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About Contact Us CT Blog Experts in the Media CT Library Counterterrorism Foundation Websites & Centers RSS & PDA Feeds Monthly Archives POSTS ON ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR POSTS ON 2008 MUMBAI ATTACK Counterterrorism Blog Panels: Reforming U.S. Counter-Terrorism Assistance Programs, Feb. 12 The 2008 Mumbai Attacks, Dec. 4 Future of Turkey-U.S. Strategic Partnership, May 19 Iran & U.S.: Outlook for Next Decade? April 15 Compañeros de Armas ("Friends in Arms"): Chavez, FARC & South America, March 19 Meta-Terror: Terrorism & the Virtual World, Feb. 29 Evolution of US Counterterrorism Policy, Feb. 12 Terrorism Litigation After Boim Decision, Jan. 28 Holy Land Foundation & Muslim Brotherhood, Dec. 11, 2007 ------------ July 2008 Posts and August 2008 Posts Contributing Experts
Douglas Farah, Editor
Steven Emerson & The Investigative Project on Terrorism Dennis Lormel Bill West Evan Kohlmann Michael Cutler Victor Comras Michael Kraft Dr. Zachary Abuza Dr. Walid Phares Daveed Gartenstein-Ross Olivier Guitta Kenneth Conboy Aaron Mannes David Schenker Animesh Roul Matthew Levitt Jonathan Winer Michael Jacobson Frank Hyland Roderick Jones Paul Cruickshank Farhana Ali Lorenzo Vidino Madeleine Gruen James McGinnis Michael Braun James Gordon Meek, Guest Expert Phillip Smyth, Brett Wallace & Mark Offenbach, Newslinks Editors Andrew Cochran, Founder & Editor Emeritus EXPERTS' ARCHIVES & BIOS Recent Posts
Transnational Terror: Lashkar-e-Taiba’s Chicago Plot
NEFA Foundation: Response from Gaza to Solidarity Calls from Shabaab al-Mujahideen Interview with Taliban Spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid re: the UN Guesthouse Attack in Kabul Fort Hood: The largest "Terror act" since 9/11 Climate Change and Terrorism Memo to Obama: Listen to Jim Gant or Risk Losing Afghan War CTR Vantage: Al Shabaab's Recruiting Efforts in the West NEFA Foundation: Al-Qaida Roundup on Failed Nayif Assassination Bid Failed States vs. Criminal States NEFA Foundation: Shabaab al-Mujahideen Declares Formation of the "Al-Quds Brigade" Experts' Books
Walid Phares: The Confrontation and "The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy" and “Future Jihad: Terrorist Strategies Against America”
Michael Kraft & Yonah Alexander (Editors): "Evolution of U.S. Counterterrorism Policy" Douglas Farah & Zachary Abuza in Countering the Financing of Terrorism Douglas Farah: "Merchant of Death" and "Blood From Stones: The Secret Financial Network of Terror" Michael Jacobson: "The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts, Post–September 11" Daveed Gartenstein-Ross: "My Year Inside Radical Islam: A Memoir" Steven Emerson: "Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the US" and "American Jihad: The Terrorists Living Among Us" Victor Comras & Matthew Levitt (contributors): "Terrorism Financing and State Responses," Stanford University Press Matthew Levitt: "Negotiating Under Fire: Preserving Peace Talks in the Face of Terror Attacks" and "Hamas: Politics, Charity, and Terrorism in the Service of Jihad" and "Targeting Terror: U.S. Policy toward Middle Eastern State Sponsors and Terrorist Organizations, Post-September 11" Zachary Abuza: "Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia" and "Militant Islam in Southeast Asia: Crucible of Terror" Lorenzo Vidino "Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of Global Jihad" Kenneth Conboy: "The Second Front: Inside Asia’s Most Dangerous Terrorist Network" Evan Kohlmann: "Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network" Credits
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Zachary Abuza Archives
A Car Bomb in Southern Thailand and Other Recent TrendsBy Zachary AbuzaToday, a 40-50 kg car bomb in the southern Thai city of Narathiwat detonated in front of a crowded restaurant during lunch hour. Though fortunately no one was killed, at least 42 people were wounded, 7 critically. It was the... Making Sense of the Jakarta Bombings: The Shades of GreyBy Zachary AbuzaLast week’s bombings of two luxury hotels in Jakart, which killed 7 and wounded 53, raises two important questions about JI and the future of terrorism in Indonesia. 1. Was this a JI Attack? This was clearly the handiwork... Our New Tiger ProblemBy Zachary AbuzaWith the confirmation of the death of LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran, as well as the deaths of nearly all of its leadership, the Sri Lankan government has declared victory. The Tamil Tigers have ceased to be a conventional force. The... The BRN-C's Birthday BashBy Zachary AbuzaYesterday marked the 46th anniversary of the founding of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, a Malay separatist movement in southern Thailand. A hardline splinter of the organization, BRN-Coordinate, has been at the forefront of the insurgency since January 2004. More than... Demise of the Tamil Tigers? Perhaps, but an AppreciationBy Zachary Abuza“The report of my death is an exaggeration” – Mark Twain While I would love to eulogize about the death of the Tamil Tigers, it is of course premature. However, I offer this “appreciation” of the Tamil Tigers, an organization... Welcome to Yala, Mr. AbhisitBy Zachary AbuzaSince the September 2006 coup in Thailand, attention has been focused on the country’s rapid political turnover and instability. Yet the Malay-Muslim insurgency in the country’s three southernmost provinces of Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat has continued unabated. The new government... 3 Bali Bombers were executed todayBy Zachary AbuzaThe three Bali bombers, Imam Samudra, and Mukhlas were executed today by firing squad. To their last day, they were unrepentant, showed no remorse for the bombings that killed 202 people, and expressed their desire to be martyrs. Sentenced in... Second Thai Counterfeit Passport Ring Broken Up This Month: Nearly 22,000 Passports SeizedBy Zachary AbuzaToday Thai authorities announced arrests in an enormous counterfeit passport ring. 12 people were arrested and some 20,000 fake passports were seized. It was the second such arrest in the past month. The 12-person gang, included Thais, Burmese, and Indonesians.... A Note of Caution on the Proscription of JI in IndonesiaBy Zachary AbuzaToday in sentencing Abu Dujana and Zarkasih, two leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah arrested in mid-2007, the court, for the first time, designated JI as an illegal organization. My colleague Johnathan Winer lauded the decision, but I add some caution. First... Car Bomb Rocks Southern Thai HotelBy Zachary AbuzaOn Saturday night, a 20 kg bomb hidden in the back of a car was detonated in front of the CS Pattani Hotel in Pattani, southern Thailand. Two were killed, three are in critical condition and 15 others sustained moderate... Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose: Recent terrorist plots in the PhilippinesBy Zachary AbuzaEarlier this month, Philippine authorities announced that they had arrested three Middle Eastern men, two Jordanians and one Egyptian, in February 2008. The three were allegedly involved in the advance stages of plotting a terrorist attacks on the U.S., British,... Coalition Losses, Islamist Gains in MalaysiaBy Zachary AbuzaThis weekend’s election in Malaysia dealt a tremendous electoral defeat for the ruling coalition government, both at the federal and state level. The United Malay National Organization (UMNO) is the lead partner in a coalition government (called the Barisan Nasional... Why Was Viktor Bout in Thailand When He Was Arrested?By Zachary AbuzaToday Thai authorities announced that they had arrested the international arms trafficker, Victor Bout. For more on Bout, I ask that you see my colleague Doug Farah's posts and excellent book. But Bout's arrest in Thailand begs the question: what... Arrests and Releases in Singapore: Two Trends Worth NotingBy Zachary AbuzaToday the Singapore Government made two announcements regarding terrorism in the Southeast Asian economic hub. The first is that three more individuals, described as “home grown” militants, were taken into custody in December 2007 under the Internal Security Act, which... Southern Discomfort: Thailand's Insurgency Enters Year FiveBy Zachary AbuzaNarathiwat, Thailand. Friday, 4 January, marks the 4th anniversary of the start of the insurgency in Southern Thailand. To date, more than 2,700 people have been killed, 8,000 wounded. There have been more than 850 bombings, and many more failed... Islamist Thuggery and Official Complacency Challenge Secular Foundations of IndonesiaBy Zachary AbuzaThis month has seen several incidents that are calling into question the Indonesian government’s commitment to maintaining its multi-ethnic and pluralist traditions, enshrined in its national identity the Pancasila. Today, some 30 Islamist vigilantes attacked a “house church” in a... The Bombing at the Philippine Parliament HouseBy Zachary AbuzaA bomb was detonated at the Philippine House of Representatives soon after their adjournment at 8PM local time, on 14 November, killing Congressman Wahab Akbar and two other staffers, and wounding at least eight people. According to a Philippine National... Bomb in Makati Mall Kills 8 in Philippines: Abu Sayyaf Likely SuspectsBy Zachary AbuzaA bomb ripped through a large shopping mall, in the middle of Makati, the financial district of the Philippines, at around 1PM Friday, local time. Glorietta 2 is jam-packed most of the day. Eight people were killed and more than a hundred were wounded. Police investigators are beginning their forensic testing, but already have announced that the bomb was “caused by a ‘hard explosive,’ mostly likely TNT or C4.” The Philippine Daily Inquirer has reported that the “explosion left an eight-meter (26-foot) wide crater on the ground floor and blew a hole through the roof on the second floor.” While no group has claimed responsibility, a senior police official described the attack as "most likely a deliberate attack." The immediate suspects are the Abu Sayyaf, with elements of Jemaah Islamiyah. Most Abu Sayyaf attacks outside of the troubled southern islands since 2004, have also included members of the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a group of radical converts to Islam who work very closely with the Abu Sayyaf. Treasury Department Announces Designation of 3 Saudi Nationals for Their Support of Abu SayyafBy Zachary AbuzaToday the US Treasury Department announced the designation of three Saudi Arabian nationals as Specially Designated Global Terrorists (SDGTs) under Executive Order 13224. The three, Abdul Rahim al-Talhi, Muhammad Abdullah Saikh Sughayr and Fahd Muhammad Abd al-Aziz al Khashiban, were... An Arrest in California for Material Support of Terrorism in Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaToday, federal prosecutors in California issued a 16-count indictment against Rahmad Abdhir (aka Sean Kasem), for providing material support fort a terrorist, his brother Zulkiflir Abdhir (aka Zulkifli bin Hir or Marwan). Rahmad was in frequent email contact with Zulkifli,... Another "Ambassador of Peace" Underlies Thailand's CluelessnessBy Zachary AbuzaOnce again Thailand has brought in another Muslim dignitary in the hopes that they will be able to miraculously quell the violence in the restive south, in which nearly 2,400 people have been killed since the start of 2004. In... Beheadings in Basilan: Untangling the AllegationsBy Zachary AbuzaOn 10 July, a group of 80 Philippine Marines were patrolling Guinanta village in the Tipo Tipo area of Basilan, Island, just south of Zamboanga, when they were ambushed by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and quite... A Week in Southern ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaLast week the violence in southern Thailand continued at a low-level but steady rate. In all 32 people and three militants were killed, and 94 were wounded. In the week, there were 23 IEDs detonated and three defused. A bomb... 9 Months Since Coup, the Military Installed Government Has Proven Unable to Quell Insurgency in Thailand's Muslim South: Violence Has Dramatically SpikedBy Zachary AbuzaOne day short of the nine month anniversary of the Thai Coup that deposed former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the acting PM General Surayud Chultanont, acknowledged that the situation in the South “had deteriorated,” and suggested the permanent closure of... Indonesian Government Announces Capture of Second Top JI leader: a Critical BlowBy Zachary AbuzaIndonesian authorities announced yesterday that another top JI leader, Zarkasih, often referred to as Nu’aim, was captured in the Indonesian city of Yogyakarta, the same day as Abu Dujana’s arrest. It is a remarkable blow against JI. Like Dujana, Nu’aim... Abu Dujana Arrest is one victory in a long warBy Zachary AbuzaThe arrest of Yusron Mahmudi, better known as Abu Dujana, with seven other militants, was a significant blow to the regional terrorist organisation Jemaah Islamiah. Dujana was one of the organisation's most skilled and multifaceted operatives, an Afghan-trained bombmaker, logistics... New Arrests in SingaporeBy Zachary AbuzaThe Singapore Government recently announced the detention of five more militant suspects under its Internal Security Act since November 2006, and the placing of two others under the ISA’s lesser Restrictive Orders. Several points bear mentioning. First, one of the... IIRO announces bold new expansion of international support for orphans, including in countries where its offices have been shuttered for supporting terrorismBy Zachary AbuzaYesterday the IIRO, one of the largest Saudi Arabian charities, announced that it was going to sponsor some 250,000 orphans around the world in the coming years, up from the current level of 92,000. The IIRO spokesman announced that orphans... Bomb in Mindanao Challenges Elections, Peace ProcessBy Zachary AbuzaAn improvised explosive device planted at a market in the southern Philippine city of Tacurong, killing at least five and wounding 13. The blast happened six days before the 14 May national elections; the outcome of which will have a... Jemaah Islamiyah and Aviation Security in Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaWhy are generals are always preparing to fight the last war? Several weeks ago in a security conference in Sydney, Australia, I was asked of he possibility of two jet liners near simultaneously crashing into the Sydney Harbor Bridge and... The Courier as a "High-Value" Detainee: More Than Meets the Eye?By Zachary AbuzaThe public case against Mohammad Farik bin Amin Zubair (ISN10021) in his Combatant Status Review Trial held in Guantanamo Bay, on 13 and 17 March, was noticeable in its Elliott Ness mentality. The public case against Zubair, a Malaysian national,... Indonesian CT Forces Target JI in Shootout: Rumors that Two Top Leaders NeutralizedBy Zachary AbuzaDetachment-88, Indonesia's elite counter-terrorism police, were involved in a shootout with a group of JI suspects in the Javanese city of Yogyakarta. One was killed and the other was captured. Early rumors surfaced that they might be top leaders of... Wake Up Call: 6 Months After the Thai Coup, Islamist Insurgency is RagingBy Zachary AbuzaLast week a group of militants in southern Thailand threw a small bomb in front of a small passenger van, disabling it, opened the side door, and shot all nine passengers, including three women and a young girl, execution style.... Grisly New Attack in Thailand's Restive South Signals Increased ViolenceBy Zachary AbuzaThis morning, the insurgency in southern Thailand took an ominous turn for the worse. Insurgents threw a small bomb in front of a small passenger van, disabling it. They opened the van door, and dragged all nine passengers, including... Simultaneous Attacks in Southern Thailand Rock Chinese New Year's CelebrationsBy Zachary AbuzaIn the first time in several months, Muslim insurgents in southern Thailand executed near simultaneous attacks across four provinces in the troubled south. Ethnic Chinese celebrating the start of the lunar new year were the primary targets. There were roughly... Early 2007 Trends in Thailand's InsurgencyBy Zachary AbuzaWednesday morning saw an audacious bombing that appeared to target the beloved Crown Princess of Thailand, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is visiting Thailand’s restive southern provinces. The bomb was placed not far from her helicopter’s landing pad. A security patrol... Sowing Mustard Seeds in Poso and AmbonBy Zachary AbuzaIt is hard to get people outside of Indonesia to take notice of small bombs going off in remote islands. They’re not going off in the discos where we dance, the hotels where we sleep and embassies where we work.... Top Al Qaeda Financier Dead, Denied Links to Osama to His Dying DayBy Zachary AbuzaMohammad Jamal Khalifah, the brother-in-law of Osama bin Laden was killed during a robbery during a business trip to Madagascar, where he had invested in gem mines. Khalifah was a key financier of several Southeast Asian militant groups, particularly those... A Big Week in JoloBy Zachary AbuzaThe US-Assisted Armed Forces of the Philippines had a morale boosting week. Today, the Philippine Government announced that US investigators had positively matched Khadaffy Janjalani’s DNA. The AFP had been certain that Janjalani, the leader of the Abu Sayyaf, had... A Mess in MindanaoBy Zachary AbuzaThis weekend saw a number of charges leveled and arrests of members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), that threaten to derail the peace process. Police charged nine members and “former members” of the MILF for the 5 January... Long-Awaited Progress Against the Abu Sayyaf, But Bombs Rock Southern PhilippinesBy Zachary AbuzaThe US military has been training and supporting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) since early 2002. Despites hundreds of millions in aid, training and equipment, the AFP had precious little to show for it. But that seems to... A Veritable Who Dunnit: Theories Swirl in Bangkok, Bombings Remain UnsolvedBy Zachary AbuzaWith no claims of responsibility for the eight New Year’s Eve bombings and two confirmed defused bombs, that killed 3 and wounded 42, Bangkok is awhirl with speculation and rumors. Here are the different hypotheses that attribute the bombings to... Three Years after the January 2004 Raids, the Insurgency in Southern Thailand Is Building MomentumBy Zachary AbuzaOn 4 January 2004, a group of armed men raided a Thai army camp. The group had planned the attack well and knew exactly where the camp’s armory was. They were equipped with acetylene torches and bolt cutters; in all... 8 New Years Eve Bombs Shake Up Bangkok; At Least 2 More DefusedBy Zachary AbuzaSix bombs were exploded nearly simultaneously across downtown Bangkok on New Years Eve as revelers began to turnout for dinner and the evening’s festivities. The first bomb exploded at the Victory Monument, an area crowded with food stalls, the terminus... Abu Sayyaf Chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani Reported KilledBy Zachary AbuzaYesterday the Philippine military announced that the body of Abu Sayyaf chieftain, Khadaffy Janjalani, had been found buried in the jungles outside of Kabuntakas village in Patikul town, on Jolo Island, an ASG stronghold off south-western Mindanao. The exhumed body... 80 Days After Thailand's Coup, the Violence Continues UnabatedBy Zachary AbuzaIn the 80 days since Thailand’s coup, insurgent violence in the Muslim south has continued to rage. Not only has there been no reduction in the violence, but the rate of killing has actually increased. Since the 19 September 2006... The Thai Coup Two Months On: Insurgent Violence in South Shows No Signs of EbbingBy Zachary AbuzaSunday, 19 November 2006, is the two-month anniversary of the Thai coup. Though the coup was executed for many different reasons, the Thaksin administration’s mishandling of the southern insurgency that had already claimed some 1,700 lives, was a major factor.... Small bomb in Jakarta, unclear whether the work of JIBy Zachary AbuzaA small bomb was detonated in an American chain restaurant in Jakarta today. Only one person was injured, which authorities believed to have been the bomber. It is too early to say whether this was the work of Jemaah Islamiyah.... 50 Days After the Coup Thai Violence Continues UnabatedBy Zachary AbuzaDespite optimism that the 19 September coup in Thailand would lead to a quick resolution of the southern insurgency, violence has continued unabated. The Council for National Security, as the junta calls itself, and the government of caretaker prime minister... Ba'asyir Denounces Jihad? A Tactical Shift, Not a Strategic OneBy Zachary AbuzaMuch is written about Abu Bakar Ba’asyir’s public denouncements of jihad. The first came in a statement to reporters when he was released from prison in mid-June 2006. The most recent one came this weekend in a sermon in a... Southeast Asia UpdatesBy Zachary AbuzaHere are a few updates in the issues I've covered in the past week in the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia. Philippines: The Philippine government announced they had failed to meet a second deadline in providing the MILF with a new... Indonesian JI Ties to Somali Gun Runners Arrested in YemenBy Zachary AbuzaOn 16 October 2006, Yemeni security forces arrested a group of eight foreigners who were involved in running guns to the Islamic Courts Union, the Islamist group that has taken control of the Somali capital of Mogadishu. [See the excellent... More Ceasefire Violations in Mindanao, Pressure Mounts as Deadline in Peace Talks NearsBy Zachary AbuzaThe ongoing investigations and allegations that MILF Chairman Ebrahim el Haj Murad was involved in the mid-October bombings that rocked central Mindanao have led to a fraying of the peace process. Already under strain from a year and a half’s... Radical Australian Cleric Al-Hilali's Sermon in the Context of a Growing Fringe of Home-Grown MilitantsBy Zachary Abuza[Author’s note: I do not like to comment on issues/events outside of Southeast Asia, but I would like to post this brief piece on the comments of Sheikh Taj Din al-Hilali of Australia, that are getting significant attention in the... The Effects of Thailand's Coup on the Southern InsurgencyBy Zachary AbuzaOne of the justifications for the recent coup in Thailand was Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's mishandling of the southern insurgency, which has claimed some 1,700 lives in the past two-and-a-half years. The generals chafed at the political interference of Thaksin... Malaysia Releases 17 More Members of JI & KMMBy Zachary AbuzaOn 18-19 October, Malaysian authorities released 17 members of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and an affiliated group the Kumpulan Mujihidin Malaysia (KMM). The 17 had been held under Malaysia’s draconian British-colonial era Internal Security Act (ISA). The ISA allows for detention... A Week of Bombings in Mindanao: Making Sense of It All (updated 10/17)By Zachary AbuzaA spate of bombings rocked the southern Philippines over the past six days. The attacks have been clearly pinned on the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) operatives and should be seen as both an attempt to distract... New Polling Data in Indonesia Shows "Significant" Support for TerroristsBy Zachary AbuzaIn four years since the devastating bombs that killed 202 people on the Indonesian resort island of Bali, police and security forces in the region, with the support of Australian and American counterparts, have hurt Jemaah Islamiyah’s capabilities. Roughly 400... JI's Long-term Growth StrategyBy Zachary AbuzaIt's bombing season in Indonesia. This month marks not only the fourth anniversary of the first Bali bombing, it also marks one year since the most recent Bali bombing. And although progress has been made against al-Qa'ida's terrorist affiliates in... It takes two to tango. Why the coup in Thailand may not lead to an improvement in the insurgencyBy Zachary AbuzaOne of the justifications for the Thai coup was Thaksin’s mishandling of the Southern insurgency, which has claimed some 1,700 lives in the past two-an-a-half years. The general chafed at the political interference of Thaksin and his deputy Chidchai, their... MERC, MERC, MERCBy Zachary AbuzaToday, Australia’s Commonwealth Bank denied that it had funded the Southeast Asian affiliate of Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah, through its dealings with the Indonesian NGO, the Medical Emergency Relief Charity (MERC). Yesterday, The Australian Financial Review reported that MERC was... The Coup in Thailand: Causes and ImplicationsBy Zachary AbuzaIt was the 18th coup in Thailand since 1932, but the first since 1992. Before Tuesday, the Thai military had extricated itself from politics and coups seemed passé, as democracy took root. What led to such a reversal and what... Thailand's Coup and the Insurgency in the SouthBy Zachary AbuzaIn the evening of 19 September, the Thai Army commander, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, seized power in a bloodless coup from caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. It was the first coup in Thailand since 1992, when General Suchinda Kaprayoon attempt was... Six Bombs Rock Hat Yai, Southern Thai Commercial CenterBy Zachary AbuzaSaturday night saw a series of six bomb attacks in the southern Thai city of Hat Yai. Martial law has been imposed in the region since January 2004, including the provinces of Pattani, Narathiwat and Yala. It also includes three... Southeast Asia UpdateBy Zachary AbuzaAbu Sayyaf: Fighting on the Island of Jolo continues. The 5,000-man contingent of Philippine armed forces (AFP) is being reinforced by a battalion of 300 men. The AFP announced that 2 more soldiers had been killed and made an unsubstantiated... Peace Talks Resume as Cease-Fire Comes Under Strain in the PhilippinesBy Zachary AbuzaMonday, September 4 saw the resumption of formal peace talks between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The government had announced a major breakthrough in the talks with the MILF in... Hambali Goes to GitmoBy Zachary AbuzaToday President Bush formally acknowledged the existence of the CIA’s secret prisons abroad, and stated that he had ordered some 14 top-level Al Qaeda operatives to be moved to Guantanamo Bay. This raises an interesting issue regarding whether these suspects... Another Amnesty for Members of JI: Indonesia Continues to Offend AustraliaBy Zachary AbuzaTen of the 33 individuals arrested in conjunction with the 12 October 2002 bombing on the resort island of Bali, Indonesia, had their sentences reduced as part of an annual national independence day amnesty (54,000 criminals had their sentences reduced).... Offensives Against the Abu Sayyaf and JI in the Philippines: Reports of MILF Ties to JI PersistBy Zachary AbuzaAFP announced that it had captured an Abu Sayyaf bomb factory in bud Kapun in Indanan town, Jolo. In retaliation the ASG assassinated two policemen. A Philippine military spokesman claimed that they had recovered a “huge cache of high-grade explosives”... Indonesia's Muhammidiyah Sending Funds to Hamas, HezbollahBy Zachary AbuzaThe head of Indonesia's Muhammidiyah, the world’s second largest Muslim organization, and concurrently the head of the Indonesian Ulama’s Council (MUI) has called for the organization to raise money for Hezbollah and Hamas. Din Syamsuddin, was quoted in the Jakarta... London: The Latest in a String of Al Qaeda Plots Against AirlinesBy Zachary AbuzaThe London plot is simply the latest in a concerted effort to target airliners, something that Al Qaeda and its affiliates know would have a crippling global impact. In statement by Osama bin Laden issued in early October 2002, he... Thai Insurgency UpdatesBy Zachary AbuzaThe headlines out of southern Thailand have focused on 1-2 August’s spate of violence, 125 incidences in one night, including 70 bombings and arson attacks. These included a bombing of a rail line that killed three police and wounded another... Update on Southeast Asian Jihadis Joining the Anti-Israeli FrayBy Zachary AbuzaOn 20 July I wrote about a press statement given by Suaib Didu, the head of the radical GPI and the ASEAN Muslim Youth Movement, who announced that some 217 Southeast Asian Muslims had pledged to travel abroad to fight... IIRO Funding Terror in Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaThat the IIRO had been funding terrorism in Southeast Asia since the early 1990s, is not news. What is news is that it took the US Government 12 years since it first became aware of its malfeasance when Osama bin... Spike of Violence in Thailand's Muslim InsurgencyBy Zachary AbuzaBetween 1-2 August, Thailand was again wracked by a spate of Muslim separatist violence.. 115 acts of violence including 70 bombs and arson attacks were reported across four provinces in the troubled south. 20 more bombs were defused. Most alarming... The MMI Concludes Its First Congress Since the Release of Abu Bakar Ba'asyirBy Zachary AbuzaOn 26 July, the Majelis Mujihidin Indonesia (MMI) concluded a two-day congress, the first since the release of its chairman Abu Bakar Ba’asyir from prison on 14 June. The frail but firebrand cleric was in his element when he delivered... Activating Hezbollah cells "to make no place safe for Israelis": The Implications for Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaYesterday, Hezbollah's representative in Iran, Hossein Safiadeen warned that that his Islamic militant group plans to widen its attacks on Israel until "no place" is safe for Israelis. "We are going to make Israel not safe for Israelis. There will... Update on Southeast Asian Militants Heading to LebanonBy Zachary AbuzaOn 20 July, I posted on Suab Didu, the head of the radical Islamic Youth Movement of Indonesia, who announced the formation of a new regional organization, the "Palestine Jihad Bombing Troops" that was dispatching some 217 Southeast Asians to... Southeast Asians En Route to Middle East to Fight the Israelis: Bombastic Threats of a Previously Unknown Organization or the Real Deal?By Zachary AbuzaNews reports carried on the website of the Indonesian daily Detik and by the Antara news wire are making clear that the events in the Middle East are reverberating in Southeast Asia. The two articles report that a group of... Drinking the Cool-Ade in BangkokBy Zachary AbuzaEarlier this week, the head of Thailand’s police region 9 was quoted in the press as saying that the number of violent incidents in the first 6 months of 2006 compared with those of the first six months of 2005,... Outbreak of Fighting in Southern Philippines, Puts Moro Peace Process in JeopardyBy Zachary AbuzaThis past week saw a spate of fighting that has seriously challenged the peace process in the southern Philippines. The fighting began with attacks by pro-government paramilitaries on Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) villages in Maguindanao. This was in response... The World Food Program and Abu Bakar Ba'asyir's MMI: The Need for Due DiligenceBy Zachary AbuzaThe World Food Program’s (WFP) relief efforts following the 27 May magnitude 6.2 earthquake in Central Java, Indonesia, is now mired in scandal. The WFP, active in Indonesia’s tsunami hit province of Aceh, moved in quickly to Central Java following... Unprecedented Terrorist Bombings in Southern ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaThailand has been wracked by four consecutive days of bombings in its troubled south. On 16 June, 50 bombs were detonated across the three Muslim-dominated southern provinces of Thailand (12 in Yala, 18 in Pattani and 20 in Narathiwat). Two... Abu Bakar Ba’asyir Walks Out of Prison Today a Free Man: A Real Setback in the War on Terror in Southeast Asia - UpdatedBy Zachary AbuzaToday, Indonesian authorities will release Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, a 68 year old cleric and the spiritual leader of the Southeast Asian affiliate of Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah. Ba’asyir had been serving a 25½ month sentence, on a number of charges... Abu Bakar Ba’asyir Walks Out of Prison Today a Free Man: A Real Setback in the War on Terror in Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaToday, Indonesian authorities will release Abu Bakar Ba’asyir, a 68 year old cleric and the spiritual leader of the Southeast Asian affiliate of Al Qaeda, Jemaah Islamiyah. Ba’asyir had been serving a 25½ month sentence, on a number of charges... New Zealand Expels Saudi/Yemeni linked to 9/11 HijackerBy Zachary AbuzaThe New Zealand government announced today that they had expelled a Saudi/Yemeni national, Rayed Mohammed Abdullah Ali (28) on 29 May. Born in Saudi Arabia to a Yemeni father, he traveled on a Yemeni passport, claiming that Saudi authorities would... Tapping into Old Networks: Understanding the Malaysian ArrestsBy Zachary AbuzaThe Malaysian government recently announced that between March 16 and April 3 they had arrested 12 individuals who were part of the Darul Islam (DI) organization; authorities allege that they were planning a string of bombings (The Star, May 31).... Update on the Insurgency in Southern ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaBy April 2006, as the commander of Thailand’s 4th Army, Lt-Gen Ongkorn, was asserting that “The situation in the three southern border provinces should improve since the militant network has been weakened by the arrest of its top members,” the... JI: Police Raids Uncover a New Wave of Bombings Being PlannedBy Zachary AbuzaOn Saturday, Indonesian police raided a safehouse in a small town in Central Java where they believed one of JI’s top operatives, a Malaysian national, Noordin Mohammed Top, was hiding. Though he was not there, two individuals were arrested and... Small Steps in the Campaign Against the Abu SayyafBy Zachary AbuzaThere have been two recent successes in the long-standing fight against the Abu Sayyaf in the Sulu archipelago in the southern Philippines. On 10 April Philippine troops announced that they killed an Abu Sayyaf commander, Amilhamja Ajijul, who allegedly headed... The Abu Sayyaf Strike AgainBy Zachary AbuzaThe Abu Sayyaf is suspected in detonating a bomb in the southern Philippines island of Jolo, which killed 9 and wounded 20. Some 2,000 US forces conducted a joint training exercise with their Filipino counterparts there earlier this month. A... A bombing in Bangkok unlikely to be work of the insurgentsBy Zachary AbuzaA small bomb was placed in front of the house of the Kings closest personal advisor and former Prime Minister, Prem Tinsulanonda, on Thursday, wounding two western tourists. It is unlikely that it had anything to do with the Islamist... Abu Sayyaf Target US ForcesBy Zachary AbuzaA bomb exploded in a small karoke bar outside the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Camp in Jolo around 8:45 on Saturday night. One person was killed and 28 were wounded, though no Americans were reported to... Fast and Easy with the LA Terrorist PlotBy Zachary AbuzaThere is something terribly disingenuous about the Presidents assertions today that a 9/11 styled attack on the West Coast was thwarted. The President, then later his Homeland Security Advisor Fran Townsend in a conference call with the press, argued that... And on to Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaProtests over the cartoons has spread to Southeast Asia. Demonstrations began on 3 February organized in Jakarta by the Islamic Defenders front, a small group of militants that has engaged in everything from conducting sweeps of hotels to drive away... Indonesian Authorities Turn Over Leading Member of JI to SingaporeBy Zachary AbuzaIndonesian anti-terror police announced that they deported a leading member of Jemaah Islamiyah, Mas Salamat Kastari, to Singapore, on 3 February, two weeks after re-arresting him in East Java, on 20 January. At the time of his arrest, Kastari was... Henry Crumpton in Bangkok: A Healthy Degree of Skepticism is NeededBy Zachary AbuzaYesterday the State Department Coordinator for Counter-Terrorism, Henry Crumpton, was in Bangkok where he met Deputy Prime Minister/Minister of Justice Chidchai Vanasatidya, who assured him that the insurgency in southern Thailand is under control. This is the same Chidchai, who... The Thai Insurgency Two Years OnBy Zachary AbuzaThe Islamist insurgency in southern Thailand is now two years old. Despite, 190 arrests there is no end in sight. The technical capacity of bombers has improved and they continue to be able to attack at will. There is still... Southeast Asian Wrap-upBy Zachary AbuzaWhile there was some progress in combating terrorism in Southeast Asia in 2005, a number of low intensity conflicts continued to flare, and have the potential to escalate in 2006. Core grievances have gone unaddressed while the governments continued to... Designating the Abu Sayyaf: A Case Study in a Broken Inter-Agency ProcessBy Zachary AbuzaThe US Governments effort to block of terrorist assets is broken according to the forthcoming GAO report, leaked to the New York Times. The turf wars between the relevant agencies, Treasury, State, the FBI, the Intel Community, military commands, and... Unprecedented Video Statement from JI Leader Threatens US and AustraliaBy Zachary AbuzaToday Indonesian TCV broadcast video-footage of a masked man believed to be one of JIs top leaders, Noordin Mohammad Top, who explicitly threatened the West: "As long as you keep your troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and intimidate Muslim... JI Bomb-Maker KilledBy Zachary AbuzaIndonesian police are reporting that JI's top bomb-maker and most wanted individual was killed in East Java last night. Dr. Azahari bin Hussin, the mastermind of the 2002 Bali, 2003 JW Marriott, 2004 Australian Embassy and the 2005 Bali attacks,... Thailand Jails Algerian Wanted in Conjunction with the London Bombings for 3 Years for Trafficking in Forged DocumentsBy Zachary AbuzaDespite a British government request for the extradition of Atamnia Yachine (33), who was arrested in Bangkok in mid-August in possession of some 186 fake French and Spanish passports, Thai officials contend that the British government never followed up with... Three years after Bali I, JI remains alive and wellBy Zachary AbuzaToday marks the third anniversary of the 2002 bombings in Bali that left some 202 people dead. It remains the single most lethal terrorist incident after 9/11. Although most of the people were killed following the detonation of a large... Why Indonesian Authorities Cannot Come Out and Say it Was Jemaah Islamiyah: Pandering to the IslamistsBy Zachary Abuza"They (the bombers) come from a new group," Bali police chief Made Mangku Pastika told reporters on Friday, 7 October. "A new generation means that (they) are not known by the old group." While he did not rule out links... To Bali Via Mindanao: What the Bali Investigations Tell Us So FarBy Zachary AbuzaThree suicide bombs went off in crowded restaurants and cafes in Bali on 1 October. To date, there have been no arrests and there is only tentative news that one of the three bombers has been identified (but only by... Islamist Parties and Terrorism: Hidayat Nur Wahid?s Inanity and Why He Deserves a Second LookBy Zachary AbuzaIn April 2004, Indonesia held parliamentary elections, deemed as the freest and fairest in the countrys history. The surprise in that election was how well the Islamist parties did. In the 1999 elections held in the immediate aftermath of the... Bali Investigation UpdateBy Zachary AbuzaThe Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that Indonesian police have interviewed 39 witnesses in conjunction with Saturday nights three suicide bombings. They have admitted that two people are in custody, though they have not charged them as suspects. Police acknowledged... The killers' new tactic: smaller bombs, more oftenBy Zachary AbuzaAssessing the evidence, what can we learn? Saturday's attack in Bali raises troubling questions. The likely perpetrator of the weekend bombings in Bali is Jemaah Islamiah. It is the only organisation in Indonesia with the capability and will to target... London Redux? Correction/UPDATE on the Bali Bombings: SUICIDE BOMBERS EMPLOYED.By Zachary AbuzaIn attacks that are eerily reminiscent of the London bombings, Indonesian officials have revealed that the three bombings were conducted by suicide bombers carrying between 5-10 kilograms of explosives in bags and/or belts. "The modus operandi is very similar to... The Dynamic Terrorist Organization: The Implications of the Bali Bombings for Jemaah IslamiyahBy Zachary AbuzaThe likely perpetrator of the 1 October bombings in Bali in which some 25 have been confirmed dead and 100 wounded is Jemaah Islamiyah. JI was formerly close to Al Qaeda, though that relationship has been in doubt owing to... Terror Attacks in Bali: JI Not Quite Dead Yet?By Zachary AbuzaEarlier this week, the former foreign minister of Australia, and current president of the highly respected International Crisis Group, Gareth Evans, gave a speech in Australia in which he stated that Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) had been eliminated and no longer... Balik Terrorism: The Return of the Abu SayyafBy Zachary AbuzaOn 27 February 2004, a bomb detonated on SuperFerry 14 after departing Manila, killing 194 people. Although the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) initially dismissed the claim of responsibility by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), evidence emerged... Technology Transfer and Terrorism: Growing Lethality in Southeast AsiaBy Zachary AbuzaThere has been a lot of press in the past few weeks about the growing terrorist threat in Southeast Asia. The region is clearly jittery. In May Philippine authorities seized a cache of more ton of ammonium nitrate in a... British Request Extradition of Terror Suspect Detained in ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaThe British government has formally requested the extradition of the Algerian man arrested by Thai authorities who is wanted in conjunction with the 7/7 attacks in London. A Thai court will soon rule on the extradition request. Atamnia Yachine (33)... Suspect in London Attacks Arrested in ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaThai immigration authorities announced today that they have apprehended an Algerian wanted by British authorities in conjunction with the 7/7 attacks. A report in Thailands English-language daily, The Nation, states that Atamnia Yachine (33) was arrested in Thailand after a... More on the Thai Passport ScandalBy Zachary AbuzaThe arrest of the Algerian-born Britain with 452 forged European passports at Bangkok's Don Muang airport is only the latest in incidences of document forging in Thailand. In January 2005, Thai authorites arrested a Bangladeshi man for providing JI-AQ leader... Maintaining Momentum Against the Abu SayyafBy Zachary AbuzaYesterday the Philippine Armed Forces (AFP) announced that they had captured an Abu Sayyaf bomber, Alex Kahal, who was implicated in a string of bombings in Zamboanga City in October 2002. A US Special forces personnel was a victim of... Political Crisis and the War on Terror in the PhilippinesBy Zachary AbuzaAnd they keep falling... Eleven cabinet officials have now resigned from the administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in the Philippines as a result of the scandal involving the illegal recordings of some 13 calls that the president made to a... Insurgency Gains Momentum in ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaWhile the worlds attention is focused on last weeks suicide bombing attacks in London, a radical Islamic insurgency is raging half a world in Southern Thailand. Yesterday, witnessed, a spate of coordinated six bombings, arsons and attacks on security forces.... Shades of 3/11By Zachary AbuzaThere are two aspects about todays tragedy in London to note. First, the current Al Qaeda line regarding targeting was set in a statement by Osama bin Laden aired on Al Jazeera in October 2002: We will target the nodes... A Few Steps Forward, A Few Steps Back in Southeast Asia?s Terror FightBy Zachary AbuzaThe past few days have brought a number of press reports indicating both progress and setbacks in the war on terror in Southeast Asia. While the progress, including some 14 arrests around the region, should not be belittled, the scope... Edgy in JakaartaBy Zachary Abuza"The embassy has learned that as of June 1, 2005, there were plans by extremists to conduct bomb attacks targeting the lobbies of hotels frequented by Westerners in Jakarta. The attacks were to occur circa noon on an unspecified date,"... Corby, Bio-Attacks and the War on TerrorBy Zachary AbuzaThe biological agent, a relative of the anthrax bacteria that was mailed to the Indonesian Ambassador to Australia on Monday was an outrageous act beyond all norms of civil society. The perpetrators must be punished to the fullest extent of... Department of the Treasury Designates 3 Members of JIBy Zachary AbuzaToday, the US Department of the Treasury designated three leaders of Jemaah Islamiyah for their role in perpetrating terrorist acts in Southeast Asia. link They were designated under Executive Order 13224 that will be jointly submitted to the UNs 1267... A Conspiracy of Silence: Who is Behind the Escalating Insurgency in Southern Thailand?By Zachary AbuzaOn January 4 2004, militants conducted simultaneous raids on police and military posts across three provinces in Thailand's Muslim majority south. The raids were well coordinated and displayed considerable planning and professionalism. Though described as the start of the new... Sectarian Conflict and Terrorism in IndonesiaBy Zachary AbuzaIn early April 2005, Indonesian police announced that they had captured a letter written by a Sumatran-based JI cell to one of the organizations leaders and top bomb-maker, Dr. Azahari bin Husin. The author of the 7-page letter written in... Bombings in ThailandBy Zachary AbuzaOn Sunday night, three near simultaneous bombings were detonated in southern Thailand, raising fears that the situation there is getting out of control. Since the unrest began on 4 January 2004, more than 600 people have been killed. Most of... MILF & GRP Served NoticeBy Zachary AbuzaIn a visit to Manila this week, Adm. William Fallon, head of the US Pacific Command, raised the issue of http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200504010403.htm">designating the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO). The links between the MILF and Jemaah... |