Flashpoint Intelligence

Last Updated (Friday, 05 February 2010 14:20) Written by Laith Alkhouri Friday, 05 February 2010 13:28

The Shabaab al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia has published a new Arabic-language communique announcing a major merger with the "Ra'as Kambooni" Group (led by Shaykh Hassan Hersi al-Turki) in order to help "bond the jihad in the Horn of Africa with the international jihad being led by Shaykh Abu Abdullah Usama Bin Laden." The merger was announced amid celebrations involving senior Shabaab and Ra'as Kambooni commanders in the Somali town of Baidoa. The official treaty approving the merger was signed by, among others, Shaykh Mukhtar Abu az-Zubair, Shaykh Mukhtar Robow Ali Abu Mansour, Shaykh Hassan Abdullah Hersi al-Turki, and Shaykh Fouad Mohammed Khalaf.

Afghan Taliban Release Video, Details on Recent Kabul Assault

Last Updated (Monday, 01 February 2010 10:42) Written by Laith Alkhouri Saturday, 30 January 2010 21:34

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) has released an official new video of the "martyrdom seekers" responsible for the brazen urban assault on Kabul on January 18. One of those responsible for the attack, identified as "Mullah Masoud 'Ghaznawi'", was shown speaking to the camera, and insisted, "wherever you are in the world, you should wage jihad against the infidels with whatever resources you have. So what we are faced today is that they have disgraced our Quran. They brought disrespect to our Prophet Mohammed... On my part, it was very difficult for me to tolerate this and therefore I pledged to join the cause." Another Taliban militant involved in the Kabul operation, "Qari Saifullah", scoffed, "No doubt, people will call us terrorists and suicide bombers, but we enjoy fighting for our Islam and love tearing our bodies into shreds, and we will continue to fight against them until they leave our country." The video also included a statement read by the "Commander of the Kabul Martyrs", who vowed, "we will launch fiercer attacks than this one against your most important bases using innovative techniques... We swear that this is not just a threat, and we will prove it through our actions."

Now available from Flashpoint Intelligence: a photo slideshow of the Kabul "martyrs" and images of the men practicing for their anticipated mission at a Taliban training camp

Afghan Taliban Claim Urban Assault on Kabul

Last Updated (Wednesday, 20 January 2010 12:53) Written by Laith Alkhouri Monday, 18 January 2010 00:00

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban) have issued multiple communiques claiming credit for yesterday's stunning urban assault on the Afghan capital Kabul, including attacks on the Presidential Palace, government ministries, and the Serena Hotel. According to Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, the operation involved at least twenty Taliban fighters, seven of whom were killed during clashes with security forces. Mujahid has further boasted that "yesterday's operations were regarded as [among] the most successful, strategic, timely and important."

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula Denies Suffering Losses During Raids, Threatens Response "On Land, Sea, and Air"

Last Updated (Sunday, 17 January 2010 21:36) Written by Laith Alkhouri Sunday, 17 January 2010 21:30

Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has issued a new communique -- the first since acknowledging its role in the failed airline bomb plot executed by Nigerian national Umar Abdulmutallab. In its statement, AQAP strongly denied "false claims... that [the Yemeni government] has killed six of us in the provinces of al-Jawf and Saa’da in the al-Ashajer region, and we assure our Muslim Nation that none of the mujahideen were [actually] killed in that insidious unjust attack, but some of the brothers suffer from some minor wounds." The AQAP accused the Yemeni government of seeking to claim a false victory against Al-Qaida "as an offering to Obama and Brown and their allies in the London summit." The group further threatened, "today, the duty of our Muslim nation is to declare Jihad against the infidels and their apostate puppets; not only on land but on sea and in the air too”