• Paper Trail of Terror

    Nelly Lahoud’s new book reportedly draws from 6,000 Abbottabad raid documents. But the book suffers from major analytical problems.

    Paper Trail of Terror
  • US offers $1 million reward for information on Hamza bin Laden

    The State Department announced today that it is offering a $1 million reward for information on Hamza bin Laden’s whereabouts. Hamza is the genetic and ideological heir of al Qaeda’s founder and he has been groomed for a leadership position within the organization.

    US offers $1 million reward for information on Hamza bin Laden
  • Analysis: Losing a War

    The Trump administration is desperately trying to negotiate with the Taliban’s senior leadership. The Obama administration did as well, with the effort ending in a diplomatic fiasco.

    Analysis: Losing a War
  • Foreign fighters involved in assault on Ghazni, Afghan defense minister says

    Al Qaeda has long operated in Ghazni province, the site of a large-scale Taliban offensive in recent days. In 2010, Osama bin Laden ordered his men to relocate from northern Pakistan into Ghazni and other Afghan provinces. Bin Laden’s lieutenant also wrote in mid-2010 that al Qaeda had “very strong military activity” in at least eight Afghan provinces, including Ghazni. More recently, American and Afghan forces have targeted al Qaeda operatives in the province.

    Foreign fighters involved in assault on Ghazni, Afghan defense minister says
  • Understanding al Qaeda through the massive trove of Osama bin Laden’s files

    On Nov. 17, The Foundation for Defense of Democracies and FDD’s Long War Journal held an event to discuss the findings from the recently released documents from Osama bin Laden’s compound.

    Understanding al Qaeda through the massive trove of Osama bin Laden’s files
  • Analysis: CIA releases massive trove of Osama bin Laden’s files

    The CIA is releasing hundreds of thousands of documents, images, and computer files recovered during the May 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The newly-available material provides invaluable insights into the terrorist organization that struck America on September 11, 2001.

    Analysis: CIA releases massive trove of Osama bin Laden’s files
  • Pakistani Taliban confirms senior al Qaeda commander killed in Afghanistan

    The Pakistani Taliban confirmed today that Qari Muhammad Yasin, a senior al Qaeda military commander, was killed along with three of his “companions” in a US drone strike on Mar. 19. The airstrike was carried out in Afghanistan’s eastern Paktika province. Yasin was a member of the Punjabi Taliban, which includes jihadists from various other Pakistani terrorist organizations who are aligned with al Qaeda.

    Pakistani Taliban confirms senior al Qaeda commander killed in Afghanistan
  • Resolving the Conflict in Yemen: U.S. Interests, Risks, and Policy

    On March 9, Thomas Joscelyn testified before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. The hearing, “Resolving the Conflict in Yemen: U.S. Interests, Risks, and Policy,” was called to explore the political dynamics of the ongoing war in Yemen, as well as the roles played by foreign actors and al Qaeda.

    Resolving the Conflict in Yemen: U.S. Interests, Risks, and Policy
  • Treasury designates 3 senior al Qaeda members in Iran

    The US Treasury Department designated three al Qaeda terrorists today. All three of them are based inside Iran. One of them has served as al Qaeda’s “Military Commission Chief” and was identified in Osama bin Laden’s files as part of a “new generation” of leaders.

    Treasury designates 3 senior al Qaeda members in Iran
  • Osama Bin Laden’s Files: Abu Laith al Libi killed alongside ‘Arabs, Tajiks, and Turkistanis’

    According to a letter in Osama bin Laden’s files, a US drone strike that killed Abu Laith in 2008 also killed a Libyan and 10 other “Arabs, Tajiks, and Turkistanis.”

    Osama Bin Laden’s Files: Abu Laith al Libi killed alongside ‘Arabs, Tajiks, and Turkistanis’
  • Osama Bin Laden’s Files: The Arab revolutions

    Al Qaeda’s general manager, Atiyah Abd al Rahman, believed there was “good” in the 2011 Arab uprisings. And he discussed with Osama bin Laden how to send al Qaeda operatives around the globe to take advantage of the situation. The Libyan “brothers” were especially anxious to wage jihad in their home country.

    Osama Bin Laden’s Files: The Arab revolutions