Ansar Jerusalem releases video of December bombing in Mansoura
The video’s release comes a day after the US designated Ansar Jerusalem as a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity.
Category Archives: Long War Journal
Taliban’s shadow governor for Kunar reported killed in US airstrike
Noor Qasim Sabari, the shadow governor of Kunar, is said to have been killed in a US airstrike along with seven senior commanders in the province.
State Department adds Ansar Jerusalem to terrorist designation lists
The State Department today added the Sinai-based jihadist group Ansar Jerusalem to the US government’s lists of designated terrorist organizations. Although State says the group “generally maintains a local focus,” its attacks are entirely consistent with al Qaeda’s global jihad.
ISIS’ ‘Southern Division’ praises foreign suicide bombers
The suicide bombers, who conducted attacks just south of Baghdad, are from Morocco, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. The Southern Division is one of 16 administrative areas defined by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham.
Jordan rearrests ex-Gitmo detainee once deemed a ‘high’ risk
A former Guantanamo detainee named Osama Abu Kabir has been arrested in Jordan. The charges have not been made public, but his arrest seems to be connected to Jordanian concerns about the jihad in Syria.
Zawahiri’s longtime deputy reportedly arrested in Egypt
Thirwat Salah Shehata has been arrested in a suburb of Cairo. According to Egyptian officials, he had been training militants in eastern Libya. Shehata has been tracked by US intelligence for more than a decade.
Zawahiri eulogizes al Qaeda’s slain Syrian representative
Ayman al Zawahiri has released an audio message eulogizing Abu Khalid al Suri, who was killed on Feb. 23. Zawahiri confirms that he knew al Suri since before the 9/11 attacks and that they had been in direct communication after the beginning of the Syrian revolution.
Former Guantanamo detainee killed while leading jihadist group in Syria
Ibrahim Bin Shakaran, a Moroccan who spent more than three years at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility before being freed, has been killed while leading Sham al Islam in Latakia. Bin Shakaran had run a recruiting network for Abu Musab al Zarqawi after being released by the US.
Terrorism in the Caucasus and the threat to the US homeland
Testimony to the House Committee on Homeland Security on the threat posed by the Islamic Caucasus Emirate and the implications for US homeland security.
Ajnad Misr claims Cairo University bombings and 3 other attacks
Ajnad Misr stated that its fighters delayed the detonation of the third bomb due to the crowd of civilians in the area. The group also said it has canceled operations in the past that it believed would have harmed civilians.
Muhajireen Army releases video of Syrian training camp
The video includes footage of the building and detonation of a small homemade bomb, as well as exercises in small fire team tactics and an obstacle course.
US drone strike hits AQAP training camp in southern Yemen
Three suspected al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula fighters were killed in a strike on a camp that was recently featured in the terror group’s propaganda.
ISIS parades on outskirts of Baghdad
Hundreds of Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham fighters paraded their vehicles, which included captured Iraqi military trucks and an artillery piece, through the streets of Abu Ghraib and Fallujah.
AQAP welcomes Sana’a prison fugitives
The latest al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula video documents the welcoming reception organized by AQAP for its members who escaped the Sana’a central prison in February.
Turkey’s ISIS problem
Recent attacks in Nigde have raised concerns in Turkey over extremism in Syria. Tensions have been high between the Turkish military and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham since the tomb of Suleyman Shah, a small Turkish territory in Syria, fell under the threat of an ISIS attack.
Egypt announces arrest of Ansar al Sharia members linked to shooting attacks
A video confession aired during today’s press conference had one of the Ansar al Sharia members saying he had been tasked by Abu Abdullah of Ansar Jerusalem to form the new group.
Al Qaeda’s American propagandist notes death of terror group’s representative in Syria
Adam Gadahn, al Qaeda’s American propagandist, lamented the death of Abu Khalid al Suri, Zawahiri’s personal representative in Syria, and called for an investigation into the suicide attack that killed him.
Taliban continue to launch suicide assaults in Kabul
The Taliban launched two more suicide assaults in the Afghan capital of Kabul over the past 24 hours. The targets were an American charity and the Independent Election Commission.
Al Qaeda-linked Saudi cleric in Syria praises fighters from Islamic Caucasus Emirate
Abdallah Muhammad al Muhaysini, a Saudi cleric and a rising star in the jihadist world, thanks fighters from the Islamic Caucasus Emirate for battling Syrian forces in Shaykh Najjar.
Chechen al Qaeda commander, popular Saudi cleric, and an Ahrar al Sham leader spotted on front lines in Latakia
Muslim al Shishani, a Chechen jihadist and military commander in the Al Nusrah Front, and Dr. Abdallah Muhammad al Muhaysini, an al Qaeda-linked Saudi cleric, celebrate after defeating Syrian government forces during fighting in the mountains of Latakia. A “leader of Ahrar al Sham: Abu al Hassan,” is also on scene.
Al Qaeda spokesman convicted on terrorism charges
A New York jury has convicted Sulaiman Abu Ghaith on terrorism charges. In the weeks following 9/11, he became infamous for his threats against America. During questioning by the FBI in 2013, Abu Ghaith admitted he knew a Guantanamo detainee who is still in custody.
Report: Former head of al Qaeda’s network in Iran now operates in Syria
Muhsin al Fadhli, a senior al Qaeda leader from Kuwait, is now operating inside Syria as part of the Al Nusrah Front. Al Fadhli has been tied to a string of plots against Western interests.
Al Nusrah Front video features veteran al Qaeda military leader
An Al Nusrah Front video features Abu Hammam al Shami, an al Qaeda veteran who swore allegiance to Osama bin Laden and has served al Qaeda’s senior leaders since the late 1990s. Abu Hammam criticizes the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS) in the video.
Ansar Jerusalem confirms deaths of 6 members, 2 tied to Syria conflict
Ansar Jerusalem said those killed had fought admirably against Egypt’s security forces on March 19 as they were outnumbered and outgunned. Two of the six had fought in the ongoing conflict in Syria, according to the jihadist group.
Turkish charity İMKANDER praises slain Islamic Caucasus Emirate emir in rally
İMKANDER held large rallies in several Turkish cities to praise Doku Umarov, the emir of the Islamic Caucasus Emirate whose death was announced just last week.
AQAP releases first installment of ‘Journey of Jihad’ video series
The media wing of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released the first installment of “Journey of Jihad” documenting Sa’id al Shihri’s life.
Al Nusrah Front official says senior al Qaeda leader has been killed
An Al Nusrah Front official tweeted that the head of al Qaeda’s “Victory Committee” has been killed in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia.
Chechen commander for Al Nusrah Front reported killed in fighting against Syrian forces
Muhammad al Shishani is said to have been killed while fighting alongside the Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar and the Al Nusrah Front against Syrian forces.
Al Qaeda official in Syria was extremist preacher in Australia
An Al Nusrah Front video released on March 17 features Abu Sulayman al Muhajir, who was an extremist preacher in Australia. Abu Sulayman says he relocated to Syria, where he was part of al Qaeda’s mediation effort in the dispute between Al Nusrah and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). He criticizes ISIS in the video.
Al Qaeda veteran appears in Al Nusrah Front video, criticizes rival
In a video released on March 18, the Al Nusrah Front identifies Abu Firas al Suri as a leader within the group. Al Suri, who has a long al Qaeda pedigree, was dispatched to Syria from Yemen to try to mediate the dispute between Al Nusrah and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham.