Category Archives: Al Qaeda

Chicago man charged with aiding al Qaeda

1 AugamThu, 05 Aug 2010 08:17:57 -06002010-08-05T08:17:57-06:0008 2009 – 08:17

A 26-year-old Chicago man was trying to help finance al-Qaida and hoped to blow himself up in a suicide mission, authorities say.

Shaker Masri was arrested Tuesday evening and charged by federal prosecutors on Wednesday with knowingly intending to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the United States.

Authorities said Masri told an FBI informant that he planned to go to Somalia and help al-Qaida, and asked the informant for money to help buy guns once they got there. He also told the informant that he hoped to become a martyr by wearing a suicide vest, the criminal complaint states.

http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local-beat/masri-jihad-al-qaida-99959424.html

By terrortrends | Also posted in Failed terrorist attack, Homegrown Jihad, Homeland Security | Comments (0)

Abu Sayyaf co-founder pleads guilty in US federal court

1 JulpmWed, 28 Jul 2010 18:22:34 -06002010-07-28T18:22:34-06:0006 2009 – 18:22

Madhatta Haipe

A founding member of the Philippine Jihadist terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf pled guilty today in federal court in Washington, DC to the 1995 kidnapping of 16 people, including four US citizens.

Madhatta Haipe, a Philippine citizen who was extradited to the United States in 2009, pled guilty to four counts of hostage taking and faces up to 25 years in prison as part of a plea agreement, according to the Justice Department.

Haipe admitted organizing the kidnap of four US citizens, one US permanent resident and 11 Philippine citizens in December 1995 near remote waterfalls on the island of Mindanao in the southern Philippines.

Abu Sayyaf  is designated terrorist organization by the US, and was founded in the 1990s with funding from Osama bin Laden’s Al Qaeda-network to fight for an independent Islamic state in the south of mostly Catholic Philippines.

The Jihadist terrorists of Abu Sayyaf often resort to hostage taking, mostly targeting foreigners and Christians, to raise money from ransoms. Failure to pay ransoms often results in the beheading of the hostages.

Abu Sayyaf is also capable of much larger attacks, such as the bombing of a ferry in Manila Bay in 2004 that killed more than 100 and was the Philippines’ worst terrorist attack.

Hopefully, Haipe will not be allowed to proselytize during his 25 year stay in US federal prison. He will be 73 years old when he gets out of prison, should he serve his full sentence.

http://terrorism-online.blogspot.com/2010/07/founding-member-of-abu-sayyaf-group.html

By terrortrends | Also posted in Abu Sayyaf, Hostage taking, Islam, Islamic Jihad, Jihad, Kidnapping & Hostage-taking, Philippines | Comments (0)

Japanese tanker damaged in Strait of Hormuz

1 JulpmWed, 28 Jul 2010 17:38:59 -06002010-07-28T17:38:59-06:0005 2009 – 17:38

The Japanese oil tanker M Star was damaged in an explosion in the Strait of Hormuz today. It is unclear what the cause of the explosion was.

A crewman reported seeing a flash on the horizon just prior to the explosion, suggesting an attack, however, Omani authorities are saying there is no evidence of an attack, blaming an “earthquake” for the explosion.

We’ve heard a lot of bullcrap in our time, but this “earthquake” causing an explosion on a supertanker theory might be the most absurd thing we’ve ever heard.

Fortunately, there were no casualties and no oil leaked into the Persian Gulf.

A terrorist attack on an oil tanker in the region is certainly not unprecedented. In October 2002, Al Qaeda carried out a seaborne Islamikaze attack on the French tanker Limburg, killing one of its crew and punching a hole in its hull.

French tanker Limburg burns after October 2002 terrorist attack

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100728/wl_nm/us_japan_explosion_1

By terrortrends | Also posted in Iran, Persian Gulf, Possible terror attack, Strait of Hormuz, Terrorist attack | Comments (0)

Alaskan Jihadist Plots to Assassinate Americans, Gets 8 Year Sentence

1 JulamTue, 27 Jul 2010 09:25:21 -06002010-07-27T09:25:21-06:0009 2009 – 09:25

In yet another sign that we have lost our minds (and other bodily organs) in America, we have this recent case in Alaska in which a Muslim follower of Anwar al-Awlaki compiled a list of 15 Americans to assassinate, conducted research into improvised explosive devices and discussed it all on Jihadi internet forums–and was sentenced to 8 years in prison for his crimes.

Will this man, Paul Gene Rockwood, Jr., aka “Bilal,” abandon his Jihadist beliefs during his stay in prison, or will his Jihadist tendencies be reinforced behind bars, like so many other cases?

http://www.ktva.com/ci_15569709?source=most_viewed

By terrortrends | Also posted in Anwar Al-Awlaki, Homegrown Jihad, Islam, Islamic Jihad, Jihad | Comments (1)

20-year-old charged with providing material support to al-Shahab

1 JulpmMon, 26 Jul 2010 19:45:39 -06002010-07-26T19:45:39-06:0007 2009 – 19:45

Federal agents arrested 20-year-old Zachary Chesser on Wednesday, after a months-long investigation into at least two alleged attempts to join the Somalia-based group al-Shabaab, which has been fighting to establish a strict Muslim state in Somalia and has pledged its allegiance to Usama bin Laden. Chesser is now charged with providing material support to a terrorist group.

During several interviews with the FBI over the past year, Chesser — also known as “Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee” — told agents he tried to go to Somalia at least twice to join al-Shabaab as a “foreign fighter,” according to prosecutors.

Most recently, on July 10, he and his infant son were prevented from boarding a flight from New York to Uganda because Chesser was on the “no fly” list. Chesser told FBI agents he hoped his son would act as a “cover” for his travels, prosecutors said.

Chesser “effectively confessed” to the charges against him, Gibbs told Davis on Monday.

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/07/26/va-terror-suspect-wanted-to-help-fbi/

By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Shahab, Osama Bin Laden, Somalia | Comments (0)

Zawahiri predicts Al Qaeda victory in Iraq and Afghanistan

1 JulamTue, 20 Jul 2010 08:49:51 -06002010-07-20T08:49:51-06:0008 2009 – 08:49

A man identified as Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda’s No. 2 man, promises his followers victory in Afghanistan and Iraq, vowing that these wars will eventually lead to a battle to liberate Jerusalem, in an audio message posted Monday on jihadist websites.

Radical Islamists often use the Arab-Israeli struggle as a propaganda tool to recruit militants because they believe that Israel has no right to exist on what they consider to be Muslim and Arab land.

In the message, the speaker also says mujahedeens — Islamic militants backed by the Taliban and al Qaeda — are moving from one victory to another in Afghanistan against U.S.-led forces….

http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/07/al-qaedas-second-banana-says-victory-coming-for-the-jihadists-in-iraq-and-afghanistan.html

By terrortrends | Also posted in Afghanistan, Iraq, Zawahiri | Comments (0)

Al Qaeda attack kills 52 Iraqi military members

1 JulamTue, 20 Jul 2010 08:41:04 -06002010-07-20T08:41:04-06:0008 2009 – 08:41

After a lull of more than a month, Al Qaida has resumed mass-casualty strikes on Iraq’s military.

A suicide bomber said to have been sent by Al Qaida blew himself up outside an Iraq Army office near Baghdad on July 18. Officials said at least 52 people, most of them lined up to receive their monthly salaries, were killed.

The attack took place in Radwaniya, located west of Baghdad. Officials said most of the casualties were members of the U.S.-sponsored Al Sahwa auxiliary police force, formed to fight Al Qaida.

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2010/me_iraq0678_07_19.asp

By terrortrends | Also posted in Iraq, Suicide Bombing | Comments (0)

RIDICULOUS Prison Sentences for Chicago Al Qaeda Members

1 JulamThu, 15 Jul 2010 06:59:57 -06002010-07-15T06:59:57-06:0006 2009 – 06:59

Cousins Zubair Ahmed, 31, of North Chicago, Ill., and Khaleel Ahmed, 29, of Chicago, are Al Qaeda members who have been convicted of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists this week.

Zubair was sentenced to 10 years in prison and Khaleel was sentenced to 8 years and 4 months.

This joke of a punishment for members of Al Qaeda would be funny if this wasn’t so serious.

Here we have members of a Jihadist organization dedicated to the destruction of the United States and to killing Americans and they will be out of prison by the time they are 41 and 38 respectively?

Does anyone else see the problem with this?

Are we to believe that two committed Jihadis who joined and supported an organization with the goals and track record of Al Qaeda will have learned their lesson through a stay in federal prison and get out docile and no longer committed to Jihad?

Does anyone at the Justice Department understand Jihad at all?

Why weren’t these men tried for treason? How many Americans do Al Qaeda and other Jihadist organizations have to kill and maim in order for us to recognize that they are at war with us and they are the ENEMY and not just some really bad international crime gang?

This is yet another example of why trying to deal with Jihad as if this was not a war but rather a law enforcement problem will not work.

These two men will go to prison, where they will be free to practice their faith and will meet up with others with similar views, possibly including some of the prison imams who harbor Jihadist tendencies. Chances are good that Zubair and Khaleel Ahmed will not emerge in a decade as reformed Jihadists, but as hardened Jihadists. That is certainly not unheard of among Muslims and Muslim converts in our prison system. In fact, rather than the prison system having a calming effect on these two guys, it is just as likely that they will influence their fellow inmates and spread Jihad to other violent offenders.

http://www.examiner.com/x-2684-Law-Enforcement-Examiner~y2010m7d15-Muslims-sentenced-for-terrorism-support-conspiracy?cid=examiner-email

By terrortrends | Also posted in 5th Column, Homegrown Jihad, Islamic Jihad, Jihad, terrorism funding | Comments (0)

Uganda Jihad Attack Updates

1 JulpmMon, 12 Jul 2010 14:27:29 -06002010-07-12T14:27:29-06:0002 2009 – 14:27

By now, TTB readers already know that Al Qaeda-affiliated  Al Shahab operating out of Somalia is taking responsibility for the bomb attacks in Uganda which have so far claimed 74 lives. This TTB posting will include links to various updates and analyses of the attacks.

Newsweek has a pretty good, concise summary of the attack, with a video report embedded:

http://www.newsweek.com/2010/07/12/jihad-moves-into-africa-s-breadbasket.html?

Dan Morrison has a particularly lousy analysis over on Slate, in which he essentially says that Uganda brought this on itself. He has fallen into the usual trap which says that the Jihadists act in response to actions of others. The fact of the matter is, Uganda had already been impacted by the Jihadist violence in Somalia as refugees spilled over their border before they sent troops to Mogadishu to attempt to bring some semblance of stability to the failed state. For that matter, Uganda had also been impacted by Jihadist activity in Sudan similarly…

http://www.slate.com/id/2260235/?

The Telegraph points out that the Uganda attacks initially targeted Ethiopians in Uganda. It also mentions that Somalia seems to be turning into a petrie dish of Jihadi activity with terrorists streaming in from Iraq and Afghanistan. (We might also add that there is at least one Jihadi from the exotic, far-off land known as Alabama as well.) That Somalia may turn into a staging area for Jihad was a concern as long ago as 2002-2003 when US amphibious forces and German naval units initially set up offshore but did not take action and eventually withdrew from the area…

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/uganda/7885898/Al-Qaeda-linked-Somali-Islamists-blamed-for-killing-74-in-Uganda-World-Cup-blasts.html?

Bloomberg mentions that Burundi may be the next nation on Al Shahab’s hit list, since that nation has 2500 peacekeepers in Somalia…

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-12/somali-islamists-say-they-carried-out-uganda-bomb-attacks-that-killed-74.html?

It should come as no surprise that an Al Qaeda affiliate targeted World Cup fans. There have been plots and rumors of plots to target the World Cup for a few months…

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2537585/posts#worldcupihad2010

Speaking of soccer, back in Somalia, Al Shahab is a serious threat to Somalis who simply want to play soccer…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/10/AR2010071002033.html?waporef=obinsite

By terrortrends | Also posted in Al Shahab, Islam, Islamic Jihad, Islamikaze attack, Jihad, Somalia, Suicide Bombing, Terrorist attack, Uganda, Uncategorized | Comments (0)

18 American Jihadist Terrorists

1 JulpmWed, 07 Jul 2010 22:12:23 -06002010-07-07T22:12:23-06:0010 2009 – 22:12

It’s all too easy to forget that Jihad is not just something that is happening in Iraq or Afghanistan. It’s happening here in the USA and we’ve got photographic evidence to remind Americans of the enemy within. We must never forget…

Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, aka Carlos Bledsoe. In June 2009, Muhammad shot two unarmed US Army soldiers outside a Little Rock, Arkansas recruiting center, killing one and wounding the other.

Daniel Patrick Boyd. In July 2009, Boyd, who received terrorist training in Pakistan, was arrested in North Carolina in connection with a plot to carry out a terrorist attack on Marine Corps Base Quantico

Abdul Rahman Yasin. Yasin is on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He was born in Bloomington, Indiana.

Adam Yahiye Gadahn. This native of California played in a heavy metal band before traveling to Pakistan to join Al Qaeda.

Anwar al Awlaki. This New Mexico native is now the Imam of choice for Al Qaeda, essentially leading the organization's operations in Yemen.

Omar Hammami. This Alabama native was raised in the Bible Belt of Dixie but nevertheless turned to Jihad and now is a member of Al Shabaab Jihadist group in Somalia

Nidal Malik Hasan. US Army Major who shot dozens at Fort Hood, Texas in November 2009, killing 13 and wounding 30

Najibullah Zazi. This Denver resident travelled to Afghanistan where he received terrorist training. Upon his return, he plotted to bomb New York subways.

John Walker Lindh. A Washington D.C. native, the infamous American Taliban was captured in Afghanistan during the overthrow of the Taliban regime in 2001. He is serving a 20 year prison sentence.

David Coleman Headley. Formerly known as Daood Sayed Gilani, is a Pakistani American from Chicago, who conspired to launch the 2008 Mumbai attacks in India. He changed his name to hide his Muslim identity.

Colleen Larose, aka Jihad Jane, this Michigan native/Philadelphia resident, plotted to kill a cartoonist who drew a picture of the muslim prophet mohammed.

Faisal Shahzad. This Connecticut resident/Pakistani immigrant attempted to bomb Times Square in New York City

Moussa Ali Hamdan. Former New Jersey resident and Hezbollah member, was arrested in Paraguay on June 17th in connection with 31 crimes, including terrorism financing.

Aman Hassan Yemer, Ahmed Abdulah Minni, Waqar Hussain Khan, Ramy Zamzam, and Umar Farooq. These five American citizens from Virginia travelled to Pakistan to join the Jihad, only to be caught by authorities there and imprisoned.

By terrortrends | Also posted in 5th Column, Fort Hood Massacre, Hezbollah, Homegrown Jihad, Homeland Security, India, Islam, Islamic Jihad, Jihad, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lebanon, Mohammed Cartoons, Mumbai attack, New York, Nidal Malik Hasan, NYC subway plot, Pakistan, Somalia, Taliban, terrorism funding, Times Square bomb attack | Comments (6)