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: The Pro-ISIS Presence On Instagram
Instagram, one of the most popular social media platforms, has been used for several years by Islamic State (ISIS) supporters and operatives for sharing and disseminating content.
On May 31, 2018, a French-language Telegram channel, likely operated by Al-Qaeda affiliated jihadi fighters currently in Syria, published a long message.
EXCLUSIVE: ISIS Supporters React To Shooting In Belgium
On May 29, 2018, Belgian national Benjamin Herman killed two policewomen and one passerby, before being killed in a shootout with local police in the city of Liège, Belgium. While the exact circumstances and the motivation for the shooting remain unknown at this time, the attack is being investigated as terror-related.
EXCLUSIVE: Afghan Taliban Kill Man Who Crafted Handmade Medal For Trump
On May 27, 2018, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) issued a statement saying that its fighters killed an Afghan man who made a medal of bravery for U.S. President Donald Trump.
EXCLUSIVE: Al-Joulani Visits Men On Front Lines In Syrian Desert
On May 30, 2018, supporters of Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) distributed photos of the group's leader, Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani, visiting his men in Al-Badiyah [the Syrian desert].
On May 24, 2018, an Indian website published a report giving details about Faiyaz Kagzi, an Indian Muslim who carried out a suicide attack outside the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 4, 2016, in which four Saudi policemen died.
On May 21, 2018, a long period of bitter fighting between the Islamic State (ISIS) and Syrian regime forces came to an end when the two sides reached an agreement.
On May 31, 2018, a French-language Telegram channel, likely operated by Al-Qaeda affiliated jihadi fighters currently in Syria published a long message.
ISIS Claims Responsibility For Attack In Liege, Belgium
On May 30, 2018, A'maq, the news agency of the Islamic State (ISIS), reported that the gunman who, on May 29, killed two police officers and a bystander in the city of Liege, Belgium, was "a soldier of the Islamic State."
Al-Qaeda In The Indian Subcontinent Pays Tribute To Slain Shura Member Khurram Saeed Kayani
Al-Qaeda In The Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) released an Urdu-language biographical sketch paying tribute to its slain shura (executive advisory council) member Khurram Saeed Kayani (see above).
On May 25, 2018, Al-Sahab, the media arm of Al-Qaeda, released a video of an interview conducted with Al-Qaeda official Husam 'Abd Al-Ra'ouf in 2012 in which he condemned the U.S. and former President Barrack Obama and stressed the importance of jihad in restoring "the dignity of the ummah."
Al-Qaeda In The Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) Video Highlights Group's Activity in Hadhramaut
On May 28, 2018, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) released a short video titled "Their Path We Follow," highlighting its activity in Yemen's Hadhramaut Governorate.
Pro-Al-Qaeda Forum Member Shares Infographics For Making Explosives
In a recent post on the Al-Qaeda-affiliated forum Al-Fidaa, a member shared a link to a Justepaste.it page containing two English infographics with instructions for making homemade explosives.
Jordanian ISIS Official Sa'd Al-Hunaiti Deserts Group, Accuses It Of Favoring Iraqis
On May 29, 2018, multiple media sources reported that Jordanian national and ISIS official Sa'd Al-Hunaiti had left the Islamic State (ISIS), which he accused of favoring Iraqis for its senior positions.
ISIS Supporters On Telegram Call For Attacks On A Stadium In The Netherlands
On May 29, 2018, pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram users distributed messages urging potential lone attackers to target the Galgenwaard stadium in Utrecht, Netherlands.
ISIS-Affiliated Group In Syria Executes 'Apostate' In Front Of Children
On May 27, 2018, the ISIS-affiliated group Jaysh Khalid Bin Al-Walid (JKBW), which is active in the Yarmouk Basin in southern Syria, released a series of photos showing the execution of a man convicted of apostasy, Abu Iyad Al-Tayr, in the village of Al-Shajarah.
Pro-ISIS Media Group Al-Muhajireen Commemorates French Fighter Killed in Syria
On May 23, 2018, the pro-ISIS media group Al-Muhajireen Foundation published a profile of a slain French fighter.
Jihadi Social Media – Account Review (JSM-AR): Sri Lankan ISIS Supporter On Facebook
The following information is based on a general overview of a social media account demonstrating terror-related activity / sympathies.
Platform: Facebook
Type of Account: ISIS supporter in Sri Lanka, writing in English
Pro-ISIS Poster Celebrates Belgium Attack And Threatens The Vatican
On May 31, 2018 a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media foundation distributed on Telegram a poster showing St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican burning and an armed soldier in the forefront.
Infographic In ISIS Weekly Al-Naba' Praises Recent Attacks In Indonesia, Philippines
Issue 133 of the Islamic State (ISIS) weekly Al-Naba', released online on May 25, 2018, featured an infographic that praised ISIS's recent attacks in East Asia, namely in Indonesia and in the Philippines.
ISIS Media Operatives Choose Additional Way To Distribute News On Facebook
In recent weeks, a new method for distributing Islamic State (ISIS) news agency communiques on Facebook has been observed.
Pro-ISIS Hacker Group 'United Cyber Caliphate' Defaces Several Websites
On May 24, 2018, an announcement was circulated on Telegram stating that the pro-ISIS hacker group "United Cyber Caliphate" (UCC) was resuming its activities after a period of absence.
On May 24, 2018, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Telegram group circulated a statement that claimed to be by pro-ISIS hacking entity United Cyber Caliphate (UCC).
Pro-ISIS Tech Group Releases Posters Explaining How To Hide IP Addresses By Using Telegram With Tor
On May 21, 2018, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) tech group released on its Telegram channel two posters explaining how to connect to Telegram via Tor (The Onion Router).
Indian Daily: Lashkar-e-Taiba Running Seven Terror Training Camps In Pakistan
According to an Indian daily, a Pakistani militant arrested by Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir has revealed that Pakistani jihadi organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) runs seven terror training camps in Pakistan. LeT is also known by its charity name Jamaatud Dawa (JuD).
Radical Pakistani Cleric: 'Cure For Backwardness Of Muslim Ummah Is Jihad'
Addressing a six-day conference of women in Lahore district, radical Pakistani cleric Maulana Talha As-Saif said that the "cure for the backwardness of the Muslim ummah is jihad."
Jaish-e-Muhammad Organizing Hundreds Of Fundraising Events During Ramadan
In the current month of Ramadan, Pakistani jihadi group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) has been organizing "hundreds of invitational lectures and programmes every day" as part of its Tahreez Alal-Anfaq Fi Sabeelillah ("Movement Encouraging Financial Donations For The Sake Of Allah").
Islamic Emirate Urges U.S. To Adopt 'A Peaceful Strategy Of Dialogue' In Afghanistan
On May 27, 2018, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban organization) issued a statement saying that the U.S. strategies in Afghanistan have always met with failure and the U.S. should adopt a policy of dialogue instead. Following is the text of the statement: "The American occupation of Afghanistan is about to complete its 17th year. Over this period, America has had three different governments and three different presidents with each announcing and adopting different strategies for success. Alongside experimenting with different strategies, [George] Bush, [Barack] Obama and [Donald] Trump have also rotated various generals to implement and win the longest war in American history.
