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About Contact Us CT Blog Experts in the Media CT Library Counterterrorism Foundation Websites & Centers RSS & PDA Feeds Monthly Archives POSTS ON ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR POSTS ON 2008 MUMBAI ATTACK Counterterrorism Blog Panels: Reforming U.S. Counter-Terrorism Assistance Programs, Feb. 12 The 2008 Mumbai Attacks, Dec. 4 Future of Turkey-U.S. Strategic Partnership, May 19 Iran & U.S.: Outlook for Next Decade? April 15 Compañeros de Armas ("Friends in Arms"): Chavez, FARC & South America, March 19 Meta-Terror: Terrorism & the Virtual World, Feb. 29 Evolution of US Counterterrorism Policy, Feb. 12 Terrorism Litigation After Boim Decision, Jan. 28 Holy Land Foundation & Muslim Brotherhood, Dec. 11, 2007 ------------ July 2008 Posts and August 2008 Posts Contributing Experts
Douglas Farah, Editor
Steven Emerson & The Investigative Project on Terrorism Dennis Lormel Bill West Evan Kohlmann Michael Cutler Victor Comras Michael Kraft Dr. Zachary Abuza Dr. Walid Phares Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Olivier Guitta Kenneth Conboy Aaron Mannes David Schenker Animesh Roul Matthew Levitt Jonathan Winer Michael Jacobson Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Ali Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis Michael Braun James Gordon Meek, Guest Expert Phillip Smyth, Brett Wallace & Mark Offenbach, Newslinks Editors Andrew Cochran, Founder & Editor Emeritus EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
Transnational Terror: Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Chicago Plot
NEFA Foundation: Response from Gaza to Solidarity Calls from Shabaab al-Mujahideen Interview with Taliban Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid re: the UN Guesthouse Attack in Kabul Fort Hood: The largest "Terror act" since 9/11 Climate Change and Terrorism Memo to Obama: Listen to Jim Gant or Risk Losing Afghan War CTR Vantage: Al Shabaab's Recruiting Efforts in the West NEFA Foundation: Al-Qaida Roundup on Failed Nayif Assassination Bid Failed States vs. Criminal States NEFA Foundation: Shabaab al-Mujahideen Declares Formation of the "Al-Quds Brigade" Experts' Books
Walid Phares: The Confrontation and "The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy" and “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America”
Michael Kraft & Yonah Alexander (Editors): "Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy" Douglas Farah & Zachary Abuza in Countering the Financing of Terrorism Douglas Farah: "Merchant of Death" and "Blood From Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror" Michael Jacobson: "The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post–September 11" Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: "My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir" Steven Emerson: "Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the US" and "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" Victor Comras & Matthew Levitt (contributors): "Terrorism Financing and State Responses," Stanford University Press Matthew Levitt: "Negotiating Under Fire: Preserving Peace Talks in the Face of Terror Attacks" and "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad" and "Targeting Terror: U.S. Policy toward Middle Eastern State Sponsors and Terrorist Organizations, Post-September 11" Zachary Abuza: "Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia" and "Militant Islam in Southeast Asia: Crucible of Terror" Lorenzo Vidino "Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of Global Jihad" Kenneth Conboy: "The Second Front: Inside Asia’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Network" Evan Kohlmann: "Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network" Credits
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Douglas Farah Archives
Failed States vs. Criminal StatesBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post has an interesting article on how the North Korean military is now the primary extractive body of the North Korean establishment, and is, in fact, relatively efficient at extracting natural resources to sell to China and elsewhere.... Joint Congressional Hearing on Iran in Latin AmericaBy Douglas FarahOn Tuesday I testified before three Subcommittees of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on the issue of Iran's involvement in Latin America. My oral testimony is a bit more detailed on Iranian banks in Ecuador, which I am including... Iran's Expanding Latin American ReachBy Douglas FarahI have touched on the topic before, but from spending time on the ground in the region in recent months it is clear that Iran is making significant inroads into the Latin America financial services sector and other areas. In... The Unnoticed Success in Counter-Terrorism FinancingBy Douglas FarahAs David Cohen, assistant secretary of Treasury for Terror Finance recently noted, the United States and its allies have enjoyed some under appreciated success in cutting off the finances of al Qaeda and other radical Islamist groups, a goal that... The New Chavez MilitiasBy Douglas FarahIn his latest move to insure his permanence in power and control over loyal forces, Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez has established nation-wide armed civilian militias that are answerable only to him. According to the El Universal newspaper, the Bolivarian Militia... The Problem With Sanctions on IranBy Douglas FarahAs the New York Times recently pointed out, the proposition of serious enforcing sanctions against Iran, particularly in the financial field, are not bright. The reasons are multiple, but the basic one is that there are too many people and... Drugs, Terrorists, Pipelines and AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahToday I testified in the House Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on the interconnectedness of terrorist and criminal organizations, especially the truly transnational groups. (You can access the testimony of... Iran and Its Latin American Ambitions Get Some ScrutinyBy Douglas FarahIran's somewhat outsized global ambitions are finally getting some of the scrutiny they deserve. The decision to test fire its most advanced mid-range missile as pressure mounts because of hidden nuclear facilities is the most visible action. But less noticed... Why McChrystal Should Be Listened to on AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahThe bleak assessment by NATO and U.S. commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal, of the Afghanistan conflict is strikingly similar to a bleak assessment given by the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) of the Colombia conflict in 1998. While one must be careful... The Importance of Physical Safe Havens for TerroristsBy Douglas FarahPaul Pillar, former deputy CIA counter-terrorism chief, has an interesting op-ed in today's Washington Post posing an important question regarding the Afghanistan conflict: Whether preventing a safe haven in Afghanistan would reduce the terrorist threat to the United States enough... In Latin America's Arms Race, Chávez Leads the WayBy Douglas FarahVenezuelan president Hugo Chávez has added another $2.2 billion to his shopping spree of Russian weapons, buying 92 new tanks and sophisticated anti-aircraft systems. Chávez's buying spree (he is up to some $6 billion in the past three years) has... Iran Banks Move to Ecuador to Avoid SanctionsBy Douglas FarahIn its latest bid to avoid international banking sanctions, Iran has reached an agreement with the Central Bank of Ecuador to allow the Export Development Bank of Iran to operate in this Andean nation. The move came even though Ecuador... A New Look at the Hydra of Organized Crime and Terror OrganizationsBy Douglas FarahThe DEA and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York have unveiled a new indictment for drug trafficking that shows just how truly transnational and intertwined with terrorists, aircraft merchants, and little-scrutinized company registries these groups have... The Real Failure in AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahIt is clear that the counterinsurgency efforts in Afghanistan (only now seriously beginning as a counterinsurgency effort) is in serious difficulty. As the New York Times reports, there is little actual support from the central government's police or military forces... Chávez's Excellent AdventureBy Douglas FarahVenezuelan president Hugo Chávez, apparently afraid that Colombia's willingness to allow Forward Operating Locations (FOLs) in Colombia, will spend early September visiting a number of pariah states in an effort to strengthen his standing. According to the official presidential press... Iran's Cynicism on TerrorismBy Douglas FarahOne of the clearest signs of the danger that the Iranian presence poses in Latin America is the decision by president Ahmadinejad to name one of the masterminds of the 1994 AMIA bombings as minister of defense. Ahamd Vahidi, who... Human Rights in Mexico's Drug WarBy Douglas FarahThere is little question that fighting drug traffickers' efforts to take over the state or render it an effectively "ungoverned space" needs not only firepower but the support of the civilian population. The Mexican government of Felipe Calderón finds itself... Why the "Merchant of Death" May Not Stand TrialBy Douglas FarahHere is what I wrote today for th_might_not_stand_trial">Foreign Policy Magazine on the Thai judge's decision not to extradite Viktor Bout to the United States to stand trial: Today, a Thai court ruled against extraditing notorious Russian weapons trafficker Viktor Bout... Shadow Facilitators and Alternative Crops in AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahOne sign of how concerned the military and administration are about the situation is the new thinking that is going on while looking at old problems. Two important stories highlight just how sharp the change in strategy is. The first... The Changing Language on Terrorism and the Challenges AheadBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post gives an interesting look at how the Obama administration will be redefining the fight against terrorism, as well as changing the language used. Two things seem clear. One is that the "war on terror" designation, never very... Core Al Qaeda Under Pressure and Changing TacticsBy Douglas FarahSeveral seemingly-unrelated events seem to me to be important and pointing toward important new directions in the struggle against radical Islamist groups. The first is the optimistic report by CBS News that al Qaeda is publicly acknowledging the damage to... Tensions Rise With Chávez In South AmericaBy Douglas FarahRecent revelations that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas in Colombia have received sophisticated Swedish anti-tank weapons purchased by the military in Venezuela has added to the regional strain in South America, which are already running high. The... Nigeria and Al QaedaBy Douglas FarahA new wave of radical Islamist attacks in Nigeria point to the spread of wahhabist theology in the region and the significant difficulties facing West Africa's perennial hot spot. As I have noted earlier, in 2003 Osama bin Laden specifically... More on the Bolivarian Revolution's Terrorist LinksBy Douglas FarahThere are several new factors that point to how the Bolivarian Revolution is working to undermine Latin America's fragile institutions. The first is the stunning video of senior FARC commander Jorge Briseño, AKA Mono Jojoy, acknowleging that the guerrilla group... A Chilling Look at Central American Gangs and Why They Are a ThreatBy Douglas FarahFor those interested in exploring one of the greatest internal and transnational threats to the United States, there is a new book out today by Samuel Logan, This is For the Mara Salvatrucha: Inside the MS-13, America's Most Violent Gang.... Honduras and the Bolivarian RevolutionBy Douglas FarahOnce again an outside power is meddling in the internal affairs of a small, poor Central American country and threatening military action if its preferred candidate is not restored to office. The irony is that it is not Uncle Sam... The Bolivarian-Islamist Narrative in Latin America and its DangersBy Douglas FarahYesterday I participated in a Hudson Institute event on Populism, Islamism and "Indigenism" versus Democracy in Latin America. What came into focus there was the joint narrative of the Bolivarian populist governments (Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua) and radical Islamists, led... West Africa in the New Cocaine PipelineBy Douglas FarahYesterday the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Africa held what Chairman Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) called a wake up call on the growing threat of cocaine trafficking through West Africa. I testified there on the ties of the emerging groups... New Bolivia Paper: Into the AbyssBy Douglas FarahThe International Assessment and Strategy Center has just published a paper I wrote on the rapidly-deteriorating situation in Bolivia: Into the Abyss: Bolivia Under Morales and the MAS. The study outlines several of the more dangerous elements of the Morales... Rep. Wolf Takes on CAIR, and A US-MB Tie to HamasBy Douglas FarahTwo interesting notes regarding the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups in the United States over the weekend. First, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va), took the unusual and courageous step of directly tackling CAIR on the floor of the House last... How Non-State Actors Learn and TeachBy Douglas FarahOne of the fascinating things about a spate of recent articles is that they point to how non-state armed actors acquire information and new, ever-more sophisticated techniques. Two examples are the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan and the more sophisticated... Iran, the Taliban and RussiaBy Douglas FarahThe Daily Telegraph of London brings news that Iranian weapons are still flowing to the Taliban, despite the Obama administration's efforts to forge a fragile alliance with the radical Shiite government on cutting off this lethal supply line. As the... The Taliban's Continued Foreign SupportBy Douglas FarahLittle noticed in the discussion of the Pakistan/Afghanistan Taliban issues are the points raised recently by Gen. David Petraeus about the continued use of charities and other external support for the radical Islamist group. While there has been considerable attention... Collateral Damage From West Africa's Drug TraffickingBy Douglas FarahI have heard recently in discussions with people on the Hill and in policy making circles that the exploding drug trafficking phenomenon in West Africa is not really a U.S. security concern because most of the cocaine that transits through... Specks of Light in the Counter-Drug/Terrorist Efforts?By Douglas FarahYesterday I had the opportunity to comment at the New America Foundation on the new book by Seeds of Terror: How Heroin is Bankrolling the Taliban and al Qaeda, by Gretchen Peters. What was interesting in the counter-terrorism context was... The Defeat of the LTTE and Waning InsurgenciesBy Douglas FarahWe are facing an unusual time in recent history. Two of the oldest and most successful insurgencies in recent times, the FARC in Colombia and the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) in Sri Lanka, are on the brink of complete military defeat.... Hamas, Hezbollah-And the Muslim Brotherhood?By Douglas FarahA senior Hezbollah official has now stated publicly for the first time that his organization has been providing Hamas with "every type of support" for a long period of time. "We have always said that we supported the resistance in... A New Look at the Af/Pak CrisisBy Douglas FarahNow that the Afghan/Pakistan crisis if front and center, and the ties between organized crime and the funding of radical Islamist movements are clear, it would be well to understand the origins of this emerging threat and the magnitude of... Bank Secrecy and Compliance Officer ClearancesBy Douglas FarahBrett Wallace, who generously does the CTB links and helps keep us running, has written an interesting graduate studies paper Banks Are Not Mere Bystanders_Wallace.pdf, drawing on his own research as well as the thoughts and experiences of several CTB... The Ongoing Repercussions from the Holy Land Foundation TrialBy Douglas FarahThe Investigative Project brings news of the first clear official FBI explanation of why the Bureau has cut off its work with CAIR, the premier legacy Muslim Brotherhood organization in the United States. In an April 28, 2009 letter to... Ahmadinejad's Abrupt Postponement of his Brazil TripBy Douglas FarahIran's president Ahmadinejad has abruptly postponed his much heralded trip to Brazil, due this week, with neither side anxious to give any explanation. Ahmadinejad has long tried to visit Brazil, and, until this most recent trip was finally accepted, had... Gemstones and the Terrorist Financial InfrastructureBy Douglas FarahMy CTB colleague Animesh Roul has just published an interesting piece on the Taliban's use of gemstones in its financial structure. This has been, as my other CTB colleague Dennis Lormel and I can both attest, from different points of... New Ties Between Venezuela and Iran, And Hezbollah's Growing PresenceBy Douglas FarahTwo related items that should give the Obama administration pause as it seeks ways to engage Venezuela's Hugo Chávez and other countries in Venezuela's sphere of influence (Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador primarily). The first is the new Memorandum of Understanding signed... The Islamist Move to East AfricaBy Douglas FarahOn of the most important parts of the growth of al Qaeda related groups or other armed and like-minded organizations, is the transfer of knowledge and technologies. It is something at which al Qaeda has excelled, both in the transfer... Another Missing Element in the AfPak AnalysisBy Douglas FarahTo build on my CTB colleague Walid Phares recent post, there is another missing element in the analysis of the Taliban's recent advances in Pakistan. It is the concept or religious precept of taqiyya in Islam and fully embraced by... The Return of the Shining Path: Latin America's Downward SpiralBy Douglas FarahThe CNN report on the re-emergence of the Shining Path rebels (Sendero Luminoso) almost buries the most important element of the story. The terror unleashed by Sendero (massacres of civilians, the desire to carry out Pol Pot's dream of decapitating... Cybersecurity and CounterintelligenceBy Douglas FarahThe Obama administration is about to unveil its cybersecurity review, and the turf battles are brewing. What is seldom mentioned in the debate is that this is perhaps one of the most important issues the Obama administration will face. The... The Inroads of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Obama AdministrationBy Douglas FarahFirst, a note updating my pessimistic view of the Somali pirate hostage taking. I stand corrected, and thank the Navy Seals and others who carried out the rescue operation. Well done! But, as the the Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report... The Somali Pirate FiascoBy Douglas FarahOne thing one has to admit-the criminal/terrorist elements holding the world's shipping lanes hostage have the game figured out. Although one hijacking of a U.S.-manned shipped was thwarted, they have the captain hostage. Now, other pirate ships, loaded with hostages,are... A New Look at the Muslim Brotherhood in AmericaBy Douglas FarahWhile the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated Islamist groups debate whether to cut off contact with the FBI and other US government institutions, the Hudson Institute has just published a comprehensive report that makes it clear why such ties are not healthy. It... Remaking the Pentagon for the 21st CenturyBy Douglas FarahIt is clear that the current debate over the future configuration of the military is a divisive and extremely important one. While Secretary Gates, bowing to the budget realities of the Obama administration, is cutting programs while moving toward a... Some Healthy Developments in Mexico's "Narco-Insurgency"By Douglas FarahAs today's Washington Post makes clear, Mexico and the United States now recognize what is happening in Mexico as a narco-insurgency, with all that implies. Not simply drug trafficking. Not pockets of isolated violence. But a direct insurgent challenge to... Finally Getting Serious About Heroin in Afghanistan: Is it Too Late?By Douglas FarahFirst of all, please note an RSS feed is now available for this site and also for the Newslinks in the right sidebar. Finally, the world, from the United States to Iran, is recognizing their own self interest in taking... Is Bin Laden Worried About his Relevance?By Douglas FarahThe two most recent statements by Osama bin Laden, after a long silence, seem to me to indicate he is worried about how relevant he remains in the global jihadist movement. They also make clear that the core al Qaeda... Iran in Latin America Finally Acknowledged as a ProblemBy Douglas FarahAfter several years of reporting on the increasing ties of Iran to Latin American insurgent and criminal groups (see this paper and this one I did for the International Assessment and Strategy Center), it is nice to see senior officials... A Major Criminal Investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood in EuropeBy Douglas FarahThe Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report (free subscription required) brings the otherwise unreported here news of a major criminal investigation into several Muslim Brotherhood leaders and groups in Germany and Belgium. The raids were publicly announced in Germany, but have... The U.S.-Somali ExperienceBy Douglas FarahAfter years of debate over whether it could happen, started almost immediately after the 9/11 attacks, there is a clear case of a radical Islamist group actively and successfully recruiting inside the United States: the case of al Shabaab (the... A Year After the Reyes Killing: Lessons Learned From the FARCBy Douglas FarahAlthough a few days late, it is worth looking back at the year since Raul Reyes, the second in command of the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) was killed in a permanent camp he had set up a few... Omar al-Bashir: Darfur and So Much MoreBy Douglas FarahBeyond the genocide and mass murder that Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir has presided over in his 20 years in office, it is important to remember what al-Bashir is: a radical Islamist imposing the type of sharia law and carrying out... The Credit Crunch, Organized Crime and TerrorismBy Douglas FarahOne of the most interesting side effects of the current credit and banking crisis, as noted in this weekend piece in the Washington Post is the growing influence of those who do have money to lend-organized criminal groups that have... Mexico Rises to Near the Top of the Foreign AgendaBy Douglas FarahFor those of us who have been watching Mexico's death struggle with the drug cartels, the sudden surge in official interest is both welcome and overdue. It is particularly welcome because it both acknowledges the depth of the problem and... What's Missing in the New Threat AssessmentsBy Douglas FarahIn recent days two high-level assessments of the threats facing the United States have come out, and both are striking for their stark omissions of the same central theme: the criminal/terrorist nexus that is driving so much of what we... Cross Pollination Among Terrorist GroupsBy Douglas FarahMy colleague Zachary Abuza wrote an interesting look at the Tamil Tigers, now in demise. As he notes, the LTTE pioneered many innovations in the use of terrorism that spread to other terrorist groups around the world. Among the strategies... The More Things Change...Chávez Rolls OnBy Douglas FarahDespite repeated promises and public statements, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez continues to allow the FARC to operate from Venezuelan territory. This is not surprising, given that Chavez has not often kept his word on such issues. What is interesting is that... Congress Moves to Keep Attention to Bout's Extradition ProcessBy Douglas FarahA large, bipartisan group of Congressmen, led by Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) is seeking to insure the the extradition of Viktor "Merchant of Death" Bout from Thailand remains a high priority for the incoming administration. In a letter to new... Encircling Kabul, Taliban Gaining GroundBy Douglas FarahToday's coordinated Taliban attacks inside Kabul, and the length of time it took to eliminate the perpetrators, is an important indication of two things: the growing strength of the Taliban, and the rapid decay of the Karzai government. It is... The Dangers of Our Weak Counterintelligence EffortsBy Douglas FarahA vitally important description of one of the nation's vulnerabilities-the failure of counterintelligence- was buried in the Washington Post's Outlook section yesterday. It is worth revisiting. The author, Michelle Van Cleave, headed the Bush administration's first congressionally mandated national counterintelligence... Afghanistan In a Downward SpiralBy Douglas FarahThe prospect of building a successful strategy in Afghanistan is getting more and more complicated. The government of Kyrgyzstan is going to close a key resupply center, the Manas Air base-largely, it seems, at the instigation of the Russians. (Guess... Understanding the Islamist Agenda and NegotiationsBy Douglas FarahThere are many good reasons for wanting to talk directly to one's enemies, particularly states that pose a direct threat to one's security. The Obama administration, facing a host of domestic problems and inheriting the ineffective policies of the previous... The Importance of the FBI's CAIR CutoffBy Douglas FarahMary Jacoby of The Investigative Project brings the important news that the FBI, after years of legitimizing CAIR as a mainstream Muslim organization, has finally cut of their dealings with the organization. This is the first time a part of... Afghanistan and the Question of Force RestructuringBy Douglas FarahToronto Globe and Mail has an interesting look at how increasingly complex the Taliban's attacks in Afghanistan are, belying the notion that the group is somehow in retreat there. This is, of course, due in no small measure, to the... Worth Reading: A Report on Drug Trafficking That is Terrifying and IncompleteBy Douglas FarahIf you want a fairly complete, and completely terrifying view of the power of organized criminal activity in the United States, take some time to read the National Drug Threat Assessment of the National Drug Intelligence Center. Yet as good... Lessons From the Iran-al Qaeda ConnectionBy Douglas FarahMy CTB colleague Andrew Cochran has written about the Treasury Department's designations of various al Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden's son, Sa'ad. The designation order ties several of those identified, including Sa'ad, to Iran. The designation, taken literally, has... The Islamist (MB) Takeover of Al-Jazeera?By Douglas FarahThe Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report (free subscription required) has an interesting look at the growing Islamist agenda of the al Jazeera TV station, and the roots of the shift in the Muslim Brotherhood. It is an important observation since... How Serious is the Mexican Crisis?By Douglas FarahA little-noticed Joint Forces Command study, The Joint Operating Environment: Challenges and Implications for the Future Joint Forces has some interesting conclusions on Latin America, and particularly Mexico. A tip of the hat to David Holiday of OSI for bringing... The Iranian Games and Pipeline MasteryBy Douglas FarahAs the saga of Lloyds TBS' involvement in illicit banking to help the Iranian regime continues to broaden and ensnare other banks,it is useful to look back over the circumstances that this unveils. It must be one heck of a... Iran-Venezuela GamesBy Douglas FarahAlmost lost in the shuffle of Gaza and the transition is the story of the Turkish interdiction of Iranian arms shipments to Venezuela The shipment of 22 containers, carried by truck from Iran to Turkey for shipping, was labeled "tractor... The Role of the Muslim Brotherhood With Hamas and IranBy Douglas FarahFormer CIA analyst Reuel Marc Gerecht has an important piece in the Wall Street Journal on Iran's Hamas strategy. The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report (free subscription required) fleshes out the picture even further. The fundamental truth is that Hamas'... The Challenge of Urban "Stateless" RegionsBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post has an interesting look at one of the growing challenges of statelessness and where much of the world is heading. It also has stark implications for terrorist organizations and their ability to operate. The story looks at... A Few Thoughts at the End of the YearBy Douglas FarahHere are several items that have appeared in recent days that, to me, show just how much work we have to do in the field of combatting terrorism, and particularly Islamist terrorism. It shows what the true goals of these... The Taliban-Heroin ConnectionBy Douglas FarahThe case of Khan Mohammed is drawing wide-spread coverage, and rightly so. He is the first known Taliban to convicted of drug trafficking. He was sentenced yesterday to two life sentences. It was another (along with Viktor Bout, Monzar al... An Interesting Look at the Importance of Hezbollah and the Future of WarfareBy Douglas FarahThis interesting study by the U.S. Army's Strategic Studies Institute of the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel wars offers some important insights not only into that conflict, but why Hezbollah matters and how their actions can affect how future wars develop. The study,... The Only Thing Worse Than Doing Nothing...By Douglas FarahWhile it appears the United Nations took a step forward by authorizing military actions on land to combat Somali pirates, the truth is, it is another mistake in dealing with the region. I am not against the sentiment of the... A Look At Why Even Good Plans FailBy Douglas FarahWe often wonder why, even when armed with the best of intentions and perhaps even sound plans, counterinsurgency and counterterrorism efforts seem futile once the fighting stops. Billions of dollars later (and often a good many deaths of our military... A Bit More on Dawood Ibrahim and Why He MattersBy Douglas FarahBecause of the high interest in my recent post on Dawood Ibrahim and requests for more information, I am adding to that the little more that I know and have learned in recent days. Ibrahim is known to have at... Mexico: Growing Terror and Close to CollapseBy Douglas FarahOne of the most amazing things to me in the recent electoral process was the complete absence of serious discussion by either camp of anything relating to Latin America. While Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia and Ecuador have formed a new anti-U.S.... A Nuclear Venezuela?By Douglas FarahAlmost unnoticed in the chaos created by recent terrorist events is the nuclear agreement signed between Russia and Venezuela signed when Russian president Medvedev visited Caracas last week. His visit coincided with the arrival of Russian naval ships for joint... The Importance of The Dawood Ibrahim ConnectionBy Douglas FarahAs my colleague on the CT Blog, Vic Comras noted, the name of Dawood Ibrahim is now associated with the terrorist attacks in Mumbai. Ibrahim reportedly provided the initial boat for the attackers, and has strong ties to al Qaeda.... The Holy Land Verdict in PerspectiveBy Douglas FarahMy colleagues on the Counterterrorism Blog Matt Levitt and Andrew Cochran have discussed the sweep of guilty verdicts in the Holy Land Foundation case. I wanted to add briefly, some perspective, which can only be gleaned if one goes through... Sub-Saharan Africa Rises for the Wrong ReasonsBy Douglas FarahWhile the Somali piracy crisis has galvanized world opinion, it is not the only area of Sub-Saharan Africa that is attracting counter-terrorism attention. The growing ties between criminal and terrorist groups (often one and the same when it comes to... The Conviction of Monzar al Kassar and the Criminal-Terrorist NexusBy Douglas FarahThe good news yesterday was the conviction on all counts of Monzar al Kassar,the international weapons trafficker and friend of numerous terrorist organizations. Al Kassar and his accomplice, Luis Moreno Godoy were convicted in New York of conspiracy to murder... The Future is Now: Somalia in the New World OrderBy Douglas FarahThe recent, audacious hijacking of a Saudi oil tanker by Somali pirates, with at least some of the ransom money destined for Islamist militants, shows just how quickly the future has arrived. The criminal-terrorist groups on the Somali coast (largely... NEFA Foundation: Lessons Learned From the Campaign Against the FARC in ColombiaBy Douglas FarahThe NEFA Foundation has released a new report by NEFA Senior Investigator Douglas Farah titled "Lessons Learned from the Campaign Against the FARC in Colombia." This paper is the fourth NEFA Foundation report on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of... Somalia's Collapse (Again)By Douglas FarahPerhaps no venue outside the Pakistan/Afghanistan border region is a more important venue for radical Islamists than Somalia. Somalia is viewed as an historic battleground where the United States and United Nations were defeated once, and where al Qaeda and... A Treasury Designation and a Curious OmissionBy Douglas FarahThe Treasury Department's decision to designate the Union of Good for funding Hamas is welcome and overdue. What is interesting, however, as noted by the Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report (free registration required) is that the designation does not directly... The Return of the Shining Path and the Criminal-Terrorist NexusBy Douglas FarahFor those of us who were covering the conflicts in Latin America in the 1980s and 1990s, there was no group more terrifying than Peru's Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) an Maoist organization intent on causing rivers of blood to flow... A Useful Counterterrorism WeaponBy Douglas FarahIn the day-to-day discussions and actions to combat terrorism, particularly radical Islamist terrorism, we generally agree that it will be a long struggle that could last generations. I agree. But it is useful to step back and realize there is... The Colombia ParadoxBy Douglas FarahThe recent GAO report on the lack of success of U.S. aid to Colombia is striking because it lays out the fundamental paradox of the multi-pronged war there. The GAO finds, as many of us have written about, that the... A Worthwhile Reminder of the Jihadist AgendaBy Douglas FarahEvery once in a while, it is necessary to step back from the abstract world of ideas and see what the ideas actually mean in people's lives. That is particularly true as the new administration enters and has to think... The Fort Dix Exhibits Now Available from the NEFA FoundationBy Douglas FarahLast month, the trial of five men charged with plotting to attack the U.S. Army base at Fort Dix, New Jersey began. Mirroring its coverage of the Holy Land Foundation proceedings, the NEFA Foundation is cataloging the numerous exhibits released... Other Paths on Combatting Terror FinancingBy Douglas FarahOne of the significant challenges the next administration will face in combating terrorism is the fracturing consensus on international sanctions, as noted by the Washington Post. There is no doubt the European and U.N. consensus that gave rise to the... The Non-State Challenges for the Next AdministrationBy Douglas FarahWhoever wins the presidency next week will face a series of international challenges from non-state actors that are being little discussed on the campaign trail and largely ignored by the media in the run up to the presidential vote. It... What's Up With Venezuela's Diamonds?By Douglas FarahOne of the signs of the internal decomposition of the Chávez government is the growing corruption and internal rot. Given my past experience in Africa, one of the most intriguing things that has gone missing over the past three years... The Hezbollah-Latin America Ties Become More ClearBy Douglas FarahI have been traveling, but am somewhat surprised at how little attention the recent multi-country drug bust firmly tying Hezbollah to Latin American drug trafficking structures has received. This is the clearest publicly-available case that shows how organized criminal groups... The Islamist Take on the Financial CrisisBy Douglas FarahIslamist terrorists are often portrayed as crazed and irrational actors who live in isolation from the real world, rather than individuals acting according to a coherent logic that makes sense if one understands the premise of the view. This struck... Al Qaeda and Affiliates Gear Up in AfricaBy Douglas FarahThe NEFA Foundation has released several new videos that show how much emphasis al Qaeda and its affiliates are placing on Africa, as well as the growing ability to plug into the radical Islamist propaganda machine, which keeps churning out... The Issue of Hearts and MindsBy Douglas FarahOne of the striking things about several of today's military engagements with Islamist radicals is the inability to improve people's lives, even after several years on the ground. The most obvious example is Afghanistan, where Gen. David McKiernan warns that... A Slow Recognition of the Criminal-Terrorist ConnectionBy Douglas FarahSlowly, it seems, the criminal-terrorist nexus is coming into a sharper focus for policy makers. The head of DHS intelligence analysis Charlie Allen, recently acknowledged the "threats in this hemisphere are real. We cannot ignore them." This may not seem... Afghanistan at the Tipping PointBy Douglas FarahSeems like things in Afghanistan, at least in the world of perceptions, is going south as fast as Dow Jones. While circumstances on the ground have not changed radically in recent months, the Taliban have scored significant success simply by... The CIA and the Looming Threats for the Next AdministrationBy Douglas FarahCIA director Mike Hayden gave an an interesting interview to Fox News identifying the the greatest security challenges to the next administration. One of the identified threats (after the increasingly unstable but nuclear-armed North Korea) is what Hayden dubbed the... The FARC's Shrinking WorldBy Douglas FarahThe concerted effort by the United States and most of the European Union, along with a few countries in Latin America, are gradually cutting off the operational areas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Yesterday's OFAC designation of... The Criminal-Terrorist Nexus in Plain ViewBy Douglas FarahOne of the most fascinating dramas unfolding, apart from the Wall Street meltdown, is the fate of the Ukrainian operated ship, hijacked by Somali pirates and loaded with tanks, anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition. The hijackers of the ship Faina, a... The Truly Alarming News From AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahPerhaps the single biggest deterrent to a successful insurgency or armed movement is the civilian population. If they are with the insurgency, the armed group will endure, if not necessarily prevail. Without popular support, or at least tolerance, the group... Noorsai Conviction Shows Merger of Criminal and Terrorist OrganizationsBy Douglas FarahYesterday a New York jury convicted Bashir Noorsai, a Taliban-linked drug trafficker of being part of an international conspiracy to sell heroin around the world, including the United States. The case is noteworthy because Noorsai had developed strong ties to... New NEFA Paper on the FARC's International NetworkBy Douglas FarahAlmost all terrorist organizations seek to establish international support networks that allow them to operate in countries and regions outside their home bases. The FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia) are no exception. In this new NEFA Foundation report, using... Russia's New Efforts to Arm State Sponsors of TerrorismBy Douglas FarahI am not a Russia expert, but it is clear that the Putin-led government is going out of its way to antagonize the United States and its allies. One of the primary, and most dangerous methods, is the sale of... Transnational Drug Bust Shows Power of CooperationBy Douglas FarahToday's DOJ announcement of a major, multinational bust of the Gulf Cartel shows that cooperation across agencies and international borders can yield significant results. With the growing nexus of the drug trade and terrorist activities, it is no longer possible... A Useful Reminder of the Enemy's EffortsBy Douglas FarahThe Los Angeles Times has an interesting story on the ongoing efforts of al Qaeda to carry out a high-profile strike, particularly in Europe. Several things stand out in the article. One is the amount of evidence that could not... Latin America Heats Up: Is There a Policy?By Douglas FarahThe news that both Bolivia and Venezuela, whose presidents are staunch allies and friends, have chosen to expel the respective U.S. ambassadors is the most visible evidence of the frayed relations the United States now has with much of Latin... Ignoring the Elephant in the Room in AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahAdm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, has sounded the alarm on Afghanistan, correctly pointing out that the danger of losing there is real and the hour is late. It is fitting, on this day, to remember... The Success of the Fusion Strategy in Counterterror OperationsBy Douglas FarahAfter a few years in the wilderness, the U.S. military and its allies in other parts of the world have honed the cutting edge of a significant series of steps that are yielding highly successful results in combatting non-state armed... The War on Drugs Hits Some Severe SnagsBy Douglas FarahThe almost-forgotten war on drugs has taken some serious hits recently, particularly in Latin America. This cyclical war waxes and wanes with the political will of each country involved and the consumption habits of drug users. I take it seriously... A Hidden Grain of Truth That Should ResonateBy Douglas FarahThe Los Angeles Times has an interesting feature on the late Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyah and his rather mysterious death on Feb. 12 in Damascus. Mughniyah, of course, was one of the true pioneers in the use of terrorist tactics... The Dangers of Hezbollah in Latin AmericaBy Douglas FarahThe Los Angeles Times today carries an interesting story on the growing ties of Hezbollah in Venezuela. As the article points out, such ties are not new, but what is more worrisome is the vast amount of cocaine being moved... The Ties That Bind Grow Harder to DenyBy Douglas FarahThere is a fascinating interview with Mohammed Habib, the deputy supreme leader of the Muslim Brotherhood where he acknowledges that the Brotherhood has a presence inside the United States. As I have repeatedly stated, there is nothing illegal about the... Passports and the Criminal/Terrorist NetworksBy Douglas FarahSeems that the UK is tightening its entry requirements for South Africa. The reason: Britain has threatened to impose a visa regime on visitors from South Africa amidst fears that the country is being used as a transit point by... Some Rays of Hope in Recent OperationsBy Douglas FarahI have been rightly described as extremely pessimistic about the way our intelligence and law enforcement communities-with the exception of isolated pockets-are facing (or not) the challenges I see as most pressing for the 21st century. These include the growing... The Ties That BindBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post's recent article on the surprises that the biometric database is turning in among those arrested abroad shows in part the ties that bind terrorist and criminal groups. It also shows the power of sharing data across institutional... The Importance of the Colombian Rescue MissionBy Douglas FarahAs my colleagues Jonathan Winer and Aaron Mannes have written on the Counterterrorism Blog, the spectacular operation by the Colombian military to rescue 15 high-profile hostages was a tremendous blow to the FARC in Colombia. In the interest of full... Why Mugabe WonBy Douglas FarahThe tragic failure of the African Union to take any steps to sanction the fraudulent and violent regime of Robert Mugabe was a given as soon as the despot sat at the table. Because Mugabe knew his audience, or what... NEFA Foundation: "The FARC in Transition: The Fatal Weakening of the Hemisphere's Oldest Guerrilla Movement"By Douglas FarahToday the NEFA Foundation published a paper I wrote on the overall weakening of the FARC in Colombia and the likely options for its future development. The new paper, "The FARC in Transition: The Fatal Weakening of the Hemisphere's Oldest... Two Worrisome TrendsBy Douglas FarahThere are two stories today that point to ongoing problems and the future contours of the conflicts in which we will be emerged in coming years. The first is the extensive New York Times piece on who lack of resources,... More Evidence of the Criminal-Terrorist NexusBy Douglas FarahThose who are skeptical of the growing ties between drug trafficking organizations and terrorist groups-which I think will be the real war we will be fighting for many years, given the resources obtainable by drug trafficking organizations-should read the latest... Dangerous Times in Colombia and IraqBy Douglas FarahAmong the most dangerous times in a counter-insurgency campaign, inherent in asymmetrical warfare, is when the insurgency is close to being defeated. Desperate to remain relevant and to motivate its followers as the situation becomes more trying, the groups grasp... Africa's Shame and Zimbabwe's Greater ThreatBy Douglas FarahThe recent assault by armed government gangs, leading to dozens of deaths and hundreds of encarcerations, has led the opposition in Zimbabwe to withdraw from the electoral process. The striking inability of Tabo Mbeki in South Africa and other sub-Saharan... Treasury Moves on Hezbollah in VenezuelaBy Douglas FarahThe Treasury Department's Office fo Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today several entities tied to Hezbollah and operating in Venezuela. This is the first time I can find of the U.S. government directly and publicly linking Hezbollah funding activities to Venezuela.... The Nuclear NetworkBy Douglas FarahThere were several reports, led by the Washington Post, on the rogue international smuggling network that managed to acquire blueprints for an advanced nuclear weapon. No one knows where those blueprints were sold, or to whom. My sources in the... Monzar al Kassar, the Prince of Marbella, Extradited to the United StatesBy Douglas FarahWell, time finally ran out for Monzar al-Kassar, a weapons merchant and friend of various terrorist organizations. Today, after months of legal wrangling, he was extradited to the United States to stand trial. Al-Kassar was arrested in a DEA operation... The Drug-Terrorist Link Means Wars can Last IndefinitelyBy Douglas FarahThe Brits are finally willing to lay out some of the truths about the war in Afghanistan, truths that apply in many other parts of the world, in a pattern that we continue to see growing. According to the Daily... Chavez's Abrupt About-Face on the FARCBy Douglas FarahWhat does Hugo Chavez's abrupt call for the FARC to end its war and free all its hostages mean for the Colombian rebels? And what does it mean for Chavez? Chavez, who earlier this year repeatedly called for the world... Wael Julaidan, Founder of al Qaeda, Back in Action in Saudi Arabia?By Douglas FarahIs Wael Julaidan, founder of al Qaeda and one of only two Saudis ever designated as terrorist financiers by the Saudi regime and supposedly out of circulation, back in the public spotlight? It would seem so. According to the English... Viktor Bout is Apparently Worth Quite a Bit to the RussiansBy Douglas FarahWell, from my sources in Thailand and elsewhere it seems that Viktor Bout, weapons merchant extraordinaire, is worth quite a bit to the Russians. Bout, in prison in Thailand awaiting extradition to the United State, may not make it back,... Why The War in Afghanistan Cannot be WonBy Douglas FarahUnder current conditions, the NATO-led war against the Taliban in Afghanistan cannot be won. The most graphic reason is described in New York Times article on the reality of the Taliban control in Tribal Territories. While the Pakistani army goes... Iran Moves Banking Facilities to VenezuelaBy Douglas FarahIn a little-noticed move, Venezuela and Iran are joining forces not just in petroleum-relate ventures, but in banking ventures. The move toward joint banking is likely to boost Tehran's ability to circumvent U.S.-led sanctions against its financial structure that supports... The Death of Marulanda and the Future of the FARCBy Douglas FarahThe FARC's announcement this weekend that its top leader, Manuel Marulanda (AKA Tirofijo, or "Sureshot") had died of a heart attack means the end of an era for the Marxist-inspired group that is now more criminal enterprise than insurgency. Marulanda,... A Needed Push in the Intelligence CommunityBy Douglas FarahMike McConnell, the director for national intelligence, recently announced a significant revision in how members of the Intelligence Community will be paid. Rather than rewarding employees for simply putting in time, the new pay system seeks to reward performance. As... Good News on the Libel FrontBy Douglas FarahToday there was good news on freedom of speech front, as the Wall Street Journal won a complete victory in a libel case involving terror finance issues. The lead reporter, the venerable Glenn Simpson, is now 4-0 since 9/11 in... Is Hezbollah the Premier Non-State Threat?By Douglas FarahThere is some serious re-evaluation of priorities in parts of the U.S. and European intelligence communities as to the who now poses the greatest strategic threat to the West-al Qaeda or Hezbollah. Hezbollah has publicly emerged in recent days the... The Criminal-Terrorist Nexus and the DEABy Douglas FarahIt is interesting to note the first major conviction in the United States in a drug case tied to radical Islamist movements, in this case, the Taliban. (Many more case documents can be found here.) “As an enemy of the... Handover of Terrorist Paramilitaries Could be Turning Point in ColombiaBy Douglas FarahColombian president Alvaro Uribe's decision to extradite 13 leaders of the paramilitary, terrorist-designated United Self Defense Forces (AUC) to the United States could be a milestone in Colombia's efforts to erradicate terrorism from all sides of the political spectrum. Uribe's... Jeff Breinholt Returns to DOJ and Bows Out of CTBBy Douglas FarahJeff Breinholt, who took a leave from the Department of Justice to serve as Director of National Security Law at the International Assessment and Strategy Center has now returned to active government service in DOJ. The board and contributors of... More on the FARC Documents Come to LightBy Douglas FarahLittle by little more of the thousands of documents captured from the FARC rebels in Colombia are coming to light and the picture is not pretty. While INTERPOL is reportedly set to declare the contents of the computers captured after... A Murder in MexicoBy Douglas FarahThe murder of Mexico's police chief signals just how serious the Mexican drug trafficking organizations are about taking on the Mexican state. And just how weak the Mexican state is. "This could have a snowball effect, even leading to the... Bad Omens in Latin AmericaBy Douglas FarahThe Associated Press today reports on how thinly spread U.S. Special Forces are in many parts of the world, including Latin America, at a crucial time. "We're going to fewer countries, staying for shorter periods of time, with smaller numbers... The Tragedy of the USS Cole CaseBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post this weekend carried an extensive and depressing look at how the main suspects in the USS Cole bombing have gone free. The most infuriating piece is on the freedom of Jamal al-Badawi, who helped organize the October... An Interesting Pairing at an MB ConferenceBy Douglas FarahIt is interesting to note that CAIR director Nihad Awad will soon be sharing center stage in a major conference with Mohammad Akram al-Adlouni, the probable author of the most damning documents made public during the Holy Land Foundation trial.... AG Mukasey's New Organized Crime CrackdownBy Douglas FarahAlmost as soon as my last post on the transnational threat of cigarette smuggling was posted, several alert friends sent me the recent speech by Attorney General Michael Mukasey at CSIS, where he announced a new effort to understand and... Cigarettes and the Criminal/Terrorist NexusBy Douglas FarahThe minority staff of the House Committee on Homeland Security has, as first reported by Fox News, posted an interesting report on the ties between cigarette smuggling and terrorism. The report focuses primarily on smuggling in New York and the... Deep Divisions in the Islamist WorldBy Douglas FarahOne of the more interesting things to me in the recent spate of statements by Ayman al-Zawahiri and other al Qaeda leaders is al Qaeda's need now to constantly and viciously attack other Islamist tendencies, particularly Iran and Shities, the... The Muslim Brotherhood and the Electoral ProcessBy Douglas FarahIf one wants to get a more realistic picture of how the Muslim Brotherhood and its international legacy organizations view voting and the democratic process than the usual platitudes of their public discourse, it is well worth reading the Guide... New Insights on the MB Convictions in EgyptBy Douglas FarahA few days ago Jeff Breinholt, my colleague on the Counterterrorism Blog noted a valuable new web resource, the Global Muslim Brotherhood Report, open to responsible researchers who are willing to provide a name and institutional affiliation. Today the site... A Deeply Disturbing Report on the Lack of Strategic ThinkingBy Douglas FarahThe General Accounting Office recently released a devastating reporton the lack of a coherent strategy governing the U.S. approach to dealing with the terrorist threat from Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATAs). This is true FIVE YEARS after the development... Somali Jihadists Clarify Stance on the United StatesBy Douglas FarahFor many months there was a debate inside the State Department and elsewhere in the policy community on how seriously to take the _jihadist_ threat from al-Shabaad al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia, and whether the group was really linked to al... Europe's Road Ever More DifficultBy Douglas FarahSeveral pieces today tie together to forma disturbing mosaic. The first two are the growing threat of radical Islam in Great Britain and the penetration of the structures of several elite universities there. The second is the new report by... The Atomization of Terrorist EffortsBy Douglas FarahAn interesting report by ABC News talks about the myriad ways terrorists are now trying to build explosives so they will be undetectable. It reminds me of two thing. The first is that, like the drug cartels, these folks are... What Does Iran Want From Latin America?By Douglas FarahYesterday I spoke at a program sponsored by the Hudson Institute's Latin America center on the growing ties among Iran, Venezuela, and non-state armed actors such as the FARC, and the strategic challenges these alliances pose for the United States.... Chavez's Sudden Interest in Combatting Drug TraffickingBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post today brings word of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez's suddenly intensified efforts to crack down on the booming drug trade through his country. Elite troops have been dispatched primarily to blow up rudimentary airstrips near the Colombian border.... Saudi Arabia's Terror Finance ProblemBy Douglas FarahThere is little willingness to tackle the Saudis anymore on the issue of cracking down on terror finance. Intelligence services here and in Europe know most of the money for the mujahadeed in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere still come from... NATO and Afghanistan-The Cost of FailureBy Douglas FarahFew in NATO, including U.S. leaders, appear willing to face the fact that the war in Afghanistan is growing to be one of the longest in our history and could be one of the costliest. Not just in economic terms,... "Fitna" and the Need to RespondBy Douglas FarahThe controversial Dutch film "Finta" by Geets Wilder, a member of parliament, has been released in English and is causing quite a stir. This includes the expected outcry from many quarters, including many Muslim groups. Riots are predicted in Pakistan,... Danger, Again, in SomaliaBy Douglas FarahAfter the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) was driven from power in Somalia by Ethiopian troops 15 months ago, the region, and its ongoing turmoil, largely fell from public view and the the official policy agenda. That is a serious mistake.... Danger Signs on the BorderBy Douglas FarahA tip of the hat (actually, two tips) to Todd Bensman of the San Antonio Express-News for two articles (one in his paper and one one his website) on the reality that Islamist terrorists have crossed the U.S. border, and... Bin Laden's New MessageBy Douglas FarahThere are several interesting aspects to Osama bin Laden's first, albeit brief, message of 2008, transcribed here by the NEFA Foundation. Clearly the senior al Qaeda leadership thought the issue was important enough to have bin Laden address it, something... Qaradawi: Bin Laden May Not be Responsible for 9/11 AttacksBy Douglas FarahThanks to Yousef al-Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood who still enjoys speaking publicly, we gain added insight into the group's thinking. In a recent interview with the al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper Qaradawi demonstrated the continued ambiguity of the... Russia Appealing to State Department to Free BoutBy Douglas FarahWell, that did not take long. According to my sources, confirmed by Bill Gertz in the Washington Times, Russia is actively seeking to get the State Department to help spring Viktor Bout from his Thai prison home. One of the... Chiquita Sued By U.S. Families for Support of the FARCBy Douglas FarahThe relatives of five American missionaries who were abducted and murdered by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) have filed suit against Chiquita Brands International Inc., accusing the banana company of secretly financing and arming the rebel (and terrorist)... What the FARC Documents ShowBy Douglas FarahFirst, a clarification. The documents taken from the laptop of FARC senior commander Raul Reyes when Reyes was killed had nothing to do with the arrest of arms merchant Viktor Bout in Thailand. My sources involved in the operation said... Now The Fun Begins With Russia Over Bout's ArrestBy Douglas FarahIt did not take the Russian government long to the Russian government friends and lawyers for the recently-arrested Viktor Boutto begin working to protect him again. The tactic now is to seek the extradition of Bout, arrested in Thailand in... Viktor Bout ArrestedBy Douglas FarahViktor Bout, the subject of my book with Steve Braun has been arrested in Thailand on charges of supplying weapons to the FARC in Colombia. Here is the complaint spelling out the details of the charge of conspiracy to provide... Qaradawi, Mughniyeh and QutbBy Douglas FarahFor those who retain doubts about the the true thinking and attitude of the international Muslim Brotherhood toward violence, it is always useful to look to Shiekh Yousef al-Qaradawi, their spiritual leader. While often portraying himself as a non-violent moderate... Chavez, FARC, Threaten Wider Regional ConflictBy Douglas FarahThe reaction of presidents Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and Rafael Correa of Ecuador to the killing of FARC commander Raul Reyes is now threatening to plunge South America into a disastrous conflict. "This could be the start of a war... Are We Really Just Beginning to Talk About "Soft Power" Now?By Douglas FarahA series of talks I have had recently echoed this Walter Pincus story in the Washington Post about the sudden recognition that "soft power" must be a vital component of any successful strategy to fight terrorism. "How do we and... NEFA Report: An Analysis of Spain's January's Suicide Bombers CaseBy Douglas FarahThe NEFA Foundation has published an paper looking at the January indictment of nine Pakistani and one Indian citizen for allegedly planning terrorist attacks near Barcelona, Spain. The paper looks at the case in the context of the rise in... Qaradawi Embraces Rt. Rev. Williams Call for Start of Sharia Law in BritainBy Douglas FarahThe basic, public premise of the Muslim Brotherhood's strategy for the conquest of Europe hinges on creating Muslim enclaves that are exempt from national laws and under sharia law-then steadily expanding those areas. So it is not surprising the group... Some Needed Congressional Questions on Saudi InfluenceBy Douglas FarahThe Investigative Project has just reproduced an important letter from Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va) requesting information from the Saudi-funded Center For Muslim Christian Understanding of Georgetown University. It is worth recalling that Saudi prince Alaweed bin Talal donated $20 million... Al Qaradawi on Violent Jihad and Revolts Against GovernmentsBy Douglas FarahIn a recent appearance al Jazeera, Muslim Brotherhood theologian Yousef al-Qaradawi took an interesting, but not unusual line on violent jihad-it is not wrong, but it is ineffective. In the midst of a discourse on the Caliphate, the need to... The Importance of Imad MughniyehBy Douglas FarahThe assassination of top Shite militant Imad Mughniyeh is important for many reasons, not the least of which was his long-standing ties to Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network and his crucial role as a link between the... Beware the Morphing of Al Qaeda in IraqBy Douglas FarahOne of the fundamental truths of dealing with networks, terrorist or otherwise, is that they will morph quickly to survive and adapt as the environment around them changes. This seems to be the case in Iraq, where, as we know... Acting In One's Own Self InterestBy Douglas FarahOne thing about extremist groups, particularly those that are based on religion, is that their members so believe that they are the exclusive possessors of the truth that they almost inevitably go to far, especially if they have power. The... One Step Forward, Several Back, in Efforts to Define the EnemyBy Douglas FarahAs my colleague Jeffrey Imm has recently noted, there has been a alarming few steps back in identifying the Salafist/jihadist threat we face in any way with a growing current of Islam. The new threat assessment, the State of the... Al-Libi's Life and Death Show Interesting ConnectionsBy Douglas FarahThe recent death of Abu Laith al-Libi in Pakistan shows several interesting things about the _jihadist_ groups operating in the Pakistan-Afghanistan region, and their ties to Iraq. The first is the prominent role that Libyans have been playing in recent... Another Drug Baron Found (Dead) in VenezuelaBy Douglas FarahOne of Colombia's main drug lords, who had a $5 million U.S. bounty on his head, has been found dead in Venezuela, where he had been living for some time. Wilber Varela, AKA "Soap," was a leader of the massively... Qaradawi and U.S. Organizations?By Douglas FarahThe International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), one of the main entities under federal investigation in Northern Virginia, is hosting its annual conference this year in Cape Town, South Africa. What is interesting is that the press release from the... Al Arian Loses Appeal on SubpoenaBy Douglas FarahThe ongoing legal saga of Sami al Arian, the former University of South Florida professor who confessed to working with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, continues, this time with a victory for the government. The NEFA Foundation has just posted... State Actors in Criminal/Terrorist PipelinesBy Douglas FarahStateless regions and/or failed states have become a hot, if often-shoddily- investigated topic in the counter-terrorism world. In my conception of the criminal/terrorist pipelines, there are important holes in general literature. One of the primary ones is the limited ability... The Jihadist Encryption CampaignBy Douglas FarahOne finds interesting articles in unexpected places these days. Recently Computerworld looked at the use of Jihadi encrytion on their websites. Shows how much the world has changed, when computer magazines start paying attention to this stuff. This includes... The Real Issue on the Latin American LandscapeBy Douglas FarahMy colleague Andrew Cochran's post on the threat (or not) to the Panama Canal seems to me to miss the larger picture of the threat from Latin America. That threat is contained in the recent statements by Adm. James Stavridis,... Another Indictment Shows Sophistication of Charity OperationsBy Douglas FarahThe Justice Department's announcement of the indictment of an Islamic charity for financially aiding a terrorist tied to al Qaeda and the Taliban, as well as a former U.S. congressman for lobbying on behalf of the group with money stolen... NEFA Report: The Criminal/Terrorist Nexus and Its PipelinesBy Douglas FarahThe NEFA Foundation has just published a paper looking at the criminal-terrorist nexus and the concept of "pipelines" to help frame new ways of looking at the threats and opportunities posed by the twin phenomena of global integration and global... A Winning Strategy for Terror Finance Prosecutions?By Douglas FarahAs numerous colleagues have mentioned here, the recent guilty verdicts in the CARE International charity case is an important one for the government. It is important to highlight the the strategy successfully used by the government in this case-forcing transparency... Chavez and the FARC-The UnveilingBy Douglas FarahThis weekend Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez publicly defended Colombia's FARC rebels as a "true army with a political project that must be respected and negotiated with. Coming on the heels of his belatedly successful efforts to free two hostages (leaving... The Islamist Argument on the KoranBy Douglas FarahIn the January 6 issue of the New York Times Book Review, Tariq Ramadan has an essay that argues, in its essence, that non-believers cannot really read or understand the Koran-because it speaks exclusively to believers. One's heart, Ramadan argues,... Way Too Close for ComfortBy Douglas FarahThe newly-released tape of the Iranian patrol boats pushing in on U.S warships shows just how close we are, routinely, to a major conflagration with unknowable consequences. That the crew of the USS Hopper did not open fire on the... Africa and AFRICOMBy Douglas FarahNOTE: The trial of former Liberian Charles Taylor resumed today in the Hague. It is an important test of the ability to hold dictators accountable for their actions. It is also an important part of the struggle against the ability... Kenya's Volatility Threatens the RegionBy Douglas FarahThe sudden spiral into near-chaos of much of Kenya, long regarded as one of the most stable nations in East Africa, is a powerful reminder of how quickly even seemingly-secure countries can edge toward the precipice. The sudden flaring of... The FARC's Cruel New Year's HoaxBy Douglas FarahThe Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) perpetrated a cruel hoax both on their friends (Hugo Chavez et al) and the families of the victims they have kidnapped and held for years. The FARC, a designated terrorist entity, is the... Odds and Ends at Year's EndBy Douglas FarahLike the stock market, this year had some ups and a lot of downs. Here is how it looks to me: On a macro level, the conflict is growing more chaotic. States cannot hold firm in the face of the... The Taliban and DrugsBy Douglas FarahWell, for those who have argued there is no smoking gun linking the Taliban to opium production, the jig is now up. NATO forces discovered 11 tons of processed opium in a Taliban stronghold in Afghanistan, meaning the opium was... The Changing Dynamic in Latin AmericaBy Douglas FarahSeveral recent stories highlight the growing dangers faced in Latin America, where many of the once-idealistic leaders of the old Left are now making alliances of convenience to counter U.S. influence in the region. The danger is the mixture of... A Bad Weekend for Law EnforcementBy Douglas FarahWell, it was a bad weekend for law enforcement officials on several continents, and a good one for the _jihadists_ and their support network. Thanks to Josh Lefkowitz of the NEFA Foundation for flagging these items. These cases illustrate key... Why al Qaeda 1.0 Still MattersBy Douglas FarahThe Dec. 11 attack in Algiers by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb shows that the old guard of al Qaeda, what some analysts call al Qaeda 1.0 (rather than the new, decentralized structure) still matters. As Craig Whitlock noted... Windows into the Jihadist MindsetBy Douglas FarahThe Middle East Media Research Institute and the NEFA Foundation offer two interesting and enlightening views into the current mindset of Islamist jihadis, particularly as it relates to the Iraq conflict. MEMRI transcribes and interview with a person claiming to... Guilty Pleas by FARC Operatives Show How Pipelines WorkBy Douglas FarahThree Colombians have pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting FARC guerrillasthrough efforts to launder money on behalf of the terrorist organization and alien smuggling. The case is important not only for putting FARC supporters and corrupt agents of the Colombian... Africa Slipping AwayBy Douglas FarahSecretary of State is reportedly uneasy over the faltering peace efforts across Africa, an unraveling that will have direct strategic and security implications for the United States. Among the top three problem spots, mostly ignored over the past decade, are... With Little Fanfare, Nada's Efforts to be Delisted FailBy Douglas FarahThe Swiss Supreme Court has ruled that Youssef Nada, a leader of the international Muslim Brotherhood, must stay on the list specially designated individuals implemented by the United Nations Security Council in the immediate aftermath of 9-11. The Nov. 27... Hamas, Teddy Bears in Sudan and the Muslim BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahThere are two places where the Muslim Brotherhood exercises governmental power-Sudan and the Palestinian territories. That is, where it controls the levers of the state. It seems to me it is worth looking at these states to see how the... Darfur (Again)By Douglas FarahTo the surprise of no one, the Muslim Brotherhood-dominated government of Sudan is making it impossible to deploy the promised peacekeeping mission in Darfur, the a senior UN official says. Jean-Marie Guehenno told the United Nations Security Council that excessive... Danger in AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post on Sunday carried a disturbing piece on Afghanistan, where the problems cited are part of a broader pattern of the same mistakes across the spectrum in the war with radical Islamists. After summing up the litany of... The Heart of the MatterBy Douglas FarahThe Middle East Quarterly, in an article called "Should Muslims Integrate into the West?" goes to much of my thinking on the crux of the issues between political Islam, espoused by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist organizations-some overtly violent... USAID and Possible Terrorist FundingBy Douglas FarahThe Chicago Tribune today brings word that USAID, purveyor of billions of dollars in aid around the world, cannot insure the money does not go to terrorist organizations. It is hard to believe that six years after 9/11, with the... The Criminal/Terrorist Pipeline to the United StatesBy Douglas FarahThe Justice Department recently unveiled a case that demonstrates the growing nexus between criminal and terrorist organizations. The case involves corrupt Colombia police officials facilitating the travel of informants purporting to be from the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia),... The Long Decline of Counter-Intelligence CapabilityBy Douglas FarahAs my colleagues have noted, the case of Nadia Nadim Prouty and her ability to illegally acquire citizenship, security clearances and sensitive employment in the FBI and CIA, raises many disturbing issues. But underlying this failure and numerous other penetration... A Dangerous Transfer of WealthBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post had a provocative article on the massive redistribution of oil wealth the new, record prices for oil, is causing. The reality of shifting resources from one section of the world to another is not unusual, although this... Islamists Waste Little Time in PakistanBy Douglas FarahDefense secretary Robert Gates is rightly concerned that the internal turmoil in Pakistan is distracting crucial efforts from tracking al Qaeda and the resurgent Taliban. "The concern I have is that the longer the internal problems continue, the more distracted... Winds of Military ChangeBy Douglas FarahIn recent weeks I have spent time at numerous events with U.S. military personnel across the different services, speaking, listening and watching as the senior officers challenge the assumptions they have help on the war on terrorism, Iraq, Afghanistan and... The Real Danger of Pakistan's ChaosBy Douglas FarahIt is clear that Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf has serious problems on his hands, and that his decision to impose marshal law is a setback for democracy. But the real long-term danger, as noted by Bruce Riedel in Newsweek is that... The Horn of Africa in DeclineBy Douglas FarahAl Qaeda and its affiliates in recent years have made no secret of their desire to open new hot war fronts that will drain the resources and willpower of the West. The Horn of Africa is clearly part of that... A Disturbing Pattern that Benefits TerroristsBy Douglas FarahThere is a disturbing story in today's Washington Post on the role the U.S. weapons market plays in arming Mexican drug cartels. "You're looking at the same firepower here on the border that our soldiers are facing in Iraq and... Finally, A Focus on the "Near" and Lethal EnemyBy Douglas FarahWhile Islamist terrorism has been the focus of almost all counter-terrorism policies since 9-11, there are some indications that the long-standing and equally intractable struggle with drug-related terrorist gangs is coming back on to the radar screen. It is worth... A Long-Term Crisis in Need of Immediate RemedyBy Douglas FarahA story in today's Washington Post mirrors much of what I have heard in recent discussions with military groups, focusing on a problem that will have long-term implications for fighting hot wars, large and small, in the near future. It... A Hung Jury in The Holy Land Foundation CaseBy Douglas FarahIn an ending worthy of a thriller, a Dallas judge today declared a mistrial in the case of the Holy Land Foundation. The government said it would retry the case. One person, Mohammed El-Mezain, was found not guilty of most... Qaradawi and the Muslim Brotherhood Go For Reconciliation, Embrace Jihad in Case of U.S. Attack on IranBy Douglas FarahYousef Qaradawi, the spiritual leader of the international Muslim Brotherhood, is reprising his role as mediator between the Sunni and Shi'ite groups. This time he is calling on all Muslims to defend Iran in case of a U.S. attack.Qaradawi's interview... The Jihadist FragmentationBy Douglas FarahMy colleague Evan Kohlmann has pointed out the dramatic infighting among the Islamist groups in Iraq. The significance of this willingness to publicly denounce each other and turn on each other is great, and the ability to exploit the current... The Unresolved Myseries of the A.Q. Khan NetworkBy Douglas FarahOne of the most dangerous unsolved mysteries in the shadow world of terror and counter-terror is the extent of the nuclear network of Pakistani nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan. How little the outside world has been able to glean about his... More From the HLF Exhibits on the Ikhwan in AmericaBy Douglas FarahWhile there are signs the deliberations in the case against the Holy Land Foundation are deadlocked, an ongoing review of government exhibits compiled by the NEFA Foundation are the gift that keep on giving in relation to the Muslim Brotherhood's... New, Interesting Tibit on HLF From the DutchBy Douglas FarahThe NEFA Foundation has translated a part of a new document from the Dutch government think tank Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek-en Documentatie Centrum (Scientific Research and Documentation Center), which has some interesting, if cryptic things to say about the Holy Land Foundation,... Suicide Bombers can Only Be Stopped by Attacking the NetworksBy Douglas FarahThere has been much written recently about the inability to halt young suicide bombers because of their willingness to die for their cause. It is one of the greatest difficulties facing forces on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. But,... Corruption and the War on TerrorBy Douglas FarahThe disheartening story in the Washington Post today highlights one of the greatest vulnerabilities in fighting terrorism anywhere in the world-high tolerance for corruption and the disgust this fuels in the populations. Having covered wars several continents, there has never... A Small Victory in the Drug War?By Douglas FarahU.S. drug officials are declaring new progress in the almost-forgotten war on drugs. The price of cocaine is up in major cities for the first time in decades, signaling a possible shortage of drug on the street. But even drug... IEDs and the Failure to Adapt on the BattlefieldBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post has devoted an inordinate amount of space to get into the nitty-gritty of one of the largest structural difficulties facing the military in the new wars it will be fighting-ability to adapt quickly to low-tech enemies. The... More Schisms Among Jihadists and Muslim Brothers in IraqBy Douglas FarahThe NEFA Foundation has translated a fascinating document from the main spokesperson for al Qaeda's Islamic State of Iraq (ISI). The message of Abu Omar al -Baghdadi is striking because it consists almost entirely of attacks on other Muslim groups,... Removal of ContentBy Douglas FarahIn light of the ongoing investigations into allegations that Alexis Debat has fabricated news stories, the Counterterrorism Blog has removed his contributions on the site, pending the outcome of the current controversies.... Another Round of Reform for the FBI-Will it Make a Difference?By Douglas FarahThere is another long-overdue reform brewing in how the FBI handles terrorism cases. This one, six years after 9/11, would finally bring together analysts and field agents in an effort to spot trends and set investigative strategies. This has been... A Time to Outline Iran-Al Qaeda TiesBy Douglas FarahOne of the more surprising things about Iran and the visit of its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is that Bush administration's unwillingness to lay out the case of Iran's unusual complicity with al Qaeda. I say unusual only because Shi'ite governments... The Sudden Rush of al Qaeda CommunicationsBy Douglas FarahPerhaps one of the most successful achievements of the old guard al Qaeda, besides staying alive, is the vast expansion of its propaganda outreach arm. Not only are the videos and tapes coming fast and furious, but in multiple languages... An Attempt at Education Rather than DeprivationBy Douglas FarahMilitant Islamists willing to pick up a gun to kill for the sake of Allah are a special breed whose legitimacy, both in their own eyes and the eyes of their peers, is largely dependent on their belief that they... A Look at the Hamas (Muslim Brotherhood) GovernmentBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post carries a fascinating look at the way Hamas, the West Bank branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, runs its government. The two trends that have made Islamist governments both accepted and disliked are clearly on display. The first... The Arrest of Diego Montoya and the Power of Drug CartelsBy Douglas FarahThis week brought the welcome news of the arrest of Diego Montoya, one of the world's largest drug traffickers and most wanted criminals. His organization worked both with right-wing paramilitary squads and the Marxist FARC rebels to move tons of... Counterterrorism Foundation NewsBy Douglas FarahToday the Counterterrorism Foundation, which operates the Counterterrorism Blog and of which I am a director, received a welcome letter from the IRS, informing us that CTF has been granted tax-exempt status under IRC Section 501(c)(3). The exemption is effective... U.S. Muslim Brotherhood Groups Called "Threat Organization" in DOD MemoBy Douglas FarahThe following recent, unclassified memorandum, a military intelligence analysis of some of the Holy Land Foundation documents, was sent to me by a friend concerned with these issues. For the first time that I know of, the Muslim Brotherhood organizations... The Importance and Unimportance of Bin Laden VideosBy Douglas FarahThere is an interesting debate ongoing over whether the mass media, and particularly Arab-language television, should broadcast and assign great importance to the videos of al Qaeda leaders, particularly Osama bin Laden. Do the broadcasts help create a mystique around... More Homegrown Jihadis-A Strength and a WeaknessBy Douglas FarahIt is interesting to note that two of the three suspects arrested in Germany for a possible plot were homegrown jihadists, not foreigners. This points to the growing trend before toward self-starting individuals who feel they must act on behalf... Minnesota Website Tells how to Wage JihadBy Douglas FarahThe Middle East Media Research Institute has a disturbing and interesting new report on an Islamist website hosted in Minnesota telling people how to join al Qaeda, how to attack high value targets and how to form a functioning cell.... Yassin Qadi and the Failure of UN/US SanctionsBy Douglas FarahYesterday's Wall Street Journal (available by subscription only) carried an important story on Yassin Qadi, the designated terrorist financier, and his ongoing ability to end-run the international sanctions by investing in Turkey. Qadi, who denies any ties to funding al... A Difference of Opinion on DOJ and ISNABy Douglas FarahI seldom publicly disagree with my colleagues on the CTB, but I must take exception to Daveed Gartenstein-Ross' characterization of the nature of the discussion within DOJ over the decision to attend the ISNA conference. I know, from talking at... The Drug-Terrorist ConnectionBy Douglas FarahThere is much written on terrorist financing and possible sources of radical Islamist financing. We write about the Saudis (true), commodities (true) and many other parts of the puzzle. But, as the latest U.N. assessment from Afghanistan shows, one of... New NEFA Foundation Report: The Ikhwan in North America: A Short HistoryBy Douglas FarahA new report is available for download from the Nine Eleven Finding Answers (NEFA) Foundation website, titled "The Ikhwan in North America", co-authored by NEFA consultant Douglas Farah and NEFA Director of Analysis and Research Ron Sandee. This report is... The Viral Spread of Explosive Technologies in the Land of JihadBy Douglas FarahOne of the most alarming things about the new transnationalism among terrorist groups is the rapid ability to transfer knowledge and technology, both through the the Internet and through individual training. The crossover of technologies is not new, and we... The Decentralized Networks of Terrorism and Transnational CrimeBy Douglas FarahOne of the truly alarming global developments, particularly since the 9/11 attacks, is the growing nexus between organized, transnational criminal groups and terrorist networks. In a thought-provoking Outlook piece in the Washington Post, Misha Glenny correctly notes the growing role... CAIR's Amicus Brief and Due DiligenceBy Douglas FarahNo one likes to see their dirty laundry and inner workings laundered in public. Which may at least partially explain CAIR's somewhat heated amicus brief in the Holy Land trial. So CAIR alleges that the Justice Department is part of... The Role of the Al Quds Force in Iran's Revolutionary GuardBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post brings the welcome news that the Bush administration is about to designate Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist entity. The Guard is certainly, in a broad sense, an agent of terror despite being directly and organically part... A Reminder of What the Saudis and Their Allies Really EspouseBy Douglas FarahThe official Saudi sponsorship of religious intolerance is not unknown, but every once in a while it is good to remember exactly who we are dealing with. This is especially true in the case of Saudi-supported charities and organizations operating... More Gleaned from Holy Land Trial ExhibitsBy Douglas FarahThe government exhibits in the Holy Land Foundation case in Dallas, Texas, bear close reading. These public documents, collected by the NEFA Foundation and others give a pretty clear picture of the Muslim Brotherhood structure, motives and aims in the... Thor Ronay Joins the Board of the Counterterrorism FoundationBy Douglas FarahWe are pleased to announce that Thor Ronay, the president of International Assessment and Strategy Center, a non-profit policy research corporation, has joined the board of the Counterterrorism Foundation. Thor Ronay is a terrorism and national security consultant to the... Some of the Missing Weapons in Iraq Flown by Bout AircraftBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post brings the disturbing news of tens of thousands of weapons that were supposed to be delivered to Iraq from Bosnia that are now unaccounted for. In fact, the number is likely far larger than the 190,000 mentioned... The Smoking Gun on the Muslim Brotherhood's AgendaBy Douglas FarahOne of the most fascinating exhibits presented by the prosecution in the Holy Land Foundation case (provided by researchers for the NEFA Foundation) is a memorandum on the Muslim Brotherhood's multifaceted plan to convert the United States to an Islamic... Lessons From the Past for Iraq and AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahI recently spent a week in my old stomping grounds, El Salvador, from whence I covered the nearly-forgotten wars of the 1980s. I was able to talk to many of my friends from both sides of the bloody conflict about... The Growing Saudi ConundrumBy Douglas FarahWell, six years after 9/11, the Saudis continue to be a major obstacle in the fighting radical Islam, while remaining a necessary partner because of the oil reserves. Two recent stories shed a clear light on the huge damage the... Somalia Still BleedsBy Douglas FarahSomalia is still bleeding, and in critical condition. My sources working the region say the Union of Islamic Courts leadership is safely operating from bases in Eritrea. They are being armed by Russian planes with Ukrainian or Tajik crews, flying... The U.S. Moves on Hezbollah CharitiesBy Douglas FarahThe U.S. Treasury Department today announced the sanctioning of Hezbollah-funding organizations, including one with a branch operating inside the United States. The first is the Martyrs Foundation, including the Goodwill Charitable Organization in Dearborn, Michigan. The Treasury statement says the... What of the Push Factors in Answer to "Why do they hate us?"By Douglas FarahIt has become quite fashionable now to give a relatively small group of Muslim scholars free rein to talk, unchallenged, about what Islam does and does not teach. In the Sunday Washington Post, the Outlook section devoted most of this... Bout's Planes Still At ItBy Douglas FarahThe Times of London has just outed another aircraft tied to Viktor Bout by U.N. reports, to arming Islamist radicals in the Horn of Africa. The undercover sting operation by the newspaper found that a Russian, Alexander Radionov, whose Antonov... Use All Available Tools to Fight TerrorismBy Douglas FarahInternational law enforcement and intelligence bodies are only as effective and useful as the people in them and the political will of various countries. Open source information is only as useful as the willingness to look for it and use... New Insights into the Clandestine Muslim Brotherhood Work in the United StatesBy Douglas FarahThanks to my colleague Jeff Breinholt's new post we have new insights into the long-standing, clandestine nature of the Muslim Brotherhood in the United States. A 1959 court case, a public record that had remained unexamined for decades, reprints the... Cal Thomas v. CAIR et alBy Douglas FarahAn interesting brouhaha developed over the July 4 holiday when Cal Thomas chose to speak out on WTOP on CAIR and the other Muslim Brotherhood groups operating in the United States. CAIR cried foul, as it is wont to do,... Zawahiri, Great Britain and NetworksBy Douglas FarahIn the face of intense propaganda and terrorist activities by al Qaeda and its affiliated groups, it is sometimes useful to step back and remind ourselves that, despite the swirl of activity, the enemy is fallible, fails more often than... The Shifting Hamas-Al Qaeda RelationshipBy Douglas FarahThe recent shift in al Qaeda's stance on Hamas is perhaps the best reality check for the relationship between groups that seek political power through strictly violent methods and those who dip their toes in the political arena. In March,... Chavez on the Move (Again)By Douglas FarahVenezuelan president Hugo Chavez has just completed another tour of his "strategic partners," including Russia and Iran. The trip comes as Venezuelan territory is increasingly being used by Colombian drug traffickers as a safe haven and way station to move... The Bush Administration's Outreach Program to IslamistsBy Douglas FarahThe New York Sun writes that the Bush administration is quietly laying the groundwork for reaching out to the Muslim Brotherhood. What it doesn't say is that the Muslim Brotherhood, through its chapter in the United States (CAIR, ISNA et... Monzar al Kassar and the Criminal-Terrorist NexusBy Douglas FarahThe Drug Enforcement Administration's arrest last week in Spain of Monzar al Kassar, a major-league weapons trafficker, shows how closely connected the worlds of organized criminal activity and terrorism have become. Al Kassar is a creature of the Cold War,... The Fragmentation of the Traditional Jihadist StructuresBy Douglas FarahOne of the extremely significant and accelerating factor in the current development of Islamist groups is the rapid and visible fragmentation of the various jihadist infrastructures. It seems clear that Iran is increasingly willing to aid non-state armed group, even... The Muslim Brotherhood (Hamas) Now Faces Difficult DecisionsBy Douglas FarahOne of the most interesting things about the current Hamas move to consolidate its power in the Palestinian territories is the question of how that move will play with Salafi/wahhabist groups in their love-hate relationship with Hamas. It is necessary... A Small Step ForwardBy Douglas FarahWell, it seems that after the Department of Justice's decision to name CAIR and ISNA as unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land case, the senior leadership at the DOJ has suddenly discovered "scheduling conflicts" that will not allow its leaders... Dangerous, but Perhaps Necessary, AlliancesBy Douglas FarahThe U.S. military and intelligence community appear to have concluded that the only way to fight the al Qaeda-related groups in Iraq is to enlist the help of Sunni groups hostile to the United States. This is a risky strategy... With CAIR, ISNA as Unindicted Co-Conspirators in Terrorism Case, Will USG Policy Toward them Change?By Douglas FarahHow many organizations designated as uninindicted co-conspirators in terrorism-related cases still get invited not only to participate, but to play lead roles in major U.S. government events? Not many, but there seems to be an exception for the Islamist-Muslim Brotherhood... Taylor on Trial, Chichakli Slapped Down by CourtBy Douglas FarahFormer Liberian warlord Charles Taylor, almost unnoticed, made his first non-appearance before the special court that has charged him with 11 counts of crimes against humanity. Saying he was being railroaded, and having fired his attorney in order to conduct... The Possible Threat from Latin AmericaBy Douglas FarahEarlier this year I wrote a paper for the International Assessment and Strategy Center on the Islamist threat from Latin America. What I found, after spending decades in Latin America, was startling, because of the clear focus both Hezbollah and... Possible Glimmer of Some (Modest) Hope in IraqBy Douglas FarahI am not optimistic about Iraq. But there a few glimmers that make me think that, for reasons that have little to do directly with U.S. policy, the situation, at least as far as al Qaeda-related groups go, may improve.... A Welcome Victory for Freedom of ExpressionBy Douglas FarahToday brings the welcome news that the Islamic Society of Boston has folded its cards in the middle of the discovery process, and dropped its defamation lawsuit against Steve Emerson's Investigative Project and several Boston-area news organizations. Like CAIR and... What's Missing from the Sudan SanctionsBy Douglas FarahThe Treasury Department sanctions on Sudan announced today are an important and long-overdue effort to ratchet up pressure on the Islamist government of that nation to halt the genocide aimed at cleansing the non-Muslim population from Darfur. The sanctions, part... The Looming ConfrontationBy Douglas FarahThe panorama of Islamist violence and activism that is surging in several places in the world is not encouraging: The deteriorating situation in Lebanon, where al Qaeda threatens to retaliate if the Lebanese army attacks Fatah al Islam in the... A Look at the Polls, Some Good News, Some ScaryBy Douglas FarahThe recently released Pew poll of Muslims living in the United States has come up with some interesting numbers that are both heartening and scary. One of the finding, not related to the content of the poll, is that the... The Shifting Balance in the Jihadist/Salafist MovementBy Douglas FarahThe Los Angeles Times has a story laying out what my sources have been saying for some time: The al Qaeda affiliates in Iraq are now in a more dominant position within the overall al Qaeda structure, in part because... A Reprise of Sheikh al-QaradawiBy Douglas FarahIt is always interesting to me to see what the supposed "moderates" with whom so many want an "interfaith dialogue" really have to say, in their own words, to their preferred audiences. Because we are largely unable to grasp the... Colombia's Mounting ProblemsBy Douglas FarahThings are going from bad to worse in Colombia at a time when we can ill afford further exposure on the southern flank. As the Washington Post reports today, the reform of the police and military is far from completed.... The Caliphate, AgainBy Douglas FarahThe Times of London notes the increasing importance the al Qaeda-affiliated groups on Iraq are placing on establishing a militant Islamist state in the Sunni regions of Iraq. My colleague Evan Kohlmann has a translation of a leader of al... Nigeria Faces Growing HurdlesBy Douglas FarahNigeria seems to be constantly on the brink of implosion. The recent elections, badly marred by fraud and a distinct lack of transparency, moved the nation on step closer to a conflict that would have direct security implications for the... Losing the Very YoungBy Douglas FarahThere is a deeply disturbing story from AP on how Hamas reaches the youngest children for recruitment. The results, in the form of suicide bombers and the spiral of violence, are hard to miss. Using a Mickey Mouse knock-off called... The Muslim Brotherhood's Big LieBy Douglas FarahAlmost since the beginning of the current debate over the nature of the Muslim Brotherhood and engagement vs. confrontation policy with the "moderate" group, one theme has been repeated by those who favor dialogue with the group. Unfortunately, the central... Death, Confusion and NetworksBy Douglas FarahThe recent announcement of the death of Muharib Abdul Latif al-Jubouri in Iraq, and the confusion surrounding the possible deaths of other leaders, highlight the importance of the network-based Islamist insurgencies in Iraq and elsewhere. As the deaths of Zarqawi... Qutbism and the Muslim BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahOne of the interesting threads emerging on the debate over the Muslim Brotherhood is the comparative weight of the "reformist" wing of the _Ikhwan_ versus the "Qutbists" who follow Sayyid Qutb's teachings on the need to destroy the West and... Military Problems on the HorizonBy Douglas FarahI have spent time with military officials and civilian DOD officials in different parts of the country in recent weeks, and found a disturbing consensus on events, which, if correct, will have long-term implications for our national security. The first... A Disturbing New Look at the Origins of Suicide BombersBy Douglas FarahThere is no doubt that suicide bombers, routinely used now in the Islamist struggles in Afghanistan, Iraq, the West Bank and elsewhere, have radically changed the face of modern warfare. Figuring out what moves people to self-select into the group,... What is Missing from Chertoff's "War" AssessmentBy Douglas FarahIt was heartening to see Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff clear-eyed view of al Qaeda's objectives.. The administration has often not articulated such a vision with such clarity. But there is a disturbing absence in his analysis, one that has... The Deteriorating Panorama in Africa and the WorldBy Douglas FarahAs Islamists continue their offensive in Somalia, there are several other key indicators that the violent wahhabist movement across Africa is growing. The deteriorating situation in Somalia and Africa is symptomatic of other setbacks in fighting the Islamists on numerous... The Wrong Decision on SudanBy Douglas FarahYesterday President Bush was to unveil the long-anticipated "Plan B" for sanctioning the Sudanese regime for the genocide in Darfur. But at the last minute Bush accepted a plea to wait. The Sudanese government had again asked for more time... An Islamist Resurgence in Nigeria?By Douglas FarahNews reports from northern Nigeria indicate that a group of Islamist radicals have executed some 13 policemen in what could be a resurgence of the Nigerian "Taliban" or other al Qaeda-affiliated group. The movement is not new. It first surfaced... The Islamist Charm OffensiveBy Douglas FarahThe Islamist front is clearly on a broad charm offensive. The results are impressive. We have the Foreign Affairs piece, op-eds in both the Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal, the friendly forum for 4.5 hours of undisputed discourse from... The Spreading al Qaeda NetworkBy Douglas FarahThe recent attack in Algeria by Al Qaeda's Committee in the Islamic Maghreb in Algeria, coupled with the re-emergence and spread of the Islamist presence in Somalia, clearly show two things: 1) That the macro strategy of the core al... The Ineffectiveness of the UN Travel Bans Exposed (Again)By Douglas FarahWell, if we needed further evidence of the lack of effectiveness of the United Nations travel ban lists (supposedly obligatory lists that ban the individual from traveling from his/her home country), we need look no further. Just ask Gen. Mohammad... Libya's Qaddafi Tries the Role of Islamist UniterBy Douglas FarahEver the chameleon on the international stage, Libyan dictator Muamar Qaddafi is making a play to return to his Islamic roots and play the role that Sudan did under the leadership of Hasan al-Turabi-a bridge between Shi'ite and Sunni camps... Enabling Terrorism and Chaos in AfricaBy Douglas FarahOne of the abiding tragedies of Africa is the twin curse of brutal and corrupt leaders and the unwillingness of the region's less brutal leaders to take corrective action. The latest, long-running train wreck is Robert Mugabe's thuggery and kleptocracy... The Mujahadeen on the Move?By Douglas FarahThere are several developments, and provocative articles, that point to a broadening of the _jihadi/Salafist_ network and its increasing reach and sophistication. None of this bodes well for the United States, now locked in a political showdown over Iraq and... More Small Steps on Viktor BoutBy Douglas FarahToday the U.S. Treasury Department took another step to crimp the style of Russian weapons trafficker Viktor Bout. The OFAC freezing action of seven companies and three individuals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) followed yesterday's similar action by... Saudis Edging Away from the United States in Counterterror EffortsBy Douglas FarahTies are seriously fraying between the Saudi royals and the Bush administration, largely because the Saudis appear to have abandoned any pretext of confronting terrorism and instead have returned full bore to the long-held tradition of co-opting or buying opponents.... The Sudan Crisis and the Muslim BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahLast weekend, as today's Washington Post editorial reminds us, the EU again huffed and puffed about doing something about Darfur. The situation is "intolerable" Mr. Blair said, adding that the actions of the Sudanese government were "completely unacceptable." Ms. Merkel... A Response, and Response, on Issues of the Muslim BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahRobert Leiken and Steven Brooke, the co-authors of the recent Foreign Affairs piece called "The Moderate Muslim Brotherhood," have posted this response to my, and others', strong disagreement with their premise that U.S. policy should include a dialogue with the... Somalia Deteriorates (Again)By Douglas FarahThe news out of Somalia is again grim. The Islamist groups, capitalizing on the incompetence and inability of the government to do anything and its unwillingness to try to give a broad swath of the population a true stake in... How Poorly (and Dangerously) We Understand the Islamist AgendaBy Douglas FarahTwo disturbing writing receiving widespread circulation in recent day tell me a great deal about how many Muslims in the United States perceive themselves and why U.S. policy is so far, and dangerously off the mark in countering the threat... Iran to Appeal Interpol Red Notices in Argentina Bombing CaseBy Douglas FarahIran says it will appeal Interpol's formal finding that there is enough evidence to issue "red noticies" for five senior Iranian officials and one Lebanese in the 1994 bombing of the Jewish center in Buenos Aires. Today's announcement by Interpol,... Sudan Found Liable for Terrorism in USS Cole TrialBy Douglas FarahA federal judge in Norfolk, Virginia today found the government of Sudan liable for terrorism for the Oct. 12, 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in the port of Aden, Yemen. "There is substantial evidence in this case presented by... Zawahiri's Unprecedented Attack on Hamas Could Signal Spilt with Muslim BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahAyman Zawahiri, al Qaeda's deputy leader, issued an unprecedented and blistering attack against Hamas over the weekend, perhaps signaling a permanent rupture between the armed wing of the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda-led jihadist movements. The translation I am using... The Difference Between Failed and Criminal States and Why it MattersBy Douglas FarahIn academic and policy circles there is growing concern about the phenomena of failed states, fragile states, grey areas, "black holes" or any number of other names for areas that are not in control of a central government. As the... Bush in Latin America: Too Little, Too Late?By Douglas FarahThe overall agenda for Bush's belated trip to Latin America is clearly to try to counter the influence of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Iran's new best friend in the hemisphere and weapons purchaser extraordinaire. As my friend Jorge Castaneda writes,... Small But Important Steps on Iran, Hezbollah and ArgentinaBy Douglas FarahInterpol, the international police organization, has finally taken the necessary step of issuing red notices, the equivalent of international arrest warrants, against five senior Iranian and one senior Hezbollah official for the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in... Pakistan's Downward SpiralBy Douglas FarahIt is difficult in the best of times to get good information from the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, but my sources who visit the region regularly said the situation is even worse than the dire situation already written... A Small But Important Step on DarfurBy Douglas FarahThe International Criminal Court took the small but important step of naming names in the Darfur atrocities, homing in on the inner circle of president Omar Hassan al-Bashir. The ICC outlines the clear lines of responsibility of senior government officials... What Makes Iran so Different From Other Potential TargetsBy Douglas FarahIt is clear that Iran will not halt its nuclear program. How far away the nation is to being able to build a bomb is the subject of much debate, and I don't know enough to opine. But one thing... Iran's Move in Latin AmericaBy Douglas FarahSeems like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela is not the only one who is entering into new strategic alliances with Iran while much of the world is backing away. It is not much of a surprise that Nicaragua's new/old president Daniel... Problems with DOJ's Counterterrorism NumbersBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post today carried a look at problems with the Justice Department's accounting of the number of terrorism cases it handles and other issues. One thing stands out: the statement that U.S. attorneys "counted hundreds of terrorism cases that... Time to Come to Grips with Russia's Real AgendaBy Douglas FarahSecretary of State Rice seems baffled by Vladimir Putin's recent speech denouncing the United States in some of the harshest terms possible, as Anne Applebaum eloquently points out in the Washington Post. But the time for treating Russia like a... Al Qaeda's Propaganda Machine Kicks Into High GearBy Douglas FarahThis past week has been interesting for the sudden re-emergence of the high-profile al Qaeda/salafist propaganda machine, showing a broad range of Islamist actions to demonstrate the movement is alive and well, and triumph is inevitable. The different fronts in... Too Few Lessons Learned Too LateBy Douglas FarahTwo very pessimistic reports on the combat situation in Afghanistan point to the fundamental risk there of failure, a risk that is also very high in Somalia, where the same mistakes are being repeated by the United States, the local... The More Things Change...By Douglas FarahSeveral recent events show just how little the world has changed since 9-11, despite promises, proclamations, and flat-out falsehoods that try to paint a different picture. The two incidents that stand out are the Saudi arrests of 10 "terrorist financiers,"... The Muslim Brotherhood Triumph in the Palestinian TerritoriesBy Douglas FarahThe big winner in the Hamas-Fatah peace pact appears to be the Muslim Brotherhood, of which Hamas is an armed branch. While giving up very little Hamas, through the intercession of leaders of the Brotherhood, has sidestepped the issue of... What is Going on in Madagascar?By Douglas FarahIt is passing strange that Madagascar, the large island off of East Africa, has come up several times in the past week in relation to terrorism and terror finance. The first was the death of Osma bin Laden's brother-in-law Mohammed... A New Look at Wahhabism in Saudi ArabiaBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post carries on a prominent academic who argues that wahhabism in Saudi Arabia emerged not solely from religious motivation, but from political considerations as well. This reinterpretation core Saudi history by Khalid al-Dakhil has been largely blocked from... Hamas Verdicts and New MethodsBy Douglas FarahAs Matt Levitt wrote of yesteray's verdict in the Hamas trial: "The case highlights the difficulty of prosecuting individuals for their support to terrorist groups when that support is conducted under the cover of humanitarian or political activity." This is... A Peek Into Islamist Banking in the United StatesBy Douglas FarahThe Wall Street Journal has a fascinating story (viewable for free for a few days) on the criminal tax investigation launched by the Justice Department into the activities of one of the largest Islamist banking entities-Dar al-Maal Al- Islami Trust... Africa: Different Paths to Success and FailureBy Douglas FarahThe designation of two South Africans for suspected ties to al Qaeda is the latest public evidence of the radical Islamist pipeline that runs through the heart of sub-Saharan Africa. The U.S. military and part of the Intelligence Community are... A Serious Problem with the SurgeBy Douglas FarahThe Bush administration has finally turned its attention in a serious way to the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. It has, of course, been seriously deteriorating for some time and the attention is likely to be brief. Afghanistan has been the... Is Iran Reaching Too Far in Iraq?By Douglas FarahTwo new publications show that Iran may have tried to reach too far in extending its influence through Iraq and into the rest of the Arab world. The result could be increasing clashes and all-out war between the Salafist project... The Closing Window in SomaliaBy Douglas FarahAlready the transitional government in Somalia appears to have almost completely squandered the small chance it had to begin to restore the country to some form of functionality. Jendayi Frazer, the State Department's point person on Somalia, acknowledges that time... Britain's "Moderate" IslamistsBy Douglas FarahA recent hidden camera taping of what is really taught in one of Britain's most influential "moderate" mosques tells you all you need to know about what these groups really believe. Channel 4 took the courageous approach of infiltrating the... Ahmadinejad's Excellent Latin American AdventureBy Douglas FarahIran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is making a swing through Latin America this week, his second tour in four months, to cultivate anti-U.S. allies, using trade and ideology as his weapons. He is visiting leaders of what he hopes will be... Pessimism in the Intelligence CommunityBy Douglas FarahThe overwhelmingly negative assessment of the U.S. counter-terrorism strategy laid out by John Negroponte and other leaders of the intelligence community in the annual worldwide threat assessment was surprisingly under-reported. But buried in the bleak assessment, one of the starkest... The Strategy on SomaliaBy Douglas FarahThe U.S. efforts to help dismantle the ICU Islamists in Somalia, with proxy forces defending their own national interests, is a model that we will likely seeing with increasing frequency in more remote areas of the world where the Islamist... The Wrong Questions on SomaliaBy Douglas FarahPart of the policy debate over what do to (or what should have been done) about Somalia centers on the question of the relationship between al Qaed and the Islamic Court movement. Ambassador David Shinn of Georgetown University and many... Iran's Grande SchemesBy Douglas FarahIt appears that Iranian special Quds Forces are directly aiding Sunni _jihadist_ forces in Iraq, along with the Shi'ite militias, as reported here. But it is highly-calibrated assistance, not to the old regime's Baathist groups, but to individuals directly tied... Somalia: The Next Step?By Douglas FarahEthiopia's quick dispatch the Council of Islamic Courts in Somalia has opened the way for the next step, which is seldom any easier than the first: rebuilding shattered institutions while providing the security that brought the Courts the support that... The Lessons of 2006By Douglas FarahThe primary lesson I take away from 2006 is that we often do not believe what we see in front of us, to our own detriment and danger. The most obvious example is the Islamist triumph in Somalia, begun in... The Somali War Spills OverBy Douglas FarahThe battle for control of Somalia by the Islamic Courts Union has spilled over into an international conflict with Ethiopia and poses a significant threat to the entire Horn of Africa region. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross has posted on some of the... The Rationale of the Zawahiri StatementsBy Douglas FarahTo many, the statements of al-Zawahiri and other radical Islamists on elections and _jihad_ can be interpreted as the rantings of mad mullahs who hate freedom and the West. But a careful reading of Islamist texts, provided by such authors... Blind Spots on SomaliaBy Douglas FarahOne of the most astonishing statements in today's Washington Post look at Somalia comes from John D. Negroponte, the director of national intelligence. Negroponte said that "I don't think there are hard and fast views," on al Qaeda in Somalia,... A Chilling Look at the Taliban's SuccessBy Douglas FarahIn a fascinating find Newsweek has published a nine-page "book of rules" that the Taliban is distributing in its areas of control in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The list itself is not earth-shattering, a list of principles to guide its militants... The Generational WarBy Douglas FarahIt is not a popular thing to say in public circles, but there is a growing awareness of the the nature of the Islamist threat to the United States and the West in the Pentagon and elsewhere. In an interview... Why the Jihadis are Feeling GoodBy Douglas FarahSeveral developments towards the year's end show what a good few months it has been for the worldwide jihadi movement. These are not marginal shifts in the success of the Salafist military project, but significant gains that demonstrate some of... Is Hezbollah Opening Franchises in Latin America?By Douglas FarahThere is growing concern, both in the U.S. intelligence community and among other groups, that Hezbollah, after years of careful infrastructure building, is now more actively forming franchise operations in Venezuela, Paraguay, Colombia and elsewhere. Today the Treasury Department's Office... The Next War is Already BeginningBy Douglas FarahAs the Bush administration struggles to find a way forward in Iraq, the next major conflict there is already underway by proxy armies determined to impose their own agenda in the ugly situation that is likely to get uglier soon.... A Belated Acknowledgement on SomaliaBy Douglas FarahFinally, rather than pretending Somalia is an unimportant side show in fighting Islamists in Africa, a senior official has actually acknowledged what is really happening. Jendayi Frazer, the State Department's head of Africa, told reporters that al Qaeda is operating... What is Russia's Real Game (Again, with Viktor Bout?)By Douglas FarahWhat is Russia's real role in the efforts to combat terrorism? While the Bush administration seems to cling to the notion that Russia is an ally, there are several developments that point in the opposite direction. The first, of course,... Unified Africa Command Would be Important StepBy Douglas FarahWith Somalia largely in the hands of fundamentalist Islamist groups, the Democratic Republic of Congo reeling in the efforts to hold free and fair elections, the Darfur crisis and its spillover to other countries, and reports of increased activity of... The Danger of Empowering Terrorist StatesBy Douglas FarahThe assassination of Lebanese Industry Minister Pierre Gemayel, a vocal opponent of Syrian involvement in the country and a leader of the country's Maronite Christian minority, shows the dangers of engaging terrorist states in dialogue as if they were not... Nexus of Afghan and Iraqi Jihadists Deepens, Posing Serious DangerBy Douglas FarahAl Qaeda and related groups are increasingly able to coordinate forces and training among groups fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq, forming a dangerous and growing nexus on two fronts. While the al Qaeda contingent in Iraq is not dominant in... New Study Sheds Light on Islamist ThoughtBy Douglas FarahThe Combating Terrorism Center at West Point has just released a study of _jihadi_ literature, analyzing who the most influential thinkers in the movement are, based on a year of mining the most influential texts and web writings. The New... What Do Iran's Actions Mean for Islamist Terrorism?By Douglas FarahAs my colleague Jeffrey Imm points out on the Counterterrorism Blog, there are reports of Iran's attempt to gain influence in the traditional al Qaeda structure. This an interesting development, especially when coupled with another, equally ominous and interesting development:... Britain's Growing Islamist ProblemBy Douglas FarahThe stunning public statement by Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller that Britain's domestic intelligence agency MI5 is tracking some 200 Islamist cells with some 1,600 members who "actively engaged in plotting or facilitating terrorist acts here and overseas." shows just how deeply... Hamas' Call for Attacks on Americans is New ThreatBy Douglas FarahIn the wake of reports that an Israeli tank strike killed 18 people in the Gaza Strip, Hamas' military wing issued a call for Muslims around the world to attack American targets. This is dangerous for several reasons. One is... Our Ambiguity on the Muslim BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahThe United States and most of Europe has maintained what can be called, at best, an ambivalent policy toward the international Muslim Brotherhood, often arguing that leaders of the _Ikwan_ are, in fact moderates who want a dialogue with the... Africa, China and the Shifting World OrderBy Douglas FarahSudan's president, Omar Hassan al-Bashir, claims that a U.N. peacekeeping force to stop his well-financed and brutal Islamist campaign in Darfur would turn his country into "another Iraq." The statement is not as surprising or as menacing as the venue... Jihad, Zakat and Words from the MasterBy Douglas FarahThere is an extensive campaign by CAIR and other Islamist groups to portray jihad as a purely spiritual struggle a good Muslim wages to overcome personal evil. It is also a point made often by the "moderates" of the Muslim... More Action on Weapons Trafficker Viktor BoutBy Douglas FarahThe Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took the unusual step of redesignating arms trafficker Viktor Bout and some of his henchmen for their activities in arms trafficking in the troubled Democratic Republic of Congo. The move was... Small Progress in ArgentinaBy Douglas FarahAfter 12 years of dogged work hindered by corrupt judges and investigators in their own ranks, Argentine prosecutors have finally reached the point of asking a federal judge to order the arrest of senior Iranian and Hezbollah officials for the... Knowing the Enemy, Understanding the EnemyBy Douglas FarahOne of the greatest weaknesses five years after 9-11 is the striking inability of the political leadership and body politic to define and reach a consensus on who the Islamist enemy is and what the enemy wants. There is a... The Shi'ite-Sunni Divide and Our IgnoranceBy Douglas FarahMy friend Jeff Stein had a deeply disturbing op-ed piece in the New York Times a few days ago on the inability of senior law enforcement and intelligence officials, along with senior members of Congress-all dealing extensively with the Islamist... More Bad News on DarfourBy Douglas FarahA new report by the UN monitoring group for Sudan paints a grim picture of the deteriorating situation in Sudan, largely at the hands of the government-backed _janjaweed_ and now, Chadian rebels allied with Khartoum. (Link to come) The situation... Lack of Language Proficiency Shows Broader Problems in Fighting IslamistsBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post's stunning revelation that only 33 of the FBI's 12,000 agents have even minimal Arabic-none working on terrorism issues-is a symptom of a much broader problem within much of the law enforcement and intelligence communities. The Post piece... In Somalia, Islamists' Rapid Gains Leave Room for ChangesBy Douglas FarahThe Union of Islamic Courts, the Islamist movement that has taken over much of Somalia, may already be running into difficulty sustaining its rapid gains. Like most Islamist movements such as the Taliban and al Qaeda, little thought appears to... Al Qaeda's Growing Threat in North and East AfricaBy Douglas FarahAs noted recently by the Washington Post's Craig Whitlock, the formal merger of the Algerian-based Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) is an enormously important development of the jihadist plans for northern and western Africa. As Zawahiri stated in... The Brotherhood's Early Ties to Violent IslamBy Douglas FarahA new document by the West Point Combating Terrorism Centerexamines the 1,600 page Islamist treastise by veteran jihadi thinker, propagandist, and historian Abu Mus’ab al-Suri. Published in 2005, the jihadi document lists 25 “paradigmatic jihadi movements,” or particularly edifying historical... Letter Offers Insight to al Qaeda, Points to Role of the BrotherhoodBy Douglas FarahToday's Washington Post has a fascinating look into the Salafist jihadi movements. The internal letter from the al Qaeda leadership to Zarqawi from December 2005 was translated and provided by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and is available... Some Reasons Tariq Ramadan Was Denied A VisaBy Douglas FarahThere has been some outcry and dismay over the U.S. government decision to deny a visa to Tariq Ramadan, one of the new generation of leaders of the international Muslim Brotherhood, who has achieved near superstar status among Muslims in... Some Thoughts on the NIEBy Douglas FarahAdmittedly, we have only a few declassified pages of the National Intelligence Estimate, so there are clearly issues that remain classified, and some of these might be addressed there. But it is striking that the "Trends in Global Terrorism: Implications... "Political Islam," Islamists and the War on TerrorBy Douglas FarahThe U.S. intelligence community has only a single office devoted to understanding political Islam. That is one of the stunning nuggets contained in the recent House Intelligence Committee Report on threats to the United States. That information, coupled with an... Somalia and the Establishment of the Islamist CaliphateBy Douglas FarahThe situation is going from bad to worse in Somalia, as the Islamist leaders become more and more like the Taliban and less and less the moderates they pretended to be. A population beaten down by years of abuse and... An Important Step at the CIABy Douglas FarahIn an interview published in today's Washington Post CIA director Michael V. Hayden made a small but extremely important comment on how he plans to change the agency, particularly the analysis side. He said expertise and "time on target" would... The Islamist Response to the Pope's CommentsBy Douglas FarahI am neither Catholic nor Jewish, but it strikes me as obscene that Islamists would respond with pre-arranged violence to the Pope's recent comments on the nature of Islam and the acceptability of forced conversions, or conversions by the sword.... Measuring the Collapse of Traditional StatesBy Douglas FarahThe latest World Bank study on failed and failing states (now called "fragile states") shows just how rapidly the global situation is deteriorating. As reported in the Washington Post by Karen DeYoung, the number of states that could provide logistical... Is Al Qaeda Changing Strategies?By Douglas FarahAl Qaeda (meaning the core group led by bin Laden) seems to be adjusting its strategy in the wake of the relative success of Hezbollah in its recent war with Israel. Rather than letting Hezbollah and Shi'ite groups operate there... My Lessons in Five YearsBy Douglas FarahLike most people who cover terrorism issues, I have had a steep learning curve since 9-11. I, like many, was forced to go from knowing almost nothing to trying to make sense of the new world and the new (to... A Response To Jeffrey Imm on the MediaBy Douglas FarahI differ with my colleague Jeffrey Imm's recent post on the so-called "mainstream media" and the war on terrorism, for several reasons. I would argue that it is not the job of the media, "mainstream" or otherwise, to devote all... The Islamists Have a 20-year Plan: Do We?By Douglas FarahThis week's New Yorker should be required reading for those interested in the Islamist jihadi movements. The reason is simple. It gives us, in al Qaeda's own words, the 20-year plan of the group and its different iterations to wear... Salafism in the Washington PostBy Douglas FarahI seldom critique my former colleagues at the Washington Post, but want to point out several crucial things that were, either for lack of space or understanding, passed over in today Washington Post story. Particularly stiking is the lack of... President Bush, Sudan and Paul SalopeckBy Douglas FarahPresident Bush made the unusual, and breathtakingly unwise, offer to meet with Lt. Gen. Omar Hassan al-Bashir, Sudan's bloody dictator, "on the side" in New York during the general's UN visit later in September. This, after al-Bashir, responsible for the... Two Visitors Who Should Not be Let InBy Douglas FarahThere is disturbing news on several fronts regarding how the administration is handling the competing pressures as it seeks to promote democracy and fight Islamist extemism at the same time. The first is a state visit by the president of... What is Russia's Real Game?By Douglas FarahIn an increasingly confused world, it has become apparent that Russia, for all its talk, is consistently positioning itself against the interests of the United States, Europe-and often on the side of Islamist radicals. It is not just true in... The Power of Non-State Actors in Middle East GrowsBy Douglas FarahOne of the great successes of the Islamists, particularly the Shi'ites, is the ability to create separate states within weak and failing states. The prime examples are Hezbollah and, as the Washington Post chronicles today, Moqtada al-Sadr in Iraq. One... Islamists Have a Plan, We do NotBy Douglas FarahEurope has become the focal point for recruitment and expansion for several strands of Islamist thought and activity, from the Muslim Brotherhood to salafists fighting in Iraq and recruiting for Afghanistan. There is some tension between and among these groups,... It is not Social Isolation and Prejudice that Drive Islamist RadicalsBy Douglas FarahAs the Western world again debates the roots of Islamist attacks on Britain and the United States, the question often posed is "Why do they hate us?" The conventional wisdom is that alienated youth, suffering prejudice and unemployment, migrate to... The Interesting Role of The Muslim Brotherhood in the Lebanese ConflictBy Douglas FarahThe Muslim Brotherhood, through its chief spokesperson Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi, is working overtime to try to reconcile Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, particularly in the efforts to support Hezbollah in Lebanon. This puts the international Muslim Brotherhood in direct opposition to... The DRC and Uranium for IranBy Douglas FarahThe Lumbumbashi uranium mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo produced the uranium that allowed the United States to build its first atomic bombs used against Japan in 1945. Now the Sunday Times is reporting that Iran has been trying... State Department Language Deficiencies Leave U.S. Blind in Crucial AreasBy Douglas FarahA new study by the GAO has found serious language deficiencies in the State Department, as well as career tracks that make it difficult for those with specific language skills to get ahead in their careers. The study found that... IIRO Freezing Long OverdueBy Douglas FarahThe Treasury Department's decision to designate two branches of the Saudi-based International Islamic Relief Organization (IIRO) is long overdue and overlooks a much broader problem. While the Philippine and Indonesian branches have been particularly troublesome for many years, the entire... Hezbollah's Endurance Shows Dangers of Nonstate Actors in ConflictBy Douglas FarahBy holding out two weeks longer than the nations that attacked Israel during the Six-Day War, Hezbollah has proven itself to be a formidable military force that has spent recent years increasing its wartime capacity and training even as it... Is Viktor B. Flying for Somali Islamists?By Douglas FarahTwice in one week the airport at Mogadishu, Somalia, was the scene of something almost unseen in the past decade-the landing of two large Soviet-era IL-76 cargo planes, among the biggest in the world, capable of carryng more than 50... Intelligence Lacks at Crucial TimeBy Douglas FarahDespite the high priority supposedly allotted intelligence reform, there is bipartisan agreement that things are not going well on that front. This is especially critical as the United States faces an array of challenges, perhaps unprecedented, where intelligence is crucial.... Somalia Goes from Bad to WorseBy Douglas FarahThe current develpments in Somalia show that a bad situation can almost always get worse. It also shows the limits of the administration's uncoordinated policy, where the military, State Department and intelligence communities barely talk to each other and clearly... To Cut Hezbollah Funding, Cut External Financial SupportBy Douglas FarahTo diminish Hezbollah's future ability to amass the type of weapons it currently possesses and carry out expensive military operations, it is necessary to go after the organization's far-flung financial structure outside of Lebanon. In addition to the support the... While Lebanon Burns, Watch BosniaBy Douglas FarahIt is always very hard to focus on broad pictures when so many fires are in need of being put out. But it is imperative to keep in mind in the ongoing conflict Iran's long-standing ties not only to Hezbollah,... The Potential for a Hezbollah-al Qaeda Alliance of ConvenienceBy Douglas FarahIn the immediate aftermath of 9-11, the conventional wisdom in the intelligence community was that the Shi'ite Hezbollah and the Sunni al Qaeda did not operate together because of the religious divide between the two groups. However, al Qaeda's own... Potential Danger in DHS Religious Visa ProgramBy Douglas FarahThe Boston Globe has a deeply disturbing article on another one of the gaping loopholes that give radical Islamists unfettered, easy access to the United States-the little-known R or Religious Visa, that allows visitors to enter the United States with... Who is Dawood Ibrahim?By Douglas FarahThe chief suspect in the Mumbai train attacks is one of the most fascinating characters in the nexus of terrorism and organized crime. This is true even if he was not involved it what appears to be a well-coordinated, sophisticated... Intelligence Report links Janjaweed to al QaedaBy Douglas FarahA recent international intelligence document says there are credible reports that a cadre of about 15 al Qaeda operatives in Sudan are providing training to troops under the control of Janjaweed leader Musa Hilal. This is striking given the recent... The Importance of Terrorist NetworksBy Douglas FarahOne think I find particularly missing in the current look at several important terrorist-related areas-Somalia, the role of the international Muslim Brotherhood, al Qaeda's growing efforts in Africa, Viktor Bout-is the discussion of the networks that connect different Salafist/Islamist groups... The "Pakistanization" of the TalibanBy Douglas FarahTerrorism experts in and out of the intelligence community are growing increasingly concerned about the "Pakistanization" of the resurgent Taliban in the tribal territories that border Afghanistan. There is increasingly strong evidence that lower-level ISI officers not only tolerate the... Some Missing Parts of the Banking DebateBy Douglas FarahMy friend Dennis Lormel and others are correct in stating that programs to attack terror finance must be differentiated and viewed in their many different elements. Which is why what is striking in the current debate is not what is... Small Progress with the Lord's Resistance ArmyBy Douglas FarahOne of the great tragedies of Africa in the past decade has been the mostly-ignored violence inflicted on parts of Uganda, Sudan and the DRC by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), led by a person who speaks directly to God... More Troubling signs in SomaliaBy Douglas FarahThe decision of the Islamist militias controlling Mogadishu to name a designated terrorist and known al Qaeda collaborator as its leader is another strong indication that, while the group may try to talk a moderate line, it has no intention... Trouble in Pakistani Provinces Show Danger for the FutureBy Douglas FarahThe news from Pakistan's border regions is getting worse, not better, and it seems unlikely that the new wave of attacks and recruitment are the result of Taliban desperation or lack of power. The recent call by Zawahiri to residents... Charles Taylor Arrives in the HagueBy Douglas FarahCharles Taylor, former president of Liberia accused of systematic and massive crimes against humanity, has arrived in the Hague to stand trial for his atrocities. He will likely be staying at the Milosevic suite, but perhaps will stay alive through... Jihadists Targetting AfricaBy Douglas FarahA recent article in Sada al-Jihad (Echo of Jihad), an on-line magazine supporting global jihad, outlines al Qaeda's growing interest in exanding into sub-Saharan Africa. The Project for the Research of Islamic Movements (PRISM) translated some of the June 2006... Small Band in Congress Continues to Press the UAEBy Douglas FarahA small but determined bipartisian group in Congress continues to press the United Arab Emirates for accountability on several important fronts. In a recent letter to UAE ambassador Al Asri Al Dhahri, the group asked for further information on UAE's... Victory of Islamists in Somalia Creates a Safe Haven for TerroristsBy Douglas FarahThe victory of radical Islamist militias in Somalia, with the subsequent vow of their leaders establish an Islamist state, highlights the dangers of festering stateless areas and the attractions they present for terrorists, transnational criminal organizations and other armed, non-state... Why Gaddafi is so Afraid of Charles TaylorBy Douglas FarahIt is interesting to see that Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi is slamming Nigeria for turning Charles Taylor over to face justice. News reports quote Gadaffi as saying such a move sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of Africa. "This... Public Support Vital in Iraq, AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahDuring the Central American wars, perhaps because of the nearness to the Vietnam experience, there as a broad understanding that, to neutralize a highly-motivated enemy it was vital to have the population in the enemy's theater of operation at worst... The Emerging Shape of the Coming JihadBy Douglas FarahThe coming shape of the Islamist jihad war is becoming clear: self-starting groups that are increasingly decentralized structure, linked by shifting networks and communicating almost exclusively through the Internet. The chief architect of this strategy is the Spanish-Syrian strategist Mustafa... Finally, Some Truth on Bogus Saudi Claims"By Douglas FarahThe Washington Post Outlook Section finally called the Saudi Royals, and current U.S. ambassador, Prince Turki al-Faisal, on the lies of their intolerance. It is about time someone did in a consistant manner. The myth the Saudi royals perpetrate about... Iran Could Rescue the Palestinian AuthorityBy Douglas FarahMy European contacts say Iran's Shi'ite regime is gearing up to rescue the Hamas-led, bankrupt Palestinian Authority with significant amounts of cash. This move would serve two purposes: deeply embarrass and humiliate the Sunni-led regimes in the Gulf, who so... What did Bout Do With Weapons for Iraq?By Douglas FarahIn one of the strangest twists of recent Bout-related events, a company in Bout's business orbit was found to have flown several hundred thousand AK-47 assault rifles from Bosnia to Iraq, theoretically for use by the new, U.S.-traine Iraqi army... Somalia a Vital Front in Countering the Spread of Radical IslamistsBy Douglas FarahSomalia, reeling from decades of strife, civil war and chaos, has emerged as an important front in confronting the spread of armed Islamist groups with links to al Qaeda. Recent fighting in and around the rubble of what remains of... Hayden's Challenges if ConfirmedBy Douglas FarahIf Gen. Michael V. Hayden is confirmed as CIA director, he will inherit an organization with several overwhelming problems: morale is near rock-bottom; almost an entire generation of senior agents and managers have walked out the door; the large recruiting... What Happened at Bank al-Madina?By Douglas FarahInvestigators of terrorist financial issues are growing increasingly interested in Bank al Madina, a looted bank in Beirut that seems to have been a center for terror finance, Saddam Hussein's food-for-oil scam of billions of dollars, West African blood diamonds,... Competition Between the Brotherhood and al Qaeda?By Douglas FarahAcross Europe, according to intelligence sources, the international Muslim Brotherhood is competing for recruits and cash with armed, radicalized Islamist groups operating in Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and elsewhere. The competition is not over the ultimate goal of the Islamist project:... Zarqawi and bin Laden Tapes Show Growing al Qaeda Propaganda StrengthBy Douglas FarahWhat is interesting about the new bin Laden and Zarqawi tapes, besides some of the analysis done by my colleagues on the Counterterrorism Blog, is the fact that al Qaeda has grown increasingly adept at getting its propaganda videos quickly... Trouble for Rep. Sue KellyBy Douglas FarahRep. Sue Kelly, R-NY, an outspoken critic of Saudi practices of funding radical Islamist teachings and one of the Congressional leaders focusing on terror finance issues, had her State Department approval for an exchange program trip to Qatar, Saudi Arabia... ARY Gold and Terror FinanceBy Douglas FarahIn early 2002 I wrote a story in the Washington Post outlining the role Dubai-based ARY Gold had in helping the Taliban and al Qaeda move their assets out of Afghanistan before U.S. troops took control. The leader of ARY... How Does This Happen?By Douglas FarahSenior Counterterrorism officials in several agencies are baffled by a little-noticed development last month: The State Department sent its head of counterterrorism, Ambassador Hank Crumpton, to be the keynote speaker at a conference co-sponosored by the International Institute for Islamic... Iran Already a Problem With Islamist RadicalsBy Douglas FarahThe current escalation of tensions with Iran over its potential and desire to produce nuclear weapons obscures an important point-Shi'ite Iran's leadership has long played a crucial role in aiding and abetting al Qaeda and other violent Sunni movements. This... Trouble in the Tri-Border RegionBy Douglas FarahLast week the New York Post reported that Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau had shut down a "massive terror-finance pipeline in which a whopping $3 billon in profits from drug deals and other crimes flowed through a major New York... Intelligence Reform at What Price?By Douglas FarahJohn A. Kringen, the CIA's director of intelligence, had an interesting piece Monday in the Washington Post on the steps being taken within the intelligence community to minimize "group think" and find new ways of monitoring and assessing long-term strategic... Another Taylor ArrestedBy Douglas FarahCharles Taylor's son, the notorious "Chucky" Taylor, was arrested over the weekend in Miami, as he attempted to enter the United States. According to press reports, he is being held on the charge of providing false information on his passport... Finally, Taylor in HandBy Douglas FarahIn an incredible stroke of luck, Nigerian policemen arrested fugitive Charles Taylor as he tried to cross by land into Cameroon. According to eyewitness accounts, he was wearing a white safari suit, driving a Landrover with diplomatic plates and had... Pressure Grows on Bush to Cancel Meeting with ObsanjoBy Douglas FarahA growing bipartisan chorus in Congress is demanding that President Bush cancel his meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, with Nigerian president Obasanjo, given Obsanjo's complicity in the escape of Charles Taylor. The best line of the day was provided by Obsanjo's... In Choreographed Move, Taylor EscapesBy Douglas FarahIn a stunning display of choreographed incompetence, the Nigerian government of president Obasanjo has let Charles Taylor slip away into the night. Nigeria, Liberia, the Bush administration and United Nations all bear a large dose of responsibility in the fiasco... Going After the FARC is Important for Terror FinancingBy Douglas FarahThe indictment of 50 top leaders of Colombia's Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) is a sign of the increasing importance U.S. intelligence and law enforcement communities are placing on the extensive opportunities that the flow of FARC's illicit money... Bad News for Viktor BoutBy Douglas FarahIn an interesting development, the European Union has issued an aviation "black list" of 92 companies-including several linked to Viktor Bout-banning them from operating in EU territory. The BBC reports that the measures are taken for safety reasons. "The European... Liberia Formally Requests Taylor's ExtraditionBy Douglas FarahA spokesman for Nigerian president Obasanjo today said that Liberia has formally requested the extradition of Charles Taylor. Obasanjo's spokeswoman Remi Oyo said in a statement that Johnson-Sirleaf had asked Nigerian to return Taylor and that the president would give... Johnson-Sirleaf Offers Only Hesitant Assurances on Taylor ExtraditionBy Douglas FarahLiberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf addressed a joint session of Congress today, but offered only oblique assurances that she will seek the extradition of former strongman Charles Taylor, who not only wreaked incalculable damage on West Africa but also aided and... Taylor's Last Dance?By Douglas FarahIt looks like Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has decided the time to get Charles Taylor to the Special Court may be now. Of course, we have seen various steps in this dance before, and ultimately Taylor remains in Nigeria and... Is Al Qaeda Plannng a New Attack?By Douglas FarahThe level of "chatter" by al Qaeda operatives is currently as high or higher than in the months prior to 9-11, and the question in many parts of the U.S. and European intelligence communities is not if al Qaeda will... The UAE (Hesitantly) Takes on BoutBy Douglas FarahThe United Arab Emirates has, in recent days, grounded all flights of Irbiss Air, one of Viktor Bout's flagship airlines that was banned by the United Nations but continued to fly unimpeded despite that minor inconvenience. Sources on the ground... Growing Pessimism on AfghanistanBy Douglas FarahIt is unusual to have several high-level administration officials in the same week predict gloom and gloom on one of the major battle fronts in the war against al Qaeda and armed Islamic militants. But that is what has happened... Why Bin Laden is Still At Large, and Why it MattersBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post's Outlook section this week provided an extremely worthwhile look at why Osama bin Laden is still at large, and why it is a big deal. Some of this has been covered in earlier blogs, but are worth... Viktor Bout and the UAE, an Important Lesson?By Douglas FarahOne way to determine how a person or entity will act in the future is to see how they have acted in the past. As the debate over the UAE ownership of ports heats up, it is worth looking at... Nigeria on the Edge, AgainBy Douglas FarahWith the recent hostage-takings by armed militants in the Niger Delta, the disruption of key oil supplies, and the simmering religious tensions in the north where 17 people have been killed and 30 Christian churches burned, Nigeria is again teetering... The Case of Louai SakkaBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post today has a fascinating story on al Qaeda operative Louai Sakka, a would-be bomber who accidentally set off the bomb in his own apartment in Antalya, Turkey. What is interesting is not just that Sekka has been... Lessons From the Harmony PapersBy Douglas FarahIt is encouraging to see new signs that the military intelligence community is actively pursuing new, critical analysis both of al Qaeda's operational structure and ways of improving counterinsurgency stategies, particularly in Iraq. Given the recent British intelligence assessment that... Is Rumsfeld's Optimism on North Africa Warranted?By Douglas FarahDefense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is upbeat on on North Africa elminating terrorist havens. In recent comments, Rumsfeld said there was an "extremely low" possibility of al Qaeda or its affiliates establishing themselves in Northern Africa, in large part because Morocco,... The Administration Chooses to Ignore TaylorBy Douglas FarahYesterday the House International Relations subcommittee on Africa held a hearing on Liberia and its long path toward reconstruction. What is truely astonishing is that the lead administration person on Africa, assistant secretary of state Jendayi Frazer, mentioned Charles Taylor... OFAC Designates Libyan al Qaeda AffiliateBy Douglas FarahThe Treasury Department's OFAC designation today of leaders and entities affiliated with the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) is an important step in at least tracking and identifying the leaders of lesser-known al Qaeda affiliates. It will have little real... A Response to Media IIBy Douglas FarahThe William Allen White editorial, does, in fact, go to one of the premises of the current debate on the media--whether the government has the right to curb free speech in times of crisis and fear. It is a broad... A Response to Questions for the MediaBy Douglas FarahAs a member of the media for more than 20 years, I want to briefly respond to Dennis Lormel's earlier post to the media. I reproduce below an editorial by William Allen White in the Emporia Gazette, July 27, 1922.... Nigerian Gangs Expand into Afghan Heroin TradeBy Douglas FarahA series of recent conversations confirm what a recent UN report (available here) touched on: The growing reach of Nigerian and other sub-Saharan drug trafficking gangs into the heroin trade, particularly the heroin trade in Afghanistan. While Nigerian gangs have... Another Intriguing Story of al Qaeda and GemstonesBy Douglas FarahThere is an intriguing story that I have been following for a while, and carried superbly in today's Washington Post on Adullah Tabarak, Osama bin Laden's bodyguard who was mysteriously released from Guantanamo despite his significant role in al Qaeda.... The African Pipeline Grows, the Brotherhood Emerges Again in SudanBy Douglas FarahMy intelligence contacts are charting an alarming growth of global Islamic jihad groups creating camps in northern West Africa, particularly Mali and Chad. This is coupled with an unusual resurgence of visits of leaders of the international Muslim Brotherhood to... A Waning Interest in Terror Finance and Other IssuesBy Douglas FarahIt seems, from my recent converstations with some senior folks in government, that there is a growing sense of dismay--across party lines--at the waning interest in serously combatting terror finance, a coherent public diplomacy strategy, cohesive intelligence reform and many... More Africa Connections in the New World MayhemBy Douglas FarahMore bits and pieces are emerging on terrorist operations in sub-Saharan Africa, making the point that those soft, failing or failed states are rich targets for people seeking to move weapons, as well as increasingly fertile ground for recruitment by... Why Aircraft Matter for Terrorist and Organized CrimeBy Douglas FarahOne of the most overlooked elements in combatting terrorism, organize crime and non-state armed groups is the vital role that aircraft play. An AFP story on the use of aircraft by the FARC, AUC and drug traffickers in Colombia illustrate... Bipartisan Support For Taylor Standing Trial Conveyed to Liberia's President ElectBy Douglas FarahA bipartisan group of Congressional leaders has requested that the Bush administration make it clear to Liberia's president-elect, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, that Taylor's extradition to stand trial for crimes against humanity of of uttmost importance to the United States. The group... Tim Spicer, Aegis and IraqBy Douglas FarahWell, it looks like Aegis, the company run by British mercenary and profiteer Tim Spicer, who managed to get a $293 million U.S. government contract in Iraq, has run into a spot of trouble. According to the Washington Post, the... An A on Terror Finance?By Douglas FarahThe one bright spot in the final report of the 9-11 Commission is combatting terror finance. While awarding the effort an A-, the Commission wrote: "The U.S. has won the support of key countries in tackling terrorism financethough there is... The U.N. Finally Sanctions Bout Associates and CompaniesBy Douglas FarahWell, after months of delay (mostly on the U.S. part in getting the information to them), the United Nations finally designated two business associates of Viktor Bout and 30 of his companies, obligating member states to freeze all assests related... The More Things Change...By Douglas FarahA soon to be released GAO report, leaked to the New York Times and others, finds that, four years after 9-11 the U.S. government "lacks and intergrated strategy" to help other countries cut off the flow of funds to terrorists.... Insurgent Cross-Pollination A Serious ThreatBy Douglas FarahIt is now clear that the phenomenon much feared by the intelligence community and military in fighting global terrorism is now well-advanced--the cross-pollination of techniques and strategies of different groups, able to share lethal technological innovations across national boundries to... Terror Finances, Foreign Fighters and Claims of VictoryBy Douglas FarahSenior counter-terrorism officials seem to be falling into the unhealthy habit of badly underestimating the new shapes al Qaeda is taking, and the resources it has access to to continue to grow. The Treasury Department's Stuart Levey recently said al... How Does He Do It?By Douglas FarahWell, my friends on the ground in Sarjah and elsewhere tell me that Viktor Bout's aircraft are back in action yet again in Iraq and Afghanistan, working for Americans. I know, sometimes I sound like a broken record. I feel... IICO Continues to Function Despite DesignationsBy Douglas FarahA review of public records of the Geneva branch of the International Islamic Charitable Organization (IICO) show the charity has at least two Specially Designated terrorist financiers on its board, yet continues to function. As of Oct. 26, 2005, the... Growing Concerns Over Nigerian CrashBy Douglas FarahThere is growing evidence that the Oct. 22 airplane crash in Nigeria that killed all 117 people on board--including a U.S. Special Forces officer, top counter-terrorism officials of the Obasanjo government and senior regional security officers--was sabotage, not accident. Senior... Nigeria's Growing Terrorist and Oil WoesBy Douglas FarahThere are alarming signs that Nigeria, West Africa's leader, one of the world's leading oil producers and is on the brink of chaos. In an unusual admission for a tight-lipped government, a senior security official publicly acknowledged the presence of... Banned Islamic Charities Operate Openly in PakistanBy Douglas FarahAn interesing and important story in the Washington Post, which unfortunately did not make the front page, highlights one of the major problems faced with trying to shut down charities that have been known to funnel part of their proceeds... Growing links Between Terrorism and Organized Crime?By Douglas FarahIt seems that the cross-pollination among terrorist organizations and between terrorist groups and organized criminal groups is accelerating. The types of alliance vary from case to case, and, in most cases, are temporary alliances of convenience rather than more formal... Why Individuals Do and Do Not Matter in the InsurgencyBy Douglas FarahThe debate over whether the recently-killed Abu Azzam is really the second in command to Zarqawi in Iraq or an important figure in the insurgency, reminds me of how little we know of the internal structures of the enemy there,... U.S. Designates Important bin Laden/Qadi AssociateBy Douglas FarahThe U.S. Treasury Department today designated Dr. Abdul Latif Saleh, a business associate of Yasin Kadi and funder of al Qaeda, as a Specially Designated terrorism sponsor. While the number of designations by Treasury has dwindled sharly since early 2002,... More Frustration on Viktor BoutBy Douglas FarahSeems Congressional folks on both sides of the aisle are growing increasingly frustrated with the unwillingness or inability of the Pentagon and State Department to answer questions about Viktor Bout. One set of concerns centers on Bout's ongoing and potentially... Disillusion and Frustration in Intelligence CommunityBy Douglas FarahIn recent conversations and in more formal settings with those in and around the intelligence community, it is clear there is still widespread disaffection with CIA director Porter Goss and his inner circle at the CIA and their heavy-handed ways... A Final Thought on DiamondsBy Douglas FarahI agree that Dennis and I, from our different prespectives, will continue to disagree on this matter, while agreeing that commodities like diamonds presented and present and ongoing area of vulnerability that needs greater attention. I hope it has been... Who is the New Saudi Ambassador and Why Don't We Care?By Douglas FarahI have waited in vain for someone in the major media to run something telling the American people who the new Saudi ambassador to the United States--Prince Turki al-Faisal--really is. Yet his naming has passed almost unnoticed and uncommented since... Context in PerspectiveBy Douglas FarahI think we are straying from the real issue of debate: Did al Qaeda enter the gemstone trade in West Africa to hide its assets and move its resources. However, I will respond to some of what Dennis has said.... A Final PointBy Douglas FarahI think the Belgian police report, which is available to all on my website, speaks for itself. It is an official document. The same is true for the formal police statement to the judge in the trials of Samih Osailly... A Slight Clarification on DiamondsBy Douglas FarahI would only clarify that it is simply not true that no other police or intelligence service in the world found ties between al Qaeda and the diamond trade. On my website is a copy of a Belgian police report... Taylor, Africa and Thoughts on the Diamond DebateBy Douglas FarahThere is new evidence that Charles Taylor continues to meddle in West African affairs, this time presented by a Liberians United for Transparent Elections. The group went public with the information, including airplane tail numbers, travel tickets and other information... Signs that al Qaeda is Flush With CashBy Douglas FarahThere is growing evidence in Iraq, Afghanistan and beyond that al Qaeda and its allies are newly flush with cash, able to buy new weapons, more sophisticated communications equipment and deadlier and more complex explosives. This contradicts the more optimistic... Able Danger and the 9-11 CommissionBy Douglas FarahWhen the 9-11 Commission's report first came out, it was viewed as the final word in all things related to the attack. Finally, now, it is losing some of its aura of divine inspiration. It is what it is--an amazing... Nigeria Moves to Protect TaylorBy Douglas FarahWell, Nigerian president Obasanjo has come up with an interesting way of dealing with legitimate, recognized human rights workers who are peacefully campaigning to have former Liberian president Charles Taylor turned over to face justice: he has them summarily arrested,... The Coup in Mauritania and Lessons on Fighting TerroristsBy Douglas FarahThe recent military coup in the largely-desert West African nation of Mauritania should be wakeup call for EUCOM and others trying to forge a cohesive counter-terror strategy in the region. While deposed president Maouya Sidi Ahmed Taya was pro-American and... London's Emerging Africa TiesBy Douglas FarahA prime suspect in the July 21 London bombing is arrested in Zambia, after having earlier spent time in South Africa. He reportedly entered Zambia through Zimbabwe. Two other suspects are originally from East Africa. Seems like a disturbing pattern,... Africa's Counterterror InitiativeBy Douglas FarahThe Washington Post has an interesting front-page story today on the difficulties in training sub-Saharan African forces in counter-terror strategies, and the pitfalls this presents for the other goal--democratization--that has been stated as necessary to fight terrorism. What are the... Perhaps an End to the Diamond-Terrorism DebateBy Douglas FarahWell, Dateline NBC finally aired its program on the ties of al Qaeda to Charles Taylor. While taking more credit than they deserved for "breaking" the story I broke more than three years ago, mentioning my role in passing and... Viktor Bout Flys On (Again)By Douglas FarahThanks to the Yorkshire Ranter, we now know that Viktor Bout's planes, including the banned IRBIS Air Co., placed on the Treasury Department's OFAC list of banned companies, continues to fly regularly to the U.S.-operated Bagram air base in Afghanistan.... Don't Forget Iran in the Africa EquationBy Douglas FarahWhile some attention has deservedly been paid to the spread of Wahhabi influence in the pan-Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa, the competing influence of Iran's radical Shi'ites is almost completely ignored and unexamined. Yet across northern Nigeria, in Sierra Leone,... Nigeria, al Qaeda and Charles TaylorBy Douglas FarahLast week the U.S. Consulate in Lagos, Nigeria was closed because of possible terrorist threats. This led, in turn, to the closings of the missions of Germany, Italy, Finland, Russia, Sweden, India and Lebanon. U.S. officials were quoted as saying... Some Overdue Attention to a Serious ProblemBy Douglas FarahWell, someone is finally paying some attention to an extremely important story. The New York Times today has a nice piece on the growing number of sub-Saharan Africans now turning up as jihadis in Iraq. What is truely alarming is... Some Thoughts on Commodity ControlsBy Douglas FarahWell, FinCEN has finally put out proposed regulations on people dealing in precious metals and precious stones, a tacit admission at least that diamonds and gold are problems in the terror finance world. The regulations are very late, and were... Swiss al Taqwa Decision a Blow to Terror Finance FightBy Douglas FarahThe decision of the Swiss government to halt an investigation into Yusef Nada and the al Taqwa network he ran is a serious setback for efforts to prosecute those suspected of funding al Qaeda and other radical Islamist terrorist organizations.... Some Encouraging CT AppointmentsBy Douglas FarahIf recent the recent Washington Post story on filling key counter-terrorism posts is accurate, the best news (besides the fact that the posts are actually being filled) is that Air Force Gen. Charles Wald is slated to take over the... U.S. Efforts to Get Taylor Extradited Go Belly UpBy Douglas FarahThere was a brief feeling of optimism in recent days over shifting the U.S. position on having Charles Taylor stand trial for crimes against humanity. Now it seems that a senior Bush administration official has assured Nigerian president Obasanjo that... Finally Some Action on Viktor BoutBy Douglas FarahWell, the Treasury Department today announced its long-anticipated designations of Viktor Bout's people and front companies. Bout, provider of weapons to the Taliban and most sides of most wars in sub-Saharan African in violation of U.N. embargos, has long escaped... Viktor Bout Flys OnBy Douglas FarahUnbelievable as it may seem, Viktor Bout, internationally-wanted fugitive and weapons supplier to the Taliban and al Qaeda, continues to fly for U.S. firms in Iraq, being paid by U.S. taxpayer dollars. I was just given the documents that show... Viktor Bout's Excellent Bosnian AdventureBy Douglas FarahIt seems as though the fingerprints of Viktor Bout, arms trafficker extraordinaire, can be found in most places that have had trouble in recent years. The most recent intelligence reports I received come from Bosnia, and show Bout has... New Evidence of al Qaeda's Interest in West AfricaBy Douglas FarahSince I wrote the first story of al Qaeda's ties to the West African diamond trade, and intensifying after the book came out, parts of the U.S intelligence community, particularly in the CIA and FBI have maintaned there was no... Old Bosnia Links Reveal Strong Iran ties to al QaedaBy Douglas FarahSenior al Qaeda financiers worked more closely with Iranian-backed Islamic radicals in the mid-1990s that previously known, showing that the division between radical Muslim Sunni and Shi'ites was bridged long before the meetings between al Qaeda and Hezbollah in 1996.... Congressional Efforts to Hold Taylor Accountable for Al Qaeda Connections, Human Rights Abuses, GrowBy Douglas FarahThe asylum in Nigeria of Charles Taylor, former Liberian strongman and al Qaeda diamond facilitator, is coming under more sustained scrutiny by Congress. As evidence mounts of Taylor's continued meddling in West African affairs ( including orchestrating an assassination attempt... Arms Merchant Victor Bout Continues to Fly, with Help From his FriendsBy Douglas FarahMore than nine months ago the State Department asked the rest of the government to cut off contracts with companies associated with Viktor Bout, the world's largest arms merchant who is alleged to have supplied weapons to the Taliban and... The U.N. Returns to Mushy ReportingBy Douglas FarahThe United Nations Monitoring Team, designed to support the U.N. Security Council's Al Qaeda and Taliban Sanctions Committee has made public its second report. Unfortunately, it shows a marked return toward the vague generalities, endless qualification and toothlessness that characterizes... Bosnia Remains a Terrorist Shadow LandBy Douglas FarahLike so many places that once riveted the world, Bosnia is now off the policy map and its brutal war largely forgotten. But as Evan Kohlmann has described so well, it was also the great al Qaeda experiment in... With Negroponte Named, Maybe Progress At Treasury?By Douglas FarahWith Ambassador Negroponte named to the top intel spot, the question remains, who is minding the terror finance intel shop in Treasury? For more than a year, Treasury's then newly created postion of assistant secretary for Office of Intelligence and... More Designations on Zarqawi, and Zarate TestifiesBy Douglas FarahIt seems the United States is slowly making progress in idenifying at least some of the financial supporters of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. On Tuesday the Treasury Department designated Muhsin al-Fadhi as a terrorist financier. Al-Fadhi fought in Chechnya and Afghanistan.... Viktor Bout's Planes Keep Falling, but He Keeps FlyingBy Douglas FarahSeems that my favorite arms trafficker keeps losing parts of his ancient and often uninsured fleet of planes. On Feb. 3, an Il-76TD went down near Khartoum, Sudan, killing six Ukranian crew members and a Sudanese translator. Strange as it... Iran's Little Noticed West African Arms AdventureBy Douglas FarahWith Secretary of State Rice issuing new warnings to Iran, here is an interesting sideshow that shows something of the Iranian regime--its willingness to sell large amounts of weapons to the regime of Charles Taylor in Liberia when the nation... Saudi Questions, Dubai's Growing Diamond RoleBy Douglas FarahIt is interesting to note that Saudi Arabia is hosting a major international terrorism conference these days. Lots of international representation there, including high-level U.S. folks, and visas for journalists were suddenly granted. Seems Saudi officials are anxious to show... Interesting, Overlooked news from AfricaBy Douglas FarahHere is one of several reports from the end of last year that friends at Global Witness and other NGOs have passed on recently, pointing to some of the dangerous trends in the relatively stateless areas of Africa where the... A New Designation Points to an Independent Zarqawi Financial NetworkBy Douglas FarahThe U.S. Treasury Department just designated Sulayman Khalid Darwish, a Syrian, as a terrorist financier. He is the first person to be designated for directly offering financial support to the Zarqawi network (Jama'at al Tawid al Jihad) in Iraq. What... The "Salvador Option" for IraqBy Douglas FarahAmong those of us actively involved in covering the almost-forgotten Central American conflict, as well as policy makers and military officials, there has been a lot of buzz and debate over a recent Newsweek web exclusive saying the Pentagon was... More AQ Activity in West AfricaBy Douglas FarahA little-noticed case in Conakry, Guinea has some in the U.S. and European intelligence community abuzz. Two South Africans, both arrested with Ahmed Ghailani in Pakistan and then deported to South Africa, were recently arrested in Guinea, reportedly on their... Douglas Farah on the need to Maintain a Focus on Terrorist FinancesBy Douglas FarahOne of the striking aspects of the current policy debate, such as it is, over how to combat the terrorist threat, is the pervasive idea that terrorists don't need much money to operate. This conventional wisdom, a part of the... |