At least 11,000 Sunni, and 10,500 Shiite foreign fighters from 74 countries (not including Iranian “advisors”) are reported to have joined the struggle over Syria. However, we know little about the recruiting mechanism that led them to Syria. Were … [Read more...] about Are Mosques Recruiting Foreign Fighters for Syria?
Al Qaeda
Islam and the Other: The al-Wala’ wal-Bara’ Doctrine
Given the U.S. capitulation to Iran, the growing American and European pressure on Israel to relinquish its national security and identity as the Jewish state in favor of the Palestinians, while Syria has become the training "melting pot" for … [Read more...] about Islam and the Other: The al-Wala’ wal-Bara’ Doctrine
Could “Rabbit Fever” Become a Biological Weapon?
The Obama administration held a meeting today in Washington with the representatives of more than two dozen countries on how to confront "a perfect storm of converging threats from infectious disease epidemics.” For once, the current administration … [Read more...] about Could “Rabbit Fever” Become a Biological Weapon?
Iran Flexes Muscles in the Gulf
The Iranians now feel confident enough to attack Sunnis openly - scary for the Saudis. For the first time, the Iranians are attacking not just the Saudi government, but also the Wahhabi extremist Sunni sect that is the ideological underpinning of … [Read more...] about Iran Flexes Muscles in the Gulf
Al-Qaida’s Repudiation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria
[At left] From the text of Al-Zawahiri’s announcement concerning Al-Qaeda’s repudiation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria. The announcement was published on Islamist forums affiliated with Al-Qaeda (www.muslm.org) Overview 1. On … [Read more...] about Al-Qaida’s Repudiation of the Islamic State in Iraq and Greater Syria
The Proliferation of Suicide Bombing in the Middle East and Beyond
’’A nation that does not wage jihad cannot exist…God is with us and Satan with them. We will fight and fight until we regain our rights… God willing.’’ -- Muslim Brother Sheik Ahmed Yassin, Hamas’s founder and spiritual leader, October 1997 Suicide … [Read more...] about The Proliferation of Suicide Bombing in the Middle East and Beyond
The Ideology of Militant Islamism in Southeastern Europe
Since the fall of communism two and a half decades ago, militant Islamism has been planting seeds and spreading roots in various parts of southeastern Europe, particularly the former Yugoslavia. With the help of local allies, militant Islamists have … [Read more...] about The Ideology of Militant Islamism in Southeastern Europe
The Fatwa: From the Middle East to South Asia
In early February 2014 Egypt's shadowy Ansar Beit al-Maqdis (the ABM, or Partisans of Jerusalem) were continuing their attack on government forces and institutions. The Sinai-based Islamist intransigents, whose leadership appears tied to Al Qaeda … [Read more...] about The Fatwa: From the Middle East to South Asia
“Our Goal is Jerusalem” – Militant Islamists in Southeast Europe
Over the past several years, the Balkans has emerged as a new battleground for militant Islamism. [i] In June 2010, Islamist extremists bombed a police station in the central Bosnian town of Bugojno, killing one police officer and wounding six … [Read more...] about “Our Goal is Jerusalem” – Militant Islamists in Southeast Europe
Syria – Training Ground for Western Jihadists
Western governments are increasingly voicing their concern that growing numbers of their Muslim citizens who volunteered to fight the jihad in Syria, are becoming “battle-hardened extremists,” who are “exporting terrorism” to their home … [Read more...] about Syria – Training Ground for Western Jihadists