As regular readers of jihadi literature know, the RAND Corporation is no friend of al-Qa‘ida. Supporters of the latter have a tendency to blame RAND for trying to destroy them and the rest of the world’s Muslims into the bargain. Although RAND is not alone in being perceived by jihadis as an almost conspiratorial observer [...]
Archive for the ‘Conspiracy Theories’ Category
Is RAND in Bed with Extreme Takfiris?
Posted: 22nd February 2010 by Joas Wagemakers in Conspiracy Theories, Ideological trends, Jordan, propaganda, Western Analysts9
Pathetic Psy-ops
Posted: 5th February 2009 by Thomas Hegghammer in Algeria, AQ in Iraq, Conspiracy Theories, propaganda, Saudi Arabia, Western mediaThe British tabloid The Sun reported yesterday that al-Qaeda leaders rape male recruits to shame them into becoming suicide bombers. Let me start by congratulating the journalist on being able to fit the four words “al-Qaida”, “gay”, “rape” and “horror” in one and the same headline in the world’s largest English-language newspaper. I would not [...]
Pakistan Preparing All-Out Confrontation of Militants?
Posted: 25th August 2008 by Will McCants in Afghanistan, AQ Leadership, Conspiracy Theories, Pakistan, ZawahiriTags: Afghanistan, Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Counterinsurgency, Pakistan, Pakistani Taliban, Taliban
[Chipotle Mystery] Since late July a number of suicide attacks have struck Pakistan, reminiscent of the spate of violence that ringed in the New Year and witnessed the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. The rise in violence comes as the Pakistani military appears to be engaging in a large-scale offensive in Bajaur, one of the seven [...]
Jihadi Explains Iranian Realpolitik
Posted: 6th August 2008 by Will McCants in Conspiracy Theories, Hezbollah, Iran, Islamic War Doctrine, Motivations, Shia, StrategyTags: Conspiracy Theories, Hezbollah, Iran, Israel, Shia, Sunnis
Abu `Abd al-Rahman `Atiyyat Allah (possibly this person) has written a new booklet titled Ru’ya kashifa in which he tries to convince his Jihadi brethren that Iran and Hezbollah are not working with the U.S. and Israel as part of a grand conspiracy to subjugate Sunnis. Rather, he argues, Iran and its cat’s paw Hezbollah [...]
In Defense of Sahab
Posted: 7th July 2008 by Will McCants in Conspiracy Theories, Jihadi mediaTags: Conspiracy Theories, Sahab
Today, an apologia for Sahab Media, which distributes al-Qaeda’s media materials, was posted to the English forums on Ekhlaas. The text is directed not at the U.S. public in general, but at conspiracy theorists who argue that 9/11 was perpetrated by the U.S. government. The text was written by inshallahshaheed, aka Samir Khan, a Jihadi [...]
Jihadi Book Club: Kenyon Gibson’s Nest of Evil
Posted: 16th May 2008 by Will McCants in Conspiracy Theories, ZawahiriTags: Conspiracy Theories, Zawahiri
This is a good one. Ekhlaas member Taqi al-Din posts a still from a Zawahiri video. He notices (correctly) that one of the books on Zawahiri’s shelf is Kenyon Gibson’s Awkar al-sharr (Nest of Evil), which is an Arabic translation of his book Common Sense: A Study of the Bushes, the CIA, and the Suspicions [...]