Radical Islamists vs.The World, ‘West Running Away Like Little Kid Hiding In Dark Room’

Tension in Europe growing after Charlie Hebdo attacks: Jonathan Fine, counter-terrorism expert, claims the situation will improve only after integrating European Muslims into the society and fighting extremists

'Hacktivist' Group Anonymous Says It Will Avenge Charlie Hebdo Attacks by Shutting Down Jihadist Websites

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Hacker group Anonymous have released a video condemning the Paris attacks, saying "freedom of expression has suffered an inhuman assault"

Hacker group Anonymous have released a video and a statement via Twitter condemning the attacks on Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 people, including eight journalists, were murdered.

The video description says that it is "a message for al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and other terrorists", and was uploaded to the group's Belgian account.

In the clip, a figure wearing the group's symbolic Guy Fawkes mask is seated in front of a desk with the hashtag #OpCharlieHebdo - which stands for Operation Charlie Hebdo - featured on screen.

The figure, whose voice is obscured says: "We are declaring war against you, the terrorists." » | Keely Lockhart, Video source YouTube / anonymous belgique | Friday, January 09, 2015

David Cameron: I Will Ban British Jihadists Who Fight for Isil in Syria and Iraq for Two Years

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Prime Minister unveiled a raft of new anti-terror laws including powers to strip teenage jihadists of their passports and bar airlines from landing in the UK if they fail to provide passenger information

British jihadists who fight for Isil in Syria and Iraq will be barred from returning to this country for at least two years to prevent terror attacks, David Cameron has announced.

The Prime Minister has unveiled a raft of new anti-terror laws including powers to strip teenage jihadists of their passports and bar airlines from landing in the UK if they fail to provide passenger information.

Mr Cameron made the announcement in an address to the Australian Parliament in which he said Britain had to take action to deal with the threat posed by “foreign fighters planning attacks against our people”. » | Steven Swinford, Senior Political Correspondent in Canberra | Thursday, November 13, 2014

UN: Unprecedented Number of Foreigners Joining Terror Groups

Oct. 31, 2014 - 2:43 - New report says foreign fighters from 80 countries are joining terror groups, suggesting that the threat of domestic terrorism is only on the rise

How Tunisia Became a Breeding Ground for Jihadists

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The liberal standard-bearer of the Arab Spring has become the biggest recruiter of jihadist fighters

It is just the sort of neighbourhood that Tunisia’s revolution was meant to help. Douar Hicher’s concrete flats are filled with young men and women who drove the uprising that kicked off the Arab Spring of 2011, hoping to usher in a new era of opportunity.

But something has gone wrong. These few square miles of dusty sprawl in the capital, Tunis, have not welcomed the western-style freedom that many thought the Tunisian revolution was supposed to usher in. Instead, it has become notorious for another sort of revolution: at least 50 of its young men are now fighting with the jihadists in Syria and Iraq.

“Jihad is an Islamic obligation,” says 30-year old Abdelmoneim as [he] wanders through the backstreets. “If it was organised for me, I'd go."

Several of Abdelmoneim’s friends travelled to fight in Syria last year. “Seeing their photos on Facebook, I cannot blame them,” he says. “Life is good there.” » | Louisa Loveluck, Tunis | Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Face-to-Face with an Extremist

On assignment for 60 Minutes, Clarissa Ward enters the world of homegrown jihadis

Read the article here

ISIS Call for Jihadists to Target Catholics, Christians

Austria Teenage Girl Jihadis 'Want to Come Home’ from Isil

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Two Austrian teenagers who moved to Syria to form relationships with Islamic State jihadists are pregnant and have told their families they want to return home

Samra Kesinovic, 17, and Sabina Selimovic, 15, had been dubbed poster girls for the jihadist groups after fleeing to Raqqa in central Syria. They have since married foreign fighters in the city and become pregnant.

But the city’s strict Islamic lifestyle has turned sour for the girls, who want to return to Europe.

They have contacted their loved ones and told them they are sick of living with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) jihadis.

But they also said they don’t feel they can flee from their unwanted new life because too many people now associate them with Isil.

Austrian officials have said the girls have discussed going back home but that the country’s current laws were blocking their return. » | Damien McElroy | Friday, October 10, 2014

Jihadists Seize Ancient Iraqi Monastery and Expel Monks

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Islamic State fighters order monks to leave fourth-century monastery after issuing ultimatum to Christians to leave, convert, die or pay protection money, local residents say

Jihadist militants have taken over a monastery in northern Iraq, one of the country's best-known Christian landmarks, and expelled its resident monks, a cleric and residents said Monday.

Islamic State (IS) fighters stormed Mar (Saint) Behnam, a fourth-century monastery run by the Syriac Catholic church near the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh, on Sunday, the sources said.

"You have no place here anymore, you have to leave immediately," a member of the Syriac clergy quoted the Sunni militants as telling the monastery's residents.

He said the monks pleaded to be allowed to save some of the monastery's relics but the fighters refused and ordered them to leave on foot with nothing but their clothes.

Christian residents from the area told AFP the monks walked several miles along a deserted road and were eventually picked up by Kurdish peshmerga fighters who drove them to Qaraqosh. » | AFP | Monday, July 21, 2014

Isis Defector Speaks of Life inside Brutal Jihadist Group

Isis-led Sunni rebels have seized large swathes of north-western
Iraq and Syria

BBC: An "Islamic caliphate" has been declared in the Middle East and the group behind it, Isis, has now rebranded itself simply "the Islamic State". Panorama has spoken to a defector about life inside the feared jihadist group.

Isis is not an organisation it is easy to leave. We met a man who had - and he was terrified of the consequences. "The brutality of Isis terrifies everyone," he said. "My family, my cousins, my siblings are all still there. I fear for them. If they can't reach me, they will reach my family."

He was nervous, agreeing to record an interview only after several hours of discussion, over customary tiny glasses of scalding hot, sweet tea. He would talk to us only if we would not reveal his identity. He wrapped himself in a keffiyeh for our camera and we promised not to use his name.

He summed up the jihadists' tactics like this: "If you're against me, then you'll be killed. If you're with me, you work with me. You submit to my will and obey me, under my power in all matters." » | Paul Wood | BBC Panorama | Monday, July 14, 2014

Extreme Money: Jihadists Selling Oil Seized in Iraq, Syria

The Islamic State, proclaimed by jihadists in parts of Syria and Iraq, is expanding its influence and attracting more volunteers. The extremists are reported by UK media to be raking in around a million dollars a day by selling oil from the facilities they captured in both countries. Some rival rebel groups are now flocking to fill the jihadist ranks. Nevertheless, the United States maintains it can still find a moderate opposition to arm - as Gayane Chichakyan reports.

US Terror Threat: Britain Turning 'Blind Eye' to Extremists, Warn American Analysts

American security and political experts are warning that jihadists
in Iraq and Syria will return to Europe with their newly-acquired
terror training

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain has been too relaxed about the threat to transatlantic flights from Islamist terrorists, a series of America-based security experts, political analysts and academics warn

The threat by terrorists to blow up airliners travelling to the United States has been ignored for too long by Britain, a series of American-based analysts have said.

American officials on Wednesday publicly demanded enhanced security for airports in Europe and the Middle East which have direct flights to the US. They did not say whether they had intelligence about a specific plot, but their actions suggested alarm, and a Homeland Security Department official said the request was "based on real-time intelligence".

On Friday, France announced that it was stepping up security checks at its airports, in response to the US warning.

But many American security and political experts said that Britain had turned a blind eye to the threat for too long.

"British governments have allowed indoctrination centres in mosques and cultural centres, they have turned a blind eye to recruitment operations and they have asserted the rights of those who want to impose sharia rule in their own areas," said Frank Gaffney, former assistant secretary of defence under President Ronald Reagan.

"They have embraced extremists who are just as determined to overthrow us by professed peaceful means as violent jihadists.

"This has inexorably led to a situation where any good jihadist calculates that it is time to wage violent struggle." » | Philip Sherwell, New York, David Millward in Maine and Harriet Alexander | Friday, July 04, 2014

Britain’s Military 'Not Good Enough' to Deal with Jihadi Threat, Warns Ex-defence Chief

Lord Richards asked in his maiden speech in the House of Lords:
'Are our armed forces in a fit state to play their role in dealing with
these and other risks to our way of life?'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Lord Richards of Hertsmonceux also calls for defence spending to increase as the economy starts to grow again and says that if plans to replace regular troops with part-time reserves must work soon or junked altogether.

Britain’s military is "not good enough” to deal with the global threat of Jihadis, according to a former head of the military.

Lord Richards of Hertsmonceux also called for defence spending to increase as the economy starts to grow again and said that if plans to replace regular troops with part-time reserves must work soon or junked altogether.

The comments from Lord Richards – who as General Sir David Richards was chief of the defence staff from October 2010 to July last year – will sound alarm bells in Whitehall.

In his maiden speech in the House of Lords on Monday evening the peer questioned whether Britain’s armed forces would be in a “fit state” to deal with threats from terrorists.

He said: “Are our armed forces in a fit state to play their role in dealing with these and other risks to our way of life? » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Monday, June 23, 2014

Third Jihadist in Isis Video Is from Aberdeen

Raqib is identified in the video as Brother Abu Bara' al Hindi

BBC: A third British man in a recruitment video for the Islamic militant group, Isis, is from Aberdeen, the BBC has learned.

The man has been named locally as Raqib.

The 13-minute video, There Is No Life Without Jihad, emerged on Friday, posted by accounts linked to Isis.

Two of the six fighters shown in the film urging Muslims to join a holy war, have been identified as Nasser Muthana and Reyaad Khan from Cardiff.

The footage emerged after militants led by Isis made rapid advances through Iraq in recent weeks.

The video shows them urging other British Muslims to join their war. » | Monday, June 23, 2014

US Considers Military Help in Iraq amid Growing Violence

Jun. 13, 2014 - 8:10 - Top cleric calls on Iraqis to defend nation

Exodus of US Troops from Iraq as Chaos Spreads

An ISIL militant posing with the trademark Islamists' flag after
they allegedly seized an Iraqi army checkpoint in the northern
province of Salahuddin

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A sense of crisis is gripping Baghdad as radical jihadists make ground at rapid speed across northern Iraq on the roads towards the capital

A growing sense of panic was gripping Iraq last night as the al-Qaeda uprising in the country’s north led to US contractors being evacuated from the region and European countries ordering their citizens to leave Baghdad.

With militants threatening to advance on the capital, signs emerged of diplomats making preparations to leave the country in the event of civil war erupting.

Three planes carrying American diplomats and contractors stationed at a training mission at an Iraqi airbase in Balad, north of Baghdad, flew out amid fears that the base could be surrounded by the militants. Germany ordered all its citizens to leave the Iraqi capital, as did Turkey, which has already had 80 people kidnapped by the militants, including the consul to the northern city of Mosul.

British officials said they had no immediate plans to evacuate staff from Baghdad’s heavily guarded “Green Zone”. As troops stood guard at the city’s northern flanks, queues formed at the main airport while banks saw large number of customers attempt to withdraw money. Last night the internet also went down in Baghdad for an hour, adding to the atmosphere of unease. » | Colin Freeman | Thursday, June 12, 2014

Interfaith Panel Upset: 9/11 Film Calls Hijackers 'Islamists'

Apr. 26, 2014 - 3:40 - Relative of 9/11 victim weighs in

The New Jihadists Make Al-Qaeda Look Like Tired Old Has-beens

Al-Qaeda's Ayman al-Zawahiri, above, is seen as the godfather
of Islamist terrorism – but an increasingly isolated one

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The creation of a de facto Islamic state in Syria could act as a springboard for a takeover of the Arab world

There is something rather laughable about the fugitive leader of al-Qaeda railing – as he has been recently – against the violent tactics employed by a new generation of Islamist militants.

This, after all, is an organisation that is no stranger to committing wanton acts of unprovoked violence, such as last year’s assault on Nairobi’s Westgate shopping mall. Judging from reports this week, it may also have radicalised the first British man to carry out a suicide bombing in the Syrian civil war.

But what really seems to be bugging Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda’s ideological linchpin, is not so much the violent methods being employed by militants fighting in Syria and Iraq, but the fact that they are no longer prepared to take orders from him. He is the godfather of Islamist terrorism – but an increasingly isolated one.

This is certainly the view of American intelligence officials, who closely monitor every aspect of Islamist activity around the world.

“What we are looking at is the replacement of al-Qaeda by a new generation of Islamist militants who have a far more radical and focused agenda,” a senior US counter-terrorism official told me in an interview in Washington. “The new generation of these terrorists are far more ambitious. They are not just content with plotting terror attacks against the West: they are determined to create their own Islamist state.” » | Con Coughlin | Thursday, February 13, 2014

Terrorist Group Releases British 'Suicide Bomber' Martyrdom Video

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Abdul Waheed Majeed smiles and poses for the camera with fellow fighters minutes before he carries out what is believed to be the first suicide attack by a Briton in Syria

Looking calm and relaxed, it is hard to believe these are the last moments of Abdul Waheed Majeed's life.

The jihadist, thought to be the first British citizen to carry out a suicide attack in Syria, poses for the camera with his hands nonchalantly in his pockets, dressed in a white Muslim robe and black scarf on his head bearing the insignia of an extremist Islamist group.

Minutes later he would drive a truck laden with explosives into the gates of a nearby prison, killing himself and scores others.

Today, Jabhat al-Nusra, the al-Qaeda-aligned group to which he belonged, released a 46-minute "martyrdom" video showing the moments leading up to his death.

Standing next to the truck he would use in his mission, he is approached by the cameraman and asked in Arabic to say some final words. Majeed appears not to understand and a third voice interrupts to explain that he speaks English. (+ Telegraph video) » | Josie Ensor | Friday, February 14, 2014

Syria Becoming Magnet for Young French Muslims

U-T SAN DIEGO: PARIS (AP) — Two high school classmates, both French Muslims, headed off to Syria this month instead of going to school. They were located, brought home — one fetched by his father — and are now being investigated on terrorism-linked charges.

The unfolding drama of the teenagers, aged 15 and 16, highlights how Syria has become a magnet for a vulnerable fringe of young Muslims in the West. It is among a small wave of cases that are putting French authorities, and some families, on edge.

The bloody three-year-old conflict in Syria has drawn thousands of Muslims to join the ranks of battalions trying to topple the regime or other fighting groups looking to conquer the region in the name of Islam.

French authorities say that more than 600 French have gone to Syria, are plotting to go or have returned, and more than 20 French have been killed in fighting. As of mid-January, a dozen French adolescents were in Syria or in transit, according to authorities. » | Elaine Ganley | Associated Press | Saturday, February 01, 2014