ICT’s Research and Publications include short analyses and in-depth publications on a wide variety of topics including: terrorism, counter-terrorism, homeland security, radicalization process, cyber-terrorism, reviews from Jihadi Websites and insights from our database.
The US and NATO withdrawal from Afghanistan, planned to end at the end of August 2021, the rapid Taliban takeover of tens of provinces in the war-torn country and the meddling of regional actors, such as Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and China, in the Afghani affairs, have worrying strategic ramifications for the future of the country and poses political and security challenges for its neighbors.
On July 1st, 2021, while speaking at a UN conference on counter-terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, the head of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism (OCT) stressed the rise in radical Islamic terrorism threat in Africa. Further, he said that within the framework of counter-terrorism one must prepare for tomorrow’s threat and conduct global war on terrorism while at the same time innovate and adjust traditional counter-terrorism modi operandi[1]. On the other hand, ISIS spokesman, Abu Hamza al-Qurashi, was quoted in al-Naba magazine (vol. 292, dated June 24th, 2021) as calling to continue ISIS’ Baqiya wa tatamaddad (i.e., remaining and expanding) campaign and to recruit Muslims in Africa.
[1] https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/470977-terrorists-more-innovative-in-world-shaken-by-coronavirus-un.html; also see https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sc14282.doc.htm
The following document focuses on al-Tajammu al-Arabi wal-lslami li-Da'm Khiyyar al-Muqawma (“the Arab and Islamic Union Supporting the Resistance Option”) which serves as an international pro-Iranian platform to leverage the resistance axis against the US, Israel and their allies. This Lebanon based pro-Iranian organization, has tight connections with Hezbollah and Shiite militias in Iraq and Yemen, as well as with other terrorist organizations such as PIJ and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
The organization managed to cultivate a global network whose members are radical organizations and persons, either religious or secular, who share a similar world view and interests the chief of which is a struggle with Imperialism and Zionism. As some members attested the network is meant to strengthen the resistance axis and weaken its enemies.
The present research focuses on the study of the Web jihadi magazines developed by the Islamic State from 2014 until 2017. This study analyses the content of the Islamic State’s magazines Dabiq and Rumiyah in relation to the events occurred on the ground both within the core Caliphate and in the global arena.
Written by Dr. Eitan Azani and Francesco Dotti
First published in The Times of Israel