Special Reports
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January 2010 |
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October 2009
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October 2009 |
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October 2009 |
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September 2009
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| August 2009 Part 3 of 3: "Militant Groups Active in the Bajaur Region" The NEFA Foundation has released the final installment of a three part report by NEFA Senior Investigator Claudio Franco titled "Militant Groups Active in the Bajaur Region." The NEFA Foundation has closely followed the evolution of the Taliban insurgency in Pakistan’s west and recent developments in the region, and the result is a series of reports aimed at covering the situation in the field. The third part of this ongoing series examines the militants operating in the Bajaur region. Although the area in question is traditionally dominated by commanders who by and large hail from the Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammed (TNSM) rank and file, the militants in Bajaur are not thehomogenous entity we may expect on the basis of media reports. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is surely dominated by the figure of Faqir Mohammed and his senior role within the overall movement guarantees effective representation to the agency within the TTP. Working together with the TTP insurgents, however, there are other significant groups based in one or the other of the area’s tehsils, or districts. These groups are often Taliban inspired and linked to former TNSM cadres, to the Afghan Taliban, and/or to foreign militants. Nevertheless, there are examples of Taliban-like entities having emerged purely to ‘protect’ the interests of a specific tribal group or potentate. In these cases, the emphasis on the Taliban brand of Deobandi ideology is clearly less marked and, at times, there appears to be a dangerous proximity to criminal elements, a proximity that has surely affected the Taliban’s credibility as a quasi-institutional actor. The first part of the report covers the origins of the Islamist insurgency in the agency and the emergence of a Taliban-inspired movement strongly influenced by the TNSM experience in the Malakand Division. The second part of the report covers the evolution of the all-out confrontation between tribal Taliban militants and the Pakistani Army in Bajaur Agency. The ongoing series is based mainly on the NEFA Foundation team’s first hand research in the field. |
| August 2009 NEFA Chart: A Drought in Taliban Media The NEFA Foundation has released a new chart by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann titled, "Charting the Ongoing Drought in Taliban Media." The chart helps illustrate how, over the past few weeks, the number of daily communiqués and statements issued online by the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) has been dramatically curtailed without any explanation from the Taliban. Though neither the U.S. government nor U.S. military have commented on the issue, the major dip in Taliban communications activity seems to have occurred directly following the Taliban capture of U.S. soldier Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl and the release of an Internet video of Bergdahl. |
| July 2009 Part 2 of 3: "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan: The Bajaur Case" The NEFA Foundation has released the second installment of a three part report by NEFA Senior Investigator Claudio Franco titled "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan: The Bajaur Case." The NEFA Foundation has closely followed the evolution of the Taliban insurgency in Pakistan’s west and recent developments in the region, and the result is a series of reports aimed at covering the situation in the field. The second part of this ongoing series covers the evolution of the all-out confrontation between tribal Taliban militants and the Pakistani Army in Bajaur Agency. This section also takes into consideration the creation of a Sharia Courts system in the tribal Agency and the reaction of the state to the militants’ attempt to institutionalize Taliban rule in Pakistan’s FATAs. The first part of the report covers the origins of the Islamist insurgency in the agency and the emergence of a Taliban-inspired movement strongly influenced by the TNSM experience in the Malakand Division. The ongoing series is based mainly on the NEFA Foundation team’s first hand research in the field. |
| July 2009 Part 1 of 3: "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan: The Bajaur Case" The NEFA Foundation has released the first installment of a three part report by NEFA Senior Investigator Claudio Franco titled "The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan: The Bajaur Case." The NEFA Foundation has closely followed the evolution of the Taliban insurgency in Pakistan’s west and recent developments in the region, and the result is a series of reports aimed at covering the situation in the field. The first part of this comprehensive effort to put into context the Bajaur case covers the origins of the Islamist insurgency in the agency and the emergence of a Taliban-inspired movement strongly influenced by the TNSM experience in the Malakand Division. Part one of this series also provides an analytical outline of the weight of the tribal factor among Taliban insurgents and discusses the peculiarity of the Bajaur case in the context of the wider Taliban insurgency in the FATAs. Finally, this report focuses on the change of approach by the Pakistani Army in Bajaur, a shift which prepared the ground for the Swat offensive and for the ongoing advance towards Baitullah Mehsud's heartlands in Waziristan. This report is based on primary research carried out by the NEFA Foundation team between April 2008 and April 2009. The series will continue with reports on Swat and Waziristan, following closely the advance of the Pakistani Army towards the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan bastions in South Waziristan. |
| June 2009 "Al-Qaida and Europe: The Case of the German-Pakistani Aleem Nasir" The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ronald Sandee titled, "Al-Qaida and Europe: The Case of the German-Pakistani Aleem Nasir." Nasir was arrested in June 2007 in Pakistan on suspicion of involvement in a bomb plot. Following his return to Germany, Western authorities gained significant insights into Nasir's activities and identified him as a kingpin in the radical Muslim scene in Germany. He recruited young men for the Jihad and sent them to training camps in Pakistan's Tribal Areas. Nasir also went to Pakistan more than once to deliver cash and supplies to al-Qaida's top commanders, including Mustafa Abu Yazid and the late Abdullah Azzam al-Saudi, Abu Zubair al-Masri and Khalid Habib. This paper, which draws heavily on Pakistani intelligence reports and confidential documents to which Sandee gained access, also highlights the close links between al-Qaida and the Lashkar-e-Taiba. |
| May 2009 "Al-Qaida's Online Couriers: The Al-Fajr Media Center and the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF)" The NEFA Foundation has released a new interactive chart by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann titled, "Al-Qaida's Online Couriers: The Al-Fajr Media Center and the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF)." The chart maps out in detail the multi-step process by which multimedia recorded by mujahideen organizations in the field is distributed online--including the critical roles played by the pre-eminent Internet logistical service providers (namely Al-Fajr and the GIMF). As indicated by the chart, the Al-Fajr Media Center has official "contractual" partnerships with the As-Sahab Media Foundation, Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI), Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen), Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Ansar al-Islam in Iraq, and the Islam Awazi Information Center (the media wing of the Turkestan Islamic Party). Conversely, at present, the GIMF boasts its own active service relationships with Jaish al-Islam and Tawheed wal-Jihad in the Gaza Strip, and the Shabaab al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia. |
| May 2009 Evan Kohlmann's Expert Report from U.S. v. Kassir The NEFA Foundation has released the expert witness report and PowerPoint slideshow presented by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann during the recent trial of Swedish national Oussama Kassir in federal court in New York. On May 12, 2009, Kassir was convicted on all eleven counts he faced, including conspiracy to provide material support to Al-Qaida and conspiracy to kill or maim persons overseas. Kassir allegedly served a key role in the notorious online jihad media organization known as the "Islamic Media Center" (IMC). In 2003, the IMC published detailed instructions for how to set up underground terrorist training camps in Western countries--instructions which were attributed to "Abu Khadija", a known alias of Kassir. |
| May 2009 "Shabaab al-Mujahideen: Migration and Jihad in the Horn of Africa" The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior investigator Evan Kohlmann titled, "Shabaab al-Mujahideen: Migration and Jihad in the Horn of Africa." The report is a comprehensive analysis of the Shabaab al-Mujahideen ("Mujahideen Youth") Movement in Somalia, including sub-chapters on "The Early Years - Al-Ittihad al-Islami (AIAI) and 'Blackhawk Down'"; "Ethiopia and the Ogaden War (1993-1997)"; "The Islamic Courts Union (ICU)"; "Rise of the Shabaab al-Mujahideen Movement"; "The Current Status of Shabaab and its Islamist Rivals"; "The Role of Foreign Fighters"; "Shabaab's Propaganda Strategy and Media Infrastructure"; and, "Shabaab al-Mujahideen and the Issue of Ocean Piracy". |
| April 2009 "Core Al-Qaida in 2008: A Review" The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ronald Sandee titled, "Core Al-Qaida in 2008: A Review." Delivering the Intelligence Community’s annual threat assessment in February 2009, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair noted that, “In Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), al-Qa’ida lost significant parts of its command structure since 2008 in a succession of blows as damaging to the group as any since the fall of the Taliban in late 2001.” A few months earlier, then-CIA Director Michael Hayden had also addressed the significant developments impacting core Al-Qaida: “In the past year alone, a number of senior al-Qa’ida leaders who have sought refuge in the tribal areas have died, either by violence or natural causes. These include a chief of external operations, a senior commander who plotted attacks against the coalition in Afghanistan, a seasoned explosives expert and trainer, a veteran combat leader, and a senior operational planner.” This NEFA Foundation Special Report examines, in depth, the notable losses that Al-Qaida suffered in 2008, its efforts to repulse ideological attacks by respected voices in the extremist community, and assesses the organization’s ability to carry out attacks against the West. |
| March 2009 "The Union of Good: INTERPAL and the U.K. Member Organizations" The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Analyst Steve Merley titled, "The Union of Good: INTERPAL and the U.K. Member Organizations." The Union of Good (UG) is a coalition of Islamic charities that provides financial support to both the Hamas “social” infrastructure, as well as its terrorist activities. In November 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department designated the UG. The U.K. is an important area of operation for the UG, with six known member organizations operating within its borders, including INTERPAL, probably the single most important UG member. As with the UG itself, the U.K. member organizations, their donors, and their leaders are often associated with the global Muslim Brotherhood and are themselves frequently inter-related, sometimes sharing Trustees, banks, and in some cases, using each other to deliver aid and/or donating to each other. The U.K. member organizations appear to also deliver aid in a similar manner, donating to “partner” organizations in the Palestinian Territories, many of which are associated with Hamas and who are responsible for use of the aid money. It is often difficult to understand how the UG member charity money is actually used, as funded projects are described in only general terms. Of the six UG member organizations in the U.K., only INTERPAL has been the subject of any substantial investigation. And, despite evidence that INTERPAL aid is going to Hamas-related organizations, the organization continues to operate, although it is facing mounting banking problems probably related to the U.S. designation of the UG as a terrorist entity. |
| March 2009 New NEFA Chart: "Prominent Jihad Media Organizations in Central Asia" The NEFA Foundation has released a new roster created by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann charting the eight most prominent jihad media organizations active in Central Asia--namely, Al-Qaida's "As-Sahab Media Foundation", "Labayk Media Productions", "Ummat Studios", the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan's "Jundullah Media", the Islamic Jihad Union's "Badr at-Tawheed Media", the Turkestan Islamic Party's "Islam Awazi Information Center", "Manba al-Jihad Media", and the official media wing of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban). Taken together, these various underground organizations are responsible for producing the vast majority of mujahideen propaganda videos that have originated from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and western China over the past five years. (Note: The NEFA Foundation has obtained new video footage of day-to-day operations inside "Jundullah Studios", the official media wing of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)-an Al-Qaida and Taliban mujahideen ally fighting in pockets along the Afghan-Pakistani border.) |
| February 2009 "The Eleven: Saudi Guantanamo Veterans Returning to the Fight" The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann titled, “The Eleven: Saudi Guantanamo Veterans Returning to the Fight.” The report includes in-depth profiles of eleven former Saudi detainees in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, who are now listed on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s roster of its 85 “most wanted” terrorist suspects: Saeed Ali Jabir al-Kathim al-Shehri (a.k.a. “Abu Sufyan”, “Abu Asma”); Yusuf Muhammad Mubarak al-Jebairy al-Shehri; Jabir Jubran Ali al-Faify (a.k.a. “Abu Ibrahim", “Abu Jaffar al-Ansari”); Fahd Saleh Suleiman al-Jutayli (a.k.a. “Hamza Aqeedah”); Mohammed Ateeq Owaid al-Awfi al-Harbi (a.k.a. “Abul-Hareth Mohammed al-Awfi”); Murtadha Ali Saeed Magram (a.k.a. “Abul-Baraa al-Hadrami”); Meshal Mohammed Rashid Al-Shedoky (a.k.a. "Mishale Ashadouki"); Adnan Muhammad Ali al-Sayegh; Ibrahim Sulaiman Mohammed ar-Rubaish (a.k.a. “Abu Mohammed”); Turki Meshawi Zayid al-Assiri (a.k.a. “Al-Mutasim al-Makki”); and, Othman Bin Ahmed Bin Othman al-Ghamdi (a.k.a. "Othman al-Omairah"). The NEFA report notes, “whether we speak of Jabir al-Faify, Fahd al-Jutayli, Murtadha Magram, Ibrahim ar-Rabeish, Turki al-Assiri, or Othman al-Ghamdi, their stories are remarkably familiar… Yet, for all the brimming confidence in their 'Afghan' credentials, the detailed accounts of these men offer credible reasons to doubt their actual military capabilities… These men now face somewhat of a daunting challenge to prove their military capabilities in the face of their relatively young age and their lack of sustained frontline combat experience… In fact, the major distinction between men like al-Shehri and al-Harbi versus previous generations of Al-Qaida leadership in Saudi Arabia is that they have chosen to launch their operations from a lawless Bedouin-style sanctuary just beyond Saudi borders in Yemen—instead of the risky urban warfare model adopted by Abdelaziz al-Muqrin and his contemporaries… It remains to be seen whether the intriguing decision to move the central Al-Qaida leadership beyond the reach of the Saudi Interior Ministry—and away from urban areas tightly packed with Muslim civilians—will have a significant long-term strategic impact in terms of addressing the group’s litany of setbacks.” The report also warns of the “dangers of insufficiently vetting Guantanamo veterans for a release back to their countries of origin, and the foolishness of allowing diplomatic courtesies and issues of political expediency to trump the assessments of professionals who have deemed these men to represent a continuing threat to the United States and its allies… In at least one regrettable instance, if the account of the New York Times is to be believed, a terror suspect now thought to be quite dangerous (Mishal al-Shedoky) was released and sent home to Saudi Arabia from Guantanamo, primarily in order to help win Saudi political support for the botched U.S. invasion of Iraq.” |
| February 2009 Al-Qaida’s “A Bailout Plan for Germany”: A NEFA Analysis The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Contributor Antje Kraschinski analyzing the Al-Qaida video "A Bailout Plan for Germany." The January 2009 video features German citizen Bekkay Harrach and is the third German-language video issued by Islamic terror groups since October 2008. Displaying a deep and detailed knowledge of the political background of the German military engagement in Afghanistan, Harrach repeats his central message several times: Germany must pull its troops out of Afghanistan. To advance that goal, Harrach appeals to the German people to vote for a party in the upcoming elections that supports the withdrawal. Harrach’s video has alarmed German officials. On January 25, German Interior Ministry State Secretary August Hanning commented: "For the first time we are seeing that Germany is addressed very clearly, and namely from someone who knows our home affairs, who knows the internal conditions here and who grapples very specifically with us here in Germany. We regard this as a new quality of threat." This paper provides extensive context to Harrach's message and offers a snapshot of Harrach's life in Germany and the Pak-Afghan area. |
| February 2009 (Backgrounder) Anwar al Awlaki: Pro Al-Qaida Ideologue with Influence in the West U.S. government agencies are increasingly concerned about the ability of pro-Jihad ideologues to use the Internet to incite U.S.-based Muslims to conduct terrorist attacks. Indeed, there have been several terrorism cases in the years since 9/11 in which actors based in Western countries were influenced by lectures, writings, and videos downloaded from the Internet that were generated by spiritual figures and strategists living in the Middle East and elsewhere. Anwar al Awlaki, an American who lives in Yemen, who is regarded as an Islamic scholar, may be an influential player in Al-Qaida’s efforts to radicalize and incite American Muslims to commit terrorist acts. His lectures on leaderless jihad were downloaded by, and provided inspiration to, the conspirators in the 2006-07 plot to attack Fort Dix. In early January of 2009, al Awlaki published an essay titled “44 Ways to Support Jihad” on his web site. The paper is targeted to a young, English-speaking , Muslim audience and calls for armed and financial support of Jihad against the “kuffar.” In the weeks since its initial publication to the web site, it has been reposted to hundreds of other sites. This backgrounder on Anwar al Awlaki discusses his experience in the United States, his reputation as an ideologue, and his connections to Al-Qaida. |
| January 2009 The Union of Good: A Global Muslim Brotherhood Hamas Fundraising Network The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Analyst Steve Merley titled, "The Union of Good: A Global Muslim Brotherhood Hamas Fundraising Network." The Union of Good is a coalition of Islamic charities that provides financial support to both the Hamas “social” infrastructure, as well as its terrorist activities. It is headed by global Muslim Brotherhood leader Youssef Qaradawi, and most of the trustees and member organizations are associated with the global Muslim Brotherhood. The Union of Good was banned by Israel in 2002 and recently designated a terrorist entity by the United States, although neither Youssef Qaradawi nor any of the Trustees were similarly designated. Despite the fact that action has been taken against some of its member organizations in Europe, many of its other European member organizations continue to operate. Further, the Union of Good itself does not appear to be under investigation in Europe. This report complements prior NEFA Special Reports on the Brotherhood networks in the U.S., Belgium, and the Netherlands. And Steve Merley’s most recent report, “The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe," examined an umbrella group that comprises the global Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. |
| January 2009 Spot Report: Ummah Welfare Trust and the Barclays Bank Controversy The NEFA Foundation has released a new "Spot Report" titled "Ummah Welfare Trust and the Barclays Bank Controversy." On December 16, 2008, a representative from Barclays Bank PLC wrote to the Ummah Welfare Trust (UWT) to inform the organization that after a review of Barclays’ “business risk exposure,” the bank would be closing UWT’s accounts on January 19. UWT has responded forcefully, urging supporters to “Contact Barclays and ask for a reason of account closure and inform them that you and your associates will be closing your accounts if the decision is not immediately reversed.” Several Muslim organizations, including the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the U.K. and Ireland, the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), MPAC-UK, and the Islamic Forum of Europe, have issued press releases in support of UWT. For example, referencing the recent closure of an Interpal bank account, the MCB announced that it was “deeply concerned” and saw “no justification for these summary closures and denial of services.” And the National Union of Kenyan Muslims has even threatened a global boycott of Barclays. These efforts have been supplemented by an online petition, which assailed the “indiscriminate” closure of Islamic charity accounts, along with a website: http://www.saynotobarclays.com. However, an examination of UWT’s financial records and other open source material reveals numerous linkages to terror-linked organizations, particularly those affiliated with Hamas. UWT has sent Interpal over £190,000 and collaborated with the Al-Salah Islamic Association; both organizations have been named Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGT) by the U.S. government for their links to Hamas. Moreover, UWT has funneled money to four members of the Union of Good, a Hamas-tied umbrella organization also named an SDGT. And numerous data points provide evidence of UWT’s ideological orientation. The UWT website has featured a tribute to deceased Hamas founder Ahmad Yasin, heralded the "unparalleled" status of martyrs, counseled readers to "consider the Police and Intelligence as filthy human beings," and advertised a guest speaker at fundraisers who has urged followers to avoid "align[ing] yourselves with the kuffar.” (Note: NEFA Foundation “Spot Reports” respond to breaking news and provide a brief overview of a specific topic; they are not intended to serve as comprehensive reports.) |
| December 2008 Evan Kohlmann's Expert Report from U.S. v. Shnewer et al. Following today’s conviction of five men in New Jersey federal court for plotting to kill members of the U.S. military, the NEFA Foundation is providing an expert report submitted in the case by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann. Initiated by a "homegrown" cell that was, in the words of one plotter, eager to "hit a heavy concentration of soldiers...", the plan was disrupted in May 2007 as two conspirators attempted to purchase four fully-automatic M-16 machine guns and three semi-automatic AK-47 assault rifles. In addition to attempting to purchase heavy weaponry to supplement their existing arsenal, cell members procured a map of Fort Dix, conducted reconnaissance on the base, and engaged in tactical and firearms training. One conspirator also carried out surveillance on a number of other military targets, including the U.S. Army base at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey and Dover Air Force base in Dover, Delaware. The NEFA Foundation has provided comprehensive coverage of this case, publishing a "Target: America" report, as well as a library of exhibits introduced into evidence during the course of the trial. |
| December 2008 (LeT) Evan Kohlmann's Expert Report from Regina v. Mohammed Ajmal Khan, Palvinder Singh, and Frzana Khan The NEFA Foundation is making available the expert witness report filed by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service in Regina v. Mohammed Ajmal Khan, Palvinder Singh, and Frzana Khan. The report provides an in-depth examination of Lashkar-e-Taiba's (LeT) history, as well as of LeT's use of the Internet. In March 2006, Mohammed Ajmal Khan, a British citizen of Pakistani descent, was sentenced to nine years in prison for buying "equipment for use in terrorist operations - some of which may have been used against Coalition Forces in Afghanistan. The material was sent to" LeT. Moreover, "Khan...attended LeT training camps in Pakistan and by September 2001 held a senior role in the organisation with responsibility for foreign recruits." Khan, who came to America in 2002 and 2003 to procure equipment for LeT, has also been indicted in U.S. federal court in connection with the Virginia "paintball jihad" network. Singh and Khan were acquitted. |
| December 2008 Inside As-Sahaab: The Story of Ali al-Bahlul and the Evolution of Al-Qaida’s Propaganda The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann titled “Inside As-Sahaab: The Story of Ali al-Bahlul and the Evolution of Al-Qaida’s Propaganda.” The report is based upon previously unseen evidence presented during the recent Guantanamo Bay military commissions trial of Yemeni national Ali Hamza Ahmad Suliman al-Bahlul. In November 2008, a military jury convicted al-Bahlul of conspiracy, solicitation, and providing material support to terrorism. During questioning conducted by FBI and NCIS agents, Al-Bahlul admitted that he had been “personally appointed” by Usama Bin Laden to take charge of As-Sahaab, allegedly writing the final “martyrdom” wills of 9/11 hijackers and producing one of Al-Qaida’s most enduring terrorist propaganda films, “The Destruction of the U.S.S. Cole” (otherwise known as “State of the Ummah”). The report also analyzes the significance of another exhibit submitted by prosecutors in their case against Mr. al-Bahlul – the rough-cut recorded “martyrdom” will of 9/11 hijacker Ziad Jarrah. According to the NEFA report, “clearly, this revealing video footage seems to suggest that the theatrical ‘martyrdom’ wills of Al-Qaida suicide operatives are much more carefully scripted and deliberately orchestrated than the As-Sahaab Media Foundation would otherwise wish to acknowledge.” |
| November 2008 Lessons Learned from the Campaign Against the FARC in Colombia The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah titled "Lessons Learned from the Campaign Against the FARC in Colombia." This paper is the fourth NEFA Foundation report on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-FARC), Latin America's oldest and largest insurgency. The FARC was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 1997 and by the European Union in 2005. The Colombian government's successful military campaign against the FARC in Colombia represents one of the most important and least understood counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism efforts in recent decades. The successful campaign also represents an astonishing decade-long turnaround for a military that was on the verge of defeat and that has recently scored a series of spectacular successes. This paper examines the lessons learned from the Colombian experience, particularly the efforts to reform and streamline intelligence operations. It also looks at the difficult challenges remaining before victory is achieved and the Colombian paradox: while the Colombian military and police, backed by billions of dollar in U.S. aid, have successfully dismantled much of the FARC and cartel drug trafficking structures, the amount of cocaine Colombia produces has not diminished. Douglas Farah covered the Colombian wars from 1989-2000 for the Washington Post and follows the conflict there closely. |
| October 2008 The Islamic Jihad Union The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ronald Sandee titled "The Islamic Jihad Union." The Islamic Jihad Union was founded by breakaway fighters from the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in March 2002 in Pakistan’s Tribal Areas. The organization initially called itself the Islamic Jihad Group, but, after failed attacks in Uzbekistan in 2004 and early 2005, changed its name and became closer to core al-Qa’ida. Since then, the organization’s focus has shifted, as the IJU began plotting terror attacks in Pakistan and Western Europe, especially Germany. Based in Mirali in South Waziristan, the IJU is training Western recruits for attacks in the West. The recruits are mainly Turks from Turkey and Turkish communities in Western Europe, but also Muslim converts from Europe. Although the IJU currently does not seem to be terribly effective in the execution of its operations, it remains a force to be reckoned with. |
| October 2008 The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Analyst Steve Merley titled "The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe." The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE) claims to be an independent organization representing the interests of Muslims in Europe. In reality, the FIOE is an umbrella group that comprises the global Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. Strong links connect FIOE's leadership central institutions and member organizations to the Brotherhood, as well as to Saudi Arabia. Funding for the FIOE is derived largely from Gulf sources, including some of the ruling families of the United Arab Emirates. The FIOE has strong ties to Hamas and Hamas fund-raising organizations, and some FIOE member organizations show evidence of links with Al-Qaida. The FIOE recently opened a headquarters office in Brussels and has had some success in positioning itself as a “dialog partner” for the EU and other important institutions. |
| September 2008 The FARC's International Relations: A Network of Deception The NEFA Foundation has published a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah titled "The FARC's International Relations: A Network of Deception." This paper is a follow-up to two previous NEFA Foundation reports on the state of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-FARC), Latin America's oldest and largest insurgency. The FARC was designated a terrorist organization by the United States in 1997 and by the European Union in 2005. The purpose of this paper is to examine the FARC’s little-known international support network , which spans Latin America and Europe. This network is comprised of an unusual mixture of state actors (Venezuela and Nicaragua, particularly) and non-state actors, often under the guise of non-governmental organizations. The information in this report is derived from documents found on the computer of Raúl Reyes, the FARC's deputy commander, killed in a guerrilla camp in Ecuador by Colombian commandos on March 1, 2008. The report also draws on author interviews with senior Colombian police, military and political leaders carried out in Bogotá the week of August 17-23, 2008, which included a review and analysis of many of the pertinent documents. |
| September 2008 Anatomy of a Modern Homegrown Terror Cell: Aabid Khan et al. The NEFA Foundation has published a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann titled "Anatomy of a Modern Homegrown Terror Cell." The report focuses on the recent criminal trial of Aabid Hussain Khan at the Blackfriars Crown Court in London, as told through the actual evidence seized by U.K. authorities and the detailed testimony of Khan himself. According to Karen Jones, the reviewing lawyer in the case from the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service, "The evidence showed Khan was a committed and active supporter of Al-Qaida ideology… He preyed on vulnerable young people and turned them into recruits to his cause, using internet chat to lure them in then incite them to fight. He arranged their Pakistan for terrorism training, and talked about a 'worldwide battle.'" |
| July 2008 Douglas Farah's Testimony Before the House Foreign Affairs Committee NEFA Foundation Senior Investigator Douglas Farah testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade at a hearing titled, "Foreign Aid and the Fight Against Terrorism and Proliferation: Leveraging Foreign Aid to Achieve U.S. Policy Goals." Farah wrote of "new hybrids that make the traditional distinction between terrorism and organized crime, particularly drug trafficking, impossible to sustain." He added that "what draws these groups together, as overt state sponsorship for terrorism has been curtailed, are the shadow facilitators who understand how to exploit the seams in the international legal and economic structure, and who work with both terrorist and criminal organizations. Both groups use the same pipelines, the same illicit structures, and exploit the same state weaknesses, and are increasingly overlapping. |
| July 2008 Shifting Patterns in Terrorist Propaganda: Taliban vs. ISI The NEFA Foundation has released a new analytical chart that contrasts the shifting patterns in propaganda releases by the Taliban in Afghanistan versus Al-Qaida’s “Islamic State of Iraq” (ISI) over approximately a one year period (from April 2007 to July 2008). The numbers on the chart represent the total number of political communiques and claims of responsibility for military operations issued by a respective organization over a given month. At least according to these numbers, the ISI seems to be in the midst of a free-fall collapse in Iraq, while the Taliban has been sharply on the rise in Afghanistan—and markedly so since February 2008. |
| July 2008 The July 21, 2005 London Transport Bombings: An In-Depth Look at the Planning, Execution, and Failure of the Attack As the third anniversary of the botched 7/21 bombings approaches, the NEFA Foundation is releasing a PowerPoint briefing, authored by NEFA Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz, titled, "The July 21, 2005 London Transport Bombings: An In-Depth Look at the Planning, Execution, and Failure of the Attack." Drawing on police surveillance photos, extensive CCTV footage, and other exhibits released by the Metropolitan Police Service during the course of the conspirators' trial, the report offers an unprecedented glimpse into the planning and execution of a terrorist attack. The briefing includes surveillance photos of the bombers training for jihad at a camp in Cumbria; pictures of the conspirators purchasing massive quantities of hydrogen peroxide; as well as images of their bomb factory, the interiors of the trains they attempted to blow up, their unexploded devices, and their flight from authorities. Further, the report documents the extensive support network that aided the bombers in the lead-up to and aftermath of the failed attack. |
| July 2008 Jihad Networks in Pakistan and Their Influence in Europe The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann titled “Jihad Networks in Pakistan and Their Influence in Europe.” The paper is based upon a presentation given by Mr. Kohlmann on July 10 before the III International Course on “Jihad Terrorism: Contingency Plans and Response”, organized by the Pablo Olavide University and the Granada University in Spain. It assesses the proliferation of jihad training camps in Pakistan—particularly in Waziristan and the region bordering Pakistani-controlled Kashmir—and the subsequent impact that those training camps have had on the proliferation of terrorist networks in Western Europe. |
| July 2008 The Evolution of the Taliban in Pakistan during the February-May 2008 Period: The Peace Accord Era The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by Claudio Franco titled "The Evolution of the Taliban in Pakistan during the February-May 2008 Period: The Peace Accord Era." Franco explores the evolution of the insurgency in North-Western Pakistan from February-May 2008, a time characterized by an attempt to stabilize the area by means of a negotiated effort. The new Pakistani cabinet, led by Yusuf Reza Gilani, initiated a dialogue with the insurgents in Malakand and Swat, eventually finalizing two distinct peace accords in April and May 2008. But have the Pakistani authorities been more successful than the West has noticed in stabilizing the region, or is this another ephemeral exercise in tribal diplomacy? Will the undeniable results achieved by Pakistan benefit the Coalition's forces across the border? And more importantly, what kind of conflict are the tribes of North-Western Pakistan bracing for: An Islamist insurgency or conflict by proxy across the border? In the report, Franco also examines the emergence and consolidation of non-Taliban Islamist militias in the northern tribal areas of Pakistan, paying particular attention to Mangal Bagh's Lashkar-e-Islam (LI); LI is the Khyber-based Islamist militia targeted by the army in the first military operation ordered by Yousuf Reza Gilani, Pakistan's first post-Musharraf Prime Minister. |
| July 2008 The FARC In Transition: The Fatal Weakening of the Western Hemisphere's Oldest Guerilla Movement This paper by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah is a follow-up to a report by the NEFA Foundation on April 1, 2008, on the state of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-FARC), the Western Hemisphere's oldest insurgency. The purpose of this paper is to give a more detailed look at the future of the most prominent and largest designated terrorist organization operating in the Western Hemisphere. The first paper, "What the FARC Papers Show Us About Latin American Terrorism," analyzed part of the trove of guerrilla documents seized by the Colombian government in March 2008. This paper examines: the impact of the deaths of three senior FARC commanders in the space of a month; the naming of a long-time political operative rather than a recognized military commander as the group's new commander-in-chief; the shifting rhetoric of the group's primary international backer, president Hugo Chavez of Venezuela; and, what these developments could mean for the hemisphere's oldest insurgency. |
| June 2008 NEFA Exclusive: An Interview with Mangal Bagh, Commander of Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) - Pakistan The NEFA Foundation has obtained an exclusive video-recorded interview with Mangal Bagh, the charismatic, de-facto leader of Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) in control of approximately three-quarters of Pakistan’s Khyber Agency. Bagh took control of Lashkar-e-Islam approximately two years ago from its original founder Deobandi cleric Mufti Munir Shakir. In the span of those two years, LI has evolved into a tribe-based militant outfit which has successfully wrested control of the area from criminal networks and the central government. On June 28, 2008, the Pakistani army launched military operations targeting positions held by Mangal Bagh and LI in the Khyber Agency. |
| June 2008 NEFA Briefing - Operation Orbile: The Case of Samina Malik and Sohail Qureshi Following the U.K. Court of Appeal decision to overturn the conviction of the "Lyrical Terrorist" Samina Malik, the NEFA Foundation is releasing a PowerPoint briefing, authored by NEFA Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz, that provides an overview of Operation Orbile, the British counterterrorism investigation that targeted Malik and Sohail Qureshi. The briefing includes more than a dozen exhibits entered into evidence in the course of those prosecutions, including email correspondence between Malik and Qureshi in which Qureshi sought information on airport security from Malik, who worked at a newsstand in Heathrow Airport: "Wat is the situation like at work? Is the checking still very harsh? or have things cooled down a bit?...Delete after read!" Qureshi, who trained at an Al-Qaida camp in Pakistan and was arrested at Heathrow on his way "to commit acts of terrorism overseas, possibly against coalition forces in Afghanistan," pled guilty to terror charges. In addition to providing Qureshi with details on airport security, Malik compiled an extensive library of jihadist material, including The Al Qaeda Manual, The Terrorists Handbook, The Mujahideen Poisons Handbook, a manual for a Dragunov Sniper Rifle, The Firearms and RPG handbook, and a document titled "How to Win hand to hand fighting." In announcing its decision not to retry Malik, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) stated, "Ms Malik was not prosecuted for her poetry. She was prosecuted for possessing documents that could provide practical assistance to terrorists." However, with the redefining of Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000, some of the documents CPS "relied on in Ms Malik's trial would no longer be held capable of giving practical assistance to terrorists." |
| June 2008 Exclusive Documents from Amawi, Hindi Case in Toledo In the wake of today’s conviction of three men in federal court in Toledo, Ohio for conspiring to help kill U.S. soldiers in Iraq, the NEFA Foundation is providing an expert report submitted in the case by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann. During the investigation of the three men—Mohammed Amawi, Marwan al-Hindi, and Wassim Mazloum—FBI agents uncovered a wealth of terrorist propaganda and other incriminating evidence indicating that the men were habitual users of such notorious terrorist websites as Muntada al-Ansar and Al-Ekhlaas. Evidence seized from Marwan al-Hindi included login information for an account on the Al-Ekhlaas discussion forum which, in February 2005, was used to post a message which proclaimed to other Al-Ekhlaas users, “I am a terrorist. Please add my name to the list of wanted terrorists. I am a Palestinian Muslim from the Army of Mohammed, may Peace be Upon Him. Terrorist, Terrorist, Terrorist, Terrorist, Terrorist, Terrorist, Terrorist!” |
| June 2008 Exclusive: NEFA Dossier on Al-Qaida's Shaykh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid The NEFA Foundation has released a new dossier written by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann examining the role of Shaykh Mustafa Abu al-Yazid (a.k.a. “Shaykh Saeed”), appointed in May 2007 as “the overall head of al-Qaida Organization in Afghanistan.” According to Al-Qaida’s official As-Sahab Media Wing, Mustafa Abu al-Yazid personally “took part in founding al-Qaida in 1989, and is a member of the Shura council of Qaida al-Jihad.” Considered quite close to Al-Qaida Deputy Commander Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Yazid has likewise been implicated by other Al-Qaida members in sworn testimony as playing a critical role in the financing and coordination of Al-Qaida’s international terrorist operations. Allegedly, al-Yazid even assisted in financing the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. |
| May 2008 Terrorists Behind Bars The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz titled "Terrorists Behind Bars," which examines the myriad complexities the worldwide prison system must address when managing incarcerated extremists. While in prison, jihadists have caused officials fits by radicalizing fellow inmates, planning jailbreaks, distributing propaganda to associates, continuing to exercise operational control over their organizations, and plotting attacks. Reflecting these trends, Jordanian researcher Hassan Abu Hanieh has observed, "Things no longer end in prison anymore. In fact, increasingly they begin there." Additionally, the report analyzes campaigns by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Yemen, and even the U.S. military in Iraq to "reeducate" jailed militants. |
| May 2008 The Muslim Brotherhood in Belgium The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Analyst Steve Merley titled "The Muslim Brotherhood in Belgium." Belgium has become an important center for the global Muslim Brotherhood in Europe. Since its origins in early student organizations, the Belgian Brotherhood network has grown to include Hamas support infrastructure and local Islamic groups that in turn are part of the Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), the global Muslim Brotherhood umbrella group in Europe. Belgium also serves as the FIOE national office. One individual, Bassem Hatahet, appears to be the most important figure in the Belgian Muslim Brotherhood. [Note: The NEFA Foundation is releasing a new version of this report to reflect a correction on p. 11. Hassan Swaid was replaced as President of CECIV by M. Mohammed Arabate, not Michael Privot. Privot was elected Treasurer.] |
| April 2008 What the FARC Papers Show Us about Latin American Terrorism The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah titled "What the FARC Papers Show Us about Latin American Terrorism." On May 1, 2008, Raúl Reyes, a senior commander of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), was killed when Colombian troops raided his command center in the neighboring country of Ecuador. Colombian troops recovered computers and other documents that, for the first time in Colombia's 43-year-old conflict, provide direct evidence of the FARC's involvement in the international cocaine trade, the close ties of its leaders with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, and the decision to help fund the successful presidential campaign of Rafael Correa in Ecuador. Taken together, the documents paint a compelling picture of the FARC as an international criminal enterprise that has, in the past two years, made significant inroads in creating alliances across Latin America. |
| March 2008 NEFA "Spot Report": Muthanna al-Hanooti and Life for Relief and Development The NEFA Foundation has released a new "Spot Report" in the wake of the March 26, 2008 indictment of Muthanna al-Hanooti, the long-time public relations coordinator for Life for Relief and Development (LRD), a charitable organization based in Southfield, Michigan. The Department of Justice alleges that in the late 1990s, the Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS) "targeted LRD and...al-Hanooti to cooperate with and serve the IIS." The report provides photographic evidence of the remarkable access that LRD was able to secure to government officials, both in the U.S. and abroad. For instance, al-Hanooti is pictured with the Governor of Michigan, the President of Syria, and a British MP. Moreover, LRD's leadership can be seen with high-ranking U.S. law enforcement officials, such as the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan and the Special Agent in Charge of ICE's Detroit field office, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Syria. LRD further secured access to members of Congress, including John Conyers, who is pictured at LRD's office. |
| March 2008 NEFA Chart: State of the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq 2008 The NEFA Foundation has released a new chart by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann mapping the complex network of Sunni insurgent groups fighting in Iraq. The chart includes representations for the four dominant insurgent umbrella groups--Al-Qaida's Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), the Reform and Jihad Front (RJF), the Political Council for the Iraqi Resistance (PCIR), and the Front for Jihad and Change (FJC)--as well as over twenty individual organizations, including Al-Qaida, the Ansar al-Sunnah Army, the Army of al-Mustafa, the Dera Islam Brigade, the Islamic Army in Iraq (IAI), the Mujahideen Army, the Fatihin Army, the Salahudeen Brigades, Hamas al-Iraq, Asaeb al-Iraq al-Jihadiya, the Army of Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, the Saad Bin Abi Waqqas Brigades, the Brigades of Medina al-Munawwara, the Al-Naqshabandiya Army, the Al-Qassas Brigade, the 1920 Revolution Brigades, the Al-Rashideen Army, the Islamic Movement of Iraqi Mujahideen (IMIM), the Al-Muslimeen Army (JAM), the Al-Tabiin Army, the Army of Mohammed al-Fatih, and Saraya Dawa Wal Ribat (SDWR). |
| March 2008 Developments in the Jihadi Resurgence in Pakistan: January 2008 The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Claudio Franco and NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ronald Sandee titled "Developments in the Jihadi Resurgence in Pakistan: January 2008." The report serves as a comprehensive study of events across various turbulent regions of Pakistan during the month of January, including a spate of recent suicide bombing attacks and the U.S. airstrike in Mir Ali that killed senior Al-Qaida commander Abu al-Laith al-Liby and a host of his lieutenants. |
| March 2008 Evan Kohlmann's Expert Report from U.S. v. Abu-Jihaad The NEFA Foundation is making available the expert witness report filed by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann on behalf of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Connecticut in U.S. v. Hassan Abu-Jihaad. On March 5, a jury in New Haven found Abu-Jihaad guilty of providing material support to terrorists and disclosing classified national defense information. During the trial, federal prosecutors detailed how Abu-Jihaad--a former U.S. Navy signalman--had secretly passed along details regarding the planned movements of U.S. Navy vessels in the Persian Gulf to an Al-Qaida website known as "Azzam Publications." The information was later recovered by British authorities during a raid of the London home of Babar Ahmad, the former administrator in charge of Azzam Publications. |
| February 2008 An Analysis of the Spanish Suicide Bombers Case The NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah titled "An Analysis of the Spanish Suicide Bombers Case." The report studies a recent criminal case in Madrid focusing on 10 individuals, nine of them citizens of Pakistan and one of India, who were detained shortly before carrying out what police describe as an imminent terrorist attack on Spanish soil. The case in discussion is based on the following document which was filed in the Spanish court in January 2008: Case 30/2008-C, Before Judge Ismael Moreno Chamarro, Magistrate Judge Central Court of Instruction #2 Madrid, Spain. January 23, 2008. All citations are taken directly from this official court document, and translated by the author. |
| January 2008 Douglas Farah: The Criminal-Terrorist Nexus and its Pipelines The NEFA Foundation has released a new analytical report titled "The Criminal-Terrorist Nexus and its Pipelines." This report is adapted from a presentation NEFA Senior Investigator Doug Farah delivered to the U.S. Special Operations Command in Tampa, Florida. In March 2000, Farah was named West Africa bureau chief for The Washington Post-traveling and writing extensively about the brutal civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia, and the interlocking networks of agents which profited from those conflicts and the diamonds-for-weapons trade. Farah describes the impact of globalization on illegal business activity and the resulting challenges posed to international governments. |
| January 2008 Evan Kohlmann's Irhaby007 Expert Report The NEFA Foundation is making available the expert witness report produced by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann on behalf of New Scotland Yard in the case of Younis Tsouli (jihad webmaster Irhaby007), Waseem Mughal, and Tariq Al-Daour. The three defendants were accused of various criminal charges, including inciting others to commit acts of terrorism “wholly or partly” outside the U.K. and conspiracy to murder. Kohlmann testified as an expert witness for the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and Tsouli and his co-conspirators pled guilty in July 2007 to inciting murder for terrorist purposes. |
| January 2008 Excerpts from Evan Kohlmann's Expert Report in U.S. v. Muntasser et al. The NEFA Foundation is making available exclusive excerpts from the expert witness report filed by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann on behalf of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston, in U.S. v. Muhamed Mubayyid, Emaddedine Muntasser, and Samir al-Monla. On January 11, a Massachusetts jury found Mubayyid, Muntasser, and al-Monla guilty of seven of eight criminal charges, including tax code violations, making false statements, and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. The three men had concealed that their "religious charity" Care International was, in fact, a cover for financing armed Islamic extremist groups. |
| December 2007 The Influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Netherlands A report is available for download authored by NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ronald Sandee, titled "The Influence of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Netherlands." A former senior analyst in the Dutch Defense Intelligence Service, Mr. Sandee attempts to "paint as complete a picture as possible of the Muslim Brotherhood's operations in the Netherlands" and its fairly "sophisticated infrastructure"-- even at a local level. The report includes various sub-sections, including on the "Al-Aqsa Network in the Netherlands", "International Muslim Brotherhood Activity in the Netherlands", and "Independent Brotherhood-Linked Activities in the Netherlands." |
| November 2007 The Madrid Indictment: Steps Toward Countering the Global Jihad Movement A report is available for download by Senior Investigator Douglas Farah and titled "The Madrid Indictment: Steps Toward Countering the Global Jihad Movement." The report is based primarily upon facts revealed during the recent trial in Spain of eighteen suspects alleged to be members of terrorist organizations including several accused of assisting Al-Qaida sympathizers based in Europe with traveling to Iraq in order to become suicide bombers. According to the final ruling of the presiding Judge Magistrate in the case, Baltasar Garzon, at least two such individuals succeeded in carrying out actual suicide missions in Iraq. Garzon's intimate knowledge of the Salafist-jihadist network structure is demonstrated in his lengthy explanation of his decision. According to that decision, "The[se] people... were part of a cell that was formed, both locally and internationally, to operate in Spain (Catalonia and Madrid) and outside the country (Belgium, the Netherlands, Turkey, Morocco, Syria and Iraq) with a very specific purpose: to send people (mujahidin or militants) to Iraq to become involved in the terrorist activity sponsored and led by al Qaeda in Iraq. The recruits into these ranks were trained to attack vital civilian and military objectives, as well as public and private targets, or they were used as auxiliary personnel, who were equally necessary for carrying out their attacks To obtain the cohesion necessary to achieve their ends, there are intense contacts among small groups... It is true that the conceptualization of this type of terrorism is different from that of a traditional terrorist organization, but it perfectly fits the purposes of these local cells in their loose networks, tied to international organizations (al Qaeda)." |
| November 2007 The 1993 Philadelphia Meeting: Roadmap for Future Muslim Brotherhood Actions in the U.S. A report is available for download from the NEFA website authored by Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz and titled "The 1993 Philadelphia Meeting: A Roadmap for Future Muslim Brotherhood Actions in the U.S." In October 1993, key members of the Muslim Brotherhood's U.S. Palestine Committee primarily representing the Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) and the Holy Land Foundation (HLF) came together in Philadelphia for a conference monitored by the FBI. Wiretaps, entered into evidence at the 2007 HLF trial, reveal an extremely savvy group committed to exploiting Americas freedoms in order to turn the U.S. into a safe place for the Movement (a.k.a. Hamas). The wiretaps also provide incontrovertible evidence of the deeply duplicitous nature of the attendees and their organizations; from calling Hamas Samah throughout the meeting to advising that War is deception," the attendees display a cunning that served them effectively for years. Further, attendees exhibit an acute awareness of the language they must use, the institutions they must infiltrate, and the manner in which they must exploit the media and Congress to achieve their goals. Also of deep significance is discussion about the need to form a political organization and public relations organ, whose Islamic hue is not very conspicuous. Less than a year after the meeting, two attendees and one-time IAP officials founded the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which now serves as the self-appointed voice of the American Muslim community in the national media. Protecting their own, CAIR identified as a Palestine Committee member by federal prosecutors has vigorously supported those who attended the 1993 Philadelphia meeting when they have run afoul of the law. The report is accompanied by a chart produced by NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ron Sandee. |
| November 2007 A Taliban Resurgence: The Destabilization of Kabul An exclusive report is available for download from the NEFA website by NEFA Senior Investigator Claudio Franco, titled "A Taliban Resurgence: The Destabilization of Kabul?" Although the defeat of the Taliban regime in 2001 seemed complete and virtually effortless, the initial optimism has long since given way to a security situation which is once again seriously deteriorating. Over the past few years, the Taliban has introduced the sinister tactic of suicide bombing to Afghanistan, and maintains its alliance with international terrorists. The movement of Koranic students that the U.S. bombed out of power has undergone a metamorphosis. In his report, Mr. Franco examines the resurgent Taliban organization in Afghanistan, its new generation of leaders, and what its future intentions are--and, moreover, whether rumours of a possible split within the movement are actually credible, or just wishful thinking. |
| October 2007 The Muslim Brotherhood in the United States An exclusive report is available for download from the NEFA website focusing on "The Muslim Brotherhood in the United States" by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah, NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ron Sandee, and NEFA Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz. The report is based upon exhibits from the recent criminal investigation targeting the Holy Land Foundation (HLF). On Oct. 22, 2007, a federal judge in Dallas declared a mistrial on most counts in the federal case against HLF. Despite this outcome, the case still offers an unprecedented inside look into the history of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States, as well as its goals and structure. |
| October 2007 Dossier: The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) An analytical report is available for download from the NEFA website focusing on the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), authored by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann (with NEFA Senior Analyst Josh Lefkowitz). This document is based upon an expert witness report filed in 2007 on behalf of Scotland Yard's SO-15 Counter Terrorism Command and the U.K. Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) during Operation Cavern (Regina v. Al Bashir Mohammed al-Faqih). In July 2007, Mr. al-Faqih pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a document or record containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorismspecifically documents demonstrating how to fabricate explosives and set up a terror cell. The report is divided into the following sections: Part I: Origins in the 1980s Part II: Exile in the Sudan (1992-1995) Part III: The Libyan Theater (1990-1997) Part IV: A Return to Jihad in Afghanistan (1998-2001) Part V: The LIFG and the Contemporary War on Terrorism Additionally, the report includes an appendix featuring an actual personnel form completed by recruits seeking to enlist in courses offered at the LIFG-run "Abu Yahya al-Liby" terrorist training camp near Kabul, Afghanistan in 2000-2001. |
| August 2007 The Ikhwan in North America: A Short History A report is available for download from the NEFA website, titled "The Ikhwan in North America", co-authored by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah and NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ron Sandee. This report is intended to offer readers a short history of the Muslim Brotherhood's activities in the United States--as well as its goals and structure--as revealed by evidence recently presented during the ongoing criminal trial in the Northern District of Texas (Dallas): United States of America v. Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development. The prosecution in the case has presented many internal Muslim Brotherhood documents from the 1980s and early 1990s that give a first-ever public view of the history and ideology behind the operations of the Muslim Brothers (known as the Ikhwan or The Group) in the U.S. over the past four decades. For researchers, the documents have the added weight of being written by the Ikhwan leaders themselves, rather than interpretations of secondary sources. |
| August 2007 State of the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq: August 2007 A report is available for download from the NEFA website, titled "State of the Sunni Insurgency in Iraq." This 31-page document is intended to offer readers a clearer understanding of the changing dynamics behind the Sunni insurgency in Iraq, based primarily upon a critical analysis of open source intelligence and propaganda material published by insurgents themselves, and also by the U.S. and Iraqi governments. It follows up on a previous inaugural version released through Globalterroralert.com in December 2006. The report is divided into five sub-sections, as follows: "The Rise of Al-Qaidas 'Islamic State of Iraq' (ISI)"; "Conflict Over Al-Qaidas Expansion; "Emergence of the Reformation and Jihad Front (RJF)"; "Hot and Cold War Between the ISI and RJF"; and, "Conclusions." |
| May 2007 Two Decades of Jihad in Algeria: the GIA, the GSPC, and Al-Qaida A report is available for download from the NEFA website, titled "Two Decades of Jihad in Algeria: the GIA, the GSPC, and Al-Qaida", by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann. The report examines the rise of the jihadist movement in Algeria and attempts to trace its evolution in tactics, ideology, and its now official relationship with Al-Qaida. It includes separate chapters on the following subjects: The Afghan Theater, The Founding of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), Collapse of the GIA, Arrival of the Salafist Group for Prayer and Combat (GSPC), The GSPC and the "War on Terrorism", The GSPC's Transformation into Al-Qaida, and The GIA/GSPC Operational Presence in Europe. |
| August 2006 1995 Philippine Intelligence Report on Ramzi Yousef's Interest in a "Liquid Bomb" Plot Though for some, news of a reported Al-Qaida plot to down multiple commercial airliners with liquid explosives may sound exotic and unusual, in fact, U.S. authorities have been aware of such a threat from Al-Qaida affiliates for over a decade. In 1995, when U.S. and Philippine security services uncovered a plot by 1993 World Trade Center bomber Ramzi Yousef and his uncle 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to bomb over a dozen U.S. airliners simultaneously over the Pacific Ocean [Operation Bojinka], they quickly moved in and arrested their co-conspirators. One of the detained men, trained commercial pilot Abdel Hakim Murad, described Ramzi Yousef's plans in detail -- including his intention to travel to "France, Egypt, and Algeria after the activities here in the Philippines. The purpose was to train those Muslim brothers thereat, on using a Casio watch as a timing device, chemical mixtures to compound bombs, and to share his expertise in eluding detection on an airport's x-ray machine, and eventually smuggling [onboard] this liquid chemical bombs. Furthermore, France has a lot of Algerians staying and that these Egyptians and Algerians ha[ve] no experience on making these bombs and [do] not know the basics of smuggling liquid bombs through the airport." Eleven years later, we once again return to the same threat to commercial aviation posed by liquid explosives. Only now, it would appear that the fabrication of such high-tech terrorist weapons by Al-Qaida operatives inside Western Europe is no longer an insurmountable challenge. |
| August 2006 The Jihadists of Pakistan: Jaish-e-Muhammad, Harakat ul-Mujahideen, and Sipah-e-Sahaba A report is available for download from the NEFA website titled, "The Jihadists of Pakistan: Jaish-e-Muhammad (JEM), Harakat ul-Mujahideen (HUM), and Anjuman Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP)." The document is based upon an expert witness report that was submitted by NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann on behalf of federal prosecutors in the recent case of United States v. Hamid Hayat (U.S. Dist. Court for the Eastern District of California, CR#05-240GB). The report contains a detailed discussion of Pakistan-based military training camps used by JEM and HUM, and further analysis of what has become of those camps under the so-called "Regime of Controlled Freedom." |
| December 2005 Al-Qaida in Saudi Arabia: 2002-2003 An occasional report prepared on behalf of the NEFA Foundation is available for download analyzing the origins and structure of Al-Qaida's Committee in the Arabian Peninsula during its first two years of operation, 2002-2003. The report focuses on the cells inspired by senior Saudi Al-Qaida operative Shaykh Yousef al-Ayyiri (a.k.a. "Al-Battar") and includes analysis of the roles played by extremist Saudi Arabian clerics and U.S. national Ahmed Omar Abu Ali--convicted of conspiring with Saudi Al-Qaida members to carry out terrorist attacks in the United States, including the assassination of President George Bush. |
| October 2005 Chart: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's Leadership Network in Iraq A leadership chart is available for download focusing on the Iraq-based network of known operatives loyal to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Al-Qaida's Committee in Mesopotamia. Though much more expansive than previous efforts, this chart is based upon similar products distributed in recent months by the Iraqi government and U.S. military. |
