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: Anonymous Caucasus Attacks Websites Connected To Sochi Olympics
Anonymous Caucasus, a group of hackers which portrays itself as the “electronic army of the Caucasus Emirate” announced that it successfully hacked and blocked several Sochi Olympic Games related websites including the games’ official Russian language website. The group declared its intentions in an online message that it distributed in December.
Jabhat Al-Nusra Announces Death Of Commander Sayfullah Al-Shishani During Takeover Of Aleppo Prison
In a communiqué posted yesterday (February 6, 2014) on the jihadi forum Al-Fidaa, Al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN), announces that its fighters have taken over Aleppo prison and have freed hundreds of prisoners. The organization has been threatening to take over the prison for some time, and its supporters even devoted a Twitter hashtag to this cause.
On February 2, 2014, Al-Qaeda central command released a statement via the Al-Fajr media center openly declaring that the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) is not part of the organization, and that Al-Qaeda is not responsible for ISIS's actions.
The statement is noteworthy since it follows a year of repeated ISIS defiance of Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri. Al-Qaeda had recently called for unity among the numerous jihadi groups fighting in Syria; while the call was carefully worded so as not to single out any group for criticism, the message was implicitly directed against ISIS.
ISIS Publishes Eulogy For Shadowy No. 2
On February 2, 2014, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) published a statement eulogizing Samir 'Abd Muhammad, a.k.a Haji Bakr, a.k.a Abu Bakr Al-Iraqi, deputy to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. Haji Bakr, the shadowy No. 2 man in ISIS is considered the mastermind behind the group's ascendance first in Iraq and in recent years in Syria, was killed recently in the clashes that have been raging between ISIS and rival rebel groups in the past month. No group has as of yet officially claimed responsibility for killing Bakr. His death was announced in a communiqué signed by "Mujahideen of the northern Aleppo suburbs." This statement from ISIS is in fact the group's first acknowledgment of his existence and of his role in its leadership.
Report Of ISIS Taking Over Conoco Oil Field From Jabhat Al-Nusra
According to the news website aksalser.com, Conoco oil field, which was controlled by Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN) and is considered one of the largest oil fields in Syria, is now under the control of the Islamic State of Iraq & Al-Sham (ISIS).
The takeover, says the report, seems related to some "tribal disputes" between the Bujamel tribe, which is on the JN side, and the Al-Bakir tribe, which is aligned with ISIS.
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In a January 3, 2014 article posted on the jihadi website Kavkazcenter.com, 'Abd Al-Halim Shishani, who serves on the Shari'a Committee of Jaysh Al-Muhajireen Wal-Ansar, stated that in the current circumstances women must not come to Syria for purposes of jihad.
'Abd Al-Halim Shishani, who claims to be writing from Aleppo, observes that many Russian-speaking Muslim women leave their homes and set out for Syria without family consent and unaccompanied by a guardian.
Four-Year-Old 'Mujahid' In Syria Vows To Slaughter Infidels
A video, posted on the Internet on January 21, 2014, features a four-year-old child shooting an AK-47. When the boy, who says that he is with the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, is asked what he would like to say to the infidels, he says: "Oh infidels, we will slaughter you."
Following are excerpts from the video:
Man: "Allah Akbar. Allah Akbar. God bless you. Abu Bakr, the Islamic State..."
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: "...in Iraq and the Levant."
Click here to view this clip on MEMRI TV
On January 26, 2014, the Ajnad Misr group – an unknown militant group which recently announced its presence, and was behind several deadly attacks in Cairo - released a statement in which it announced the launching of the Al-Qasas Hayat ("Retribution Is Life") campaign against the "criminal apparatuses" of the Egyptian regime.
Alarmed By Countrymen Joining Jihad - Saudis Issue Royal Edict To Curb The Phenomenon
The Saudi daily Al-Watan reported that Saudi monarch 'Abdallah bin 'Abd Al-'Aziz published an edict on February 3, 2014 designed to deter young Saudis from enlisting in jihad.
Mufti Hasaan Swati (right) and Mast Gul
Two commanders of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), one of whom had fought against Indian security forces in Kashmir in 1995, have emerged from the shadows following the February 4 terror attack at a hotel frequented by Shia Muslims in Peshawar, according to a Pakistani media report.
Urdu Daily: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan Earns $115 Million Per Month, Has About 35,000 Armed Fighters
According to an Urdu-language daily, the monthly income of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP, or the Movement of Pakistani Taliban, led by Maulana Fazlullah) is over $115 million.
An assessment of the TTP's income was prepared by the Interior Ministry of Pakistan and stated that the TTP's income is likely to go up further, according to the Urdu daily.
Amid the Pakistani government's efforts for negotiation with the Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has clarified that its objective is the implementation of Islamic sharia rule in Pakistan, according to an Urdu daily.
Shahidullah Shahid, the TTP spokesman, stated in a press statement: "Whether it be through war or negotiations, our objective is to implement sharia." Shahid also said that the TTP's shura (executive council) is discussing the government's offer of talks.
Pakistani Author Examines Re-Emergence Of Jaish-e-Muhammad Commander Maulana Masood Azhar
Maulana Masood Azhar, founder of Jaish-e-Muhammad
Maulana Masood Azhar, the founder of Pakistani terrorist organization Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), addressed a recent event in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir. The jihadi commander's re-emergence is seen as being a result of the Pakistani military establishment's support of him, and there is fear that his group might be used in Indian Kashmir.
It should be noted that Maulana Masood Azhar was among three militants released by India in exchange for the passengers of an Indian plane hijacked to Kandahar in 1999. His group JeM is believed to be surviving under the patronage of Pakistani intelligence agencies.
The following are excerpts from an article by Pakistani author and security affairs expert Zahid Hussain, examining the significance of Azhar's return to the jihadi mainstream of Pakistan.
"The [Pakistani State's] Reactivation Of Leaders Of The Outlawed Groups Does Not Seem Accidental; It Is A Disturbing Development For The International Community, As Well As For Our National Security"
"Breaking his long hibernation, Maulana Masood Azhar, a notorious militant leader in Pakistan, resurfaced last week [i.e. on January 26, 2014] when he addressed by phone thousands of his supporters in Muzaffarabad [the capital of Pakistani Kashmir]. This first public appearance of sorts in years of the leader of an outlawed organization, Jaish-e-Muhammad, raises questions about the state's policy towards militancy."
Report: Top Afghan Jihadi Leader Shot Dead In Pakistan
A top Afghan jihadi cleric, who issued a series of anti-U.S. fatwas in recent years, has been shot dead in Pakistan, according to a Pakistani media report. His death appears to be part of a series of killings of Afghan jihadi commanders based in Pakistan.
