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.)
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The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On May 19, 2024, a helicopter crash in a mountainous and forested area northwestern Iran killed leading Iranian politicians including: President Ebrahim Raisolsadati, better known as Ebrahim Raisi; Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian; representative of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in Tabriz, Ayatollah Hashemi; and governor-general of East Azerbaijan province Malek Rahmati have been confirmed dead in a helicopter crash.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On May 19, 2024, a helicopter transporting Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, among others, crashed in northwestern Iran, leading to the death of its passengers. In the wake of the crash, Iran-backed groups in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen released statements expressing condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran for the loss of President Raisi, Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian, and other senior Iranian officials.
On May 20, 2024, Prosecutor Karim A.A. Khan of the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague applied to Pre-Trial Chamber 1 of the ICC in the Situation in the State of Palestine, to request arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and for senior Hamas movement officials Yahya Sinwar (head of Hamas in Gaza), Muhammad Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri, more commonly known as Muhammad Deif (commander of the Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing), and Isma'il Haniyeh (head of the Hamas political bureau).
A Manhattan-based man with Bengali roots, disseminates his jihadi ideology on X (formerly Twitter). He has attended several pro-Palestinian rallies in the city. In one post, he stated that instead of attending these rallies, Muslim women should focus on procreating and raising the next generation of children that loves death.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On May 17, 2024, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on its X account that it had begun to transfer humanitarian aid from the temporary pier it erected for that purpose, to the Gaza beach. Palestinian resistance factions, among them the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) expressed concern about the pier being operated by the Americans, and asserted that the U.S. is a full partner in "the Zionist genocide" against the Palestinians in Gaza.
On May 21, 2024, Muhammad Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the political bureau of Yemen's Iran-backed Ansar Allah Movement (the Houthis), published a post on X calling on Saudis to overthrow the Saudi regime.
On May 22, 2024, the website of Yemen's Iran-backed Ansar Allah (the Houthis) Movement featured an article titled: "The Phase After the Yemeni Siege of Israel – A New Strategy In The War Has Begun."
On May 16, 2024, Muhammad Al-Bukhaiti, a member of the Iran-backed Yemen's Ansar Allah Movement (Houthis) political bureau, shared a post on X (formerly Twitter) called the ongoing Saudi-Emirati-American military exercise, Native Fury 2024, a part of defensive preparations against any potential Houthi attack.
On May 21, 2024, Houthi Ansar Allah armed forces spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Sare'e claimed that the group's Air Force had intercepted an " American unmanned aerial vehicle MQ-9 Reaper while it was carrying out hostile missions in the airspace of Al Bayda Governorate." He further claimed that the UAV was shot down with "a local made surface-to-air missile," adding that a video of the interception would be published soon.
Hizbullah Claims Drone Attack With S5 Missiles Against Metula Site For The First Time
On May 16, 2024, Lebanese Hizbullah released a statement claiming responsibility for a drone attack against a military site in the Israeli city of Metula, including against vehicles and soldiers aboard it, which the group attacked using a drone armed with two S5 air-to-surface missiles.
Hizbullah Brigades Leader Promises Hamas: We'll Spare No Effort, Blood, Or Money To Assist Gaza
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On May 17, 2024, the websites of the Iran-backed Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades and the Hamas movement reported that the secretary general of the Iraqi Hizbullah Brigades, Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi had spoken by phone to Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas Political Bureau, and the two had discussed "the political developments and the developments on the ground" in the war in Gaza.
On May 17, 2024, Abu Ubaida, the spokesman for the Izz al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, declared, in a televised speech, that within ten days, the group's fighters had targeted 100 Israeli military vehicles. He stressed that the Al-Qassam Brigades are prepared for a long battle against Israel.
On May 23, 2024, several Telegram channels affiliated with Hizbullah and with the Iran-backed militias in Iraq reported on a "large and important meeting" held one day earlier in Tehran on the periphery of the funeral of Iranian President Raisi and the other officials who were killed with him in the May 19 helicopter crash.
Iran-Backed 'Islamic Resistance In Iraq' Claims Three Attacks Against Israel In Past 48 Hours
Over the past 48 hours, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization consisting of several Iran-backed Iraqi militias, claimed it had launched three attacks against Israel using drones and missiles.
Iran-Backed Islamic Resistance In Iraq Claims Three Drone Attacks On Israel In Four Days
Between May 17 and 20, 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella organization consisting of several Iran-backed Iraqi militias, in statements on its official Telegram channel, claimed responsibility for three drone attacks on targets in the south of Israel. The group declared that the attacks were "in support of our people in Gaza, and in response to the massacres committed by the usurping entity against Palestinian civilians, including children, women and the elderly."
On May 20, 2024, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an Iran-backed joint operations group of Iraqi militias, published a statement claiming a drone attack on a "vital target" in Israel's southern city of Eilat.
Gazan Salafi Cleric Reiterates Enmity Towards Shi'ites, Defies Hamas Censorship
On May 20, 2024, a Gaza-based Salafi-Jihadi cleric released a video showing him celebrating the death of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi with others in Gaza.
On May 21, 2024, several Syrian opposition media outlets reported that the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the militias it collaborates with in Syria and in Iraq had recently renewed arms shipments to Syria from Iraq and were currently preparing to continue attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the American forces operating in the area east of the Euphrates River in Syria.
On May 19, 2024, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed that on May 18, its fighters carried out an attack against a concentration of Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) forces in Nigeria's Borno state and clashed with them using various weapons.
On May 18, 2024, the Islamic State's (ISIS) official A'maq News Agency reported that on May 17, its operatives carried out an attack against a Nigerian army base in the town of Malam Fatori, Borno state. A'maq cited "military sources" as saying that seven soldiers were killed in the attack and at least ten injured, while the rest fled.
On May 16, 2024, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 443 of its weekly newsletter, Al-Naba'. The issue's feature article hails Islamic State Mozambique Province for its recent resurgence in the country.
In recent days, forces of the Islamic State Mozambique Province (ISMP) have continued their attacks on army and police personnel, as well as on civilians, in several Christian villages and towns in Mozambique's Cabo Delgado province, the country's northernmost province.
On May 20, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) released a photoset documenting its May 18 attack against forces of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in Nigeria's Borno state.
On May 20, 2024, the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) claimed responsibility for a booby trap bombing targeting a bus allegedly carrying Taliban fighters in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
On May 19, 2024, the Islamic State's (ISIS) official A'maq News Agency published a statement reporting that according to "security sources," on May 17, ISIS operatives assaulted a tourist bus in the city of Bamyan in central Afghanistan with machine guns, killing and wounding seven "Christians" and about five Shi'ite Hazaras.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
Articles in the latest issue of the "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by Al-Azaim Media Foundation, a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS), recall the life of Abu Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarrah, the first military commander under Caliph Umar to conquer Jerusalem, stress the importance of radicalization and martyrdom to achieve victory for Islam, and decry Europe's sexuality, materialism, and anarchism against which Islam presents, according to the arguments, a moderation in the way of life.
An article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by Al-Azaim Media Foundation, a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS), advises the mujahideen to take precautions, following the example of Muhammad during his journey from Mecca to Medina, to avoid being detected by security and intelligence agencies.
On May 20, 2024, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) outlet which covers ISIS activity in the Indian subcontinent published a poster in English titled: "Message For Media Warriors," stressing the significance of cyber jihad as an integral part of jihad against the "unbelievers," which it deems of equal importance to armed fighting on a battlefield.
In recent days, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) has continued its attacks in Yemen, in the framework of its "Arrows of Truth" campaign against United Arab Emirates (UAE)-backed forces in the country.
On May 22, 2024, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), released a 21-minute video titled: "Words of Incitement in Support of Our Muslim Brothers in Palestine".
Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM), has continued its escalation of attacks in Mali and Burkina Faso, claiming several major operations, inflicting casualties and capturing quantities of military equipment. The group issued statements accusing the Burkinabe and Malian troops of committing massacres against civilians in Mali and Burkina Faso.
On May 20, 2024, a vehicle drove through a crowd of demonstrators at D-Chowk square in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing at least two people and injuring three more. The demonstrators were participating in a rally for Gaza which was organized by Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist political party in Pakistan. Thereafter, on May 21, Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) issued a statement denouncing the incident.
On May 15, 2024, a pro-Al-Qaeda media group published a six-page essay titled "The Nature of the Relationship between the Al-Qaeda Organization and Iran: Bone-Breaking Battles and Leaked Documents." The essay rejects allegations of collaboration between Al-Qaeda and Iran, noting the organization's multiple attacks on Iranian interests and the harsh treatment of Al-Qaeda leaders and their families in Iranian prisons, as detailed in documents seized from Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Jihadis In Syria Celebrate Asma' Al-Assad's Diagnosis Of Leukemia
On May 21, 2024, the Syrian presidency's office announced that the country's First Lady, Asma' Al-Assad, has been diagnosed with leukemia. Her diagnosis comes five years after recovering from breast cancer.
On May 15, 2024, the Ministry of Media in the Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), a Turkey-backed body that governs Syria's rebel-controlled Idlib region and is affiliated with jihadi group Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS), released a 17-minute footage documenting a speech by HTS leader Abu Muhammad Al-Joulani at a meeting with local notables.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On May 14, 2024, the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) news agency published a report on a speech delivered by Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, the representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Razavi Khorasan province, at a gathering of the families of the martyrs of the Fatemiyoun Brigade, a martyrdom-seeking militia comprising Afghans fighting Syria and elsewhere.
After the beginning of the Israeli military operations in Rafah, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Pakistan called upon the armed forces of Pakistan to step forward and support the Palestinians. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, i.e., the Afghan Taliban) issued an official statement condemning the Israeli operation. The declaration laments that "the international community and influential governments remain silent on the systematic genocide of Palestinians by the Zionist regime in Gaza."
On April 19, 2024, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Bangladesh organized protests and events in mosques in the cities of Dhaka and Chittagong, where its speakers accused the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of trying to normalize relations with Israel. Hizb-ut-Tahrir is a global Islamist organization known for seeking to cause rebellion among the armed forces of Islamic countries to overthrow governments and establish an Islamic caliphate.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) recently released the 40th episode of its Pashtu-language podcast. The episode discussed the recent violent protests in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir and their causes, and the political and economic challenges facing Pakistan.
Commenting on the Israeli operation in Gaza, an article published by a media outlet linked to the intelligence department of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA, i.e., the Afghan Taliban), seeks to incite Muslims to jihad and revenge against Israel.
