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.
On April 26, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) took responsibility for the April 25 killing of gay rights activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Samir Mahbub Tonoy in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. As per a statement issued by Ansar Al-Islam (AQIS's Bangladesh branch), Mannan and his friend were killed for spreading homosexuality among Bangladeshi Muslims with the help of the U.S. and Indian organizations.
The statement quotes Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri as saying that although Al-Qaeda does not support the Islamic State (ISIS) as any kind of a legitimate caliphate, it does not mean that all acts committed by the ISIS are wrong and illegitimate. However, it does call for restraint on the part of ISIS in the punishments it metes out to apostates and new converts to Islam. In recent years, a number of secular and liberal Muslim writers, as well as non-Muslim foreigners, have been killed by Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in Bangladesh.
On May 8, 2016, Al-Qaeda issued a new audio message from its leader, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, after several month of silence. In the message, Al-Zawahiri calls on the jihad groups in Syria to unite because this is a matter of life and death for them. He urges the Muslims of Syria to reject the initiatives of Saudi Arabia and its allies in the region, and assures them that the jihadis will defeat "the Eastern and Western Crusaders war machine" - i.e., both Russia and America - as well as their allies, the Syrian regime and Iran. Addressing the relationship between Al-Qaeda and its affiliate in Syria, Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN), he hints that the ties between them are strong and that they should remain so, for the world will not accept JN as legitimate in any case, unless it completely changes its nature to suit the superpowers.
On May 9, 2016, pro-Al-Qaeda individuals released a video featuring a recorded message by Hamza bin Laden, son of slain Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, where he speaks about Jerusalem.
Praising the wave of stabbing attacks by Palestinians against Israelis over the past year, he calls upon Muslims to join in the fight to defend Jerusalem. He also urges Muslims living outside Palestine to "participate in the intifada" of their Palestinian brethren by "killing the Jews and attacking their interests everywhere."
EXCLUSIVE: American Who Claims To Be An ISIS Fighter Spreads Propaganda Via Telegram Group, Twitter
An American claiming to be an ISIS fighter, is active on both Telegram and on Twitter, though more so on the former. He posts numerous updates on ISIS statements and military efforts, as well as general propaganda. As of this writing, his Telegram group boasts 349 members. On Twitter, he mainly circulates news stories relating to ISIS.
ISIS Releases Android App For Teaching Children Arabic Alphabet
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On May 10, 2016, pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram accounts posted a link to an ISIS app for teaching children the Arabic alphabet.
Called Hurouf ("Letters"), the app works on Android devices, and offers various interactive learning functionalities. For example, children can learn the Arabic alphabet, trace letters on the screen, scribble on a drawing board, identify letters placed inside colorful balloons, and even receive feedback for completing tasks.
ISIS-Affiliated Media Body Releases Android App That Plays ISIS Songs
On May 4, 2016, the Al-Battar media company, which is closely affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), released an Android app that allows users to listen to ISIS nasheeds (religious hymns) on their mobile devices.
Pro-ISIS French Media Body Releases Android App
On April 24, 2016, the An-Nur Media Center, a group of Francophone Islamic State (ISIS) media operatives that distributes ISIS content in French and Arabic, released an Android app that delivers ISIS-related content to user's smartphones.
British ISIS Fighter Posts Updates From Iraq On His Instagram Account
A British ISIS fighter from Colchester in Essex, England, on Instagram and claiming to be in Kirkuk, Iraq, shares updates from the Islamic State. The fighter seems to be active on a host of encrypted mobile applications. In his byline, he predicts that his Instagram account will soon be suspended, and lets followers know he is accessible on other platforms: "Soon to be blocked, if u need help or anything inshallah take a contacts not intending to come back on insta for a while."
On Instagram, British ISIS Fighter Showcases His Photographic Skills - And Attempts To Recruit
A British ISIS fighter residing in Raqqa, Syria, the de-facto capital of the Islamic State, regularly shares stylized photos via Instagram. He identifies himself as "Britani Kashmiri," likely meaning that he is of Pakistani origin.
Women's ISIS-Affiliated Media Group Announces Arrival Of One Of Its Members In Land Of The Caliphate
On May 9, 2016, a women's-only media group, Hafidat 'Aisha ("Granddaughters of 'Aisha), affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), announced that one of its members, who was in charge of preparing and uploading daily reports, has arrived in the land of the Caliphate. The report did not specify the country she arrived in.
French Official ISIS Distribution Back On Facebook
The An-Nur Media center [Centre Médiatique An Nûr Média] distributes ISIS multimedia materials in French and Arabic. It is operated by Nashir Fr, the organization's official media outlet in French, and is affiliated with other French ISIS media groups, such as Dar Al-Munasir, Khlifah-Info and Info-Sensibles.
Graphic: ISIS Executes Man For Homosexuality In Manbij, Syria
On May 8, 2016, the Islamic State (ISIS) published photos of the execution in the Syrian town of Manbij of a man convicted of engaging in homosexual relations. As per the organization's usual custom, the man was executed by being cast off a roof in the center of the town, after which he was also stoned. A crowd of men and children were present to witness the execution.
Pro-ISIS Australian Cleric Musa Cerantonio Arrested For Planning To Join Islamic State
On May 9, 2016, pro-ISIS Australian cleric Musa Cerantonio cleric was arrested in Cairns, Australia, along with four others, over a plan that they were attempting to join the Islamic State. Reports reveal that the men had intended to travel to Syria by first sailing to Indonesia in a small boat.
Saudi Court Sentences Woman To Six Years In Prison For Swearing Loyalty To ISIS
Al-Arabiya.net, a news website connected to Saudi TV channel Al-Arabiya, reported that a specialized criminal court has handed down a six-year prison sentence to a woman who had sworn loyalty to the leader of Islamic State (ISIS) Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, communicated with pro-ISIS Twitter accounts, and posted tweets commending terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia.
The Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) has released a video documenting its role in the takeover of the town of Khan Touman, southwest of Aleppo, Syria.
