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July 25, 2014 JTTM Weekly No. 106

Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Weekend Summary

July 25, 2014
JTTM Weekly No. 106

The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to jttmsubs@memri.org with "Membership" in the subject line.)

Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to media@memri.org. Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Islamic State (IS) Promotes Its Materials Via 'Media Points' Scattered Across Al-Raqqa, Syria

The Islamic State (IS) published images of so-called "media points" – booths that house IS's propaganda materials as well as other religious items, which the IS runs in several locations across Al-Raqqa Governorate.

The images show a booth with gray walls that have windows in them. Only two sides of the booth are visible in the images. One wall has a large red circle with "Media Point" written on it in Arabic. A billboard over the booth informs bystanders to the location of the booth.

 

EXCLUSIVE: As Part Of Its Enforcement Of Shari'a, The Islamic State (IS) Stones Woman In Syria, Orders Christians In Mosul To Evacuate


Men partaking in the stoning

Photos posted online over the weekend by an Islamic State (IS) Twitter account in Syria showed the stoning of a woman in Al-Raqqa Governorate, which the IS accused of adultery. Less than 24-hours later, reports claimed that the IS stoned another woman in Al-Raqqa, also over the same charges. The stoning of at least one woman in Syria coincided with the IS ordering the Christians in Mosul to evacuate from the "caliphate's borders," while threatening that those remaining would face nothing but "the sword." IS said that the evacuation order came after Christians in the city failed to attend an IS's meeting where their status within the newly-declared caliphate was to be discussed. The order reportedly led to a mass evacuation of Christians from Mosul for the first time in the history of Iraq. In tandem with the flight of Christians from Mosul, reports emerged that Christian homes and places of worship were also targeted by the IS. Homes of Christians there were reportedly physically marked as Islamic State "real estate," while at least one historic church was set on fire.

The stoning of women, in addition to other restrictions on women set by the IS, and the bold moves against Christians, both in the large territories that the IS currently controls, marks a step-up in the IS's implementation of the shari'a in those areas.

 

In New Video, French Jihadi Urges Western Muslims To Join The Islamic State

In the latest release of the "Mujatweets" video series by Al Hayat, the official media group of the Islamic State (IS, formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), a French - Moroccan jihadi calls upon Western Muslims to pledge allegiance to IS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and to join the IS.

Abu Abdallah Guitone, aka Abu Tamima in the latest video released by the IS non-Arabic media branch:" I would like my brothers in faith to leave the lands of the tawaghit [tyrants]"

 

Indonesian Islamic State (IS) Fighters Call On Indonesian Men To Join IS: 'Emigration Today Is Mandatory'

On July 22, 2014, the Islamic State (IS) media company Al-Hayat released a video featuring a contingent of Indonesian fighters who joined the IS's ranks.

The video shows 8 men, several of whom are seen at the beginning of the video walking alongside a large river, believed to be the Euphrates, while carrying their light weapons and raising the IS's flag. One man, named Abu Muhammad Al-Indonesi ("the Indonesian"), delivers a message instigating Indonesian men to join the IS and pledge allegiance to its leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Al-Indonesi also defends the IS against the accusations that it is an extremist group.

 

AQAP Takes Responsibility For Shelling Drone Operations Headquarters In Yemen's Hadhramaut District

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) published a communiqué taking responsibility for attacking buildings in the city of Seiyun in Hadhramaut governorate on June 27, 2014, which it claimed served as drone operations headquarters.

Below are the communiqué's main points:

The organization opens by saying that in pursuit of the activities that the Mujahideen conduct to block aggression by America and its Sana' regime ally against Muslims in Yemen as expressed by the barbarous American drone attacks, a mujahideen squad set out on June 27, 2014 for the buildings in the town of Seiyun where American drone operation activity is managed. The organization claims this was after the mujahideen had learned for a certainty that in these buildings they engaged in spy recruitment, spreading electronic chips (for the purpose of target acquisition by drones) and in managing drone activity. He emphasized that the attack on these buildings was part of a a comprehensive mujahideen plan to strike and destroy the headquarters of those collaborating with the Americans in drone activity.

 

In Response To Israeli Military Campaign In Gaza, AQAP Cleric Says 'No Path To Repel The Jews But Jihad…'

On July 18, 2014, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released an audio message by AQAP cleric Harith Al-Nadhari; in it, he reacts to the ongoing Israeli military operation in Gaza.


Harith Al-Nadhari

Al-Nadhari says that the Jews, whom he refers to as the sons of apes and pigs, have always long been known for their animosity towards Islam, and adds that the ongoing Israeli aggression against Muslims in Gaza just further attests to that animosity. Al-Nadhari reiterates the duty of jihad upon Muslims, and says that only jihad will be able to repel the transgressor Jewish enemy who has stolen Muslim lands.

 

Jihadi Cleric Issues Threats Against Al-Sisi, Pledges That Mujahideen The World Over Will Soon Arrive 'To Fight The Jews'


Abu Hareth Al-Maqdisi

Introduction

On July 18, 2014 a new media outlet called Al-Fawaris released a 13 minute clip titled "Support for Gaza". The video features a jihadi cleric named Abu Hareth Al-Maqdisi (a nickname attesting to his Palestinian origin), who is currently in Syria. Al-Maqdisi calls upon the Gazans and primarily the mujahideen in Gaza to hold on because victory looms. Likewise he urges all Muslims the world over and primarily the mujahideen amongst them, to support the people of Gaza in this testing time. Al-Maqdisi launches severe threats against Egyptian president 'Abd Al-Fattah Al-Sisi and argues that his demise is nigh and he will share the fate of his predecessors Hosni Mubarak and Anwar Sadat. Likewise Abu Hareth Al-Maqdisi threatens Israel and claims that soon all the boundaries between it and its neighbors will be destroyed, the barriers will be dismantled and mujahideen from all over the world will get "to the Jews" and vanquish them.

 

Jihad Organization In The Sinai: Although Egypt Assumed Responsibility, The Drones Killing Our People In The Sinai Are Israeli Not Egyptian.

On July 24, 2014, the jihadi website Al-Fida' published a communiqué from the jihadist organization Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis in the Sinai announcing that three of its mujahideen were killed as a result of an Israeli drone attack the previous day, and specified their names.

Below are the main points of the communiqué:

First the organization notes that the three mujahideen were actually killed adding that this was after the trio "had again pulverized the Jewish settlements with missiles in the framework of the war in Gaza."

 

Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis Claims Responsibility For Eilat Rocket Attack

On July 17, 2014, the Sinai-based Ansar Beit Al-Maqdis (ABM) group claimed responsibility for the July 15 firing of three Grad rockets on the Israeli town of Eilat.

According to the statement, the rockets hit their targets accurately.

 

Al-Qaeda's Media Arm For South Asia Releases Video Series 'Jihadi Memories', Militants Pray For Release Of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad

Al-Qaeda's media arm for Pakistan and India, "As-Sahab for the Subcontinent," has released a new series of videos titled "Jihadi Memories" which narrate the experience of jihadist militants and suicide bombers in the Pakistan-Afghanistan border region. The video series was accompanied by a short promo video which shows the militants catching fish, preparing meat and eating together.

 

Al-Qaeda Renews Oath Of Loyalty To Taliban Leader Mullah Omar

On July 20, 2014, Al-Qaeda published a new pamphlet called "Al-Nafir" (mobilization). AQ defines it as an "irregular publication" meaning that it will be not be published at specific times. The first issue is dated Rajab 1435, which corresponds to May 2014. The links to download the new issue are corrupted, so it would appear that only the opening article is currently available at the time.

 

Pakistani Daily Examines Pakistani Taliban's Ties With Jihadists In Iraq, Says Al-Qaeda's Oath Of Fealty To Mullah Omar Re-Establishes Taliban-Al-Qaeda Relationship


Copy of Al-Qaeda's newsletter Al-Nafeer

Following are excerpts from a Pakistani media report that examines the Pakistani Taliban's support for jihadist groups based in Syria and Iraq, and notes that the recent reiteration of the oath of fealty sworn by Al-Qaeda to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar will re-establish the Taliban-Al-Qaeda relationship in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region.

 

In Letter, Leading Indian Islamic Scholar Maulana Salman Al-Nadwi Congratulates Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi On Assuming Role Of Caliph: 'You Are Bravely Standing As A Rock'

Globally renowned Indian Islamic scholar Maulana Salman Al-Husaini Al-Nadwi has written a letter to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the caliph of the Islamic State (formerly the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS), congratulating him on his declaration of himself as the caliph of all Muslims. Maulana Salman Al-Nadwi is the great grandson of noted Islamic scholar Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi.

 

Indian Muslim Leader: 'ISIS Cannot Declare An Islamic State'; Pakistani Religious Scholar: 'The Concept Of Caliphate Being Presented [By ISIS] Is Alien To Islam'


The ISIS flag

On June 29, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the leader of jihadi organization Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), declared himself the caliph of the Islamic State (IS), the new name for ISIS. The announcement came after ISIS fighters captured a number of Iraqi cities. Several jihadi commanders have offered their oath of allegiance to Al-Baghdadi.

Al-Baghdadi's declaration of himself as caliph of the Islamic State is being debated across the Muslim world. In an interview, Indian Islamic leader S.Q.R. Ilyas, who is the member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (a non-governmental organization), argued that a caliph can only be declared after the establishment of a welfare state.

In an article published in a Pakistani newspaper , Islamic scholar Khalid Zaheer noted that the Koran has laid down principles for the formation of a government, which "can take any form, depending on the needs of the times." Like S.Q.R. Ilyas, he too rejected the establishment of caliphate by Al-Baghdadi.

S.Q.R. Ilyas: "As Far As Sharia Law Is Concerned, It Has To Be Implemented By A Government Which Has Created A Welfare State; Sharia Law Does Not Mean To Handcuff People And Order Them To Obey Every Diktat [As ISIS Does]"

The following are excerpts from S.Q.R. Ilyas's interview:

Question: "ISIS has declared a new Islamist caliphate, and their supreme commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as the caliph, or head. What are your thoughts on this?"

 

Jihadi Account On Twitter Reports Killing Of 'Indian Mujahideen' Militant In Afghanistan

A jihadi account on Twitter has reported the killing of Anwer Bhatkal, a militant from the central Indian town of Bhatkal, in Afghanistan. Bhatkal belong to the Indian Mujahideen, a major jihadist organization that has emerged in India over the past decade.

A tweet containing Anwer Bhatkal's image noted: "Anwer Bhatkal Juma 20 Ramzan Afghanistan me larte Huwe Shahadat pa gaye ...Allah inki Shahadat ko Qubool farmaye..." The Romanized Urdu means: "Anwer Bhatkal was martyred while fighting in Afghanistan on Friday, 20 Ramadan [July 18]. May Allah accept his martyrdom."

 

Media Report Identifies Top Indian Jihadi Fighters In Afghanistan-Pakistan Region, Says: 'Sultan Armar...Recruited...Three Youths After Evaluating Them On Facebook'


A tweet dated July 19 by a jihadi Twitter account announces the killing of Muhammad Anwer al-Hindi, aka Anwer Bhatkal, in Afghanistan

Below are excerpts from an Indian media report that sheds new light on a number of Indian jihadi fighters based in Afghanistan-Pakistan region:

"Anwer Bhatkal, whose 'martyrdom' in Afghanistan was announced by terrorist group Ansar ul-Tawhid ul-Hind last week [on July 18], was among six persons from the coastal town of Bhatkal in [the southern Indian state of] Karnataka reported to be training in the Af-Pak region over the last year, according to security agencies. Among these, two brothers - Abdul Khader Sultan Armar, 38, and Shafi Armar, in his late twenties."

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