Tag Archives: Islamic State

Canadian mosque reportedly advising members how to join Jihad

Adil Charkaoui, a Canadian with alleged ties to al-Qaeda, is once again in the spotlight as family members of students that attend his Assahaba mosque are reporting that students are receiving instructions on how to travel abroad to engage in jihad at the mosque. The guidelines reportedly include travel and finance advice, and advice on how to appear unsuspicious to government officials. These allegations are the most recent of a slew of suspicions that Charkaoui is engaging in jihadist indoctrination at his mosque and Islamic Community Center.

Charkaoui’s background was anything but pristine since the late 1990’s, when Canadian intelligence analysts first suspected him of being involved with al-Qaeda. In 2003, Charkaoui was arrested on a national security certificate under suspicions of his involvement in the Millennium Bomb Plot, and after years of denying any connections to terrorist organizations, the certificate was declared void in 2009.

The Canadian Boarder Security Agency reported last year that at least 130 Canadians have fled to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside jihadist militants. In recent months, more and more cases have emerged from Quebec of young adults attempting or successfully leaving Canada to wage jihad. Most recently, ten Québécois were detained in the midst of attempting to travel to Syria. Families of these suspects are those reporting that the individuals were provided instructions in Charkaoui’s mosque. Furthermore, at least nine individuals that have become involved with jihadist movements have been linked to Charkaoui, his mosque, or his community center.

Since allegations of Charkaoui preaching jihad arose earlier this year, he has consistently denied any wrongdoing. A father of a Québécois teenager has accused Charkaoui of shifting his daughter’s views to those more aligned with a jihadist point of view when she began attending his Assahaba mosque two years ago. Charkaoui responded to the accusation by claiming he did not know the girl because thousands of people come and go in the mosque. Charkaoui has furthered his denials, claiming to be the victim of a “witch-hunt,” and that he is against all violence and blames Canadian society for violent jihad, and declared anyone who criticized him of being Islamophobic.

It’s certainly possible that there are additional suspects involved in the indoctrination and training taking place out of Charkaoui’s mosque and community center, other than just Charkaoui himself, but given his history, the Canadian government should take a hard look at what role he may have played in facilitating such activity. The Québécois and Canadian governments have been criticized for standing on the sidelines when it comes to investigating Charkaoui’s alleged recruitment, while the number of indoctrinated Canadian Muslims seeking to join fighting in Iraq and Syria continues to rise. It is essential for Canadian officials to step up and take necessary precautions to end indoctrination and recruitment networks.

Iraq’s refusal to take refugees leaves America in questionable position

The number of refugees fleeing from their homes in Iraq is rising at an alarmingly high rate, estimated to be as high as 14 million people in April, as the Syrian civil war continues and ISIS maintains hold of highly populated Iraqi cities.

85% of Iraqis on the run are Sunnis. Most refugees who are fleeing within their borders attempt to cross into Baghdad, where Shiite militants on strict orders to hold the border do not let them cross. The Northern Kurdish Region, which has been “long a haven for civilians fleeing Iraq’s turmoil,” is still welcoming Christian refugees but are becoming hesitant when accepting Sunni Arabs. The security measures that are beginning to be put into place, according to the Iraqi government, are based on legitimate concerns.

These concerns stem from the country’s inability to vet the unmanageable amount of people crossing the borders between cities. The Iraqi government acknowledges that the “Islamic State is entrenched in Anbar and counts on some support from local citizens”, essentially saying that terrorists are likely to enter under the guise of a refugee. The large displacement of people, lack of housing and personal information for each citizen makes attempting to vet each citizen for entry unsustainable.

Funding is another issue as Aid agencies worry that soon they will be unequipped to help the increasing refugee flow, as they are now not only coming from Syria but other ISIS embedded towns like Ramadi in Iraq. The United Nations controls the refugee replacement program in Iraq and is struggling with monetary flow.

The New York Times reports that the “$500 million donation to the United Nations by Saudi Arabia ran out in March and other funds are quickly dwindling.” Another $500 million dollars is requested from the United Nations, the organizations biggest appeal in history, in order to successfully handle the quickly deteriorating situation in Iraq. The Senior United Nations official in charge of humanitarian efforts Lisa Grande said of the situation, “We are tapped out of money.”

Abuse of the refugee sponsorship program is another pressing issue within Iraq’s borders. The New York Times reports that in order to get to Baghdad, Anbar civilians must secure a sponsor in the capital who can escort them into the city. However, some residents are charging as much as $700 to incoming refugees according to the International Rescue Committee. Mark Schnellbaecher, the IRC’s regional crisis response director said of the issue, “Not only does paying for sponsorship undermine its security credentials, it also forces an unacceptable financial burden on displaced Iraqis who will need their savings to provide for their families.”

While Iraq is openly admitting their struggle and hesitancy with admitting Arab refugees in large numbers, the U.S. Government is urgently seeking to relocate these men, women and children to the The United States. The Center For Security Policy released an article May 26 discussing the letter Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) as well as fourteen other senators wrote asking President Obama to consider planning on 65,000 Syrian refugees to be on our border by the end of 2016. Refugee Resettlement and the Hijra to America explains in a broader sense the lack of communication that needs to be reformed in order to fix the immigration process of America.

America is receiving a large amount of refugees as tensions in Iraq and Syria rise. As of 2012, Texas is receiving the most refugees out of any state followed by California, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia. According to critically acclaimed author and columnist Paul Sperry, Obama has “averaged 100,000 new immigrants from Muslim nations a year … It’s more than we’re importing both from Central America and Mexico combined.”

Detroit, Michigan is, as The National Journal states, “A Dream Come True for Iraqi Refugees.” In places like this, Muslim immigrants are able to infuse into society, and are often provided with “food stamps, subsidized housing, health care, educational costs for children and the costs associated with the criminal justice system” all at the expense of the US taxpayer. The National Journal goes on to explain “Detroit’s suburbs have absorbed tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees in recent years in the wake of the war.” Muslim communities often begin to form in these cities as more are placed in the same designated areas. A similar view was offered by a New York Times Op-Ed writer.

However, three dire issues arise with these transitions.

Firstly, the concerns of national security and the failures of the US immigration officials vetting process are causing a magnitude of problems. The book Refugee Resettlement and the Hijra to America explains that “as entire regions of the Middle East … descend into chaos, the ability of immigration officials to conduct proper vetting of applicants by verifying places of origin, political orientation, criminal records or even basic identity, is all too often non-existent.” Sperry says of the same process, “The FBI officials who are in charge of that type of vetting process for terrorists coming in under visas and refugee programs … admit, under oath, that they have no idea who these people are, and they can’t find out.” The assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Michael Stench even commented on the lack of information the FBI is experiencing.

Secondly, the financial ability of America to host these refugees is quickly fading. Ann Corcoran’s book explains that in the fiscal year 2014, total available funding dedicated to the Refugee program stood at $1,143,000,000. The fiscal year 2015 shows the funding falling to $1,059,000,000. As stated above, the US taxpayer remains responsible for providing the money, but left out of the conversation on what happens to it.

Lastly, Refugee Resettlement watchers such as Ann Corcoran, a citizen turned expert on this topic, are raising awareness about the failure of transparency that the government continues to have with it’s citizens on the topic.

Essentially, Iraq’s struggle with its immigration vetting process is effecting not only it’s own country, but countries worldwide, as not only the United States but places like the UK, Germany and Canada are receiving refugees from this area of conflict as well.

The Islamic State now controls both Syria and Iraq, currently the main sources of most Muslim immigrants to America. As Paul Sperry said, “We have no idea if they’re going to come into this country to escape terrorism or to carry out terrorism. We have no idea.”

Islamic State Suicide Attacks Likely to Continue In Saudi Arabia

A suicide bomber clad in traditional Muslim female attire detonated himself outside of a Shi’ite mosque in Dammam, Saudi Arabia early Friday afternoon. The Islamic State (IS) was quick to claim responsibility for the blast that left four dead, including the bomber. The attack comes just one week after another IS suicide bomber in Saudi Arabia killed 21, and left 81 injured at a different Shi’ite mosque. Both incidents occurred in predominantly Shi’ite neighborhoods in a kingdom that is 85-90% Sunni. IS attacks in Saudi Arabia began in January when four IS jihadists, one wearing a suicide vest, assaulted a border security post, killing three Saudi guards.

This string of attacks is not surprising as IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi announced his group’s desire to conquer Saudi Arabia in November of last year. There are several reasons why IS has set its eyes on the birthplace of Islam. The kingdom’s religious leaders have deemed IS the “greatest enemy of Islam,” and Riyadh has assisted the US and other Western nations in air strikes against IS fighters in Syria. Furthermore, as the world’s largest producer and exporter of oil, Saudi Arabia is a prime target for IS; conquering the kingdom would greatly increase the group’s stronghold on the region and its global influence. More than 2,000 Saudi nationals are suspected of leaving the country to join IS ranks, prompting Baghdadi to urge these individuals to launch attacks on Shi’ites in-country.

Despite more IS-trained insurgents returning to Saudi Arabia, whole scale IS invasion of the Kingdom is unlikely in the near future. IS’s success in conquering territory in Iraq and Syria is primarily linked to both states’ weak governments, which has not the case in Saudi Arabia, which has demonstrated its ability and willingness to defend its border in the Yemen conflict, for example. In June 2014, the Saudi’s constructed a 600-mile fence along its border with Iraq to keep out jihadists. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has a sophisticated intelligence network, including agencies on the civilian and military levels, and “next-generation” radar technologies. IS likely recognizes Saudi Arabia’s strength, and will attempt to chip away at it using continued attacks, in hopes of fomenting further sectarian divide among Saudi Shiites and the House of Saud.

Tajikistani Special Forces Officer Defects To IS

After his disappearance in late April, the commander of Tajikistan’s counter-terrorist police force OMON has resurfaced as a member of Islamic State, vowing to wage jihad against the Tajik government, the United States, and other enemies of the jihadist organization. In a video address released Thursday, Colonel Gulmurod Halimov verbally attacked Tajik President Imomali Rahmon and promised the establishment of shariah law in Tajikistan. Halimov stated during the 12 minute video (now removed from Youtube) that Tajiks must stop working for Russian infidels (Tajikistan’s economy is enormously dependent on remittances from Tajiks working abroad in Russia; Tajik workers send home the equivalent of 47% of Tajikistan’s GDP per year) and join Islamic State to build shariah law in Tajikistan and other Muslim countries.

Halimov noted Tajikistan’s crackdown on Islamic dress and public prayer as the main reasons for his joining Islamic State. Tajikistan has long been wary of Islamic extremism since their civil war in the 1990s between Islamists and the Tajik government. To that end, the Tajik government has pursued a policy of restricting Islamic dress (even black clothing), beards, travel to Mecca, and even has considered banning Arabic names. Halimov also referred to democracy as “a religion of devils” and Americans as “pigs.” Before his recent turn to Islamic State, Halimov trained with Russian Specnaz in Moscow and American Special Forces in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. To have Islamic State enlist the direct aid of a military officer trained by US Special Forces is a troubling development, to say the least.

This event comes in the wake of the announcement of a meeting in Tajikistan’s capital Dushanbe between security officials of the Commonwealth of Independent States to discuss ways of countering Islamic State and other jihadist organizations. Last month, Russia and Tajikistan discussed the sale of $1.2 billion worth in Russian arms to Tajikistan in order to prevent Islamic State from seizing control of the country. Russian Foreign Minister Sergej Lavrov also stated at the same CSTO meeting that Islamic State fighters were attempting to cross the Afghanistan-Tajikistan border. With a former OMON operative now in Islamic State, Tajik security officials can’t be sleeping well over the implications.

ISIS’s Newest Issue of their English-language Magazine Justifies the Enslavement of Women

Issue 9 of ISIS’s English-language magazine Dabiq includes an article titled “Slave-Girls or Prostitutes”, by Umm Sumayyah Al-Muhajirah, which defends the practice of taking women captured in war, including married women as sex slaves. This horrific article contains religious justification for this practice in the Muslim world, “The right hand’s possession (mulk al-yamīn) are the female captives who were separated from their husbands by enslavement. They became lawful for the one who ends up possessing then even without pronouncement of divorce by their harbī husbands. Sa’īd Ibn Jubayr reported that Ibn ‘Abbās (radiyallāhu ‘anhumā) said, “Approaching any married woman is fornication, except for a woman who has been enslaved”.”

Umm Sumayyah goes on to say that slavery is a divine punishment, “Indeed when slavery befalls a people, then they have left Allahs’s favor, so Allah has no need for them.” At the same time, the author stresses that, even though some “devious and wicked slave-girls” made up false stories and lied about their condition under Muslim captivity, becoming enslaved to a Muslim is actually a blessing for them, because it may lead them to Islam. “Once a female slave embraces Islam, she is freed and her children may even attain great heights.”

Umm Sumayyah then tried to justify enslavement by making a comparison with prostitution in other countries. “Are slave girls who we took by Allah’s command better, or prostitutes- an evil you do not denounce- who are grabbed by quasi men in the lands of kufr when you live? A prostitute in you lands comes and goes, openly committing sin. She lives by selling her honor, within the sight and hearing of the deviant scholars from whom we don’t hear even a faint sound. As for the slave- girl that was taken by the swords of men following the cheerful warrior (Muhammad – sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam), then her enslavement is in opposition to human rights and copulation with her is rape?! What is wrong with you? How do you make such a judgment? What is your religion? What is you law?”

This article goes on to insult Michelle Obama, mentioning her as a prospect of being sold at a slave market, “And who knows, maybe Michelle Obama’s price won’t even exceed a third of a dīnār, and a third of a dīnār is too much for her!”

For years ISIS has been enslaving and sexually abusing women it captures, particularly from the Yazidi community. The terrorist group justifies the horrendous sex crimes as Sunnah, a way of life prescribed by Mohammad’s life and the Quran’s teachings.

Russia Concerned About Arms Smuggling…From Ukraine

Russia has begun digging trenches along the Rostov region bordering Russia and the Ukrainian break away provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk. About 100 kilometers of 4 meter wide and 2 meter deep trenches have been dug so far. Border Guards Service spokesman Andrej Timofeev stated that the purpose of the trenches is to prevent arms smuggling from Ukraine into Russia. So far, around 60 smuggling attempts have been stopped at the border, leading to the arrest of 130 people and the confiscation of hundreds of firearms and explosive devices.

The fear is that the arms smugglers are attempting to sell weapons acquired in the Ukraine to jihadists in the North Caucasus districts of Russia. Military analyst Anton Lavrov notes that the arms are coming from the separatist republics in Ukraine due to a period of de-escalation. Ironically, it appears that pro-Russian fighters in Ukraine are trying to earn money by selling weapons to criminal elements in Russia – who then sell arms to anti-Russian jihadists in the Caucasus.

Russian police last year raided an arms smuggling ring that was sending weapons intended for customers in Dagestan and Chechnya through Ukraine, and earlier this month four people from North Ossetia were arrested for illegally dealing weapons to customers located in the heavily Muslim federal republic of Kabardino-Balkaria.  Given the support for Islamic State among jihadists in Chechnya, it would come as no surprise for many of these arms to be funneled into Iraq and Syria. This also parallels a similar case back in 2005 where the FBI arrested several men accused of planning to import arms from former Soviet arsenals in the Caucasus to the United States. In that case the men agreed to sell weapons to an undercover FBI agent pretending to be a member of Al Qaeda.

Islamic State, in the “Black Flags Over Rome” issue of Dabiq magazine, mentioned the importance of the post-Soviet arms trade and smuggling in supplying jihadists with arms and equipment. As Russia attempts to tighten up the porous and destabilized region created from its own military aggression in the Ukraine, their attempts to tamp down on arms smuggling shows the difficulty in cracking down on illegal transnational arms traffic, and the ready abundance of criminal networks willing and able to supply weapons to jihadists across the globe.

Foreign Terrorist Fighters Pose Domestic Risk, Finance Jihad

Relatives of a Foreign Terrorist Fighter (FTF) reportedly transferred up to $15.47 million USD to finance the Islamic State. Australian national, Khaled Sharrouf traveled to Syria to fight on behalf of the Islamic State. According to a report by the United Nations Security Council, the sister and brother-in-law of Khaled Sharrouf owned a money transfer business. This business was used to send money to countries surrounding Syria. The report is unclear which countries were sent the money and whose money was being transferred.

The Prime Minister of Australia, Tony Abbott, says that there will be a no tolerance policy for jihadists trying to return to Australia or individuals financing the Islamic State.

However, this isn’t the first case of the Islamic State being financed by private donors. The Islamic State generates a portion of its funding from private donors in the Gulf. These private donors, stemming from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait, have provided funds to pay for the salaries of over 100,000 Islamic State jihadists.

The UN estimates that there are over 25,000 FTFs that have joined al-Qaeda-linked terror organizations, principally the Islamic State. Roughly 22,00 of those FTF’s are operating out of Syria or Iraq. FTFs themselves can be a source of financing for terror groups. Often times FTFs travel to Syria on behalf of Islamic State, bringing all of their money with them and donating it to the Caliphate upon arrival.

According to the UN Report, dated May 19th, 2015, in the past three years the numbers of FTFs have drastically risen. Since the middle of 2014 to March of 2015 there was a 71 percent increase in foreign fighters. This year alone, there have been 40 individuals in the U.S. involved in international related-terror cases.

In March of 2015, Keonna Thomas of Philadelphia was arrested because of plans to travel to Syria to join the Islamic State and provide financial and material aid. She had been in contact with an Islamic State fighter in Syria who recruited her. The FBI arrested her just days before she was scheduled to depart.

FTFs are a major threat because in addition to helping further the terror group’s agenda abroad they also pose a risk domestically. Prior to departing for the Middle East to join the Islamic State, individuals are often in contact with representatives or handlers that they would meet prior to joining. This is hazardous because the handlers may instead tell FTFs to stay in their domestic countries and provide instructions on waging jihad domestically. The leader of the Islamic State himself called for domestic action in a speech released on May 14th:

“And we call upon every Muslim in every place to perform hijrah to the Islamic State or fight in his land wherever that may be.”

Countries with direct flights to locations such as Turkey should strengthen security checks against individuals coming through customs, as should countries that serve as  transit points, such as Spain and Morocco. Stopping FTFs is important because it not only prevents the Islamic State’s force from growing but also cuts off a key source of funding.

Islamic State Puts Pressure on Damascus

Syrian airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Palmyra have failed to stop IS’s march towards the Syrian capital of Damascus. About two weeks ago, IS took control of the ancient city of Palmyra, and has since executed more than 400 Syrian residents. Furthering their advance towards Damascus, IS militants have successfully seized major phosphate mines, one being the second largest in Syria. Despite reports of IS’s most recent advance towards Damascus, the group already has seized territory right outside the capital. In mid-April, IS overthrew a Yarmouk refugee camp near southern Damascus. The invasion of the refugee camp came as a surprise to Palestinians, who had a long-standing agreement with the al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front who controlled multiple checkpoints into Yarmouk. It has been reported that Nusra and IS formed a tactical alliance, leading Nusra militants to allow IS forces into the camp and to keep Palestinian forces out.

It is now possible that the weapons the US is providing Syrian rebels could end up in the hands of IS militants as rebels fight alongside the Nursa Front which provides rebels with a greater military might. While Islamic State has continued to condemn Al Nusra, particularly for its association with other Syrian rebels considered “nationalists” by IS, they have repeatedly shown a willingness to engage in tactical cooperation to achieve short term objectives.

Despite concerns of IS may be planning to seize Damascus, it is unlikely they will attempt such a feat in the near term. A more likely outcome is to compare the situation to when IS grew closer to Baghdad, the group did not immediately attempt to seize the capital, as it was  too difficult of a battle for them right away.

With that said however, it is likely that IS will launch attacks on towns surrounding Damascus as it did just outside of Baghdad to attempt to cut the city off, and to apply pressure.  Damascus is certainly in a more precarious situation then Baghdad however, when the Iraqi capital can count on the support of some 60,000 Shia militiamen to reinforce the city. If the Damascus were to fall, it would likely be to a coalition of forces, including Islamic State, Al Nusra and other rebels, and it’s not clear if such an agreement would be possible or how long it would last.

Despite the unlikelihood of IS seizing Damascus or Baghdad, it remains essential for the US to increase and expand its military efforts . If Islamic State were to succeed in overthrowing a capital, particularly an ancient and historically significant one like Damascus or Baghdad, its already impressive ability to promote itself as the preeminent Jihadist organization and established Caliphate would increase exponentially.

The Newest Guide On ISIS: Comparing Self-Declared Caliphate to “Plush Holiday Resort”

Abu Rumaysah, a British jihadist who fled the UK to join ISIS in Syria, has released an ebook guide titled, A Brief Guide to the Islamic State (2015). This guide targets western recruits and compares territories under the extremist group to a “plush holiday resort.”

When describing the food, Rumaysah writes, “If you thought you would be living on stale bread and septic water then erase that culinary fib from you mind. The great thing about food in the Caliphate is its freshness. You can be sure that the vegetables you crunch down on basked gloriously in the sunshine before reaching your dinner plate. And what about the olive groves? Yes, there are plenty of them and the pickles and rich oils that spring them beat anything from your local Tescos.”

Rumaysah boasts of the education offered in the Caliphate, “There are no classes promoting homosexuality, evolution, music, drama, interfaith and the rest of the rubbish taught in non-Muslim schools. You child’s delicate mind is well and truly protected in the Calihpate.”

Despite the strict curriculum, Rumaysah goes on saying the Caliphate, “screams diversity” and has become a “magnet for talent.” “If you thought London or New York was cosmopolitan then wait until you step foot in the Islamic State, because it screams diversity. In my short time here I have met people from absolutely every walk of life, proof that the Caliphate’s pulling power is strong and tenacious.”

There is, however, no mention of the sex slave markets, beheadings for being gay, dismemberment, stoning, violence and tyranny widely reported in Syria and Iraq.

Rumaysah extols the improvements to transportation under ISIS and how one can now travel freely between Iraq and Syria now that the “satanic boundary” has been bulldozed, even though the guide makes no mention of the historic monuments, antiquities, and religious sites it has also destroyed.

Just like the guide that was released in late March, How to Survive in the West: A Mujahid Guide (2015), this ebook is also just another propaganda piece designed to convert more Westerners to join fighters in Iraq and Syria, as ISIS strengthens its grip in the Middle East.

The guide ends with a chilling message for the West, “When we descend on the streets of London, Paris and Washington the taste will be far bitter, because not only will we spill your blood, but we will also demolish your statues, erase your history, and, most painfully, convert your children who will then go on to champion our name and curse their forefathers.”