PERSPECTIVE: Taliban and al-Qaeda Weaponize Withdrawal into Their Afghanistan Victory
For al-Qaeda, failure to fully oust them alongside the Taliban serves as a prime indicator of American weakness. Keep Reading
Bin Laden’s Catastrophic Success
On September 11, 2001, al Qaeda carried out the deadliest foreign terrorist attack the United States had ever experienced. To Osama bin Laden and the other men who planned it, however, the assault was no mere act of terrorism. Keep Reading
Thousands of Prisoners Freed by the Taliban Could Pose a Threat to the U.S.
The Taliban captured Bagram Air Base on Sunday and released thousands of prisoners, including many senior al Qaeda operatives. Keep Reading
NTAS: More ‘Outbreaks of Violence’ Linked to 9/11, COVID, Disinformation May Strain Police
Extremists reaping guidance online including information on using IEDs and small arms in attacks. Keep Reading
Europol’s Online Propaganda Report Assesses Islamic State’s and Al-Qaeda’s Battle for Relevance
The risk of online jihadist propaganda being translated into offline violence remains high, as propaganda continues to call for lone actor attacks by individuals who have no physical connections to specific groups. Keep Reading
Al-Qaeda Tells Parties in America’s ‘Impending Civil War’ to Use Islamist Terror Guides
Video from the terror group tries to stoke "impending civil war" and religious violence against Catholic president. Keep Reading
Negotiating Out of Counterterrorism in the Sahel
With Africa becoming the epicenter of jihadist activity globally, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb’s (AQIM) Sahel affiliate, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), has continued to evolve into a political and military force in the region. Keep Reading
Trends in Terrorist and Violent Extremist Use of the Internet, Q1-Q2 2021
Islamist terrorist organisations including al-Qaeda, Islamic State (IS),and their supporter networks are increasingly exploiting open-source software to create “cloud platform” websites to store their content. Keep Reading
The Evolution of the Global Jihadist Movement from a One-Headed Monster to a Hydra
When Osama Bin Laden and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed orchestrated the al-Qaeda terrorist attacks on the United States homeland on 9/11, it was a watershed moment for the global jihadist movement. Keep Reading
With Groups Fueled by Drones and Gold, Terror in Africa Tops Concerns in UN Report
The "most striking development" in international terrorism during the first half of this year has been "the emergence of Africa as the region most affected by terrorism" in terms of casualties and successful growth of terror groups, said a recent report assessing the activity of al-Qaeda and ISIS. Keep Reading
Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Helping Terrorist Group
Bilal Al-Rayanni of Helena-West Helena admitted to helping Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula between October and December of 2014. Al-Rayanni was living in Yemen, his birth country, at the time. Keep Reading
Al-Qaeda Urges Acquisition of Ghost Guns in Review of Boulder Mass Shooting
Would-be jihadists should not start with simpler knife or vehicle attacks "until you search" for guns, terror group directs. Keep Reading
Al-Qaeda Renews Its Focus on Antisemitism and Attacking Israel
The last time Al Qaeda noticeably increased its messaging around Palestine was in 2019, and its affiliates subsequently staged attacks against a hotel in Kenya and a military installation in Mali which they claimed were in protest of Israel’s “Judaization of Palestine.” Keep Reading
The Economics of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham
Over the past four years, HTS has witnessed several changes and shifts in its ideological and military structures as its leadership works to transform the organization from a faction of the Global Jihad movement into the de facto local military and governing power in NW Syria. Keep Reading
Terror Groups Could Regenerate in Two Years – Or Faster – in Afghanistan, Defense Leaders Say
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley tells senators that risk could "obviously increase." Keep Reading
France Kills Senior Islamist Leader in Sahel, Vows to Fight on
French forces killed an al Qaeda leader during an operation in the Sahel region of Africa, France's armed forces minister said on Friday, vowing to keep a substantial military presence in the region a day after President Emmanuel Macron ordered a draw-down. Keep Reading
Rewards for Justice: Reward Offer for Information on AQIM Leader Abu Ubaydah Yusuf al-Anabi
Al-Anabi was previously the leader of AQIM’s Council of Notables and served on AQIM’s Shura Council. Al-Anabi has also served as AQIM’s Media Chief. Keep Reading
The Digital Transformations of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State in the Battle Against Online Propaganda
Islamic State took the lead by temporarily migrating to TamTam, Hoop, Conversation, Riot, and other messaging applications. However, following deletions and bans on these platforms, Islamic State media channels soon returned to Telegram. Keep Reading
Al-Qaeda, Supporters Advocate for Lone Actor Attacks in the West
On April 14, 2021, both Al Qaeda and the pro-Al Qaeda propaganda outlet Jaysh Al-Malahim Al-Electroni (Electronic Battle Army) released magazines that include articles about the cultural strife in America and the West more broadly. Keep Reading
Insights from the Bin Laden Archive
In 2017, the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) disclosed approximately 470,000 files recovered in Abbottabad, Pakistan, during the 2011 raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound. Keep Reading