|
| The first multi-expert blog dedicated solely to counterterrorism issues, serving as a gateway to the community for policymakers and serious researchers. Designed to provide realtime information about terrorism cases and policy developments. |
|
Search CTB
Navigation
Home
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 Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Qazi Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis Michael Braun Margot Williams, SNS Global, Newslinks Editor Phillip Smyth & Mark Offenbach, Asst. Newslinks Editors EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
The End of The Counterterrorism Blog
Modeling Middle East Turmoil How to Deal with Islamist Movements in Post-Revolutionary Regimes? Asserting Liberal Values: The Future of British and U.S. Counterradicalization Strategies Pakistan and Blasphemy Law: Assassination of Liberal, Secular and Progressive Personalities Continues ! What Cargo May Be Aboard Iranian Warships Transiting the Suez Canal? Egypt and Emerging Trends The Middle East: Democracies or More Terrorism? Two Scenarios on Egyptian Succession and One Vision of the Brotherhood The Australian Take on the Terrorism Threat 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
Site Meter
Creative Common License
 |
Olivier Guitta Archives
A war of succession within AQIMBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for The National on the growing dissent within al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: Al Qa'eda in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM, has recently sought... The Muslim Brotherhood in the MENA regionBy Olivier GuittaI wrote a paper on the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, Egypt and Morocco for the Center for European Studies. You can download the full paper in pdf here: Please do keep in mind it was written back in February 2010.... Bin Laden and FranceBy Olivier GuittaLast week Osama Bin Laden devoted an entire message addressed to the "French people". Since it is a first, I wrote for The National about the actual threat that AQ poses on France. Here is an excerpt: France has been... Jihad against SwitzerlandBy Olivier GuittaThe Weekly Standard just published my article on the jihad against Switzerland. You can read the full piece here. Here is an excerpt: Normally placid, neutral Switzerland has been going through a rough couple of years. First there was financial... Mali, a new Al Qaeda haven?By Olivier GuittaThe Sahel — this vast semi-arid region of North Africa south of the Sahara desert — is viewed by some experts as a “second Afghanistan.” This might be a stretch, but it is true that Al Qaeda in the Islamic... Assad on top of the worldBy Olivier GuittaFive years ago, Rafik al-Hariri — the billionaire Lebanese businessman-turned-politician who was prime minister on and off until September 2004 when he joined the opposition to Syria — was murdered in a spectacular terror attack in Beirut. Right away all... Lebanon on shaky ground...againBy Olivier GuittaA wind of optimism blew over Beirut after the recent general elections won by the pro-Western March 14 bloc in an overall serene atmosphere. Thanks to this, Lebanon has been enjoying so far one of its best tourist seasons... Islamists gaining ground in MoroccoBy Olivier GuittaJune 12 was election day in Iran. But in another Muslim country, local elections were also conducted that very day. It was in Morocco and the outcome was very little commented and when it was, the analysis was most of... A new way to pressure IranBy Olivier GuittaAfter the much dubious Iranian presidential elections and the popular revolt that ensued, the European Union took the lead in supporting the people of Iran. Most vocal were France and the UK compared to the tepid U.S. reaction. The Iranian... Forgotten SomaliaBy Olivier GuittaThe book “Black Hawk Down” and the subsequent movie did a good job describing the U.S. debacle in Somalia in 1993. The quick retreat of U.S. troops after this incident led Osama Bin Laden to describe the U.S. as a... Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb threatens France over the burqa affairBy Olivier GuittaAl Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb did not wait long to react to the controversy of the burqa in France and in a communiqué accused France of “religious terrorism” and threatened her of attacks on its soil or against its... Have the Islamists won in Algeria?By Olivier GuittaFor the past month, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) has perpetrated numerous terror acts including two major attacks against Algerian policemen: one that killed 24 on June 18 and another one that killed 6 on June 22. While... What is Iran up to in Afghanistan?By Olivier GuittaNow that Iran has been invited back to the table of negotiations on Afghanistan, I decided to revisit Iran's role in Afghanistan for the Middle East Times. You can read the whole piece here. Here is an excerpt: Last week,... Syria ready to switch sides? Not so fastBy Olivier GuittaMuch hope is placed on Syrian president Bashar al-Assad's. Is he going be up to it? I wrote an article for the Middle East Times on this topic. You can read it in full here. Here is an excerpt: Syrian... Saudi Arabia and Iran on a collision courseBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Weekly Standard on the recent escalation of tension between Riyadh and Tehran. You can read the whole piece here. Here is an excerpt: A few weeks ago, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader... Playing the Russian card against Iran?By Olivier GuittaI recently wrote an article for the Middle East Times, looking at the avenue of using Moscow to get to Tehran: something the Obama administration is looking at. You can read my full article here. Here is an excerpt: By... Saudi Arabia facing homegrown terrorismBy Olivier GuittaI wrote an article last week for the DC Examiner on Saudi Arabia's backlash regarding terrorism. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: Saudi Arabia recently released a list of 85 of its most-wanted terrorists. Eighty-three... Islamists advancing their agenda through ShariaBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on the expansion of sharia around the world. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: Pakistan recently gave in to the pressure of Islamist militants. Indeed... Divided against Al Qaeda in the Islamic MaghrebBy Olivier GuittaI wrote a piece for the Middle East Times looking at the current situation in Africa and the response of various nations to the threat of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. You can read it in full here. Here... Last, last chance for diplomacy with IranBy Olivier GuittaI wrote a piece for the Middle East TImes on the slim chances of a potential resolution of the Iranian nuclear file through diplomacy at this time. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: This coming... Al Qaeda and the plague: a follow-upBy Olivier GuittaNew information has surfaced in the past few days seeming to confirm that Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terrorists had died of plague. I explored the different possibilities behind such an occurrence in an article in the Middle East... The Gaza war coming to Europe?By Olivier GuittaMy colleague Victor Comras had a great post on the rising anti-semitism in Europe. I wrote an article for the Middle East Times looking at how the conflict is being imported on the continent. You can read the full article... Plague allegedly killed Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terroristsBy Olivier GuittaOn Monday, the Sun ran a story reporting that 40 terrorists from AQIM had died of plague in a terrorist training camp in Tizi Ouzou. Yesterday, Eli Lake from the Washington Times confirmed through one of his source in the... Will Hezbollah take part in the Gaza war?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for The Middle East Times analyzing the possibility of Hezbollah opening a second front against Israel. You can read it in full here. Here is an excerpt: While the Gaza war enters its third week,... The other dangerous actors in GazaBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an analysis for the Middle East Times looking at the other dangerous radical Palestinian groups present in Gaza. Indeed Hamas is far from the only one on the ground. You can read the full article here. Ehud... Iran activating its proxiesBy Olivier GuittaIran is smartly playing its cards, using its main Sunni and Shiite proxy to create havoc in the region and de facto making it stronger. At this point, Iran’s next step is uncertain. But it is quite possible that Hezbollah... Iran: most pressing issue for 2009By Olivier GuittaLast week, the French National Assembly (equivalent of Congress) issued a report concluding that Iran could get a nuclear weapon anywhere between 2009 and 2010. It did not get the coverage it deserved but is a reminder that Iran needs... Europe in the eye of the stormBy Olivier GuittaWhile the terror scare in a Paris large department store yesterday got a lot of coverage, first elements of the investigation are pointing towards a very amateurish operation. No Islamist terror group warns in advance of an attack and leaves... A high number of Moroccans involved in terrorism casesBy Olivier GuittaWhen one thinks of the nationality of Islamist terrorists, Pakistanis and Saudis are usually the ones that come to mind. But a moderate Muslim country is unfortunately slowly, against its will, providing a very concerning and large number of terrorists.... Mumbai, a new modus operandi for jihadists?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times exploring the new modus operandi used by the jihadists in the Mumbai attacks. You can read my full article here. Here is an excerpt: Mumbai, India's financial capital is now... Hezbollah, an imminent danger?By Olivier GuittaI wrote an article for the Middle East Times on Hezbollah's capabilities around the world. You can find the full article here. Here is an excerpt: CIA Director Michael Hayden said last week that al-Qaida was still the largest threat... Planning an invasion of Lebanon?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times looking at the possibility of a Syrian invasion of Lebanon. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: President-elect Obama should be careful in his dealings with... Assad's next moveBy Olivier GuittaSyrian president Bashar al Assad has been following a double-thronged strategy. I just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on what could probably be Assad's next move. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt:... Decision time for SyriaBy Olivier GuittaSyria is one of the most difficult countries to read, especially when the man in charge president Bashir al Assad is sending different signals to different countries. I just wrote a piece for the Middle East Times on that topic.... House Cleaning in Damascus?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times, delving into the Syrian imbroglio. Lots of "incidents" have been happening in this usually very quiet country. To read the full article, click here. Here is an excerpt: While it... Iran's Nefarious Plans for the GulfBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Middle East Times looking at how Iran has been encircling the Gulf. You can read it in full here. Here is an excerpt: Qatar-based Muslim Brotherhood leader Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi recently set... Last week's attack against the U.S. embassy: a sign of a troubled situation in YemenBy Olivier GuittaJihadists greatly encourage their followers to perpetrate suicide attacks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. That is why numerous Muslim countries were fearing attacks in September. Unsurprisingly, al-Qaida pulled off three major attacks in the last week: one in... Al Qaeda and the U.S. agree on... MauritaniaBy Olivier GuittaWhile Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb made good on its promise to attack Mauritania, killing yesterday 12 soldiers in an ambush, I looked for the Middle East Times at how the West's assessment of the situation on the ground... Algeria minimizing Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's threatBy Olivier GuittaUS Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was just in Algeria to talk mostly about terrorism. Indeed Algeria has been witnessing regular and numerous terror attacks perpetrated by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. For one of the most exhaustive coverage... Assad's moment of truthBy Olivier GuittaSyrian President Bashir al Assad is going to have to make a decision soon if he wants to cut its ties to Tehran and reintegrate the international community. For an extensive coverage of the Levant, please see The Croissant (subscriptions... The Lebanese powder kegBy Olivier GuittaSaturday's explosion of a bomb in a building in a sunni neighborhood of Tripoli (Lebanon) killing one is a reminder of the tensions running high in Lebanon. I just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on how the... How Iran is avoiding international sanctionsBy Olivier GuittaWhile the European Union just announced new sanctions against Iran, including the freezing of the assets of Bank Melli, Iran had already anticipated this move. In fact, I just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on Iran's ability... Ahmadinejad's past explains the seriousness of the nuclear threatBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on how Ahmadinejad's past history makes it even more relevant to believe his threats. For an extensive coverage on the situation in Iran, please visit The Croissant (subscriptions available for... The next battlefield: Ceuta and Melilla?By Olivier GuittaI recently wrote for the Middle East Times an article about the importance for jihadists of two tiny territories on the doorsteps of Europe. You can read the whole article here. Here is an excerpt: Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaida's No.2, makes... More trouble for Tehran at homeBy Olivier GuittaFurther to my last week's article in the Middle East Times regarding Iran's internal rebellion, the newsletter The Croissant (available for a small fee) reported that Khameini’s representative in Eastern Iran was murdered. Indeed after the trouble in Baluchistan, the... Expected and undisturbed Hezbollah coupBy Olivier GuittaHezbollah has been rearming quite quickly- it has now close to 45,000 rockets, more than before the onset of the summer 2006 war with Israel- under the eyes of the helpless UNIFIL forces. For proof the March 30 incident when... Increasing domestic turmoil in IranBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Middle East Times on the under reported trouble brewing inside Iran. You can read the whole article here. Here is an excerpt: To many observers Iran is the big winner in the Middle... Morocco under high alert after a probable dry runBy Olivier GuittaA few weeks ago, Algeria warned its Tunisian and Moroccan neighbors of a possible mega terror attack prepared by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. Interestingly the newsletter The Croissant (subscriptions available for a small fee) reported a few days... Switzerland siding with IranBy Olivier GuittaWhile the European Union or I should say individual member countries have recently toughened up their stance on Iran, one country is going towards the opposite direction: I am talking about the "neutral" Switzerland. I just wrote an article for... Radicalization on the web in EuropeBy Olivier GuittaEuropean authorities are taking very seriously the threat of radicalization over the web. I just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on that topic. Here is an excerpt: A few months ago Bernard Squarcini the head of the... Chaotic situation in Syria could lead to important changes in the neighborhoodBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on recent developments in Syria. You can read the whole piece here. Here is an excerpt: Syria has been regularly popping up in the news. In fact, recent events point... AQIM and the Austrian hostages in AfricaBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times regarding Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's (AQIM) new strategy. For an extensive coverage of AQIM, please visit The Croissant (available to subscribers only). To read the full article, please... The importance of the Belliraj network dismantled in MoroccoBy Olivier GuittaOne month after the spectacular dismantling of what is called the"Belliraj" network in Morocco, the details and implications of this event are coming out little by little. The Croissant has compiled a full dossier, drawing on fifty open source articles.... Iran's meddling in the GulfBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times following up on the recent trouble in Kuwait after Mugniyeh's death. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: Hezbollah chief terror master Imad Mugnieh created havoc,... Europe under Al Qaeda's triple threatBy Olivier GuittaI wrote a piece for the Asia Times on Al Qaeda's triple threat. You can read it in full here. Here is an excerpt: Last November, Gilles de Kerchove, the European Union's anti-terror chief, said that al-Qaeda was the biggest... Qatar's dangerous gambleBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Middle East Times on Qatar's diplomatic strategy. You can read the whole piece here. Here is an excerpt: Two major projects that were undertaken at the start of the reign of the new... Was Syria involved in Mugnieh's death?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on Syria's possible involvement in Hezbolla's Imad Mugnieh's death. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: February 12 marked a point against radical Islam. The killing... Save Lebanon from Syria and IranBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Middle East Times on the meddling of Syria and Iran in Lebanese affairs and the total apathy of the West. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: The outpouring... The Canadian perilBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Weekly Standard on the dangers coming from our northern border. You can read the full article here. Here is an excerpt: The Canadian Peril Why they're checking passports at the border now. In... Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's dilemmaBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Middle East Times on AQIM's internal situation. For more on AQIM, please view The Croissant. You can read the whole piece here. Here is an excerpt: The Algerian terror group GSPC (Salafist Group... Europe faces up to Iranian threatBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for the Asia Times on Europe's tougher stance on Iran. To read the full article, please click here. Here is an excerpt: United States President George W Bush has just ended a seven-nation tour of... AQIM 's recent activity and success is quite worrisomeBy Olivier GuittaSince the spectacular double suicide attack of Dec 11 in Algiers, Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has been quite successful: in Mauritania they killed four French tourists and in another attack 3 soldiers; they also had for the first... Cultural Weapons That Radicalize Europe's MuslimsBy Olivier GuittaWhile classical techniques of indoctrination from outfits like the Muslim Brotherhood have been quite documented (The Croissant has extensively covered this issue), a new insidious technique to radicalize the Muslim population in the West is being implemented. I just wrote... Musharraf's dangerous liaisons and the situation in the tribal areasBy Olivier GuittaI recently wrote two articles for The Middle East Times on the worrisome situation in Pakistan, including Musharraf's duplicity and the worsening chaos in the border areas with Afghanistan. Here is an excerpt from my first piece: The situation in... Hezbollah in the driver's seat in LebanonBy Olivier GuittaHezbollah's grip over Lebanon is increasing by the day. And the West does not seem ready to stop this freight train any longer. The Croissant just reported the following two stories (full versions available to subscribers) that prove how Hezbollah... First target for Iran: Qatar?By Olivier GuittaIran has been vocal about what it would do in case of an American or Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities. I just wrote a piece on that topic for the Middle East Times. Here is an excerpt: What would... Iran's secret Syrian planBy Olivier GuittaWhile the story about the September Israeli bombing on a Syrian nuclear facility has been off the radar for a few weeks, the implications of what really took place are going to reverberate for a long time. For more on... Lebanese imbroglioBy Olivier GuittaWhile the deadline for the election of a president is looming fast in Lebanon, the situation remains as murky as possible. World diplomats are trying to deal with this potentially explosive issue. The potential role of Christian General Aoun might... New worrying signs of activity in the MaghrebBy Olivier GuittaAfter the recent multiple Al Zawahiri's videos specifically on the Maghreb, law-enforcement authorities in North Africa and very much so in Europe as well are on alert. For proof of this, here are two excerpts (full stories available to subscribers)... Additional nuclear sites in Syria?By Olivier GuittaWhile proof of a Syrian nuclear site is trickling down, including in this Washington Post article, the question now remains: what exactly do we know about the Syrian nuclear program? Last night, The Croissant ran a story from the Kuwaiti... Was Israel behind the July explosion at the Syrian military base outside Aleppo?By Olivier GuittaThe September 6 Israeli attack on what was most likely a Syrian nuclear site, was confirmed yesterday by a top Syrian official. Even though today, Syria is vehemently denying the following account: according to Fox News, “it [Israel] had taken... Africa is the next stage of the warBy Olivier GuittaI recently wrote a piece for The Examiner on that topic.Here is an excerpt:On September 12, a US plane flying food supplies to Malian troops was hit by gunfire coming from Tuareg rebels.This is just one of the latest examples... Proposed Yemen-Djibouti Bridge Threatens AFRICOM SecurityBy Olivier GuittaI just co-wrote with my friend and fellow CT blogger Chris Heffelfinger an article for the Jamestown Terrorism Monitor on the worrying situation in the Horn of Africa. Here is an excerpt: Two major developments to unfold in the coming... Hizb ut Tahrir going stronger worldwideBy Olivier GuittaIn fact as I documented in a recent Weekly Standard piece, Hizb ut Tahrir should get our full undivided attention. Here is an excerpt of my article: While al Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood have become household names, another Sunni... The Moroccan Justice and Development Party, "moderate", think againBy Olivier GuittaI was recently on a panel at the Hudson Institute on the "moderate" Islamist parties in Turkey and Morocco. Here is a short excerpt of my remarks: Moderates? I don’t think so... It is a mistake to call the PJD... Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb's emir kicked outBy Olivier GuittaAs The Croissant just reported citing 2 reports in the Algerian press, Abdelmalek Droudkel, aka Abu Mussab, was allegedly kicked out of his position of emir of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) by his peers. I had mentioned... Al Qaeda in LibyaBy Olivier GuittaWhile focus has been rightly so recently on the attacks perpetrated by Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Algeria and Morocco, let's not forget that Libya is also possibly a target. Furthermore, two of Al Qaeda top leaders are... Islamist party's defeat in Morocco: a few observationsBy Olivier GuittaTHe PJD (Justice and Development Party), the main Islamist party in Morocco got 46 seats during the September 7 Moroccan legislative elections. This is a surprise considering that polls were predicting a landslide victory for the PJD and its leaders... Algerian President Bouteflika targeted by the September 6 terror attack, what if?By Olivier GuittaAfter the terror bombing that occurred in Batna on September 6 15 minutes before president Bouteflika's appearance, the question of what if is at the middle of the Algerian political scene. Succession has not really been planned and a real... The "engineers cell" dismantled in MoroccoBy Olivier GuittaFrom The Croissant comes this story: The suicide bomber who unsuccessfully targeted a bus full of tourists in Meknès (Morocco) on August 13, 2007,Hicham Dokkali, is an engineer working for the tax collection administration [Moroccan equivalent of the IRS]. He... What is FPLP-GC up to in Lebanon?By Olivier GuittaWhile there was a second attack on the UNIFIL soldiers in Southern Lebanon and Hezbollah is playing dumb, not knowing who is behind the attacks. This is all the more surprising that Hezbollah is still very much in charge of... Libya: Al Qaeda's next target?By Olivier GuittaAmerican authorities have warned Libya of a potential terror attack against major targets in the capital in the style of the 4/11 attacks in Algiers. Security has been impressively heightened in Libya's major cities. In fact Al Qaeda in The... Potential major break in LebanonBy Olivier GuittaFrom The Croissant come these two stories: Lebanese Minister Pierre Gemayel’s murderers were arrested. Lebanese security forces obtained the confessions of the killers of the Lebanese Industry minister shot in November 2006. The assassins belong to Fatah Al Islam [FAI],... Switzerland, next target?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for The Weekly Standard on Switzerland and Radical Islam. To read it in full, please click here. Here is an excerpt: As jihadist plots continue to be uncovered from Glasgow to New Jersey, it is... Acceleration of Syrian-Iranian meddling in LebanonBy Olivier GuittaThings are heating up rapidly around Lebanon. It is not only Fatah Al Islam fighting the Lebanese Army but also attacks against UNIFIL and now Syria and Iran preparing for a possible Hezbollah-Israel war. For proof, this story from The... Syria's master plan to destroy Lebanon againBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, President Bashar Assad never hid his intentions that if Syria were to leave Lebanon, he would burn down the country. It has been now way over 2 years after the murder of Lebanese ex-prime Minister Rafik Hariri and... A US base in Africa?By Olivier GuittaWhile this issue has been on the table for a long while already , no final decisions have been made. It looks like Morocco is the favorite but nothing is less sure. Anyway this idea is being very much debated... The US – Iran – Syria triangleBy Olivier GuittaWhile many in the US are calling for a "dialog" with Syria, Tehran is very much noticing. For proof, this article from The Croissant: Syria and the US are getting too close for Iran’s comfort. In fact, Iran is allegedly... Lebanese militias rearmingBy Olivier GuittaIn light of the infighting going on in Nahr El Bared between the Lebanese army and the Fatah Al Islam, plus the flare in Ain Al Helwi and the FPLP-GC also rearming, it is not surprising that others are joining... Sahara: refuge for IslamistsBy Olivier GuittaOne of the most concerning areas in the world when it comes to our war against radical Islam remains Africa and in particular the lawless areas of the Sahara. For proof, this article from The Croissant: The Sahara is an... Crisis inside the GSPC / Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb after the 4/11 attacksBy Olivier GuittaAfter the bombing yesterday in Tizi Ouzou, it is interesting to take a look at the internal dissensions inside the GSPC/AQIM. From The Croissant comes this story: First, regarding the Algiers April 11 bombings: 2 out of the 3 suicide... Soft targetsBy Olivier GuittaThe Daily Standard just published my article on soft targets. Here is an excerpt: WHILE THE April 11 suicide bombings in Algiers struck at hard targets--the government palace and a police station--soft targets are most likely the preferred point of... A new undetectable generation of suicide bombersBy Olivier GuittaFrom The Croissant comes: The suicide attacks perpetrated by Mohamed and Omar Maha on April 14, close to the US Consulate and the US Cultural Center, both in Casablanca, remain a mystery. The profile of the 2 suicide bombers: Mohamed... GICM #2, Husseini’s confessionsBy Olivier GuittaFrom The Croissant comes this story: According to a source who read the transcript of Husseini’s testimony, Saad Husseini [the GICM #2, expert on explosives],arrested on March 8, confessed the following: regarding the suicide attacks: Husseini was the one that... Iraq: Algerian JihadistsBy Olivier GuittaAlgeria's GSPC is providing the insurgents in Iraq with jihadists. For proof, this story from The Croissant: The Algerians were already active in Afghanistan. In fact, according to a 2002 UN report, Algerians are second to the Saudis in the... The US Treasury is doing a great job on choking IranBy Olivier GuittaFinancial pressure on Iran is gaining traction: as proved by this article from The Croissant: The US strategy to put financial pressure on Iran seems to be getting substantial results. Using a more discreet approach, pressure is being applied on... Londonistan still alive and wellBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, our British friends do not seem to have learned anything from the past. As I show in my latest Weekly Standard piece, London remains one of the most worrisome places when it comes to Islamists. Here is an... The latest bombings in Algiers were to be expected; what is next?By Olivier GuittaWhile the Algerian Army killed GSPC #2 today, the future remains quite bleak for Algeria. From The Croissant comes this story: Chronology of the GSPC – Al Qaeda strategy: PAST: 1- [in the nineties]: Afghan Arabs: According to security forces... The new young jihadists in AlgeriaBy Olivier GuittaAfter the Algiers 4/11 suicide bombings, the Algerian public was shocked to learn that some among them committed these crimes. In fact, it is the first time in over a decade that a suicide bombing occurred in Algeria. From The... Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb: close-up on Spain and SahelBy Olivier GuittaFrom The Croissant comes this story: Terrorist M’Barek Al Jaafari: 1- February 5: arrested in Tarragon, north east of Spain 2- March 30: the Spanish government allowed his extradition to Morocco Accusations of the Spanish government against M’barek Al Jaafari:... Frightening tales of two young Tamil Tigers desertersBy Olivier GuittaThe terror group, the Tamil Tigers, does not get much publicity but that does not mean they are not a dangerous orgaization. Recently European security services clamped down on European-based operatives who among other things organized the racketeering of the... Scores of young Saudis are joining the ranks of the jihadists in IraqBy Olivier GuittaAmong the ranks of foreigners joining the jihadists in Iraq, the Saudis are still leading the pack followed by The Maghrebis: mostly Moroccans and Algerians. From The Croissant comes this story on the Saudi jihadists in Iraq: Scores of young... Europeans more supportive on IranBy Olivier GuittaTwo stories from The Croissant suggest a change of heart from our European allies on Iran: - First, according to a recent poll, 52% of Europeans are FOR a military intervention to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Second,... Algiers bombings: a diversion?By Olivier GuittaThe recent multiplication of bombings against security forces, including the double suicide bombings in Algiers would be part of a strategy to force the army to release its grip on Bejaia, in Kabylia. In fact, a massive operation involving thousands... Morocco's mistakes in anti-terror strategy are today costlyBy Olivier GuittaIn light of the recent suicide bombings in Casablanca from terrorists who did not want to get caught alive, it's interesting to take a look at some of the major deficiencies of Morocco's anti-terror strategy. From last week's issue of... Growing chemical arsenal for Iraqi Shiite militias, Hezbollah and Hamas delivered by IranBy Olivier GuittaRecently, UN Secretary general Ban Moon has acknowledged that Syria has been delivering weapons to Hezbollah, contrary to what UN resolution 1701 asks. A much troubling development is occurring. From last week’s issue of The Croissant, comes this story about... Spain fears attacks in the Maghreb against its interestsBy Olivier GuittaAfter the French, the Americans and the British, the Spaniards are now warning of potential terror attacks in the Maghreb. From The Croissant comes: Spain fears attacks in the Maghreb against its interests The Spanish ministry of Foreign Affairs recently... A French hostage in IranBy Olivier GuittaAfter the saga of the 15 British hostages and the French and the German just recently released, we just learned of a new French hostage. From The Croissant comes: A French hostage in Iran January 30: Stéphane Dudoignon, a researcher... Morocco: Discovery of biological agents/GICM #2 arrestedBy Olivier GuittaRegarding the recent suicide attack in Casablanca on March 11 and the previous arrest of GICM #2 Saad Husseini, come the following two stories from The Croissant: 1- Discovery of biological agents in Morocco [After the March 11 suicide bombing... The narco Saudi princeBy Olivier GuittaAmazingly, the following story did not make it to our shores while there is a connection to a major US drug bust, to a Saudi royal and possibly to terrorism. From The Croissant comes: On March 28 started in Paris... Jordan fears Hamas’ Khaled MeshaalBy Olivier GuittaLast year, an Israeli general warned of a potential coup in Jordan to overthrow King Abdullah. One clear threat for the Amman regime is Hamas Khaled Meshaal. For proof, from The Croissant: The Jordanian government worries about the latest maneuvers... Gulf countries fear the closing of the Ormuz StraitBy Olivier GuittaWhile the situation with Iran escalates, and oil prices are increasing steadily, the following story makes completely sense. From The Croissant: Gulf countries are worried about the repercussions on the oil sector in case of a war with Iran. Fact:... Recent Islamist terrorism in MoroccoBy Olivier GuittaIn light of the March 11 suicide bombing and the great likelihood of potential attacks in Morocco, it's interesting to take a look at the recent history of Islamist terrorism in the kingdom. From The Croissant: How did Morocco get... Morocco Under FireBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for The Weekly Standard on the explosive situation in Morocco. Here is an excerpt: On March 11, three years to the day after the Madrid bombings, a cybercafe in Casablanca was hit. Two terrorists carrying... What's going on in Syria?By Olivier GuittaSyria is at the crossroads. A perfect storm is gathering above Damascus. For proof from The Croissant come 2 interesting stories from usually well-informed Kuwaiti Al Seyassah : 1- Syria’s plan to avoid indictment for Hariri’s assassination There is an... Al Qaeda in The Maghreb: a reality to reckonBy Olivier GuittaI have been reporting on the emergence of an Al Qaeda branch in the Maghreb since November 2005. It seems now that it's becoming a reality more and more each day. The Croissant summarized and translated this article from the... Al Qaeda settles in LebanonBy Olivier GuittaIn the past few weeks, lots of press has been given to a Lebanon-based terror group loosely affiliated with Al Qaeda. Its name: Fatah Al Islam. Last week, Lebanese law enforcement officials said they arrested 4 Syrians members of FAI... Info on the March 11 Casablanca bombingBy Olivier GuittaFrom The Croissant come two stories on the 3/11 suicide bombing in Morocco. First in the Moroccan daily Libération: Arrests in the aftermath of the Casablanca suicide bombing The suicide bombing occurred on Sunday March 11 in a cybercafé in... Watch out for possible Hezbollah/Iran attacks in South AmericaBy Olivier GuittaSince the latest escalation between Iran and the West with the abduction of 15 British sailors, one can count on Iran using asymetrical means to target the West. One of this would be to activate Hezbollah cells around the world... France averted at least 1 terrorist operation per annum, since 1996By Olivier GuittaThis according to an interview with French antiterrorist judge Jean-Louis Bruguière in L'Express summarized and translated by The Croissant In 1994 i.e. way before anyone, Jean-Louis Bruguière : · Noticed core of the terror threat moved towards the Pakistani-Afghan area:... Lebanon fears political assassinations in the next few daysBy Olivier GuittaFrom our foreign affairs and counterterrorism newsletter launched today The Croissant, comes a summary and translation of a very interesting article from the Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah. Here it is: · Citing a top Lebanese source: Fear of a new... Suicide attack in Morocco just the beginningBy Olivier GuittaAs I have been yelling for the past year, the Maghreb and especially Morocco is very vulnerable to terrorist attacks. It's also become one of the favorite targets of Al Qaeda since the Algerian GSPC changed its name to Al... France and the UK reinforcing security measures after the defection of Iranian Vice defense ministerBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah believes that Paris and London have reinforced security measures after the Israeli Mossad provided them with reliable information on the terrorist threat represented by Hezbollah cells helped by Iranian Services based in the Iranian... The Maghreb, new major target for Al QaedaBy Olivier GuittaSince the Algerian terror group GSPC officially changed its name to Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, an acceleration of attacks has occurred. For more please read here, here. The latest two attacks in Algeria in two days killed 11:... Another front on the Sunni-Shiite warBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for The Examiner on the aggressive proselytizing going on in the Arab world. Here is an excerpt: While the media focuses on the aggressive Iranian expansion in the whole Middle East, another insidious campaign is... Explosive situation in Lebanon will continueBy Olivier GuittaWhile incidents keep on piling up in Lebanon, precursor signs are pointing to an escalation of the situation triggered by Syria's allies. First incidents against the international forces of UNIFIL in the South are increasing. For instance last Sunday Spanish... Mustapha Khalfi, the Moroccan Islamist who spent a year in the US including Congress criticizes the USBy Olivier GuittaHow surprising! Ilan Weinglass and I have been trying to open some eyes last year about the fact that this dangerous Islamist should not have been allowed in our country and even less given a Fulbright scholarship and work in... Chaos in the Gulf: Kuwait preparing for war and Shia riots in BahreinBy Olivier GuittaAs I have been pointing out for almost a year, everybody is getting ready for war in the Gulf. Latest sign: Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al Watan believes that Kuwait and NATO will sign a bilateral agreement in March. This agreement... Palestinian Islamic Jihad threatens Secretary Rice and the USBy Olivier GuittaAfter the 5 million dollars reward offered by the US State Department for the capture of Abdallah Ramadane Challah, secretary general of Palestinian Islamic Jihad , the radical movement threatens to attack some American leaders: “Rice for Challah”. In an... Iranian hands all over armed rebellion in YemenBy Olivier GuittaThe rebellion of Badreddine Al-Huthi, in the area of Saada, in the north of Sanaa, is reportedly supported and armed by Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran has been implicated in the destabilization of this border area with Saudi Arabia.... A Madrid Redux: potential terror attacks during forthcoming French presidential electionsBy Olivier GuittaSome recent French intelligence reports leaked to Le Monde and Al Hayat are pointing to that possible threat during the April-May 2007 French presidential elections. Al Hayat specifically mentioned Al Qaeda related websites calling for attacks against France along with... Tunisia, new target of GSPCBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Daily Standard on the latest attacks against Tunisia. You can read it here. Here's an excerpt: WHILE SOMALIA HAS been grabbing all the headlines, it isn't the only area of Africa that has... GSPC hits hard in AlgeriaBy Olivier GuittaGSPC which is now named Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb perpetrated today six near simultaneous attacks in Kabylia in a twenty-mile radius. According to government figures, six people died and 13 were injured. The targets were police stations. It... Sanctions against Iran would work but they won't be triedBy Olivier GuittaI just have an article on this topic in the latest issue of The Weekly Standard. You can read the whole piece here. Here's an excerpt: After nearly four years of fruitless negotiations between the EU-3 (France, Germany, and the... Hezbollah preparing for a civil war in Beirut?By Olivier GuittaIt surely looks like it. After the recent provocations at the Lebanese-Israeli border plus the planting of five bombs Hezbollah is definitely upping the ante again. Lebanese security forces intercepted today a semitrailer charged with individual weapons at the outskirts... Hezbollah provoking Israel right at the borderBy Olivier GuittaIndeed Hezbollah flags were deployed on February 2 on the Lebanese-Israeli. According to the site “Elaph.com”, “militants of Hezbollah deployed this Friday about thirty flags of their party all along the Lebanese-Israeli border. Hoisted on some six meter high poles,... First time suicide attack in EilatBy Olivier GuittaIn fact until today Eilat has always been spared. Eilat is one of Israel's main tourist destinations and had almost played the safety card. This is no more: this morning's suicide attack is a horrible wake up call that no... Weird incidents in US airports are raising questionsBy Olivier GuittaThe Saudi daily Al Watan just reported that there have been a number of thefts of airport vehicles in US airports in the past few days including an United Air car on Chicago O'hare's airport. also attempts were made in... Did the US prevent Israel from kidnapping Hezbollah's #2?By Olivier GuittaAccording to a German intelligence report cited by the Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah, US officials intervened to prevent Israel from "hijaking " the private Saudi plane transporting back to Beirut Naim Qassem, Hezbollah number 2 and MP Mohamed Fneich. Indeed... US Special forces chasing Al Qaeda terrorists in SomaliaBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, according to Saudi daily Al Watan, US Special forces based in Djibouti have been instructed to look for Al Qaeda terrorists in the south of Somalia. Among them the most sought after terrorist is Al Qaeda chief in... Did Moqtada Al Sadr take part in the actual hanging of Saddam Hussein?By Olivier GuittaAccording to the Saudi daily Al Riyad, citing a witness to the execution of Hussein, one of the masked men was indeed Moqtada Al Sadr. Knowing that Saddam Hussein had Moqtada's father killed, this would not be surprising. In fact... Additional info on Syria's nuclear programBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for The Examiner expanding on my recent post on the state of Syria's nuclear program. Here's an excerpt; you can read the whole article here.: WASHINGTON - The Iraq Survey Group is calling for open... Al Qaeda in Iraq congratulates GSPC for its latest attackBy Olivier GuittaIn a communique published last week after the terror attack against Brown Root and Condor personnel in Bouchaoui which killed 2 and injured 8, Al Qaeda in Iraq congratulated GSPC for its successful operation. "We bless the conquest of Bouchaoui;... Syrian regime preparing exile to Iran?By Olivier GuittaIn fact, according to the very well informed Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah, the Syrian regime is quite worried of the results of the international tribunal investigating the death of former Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri. Allegedly, Syrian top leaders have already... GSPC all over the placeBy Olivier GuittaFor a group supposedly extinct that's what the government in Algiers wants us to believe after the blatant failure of their amnesty, GSPC is doing quite well unfortunately. As my colleague Evan Kohlmann reported GSPC is behind the latest attack... Morocco under the assault of IslamistsBy Olivier GuittaIn fact not a week goes by without a story of arrests of alleged terrorists, radical imams and cells preparing youngsters for the Jihad in Iraq. Back at the end of November, authorities dismantled a cell in the same Casablanca... Syrian nuclear program quite advancedBy Olivier GuittaRecently, Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al Seyassah quoted European intelligence sources as saying that "Syria has an advanced nuclear program" in a secret site located in the province of Al Hassaka, close to the Turkish and Iraqi borders. British sources quoted... French nationals involved in Jihadi ops across the Arab worldBy Olivier GuittaJust last week, we learned that three French Jihadis on their way to Iraq to kill US troops were arrested in Syria and shipped back to France. These three young men aged 19,20 and 31 were from Tours and attended... French oil conglomerate Total in Iranian oil schemeBy Olivier GuittaThe French weekly L'Express just revealed that Swiss authorities have established Total's responsibility in an Iranian oil scheme. Indeed a $39 Million account at the Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch et Cie bank in Geneva was recently flagged out because of... The Hijab, a weapon for Islamists worldwideBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for this week's Weekly Standard on the veil controversy. The hijab is one of the main weapons used by Islamists whether Shia or Sunni to impose their views of the world. The whole article can... A war for nothingBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for FrontPage Magazine on the aftermath of the July war. I am making the point that another war is looming because nothing at all has been solved and the powerless UNIFIL is going to leave... The latest murder of Christian Lebanese Minister Gemayel is pushing Lebanon closer to civil warBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, the timing and the murder of anti Syrian Christian Minister Pierre Gemayel should not be any surprise. Indeed for months now, anti Syrian Lebanese personalities have been under heavy physical threat. Some of them have been even shuttling... Transatlantic cooperation on terrorism not that bad after all?By Olivier GuittaI just wrote an essay for the Journal of International Security Affairs on Euro-US relations on terrorism, Iraq... The full essay can be found here. Here is an excerpt: French President Jacques Chirac has put it quite bluntly: “I have... Update on a very tense situation in LebanonBy Olivier GuittaOn this 23rd anniversary of the attacks (it happened on Oct 23, 1983) against our Marines and French troops in Beirut which killed respectively 241 and 58, the situation in Lebanon remains very worrisome to say the least. In the... Tariq Ramadan's background and tacticsBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for The Weekly Standard on Tariq Ramadan. It explores in depth his bio, background, strategy and tactics to Islamize the West. The whole article can be found here. Here's an excerpt: ON SEPTEMBER 20, the... GSPC suffering losses in Mali and EuropeBy Olivier GuittaGSPC, the Algerian terror group which is now officially part of Al Qaeda, has been active in Mali since the summer of 2005. At first, GSPC used Mali as a hiding place to avoid being arrested by Algerian authorities. It... The Islamization of MoroccoBy Olivier GuittaI wrote a piece for the Weekly Standard on Morocco's dangerous path to Islamization. Here's an excerpt: A LITTLE MORE THAN three years ago, Morocco experienced Islamic terrorism firsthand. On May 16, 2003, Casablanca was hit with four simultaneous attacks... Zawahiri threatens France and announces merger with GSPCBy Olivier GuittaFurther to my recent post on the threat on France, the recent September 11 video message of Zawahiri confirms this. Zawahiri again denounced France for the 2004 law on religious signs but this time also blames France for its active... Nasrallah is fast losing popularity even in its own ranks UPDATED 9/15By Olivier GuittaIndeed a recent poll shows that the majority of Lebanese, actually 51% want Hezbollah disarmed. Le Figaro cited that 47% of Lebanese do not think that Hezbollah won the war over Israel. While one could have expected the reversal of... France on elevated alertBy Olivier GuittaA September 1 report of the French Anti terrorism Unit leaked to Le Figaro stated that France was next as a target of Islamist terrorism. Indeed France has been one of the countries most mentioned in Al Qaeda and affiliates... Syria on the offensive againBy Olivier GuittaI agree with my colleague Walid Phares on the likely implication of Syria in the latest attack against our embassy in Damascus. It sounds very plausible. Assad like his father is famous for playing the arsonist/fireman strategy. For instance when... Iran is threatening terror attacks against the WestBy Olivier GuittaHossein Shariatmadari, the president of the conservative Iranian Kayhan newspaper, wrote in his newspaper on July 31, 2006 an article where he asked "young Muslims to attack Zionists, Zionist centers as well as the embassies of the countries supporting Israel... Hezbollah executed 18 "spies" in TyreBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, the very well informed Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah reported that Hezbollah shot eighteen people last week. These people were suspected of being collaborators to Israel (sounds awfully like what's been happening in the Palestinian territories in the past... France and Hezbollah on a collision course? UPDATED 7/31By Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Weekly Standard on French-Hezbollah relations in light of the surely increasing French role in diplomatic negotiations. Here's an excerpt: FRANCE HAS A LONG HISTORY in Lebanon, a country it administered under a League... Nasrallah's other war: IRAQBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for the Asia Times on Hezbollah's active involvement in Iraq. See how everything is interconnected : Hezbollah's slogan is anyway: Death to America! Nasarallah said it himself in 2004. Here's an excerpt of my article:... Iran caught red handed in smuggling nuclear materialBy Olivier GuittaLast week Agence France Presse reported that Bulgaria had stopped at its border with Romania a truck filled with radiocative material destined to Iran. According to Serguei Tstatchev, head of the Bulgarian Nuclear Control Agency, the truck rented by a... The forgotten war in AlgeriaBy Olivier GuittaThe Weekly Standard just published today my piece on the horrific situation in Algeria re the war between the government and the Islamist terrorists of the GSPC. Here's an excerpt: ON JULY 10, a group of terrorists entered a campground... Europe, potential target for Hezbollah terror attacksBy Olivier GuittaTwo European countries are especially worried about the potential implications of the Hezbollah-Syria-Iran vs Israel war. They are Germany and France. First, German security services are on the lookout for a potential Hezbollah terror campaign because of the heavy precense... Some important missed facts on the Hezbollah/Iran/Syria-Israel warBy Olivier GuittaIn the same vein of my latest July 13 post, here is some additional info that has been overlooked: 1- Over two weeks ago, Hezbollah's leader Nasrallah told opposition leader Walid Jumblatt: "The stability of Lebanon is vital for us.... Important overlooked news on latest Hezbollah attacksBy Olivier Guitta1- According to Israeli Channel 10, Hezbollah was able to hack into the Israeli Army's computer systems prior to the attack. 2- For the first time, Israel mentioned the possible intervention of Iranian Revolutionary Guards based in Lebanon in the... Did Iran help in locating Zarqawi?By Olivier GuittaIn fact, a credible Moroccan newspaper, La Gazette du Maroc, is affirming that Zarqawi was caught thanks to Iran and was the first gift to the US. Sounds like a conspiracy theory? Maybe not. Citing Iranian sources and Iraqi sources... How will Russia react to the murder of its diplomats in Iraq?UPDATED 6/28By Olivier GuittaIf confirmed, the murder of the four Russian diplomats taken hostage on June 3- three by beheading and the last one by shooting- by members of an Al Qaeda affiliate, may have important implications. In fact, last week Russia had... France arrests a "very moderate" imam for terrorism financing EDITED 6- 22By Olivier GuittaIn fact Dahou Meskine along sixteen other people were arrested on Monday and Tuesday for allegedly financing Islamic terrorism. The most probable organization that benefited from this money is the Algerian terrorist group GSPC. In fact, investigators found out that... Further preparation in the Gulf for potential warBy Olivier GuittaLess than a month ago I posted on the military preparation going on in the Gulf. Additional elements are pointing towards the seriousness of the preparation in place. For instance Qatar helped by the IAEA and Western nuclear powers is... Syria behind a plot to destabilize QatarBy Olivier GuittaLast week, Qatari authorities proceeded to arrest about 100 Syrian workers and five Syrian intelligence officers. The Kuwaiti daily Al Seyassah explained that Qatar had foiled a destabilization plot against the monarchy. This plot, reportedly conceived by Assad's brother in... Jordan arrests Zarqawi's brother-in-law and an Al Jazeera journalist live!By Olivier GuittaIn fact, a few hours ago, while an Al Jazeera journalist was interviewing Abu Kadama, Zarqawi's brother-in-law in Zarqa, Jordan, the broadcast was suddenly interrupted, most probably by Jordan. Because when the journalist came back on the air, he said... The state of transatlantic ties on securityBy Olivier GuittaIn a follow up to the paper I cowrote with Sally Mc Namara for ALEC in January, I just published in TCS Daily a more detailed study on transatlantic ties on security issues. You can read the whole paper here.... Europeans worried about terror attacks against nuclear facilitiesBy Olivier GuittaAfter the recent spectacular arrests in London and Toronto, European services are on the lookout. For instance, for the first time ever, the new 2005 Swiss Federal Police report mentions a possible attack against Switzerland: "Switzerland was not a target... Iran and its neighbors are preparing for warBy Olivier GuittaMilitary activity in the Gulf has been increasing tremendously in the past few months. According to British sources, the stock of weapons, missiles and combat planes in the six neighboring countries to Iran is now three times what it was... Credible threats against the Danish cartoonistsBy Olivier GuittaIf you thought that the Cartoon Jihad was over, think again. Indeed, several European secret services are on the lookout for special Islamist commandos allegedly trying to kill the 12 Danish cartoonists involved in the Jyllands Posten Muhammad cartoons. Most... Al Qaida targeting Fatah leaders?By Olivier GuittaFurther confirmation of Al Qaida's expansion in Gaza which I talked about here, here and here, can be seen through the newly released fatwa of Al Tawhid and Jihad in Syria and Palestine, first reported by the Islamist paper Al... Additionnal info on the potential SDGT working in CongressBy Olivier GuittaHere is some additionnal info to my post and the article I cowrote with my colleague Ilan Weinglass. I am posting here a portion of the writeup we transmitted to the US Treasury last month regarding the potential Specially Designated... A potential Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity (SDGT) working in CongressBy Olivier GuittaMustafa Khalfi, the editor in chief of At Tajdid, the main Islamist publication in Morocco, is among other things working on the Hill for Congressman Jim Mc Dermott. Researching with my colleague Ilan Weinglass this story, we found out that... A GSPC linked cell preparing attacks against Italy, France and Morocco dismantledBy Olivier GuittaMorocco arrested last week nine people in connection with an Al Qaeda/GSPC linked cell headed by a Tunisian individual named Mohamed Belhadi Messahel. Among the targets of that group were the Milan and Paris metro, the Bologna San Petronio basilica... Why is Google still carrying Al Manar???By Olivier GuittaThe Shia TV network Al Manar of the Lebanese terrorist group Hizbullah was placed on March 23 on the Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entities (SDGT) list of the US Treasury (see here and Walid's post here). This occured after the... Al Qaeda's recruiting in the Palestinian territoriesBy Olivier GuittaFollowing my post and article on Al Qaeda's master plan to attack Israel in the next three years, a Jordanian intelligence source confirmed to Al Hayat that a major Al Qaeda attack was just very recently foiled in Gaza. This... Al Qaeda's Master PlanBy Olivier GuittaFolowing on my post on Al Qaeda's expansion in the Middle East, I wrote a full article on this topic for Tech Central. You can read it here. Here is an excerpt: The fact that Al Qaeda is infiltrating countries... Iran has been getting ready for sanctionsBy Olivier GuittaIn fact some proof of Iran's preparations against possible sanctions were given two days ago by the Swiss daily La Liberte. Since last fall, rumors of Iran's transfer of assets from European institutions to Arab ones have been numerous. But... Qatar, next target of Iranian attacks?By Olivier GuittaIn fact the Saudi daily Al Riyad very recently reported on Iranian threats on Qatar. The leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are very angered by Qatar's alliance to the US and allegedly to Israel. In case of a military... The Algerian amnesty of terrorists is a recipe for disasterBy Olivier GuittaAmong the terrorists recently freed by Algeria (part of the general amnesty), two in particular were vital for French authorities. For that reason diplomatic tension is palpable between Paris and Algiers. Indeed, the two individuals, Mohamed Benyamina and Akil Chraibi,... GSPC kills one of its ex-leadersBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, on Friday March 10, Abdelkrim Kaduri was gunned down in Al Ued by a GSPC armed squad. This is a very important because of a few reasons: 1- Until 1999, Kaduri was the military adviser to GSPC leader... Al Qaeda's expansion in the Palestinian territoriesBy Olivier GuittaAbu Mazen's interview to the pan-Arabic daily Al Hayat is getting lots of attention. In fact, his recognition of Al Qaeda's precense in Gaza and the West Bank coupled with his warning of the "destruction of the whole region" because... Main terrorist behind the Casablanca and Madrid bombings arrestedBy Olivier GuittaIndeed, as the weekly La Gazette du Maroc reported citing insiders Moroccan sources, Saad Hussaini was arrested in Syria and extradited to Morocco. As far as I know, Moroccan officials have not confirmed this scoop yet. Hussaini is one of... Al Qaeda...in LebanonBy Olivier GuittaRevelations of Al Qaeda's presence in Southern Lebanon has not been given much press. It seems to me nonetheless an interesting and important development. I just wrote a piece on that topic for TCS Daily. You can read the whole... Saudi Arabia, Iran and Syria's holy partnership in the Cartoon JihadBy Olivier GuittaWhile many pundits mention Syria and Iran regarding their profiting from the Danish cartoon controversy, Saudi Arabia has really been the main driver behind this whole charade. I wrote a piece detailing this for FrontPage Magazine. You can read it... The Muslim Brotherhood behind the Cartoon JihadBy Olivier GuittaThanks to my colleague Lorenzo Vidino for revealing here the extent of the implication of Danish Imam Abu Laban in the controversy over the Danish cartoons. I wrote a piece for the Weekly Standard showing the involvement of the Muslim... The UK and France not clamping down on Hamas charitiesBy Olivier GuittaTalking or not with Hamas and supporting financially the Palestinian Authority or not have been questions in the minds of Europeans and US officials. If some in Europe, especially the UK and France, refused to close down Hamas charities while... For the European Union, Al Qaeda is NOT a terrorist organization (edited 2/5)By Olivier GuittaIn fact, while researching a paper on EU-US cooperation, I found out that Al Qaeda was not included in the EU's main list of terror organizations. Here is the complete list. European officials confirmed to me that stunning fact. I... GSPC's spiritual leader killedBy Olivier GuittaIn fact, AFP just reported that Sheikh Ahmed Abu Al Baraa was killed on January 17 during a fight between Islamists and the Algerian Army. It is an important victory against the jihadists because Al Baraa was quite influential in... Danish leftist group openly funding terrorist organizationsBy Olivier GuittaIndeed, the far left group Rebellion has admitted to transfer 14,000 Euros (around $17,000) to the Colombian FARC and the Palestinian FPLP, both on the European Union list of terror organizations. Rebellion considers these two groups as being "secular, democratic... Overview of Euro-American cooperation on terrorismBy Olivier GuittaI cowrote with Sally Mc Namara, the brilliant International Relations Project Director of American Legislative Exchange Council, a paper for ALEC entitled "Homeland Security in a Global Context: An Overview of European-U.S. Cooperation." You can find the entire report here.... Hamas still calling for "the end of the Zionist entity"By Olivier GuittaEven though some recent reports have shown a supposed change of heart from the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, a top leader made things clear on Al Jazeera on January 18. In that interview (provided by Proche-Orient info), Ismael Hania stated... Chirac finally getting tough on terroristsBy Olivier GuittaJacques Chirac delivered yesterday his most important speech on terrorism in his ten-year tenure as French president. By specifically explaining the new Chirac doctrine, he is warning terror-sponsoring states. In fact, Chirac declared that French allies and national interests would... Jihadis are indeed targeting French planesBy Olivier GuittaBack in October, the French press leaked that Islamists had acquired missiles to shoot down planes at French airports. This information was just confirmed. It is included in the file prepared by anti terror French judges regarding the Chechen terror... Saudi Arabia contributing to the expansion of terrorismBy Olivier GuittaThis according to Quinnan Al Ghamdi in a recent column in Al Watan. Here's a rundown of Al Ghamdi's points: . He criticizes the use by some of the expression Conquest of Manhattan to describe the 9/11 attacks. He... Belgium, hotbed for Islamist terrorismBy Olivier GuittaAfter the revelation of the suicide attack from the first Western female-a Belgian citizen- in Iraq on November 9, Belgium is emerging as a crucial country in Counter Terrorism terms. Here are some facts: The recruiter of the Muslim convert... GSPC wants to establish Al Qa in the MaghrebBy Olivier GuittaRecently,four Algerians presumably close to the GSPC were placed in temporary detention in Spain. The Spanish judge, a Madrid native, Fernando Andreu suspects them of financial and logistical support to GSPC and of having tried to acquire in Grenade, dynamite... An Islamist at Johns Hopkins and then US CongressBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote an article for Front Page Magazine about a Moroccan Islamist currently studying at John Hopkins on his way to training at the US Congress and the Canadian Parliament. Here is an excerpt: A 32-YEAR-OLD MOROCCAN INTELLECTUAL has... The Tamil Tigers racket Sri Lankans in ParisBy Olivier Guitta70,000 Sri Lankans residing in France are subject to a revolutionary tax collected by the terrorist organization the Tamil Tigers to finance their guerilla war against the Colombo government. According to French Police, 1,000 Tigers are collecting 1... One of France's main Counter Terrorism experts tells it allBy Olivier GuittaIn a rare interview given to the French daily Le Monde on November 25, Renseignements Generaux [special branch of the French police dealing with domestic terrorism, Radical Islam...] Director, Pascal Mailhos, focused on Counter terrorism. Since only one or two... An Al Qaeda big fish threatens FranceBy Olivier GuittaThe Syrian Abu Musab Al-Siri, one of the main Al Qaeda operatives in Europe, was arrested on October 31 in Quetta, Pakistan. The man left a spiritual will in the form of a one-hour video recorded right after the attacks... Yemen, sponsor of terror again?By Olivier GuittaIndeed as the Saudi daily Al-Sharq Al Awsat recently reported citing Yemeni sources along with Western intelligence services, two AK 47 were used during the Al Qaedas attack on the US Consulate in Jeddah last December. The Kalashnikovs serial numbers... Villepin LIED on CNNBy Olivier GuittaIndeed, in an interview given to Christiane Amanpour, French Prime Minister Dominique Marie Francois Rene Galouzeau de Villepin- that's his real full name- when asked about the recent riots in France answered: "I am not sure you can call them... Morocco actively fighting Al QaedaBy Olivier GuittaWhile two of its citizens are currently held prisoners by the Zarqawi network in Iraq, Morocco is responding in kind to the terror master. Indeed, just today, Moroccan authorities revealed they have dismantled an Al Qaeda linked terrorist cell. Seventeen... French Islamists, the winners of the riotsBy Olivier GuittaI just finished an article re the real implications of the French Islamists in the latest wave of violence in French suburbs. Here is an excerpt: In fact, the French suburbs where radical Islam is most entrenched have been quiet.... French interests possible targets of Zarqawi and GSPCBy Olivier GuittaAfter the attacks on Jordan by the Zarqawi network, France is even more on a higher alert than last month. Already at that time Nicolas Sarkozy, Interior Minister had declared that the risk of a terrorist attack against France was... France's lost territoriesBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a piece for New York Press re the French riots and the misperceptions carried by the MSM. I also touched on the potential transformation from rioter to jihadi. Here is an excerpt: Some commentators have been quick... Intifada in ParisBy Olivier GuittaFor the past week, the suburbs of Paris have been subject to violent riots from mostly young Muslims. This is definetely not a one time occurrence. I just wrote an article for the Weekly Standard on that topic. Here is... France and Hizbullah: The End of the AffairBy Olivier GuittaI just wrote a paper for the Brookings Institution on France and Hizbullah. Here is an excerpt: The French and American experiences in Lebanon have been quite similar in many ways, particularly when it comes to Hizbullah. The "Party of... The project of the Muslim Brotherhood to conquer the worldBy Olivier GuittaAccording to Sylvain Besson, a Swiss investigative reporter, Swiss authorities found a fascinating document when they entered Yusuf Nadas villa in November 2001. Nada is by the way viewed as one of the bankrollers of Al Qaeda; he is the... Saddam: where is the money?By Olivier GuittaThe French press has been focusing in the past few weeks on Saddam Husseins villas on the French Riviera. Indeed Saddam owned two estates one in Cannes valued at over $14 million and the other one in Grasse valued at... Londonistan is alive and kickingBy Olivier GuittaRecently, I had the opportunity to ask Iain Duncan Smith, British M.P. and former leader of the Conservative Party (2001-2003), about the appointment of Swiss Islamist Tariq Ramadan to the Blairs taskforce on fighting extremism. He went blank and had... Swiss Bank UBS allegedly laundered $5 billion for Cuba, Iran and LibyaBy Olivier GuittaIn a widely ignored story (except by the New York Sun) and potentially one of the biggest scandals of recent memory except the by now infamous UN Oil for Food- the Swiss financial giant Union des Banques Suisses is pointed... UPDATED Details on the possible biological attack foiled in ParisBy Olivier GuittaFurther to my post on the arrests of members of the Bourrada cell linked to the Algerian GSPC, the Saudi Al Watan has interesting details about the terrorist attack in the works. Indeed, French police discovered at the home of... Saudi Arabia's involvement in the Bali bombingsBy Olivier GuittaEven after the October 2002 Bali bombing, the madrassas where most of the terrorists were trained, are still up and running spreading their hatred and breeding new jihadists. On top of these Koranic schools and radical mosques, Jemaah Islamiyah can... France is on high alertBy Olivier GuittaA week after arresting nine suspected terrorists, French police arrested four more on Monday. They are suspected to be part of the Safe Bourrada cell. Among the four, two are French men converted to Islam while in jail. Indeed, prison... Indonesia giving in to Radical Islam?By Olivier GuittaAfter todays bombings most probably orchestrated by the Jemaah Islamiyah, as explained in detail by Zachary and Andy, its not a coincidence that Radical Islam is gaining ground in Indonesia. Says Sydney Jones, head of the International Crisis Group in... The GSPC cell arrested in France was onto major acts of terrorBy Olivier GuittaOn Monday, French authorities arrested an Islamist cell in the suburbs of Paris and in Normandy that was planning attacks on the Paris metro, airport and the DST- rough equivalent of the FBI- HQ. Among those arrested is a well-known... Whitewashing Saudi Arabia time and againBy Olivier GuittaAfter Andys post re the fundraising on Saudi TV for terrorists, one should or should not be surprised by Karen Hughes statement while visiting Saudi King Abdullah. She stated: I salute the Kingdoms efforts to work with us to combat... Lebanon asks for US and French help re terrorismBy Olivier GuittaAn FBI team, requested by Lebanese PM Fuad Siniora, just arrived in Beirut today to help solve the latest string of terrorist attacks, since Rafik Al Hariri's murder on February 14. In fact, after the attempted murder of the popular... French foreign Minister officially thanked Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi!By Olivier GuittaSheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood and TV star on Al Jazeera, who called for killings of Americans in Iraq, civilians or not and approves suicide bombings in Israel even against children and babies because... What game is Iraqi Shia Sheikh Al Khalissi playing?By Olivier GuittaSheikh Jawad Al Khalessi, Shia imam of the Al Kazemiya mosque in Baghdad and General Secretary of the Iraqi National Congress, had some very "juicy" revelations. In an interview with Le Monde, he declared: Abu Musab Al Zarqawi is dead.... |