 05.05.2008 LTTE: Rising Desperation
By Ajit Kumar Singh
The LTTE has recently experienced a series of tactical failures and defeats by the Government Security Forces, which gained effective control of the Eastern Province in July 2007, and have now been pushing the LTTE further north in their endeavour to completely wipe out the rebellion.
Paper was first published in South Asia Intelligence Review (SAIR), Volume 6, No. 43, May 5, 2008 |
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20.04.2008 Where Have All the Bombers Gone?
By Nathan W. Toronto
Palestinian terrorist organizations - as terror firms marketing competing brands of resistance - have made a dramatic shift from suicide bombings to indirect fire missiles. This article explores the strategic and operational reasons behind this change in terrorist tactics. |
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15.04.2008 Palestinian Terrorism: 1968-1978
By Dr. Aharon Yaffe
The decade between 1968 and 1978 was a peak of international terror activity, of the number of operations, a choice of goals, of daring and imagination, of high level involvement in terrorist activity and in resource allocation. |
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11.04.2008 Extremist Activity Associated with the 2010 Olympics, the G8, and the SPP
By Thomas Quiggin
In 2010, Canada will host at least three major events with a significant international profile, inluding the Winter Olympics, the G8 meetings and the Security and Prosperity Partnership meetings. Numerous groups have already begun violent activities and further organization that may occur against the background of a troubled global picture that will have further radicalizing effects in Canada. |
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06.04.2008 The Cairo Clique: Anti-Zionism and the Canadian Left
By Terry Glavin
The growing trend of solidarity between leftist, Marxist, anti-globalization and even rightist elements with Islamists has lately emerged as the dominant trend in "anti-war" activism in Canada.
Copyright © American Jewish Committee 2008 |
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29.03.2008 The Islamic Liberation Party Flexes its Muscle
By Dr. Asaf Maliach
In light of the escalation of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians throughout the month of February 2008, the Liberation Party (Hizb al-Tahrir al-Islami – HT) called to seek vengeance against the Jews (“the siblings of the apes and pigs”) and Israel (the “the Jewish entity”) by uprooting it. |
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10.03.2008 The LTTE in Crisis
By G. H. Peiris
In the past few weeks there have been many media reports that point to the prevalence of confusion and disarray among the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE/Tigers) in the face of heavy losses inflicted by the armed forces of the Government of Sri Lanka.
Paper was first published in South Asia Intelligence Review [SAIR] Volume 6, No. 35, March 10, 2008 |
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10.03.2008 Threat to Beijing Olympics from Uighurs
By B. Raman
While considerable focus would be on terrorism-related scenarios likely to arise from foreign terrorists, likely scenarios from domestic disgruntled elements should be given adequate attention. Among these one could mention the Uighur jihadi terrorists who have close links with Al Qaeda and the International Islamic Front (IIF), the Tibetan activists, the members of the Falun Gong and irrational Chinese individuals. |
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02.03.2008 Tamil Tiger Links with Islamist Terrorist Groups
By Shanaka Jayasekara
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is known to have an active presence in several informal sectors such as credit card cloning, money laundering and human smuggling in Europe and North America. However, the LTTE has emerged as a formidable force and influence within the informal arms market and such has attracted collaborative arrangements with other terrorist groups. The LTTE has developed close relationships with several Islamist groups operating in such networks in a mutually beneficial manner. |
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02.03.2008 Sderot Rocketing: A Classical Case of Asymmetric War
By Dr. Avishag Gordon
The case of the shelling of Sderot remains, for the time being, a classic case of asymmetric warfare: asymmetry in the ability to use certain response tactics, asymmetry in the fight of a lawful against a lawless people, and asymmetry in the value systems of the two sides to the conflict. |
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19.02.2008 India: The Expanding Jihad
Kanchan Lakshman
This article was published in the South Asia Intelligence Review of the South Asia Terrorism Portal - Volume 6, No.32, February 18, 2008
The operational spaces for Islamist militancy in States outside Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) demonstrate indications of brisk expansion, even as terrorist violence declines in that State. The most recent arrests in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Karnataka are an indication that the Pakistan-backed Islamist groups operating in J&K have a wider subversive agenda, and have, consequently, created an elaborate network of terrorist cells in a number of other States in India. |
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16.02.2008 Who Was Imad Mughniyeh?
Matthew Levitt David Schenker
The assassination of arch-terrorist Imad Mughniyeh was welcome news in Washington, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv, and, albeit quietly, Beirut and Baghdad. For Hizballah and Damascus, however, the loss of Mughniyeh -- who was a brilliant military tactician, a key contact to Tehran, and a successful political leader -- is a severe blow to their ongoing activities and operations. |
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30.01.2008 Pakistan Assessment 2008
SATP
Pakistan’s slide towards state failure accelerated dramatically in year 2007, and the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on December 27 was a sharp reminder that the country’s progressive collapse was much more rapid and irretrievable than most had envisaged. In more ways than one, 2007 was a cumulative reflection on all of President Pervez Musharraf’s errors of omission and commission since he took power in the coup of October 1999.
Follow the link above to view the article on the South Asia Terrorism Portal |
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21.01.2008 MANPADS Countermeasure: Sky Security vs. Ground Security
Dr. Hillel Avihai
This Article discusses approaches to airline defense countermeasure systems in light of the emerging threat of Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS). Technological and operational aspects, as well as ecomnomic costs of various countermeasure systems are presented in this comprehensive analysis of recent trends in passenger aviation defense. |
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11.01.2008 Homeland Security and Community Policing: Competing or Complementing Public Safety Policies
Friedmann, Robert R. and Cannon, William J
Published in the Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management: Vol. 4 : Iss. 4, Article 2.
In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, terrorist atrocities in the United States, a new organizational policy was introduced as ``Homeland Security." Both a concept and a governmental department, homeland security became the "in" policy, and as such invented a new organization and a new approach to public safety. As a result, however, the dominant policing policy up to that time – Community Policing – was largely sidestepped by homeland security efforts as well as budgets. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that the two public safety policies actually have a great deal in common, and that homeland security is to benefit from integrating principles of community policing in its localized strategies.
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08.01.2008 Israel and the Iranian Nuclear Bomb: Daunting Choices
Dr. Ely Karmon
This article presents a thorough analysis of the Iranian nuclear threat, in its ideological, strategic and geopolitical dimensions. Israeli views of the threat, as well as the effectiveness of economic sanctions and military options are examined in light of possible Iranian retaliation. The Iranian threat, combined with the recent geopolitical trends and developments in the Middle East, present Israel with a burdensome decision making process vis-a-vis Iran. |
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08.01.2008 Kenya: So Much for Democracy
Ms. Shani Ross
Civil unrest in Kenya appears likely to increase as the opposition rejects Kibaki’s rule, which may have serious implications for intra-national conflicts prevalent in the region, Kenya could likely be the ignition for further regional bloodshed.
This article was first published in the Jerusalem Post, December 1, 2008 |
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07.01.2008 Contrasting Secular and Religious Terrorism
Dr. Jonathan Fine
Too many analysts underestimate the ideological basis of terrorism and argue instead that rational-strategic rather than ideological principles motivate Islamist terror groups. Comparison between terrorist groups with secular and religious agendas, however, suggests that ideology matters for both and that downplaying religious inspiration for terrorism in an effort to emphasize tactical motivations is both inaccurate and dangerous. In order to better understand the political mindset of Islamist terrorist organizations, the religious ideology of their leaders should receive as much if not more attention than the strategies and tactics they apply. |
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02.01.2008 Hudna is no Solution
Dr. Ely Karmon
In light of the success of the pinpoint military operations against Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip, and signs of weakening in the Hamas leadership, many are calling for accepting Ismail Haniyeh's purported offer of a hudna (a cease-fire), or alternately a tahadiyeh (a lull in the fighting), in exchange for an end to IDF operations in Gaza and a lifting of the siege. It appears that the decision makers in Israel have learned nothing. |
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25.12.2007 ISLAMIST GROUPS IN LEBANON
Gary C. Gambill
The article examines the evolution of three distinct poles of Islamism in Lebanon and how they have adapted to changes in local political and security conditions over the past three decades.
Published with the kind permission of MERIA Journal, Volume 11, No. 4 - December 2007. |
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25.11.2007 Analysis: Does Syria want peace ?
Dr. Ely Karmon
Against the background of Syria's invitation to the Annapolis conference and the eagerness with which politicians and the defense establishment have supported its participation, we should try to analyze the Syrian leadership's strategic considerations vis-à-vis a peace process with Israel. |
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14.11.2007 THE CRISIS OF PAKISTAN: A DANGEROUSLY WEAK STATE
Isaac Kfir
This paper explores several key elements undermining the viability of the Pakistani state: Islamism, tribalism, ethno-nationalism, and quasi-secularism. The demands of each of these movements are difficult to reconcile with the needs of the others. At the same time, these movements exert pressure on a very weak government and state system. Hence, the author argues that unless the current regime undertakes substantial structural reforms, Pakistan may come apart at the seams, with dire consequences for regional and international stability. |
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