Iran's insidious expansion campaign

By Olivier Guitta

Since 1979, Iran has been trying to export its Islamic revolution. One of the aspects of this campaign has been to convert Sunni populations to Shiism. This campaign has recently accelerated reaching very varied places around the globe. I just...

Use of energy to avert war

By Olivier Guitta

The UN sanctions against Iran coupled with the US treasury campaign to get international banks to stop doing business with Iran are starting to have some effect. But hey are far as being effective enough to get Iran to comply...

Assad's moment of truth

By Olivier Guitta

Syrian 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 keg

By Olivier Guitta

Saturday'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 sanctions

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 threat

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 Guitta

I 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 home

By Olivier Guitta

Further 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 coup

By Olivier Guitta

Hezbollah 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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 run

By Olivier Guitta

A 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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 Europe

By Olivier Guitta

European 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 neighborhood

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 Africa

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 Morocco

By Olivier Guitta

One 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 Gulf

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 threat

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 gamble

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 Guitta

I 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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 peril

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 dilemma

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 threat

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 worrisome

By Olivier Guitta

Since 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 Muslims

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 areas

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 Lebanon

By Olivier Guitta

Hezbollah'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 Guitta

Iran 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 plan

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 imbroglio

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 Maghreb

By Olivier Guitta

After 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 Guitta

While 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 Guitta

The 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 war

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 Security

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 worldwide

By Olivier Guitta

In 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 again

By Olivier Guitta

I 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 out

By Olivier Guitta

As 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 Libya

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 observations

By Olivier Guitta

THe 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 Guitta

After 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 Morocco

By Olivier Guitta

From 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 Guitta

While 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 Guitta

American 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 Lebanon

By Olivier Guitta

From 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 Guitta

I 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 Lebanon

By Olivier Guitta

Things 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 again

By Olivier Guitta

In 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 Guitta

While 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 triangle

By Olivier Guitta

While 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 rearming

By Olivier Guitta

In 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 Islamists

By Olivier Guitta

One 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 attacks

By Olivier Guitta

After 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 targets

By Olivier Guitta

The 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 bombers

By Olivier Guitta

From 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 confessions

By Olivier Guitta

From 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 Jihadists

By Olivier Guitta

Algeria'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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

Financial 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 well

By Olivier Guitta

In 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 Guitta

While 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 Algeria

By Olivier Guitta

After 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 Sahel

By Olivier Guitta

From 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 deserters

By Olivier Guitta

The 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 Iraq

By Olivier Guitta

Among 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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

Two 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 Guitta

The 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 costly

By Olivier Guitta

In 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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

Recently, 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 interests

By Olivier Guitta

After 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 Iran

By Olivier Guitta

After 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 arrested

By Olivier Guitta

Regarding 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 prince

By Olivier Guitta

Amazingly, 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...