Category: As-Saḥāb

As-Saḥāb Media presents new audio message from 'Ustādh Aḥmad Fārūq: "Keep Belief in the Promises of Allah"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE 1/30 7:54 AM: Here is an English translation of the below audio message:

‘Ustādh Aḥmad Fārūq — “Keep Belief in the Promises of Allah” (En)
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NOTE: ‘Ustādh Aḥmad Fārūq is considered al-Qā’idah’s official spokesman for its Pakistan branch.
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As-Saḥāb Media presents new audio message from ‘Ustādh Aḥmad Fārūq: “Keep Belief in the Promises of Allah”

As-Saḥāb Media releases new audio message from Usāmah Bin Lāden: "From Usāmah Bin Lāden to the French People"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE 2/8 8:46 AM: al-Qādisīyyah Media Productions released an Urdu and Hindi translation of the below audio message. For more background on the creation of the al-Qādisīyyah Media outlet see here.
Urdu:

Usāmah Bin Lāden — “From Usāmah Bin Lāden to the French People” (Urdu)
[scribd id=48424397 key=key-5sqgtecyf01h2vzedua mode=list]

Usāmah Bin Lāden — “From Usāmah Bin Lāden to the French People” (Hindi)
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UPDATE 1/26 7:52 AM: Here is a video with English subtitles:



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UPDATE 1/24 7:38 AM: Click here for an English translation of the below audio message.
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UPDATE 1/23 7:50 AM: Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn Arabic Forum posted a Russian translation of the below audio:


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UPDATE 1/23 7:42 AM: Click here for an Arabic transcript of the below audio message.
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NOTE: This was originally released through al-Jazeera Arabic TV yesterday. This statement is a follow up to AQIM’s statement this past November by their amīr Abū Muṣ’ab ‘Abd al-Wadūd (‘Abd al-Malik Drūkdīl) titled “Any Negotiations For French Hostages Must Be Conducted With Bin Lāden Himself.” Additionally, UBL’s last release was about the French hostages as well, which came out in late October titled “A Letter for the People of France.” Here are some key quotes from the below audio:

President Nicolas Sarkozy’s refusal to remove his forces from Afghanistan is nothing but a green light to kill the French hostages. But we will not do that at the time that he determines to try and finish off with the repercussions of his position, which will cost him dearly inside and outside of France.
We repeat the same message to you: The release of your prisoners in the hands of our brothers is linked to the withdrawal of your soldiers from our countries, its doubt and budget deficit does not need a new front.

As one can see, UBL provides AQIM with sanction to kill hostages if they would like at a time of their choosing. In the tape UBL also gives permission for attacks inside and outside France. As such, it would not be surprising to see more attempted plots and/or attacks against France in the near future.

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As-Saḥāb Media releases new audio message from Usāmah Bin Lāden: “From Usāmah Bin Lāden to the French People”
Audio:

Video:


al-Ma’sadat Media Foundation presents a new video message from Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Ṭaḥāwī: "Why Was I Imprisoned?"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

NOTE:  Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Ṭaḥāwī [Abed Shihadeh al-Tahawi], is a global jihadist cleric from Jordan. He  is acquaintances with Abū Muḥammad al-Maqdisī. Humām al-Bilāwī [Abū Dujānah al-Khurāsānī] gave him a shout out in his interview with al-Qā’idah Central’s As-Saḥāb Media prior to his “martyrdom” and killing seven CIA officers in Khost, Afghanistan in December 2009:

Before anything else, I send my Salām to Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Maqdisī, I send my Salām to Shaykh Abū Muḥammad al-Ṭaḥāwī, and I send my Salām to all the Mujāhidīn in Jordan, and I tell them: be patient, for by Allah, we have seen Jordanian intelligence and its prisons, and we have seen how the intelligence officers would forbid brothers from reciting the Qur’ān in an audible voice. Even reading the Qur’ān is forbidden! So I tell them: be patient, but I also tell them: there is no solution to the situation in Jordan other than mobilizing to the land of Jihād to learn the arts of war and train in them, then return to Jordan and begin operations.

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Jihādī Primary Source Material Data Dump, December 23-January 2

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

NOTE: Below are all of the primary source materials that I did not post while on vacation. All materials are posted by date that they were first released to the various fora. I hope this is helpful to those who were also on vacation during this time period and did not get the opportunity to follow the fora activities.
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December 23:


‘Abdullah ‘Azzām Brigades — Statement Number 3 within the series- Identifying the Way of the Offenders
December 24:

al-Qā’idah in the Arabian Peninsula releases its Arabic language magazine Ṣadā al-Malāḥim Issue #14
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Ḥarakat al-al-Shabāb al-Mujāhīn releases an Arabic and English translation of their statement, which announced an alliance with Ḥizb al-Islām. See here for the original in Somali language.
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Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum in honor of its two year anniversary presents an English translation of  As-Saḥāb’s Ramaḍān Sermons series #1 by Abū Zayd al-Kūwaytī “Ramaḍān Intensive Course”
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The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan presents its list of martyrs for the year 1431 H. According to them, fifty-two individuals were killed.
December 25:


al-Furqān Media, which is affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq [al-Qā’idah in Iraq] has released “Risen Alive #3,” which is one of their many martyrology series’

December 26:

Kavkaz Jihād Blog translates into English a jihādī story titled “Fight in the Forest,” which was originally published by Hunafa.
December 28:
Ḥizb al-Islāmī al-Turkistānī [Turkestan Islamic Party] released its martyrology video series  “Lovers of Paradise #5,″ which you can see below. For previous videos see #3 and #4.

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Dār al-Jabhah Publications and Distribution and the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF) released “The Explosives Course” by Shaykh Abū Khabbab al-Miṣrī
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Ma’sadat al-Mujāhidīn — Claiming Responsibility for the Attack on the Israeli Train
December 29:


al-Qā’idah in the Arabian Peninsula releases its Arabic language magazine Ṣadā al-Malāḥim Issue #15
December 30:

Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum publishes an English translation of the Global Islamic Media Front’s release by Abū Qandahār al-Zarqāwī “The Blazing Light- In Inciting for Jihād”
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New article from member of the Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum titled “Refute the Unbelievers- Mujāhidīn Fighters, Mercenaries Without Boundaries?”
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Abū Muḥmmad al-Maqdisī’s Minbar at-Tawḥīd wa’l-Jihād Sharī’ah Council published a new fatwā by Abū Hamām Bakr Bin ‘Abd al- ‘Azīz al-‘Atharī: “What is the Ruling on Congratulating Christians During New Years?”
December 31:

The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan releases In Fight Magazine #24. For previous issues see: #23, #22; #21; and #20.
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Abū Muḥmmad al-Maqdisī’s Minbar at-Tawḥīd wa’l-Jihād Sharī’ah Council published two new fatāwā:

January 1:

Statement from Ḥarakat al-al-Shabāb al-Mujāhīn on Opening the Door of Communication with al-Katāi’b Media
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The January 2011 issue of Nawaī Afghān Jihād Magazine released
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Abū Muḥmmad al-Maqdisī has released a new video sermon titled “Three Assets:”

January 2:

Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum has translated “The Last Will of the First Sister Who Attacked the Moscow Subway,” which was attack in March 2010.
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Abū Muḥammad Jibrīl of Sawt al-Jihād in Nusantara wrote a new article titled “De-Radicalization, The Effort To Extinguish The Light Of Shari’a And Jihad In Indonesia”

As-Saḥāb Media Production releases second edition of Dr. Ayman aẓ-Ẓawāhirī's "Knights Under the Prophet's Banner"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

NOTE: The first edition of Knights Under the Prophet’s Banner (which you can download here) was completed around the time of 9/11 and it was published and serialized by the Saudi newspaper Ash-Sharq al-‘Awsaṭ in October 2001. Click here to see an in depth description of the first edition from Ash-Sharq al-‘Awsaṭ. Also see Youssef H. Aboul-Enein’s critical review of the book here. The first edition was 252 pages while the second is 507 pages.
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Click the following link for a safe PDF copy of the second edition of the book: Ayman al-Zawahiri — Knights Under the Prophet’s Banner (Second Edition)

As-Saḥāb media presents a new video message from Dr. Ayman al-Ẓawāhirī: "Who is going to defend ‘Aāfīa Ṣiddīqī?"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE 4/23/12 10:19 AM: Here is an Italian translation of the below Arabic video message and transcription and English and Spanish translations:


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UPDATE 4/22/12 3:39 PM: Here is a Spanish translation of the below Arabic video message and transcription and English translation:


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UPDATE: Flashpoint Partners released an English translation of Dr. Ayman al-Ẓawāhirī’s recent audio tape titled “Who is going to defend ‘Aāfīa Ṣiddīqī?.” Click the link to download:
Dr. Ayman aẓ-Ẓawāhirī: “Who is going to defend ‘Aāfīa Ṣiddīqī?”
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NOTE: For whatever reason, WordPress/Scribd will not allow me to upload the video or pdf transcriptions of this message in Arabic, Urdu, Pashto, or Farsi. As such, below is an embedded Arabic transcription instead from my colleague Florian Flade’s blog who seems to have somehow gotten it to work. If I am able to upload the above files later I will. If not, and you want a copy of any of the above files mentioned, feel free to email me.
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[scribd id=40990028 key=key-j2xccc20bifpjq3r788 mode=list]

As-Saḥāb Media presents a new video from Usāmah Bin Lāden: "A Letter for the People of France"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE 4: Here is a German translation:

Von Osama bin Laden an das französische Volk:
Frieden sei mit denen, die den Rechtleitung folgen.
Das Thema meiner Rede ist über die Gründe für die Bedrohung eurer Sicherheit und die Entführung eurer Söhne.
Die Entführung von euer Experten in Niger, während eure Offiziere sie bewacht haben, ist eine Reaktion auf das Unrecht, das ihr den islamischen Nation zufügt.
Ist es fair, dass sie in dem Besatzung unseren Landes teilgenommen haben und neben den Amerikanern stehen wenn sie Kinder und Frauen töten, und danach wollen sie in Frieden und Sicherheit leben?
Wie könnt ihr euch vorstellen, dass ihr euch in den Sachen der Muslimen einmischt, besonders in Nord- und Westafrika, ihre Offiziere gegen uns unterstützt, und viel aus unseren Reichtum nimmt in verdächtigen Geschäften, während unser Volk unter Armut und Elend leidet?
Wenn ihr zu Unrecht denkt, dass es euer Recht ist, freien muslimischen Frauen das Tragen des Gesichtsschleiers zu verbieten, ist es dann nicht auch unser Recht, eure eindringenden Männer rauszuwerfen und ihnen die Kehle durchzuschneiden? Natürlich tun wir das.
Die Gleichung ist einfach: Wenn ihr tötet, werdet auch ihr getötet werden; wenn ihr Geiseln nimmt, werdet ihr selbst als Geisel genommen, wenn ihr unsere Sicherheit bedroht, werden wir eure Sicherheit zerstören; die Schuld lastet auf den, der anfingt.
Das einzige Mittel, eure Sicherheit zu bewahren, ist all das Unrecht und seine Wirkungen auf unseren Volk zu stoppen und am wichtigsten, eure Kräfte aus den bösen Krieg von Bush in Afghanistan zurückzuziehen. Es ist Zeit, dass die sogenannte direkte und indirekte Kolonisation beendet wird.
Ihr solltet Konsekvenzen daraus ziehen, wie tief Amerika gefallen ist wegen diesen unrechten Krieg, es ist am Rande der Kollaps an allen wichtigen Fronten und wird bald an die andere Seite der Atlantik zurückfallen, wenn Allah es so will.
Glücklich ist, wer von den Fehler von anderen lernt, und Frieden sei mit denen, die den Rechtleitung folgen.

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UPDATE 3: Check out Andrew Lebovich’s thoughts on why UBL was targeting France.
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UPDATE 2: Here is the English translation:
English translation of audio message from Usāmah Bin Lāden- “A Letter for the People of France”
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UPDATE: Check out Leah Farrall’s take on the UBL audio.
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NOTE: The main highlights of this video include Usāmah Bin Lāden discussing France’s ḥijāb ban that he states should be cancelled. In addition, the hostage taking by al-Qā’idah in the Islamic Maghreb in Niger is a justifiable act due to France’s transgressions and support for the American-led Afghan war, which he says they should withdraw from. Most importantly, Bin Lāden affirms, France should stop interfering in Muslim-related issues or affairs.
Nothing of significance here, just typical rhetoric. Previously, Dr. Ayman aẓ-Ẓawāhirī also discussed the issue of the ḥijāb on July 27, 2010 in a video statement eulogizing the death of Shaykh Muṣṭafā Abū al-Yazīd who was killed in a U.S. drone strike on May 21, 2010. He stated:

What France is waging … must push us to tightly hold onto our truthful faith to counter their deviational doctrines. We must call our daughters and sisters and mothers to wear ḥijāb and to support them and defend them. As every ḥijāb-wearing and niqāb-wearing female Muslim, who defends her ḥijāb, is a mujahid who defends the rulings of Sharia against the Crusade, secular, Western invasion.

Other than that, the only thing one can take away from this video is that As-Saḥāb Media is in a fairly safe area and has not been disrupted by the droning campaign since As-Saḥāb has released many videos in the past month.
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New video from As-Saḥāb Media: "Knights of Khurāsān: Abū Ja'far al-Kūwaitī Martyrdom Operation against a Base in Marghā"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE: An Arabic transcription of the below video has been released:
As-Saḥāb Media- “Knights of Khurāsān: Abū Ja’far al-Kūwaitī Martyrdom Operation against a Base in Marghā”
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NOTE: This video is part of the martyrology style of videos produced by jihadists. In it, Abū Ja’far al-Kūwaitī explains why he is conducting a suicide attack (or as they would call it a martyrdom operation). The video was produced in Arabic and Urdu. Producing videos or statements simultaneously in Arabic and Urdu has become a recent norm for al-Qā’idah Central’s media outlet As-Saḥāb (the clouds). There was some confusion over where the attack took place since Marghā sounds like Mārjah, which was the location of a large joint US/NATO operation earlier in the year. Additionally, the guys at Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum transliterated Marghā as Mārjah. In Arabic, though, Marghā is مرغا while Mārjah is مارجة and in the statement title in Arabic it explicitly says مرغا. Further, Marghā is in Paktika Province while Mārjah is in Helmand Province.
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Arabic:

Urdu:

New video release from Adam Gadahn: "The Tragedy of the Floods"

Posted on by Aaron Y. Zelin

UPDATE 2: Here are transcripts in English and Arabic of Gadahn’s video statement.
UPDATE: Brian Fishman, J.M. Berger, and Christopher Anzalone make perceptive points as well:





NOTE: Adam Yaḥyā Ghadan (“Azzām al-Amrīki”) was born as Adam Pearlman in California. He converted to Sunni Islam in 1995. He has been a senior operative for al-Qā’idah since 2004 and is currently in control of the As-Saḥāb (“The Clouds”) Foundation for Islamic Media Publication.
This video is boilerplate anti-American and anti-Pakistani talking points. The most interesting thing I noticed was that Gadahn was outside. Is this a message to the American’s that he is not afraid of the drone strikes or that he has more freedom of movement again? Also, I found it noteworthy that when Gadahn talked about the famous conspiracy he added an additional conspirator: “The Zionist-Crusader-Hindu Conspiracy,” which shows the importance the Kashmir cause has been taken-up within al-Qaeda as they have further embedded themselves within the Pakistani militant milieu.
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