Syria

Al Qaeda to formally disband this year

In an unprecedented insight to the future of Al Qaeda, 5 Dimensions consultants based in Dubai, with direct access to information inside the command structures of Al Qaeda have released an assessment of their future based on actual discussions between key decision makers. One key finding is “Al Qaeda to formally disband this year”. Sources within Ahrar al-Sham in Syria stated that Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Qaeda’s branch in Syria) informed Ahrar al-Sham and other allies in Syria of its intentions to break away from al-Qaeda in an “organized” and pre planned manner, as al-Qaeda itself will announce its own disbandment this year. They stated that their allies in Jabhat al-Nusra have told them that AQ leader Ayman al-Zawahiri will relinquish his authority – or what left of it – over AQ branches globally and absolve them of their allegiance to him. The move is in response to the rising power of Islamic State in Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Libya and Nigeria as well as new IS incursion into Yemen. AQ and Zawahiri can no longer offer any meaningful leadership and the trend between the two strongest and largest AQ branches (al-Nusra and AQAP) is that the association with AQ is no longer an asset when it comes to local conflicts in Syria and Yemen, instead it is a hindrance and a liability. While Zawahiri and AQ central command have been ineffective and side lined since the start of 2014 and with the rise of the IS, nevertheless they provided moral and legitimate voice for al- Nusra and AQAP in the face of IS expansion. The immediate implication for such move (once it happens) is that al-Nusra would be free to establish wider alliances within Syria and open the door again for its plans for an Islamic Emirate in northern Syria after Idlib was taken with the help of Ahrar al-Sham. The move will also help AQAP to abandon the al-Qaeda name and adopt once and for all the new name of “Ansar al-Sharia”. Both groups possess their own funding mechanism and have been (for several years) free financially from al-Qaeda Central Command. Nonetheless dissolving al-Qaeda will be seen as the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter for both al-Nusra and AQAP (Ansar al-Sharia). AQIM were already dissolving and merging with other regional groups across the Sahara/North African region, therefore there will be limited strategic or logistical impact from this announcement.

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The lure and the reality of joining the Islamic State

The lure and the reality of joining the Islamic State On 17 February Kadiza Sultana, 16; Shamima Begum, also 16; and Amira Abase, 15 all left the security of their homes in London for the lure of the Islamic State. Philip Ingram asks why? Their journey through Turkey followed the classic route favored by new IS recruits. But why would such intelligent young people do what to most of us seems so completely illogical? How were they enticed and when they goth there what is likely to happen to them? SecurityNewsDesk have been give a unique insight from a former Jihadist, Aimen Dean of 5 Dimensions consultants, who worked for British Intelligence for many years. He now openly talks about his experiences in order to educate his audiences on the realities. The Lure When Aimen Dean was asked about what lures young girls to IS he explained: “The appeal of the IS can by summed up that they, unlike al-Qaeda, have established a society. Regardless of how brutal and extreme this “society” might appear to people around the world, the IS nonetheless managed successfully to target certain segments of young Muslims with specific appeals. “Some are drawn to satisfy a desire for revenge, some to seek redemption and atone for their sins and some are drawn to the notion of an Islamic State and the need to serve and protect this fledgling Islamic State in its infancy. “For the three British teenage girls, (who are high achievers at school), the appeal was even greater when they were promised a larger role in how to serve the IS.” There is clear evidence that female members of IS are engaged in trying to radicalize and lure other young women to join IS through social media. Global Risk Awareness, a Cyber Intelligence company tracks many of these interactions. James Abernethy a former British Military Intelligence Officer said of Global Risk Awareness capability “The team have seen many interactions between known IS social media accounts and followers based across the globe from Europe, the Americas and elsewhere. It is clear they become online “friends” and the grooming starts from there”. Dean went on to state: “Over the past two months, the IS has begun to close the female faculties of engineering and humanities in universities under their control, such as Mosul University. The female students in all the closed faculties were given the choice, (if there was ever a choice) to study medicine instead. The female students, even those who scored lower than required marks, were told that they can now “fulfill” a life dream of becoming a doctor. Those who do not have the ability to become doctors, can study nursing and so become qualified paramedics.” He suggested, from having studied current recruiting trends and gaining direct inside information that the three young girls were most likely promised to end up being taught medicine and join the legions of female doctors and paramedics much needed on the frontlines where the IS’ fight against an ever growing coalition of enemies was proving more costly. He went on to say “The lure of learning medicine without having to fill in complex university application forms or the need to score the necessary grades is appealing in itself. But what is more appealing is the sense that they would be serve a perceived “noble cause” through the medical education and then applying that knowledge practically in the frontlines and in urban areas coming under bombardment, with all the thrills of action and adventure involved. It is a rather false romantic notion of serving alongside young Muslim men committed to the glory and honor of Islam and the resurrection of the Islamic Caliphate. Therefore such young, bright and well-educated Muslim girls are in fact a prize worth attracting as far as the IS is concerned.” The Reality Aimen Dean went on to explain the reality in detail, having had experience of similar situations; “While the illusion of glorious Jihadi service, living under a semi-utopian Islamic State and receiving life saving medical knowledge, are all possible motivating factors behind these girls’ journey into the heart of what they think is an Islamic heaven! However the reality is different based on past evidence. First, as soon they would have crossed the border into Syria they would be placed under the guardianship of an Islamic State judge. This is because they arrived without “Mahram” a next of kin male guardian such as father, brother or husband. After a four weeks of intensive theological and ideological re-education they would then be married off to some of the Jihadi “brothers” as they are not allowed to be without a “Mahram”. As usual the IS will break the Sharia rules by marrying these girls off without the presence of their legal guardians and instead the judge appointed by the IS as their guardian will preside over the marriage ceremony. Once married, they will almost certainly have to go through the anguish of losing their new husbands as a result of the constant fighting and the IS lack of care in protecting their recruits on the frontlines or due to coalition air strikes. Then they are expected to go through the mourning period of 4 months and 10 days once they lose their new husbands. The mourning period is proscribed in the Quran and will compel them to stay at home throughout this period, as it is an extreme interpretation of Islam by the IS.” He emphasised that “There would be no access to education and no glorious service, just another form of house arrest.” Dean explained that the cycle would continue; “Once the mourning period is over the girls must resume the cycle of being married off to other Jihadi brothers, wait until they too are killed and they go through the mourning period again, and if they are pregnant then the mourning period is extended until the child is delivered. They must then marry again as they cannot stay without a “Mahram” (legal guardian). The

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ISIS boldly give location for beheading of Peter Kassig.

ISIS boldly give location for beheading of Peter Kassig. ISIS militants fighting in Iraq and Syria claimed in a video posted online on Sunday that they had beheaded American hostage Peter Kassig. Peter Kassig, 26, a former US soldier was captured in Syria in October last year while providing medical training and humanitarian aid to victims of the country’s conflict. He had converted to Islam during his captivity and taken the name Abdul-Rahman. He was originally shown at the end of a video released in October showing the murder of the British aid worker Alan Henning. The video did not show the beheading but showed a masked man standing with a decapitated head covered in blood lying at his feet. Speaking in English in a British accent, a man, believed to be “Jihadi John” says: “This is Peter Edward Kassig, a U.S. citizen.” Whilst the authenticity of the footage, which appeared on a jihadist website and on Twitter feeds used by Islamic State has not been confirmed by US government sources, according to Global Risk Awareness, it is that of Peter Kassig being murdered. The video also shows a number of other people, thought to be Syrian Army and Airforce personnel being beheaded is a ritualistic way with ISIS fighters in a line behind each of their victims as knives are individually handed out. The video shows for the first time the location of the beheading, Dabiq town north of Aleppo north. This is significant as Dabiq according to Islam is the location of the end of the world and a final historical confrontation between good and evil. In the video the individual thought to be “Jihadi John” is addressing President Obama saying American soldiers will be next. Of note his face is covered more than in previous videos suggesting an attempt to make it more difficult to confirm his identity through facial feature recognition analysis. ISIS use of horrific graphic displays of barbarism is designed to suggest a greater influence and control than they actually have. They see one of the most important weapons in their arsenal to convey their terror as the use of social media as part of their influence operations. Comparing their psychological operations capabilities to those of NATO, the UK and the US they are as sophisticated. The detail for this article has been provided by the analytical teams at Global Risk Awareness.                

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