Counterterrorism Blog

Today Indonesian TCV broadcast video-footage of a masked man � believed to be one of JI�s top leaders, Noordin Mohammad Top, who explicitly threatened the West:

"As long as you keep your troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and intimidate Muslim people, you will feel our intimidation and our terror. . . America, Australia, England and Italy. You will be the target of our next attack."

That a masked man went on camera and threatened America and her allies for the occupation of Muslim lands is nothing new, except for the fact that it has never before come from Southeast Asia.

The second point is that the figure is believed to be Noordin Mohammad Top, the Malaysian friend and colleague of Dr. Azahari bin Hussin who was killed in a shootout/suicide explosion in East Java last week. Dr. Azahari, a graduate of the Al Qaeda camps, was JI�s leading bomb technician, and his death was certainly a blow to the organization. But Noordin is a more pivotal figure: he is their top fund raisers and recruiter. He is a highly charismatic figure who has been responsible, authorities believe, for the recruitment of the 7 suicide bombers already deployed since 2002, as well as establishing a new suicide wing.

Third, Australia was once again singled out by JI. The man explicitly warned: "Especially for Australia, as long as its troops are in Afghanistan and Iraq and engage in intimidation there, you will also feel our intimidation." JI will continue to focus on Australia, which it sees as the US proxy in the region.

Fourth, evidence surfaced in the past year that JI was going to try to increase the tempo of attacks from more than one a year, its current rate. The three smaller suicide bombings (5-10 kilogram backpack bombs rather than a large truck bomb), that were used on the 1 October 2005 Bali attacks were a further indication. Proof however, came when authorities searched the East Java safehouse where Azahari and 6 accomplices were killed. In it they found some 30 suicide vests, suggesting that JI was in the final stages of planning a massive round of suicide attacks.
Fifth, the video included a video �martyr�s statements� by one of the Bali bombers. Again, this is not unusual in the Middle East, but almost unprecedented in Southeast Asia. The statement is further evidence that JI is trying to develop a cult of martyrdom. "My brother and wife, God willing, when you see this recording I'll already be in heaven." The other two suicide bombers were also shown in the video.
Noordin�s threats should be heeded.