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.
On September 11, 2022, the 21st anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, a jihadi Gazan commentator and expert on international affairs, posted a short article on his Telegram channel praising these attacks. He wrote that, despite the criticism they evoked in the Muslim world, the attacks had satisfied the desire "of every free and devout person for revenge against the American enemy," and proved that the Islamic nation is capable of "breaking the strength of the occupiers and completely humiliating them."
On September 11, 2022, the media arm of Al-Qaeda Central Command, published a 271-page book titled "The 11th Of September Operations – Between Fact And Uncertainty." The book was written by 'Abdallah Ahmad 'Abdallah, aka Abu Muhammad Al-Masri, Al-Qaeda's second-in-command, who was reportedly assassinated in Tehran in August 2020, although Al-Qaeda has not confirmed his death.
The following report is a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On September 10, 2022, Al-Sahab, the media arm of Al-Qaeda Central Command released a message marking the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, titled "Gains – The Day Of Criterion, The Day Of Badr, And The Criterion Of The Age On The Day Of September."
On September 9, 2022, the pro-Al-Qaeda Al-Fajr News forwarded a post by a new media group, announcing its intent to issue a statement declaring its establishment on September 11, 2022, the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks perpetrated by Al-Qaeda.
EXCLUSIVE: Pro-Al-Qaeda Media Foundation Publishes Posters To Celebrate 9/11 Anniversary
On September 11, 2022, a pro-Al-Qaeda outlet published a poster in Arabic, Pashto, Urdu and English on its Twitter, Telegram and Chirpwire channels to celebrate the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The posters depict Osama Bin Laden and the Twin Towers on fire following the Al-Qaeda attack on September 11, 2001.
On September 11, 2022, the official media outlet of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), published a Telegram post in English commemorating the 9/11 attacks. The post claims the attacks inflicted a lasting blow to the U.S. and marked the beginning of a new phase in the conflict between Islam and its enemies, which would culminate in the establishment of ISIS' caliphate.
EXCLUSIVE: Jihadis Celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Passing, Claim She Was 'Spiteful' Toward Islam
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
Salafi-jihadis online published varying reactions the death of Queen Elizabeth II, with many celebrating the Monarch's passing. The following JTTM report compiles these responses.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
In the days following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, two pro-Islamic State (ISIS) channels based in the West claimed that Queen Elizabeth II would "burn in Hellfire" for not converting to Islam, and shared their criticism of those Muslims who expressed sorrow over her 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 September 8, 2022, and upon emerging news reports suggesting that the health condition of Queen Elizabeth II is deteriorating and that she is currently under medical supervision, Telegram channels affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq shared several posts anticipating and announcing her death.
On September 13, 2022, the media arm of the Islamic State (ISIS) Central Command released an audio message by the group's spokesman. Titled, "And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah [i.e., Quran], and be not divided among yourselves," the speech praised recent prison breaks conducted by ISIS operatives in Nigeria on July 5 and another in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on August 10, highlighting that these raids were carried out based on directives issued by ISIS leadership.
Turkey Announces Arrest Of ISIS 'Senior Executive' Who Is Rumored To Be ISIS Caliph
On September 8, 2022, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced that a "senior executive" of the Islamic State (ISIS) was captured in Istanbul, Turkey. According to reporting by the state-run Anadolu news agency, Turkish intelligence and Istanbul Police conducted a joint operation which resulted in the arrest.
ISIS In Syria Claims Capture, Execution Of Six SDF Militiamen In Eastern Syria
On September 11, 2022, ISIS's Syria Province declared that it had captured and executed six members of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Deir Al-Zour governorate in eastern Syria, in retaliation for the SDF's "crimes" against women and children in the SDF-run Al-Hol camp east of Al-Hasakah.
Editorial In ISIS Weekly Claims Attacks On 'Crusader' Embassies Are Legitimate
On September 8, 2022, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 355 of its weekly Al-Naba' newsletter, which included an editorial titled "Emirate of Embassies," criticizing the Afghan Taliban and other jihadi reactions to the September 5 attack on the Russian Embassy in Kabul. It argued that "Crusader" embassies remain a legitimate target, and that the Taliban's pursuit of international legitimacy is equivalent to defeat.
In a cover article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), the Islamic State has criticized the Afghan Taliban for deviating from shari'a principles by accepting the territory-based idea of Afghan "nationalism," obeying the Western "infidel" nations, and protecting the non-Muslim communities of Afghanistan.
An article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), reminds readers of how Muslim armies have defeated more numerous and well-equipped enemies.
An article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), calls upon Indian Muslims to join the Khilafah ("caliphate," i.e., the Islamic State) to fight Hindu injustice against Muslims.
In an article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), the Islamic State narrates a number of attacks by its fighters in Afghanistan since the Taliban captured power on August 15, 2021.
A report in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), eulogizes Indian engineer Ismail Al-Hindi.
The cover article in the latest issue of ISIS-K magazine "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), argues against nationalism, saying that the mujahideen's goal is to break this "idol," which has caused the formation of borders within the world of Islam.
An article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), dissects Islamic theological concept to argue that digressing from the concept of tawheed by assigning wrong attributes to Allah can make one cease to be Muslim.
An article in the latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), cites many hadiths (sayings and deeds of Muhammad) to define martyrdom.
The latest issue of "Voice of Khurasan," an English-language monthly magazine published by the media arm of Islamic State's Khurasan Province (ISIS-K), has republished a 16-point set of guidelines from Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir, the Egyptian successor to the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Abu Mus'ab Al-Zarqawi, "sheikh of the slaughterers" and head of Al-Tawheed wal-Jihad in Iraq, a precursor of the Islamic State (ISIS), who was killed in a U.S.-Iraqi operation in June 2006. Al-Muhajir was killed in a U.S.-Iraqi operation in April 2010.
On September 7, 2022, an anti-Afghan Taliban channel on the Islamic State (ISIS)-operated Rocket.Chat server criticized the Afghan Taliban for espousing a nationalistic "un-Islamic" model by engaging in talks with foreign parties and minorities.
Australian Pro-ISIS Preacher Endorses YouTube Channel Featuring Cartoons Geared To Muslim Children
On September 14, 2022, an Australian pro-Islamic State (ISIS) preacher posted on his Telegram channel: "Assalamualykum brothers and sisters, I have been introduced to the main creators behind... a channel dedicated to making children's cartoons for Muslims."
On September 12, 2022, Al-Qaeda's official media outlet released a video featuring an audio lecture by the organization's slain leader, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Kabul on July 31.
On September 12, 2022, the media arm of the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), issued a claim of responsibility for an attack carried out by the group on September 6.
On September 8, 2022 a pro-Al-Qaeda Telegram channel reported that Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) carried out an attack on a checkpoint manned by the UAE-backed Yemeni Security Belt Forces on September 6, 2022.
On September 11, 2022, the official media outlet of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), issued a statement denying the September 9 claim by the Yemeni Ministry of Interior that a "very dangerous Al-Qaeda operative" was captured after a prison break in April 2022.
On September 13, 2022, the media arm of the Mali-based Al-Qaeda affiliate in the Sahel GSIM (Group for Support of Islam and Muslims, or in Arabic, Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimin) issued claims of responsibility for the killing of "several" Malian soldiers in two separate attacks in central and southern Mali.
On September 11, 2022, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's Mali-based affiliate in the Sahel the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims (GSIM) – known in Arabic as Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimin (JNIM) – published a nine-minute video documenting an attack on a Gendarmerie convoy in Burkina Faso in February 2022.
Al-Qaeda Sahel Affiliate Claims Mortar Attacks On Army, MINUSMA Camps In Mali
On September 11, 2022, the official media outlet of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nasr Al-Islam wal-Muslimeen (the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM) released a statement dated September 8 claiming two recent mortar attacks by the group in Mali's Timbuktu Region.
On September 9, 2022, the official media outlet of Al-Qaeda's Somali affiliate Al-Shabab, Shahada News Agency, alleged in a statement that a U.S. drone struck a "civilian gathering" southwest of Mogadishu, Somalia.
On September 15, 2022, the Shahada News Agency, the official media outlet of Al-Qaeda's Somalia-based affiliate Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), claimed it had repelled an assault by U.S.-trained Somali special forces backed by U.S. drones, on areas under the jihadi group's control in Somalia's central Hiran region.
On September 9, 2022 the media arm of Al-Qaeda's Somali affiliate Al-Shabab released an 11-minute video in Somali titled "Relief Campaign for Those Affected By Drought in The Islamic States – Part Seven."
On September 11, 2022, the media arm of Al-Qaeda Central Command published a 271-page book, The 11th Of September Operations – Between Fact and Uncertainty, by 'Abdallah Ahmad 'Abdallah aka Abu Muhammad Al-Masri, the organization's second-in-command. Al-Masri was reportedly assassinated in Tehran in August 2020, although Al-Qaeda has not confirmed his death.
New Pro-Al-Qaeda Magazine Released In Advance Of 9/11 Anniversary Aims To 'Revive Jihadi Heritage'
On September 9, 2022, a new pro-Al-Qaeda media group announced the upcoming release of the first issue of its magazine.
Issue 40 of the monthly magazine published on September 5, 2022 by a group of independent jihadi clerics operating in Syria's Idlib region, contains a two-page article titled "The Future of the Syrian Revolution amid Changes in Turkish Policy."
On September 6, 2022, a media outlet operated by a Syria-based U.S.-born jihadi reporter broadcast on YouTube a live interview with a British journalist about the anticipated impact of newly-appointed U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss' policies on the Muslim community.
On September 13, 2022, an anti-Islamic State (ISIS) channel on an Al-Qaeda-operated Rocket.Chat server published a post criticizing the latest audio message by ISIS spokesman Abu 'Umar Al-Muhajir.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On August 31, 2022, the UN Security Council (UNSC) unanimously approved Resolution 2650 extending the mandate of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) for another year.
Iran-Backed Militias In Iraq Showcase Weapons, Equipment In Military Parade
A Telegram channel affiliated with Iran-backed militias in Iraq, published a report highlighting the weapons and military equipment used by the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), an Iraqi State-sponsored umbrella organization composed of several armed factions, including Iran-backed militias.
Iran-Backed Iraqi Media Outlet Mocks U.S. Ambassador, U.S. Anti-Iran Messaging
On September 13, 2022, a media outlet affiliated with the Iran-backed militias in Iraq mocked the U.S. Ambassador to Iraq's same-day visit to Baghdad Mall in a Telegram post, which aimed to sarcastically counter U.S. messaging criticizing Iranian influence in the country.
The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
In two recent editorials, Afghan daily Hasht-e-Subh criticized politicians and NGOs that are advocating in favor of recognizing the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (i.e., the Afghan Taliban).
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (the Movement of Pakistani Taliban, TTP) congratulated the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (i.e., the Afghan Taliban) on the first anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan, saying it stood "shoulder to shoulder" with the Afghan Taliban in their fight against foreign forces.
Indicating that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has ended its ceasefire with the Pakistani government, the jihadi group has formally claimed several attacks by its fighters on September 2-4, 2022. The TTP did not announce the termination of the ceasefire but said the latest attacks were carried out in "self-defense."
