Al-Qaida chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2014 Part 19-99-Caliphate By Capt (Ret) C de Waart, feel free to share: in Confidence.

In The "War of the Cross, we seek a Strategy, our Enemy has one."

The Third War is different. It is an unconventional and irregular war with radical Islam launching attacks across the world. Last year, an ISIS militant has claimed that the group is now in possession of a nuclear weapon. Two months after the 9/11 attacks, Usama bin Ladin claimed to possess a nuclear capability. Ayman al-Zawahiri allegedly claimed that al-Qaeda possessed nuclear weapons purchased in Central Asia

• AQAP has established itself as the most prominent of the al-Qaeda affiliates, which also include Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in North Africa and Somalia’s al-Shabab. Some al-Qaeda affiliates have pledged their support for ISIS and its self-declared caliphate, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and, for a time, some high-ranking members of AQAP did as well

Radical Islam Strikes. Are We Witnessing World War III 1 2? Has the Third World War already begun? The question may raise the hackles of security experts. That would be because our minds are tuned to the clash of organised armies on a massive scale in a global conflict. The world has since then changed. Even the most powerful countries realise that a full-scale war could be very expensive. A small country like North Korea is today able to threaten the US with a nuclear attack. The Third War is different. It is an unconventional and irregular war with radical Islam launching attacks across the world. One can see these attacks in Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia. All the great powers stand threatened. The US has not had another major attack since 9/11, but the possibility always remains. Russia is having continuing problems in Chechnya. China is not able to suppress violent dissent in Xinjiang. The radical Islam is represented by the ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Al-Shabaab, Tehreek-e-Taliban and their affiliates in different countries. These are targeting Christians, Jews, Buddhists and Hindus—in fact, all ‘non-believers’, including sections of Muslims considered apostates. Europe particularly appears to be in deep trouble, thanks to the liberal policies of its governments which allowed immigrants to settle down within their frontiers out of humanitarian considerations. The Charlie Hebdo attack was waiting to happen. Islamic books calling for jihad and the killing of non-Muslims were being openly sold in the supermarkets of France. An Ipsos survey found that 66 per cent of the French people believed that there were too many foreigners in the country and 59 per cent believed that the “immigrants do not try hard enough to integrate”. The poll also brought out that according to 63 per cent of the French people, Islam is “not compatible with French values”. The Muslim population in 1 http://www.newindianexpress.com/magazine/voices/Radical-Islam-Strikes.-Are-We-Witnessing-World-War-III/2015/01/17/article2620970.ece2 Cees see also: Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2014 Part 17-27-The Deep Battle against the West Though Western militaries are engaged in a campaign against Islamic State, Al-Qaida, and especially its Yemen branch, is far more determined to bring the war to European turf. Cees so far in renewed posting of the Prophet in satiric papers we have seen warnings coming from two Grand Muftis: both Sunni and Shia, and now the JI leader in Pakistan is going a step further he is warning that – “the anti Islam policies of the west could plunge the world into the third world war”-- Sirajul Haq said that “the respect of the Holy Prophet was an essential part of a Muslim’s faith”. From the warning to issuing of the needed Fatwa is a short step, and if issued it will have for the West very severe consequences. And although the warnings are not yet followed by a fatwa, a fatwa would fit in the AQSL strategic planning for the next phase – according to their seven Phased plan. Moreover – if given, the religious authorisation of attacks against the west could see the Deep Battle against the West intensifying and as mentioned supports the prelude of the next phase: Total confrontation.

France is estimated to be about 10 per cent of the country’s total population of 66 million. In real terms, France has the largest Muslim population in Europe. In Germany, there is mounting public backlash over what people perceive as government’s indifference to the growing influence of Islam in German society. A grassroots movement called Pegida (Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West) has attracted quite a following in the country. The group’s declared objective is to preserve Germany’s Judeo-Christian culture and values, though government dubs it as a neo-Nazi group. In some German cities, thousands of citizens have demonstrated against the growing “Islamization” of the country. British PM David Cameron has described “multi-culturalism” a failure and government plans to restrict the migration from poorer European Union countries. According to the MI5 Chief, Andrew Parker, the country could face a Paris-like terrorist strike in the near future. He went on to say that a “mass casualty attack to cause large scale loss of life” was imminent against transport networks and landmarks, and there was real possibility of an attempt to blow up a passenger jet. In the Netherlands, according to a report titled, The Transformation of Jihadism in the Netherlands, the jihadist movement is experiencing sudden and explosive growth. It is becoming increasingly open and provocative, both online and in the streets. “The increasing momentum of Dutch jihadism poses an unprecedented threat to the democratic legal order of the Netherlands.” Belgium has a radical Salafist group known as Sharia4Belgium. It was founded in 2010 with the objective of enforcing Sharia law in Belgium. The group courted controversy in September 2011 when it announced the opening of Sharia law court in Antwerp, the second largest city in Belgium. In 2012, when some of its leaders were arrested, the society announced its dissolution. According to Belgian authorities, however, Sharia4Belgium continues to operate underground. Austria figures prominently in a map produced by the Islamic State which outlines the group’s five year plan for expanding its Caliphate into Europe. India—God forbid, but if and when that happens—will face a double whammy. The forces of radical Islam would have full support of non-state actors Lashkar-e-Toiba, Hiz-bul-Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Muhammed which are patronised by Pakistan as also the indigenous outfits like the Indian Mujahideen. Are we prepared or even preparing for that contingency? Tragically, the answer is not in the affirmative.

Read the history books well and use them to forecast the future3. Two months after the 9/11 attacks, Usama bin Ladin claimed to possess a nuclear capability4. Ayman al-Zawahiri allegedly claimed that al-Qaeda possessed nuclear weapons purchased in Central Asia5

The “Double Nuclear threat” posed by ISIS

Posted by newsdesk Dirty Bomb or Nuclear suitcase? These are according to experts the options ISIS seeks now for performing huge attacks in the west. Last year, an ISIS militant has claimed that the group is now in possession of a nuclear weapon. A British ISIS member now based in Syria, claimed on social media that the group obtained the uranium from

3 Outside Publications by CNS Staff Chart: Al-Qa`ida's WMD Activities http://cns.miis.edu/other/sjm_cht.htm

4 https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/reevaluating-al-qaida%E2%80%99s-weapons-of-mass-destruction-capabilities5 http://www.epsusa.org/publications/newsletter/2005/june2005/alqaeda.pdf

Mosul University and now possesses a “dirty bomb” that it is now considering detonating in a public area. Such a device is aimed at spreading radioactive material in a big area. But in recent days another threat has been studied by intelligence bodies. This threat is in the form of “suitcase nuke” This is the experts say is a very compact and portable nuclear weapon and could have the dimensions of 60 x 40 x 20 centimeters or 24 x 16 x 8 inches. The smallest possible bomb-like object would be a single critical mass of plutonium (or U-233) at maximum density under normal conditions.The warhead of a suitcase nuke or suitcase bomb consists of a tube with two pieces of uranium, which, when rammed together, would cause a blast. Some sort of firing unit and a device that would need to be decoded to cause detonation may be included in the “suitcase.” Another portable weapon is a “backpack” bomb. The Soviet nuclear backpack system was made in the 1960s for use against NATO targets in time of war and consists of three “coffee can-sized” aluminum canisters in a bag. All three must be connected to make a single unit in order to explode. The detonator is about 6 inches long. It has a 3-to-5 kiloton yield, depending on the efficiency of the explosion. It’s kept powered during storage by a battery line connected to the canisters. After the Soviet Union was disassembled, there were reports that some “Suitcase Nukes” were stolen and are offered on the international black market. ISIS, according to the experts, is an organization that will not hesitate to use such a device.

CNN 16 Jan The U.S. military will deploy 400 trainers and hundreds more troops in a train-and-equip mission for Syrian rebel forces, the Pentagon said Friday. This is part of an Obama administration plan to expand training for factions of moderate Syrian rebels. Those groups are battling forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and extremist groups like ISIS, as well as others linked to al Qaeda. The mission would be led by the military and complement a modest training CIA program, based on what was authorized by the White House more than a year ago. "There is growing recognition that the Assad regime is an enabler of extremism," Oubai Shahbandar, an adviser to the Syrian Opposition Council, said in May. "The decision to expand support to opposition forces to include an expanded American training program for the moderate Free Syrian Army reflects positively on the growing strategic cooperation between the U.S. and the Syrian opposition," Shahbander said.

15 Jan 2015, The claim by Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP6) that it directed the Jan. 7 attack on the office of satire magazine Charlie Hebdo marks the first time al-Qaeda or its affiliates have successfully carried out an attack against a Western target since the London bombings in 2005. Al-Qaeda was long considered enemy number one when it came to global security and AQAP was perceived enough of an international threat that the U.S. has carried out approximately 100 drone strikes against targets in Yemen since 2010. But over the past year global attention turned to ISIS as the terror group grew its ranks by recruiting thousands of foreign fighters — including dozens from Canada — and expanded its control of territory in both Syria and Iraq to establish a self-declared caliphate. That led to increased support from Islamists and analysts have suggested this may be AQAP ‘s attempt to show what it’s capable of. “I think what we see now, ever since especially the rise of [ISIS]… there is competition between the two groups for, sort of, who is global leader of this jihadi movement,” Aaron Zelin, of the Washington Institute for near East Policy, told CBS. Others said al-Qaeda’s announcement in September that it was establishing operations in India was indicative of ISIS overshadowing its parent-turned-rival and the terror network moving to hold onto its influence. “The Islamic caliphate of ISIS has gained tremendous global prominence because of the brutality and ruthlessness, and al-Qaeda itself is now competing internationally for Muslim support. It is a rival of the Islamic caliphate,” Rohan Gunaratna,

6 http://globalnews.ca/news/1773473/is-al-qaeda-in-the-arabian-peninsula-trying-to-overshadow-isis/

head of Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies’ International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research, told Bloomberg in September. ISIS was an al-Qaeda offshoot, born out of al-Qaeda in Iraq, but the terror network disavowed the organization almost a year ago — before it launched a major expansion into Iraqi territory and carried out a string of atrocities, making it notorious around the globe. But, AQAP has established itself as the most prominent of the al-Qaeda affiliates, which also include Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in North Africa and Somalia’s al-Shabab. Some al-Qaeda affiliates have pledged their support for ISIS and its self-declared caliphate, including al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and, for a time, some high-ranking members of AQAP did as well. That changed in October According to CNN, AQAP cleric Harith bin Ghazi al-Nadhari condemned ISIS for claiming an expansion into Yemen and for “spilling inviolable blood under the excuse of expanding and spreading the power of the Islamic State.” “Clearly, [al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-] Zawahiri believes that ISIS is a liability to the al-Qaeda brand,” Zelin told the Washington Post last February. “They are not playing nice with other groups and they are acting as a sovereign state, aggravating other rebels and hurting the effort against the regime.” With AQAP’s top commander Nasr al-Ansi saying “chose the target, laid out the plan and financed the operation” and that the directive came from Zawahiri, if true, clears up some confusion over the origins of the attack, but not all. The suspects in the Charlie Hebdo attack, brothers Cherif and Said Kouachi, claimed to have been acting on behalf of AQAP. But their associate, Amedy Coulibaly, who murdered four hostages at a kosher supermarket in Paris on Friday before police killed him, said in a video he was aligned with ISIS. That same day, cleric Abu Saad al-Ansari delivered a sermon in Iraq claiming ISIS had a role in the Paris attacks. “We started with the France operation for which we take responsibility. Tomorrow will be in Britain, America and others,” The Intercept reported al-Ansari saying. Intercept reporter Jeremy Scahill wrote that it was an attempt by ISIS to “capitalize” on the attacks. “While not impossible, it is unlikely that AQAP and ISIS at a high level agreed to cooperate on such a mission. An AQAP source told me that the group supports what Coulibaly did and that it does not matter what group — if any — assisted him, just that he was a Muslim who took the action,” Scahill wrote. With files from The Associated Press

Despite its claim of responsibility of the Paris attack, there's a lot that isn't publicly known about Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's connection to last week's by Cherif and Said Kouachi in Paris 7. Said previously traveled to Yemen, met with influential Al Qaeda propagandist Anwar Al Awlaki, befriended the man behind the failed "underwear bomb" attempt, and received training and perhaps some seed money for a future attack against the offices of the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. But that was several years ago, long enough for the Kouachi brothers to have formulated the operational details of the plot on their own or with the assistance of other, yet-unknown accomplices. The optics of today's announcement are still unmistakable. AQAP, which is part of a larger Al Qaeda network engaged in a struggle for jihadist hearts and minds with the upstart Islamic State, just claimed credit for the most galvanizing jihadist terror attack on a Western target in years. The terrorism in Paris highlights that al Qaeda's core didn't fade into irrelevance after the US invasion of Afghanistan and deaths of its top figures. Instead, it shifted leadership, expertise, and operational capabilities to Yemen (and to some extent Syria). The global jihadist organization is now deeply entrenched in the troubled Arabian state. Yemen's government has disintegrated in the face of threats from the Shi'ite Houthi rebel movement and AQAP. AQAP has also quietly pursued a successful ground-level

7 http://www.businessinsider.in/Al-Qaeda-Is-Back-In-A-Big-Way/articleshow/45892995.cms

hearts-and-minds strategy in order to build enough local support to ensure the group's long-term survival. And its top leaders have close ties to al Qaeda head Aymen al-Zawahiri, to the point where AQAP is more like the Western wing of Al Qaeda central than a true franchise. "They have a robust internal safe haven and a dysfunctional government that the US has great difficulty partnering with, and the US's strategy is not very sound for the problem," Daniel Green, a defense fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, told Business Insider. "They have everything they need." In Yemen, tribesmen stand on the rubble of a building destroyed by a US drone air strike, that targeted suspected al Qaeda militants on Feb. 3, 2013. Al Qaeda's "Global General Manager" The Arabian Peninsula has always been at the core of Al Qaeda's aims. Osama bin Laden was deeply incensed by the Saudi monarchy's agreement to host American troops during the Gulf War and dreamed of overthrowing his home country's royal family. There were a number of Yemenis at top levels in Al Qaeda's hierarchy both before and after the 9/11 attacks - including Nasir Abdel Karim Al Wuhayshi, current head of AQAP. Wuhayshi was bin Laden's secretary and assistant until the fall of Afghanistan's Taliban regime in 2001. As Eli Lake reported for the Daily Beast in August of 2013, Wuhayshi had been "picked to lead of one of the group's four training camps in Tarnak Farms, where bin Laden himself often stayed." As head of AQAP, Wuhayshi endorsed Ayman al-Zawahiri as bin Laden's successor. As Lake reported, the Egyptian ex-physician returned Wuhayshi's loyalty by elevating him to Al Qaeda's global general manager, "able to call on the resources of al Qaeda's affiliates throughout the Muslim world, according to one US intelligence official." In his book The Last Refuge: Yemen, Al Qaeda, and America's War in Arabia, scholar Gregory D. Johsen recounts the organizational connections between Wuhayshi and representatives of Al Qaeda's Saudi branch. Wuhayshi fled to Iran but was eventually deported to Yemen and imprisoned in 2003. He broke out in 2006, later teaming up with a number of ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees and other experienced al Qaeda hands to form AQAP in early 2009. This organizational pedigree has allowed AQAP to function at a remarkably high level. It's won the allegiance of tribal leaders in Yemen's periphery by emphasizing local concerns over the imposition of religious law. It's assassinated dozens of figures in the Yemeni government and security apparatus, including the southern commander of Yemen's army in June of 2011 - and perpetrated numerous suicide attacks against Houthi targets as well (the Houthis are Shiites; Al Qaeda is Sunni). "The have a very high-quality leadership cadre" says Green, noting that the group's bomb makers are particularly skilled. Attacking External Targets Most Al Qaeda offshoots are absorbed with local concerns - Somalia's al Shabaab doesn't seem to have an agenda beyond the Horn of Africa, for instance, while Al Qaeda in Iraq had little apparent ambition to strike at foreign targets before it morphed into ISIS. AQAP has always been different. Publicly available documents recovered from Osama Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan cautioned AQAP against focusing on internal state building in Yemen instead of striking at Al Qaeda's enemies abroad. "From Al Qaeda Central's perspective, AQAP is sort of the special branch and the one most capable of mounting outside attacks," Brookings Institution fellow Will McCants told Business Insider. Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, agrees that the group is better suited towards outside attacks than other Al Qaeda affiliates. "AQAP has had more external operations capabilities, and has had the most external operations capabilities of any AQ affiliate for some time," says Gartenstein-Ross. "Part of it could be that AQAP has a green light to carry out attacks and other affiliates don't." This doesn't mean that AQAP's claim of responsibility for

the attack in Paris is airtight. But it could still draw attention to Al Qaeda central's successful reconstitution of itself within Yemen's political and social vacuum. "It's clear that a lot of core leadership has made it way to Yemen and is part of AQAP," says Gartenstein-Ross. And they're still major players in the global jihadist scene, able to claim a concrete link to a major attack on Western soil.

15 January 2015 Al Qaeda in India: Why We Should Pay Attention 8

Al Qaeda has announced the formation of a new branch in the Indian Subcontinent, a part of the world where it already has well-established operations. Sunil Dasgupta worries that the move may be part of a new strategy to enlist India’s large and disaffected Muslim underclass in the service of global jihad. In September 2014, al-Qaeda announced that it was launching a branch in the Indian subcontinent.

Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Khalistan terror key issues at Indo-UK meet 9

Monday, 12 January 2015 As the world becomes increasingly unsafe with Islamic State and al-Qaeda opening new fronts, top security officials from India and United Kingdom would discuss measures to deal with them and other terrorist outfits in the two-day meeting of joint working group on counter-terrorism in London on January 15 and 16.What are the key specific issues on the table? Besides discussing how to deal with the growing phenomenon of ISIS and resurgence of al Qaeda, the joint working group will also look into the similarities between them and the Pakistan-based terror outfits such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Does Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh also fit in the same league and what can be the done to contain them? India will be highlighting the role of rogue state actors in Pakistan, especially in the ISI and the Army trying to reroute attention of terrorist outfits towards India whose aftereffects can lead to instability in broader region. India is also expected to bring the issue of revival of Khalistan terrorism in focus whose activities have has suddenly shown an upward trend on the social media sites and in the hawala channels.What makes ISIS a key issue? The UK is keen to know why the phenomenon of ISIS remains subdued in India despite having a large population of Muslims and given the history of communal clashes. So far only a handful cases of Indian youth joining ISIS or al Qaeda have come to the fore which is sharp contrast to the UK where more than 600 youths have joined the ranks of ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq. Of the 31,000 ISIS fighters, more than 4000 youths from Europe believed to have joined of which over 700 are from France. The two countries also want to exchange ideas on the fallout of ISIS and al Qaeda, especially with the new offshoot al Qaeda in Indian subcontinent declaring operation in the region. Also on the table will be two cases against purported ISIS cadres – Mehdi Masroor Biswas and Arif Majeed – that are being probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).Why has Khalistan terrorism become a hot issue? The Khalistan terror outfits seem to be making a comeback after spending a long period in hibernation. Evidence have surfaced that to revive terrorism in Punjab, some UK-based operatives of Babbar Khalsa International have been transferring money through illegal channels to the sleeper cells of BKI in Punjab that are meant for jailed terrorists and their families. The issue of Khalistan terrorism has become important for India in the light of Akali Dal led Punjab government raising voice to free at least 13 terrorists convicted for life term. As UK is believed to have provided refuge to maximum number of wanted Khalistan terrorists after Canada, India wants to bring it to the

8 http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Articles/Detail/?lng=en&id=1870269 http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-islamic-state-al-qaeda-and-khalistan-terror-key-issues-at-indo-uk-meet-2051733

notice of the authorities and seek cooperation from UK to deport wanted terrorists that are in the black list.

Cees, previous mentioned: The use of rampant violence, sexual assault and child rape by ISIS and other groups has no place in the Qur'an and Hadith. Recruiting efforts by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) through its recent "rape pamphlet" and its penchant for barbaric killings discredits Islam and teaches disturbing practices to children, Muslim scholars say. "There is a very negative impact of ISIS's Islamic version on Muslims all over the world," Aligarh Muslim University professor and Women's College principal Naima Khatoon Gulrez told Khabar South Asia. "However, whatever is being practiced by them, beyond any doubt is all un-Islamic. "The way people are massacred, women are used as sex objects and are traded like cattle and livestock, children are mistreated and killed in cold blood, psychologically, is harmful for any community in the world." Prominent political commentator Arshi Khan told Khabar that ISIS, al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Boko Haram all are anti-Islamic and work against Muslims. "The message of Islam is loud and clear that creating any kind of disorder on earth, enslaving women and using them as sex objects and killing anyone are heinous crimes," the Aligarth Muslim University political science professor said. Some in India believe political and religious leaders need to make stronger efforts to counter extremism, but remain optimistic neither ISIS nor al-Qaeda will succeed in establishing a base locally. "Clergy and political leadership need to put their heads together to fight this menace, which is harmful for all humanity, particularly for Muslims," University of Delhi economics professor Salahuddin Siddiqui told Khabar. "The rise of violence and projecting it as part of jihad needs a strong response from of all of us, so that black sheep will be exposed and Islam will be saved from such beasts that adore violence ," he added. "Indian Muslims can't be influenced by their propaganda – they are well-educated about Islam which has given them ability to differentiate between right and wrong. "They consider every kind of violence against teachings of the Prophet."

No. 012/2015 dated 15 January 2015

Islamism, Radical Islam, Jihadism:The Problem of Language and Islamophobia

By Paul Hedges

SynopsisThere are problems with terms used to discuss religiously justified violence, like Islamism, Radical Islam, Jihadism, etc. They may provide legitimacy to terrorists, increase Islamophobia, and distort or misrepresent the actions and ideologies they seek to describe.

Commentary VIOLENCE IN the name of religion, especially Islam, is a global concern: the Charlie Hebdo and Paris attacks, and the ongoing ISIS conflict being two prominent examples. The language used to discuss this is, however, deeply problematic, with terms used by the media, politicians, and academics often distorting or oversimplifying the issues. The focus, here, on Islam is because it is the most discussed example, although I do not believe Islam is inherently violent or more violent than any other religion. Indeed, no clear evidence suggests religion is more likely to incite violence than other ideologies or worldviews; nevertheless, in the current geopolitical environment it often provides a claimed motivation or seeming explanation – both for actors and commentators.

Naming religious violence The language used seeks to distinguish what is termed “moderate Islam” from the actions and ideologies of terrorists and militants; politicians like George Bush and Tony Blair wished to distinguish their “War on Terror” from a war against Islam. The terms used include: Islamism, Radical/Extremist Islam, Fundamentalist Islam, Jihadism. However, none of these is really adequate. Islamism often denotes a political form of Islam, which sees “religious” aspects being extended into areas of statecraft, law, and the public sphere. In some respects, this misunderstands what “religion” and “Islam” are. Developing from a modern Western/Christian worldview, contemporary understandings of “religion” and the “secular” divide the world into a private sphere of personal religious belief and a public sphere of law, politics, economics, etc. Such a division comes from the specific European and North American context of the last couple of hundred years, but is adopted now more globally. Prior to this, Christianity was involved in almost every aspect of life, law, politics, morality, and economics. Countries where Islam predominates tend to uphold a (more traditional) worldview where the “religious sphere” naturally encompasses law, public morality, and politics. Further, while Christianity stresses beliefs and creeds (personal belief), Islam has emphasised duties, embodied in Shariah Law (public actions). Therefore, to speak of “Islamism” as a militant political form of Islam makes no sense: all Islam, traditionally speaking, is political and legal. Indeed, when Tony Blair said that his Christian beliefs guided aspects of his governmental policy, including the war in Iraq, no one accused him of “Christianism”. “Islamism”, as a term, is therefore unhelpful to analyse contemporary militant/terrorist actions.

Problems with terms like “Radical Islam” or “moderate” Islam Radical Islam names a

counterpart to “moderate” Islam. However, it is not very useful. What is “radical” ? In everyday language, radical suggests something new, dramatically different, or unusual. In this sense liberal Muslim reformers are “radicals”. Unhelpfully, it may also suggest those only “moderately” Islamic are the peaceful ones, while those who take their religion more seriously (are “radical” about it) turn to violence: young people especially want to be radicals. Likewise, use of “Extremist Islam” may suggest those who take Islam to its extremes; this implies that, taken seriously, Islam leads to violence. Contrarily many deeply committed Muslims understand Islam as a religion of peace, while many of the terrorists/militants demonstrate only limited commitment to or understanding of it: this is seemingly true of both the Hebdo attackers and the ISIS leadership. Fundamentalism originated in the United States in the early 20th century, used by Christians who adhered to what they saw as fundamental beliefs. These varied but often included the infallibility of scripture, belief in the virgin birth, etc. It has been debated whether we can accurately use “fundamentalist” outside of this original context, but if we do what does it mean? In common usage it refers to violent and extremist ends of any group. If we take it more precisely, however, we apply it to those who follow (what they believe are) the fundamentals of their religion; as with the terms “extremist” and “radical” this may play into the hands of those who wish to argue for terrorism and militancy by implying that the most “fundamental” Islam is that which endorses this. Most Muslims who adhere to the “fundamentals” of Islam see this as including principles like peace, tolerance, and respect. In this latter sense, many of the nicest Muslims I have met are “fundamentalists”. Consequences of names “Jihadist” is often used of terrorists/militants engaged in what they want to be seen as global jihad. Jihad is a complicated term in Islam, nevertheless, we may mention a commonly used distinction between the “lesser jihad”, warfare, and the “greater jihad”, spiritual and moral cultivation. The regular use of jihad as warfare/violence therefore misses out on the primary element of it for many Muslims; meanwhile, potentially legitimating terrorists and militants. Notably, Shariah has historically regulated “just war” practices within combative jihad in principles like not attacking non-combatants (including women, children, priests, and rabbis), and not destroying people’s means of livelihood. The violence of ISIS or Al Qaeda- inspired terrorists/militants is clearly not practised according to Islamic principles, and so for many Muslims they put themselves outside of Islam. All these terms highlight “Islam” in association with terrorists/militants. Analysis suggests that this results in a popular perception leading to Islamophobia and distrust of Muslims in general. Given the implications, for example that Islam has “fundamentals” that supposedly involve violence, the problem can clearly be seen. These terms also hide the primarily political motivations around much of the religiously named violence. Moreover, it unifies often very different agendas and motivations. We cannot avoid religion’s power to motivate and legitimate violence (it can also motivate and sustain irenic and pacifist agendas), nor the fact that some involved may well believe they are acting in defence of their religion, or on “pure spiritual” motivations. But the terms currently employed are unhelpful, even counterproductive, for description and analysis. While not ignoring the religious dimension, we should not use headline names for these militants and terrorists using any claimed religious motivation. While studying religion and ideology plays an important part in the analysis, the currently used terms give pseudo-legitimacy, hide the complexity of factors (land, identity, oppression, etc.) behind events, and help fuel Islamophobia.Paul Hedges is Associate Professor in Interreligious Studies for the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS),

Regards Cees as previous addressed: Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri The Coordinator 2014 Part 5-3-Nucl.

The AQ battle space and playing Field.Al-Qaeda’s Religious Justification Of Nuclear Terrorism

See also 2014 Part 5 and 5-1 and 2Read the history books well and use them to forecast the future.

Al-Zawahiri dreams of a future jihad in the southern Russian Republics, Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan to unite a nuclear Pakistan and the gas-rich Caspian region to serve jihad. But there is more, while there is growing concern that the caliphate declaration IS might force AQ to conduct devastating attacks around the Globe, let us look back what is been discussed not so long a go and learn…… According to estimates made by al-Usuquf and Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaida's No. 2 man and a physician, about 15 million people would die, victims of the bombs and the radiation…….. ……Cees

(Cees 13 Sep 2013, Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has urged Muslims to launch attacks on 'American soil' to lead up to a 'war on its own land'. In an audio speech released online a day after the twelfth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, al-Zawahiri urged sustained attacks on the U.S. which he said would 'bleed America economically' by forcing the country to spend large amounts on defence. And he encouraged Muslims to seize any opportunity to land 'a large strike' on the U.S. even if this took years of patience, according to a translation on the U.S. SITE monitoring service. And also: April 2014, A video of a large al Qaeda gathering in Yemen has raised eyebrows in the press. Nasir al Wuhayshi, the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), as well as general manager of al Qaeda’s global network, can be heard saying to a crowd of more than 100: "We must eliminate the cross. ... The bearer of the cross is America!")

According to Williams, former CIA Director George Tenet informed President Bush one month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that at least two suitcase nukes had reached al-Qaida operatives in the U.S. “Each suitcase weighed between 50 and 80 kilograms (approximately 110 to 176 pounds) and contained enough fissionable plutonium and uranium to produce an explosive yield in excess of two kilotons,” wrote Williams. “One suitcase bore the serial number 9999 and the Russian manufacturing date of 1988. The design of the weapons, Tenet told the president, is simple. The plutonium and uranium are kept in separate compartments that are linked to a triggering mechanism that can be activated by a clock or a call from the cell phone.”

"Even if they are old, they were modernized and are very well hidden," he told Al-Jazeera. "Even if they were located, they have auto-detonation mechanisms in case something or someone gets close. Even an electromagnetic pulse is not capable of deactivating them." The

bombs allegedly cannot be detected because "they are enveloped in thick layers of lead." They could be detonated "by various methods - cellphone call, radio frequency, seismic shock or by their regressive clock." Al-Usuquf details the whole plan in the Al-Jazeera interview. "First, one head would be detonated, which would cause the deaths of 800,000 to 1 million people and a chaos never seen before," he said. "During this chaos, two or three planes, which are now disassembled inside barns near empty roads in the U.S. countryside, would take off in suicide missions to pulverize another two or three big American cities with chemicals. According to estimates made by al-Usuquf and Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaida's No. 2 man and a physician, about 15 million people would die, victims of the bombs and the radiation……..

24 June 2014, The well-organized army of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, claims it has access to nuclear weapons and a will to use them to “liberate” Palestine from Israel as part of its “Islamic Spring,” according to a WND source in the region. Franklin Lamb, an international lawyer based in Beirut and Damascus, said the move is part of the ISIS aim of creating a caliphate under strict Islamic law, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to Iraq. Lamb, who has access to ISIS fighters and sympathizers, said ISIS has been working with a “new specialized” unit organized at the beginning of 2013 to focus “exclusively on destroying the Zionist regime occupying Palestine.” Lamb added that the ISIS “Al-Quds Unit” is working to broaden its influence in more than 60 Palestinian camps and gatherings from Gaza, across “Occupied Palestine,” or Israel, to Jordan and from Lebanon up to the north of Syria “seeking to enlist support as it prepares to liberate Palestine.” ISIS is also know as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham. “Sham,” or “Greater Syria,” refers to Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and southern Turkey. Some of the Sunni supporters are secular, such as the Naqshbandia Army of former top officials of executed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. As WND reported, the Sunni group may have given ISIS access to its ongoing sarin production facility in northwestern Iraq. ISIS estimates it will take 72 months to “liberate” “Occupied Palestine,” or Israel, according to Lamb. The WND source said ISIS appears “eager” to fight Israeli armed forces “in the near future despite expectation that the regime will use nuclear weapons.”

“Do you think that we do not have access to nuclear devices?” Lamb quoted the ISIS member as saying. “The Zionists know that we do, and if we ever believe they are about to use theirs, we will not hesitate. After the Zionists are gone, Palestine will have to be decontaminated and rebuilt just like areas where there has been radiation released.” ISIS access to nuclear weapons could come from Sunni Pakistan, which is home to more than 30 terrorist groups. Pakistan possibly has transferred nuclear weapons to the chief bankroller of its nuclear development program, Sunni Saudi Arabia, as WND previously has reported.

Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin. 07/11/2005 According to captured al-Qaida leaders and documents, the plan is called the “American Hiroshima” and involves the multiple detonation of nuclear weapons already smuggled into the U.S. over the Mexican border with the help of the MS-13 street gang and other organized crime groups. Al-Qaida has obtained at least 40 nuclear weapons from the former Soviet Union – including suitcase nukes, nuclear mines, artillery shells and even some missile warheads. In addition, documents captured in Afghanistan show al-Qaida had plans to assemble its own nuclear weapons with fissile material it purchased on the black market. In addition to detonating its own nuclear weapons already planted in the U.S., military sources also say there is evidence to suggest al-Qaida is paying former Russian special forces Spetznaz to assist the terrorist group in locating nuclear weapons formerly concealed inside the U.S. by the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Osama

bin Laden’s group is also paying nuclear scientists from Russia and Pakistan to maintain its existing nuclear arsenal and assemble additional weapons with the materials it has invested hundreds of millions in procuring over a period of 10 years. The plans for the devastating nuclear attack on the U.S. have been under development for more than a decade. It is designed as a final deadly blow of defeat to the U.S., which is seen by al-Qaida and its allies as “the Great Satan.” At least half the nuclear weapons in the al-Qaida arsenal were obtained for cash from the Chechen terrorist allies. But the most disturbing news is that high level U.S. officials now believe at least some of those weapons have been smuggled into the U.S. for use in the near future in major cities as part of this “American Hiroshima” plan, according to an upcoming book, “The Al Qaeda Connection: International Terrorism, Organized Crime and the Coming Apocalypse,” by Paul L. Williams, a former FBI consultant. According to Williams, former CIA Director George Tenet informed President Bush one month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that at least two suitcase nukes had reached al-Qaida operatives in the U.S. “Each suitcase weighed between 50 and 80 kilograms (approximately 110 to 176 pounds) and contained enough fissionable plutonium and uranium to produce an explosive yield in excess of two kilotons,” wrote Williams. “One suitcase bore the serial number 9999 and the Russian manufacturing date of 1988. The design of the weapons, Tenet told the president, is simple. The plutonium and uranium are kept in separate compartments that are linked to a triggering mechanism that can be activated by a clock or a call from the cell phone.”Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2005/07/31232/#RPTCHlK0kE8B5P2O.99

Iraq Invaders Threaten Nuke Attack On Israel – ISIS Focus On ‘Destroying Zionist Regime’ To ‘Liberate Palestine’

Monday, June 23, 2014 WASHINGTON – The well-organized army of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, claims it has access to nuclear weapons and a will to use them to “liberate” Palestine from Israel as part of its “Islamic Spring,” according to a WND source in the region. Franklin Lamb, an international lawyer based in Beirut and Damascus, said the move is part of the ISIS aim of creating a caliphate under strict Islamic law, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to Iraq. Lamb, who has access to ISIS fighters and sympathizers, said ISIS has been working with a “new specialized” unit organized at the beginning of 2013 to focus “exclusively on destroying the Zionist regime occupying Palestine.” Lamb added that the ISIS “Al-Quds Unit” is working to broaden its influence in more than 60 Palestinian camps and gatherings from Gaza, across “Occupied Palestine,” or Israel, to Jordan and from Lebanon up to the north of Syria “seeking to enlist support as it prepares to liberate Palestine.” ISIS is also know as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham. “Sham,” or “Greater Syria,” refers to Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and southern Turkey. ISIS also is known as DAASH, the Arabic acronym for al-Dawlah al-Islamiyah fi al-Iraq wa-al Sham. Some of the Sunni supporters are secular, such as the Naqshbandia Army of former top officials of executed Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. As WND reported, the Sunni group may have given ISIS access to its ongoing sarin production facility in northwestern Iraq.

4 apr 2014, When former US President George W Bush was asked, “What is the single most serious threat to American national security?”, his answer was the possibility of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of Al Qaeda linked terrorists. After coming into power, President Obama also declared nuclear terrorism the most urgent national security threat to his nation. Robert Gates, the Secretary of Defense to have served under both President Obama and his predecessor, was asked in an interview, “What keeps you awake at night?” In his words, “It is the thought of a terrorist ending up with a weapon of mass destruction, especially

nuclear.” Despite a lot of skepticism regarding the capability and intent of terrorist organizations, the issue of nuclear terrorism has gradually emerged as a ‘defining threat of the 21st century’. After 9/11 attacks, security experts have opined that a future strike on the US soil by Al Qaeda is likely to involve a nuclear weapon, which will inflict far greater damage than 9/11 incident. This apocalyptic scenario has been the plot of many famous novels and thriller movies in the US. - In 1998, Osama bin Laden issued a fatwa that acquiring and using nuclear weapons for the defense of Muslims is a religious duty. Ayman Zawahiri said in an interview that, “If you have $30 million, go to the black market in the central Asia, contact any disgruntled Soviet scientist, and a lot of dozens of smart briefcase bombs are available. They have contacted us, we sent our people to Moscow, to Tashkent, to other central Asian states, and they negotiated and we purchased some suitcase bombs.” A few months after this interview, Al Qaeda released a video in which it made public its goal to kill four million Americans. In a 2007 video, Osama bin Laden repeated his intention to use nuclear weapons against the US and other European countries to pave way for the establishment of an Islamic caliphate. Due to these repeated assertions, there are widespread apprehensions that Al Qaeda might have succeeded in buying a nuclear weapon from disgruntled elements of the Russian nuclear establishment during the decade of 1990s, when control over the security of all Russian weapons and nuclear materials was not very tight. According to Al Qaeda’s claims, the use of nuclear weapons is essential to achieve its stated goal of ‘turning America into a shadow of itself’ - -See more at: http://www.thefridaytimes.com/tft/nuclear-nightmares/#sthash.d5u6S42M.dpuf

How many nuclear weapons does Al-Qaeda possess? May 25, 2006 Hamid Mir truly has deep access inside Al-Qaeda and the Taliban; author of Death to America: The Unreported Battle of Iraq and founder of WorldThreats.com. What I said was that Russia is covertly supporting Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan. The spokesman of the Afghan Interior Ministry, Lutaffulah Mashal, told me in September 2005 in Kabul that the Taliban are getting modern Russian-made weapons. He suspected that Russia may be taking revenge on the U.S. for supporting the Afghan Mujahideen against Russia in the 1980s. I came up with this conclusion after eight years of investigation and research in the remote mountain areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan. I traveled to Iraq, Iran, Sudan, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Russia and met dozens of people. I interviewed not only Al-Qaeda operatives but met scientists and top U.S. officials also. I will have the details in my coming book. At least two Al-Qaeda operatives claimed that the organization smuggled suitcase nukes inside America. But I have no details on who did it. But I do have details about who smuggled uranium inside America and how. I am very careful when speaking about Al-Qaeda's nuclear capabilities. I've met many people in Al-Qaeda who have claimed that uranium and nuclear bombs were smuggled to America, and I'll quote them in my book. However, when I speak for myself, I don't rely on claims by Al-Qaeda. I rely upon my own investigations. RM: How many nuclear weapons does Al-Qaeda possess? HM: As far as I know, they smuggled three suitcase nukes from Russia to Europe. They smuggled many kilos of enriched uranium inside America for their dirty bomb projects. They said in 1999 that they must have material for more than six dirty bombs in America. They tested at least one dirty bomb in the Kunar province of Afghanistan in 2000. They have planned an attack bigger than 9/11, even before 9/11 happened. Osama Bin Laden trained 42 fighters to destroy the American economy and military might. 19 were used on 9/11, 23 are still "sleeping" inside America waiting for a wake-up call from Bin Laden. RM: If Al-Qaeda has tactical suitcase nukes, not just "dirty bombs," why would they deploy them to Europe instead of the United States? HM: Actually, I lost track of the three suitcase nukes after they were smuggled into Italy. I tried my best to get more information about those bombs but I am only one man. I only received one tip that

Chechen members of Al-Qaeda wanted to smuggle one bomb into London, one into Paris, and one into California, but some dispute developed with the Italian underworld over the method of payment. This was in the year 2000. RM: Were actual tactical nukes deployed to the US? And is the leader of the nuclear plot Adnan el-Shukrijumah as believed by some experts? HM: Al-Qaeda leaders claimed to have deployed their tactical weapons inside America. But when I tried to track the transportation of those weapons from Georgia, I lost track in Italy. I don't know the location of these today because my source left Afghanistan for Iraq last year. On the other hand, they claimed to me that weapons were smuggled to America through Mexico. According to my notes, the man responsible for organizing the nuclear attacks inside America is not Adnan but is Muhammed Sher Khan, but this may be an alias for Adnan. RM: How can you be positive that the information regarding Al-Qaeda's nuclear capabilities isn't disinformation meant to frighten their enemies? HM: That was the argument many U.S. experts presented in 1998 when Osama Bin Laden declared war on the U.S. Don't underestimate your enemy. You may dislike them but they don't lie. They may give a deadline to Muslims sometime to leave America and then they will attack. That is what was discussed in one of the Al-Qaeda meetings in Kunar in 2003. RM: In a recent interview, you described a nuclear test in Kunar province in the year 2000 where an Egyptian scientist lost an eye. Was it a radiological "dirty bomb" or a more serious tactical nuclear weapon? HM: It was a radiological dirty bomb. RM: You have said that you think Al-Qaeda may use the nukes once Iran is bombed by the U.S. Is that your opinion or is this what you've been told? HM: This is my opinion. No Al-Qaeda leader has ever admitted that they are working with Iran. I also think that, maybe, the Iranians will organize some attacks inside America and you will accuse Al-Qaeda. RM: Do you know when Al-Qaeda's nuclear weapons were forward deployed? HM: I think they transferred their materials inside America between 1999 and 2001, before September the 11th. RM: Why hasn't Al-Qaeda used nuclear weapons if they possess them? HM: They are waiting for the proper time. They want the U.S. to be involved in a mass killing of Muslims, so that they will have some justification. That is what I was told by a top Al-Qaeda leader in the Kunar Mountains of Afghanistan. http://www.canadafreepress.com/2006/mauro052506.htm

Saturday, April 5, 2008 (New York) Al-Qaida's nuclear attack against the US is in planning stages, top American intelligence officials have said. Deposing before a Congressional Committee on Homeland Security early this week, these US intelligence officials told US lawmakers that the threat of nuclear attack by the Taliban was growing and there is need to enhance its security measures. Charles Allen, Undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis and Chief Intelligence Officer at the Department of Homeland Security; and Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, the director of Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence for the Department of Energy testified before this key Congressional committee on nuclear terrorism on April 2. ''There's been a long-term effort by Al-Qaida, to develop an improvised nuclear device,'' Allen said. ''I have no doubt that Al-Qaida would like to obtain nuclear capability. I think the evidence in their statements that they've made over many years publicly indicate this,'' he argued in his testimony.Giving details of the Al-Qaida preparation, based on years on intelligence inputs, Mowatt-Larssen said: ''An Al-Qaida nuclear attack would be in the planning stages at the same time as several other plots, and only Al-Qaida's most senior leadership will know which plot will be approved.'' In keeping with Al-Qaida's normal management structures such as the role of Khalid Sheikh Muhammad in the 9/11 attacks, Mowatt-Larssen said there is probably a single individual in charge, overseeing the effort to obtain materials and expertise. Observing that the Al-Qaida's nuclear intent remains clear, he said it obtained a fatwa in May 2003 that approved the use of weapons of mass destruction. Al-Qaida spokesman Suleyman Abu Ghayth declared that it is

Al-Qaida's right to kill four million Americans in retaliation for Muslim deaths that Al-Qaida blames on the United States. ''Osama bin Laden said in 1998 that it was an Islamic duty to acquire weapons of mass destruction. In 2006, bin Laden reiterated his statement that Al-Qaida will return to the United States. He said Al-Qaida has a track record of returning to finish a job they started. They failed at the World Trade Center in 1993. They came back in 2001. They canceled plans for chemical attacks in the US in 2003. ''We do not yet know when and where they intend to strike us next, but our past experience strongly suggests they are seeking an attack more spectacular than 9/11,'' he said. ''To delve a little into how they may be thinking about the nuclear option, at any given moment, Al-Qaida probably has attack plans in development. Nine-eleven was planned when the USS Cole was attacked in Yemen and when our embassies in Dar es Salaam and Tanzania were attacked in Africa,'' he said.

22 Mar 2010 Bomb makers who have been active in Afghanistan may already have the ability to produce a "dirty bomb" using knowledge acquired over the internet. It is feared that terrorists could transport an improvised nuclear device up the Thames and detonate it in the heart of London. Bristol, Liverpool Newcastle, Glasgow and Belfast are also thought to be vulnerable. It added that al-Qaeda had established facilities to conduct research into CBRN weapons when Afghanistan was under the control of the Taliban before 2002.

And there is much more………