia regularly promotes Abu Qatada’s advice and guidance on its Twitter feed.
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France
France to unveil plan to fight Syrian jihadist threat
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Ajnad Misr claims 3 more attacks in Cairo area
Meanwhile, in an audio message leaked yesterday, al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri said that the “Americanized” Egyptian army should be fought.
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Social Media Jihad: Still tweeting Ayman al Zawahiri
Jihadist ideologues have mounted a social media campaign to ask Ayman al Zawahiri to more fully explain al Qaeda’s conflict with its former branch, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS).
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Social Media Jihad: Banner dedicated to Zawahiri’s main representative in Syria
A banner dedicated to Abu Khalid al Suri is being posted on Twitter. The banner shows him both after his “martyrdom” and as a younger man.
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Iran
Muslim Shrine Stands as a Crossroads in Syria’s Unrest
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Social Media Jihad: Open interview with al Qaeda’s sharia official in Pakistan
Asim Umar, al Qaeda’s top sharia official in Pakistan, will be holding a Q&A session online in May. The appearance is being promoted on social media.
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Social Media Jihad: Ansar al Sharia Tunisia leader says Muslim youth ‘haunt’ West
Seifallah Ben Hassine (a.k.a. Abu Iyad al Tunisi) has released a short statement saying that the Muslim youth “haunt” the US and the West.
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Al Nusrah Front
Syria back on Turkey’s agenda
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France
The al Qaeda connection in the Merah Affair
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Al Nusrah Front
Searching for Al Qaeda in Lebanon (I): Coming of Age
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LWJ’s prior warnings about 9/11 recruiter’s release
Twice during congressional hearings last year, The Long War Journal warned that jihadists were looking to secure Mohammed Zammar’s release in Syria. Zammar recruited the Hamburg cell, including the suicide hijack pilots for 9/11.
