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 order to circumvent censorship on mainstream social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, online jihad supporters have turned to other solutions. One of those solutions is to opt out of mainstream social media and turn to similar software offering social media capabilities. Using open-source social media platforms, tech savvy jihadis have recently attempted to build their own social networks.
Jabhat Al-Nusra Leader: We Do Not Intend To Rule Exclusively In Idlib
On April 1, 2015, Jabhat Al-Nusra released a new audio message by its leader, Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, titled "Victory from Allah and Conquest is Imminent." It was Al-Joulani's first public address in months.
Al-Joulani opened his message by congratulating his men and the factions allied with Jabhat Al-Nusra in the "Army of Conquest" (Jaish Al-Fath) coalition on the successful takeover of Idlib, a provincial capital and strategic city in northwestern Syria. He likewise congratulated them on their unity and on their successful management of the battle for the city. Al-Joulani thanked the residents of Idlib for their warm welcome to the mujahideen, and promised them that they would enjoy a peaceful life under shari'a law.
Jabhat Al-Nusra Celebrates Takeover Of Idlib From Regime Forces
On March 27, 2015, Jabhat Al-Nusra's (JN) official media wing, Al-Manara Al-Baida, released a collection of photos and videos documenting the takeover of Idlib by Jaish Al-Fath, a task force of several groups, led by Jabhat Al-Nusra, that was established specifically for the purpose of taking the city. The videos and pictures - posted on the Twitter account of JN in Idlib - document what is presented as a swift campaign, beginning with the elimination of Syrian Army checkpoints at the city's outskirts, followed by face-to-face fighting in the streets, and concluding with the capture of strategic buildings and landmarks, such as the province council building, the clock square and the city stadium. The task force also took over the central jail and released the prisoners. According to JN, during the takeover of the jail the attackers discovered the bodies of prisoners who had apparently been murdered by jailers ahead of the attack. The organization also boasts that it destroyed all the tanks it encountered, killed many regime soldiers and took many others captive.
Another video, posted March 28, 2015 on the jihadi Al-Fida' forum, documents senior JN senior cleric 'Abdallah Al-Muhaisani delivering a speech in central Idlib. In the speech he praises the fighters who conquered the city in only three days, and urges them the members of Jaish Al-Fath to continue fighting as a single force in order to liberate further Syrian cities, including Damascus: "Oh commanders of the fighting groups, I will sacrifice my life, my blood, my property and [my] family members for your sake, and so that you may preserve this army [Jaish Al-Fath] and make it a gateway for conquering Damascus. Go forth and liberate the land of the Muslims." Addressing the Syrian people, he asks them to continue trusting Jaish Al-Fath, which kept its promise and liberated Idlib so quickly. He also conveys his consolations to the families of the fallen.
On March 30, 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) released the eighth issue of its English-language magazine Dabiq. The 68-page issue, which is titled "Shari'a Alone Will Rule Africa", features several articles pertaining to Africa. Among them is a congratulatory article on Boko Haram's recent joining of ISIS; praise for the ISIS attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunisia, which was presented as part of an article that praised other ISIS attacks; a report about the events in Libya, which focused on criticizing ISIS's enemies there; and an interview with a man who assassinated a Tunisian politician in 2013, who calls upon Muslims in France to carry out attacks against the unbelievers. The issue features two articles that criticize the various Syrian opposition groups, including Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, Jabhat Al-Nusra, while accusing them, inter alia, of using Islam and jihad to promote their agenda and of collaborating with the West and other Arab regimes. The issue also features articles that justify some of ISIS's practices, namely its indoctrination of children and its destruction of archeological relics. Similar to previous issues of Dabiq, the current issue continues its call for Muslims living in the West, which ISIS calls the "lands of shirk [polytheism]," to make hijra to the Islamic State. It also features an article by a Muslim woman who calls upon all other women to immigrate to the Islamic State. The issue also includes an article by British prisoner John Cantlie, in which he discusses the U.S.'s policy towards ISIS.
The issue includes other items, like promotions for ISIS releases, as well as a section titled "In The Words Of The Enemy," which includes references to ISIS from former Republican senator Rick Santorum (who the magazine calls a "Catholic Crusader"), former CIA officer Gary Berntsen, and Virginia state Sen. Richard Black.
The following is a review of the main items in the issue:
Forward Rejects Nationalism, Says Unbelievers "Can Never Be The Equals Of The Muslims," Praises Attacks In Yemen, Tunisia And Europe
The issue's forward reiterates the idea that within the Islamic caliphate, Muslims are equal regardless of their national or ethnic background. There, it says, "their blood mixed and became one, under a single flag and goal." The forward reiterates ISIS's call to Muslims everywhere to make hijra to it, while criticizing the notions of nationalism, patriotism, and tribalism. Those, it says, have never been the driving force inside a mujahid's heart. In that regard, it calls upon Muslims to reject nationalism, which, it says, confines their sense of religious brotherhood to manmade borders. It also notes that nationalism looks upon people equally regardless of their religion. On the other hand, the forward notes the obligation upon Muslims to fight anyone that stands in the way of their religion, while adding that the unbelievers "can never be the equals of the Muslims even of both were to come from the same land."
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On March 30, 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) published the eighth issue of its English-language magazine Dabiq. The issue features an interview with Abu Muqatil Al-Tunisi, the assassin of Tunisian PM Mohammad Brahmi, who was killed in July 2013. Al-Tunisi reveals the motives behind Brahmi's assassination, which, he says, were primarily directed at stirring up chaos in Tunisia to facilitate the movement of jihadis and weapons in and out of the country. Al-Tunisi also notes the assassination of Tunisian politician Chokri Belaid several months earlier, which was committed for the same purpose by another mujahid, Kamal Gafgazi. Al-Tunisi notes that both assassinations failed to generate the response he and others had hoped for (i.e. to sow chaos in Tunisia), and, that as a result, he decided to travel to Syria to join ISIS there.
Al-Tunisi notes his jihad experience in the last decade or so, saying that he was a member of Jama'at Al-Tawhid Wal-Jihad group, which was led by ISIS former leader Abu Musa'b Al-Zarqawi. Al-Tunisi says that he was arrested at one point in Syria and deported thereafter to France, where he would spend seven years in prison. Al-Tunisi also discusses how he went to Tunisia in order to wage jihad there following his release, but ended up in Libya where weapons were abundant. While in Libya, Al-Tunisi says that he and others established a training camp, and that they were involved in weapons smuggling into Tunisia.
Al-Tunisi also addresses Muslims in France, calling upon them to fight the enemies of Allah and to emulate other terrorist attacks that were committed in Europe. "I call them to follow the method of the brothers who executed operations in Europe Do not look for specific targets. Kill anybody. All the kuffar over there are targeted." Al-Tunisi further warns the unbelievers in France that ISIS is getting closer to France (namely after it established itself in Libya): "Soon, by Allah's permission, you will see the banner of 'la Ilaha Illallah' fluttering over the Elysee Palace. The Islamic State is close now. Between us and you is the sea The march is advancing towards you. And inshallah, your women and children will be sold by us in the markets of the Islamic State."
The following are excerpts from the interview:
Dabiq: "Why did you kill Brahmi?"
Islamic State Publishes Images Of Training Camp In Aleppo
On April 2, 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) published a collection of images from its Al-Fatiheen ("The Conquerors") preparatory training camp in Aleppo.
On March 31, 2015 the media branch of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Ninawa (Ninveh) province posted an 11-minute video titled "The Tribes of Ninawa Renew Their oath Of Allegiance, Express Willingness To Participate In The Confrontation." The video, which was posted on the Jihadi Media Platform website, documents an ISIS conference in Mosul that was attended by dozens of Sunni tribal chiefs from around the province. The conference was directed by six prominent ISIS clerics, and several of the tribal chiefs delivered speeches as well. The latter stressed their loyalty to ISIS and their readiness to fight beside it. The conference ended with the chiefs taking a collective oath of allegiance to ISIS and to its leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi.
British ISIS Member Offers Advice On Marrying Jihadis From Twitter
British Islamic State (ISIS) member Omar Hussain, aka Abu Saeed Al-Britani, from High Wycombe, England, published an article advising young women aspiring to marry a jihad warrior on choosing a future spouse before embarking on a journey to Syria. The article, titled "Hijrah Advice for Sisters Marrying Mujaahideen from Twitter", cautions women on the perils of choosing a spouse online. He advises interested women to refrain from being overtaken by the glamourous image some ISIS members present on their social media accounts, mentioning that not all men who post photos of themselves with guns are actual warriors. Moreover, he warns, some men boast about their heroic participation in battle when in fact they were not on the frontlines.
Abu Saeed instructs women to pose certain questions to these men in order to gain a clearer insight into their character. Questions include how long he has been in Syria, what is the longest amount of time he has spent on guard duty, how long since he has last been on the frontlines, and what his role is in the Islamic State. He stresses that there are many wonderful eligible men in Syria who are not active on social media platforms; therefore, he concludes, women should not "be hasty in accepting a proposal because he has a gun." Rather, they should look for more important character traits, namely keenness to fight and die, and the potential husband's zeal for gaining divine reward.
Several Websites Hacked And Defaced By 'ISIS Cyber Army'
Between March 19-29, 2015, the "ISIS Cyber Army" , a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) hacking group defaced five different websites -a French investment consulting firm, three Egyptian sites and a Russian site. This is the second hacking of a French website in the space of a few weeks signaling an escalation of cyber warfare by pro-jihadi hackers.
Islamic State (ISIS) Launches Twitter Web App
On March 30, 2015, the Islamic State (ISIS) announced the launching of a new Twitter web app that would help disseminate its news and releases on the social media platform.
The app, which ISIS says was developed by its own members, will be used to disseminate ISIS releases as well as to counter anti-ISIS hashtags. "This app is meant to support the Islamic State, [and] it helps to publish monotheistic tweets, as well as new [ISIS] releases, and to raid the enemies' hashtags," wrote ISIS in its announcement on the Shumoukh Al-Islam forum.
On March 27, the Islamic State (ISIS)-linked Al-Battar Media Foundation published the story of 'Abd Al-Salam Al-Turkestani, a 14-year-old boy from East Turkistan (Xinjiang) province in China, who, it says, traveled by foot for two years to reach "the caliphate land."
Al-Turkestani's story is told by an individual who met him, presumably in Syria, after Al-Turkestani and others arrived from Iraq. Titled "From East Turkestan to The Caliphate Land on Foot," the story is aimed at inspiring others.
Report: AQAP Attacks Prison In Al-Mukalla, Frees Over 300 Prisoners
On April 2, 2015, the London daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that Khalid Batirfi, a commander in Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), was among those freed in AQAP's attack on the central prison in Al-Mukalla, capital of Hadramout governorate in Yemen, earlier today.
GIMF Releases Biography Of Indonesian Jihadi Forum Founder
On March 26, 2015, the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) released the biography of Arif Wicaksana Aji (aka Hanzala Al-Khorasani, Abu Ayman), founder of the Indonesian Al-Busyro Islamic forum who was killed in 2014.
According to an Urdu-language daily report, a 16-year-old Pakistani youth, who was killed along with two other terrorists in a police encounter in Pakistan's Swabi district in March, had been radicalized through the social networking site Facebook.
