memri
February 9, 2018 Special Announcements No. 595

Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Weekend Summary

February 9, 2018
Special Announcements No. 595

The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to jttmsubs@memri.org with "Membership" in the subject line.)

Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to media@memri.org. Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.
 

EXCLUSIVE: Al-Nujaba: If The U.S. Doesn’t Withdraw From Iraq, We Will Respond With Guns

Abu Wareth Al-Musawi, spokesman for the Iraqi Al-Nujaba movement [Harakat Hezbollah Al-Nujaba], threatened that if the Americans don't withdraw from Iraq, it will oppose them with arms.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Profile Of A Pro-Al Qaeda Social Media News Group On Facebook, Instagram and Telegram, Reporting On Syria In English And Arabic

The "Emaan Media Center" (EMC) is a pro-Al-Qaeda media group that disseminates jihadi material in English and Arabic and focuses mostly on the conflict in Syria.

 

EXCLUSIVE: On 5th Anniversary Of Kashmiri Militant Afzal Guru's Hanging, Jihadi Media Releases Video Calling For Jihad In Kashmir


The video features images of the Moulin Rouge in Paris

Al-Hurr jihadi media has released a video about Mohammad Afzal Guru, a Kashmiri militant who was convicted by the Supreme Court of India for his role in the terror attack on the Parliament of India in New Delhi in 2001. He was hanged on February 9, 2013.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Prominent Cleric In Syria Shares 'Scientific And Effective' Method For Creating Smokescreens Against Enemy Aircraft

On February 1, 2018, the Telegram channel of Sheikh Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Mahdi posted instructions on creating a smokescreen to hinder the work of enemy fighter planes.

 

Commander Of Ghuraba' Falastin Company: Our Brothers In Lebanon And Ain Al-Hilweh Refugee Camp Must Join The Jihad In Syria

The Ghuraba' Falastin Company (The Foreigners Company of Palestine) published a video on February 6, 2018, showing Abu Muhammad Al-Falastini, the company's field commander, speaking words of encouragement to his troops.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Profile Of An Alleged ISIS Fighter From The UK Active On Facebook, Instagram And Telegram

The following report profiles an individual whose posts suggest that he left the UK and joined the Islamic State (ISIS) late in the summer of 2017, despite the harsh situation on the ground with battles raging against the few pockets of ISIS forces in Syria.

 

EXCLUSIVE: In An Open Letter, French ISIS Women Plead To Be Allowed To Fight And Die As Martyrs: "We Are Women With Souls Of Men!"

On February 2, 2018, Islamic State (ISIS) supporters shared an open letter on French-speaking Telegram channels written by "women of ISIS" (most likely wives of ISIS fighters) pleading to be allowed to join the fight like men and expressing their desire to die as martyrs in jihad.

 

EXCLUSIVE: Pro-ISIS Dutch Language Media Group Encourages Terror In The West

Since January 2018, a new pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media group has been publishing material mostly in Dutch, but also in Spanish and English.

 

Pro-Islamic State Media Company Releases Infographic Of 'Operations Claimed By The Islamic State In America'

On February 7, 2018, the pro-Islamic State media company Yaqeen Media released an infographic on Telegram which shows "operations" claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in the U.S. since 2015.

 

Jihadi Social Media – Account Review (JSM-AR): Australian Woman Shares Pro-ISIS Graphics, Other Jihadi Content On Facebook

The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity / sympathies

 

Platform: Facebook

Additional Information: She appears to reside in Australia as she "likes" many services and companies located in that country.

 

Possible Western Widow Of ISIS Militant Appears To Be Using Instagram From Syria

A Western woman who is a member of the Islamic State (ISIS) appears to be sharing photos and messages from Syria on Instagram.

 

GIMF Issues Condolences For Death Of AQIM Media Chief Abu Rawaha Hisham

On February 1, 2018, the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) issued condolences for the death of Sheikh Abu Rawaha Al-Qusantini, the head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's (AQIM) media outlet, the Al-Andalus Foundation.

 

Pro-ISIS Media Group Publishes Article Eulogizing German Rapper-Turned-ISIS-Fighter Abu Talha Al-Almani

On February 6, 2018, Al-Wafa, the pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media group, published an article eulogizing German rapper-turned-ISIS fighter Deso Dogg, aka Abu Talha Al-Almani, who was killed in January 2018.

 

Pro-ISIS Fan-Fiction Video Features An Army Of Jihadis Conquering 'Paris – The Capital Of Degeneracy'

On February 6, 2018, the pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet Al-Abd Al-Faqir, published the fourth episode in its series of short fictional videos entitled "We See It (Quite) Near, They See the (Day) indeed as a Far-Off."

 

ISIS Video Shows Women Fighting Alongside Men, Documents Multiple 'Martyrdom' Operations Against PKK Forces

On February 7, 2018, Al-Hayat, one of the leading media arms of the Islamic State (ISIS), released a video showing at least one woman fighting alongside men, and documents several "martyrdom" operations by its "Avenging the Chaste Women" campaign of coordinated attacks against PKK forces.

 

Profile Of Pro-ISIS 'Nasher.At' Website

On February 2, 2018, the private pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram channel World Caliphate forwarded a link to a new Nasher domain hosting ISIS content.

 

Jihadi Social Media Account Review (JSM-AR): UK Man Expresses Support for Islamic State On Facebook, Shares Extremist Sermons

The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity/sympathies.

Platform: Facebook

Additional Information: According to details on his Facebook account it appears that this individual resides in the U.K., including that he provides a phone number with a UK area-code on his Facebook profile.

 

Syria-Based Jihadi Preacher 'Abdallah Al-Muhaisni Celebrates Downing Of Russian Fighter Jet In Idlib

On February 3, 2018, Syria-based jihadi preacher sheikh 'Abdallah Al-Muhaisni celebrated the downing of a Russian fighter jet in the suburb of the city of Idlib, Syria, in a video posted on YouTube. Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) had claimed responsibility for downing the Russian SU-25 fighter jet earlier today.

 

HTS Releases Photo Allegedly Showing Russian Pilot's Belongings

On February 2, 2018, Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) claimed responsibility for the downing of a Russian warplane over Idlib. On February 4, the organization's Ebaa news agency released what it claimed was a photo of the pilot's personal belongings.

 

HTS Releases Statement Denying Handing Over Corpse Of Russian Pilot To His Government, Blames Unnamed Faction

On February 6, 2018, Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) released a statement denying any responsibility for taking part in handing over to his government the body of a Russian pilot whose fighter jet had been downed by the group last Saturday, and blaming an unnamed faction which had retrieved the body and refused its request to surrender it.

 

Al-Qaeda In The Islamic Maghreb Publishes Death Notice Following Killing Of Its Media Director

On February 3, 2018, the Telegram channel of the Al-Andalus Foundation for Media Production of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), published a death notice from AQIM following the killing of the organization's media director, Hisham Abu Rawaha Al-Constantini.

 

Article On Bitcoin In Pro-Al-Qaeda Magazine 'Al-Haqiqa': 'We See Lots of Potential For The Use Of Cryptocurrencies For Our Purposes, But We Also See A Lot Of Obstacles'

On February 1, 2018, the third issue of Al-Haqiqa, a pro-Al-Qaeda English language magazine, was published on a new official Al-Haqiqa Telegram channel. An article titled "TechTalk: Bitcoins (Im)possibilities" explains the basics of how to use Bitcoin, and explores whether cryptocurrencies can be used to fund jihad.

 

European Militant Discusses Balancing Marriage, Jihad In Pro-Al-Qaeda Magazine 'Al-Haqiqa'

The third issue of the pro-Al-Qaeda English-language magazine Al-Haqiqa, published February 1, 2018 on a new official Al-Haqiqa Telegram channel, included two articles devoted to marriage.

 

Al-Qaeda Supporters Publish Third Issue Of Pro-Al-Qaeda English-Language Magazine 'Al-Haqiqa'

On February 1, 2018, the third issue of the pro-Al-Qaeda English-language magazine, Al-Haqiqa, [The Truth] was published on a new official Al-Haqiqa Telegram channel. The issue was distributed on numerous pro-Al-Qaeda channels on Telegram. The first issue of the magazine was released on February 27, 2017, and the second on June 21, 2017.

 

Article In Pro-Al-Qaeda Magazine 'Al-Haqiqa' Rallies Supporters On Social Media Platforms, Highlights Power Of 'Media Jihad'

On February 1, 2018, the third issue of Al-Haqiqa, a pro-Al-Qaeda English language magazine, was published on a new official Al-Haqiqa Telegram channel. An article in it titled "Media Jihad: A Digital Struggle To Bring You the Truth" celebrates jihadis' battle for the hearts and minds of its online supporters.

 

On Telegram, ISIS-Affiliated Nasher News Tests 'Multilink URL Shortening Service' To Promote More Channels

On February 7, 2018, the Islamic State (ISIS)-affiliated Nasher News outlets on Telegram posted a link to a new private Nasher channel.

 

On Telegram, Pro-Al-Qaeda Channel Eulogizes Australian Fighter Killed Several Years Ago In Syria

On February 5, 2018, the pro-Al-Qaeda Telegram channel "Caravan of Martyrs," which is dedicated to publishing eulogies of fallen mujahideen, posted a brief eulogy of an Australian fighter, Abu Dharr Al-Australi ("The Australian"), who was killed approximately three years ago in Syria. 

 

Kata'ib Hezbollah: We Are Ready For An Imminent Confrontation With The American Forces In Iraq

Ja'afar Al-Husseini, the military spokesman for Kata'ib Hezbollah Iraq, a militia supported by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) and which is on the U.S. list of designated terrorist groups, issued threats about expelling the American forces stationed in Iraq during a television interview when he said, "The confrontation with the Americans is likely to occur at any moment…"

 

Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) Publishes Photos Of Memorial Prayers Held In Syria For Cleric Who Died In Chinese Jail

Voice of Islam, the media outlet of the Uyghur jihadi organization the Turkestani Islamic Party (TIP) that is active in Syria, published several photographs on February 2, 2018, depicting the memorial prayer service held during Friday prayers at one of the mosques in the village of Jisr ash-Shugur in Syria, in honor of Sheikh Muhammad Saleh Damela, aka Muhammad Saleh Hajim Al-Kashghari, "who was killed in the prisons of the Chinese oppressor" [see photographs below].

 

Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) Launches Fund-Raising Campaign For Fighters In Syria; Donors Are Requested To Contact A Turkish Phone Number Via Whatsapp And Telegram

Voice of Islam, the media outlet of the Uyghur jihadi organization the Turkestani Islamic Party (TIP) that is active in Syria, published a poster on February 3, 2018, calling on Muslims to donate to the fight against the forces of the Syrian regime in the rural area around Idlib.

 

Islamic Emirate Accuses Afghan And Foreign Troops Of Killing Civilians In Maiwand District, Vows 'Revenge From Invaders And Their Stooges'


Kandahar province, shown in blue, is located along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Qari Muhammad Yosuf Ahmadi, one of the spokesmen of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization), has accused the Afghan security forces and foreign troops of killing civilians in a joint operation in Kandahar province.

 

Photos: Afghan Taliban Militants Training At 'Abu Bakr Siddique Camp' In Winter And Summer Conditions

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization in the country) has released a new video showing Taliban militants undergoing training at a camp somewhere in Afghanistan. The video shows the militants training under winter and summer conditions.

 

List Of Active Twitter Accounts Associated With The Afghan Taliban

The following is a list of the leading Twitter accounts associated with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization):

 

Afghan Taliban Website: 130 ISIS, Hizb-e-Islami Militants Join Islamic Emirate

One of the websites of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) is claiming that 105 fighters of the Daesh (Islamic State, or ISIS) and Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan (HIA) have joined the Taliban in Narang district of Afghanistan's Kunar province.

 

Afghan Taliban Statement Favors Peace Talks, States: 'Islamic Emirate Does Not Consider War As The Only Solution'

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization which is considered by Afghan affairs experts to be working on behalf of Pakistan) has issued a statement that underlines the need for peace talks – a Pakistani dual position to engage in talks while continuing to keep fighting, by means of the Taliban, to gain control over Afghanistan.

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