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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] . Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.
In a video-clip released on the Internet on January 20, 2015, Boko Haram Leader Abubaker Shakao said: "Charlie! May Allah curse you! François Hollande, may Allah curse you!" He set light to a Nigerian flag and cried: "Nigeria is dead!"
Following are excerpts:
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
Abubakar Shakao: "Praise be to Allah, who inflicted sorrow upon the foreheads of the infidels, such as Izrael – i.e. Israel – and Britain – i.e. England. Praise be to Allah, who infuriated their parents, America and France."
[...]
"Among the infidels, there are the supporters of democracy and others. Praise be to Allah, who commanded the mujahideen to kill them. Oh people of America, die in your rage. Oh people of Israel, die in your rage. Oh people of France, die in your rage.
"Oh infidels of the world, we adhere to our religion. We adhere to the faith of our Prophet Muhammad. Anyone who curses our Prophet is an infidel."
On January 27, 2015, Hafid Al-Hussein, a member of the Jihadi Media Platform forum, posted the names and addresses of three individuals living in Sweden, saying they are on a "wanted" list due to Sweden's participation in the coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS).
Following are excerpts from an interview with AQAP Spokesman Nasr Al-Ansi, posted on January 21, 2015 on the Internet:
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
Interviewer: "Are we going to hear about Al-Qaeda attacks in the Land of the Two Holy Mosques?"
Nasr Al-Ansi: "Allah willing. We pray that Allah will make it happen."
[...]
Interviewer: "What if America and its allies decide to stop their support for the tyrants? Will you then turn your weapons towards the regimes and strive to topple them? The question refers to Al-Qaeda's activities on all fronts."
AQAP Religious Figure Emphasizes Sanctity Of Muslim Blood, Warns Against Reckless Suicide Attacks
On January 23, 2015, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a ten minute video message by one of its religious figures, Sheikh Harith Al-Nadhari. In it, Al-Nadhari emphasizes the sanctity of Muslim blood, and directed a stern warning to anyone who spills the blood of another Muslim unjustly. In that regard, Al-Nadhari warns the mujahideen against carrying out suicide attacks in mosques and other public places, while noting that the person who carries out the attack, his superior, whoever ordered the attack, and any religious figure who issued a fatwa permitting the attack – will all be held responsible in front of Allah. Al-Nadhari also addresses those who are about to embark on a suicide mission, advising them to be 100% certain of their target and their actions.
On January 26, 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) via Al-Furqan media company, released an audio message by ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad Al-Adnani. In it, Al-Adnani renews his call from September 2014 to carry out attacks in the West. Al-Adnani also praises the terror attacks that have taken place in Canada, France, Australia, and Belgium, while promising at the same time that 'what lies ahead will be worse … and more bitter.'
Al-Adnani also notes the coalition campaign against ISIS, and says that it has failed to defeat or contain ISIS, while noting the recent pledges of allegiance to ISIS from a number of jihad groups in Khorasan.
ISIS Fighter Threatens Impending Attack On U.S. Soil
SUPPORT OUR WORK
On January 25, 2015, a Western Islamic State (ISIS) fighter who uses an alias posted a Justpasteit message on his Twitter account, in which he threatened that an attack on the U.S. is impending. The writer, who tweets in English and seems to be based either in Iraq or Syria, claimed that a fellow jihadi, an American who is likewise involved in running the twitter account, is currently in the U.S. waiting to carry out an attack, and that he will strike unless the U.S. stops acting against ISIS.
The following are details about this post and about some tweets that preceded it, also related to jihad in the U.S.
ISIS Supporters Circulate Photo Of ISIS Logo Displayed In Front Of Kosher Paris Supermarket
Islamic State (ISIS) supporters online have been circulating a photo of an ISIS logo displayed on a smartphone held in front of the Hyper Cacher, the kosher Paris supermarket targeted in the January 9, 2015 terrorist attack.
Egypt Reveals Identity Of ISIS Leader In Sinai
An Egyptian security source has revealed that Egypt's security apparatuses had uncovered the real identity of Abu Osama Al-Masri, one of the leading figures in the Islamic State's (ISIS) Sinai province (formerly Ansar Bait Al-Maqdis).
Islamic State Sinai Province Takes Responsibility For Deadly Coordinated Attack On Egyptian Military
On January 29, 2015, the Sinai province of the Islamic State (ISIS) issued a statement claiming responsibility for the deadly coordinated attack on a number of Egyptian military posts throughout Sinai earlier that day. The attack, said ISIS in its brief statement, was carried out by the "caliphate soldiers" against various Egyptian military posts in the towns of Al-'Arish, Sheikh Zuwaid, and Rafah. ISIS noted that it will provide further details about the attack at a later time.
On Twitter in recent days, fighters and supporters of the Islamic State (ISIS) have expressed grave concern with regard to the ongoing battle for the town of Kobane, Syria. In the past few months, ISIS has been fighting for control of the town with Kurdish forces that are supported by the U.S.-led coalition. The concern for Kobane comes in light of the large number of ISIS fighters who have been killed there, among them prominent commanders, and is manifested by requests to supporters to pray for ISIS troops on the front.
At the same time, ISIS members recognize the organization's heavy losses, lamenting the large number of fighters fallen in Kobane. Notably, ISIS supporters have begun to refer to the town, known in ISIS as 'Ayn Al-Islam ('Eye of Islam'), as 'Ayn Al-Shuhada ('Eye of the Martyrs'). ISIS supporters feel a need to justify their fight for the town, and thus engage in apologetics in an apparent effort to fend off internal criticism over the insistence on devoting considerable resources and manpower to the effort to capture it.
ISIS 'Tripoli Province' Claims Attack On Corinthia Hotel
In a communiqué issued by the Islamic State's (ISIS) 'Tripoli Province' on January 27, 2015, the organization claimed responsibility for the attack carried out the same day on the Corinthia Hotel in Libya's capital. According to the communiqué, the attack was carried out by Abu Ibrahim Al-Tunsi and Abu Suleiman Al-Sudani. The communiqué mentioned that the hotel was 'a den of Allah's enemies including Crusader security companies and diplomatic missions.' The attackers 'caused great carnage among them, [killing] about six, among them an American, a French [citizen], a South Korean and two from the Philippines.' It added that a car bomb was activated against forces of the Libyan army that came to the location, killing seven.
In an 11-minute video posted on the Jihadi Media Platform, members of Ansar Al-Khilafa, a Yemen- based jihad group associated with the Islamic State (ISIS), celebrate the death of Saudi king 'Abdallah bin 'Abd Al-'Aziz. The seven jihadis sit around a campfire and sing songs to mark the occasion; behind them is a sign saying "The Caliphate State – Yemen Province, gathering to mark the departure of the tyrant, the son of Obama, the son of the slave of the British, #the departure of the slave of America". Three of them also deliver messages to the Islamic nation, congratulating it on 'Abdallah's death and expressing a wish that the rest of his family, including the new king, will die soon as well. They say that they will not rest until they expel the Saudi royal family from the Arabian Peninsula, and promise that the ISIS flag will soon fly over the Ka'ba and that its leader, Al-Baghdadi, will deliver his sermons from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca.
On January 28, 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) released a video titled 'Messages From The Lions Of The [Arabian] Peninsula,' which featured a number of Saudi ISIS fighters delivering various messages. The men welcome the death of Saudi king 'Abdallah bin 'Abd Al-'Aziz, while threatening to come after remaining members of the Al Saud family. They also reiterate ISIS's plan to reach the Arabian Peninsula, namely Saudi Arabia, with one speaker noting that ISIS will use car bombs, targeted assassinations, and explosive devices there.
ISIS Members Celebrate Death Of Saudi Monarch
In a video-clip posted on the Internet on January 23, 2015, ISIS members celebrate the death of Saudi King Abdullah, singing and dancing with weapons held high.
Following are excerpts:
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
ISIS member: "With the blessing of Allah, we congratulate the entire Islamic nation, and especially our people in the Arabian Peninsula, on the demise of one of the tyrants of this age, the slave of the Americans, son of the slave of the British.
[…]
"The demise of this tyrant is a victory handed by Allah to us and to all the believers. Why? Because he waged war against Allah and His Prophet, he replaced the law of Allah with the law of the Americans and the West – may Allah curse them all – he waged war on Jihad and the mujahideen, he supported the infidels against the believers, and he threw pure women and righteous men into his prisons. Their claim was to proclaim: The tyrants are apostates. We believe in Allah. Whoever is nto happy about the demise of this tyrant must reexamine his faith."
Indian Daily: Six Mumbai-Based Jihadis Attack Teen After Parents Refuse To Give Him Up To Join ISIS
Cover page of "Mumbai Mirror", January 29
According to a Mumbai-based daily newspaper, a group of four Islamic clerics and two Muslim youths sought to recruit Muslims for the jihadi group Islamic State, or ISIS, and vowed to teach a family a lesson for "not being true Muslims and supporting jihad" after the family refused to give up its son for the cause.
British Islamist Abu Waleed Calls Muslims To Celebrate Death Of Saudi King Abdullah
In an address posted on the Internet on January 23, 2015, British Islamist Shahid Janjua (a.k.a. "Abu Waleed") called upon Muslims to celebrate the death of Saudi King Abdullah, saying that they "can rejoice at the death of this dirty, filthy enemy of Islam." In a recent tweet, he said that he might be going to prison on February 3 under the U.K. terrorism act.
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
Libyan Jihad Group Ansar Al-Shari'a Announces Death Of Its Leader Muhammad Al-Zahawi
On January 24, 2015, the Libyan jihad organization Ansar Al-Shari'a, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda, released an audio recording in which it announced the death of its leader, Muhammad Al-Zawahi (aka Abu Mus'ab), and eulogized him. The eulogy was delivered by Al-Zawahi's successor, Abu Khaled Al-Madani.
It should be noted that Mohammed Al-Zawahi was implicated in the killing of U.S. ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens on September 12, 2012. According to reports, Al-Zawahi was seriously wounded in October 2014, and it is unclear whether he died then or died of his wounds only recently.
Shumoukh Al-Islam Forum Admin Account Hacked
On January 26, 2015, the account of Abu Al-'Aina Al-Khurasani, the administrator of the Shumoukh Al-Islam jihadi forum, was comprised by an Algerian hacker using the handle "IBN_ALGERIA" ("Son of Algeria"). The breach became clear after the hacker used Al-Khurasani's account to post messages announcing it was comprised.
On January 28, 2015, a 30-second audio message by Kenji Goto Jogo, the Japanese prisoner held by the Islamic State (ISIS) was released online. Speaking on behalf of ISIS, Jogo says that Mu'adh al-Kasasibah, the Jordanian pilot held by ISIS, will be executed immediately if female prisoner Sajida Al-Rishawi is not present at the Turkish border by sunset on Thursday, January 29, 2015, Mosul time, to be exchanged for Jogo himself. '...If Sajida Al-Rishawi is not ready to exchange for my life at the Turkish border by Thursday [at] sunset, [the] 29 of January, Mosul time, the Jordanian pilot Mu'adh al-Kasasibah, will be killed immediately,' said Jogo in his brief message.
A video purportedly containing an audio appeal of Kenji Goto Jogo, one of the Japanese nationals held captive by the Islamic State (ISIS), was released online today. The video, whose authenticity couldn't be confirmed, includes a still photo of Kenji Goto Jogo holding a picture of Haruna Yukawa, the other Japanese prisoner held by ISIS, purportedly showing Yukawa having been beheaded. Jogo appeals for his release, and says that ISIS no longer is asking for money to secure his release. Instead, Jogo says that ISIS is demanding the release of female prisoner Sajida Al-Rishawi, who is being held in Jordan. Al-Rishawi took part in the 2005 Amman bombings but survived when her explosive belt failed to detonate.
On January 27, 2015, an audio message of Kenji Goto Jogo, the Japanese national held by the Islamic State (ISIS), was posted online. This is Jogo's second appeal for his release; the first appeal was published several days ago. This also appears to potentially be Jogo's last message, saying that ISIS will execute him if the Jordanian government doesn't release imprisoned female Sajida Al-Rishawi within 24 hours. Jogo notes as well that if Al-Rishawi is not released, ISIS will execute a Jordanian pilot it has in its custody.
ISIS Executes Japanese Hostage
This message was received by the family of Kenji Goto Jogo and the Government of Japan.
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
Kenji Goto Jogo: "I am Kenji Goto Jogo. You have seen the photo of my cellmate Haruna slaughtered in the land of the Islamic Caliphate. You were warned. You were given a deadline and so my captives acted upon their words.
"[Prime Minister Shinzo] Abe, you killed Haruna. You did not take the threats of my captors seriously and you did not act within the 72 hours."
