Terrorism

Niqash.org | Baghdad | – – “Newsletters sent to Islamic State fighters in Anbar indicate the group’s problems with bad drivers and corruption. It also shows a decentralized command structure that ensures the group’s ongoing survival.” A cache of internal correspondence and newsletters, sent by senior members of the extremist group known as the Islamic […]

Terrorism

Orlando and the Future of Terrorism

contributors

By John Feffer | ( Foreign Policy in Focus ) | – – It’s tempting to use a harsh epithet like “terrorism” to describe the actions in Orlando. Perhaps “mass hate crime” would be more accurate. Those who commit atrocities in the name of ISIS should be considered criminals and nothing more. Their desire to […]

Featured

Top 7 ways to tell if Someone is lying about being a ‘Salafi Jihadi’

contributors

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Regulars at Pulse Nightclub are saying that Omar Mateen, the alleged shooter in the early Sunday morning massacre there, was himself a regular! The Orlando Sentinel writes, “‘Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would […]

al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda Speaks The Language Of Syrian Sectarianism

contributors

By Sam Heller | ( RFE/RL) | – – As the extremist group Islamic State (IS) and its rival Al-Qaeda have captured pieces of Iraq, Syria, and other countries in the region, they have had to balance their global aims with the specific local concerns of the communities under their control. Al-Qaeda’s latest attempt to […]

Iraq

Suicide Bombers + Secret Tunnels: ISIL Tactics On Fallujah’s Front lines

contributors

Mustafa Habib | | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – The battle for Fallujah will be long and hard. The Islamic State has prepared for a siege, is relying on foreign fighters and is spreading lies to persuade locals to fight. NIQASH spoke to those on the front line. In the Nuaimiya area, south of […]

Europe

France: White Terrorist not investigated for Terrorism even when he Vows attacks

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – So Gregoire Moutaux, 25, was arrested last month by Ukraine. The French national had a large cache of deadly weapons. Ukraine Intelligence chief Vasyl Hrytsak said, “The Frenchman spoke negatively of the activities of his government on mass migration of foreigners to France, the spread of […]

Free Syrian Army

Not the Onion: US asks Russia not to Bomb al-Qaeda in Syria

contributors

TeleSur | – – The Russian foreign minister said his Washington counterpart asked Moscow not to target the extremist groups out of fear of hitting moderate rebels. The United States has asked Russia not to target al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria the Nusra Front arguing that airstrikes by Moscow could also hit other rebel groups, Russian […]

Iraq

How The US, Iraqi Army And Shiite Militias United – Then Split – In Fallujah

contributors

By Mustafa Habib | Baghdad | (Niqash.org) | – – Anti-extremist forces have been fighting in Fallujah for a week. But before they began, there were serious negotiations between the partners-in-battle. And the negotiations continue on the front lines. On May 23, Iraq’s Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi appeared near an Iraqi army camp near the […]

Archaeology

Inside ISIL’s looted antiquities trade

contributors

By Fiona Rose-Greenland | (The Conversation) | – – For excavators – archaeologists, but also looters like the [so-called] Islamic State, or ISIL – the opportunity for discovery in modern Iraq and Syria is dazzling. The countries lie within the Fertile Crescent, a broad swath of land stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to the Zagros […]