Terror Trends Bulletin

by Christopher W. Holton

The Islamic State has just published its latest issue of the slick, sophisticated, 4-color magazine, Rumiyah. The full issue is available here:

https://pietervanostaeyen.files.wordpress.com/2016/11/rumiyah3en.pdf

For readers who don’t know, “Rumiyah” means “Rome,” which is meant to signify the Islamic State’s intent to capture Rome, the symbolic capital of the Christian world.

Included in the magazine is an article that details suggested tactics for Jihadis in the US, who are referred to as “Stationed behind enemy lines.”

We believe it important that people in the US be aware of the specific nature of the threat that the Islamic State poses, so we are reproducing the article in its entirety here:

Just Terror Tactics

Stationed behind enemy lines, the just terror mujahid has at his disposal a multitude of weapons and techniques that he may employ at any given time to inflict misery and destruction upon the enemies of Allah, demonstrating by his actions an unforgettable lesson for every hardheaded, obstinate kafir nation that wishes to engage in war on the Islamic State. Allah  said,” Th rough them, disperse those behind them, that they might take heed” (Al-Anfal 57). Ibn Kathir  said, explaining this verse, “It means, punish them severely and massacre them violently so that other enemies from the Arabs and non-Arabs are terrified and those punished and massacred become a lesson for the other enemies ‘that they might take heed.’”

When seeking to initiate an attack, it is important to define the objective. One’s attack may be to harvest a large kill count. It may be aimed at disrupting the financial stability of a specific nation. It may simply be aimed at terrorizing the enemies of Allah and depriving them of a peaceful sleep. Accordingly, as the objective of the attack varies, the mujahid must choose a method that best suits the operation at hand.

Vehicle Attacks

Though being an essential part of modern life, very few actually comprehend the deadly and destructive capability of the motor vehicle and its capacity of reaping large numbers of casualties if used in a premeditated manner. This was superbly demonstrated in the attack launched by the brother Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel who, while traveling at the speed of approximately 90 kilometers per hour, plowed his 19-ton load-bearing truck into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, harvesting through his attack the slaughter of 86 Crusader citizens and injuring 434 more.

The method of such an attack is that a vehicle is plunged at a high speed into a large congregation of kufar, smashing their bodies with the vehicle’s strong outer frame, while advancing forward – crushing their heads, torsos, and limbs under the vehicle’s wheels and chassis – and leaving behind a trail of carnage.

Vehicles are like knives, as they are extremely easy to acquire. But unlike knives, which if found in one’s possession can be a cause for suspicion, vehicles arouse absolutely no doubts due to their widespread use throughout the world. It is for this obvious reason that using a vehicle is one of the most comprehensive methods of attack, as it presents the opportunity for just terror for anyone possessing the ability to drive a vehicle. Likewise, it is one of the safest and easiest weapons one could employ against the kufar, while being from amongst the most lethal methods of attack and the most successful in harvesting large numbers of the kufar.

Acquiring a vehicle is a simple task regardless of one’s location. However, the type of vehicle and its structural and technical specifications are extremely important factors for ensuring the success of the operation. Observing previous vehicle attacks, it has been shown that smaller vehicles are incapable of granting the level of carnage that is sought. Similarly, off-roaders, SUVs, and four-wheel drive vehicles lack the necessary attributes required for causing a blood bath. One of the main reasons for this is that smaller vehicles lack the weight and wheel span required for crushing many victims. Thus, smaller vehicles are least suitable for this kind of attack. Rather, the type of vehicle most appropriate for such an operation is a large load-bearing truck.

The Ideal Vehicle

• Load-bearing truck
• Large in size, keeping in mind its controllability
• Reasonably fast in speed or rate of acceleration (Note: Many European countries pre-restrict larger vehicles to specified speeds)
• Heavy in weight, assuring the destruction of
whatever it hits
• Double-wheeled, giving victims less of a chance to escape being crushed by the vehicle’s tires
• Possessing a slightly raised chassis (the under frame of the vehicle) and bumper, which allow for the mounting of sidewalks and breeching of barriers if needed
• If accessible, with a metal outer frame which are usually found in older cars, as the stron- ger outer frame allows for more damage to be caused when the vehicle is slammed into crowds, contrary to newer cars that are usually made of plastics and other weaker materials

Vehicles to Avoid

• Small cars, including larger SUVs
• Slower vehicles that cannot exceed 90km per
hour
• Load-bearing trucks with load compartments that are not fixed to the cabin, which may cause loss of control and subsequent jackknifing, especially if driven erratically
• Load-bearing trucks with excessively elongated trailer compartments, which can cause the driver trouble as he seeks to maneuver

If one has the wealth, buying a vehicle would be the easiest option. Alternatively, one could rent a vehicle or simply ask to borrow one from an acquaintance or relative who owns or has access thereto. For the one not capable of attaining a vehicle by any of these means, there is the option of hotwiring or carjacking a vehicle. This is only recommended for one possessing the know-how or having previous experience in this domain.

Applicable Targets

• Large outdoor conventions and celebrations
• Pedestrian-congested streets (High/Main streets)
• Outdoor markets
• Festivals
• Parades
• Political rallies

In general, one should consider any outdoor attraction that draws large crowds.

When deciding on the target, attention should be given to that target’s accessibility by the vehicle. The target should be on a road that offers the ability to accelerate to a high speed, which allows for inflicting maximum damage on those in the vehicle’s path.

It is essential for the one seeking this method of operation to understand that it is not conditional to target gatherings restricted to government or military personnel only. All so-called “civilian” (and low-security) parades and gatherings are fair game and more devastating to Crusader nations.

Preparation and Planning

• Assessing vehicle for roadworthiness
• Filling vehicle with a sufficient amount of fuel
• Mapping out the route of the attack
• Surveying the route for obstacles, such as posts, signs, barriers, humps, bus stops, dumpsters, etc. which is important for sidewalk-mounted attacks, keeping in mind that more obstacles might be set up on the day of a targeted event, and doing the surveillance in an inconspicuous manner, especially if one suspects being monitored by an intelligence apparatus
• If accessible, a secondary weapon should be attained

Also, an appropriate way should be determined for announcing one’s allegiance to the Khalifah of the Muslims and the goal of making Allah’s word supreme, so that the motive of the attack is acknowledged. An example of such would be simply writing on dozens of sheets of paper “ The Islamic State will remain!” or “I am a soldier of the Islamic State!” prior, and launching them from the vehicle’s window during the execution of the attack.

In a bid to ensure utmost carnage upon the enemies of Allah, it is imperative that one does not exit his vehicle during the attack. Rather, he should remain inside, driving over the already harvested kufar, and continue crushing their remains until it becomes physically impossible to continue by vehicle. At this stage, one may exit the vehicle and finish his operation on foot, if he was able to obtain a secondary weapon. He could also remain in the vehicle, targeting pedestrians, the emergency services, or security forces who arrive at the scenes of just terror, until he is martyred.

Having a secondary weapon, such as a gun or a knife, is also a great way to combine a vehicle attack with other forms of attacks. Depending on what is obtained, the kill count can be maximized and the level of terror resulting from the attack can be raised. This could also increase the possibility of attaining shahadah, which is the best of departures from this Dunya into the larger expanse of the Akhirah. “And hasten to forgiveness from your Lord and to a garden – the expanse of which is that of the heavens and the earth – prepared for the muttaqin” (Al ‘Imran 133).

One of the prerequisites of a successful operation is the remembrance of Allah and the sincerity of intending the attack solely to please Him. To achieve this, one should keep the dhikr of Allah on one’s tongue and repeat du’a for His assistance and acceptance. For this particular attack, one should not forget the supplication of mounting a vehicle, which is to say, “Sub·ḥā·nal·la·dhī sakh·kha·ra la·nā hā·dhā wa mā kun·nā la·hū muq·ri·nīn, wa in·nā i·lā rab·bi·nā la·mun·qa·li·būn,” and which means, “Exalted is Allah, who subdued this for us, and we otherwise could not have subdued it; and we indeed shall return to our Lord” (Az-Zukhruf 13-14).