Terrorists Using Blogs To Engage Counter-terrorist Experts Online

This is an interesting article from the UK. Although I have never received any response from known terrorists on this site, I’ve often wondered if someone like Adnan G. el Shukrijumah, Adam Gadahn or others go online to research and read stories and posts about themselves. When someone like Gerald Posner does an in-depth investigative piece on a terrorist like el Shukrijumah, does el Shukrijumah see it? My assumption has always been that he does. Many well known terrorists have an obvious strong desire for attention in the media and this article makes that case.

A senior Arab Afghan adviser to al Qaeda and the Taliban has openly challenged an Australian counter-terrorism expert in a series of blog posts. Abu Walid al Masri has written direct responses to Leah Farrall, an Australian academic who writes the All things Counter Terrorism blog and has years of experience fighting terrorism with the Australian Federal Police.

Farrall recently described al Masri as “one of Mullah Omar’s most trusted advisers” in an op-ed for the Australian. He has written 12 books in Arabic relating to Afghanistan and al Qaeda, and has just re-emerged as an author for the Taliban’s flagship magazine publication, in which he recently encouraged the Taliban to engage in the kidnapping of British and American soldiers. Because of this, Al Masri has been one of Farrall’s “main academic interests for many years” and she was shocked read his blog posts about her: “To say that I am blown away by this would be a pretty massive understatement”.

In his first blog post, Abu Walid al Masri joked that Farrall’s “focus on academic research will give us a bit of comfort and space so we can work safely in the field (terrorism). Therefore I thought it would be a good to distract her with these dialogues so the rest of the gang can do the work.”

He compares Farrall to the “beautiful female soldiers” who tortured “our brothers” in Abu Ghraib, and then begins the dialogue sardonically:

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Adam Gadahn American al Qaeda In New Video

In a new anti-Israel, anti-U.S. video, an American al Qaeda member makes reference to his Jewish ancestry for the first time in an official al Qaeda message.

In the video, Adam Yahiye Gadahn, also known as Azzam the American, discusses his roots as he castigates U.S. policies and deplores Israel’s offensive in Gaza that started in late December 2008 and continued into January.

“Let me here tell you something about myself and my biography, in which there is a benefit and a lesson,” Gadahn says, as he elicits support from his fellow Muslims for “our weapons, funds and Jihad against the Jews and their allies everywhere.”

“Your speaker has Jews in his ancestry, the last of whom was his grandfather,” he says.

[...]

The video in which Gadahn speaks Arabic, with English subtitles — surfaced on Saturday. This account is based on an English transcript provided by As-Sahab Media, the media production company used by al Qaeda.

Gadahn’s Jewish ancestry has been reported in the news media. But terrorism analyst Laura Mansfield says it is the first time Gadahn acknowledged his Jewish ancestry in an official al Qaeda message.

Gadahn says his grandfather was a “Zionist” and “a zealous supporter of the usurper entity, and a prominent member of a number of Zionist hate organizations.”

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American Al-Qaeda Adam Gadahn Appears In New Video

An American Al-Qaeda member has urged followers to step up assistance to suicide bombers and other radical fighters, arguing that the West “has begun to stagger,” a group monitoring Al-Qaeda said.

Adam Gadahn, an American member of Al-Qaeda, made the appeal in a new video titled “How to Prevent a Repeat of the Gaza Holocaust,” which was released on jihadist forums on Sunday, after speculation that it would be released last week, according to SITE Intelligence Group.

[...]

In a reference to the economic crisis, Gadahn said that “the enemy, under the leadership of the unbelieving West, has begun to stagger and falter, and the results of his unabated bleeding have begun to show on his economies, which are on the brink of failure.”

He attributes the crisis to “the grace of Allah, and then, the huge sacrifices of your sons, the mujahideen, who are eager for you to stand by their side and reinforce them with money and men.”

Gadahn dismisses efforts by the administration of US President Barack Obama to mend fences with the Muslim world, arguing that nothing in the US approach has changed since the presidency of George W. Bush.

[...]

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Adam Gadahn ‘American al Qaeda’ Alive – as Sahab Video Released

Adam Gadahn,  the ‘American al Qaeda’ resurfaced in a new video released this morning by As Sahab. It was widely assumed, although never confirmed, that Gadahn had been killed several months ago.

The video, 32 minutes, 7 seconds long, is primarily focused on Pakistan. It makes specific references to Musharaff’s resignation and to Pakistan’s new President Asif Zardari. Read more

Adam Gadahn – Silence Points To Successful Strike By US Forces

Months of attacks by unmanned US predator aircraft have caused carnage among the middle ranks of terrorist leaders in the lawless lands along the border with Afghanistan, where al-Qa’eda remains dangerous despite suffering a serious defeat in Iraq.

Their victims have included experienced Arab leaders and, it is now thought, Adam Gadahn, a former heavy-metal fan and so-called “killer computer nerd” originally from California. Nothing has been heard from him for months, leading intelligence experts to conclude that he may be dead. Read more