The NEFA Foundation - Israel/Palestinian Territories/Lebanon

Israel/Palestinian Territories/Lebanon

[8/16/10]			Hamas: Mishaal - “Negotiations Are Worthless” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a posting from the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), in which Hamas senior official Khaled Mishaal “described the Ramallah authority's negotiations with the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) as ‘worthless’.” The communication further noted that “Mishaal…explained that Palestine is ‘our land and there is no legitimacy for the Zionist enemy on it’.”

[8/16/10]			Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades Press Release on Deir al-Balah Raid The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), in which Hamas announced that an Israeli assault on the “Deir al-Balah camp in the Central Area of Gaza strip at dawn on Monday, 02/08/2010…” was an attempt “to assassinate field commanders of Al Qassam Brigades.” The statement asserted that “this ground targeting comes in the context of a series of Zionist barbarism against our members and other resistance factions' members through variety methods.”

[8/13/10]			Hamas: “Haniyeh Names His Grandson ‘Erdogan’” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), in which Hamas announced that “The Palestinian PM President in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh named his newborn grandson in Gaza City, after the Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan. This dubbing came in honor of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is a strong patron of the Palestinian people and their cause.”

[6/16/10]			Hamas: “Thomas: ’Jews Do Not Belong in Israel’” The: NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), titled, “Thomas: ’Jews Do Not Belong in Israel.’” Responding to White House correspondent Helen Thomas’ comments that Jews in Israel should “go home” to Poland and Germany, Hamas stated, “No doubt that Thomas Helen [sic] has told the truth that everybody in the world knows. But as [an] American in a very important position she was attacked by Zionists who went mad from the reality she mentioned in front of all people.” Hamas added, “This statement by Thomas Helen [sic] reflects the opinion of [the] American majority in USA and all masses who support justice and peace in Palestine an whole world.”

[6/07/10]			Images of IHH Representatives Celebrating “Martyrdom” of Sr. Hamas Leader The NEFA Foundation is releasing images of a photo of representatives of the Turkish Islamic charity Insani Yardim Vakfi (IHH) speaking at an IHH-sponsored event celebrating the “martyrdom” of senior Hamas leader Mohammad Said Seyam. U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley previously told reporters that "we know that IHH representatives have met with senior Hamas officials in Turkey, Syria, and Gaza over the past three years. That is obviously of great concern to us." IHH sponsored the flotilla of vessels that attempted to break the ongoing blockade on Gaza.

[5/19/10]			Hamas: “Our Messages to the USA Clarify Our Positions” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), titled, “Our Messages to the USA Clarify Our Positions.” According to the statement, Osama Hamdan, Hamas' representative in Lebanon, asserted that “the American administration was not clearly reading our positions and it adopted steps against the movement after listening to one party. Hence we believed that direct messages should be addressed to the American administration.” Hamdan’s messages “state, among other things, that the peace process has faded and that Israel was the reason for the problem and that wasting time in direct or indirect talks would not solve the problem.”

[4/27/10]			“We Shall Foil [the] Israeli Deportation Decision” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a document, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), in which the group vows to “foil [the] Israeli deportation decision” “against Palestinians living in the West Bank as they did before in Marj Al-Zohoor in 1992.” The statement quotes Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, who asserted, “We will break that decision with our resoluteness because the Palestinian generation of today will not allow that decision to pass.” He “underlined that a tent will be established at Beit Hanoun crossing point for those expelled by the Israeli occupation forces from the West Bank to the Gaza Strip as an indication of rejecting the Israeli decision.”

[4/01/10]			(Historical) Hamas Statement in Response to Assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin The NEFA Foundation has obtained a document, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), in conjunction with the sixth anniversary of the death of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Originally released on March 22, 2004, in response to the death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the statement warned: “Zionist murderers, you granted our Sheikh martyrdom and we will grant you sudden death in every city and street!” The statement continued: “a Yassin will come out against them (the Israelis) from every city and in every street and lane.” Further, “The Zionists did not dare to do this act without getting the agreement of the terrorist America administration. It must therefore bear responsibility for this crime.”

[3/31/10]			Hamas Mourns Sixth Anniversary of Assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin The NEFA Foundation has obtained a document, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), mourning the sixth anniversary of the death of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. The document details Yassin’s life, from his childhood to his death in 2004. It recounts his coming of age in the decade following Israel’s founding, his rise to prominence after the 1967 war, his work to found Hamas in the 1980s, his incarceration in Israel throughout the 1990s, his release and return to Palestine, and his eventual death in 2004 in an Israeli missile strike. According to the document, “he remained until his death the most effective and eloquent spokesman of Hamas and the entire Palestinian Islamic camp.”

[3/29/10]			Hamas Statement on Killing of Two Israeli Soldiers The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), addressing the March 26th operation in which two Israeli soldiers were killed. According to the communiqué, which includes an interview with one of the Hamas fighters who participated in the attack, “When the clock referred to 2:30 pm in the evening of Friday, 26/3/2010, and while the heroes of Al Qassam were waiting for the Zionist soldiers, the Zionist forces reached the point. The mujahideen opened fire toward the invading forces. Minutes later, they saw two soldiers falling on the ground near ‘Sirj’ watchtower.” The Hamas member who was interviewed “explained that the operation sends a message to the Zionist army that the resistance will not stand silent against their violations and incursions in the Gaza Strip, pointing out that he and his brothers had carried this defense process for the protection of their companions who had been chased by the enemy.” Additionally, he claimed “that the mujahid who was armed with [the] ‘BKC’ was about to fire at the helicopter, which landed 200 meters from the scene of the operation, but when he saw the ambulance flag on the plane, he refrained from that, following the ethics of Islam in the war, and in respect of the International Humanitarian Law.”

[3/15/10]			(Historical) Hamas Celebrates 22nd Anniversary of Its Founding The NEFA Foundation has obtained a December 2009 statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), celebrating Hamas’ 22 year struggle against Israel. According to the statement, “in twenty-two years, the Brigades have lost 1780 martyrs.” The communiqué noted that “The Liberation of Palestine is our goal, the resistance is our means, our capital is Jerusalem, and refugees are our people. We obligate to their Right of return…On these we cannot compromise.”

[3/09/10]			Interview with Hamas Leader Dr. Khalil Al Hayya The NEFA Foundation has obtained a transcript of an interview of Hamas leader Dr. Khalil Al Hayya, conducted by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Hamas movement). The interview focuses on relations with the Egyptian and Iranian governments, the plans of the Hamas government, and the Palestinians’ prospects for the new year. Regarding Iran, Al Hayya said “Iran supports us financially, politically and morally; and stands beside the Palestinian people and his resistance.” He added, “We are ready to welcome the support for the resistance of our people from any party, on one condition: that such support does not have any political price. We do not accept any interference in our politics.”

[3/08/10]			Hamas Leader Vows to Avenge al Mabhouh Assassination The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), quoting Hamas leader Khalid Mash’al, in which he vows revenge for the death of Hamas military leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh, who was assassinated on Jan. 20th in a luxury Dubai hotel room. According to Mash’al, “we will avenge this man. If you [the Zionist occupation] were happy for assassinating a great man who bravely assassinated your soldiers, then this happiness is going to pass…Do not think that we will abandon the choice of resistance. Not settlement, occupation, killing, nor the wall will weaken our resistance."

[3/08/10]			Hamas Mourns Assassinated Military Leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh The NEFA Foundation has obtained a statement, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), mourning the death of Hamas military leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh, who was assassinated on Jan. 20th in a luxury Dubai hotel room. According to the statement, “Al Qassam Brigades mourns the death of the mujahid [and] reaffirms the commitment and determination to continue the resistance against the belligerent occupation forces.”

[3/05/10]			Hamas Biography of Assassinated Military Leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh The NEFA Foundation has obtained a biography, released by the Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement), of Hamas military leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh who was assassinated on Jan. 20th in a luxury Dubai hotel room. According to the statement, al-Mabhouh joined Hamas in 1978 and is considered “one of its founders in the Gaza Strip.” Hamas asserts that “the Zionist occupation had attempted to assassinate him three times after he executed several abduction operations targeting Zionist soldiers.” The most recent attempt allegedly “was about a month after the assassination of…Lebanese Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyeh in Damascus in February 2008.” The statement ends by noting that Hamas “reaffirms its commitment and determination to continue the resistance against the belligerent occupation forces.”

[12/11/09]			Al-Qaida-Linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Claims Attack on a Combat Engineering Unit The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from the Al-Qaida-linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement in the Palestinian territories claiming credit for an attack on a combat engineering unit South of Kissufim. According to the statement, “your united brothers in the Group of the Followers of Sunna have managed to fire at a combat engineering unit working on maintenance tasks along the border fence south of the military Kissufim fortification…The enemy acknowledged this operation, but as usual concealed its losses. This operation comes to assist our Muslim brothers who were subjected to humiliations by Satan’s friends, the Jews, in Hebron.”

[12/11/09]			Al-Qaida-Linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Group, Jerusalem Claims Rocket Attack Near Abu Safia Military Fortification The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from the Al-Qaida-linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement in the Palestinian territories claiming credit for a rocket attack near the Abu Safia military fortification. The group announced, “after on-going tracking and precise tracing, Mujahidin of the Nation’s Army- Jerusalem launched three 60 millimeter caliber mortar bombs towards an infantry Zionist force that was scanning the area between the military fortifications of Abu Safia and Abu Mutaybak, east of the area where the source of fire was.”

[12/01/09]			Al-Qaida-Linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Claims Rocket Attack on Israeli Military Post The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from the Al-Qaida-linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement in the Palestinian territories claiming credit for a rocket attack on the Sufa military post in Israel. According to the statement, “at exactly five o'clock in the evening and thanks to the grace and virtuousness of Allah alone, your brothers in the Tawhid and Jihad Group managed to launch five rockets of local production at the Sufa military post."

[12/01/09]			Al-Qaida-Linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Explains its Origins The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from the Al-Qaida-linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement in the Palestinian territories in which the group explains its origins. According to the statement, “The Muslim Nation will have no glory and find no way to achieve stability, except by a combination of Monotheism and Jihad. One of them is inseparable from the other. Looking at the Nation's state, we find that there are tens of groups waving Islamic banners, speaking in Islam's name and announcing that they strive to serve it and support it. They all present ideologies and methodologies which are sometimes similar to each other and sometimes distinguishable, but all of those are clearly insufficient. Some of them are groups which are interested only in Jihad, while achieving Monotheism is not their top priority…Other groups are interested only in Monotheism.” The statement continued, “From the midst of all this, emerged the Tawhid and Jihad Group, to combine the two issues, and merge the two bounties together. This group calls people to worship Allah alone and to carry out Jihad in Allah's path in order to raise the banner of Monotheism, since religion is founded upon a book for guidance and a sword for victory and your Lord is the only guide and supported you need. This Group believes that Democracy, secularism, Ba'ath ideology, freemasonry, ethnic solidarity, Socialism, Capitalism, and the other modern religions are all futile. It disbelieves in them, renounces them, hates them, and warns the people from them. It also declares heretic all who embrace those modern religions, believe in them, garner followers for them and protect them from the blows of the Monotheist Mujahedeen from among the active scholars and the seekers of knowledge. This group believes that Jihad in Allah's path is the only right way to spread Islam and raise its banner of ‘There is no god save Allah’ on this earth. It strives to establish Allah's reign on earth by knowledge and action, Da'wa and Jihad, and above all – by loyalty and devotion. We pray to Allah to help us through it, to give us endurance that will last until we meet Him and to bring peace upon the Monotheist in the [yet to be established] Islamic powerful state, in which the faithful shall have glory and the heretic and the tyrants be disgraced.”

[11/29/09]			Photos of Rockets Prepared by the Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement in Gaza The NEFA Foundation has released photographs of rockets prepared by the Al-Qaida-linked Palestinian Tawhid wal-Jihad Movement. The logo visible in the background of several of the images was borrowed by Tawhid wal-Jihad from Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq."

[11/24/09]			Tawhid wal-Jihad Group, Jerusalem: “Our Dogma” The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from the Palestian Al-Qaida-linked Tawhid wal-Jihad Group, which lays out the organization’s “dogma”. The statement noted that “any group of people who have assembled on the basis of principles other than Islam is a defiant and disbelieving group and must be fought if this is possible…the dissenting Shiites are a group of defiant disbelievers. They are among the evilest dwellers on this earth. We renounce them and their aberrance in front of Allah.” And, according to the communiqué, “Jihad is a constant process, starting from the moment Allah passed the Message to Muhammad - peace and prayer be upon him – until the moment when the last host shall fight against the Dajjal. It can be stopped by no tyrant's thuggery, and no just ruler's righteousness. It is the nation's only way to retrieve the rights which have been denied from it and its Caliphate which soberly followed the prophet's ideology. Religion relies on the guidance of a Book and the victory of a sword.”

[11/06/09]			Response from Palestinian Islamists to Solidarity Calls from Shabaab al-Mujahideen The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a letter from an unnamed Palestinian Islamist in the Gaza Strip, posted on several prominent jihadi forums, thanking the top commander of the Shabaab al-Mujahideen Movement in Somalia for announcing a new campaign to launch military attacks on Israel. The letter explained, "You brought us pleasure a few days ago when you went out to a precious solemn march (in solidarity with Palestine and its Muslim oppressed people). How glad were we with regard to this precious march, which we saw as a preliminary beginning (for the recruitment) of the world to jihad in order to conquer Jerusalem and free it from the clutches of the brutal Zionists... We also thank you for your good act in establishing a jihadist forefront, which you have called Al-Quds Brigade in order to conquer Jerusalem...[in order to] lay siege to the descendants of [Banu] Quraysh, [Banu] Nazir and [Banu] Qinqa' and their followers and supporters and stick a knife in their necks. And then there will be no way that they can escape from our jihad swords. You will find that our homes are your homes, our weapon is your weapon, our farms are your farms, our money is your money, our blood is yours."

[9/17/09]			Abdullah Azzam Brigades Claims Nahariya Rocket Attack The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new communiqué from the Ziad Al-Jarrah battalion of the Abdullah Azzam Brigades claiming responsibility for a rocket attack, launched from Lebanon, on the Nahariya settlement on September 11, 2009. The statement claimed the “outrageous hostility” of the Jews for provoking the attack: “they are (imposing) a siege, preventing prayers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, building tunnels underneath it, working diligently to humiliate the Muslims and not taking into consideration their feelings and their holy assets.” The Brigades threatened, “your life will not be blessed, and you will not be rewarded with good. Our hearts still beat, blood still runs in our veins, and we are coming, with the help of Allah."

[8/18/09]			Hamas Mourns “Martyrdom” of Comrades in Gaza Clashes With “Outlaws” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communique from the Martyr Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement) mourning the “martyrdom” of five comrades slain in clashes last Friday in the southern Gaza town of Rafah with “outlaws” from “Jund Allah Ansar.” According to the statement, “The mujahedeen tried to convince the outlaw group, the militant group opened fire at them during their duty with the police, the members martyred immediately.”

[8/17/09]			Jund Ansar Allah Declares "Islamic Emirate" in Gaza The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new statement from "Jund Ansar Allah", a Palestinian Al-Qaida-startup franchise in the Gaza Strip, declaring the foundation of an "Islamic Emirate in Bayt al-Maqdis" under the command of cleric Shaykh Abu al-Nour al-Maqdisi. One day after the communique was issued, on August 15, al-Maqdisi was reported killed amid fierce clashes between Jund Ansar Allah fighters and Hamas security forces.

[8/16/09]			Jund Ansar Allah Threatens "Response" to Hamas Clashes The Palestinian militant group known as "Jund Ansar Allah" has threatened an unspecified "response" in coming days in revenge for clashes with Hamas security forces in the southern Gaza Strip. According to a new statement from "Jund Ansar Allah" posted on August 16, "we did not intend to bomb any security headquarters or attack any Hamas units like the so-called Fathi Hammad has claimed, and we have no connection whatsoever with any explosion that occurred on the Palestinian battlefield, and we have not called anyone a Kafir, and we are not followers of Al-Qaida... And now we are awaiting our new commander." The communiqué blamed unnamed moderate leaders from Hamas for igniting a "schism" within the Palestinian Islamist movement, adding, "we wash our hands of responsibility for any events that might take place in the next several days as a result." The group also accused corrupt Hamas operatives of stealing over $120,000 in cash and equipment from Jund Ansar Allah during recent security raids.

[7/28/09]			Hamas Celebrates U.S. Troop Withdrawal from Iraqi Cities The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a statement from the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement) regarding the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraqi cities. According to the communiqué, " cause and that they drowned in Iraq's mud..." Moreover, "the victory of the Iraqi resistance is an episode in an integrative series; it is a service to the Islamic project that stands, in every area of Earth, in the face of the neo-imperialistic project(s) and the rogue Zionist-American plans.” The statement concludes by noting that " The American project in the region will fall resoundingly, and committing any new stupidity in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan or others will be a disaster for America and her armies, and all of their schemes will shatter atop the rock of the [Islamic] nation's awareness, Jihad and steadfastness.”

[6/26/09]			Army of Islam Announces Split with GIMF The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a new statement from the Army of Islam (a.k.a. Jaish al-Islam) in the Gaza Strip -- a Palestinian Islamic militant faction opposed to Hamas -- announcing that it is withdrawing from a mutual agreement with the online jihadi logistical support group known as the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF). For more on the GIMF and the Army of Islam, see NEFA Senior Investigator Evan Kohlmann’s interactive chart, titled “Al-Qaida’s Online Couriers."

[6/22/09]			New Audio Recording from “Jundallah in Palestine” Leader The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated an audio recording from Abu Abdullah al-Muhajir, the leader of "Jundullah in Palestine", an Al-Qaida startup group based in Gaza. In the recording, titled “The Proclamation”, al-Muhajir states, “we tell our brothers the mujahideen in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kashmir, Pakistan, Chechnya, Yemen, Somalia, countries of Islamic Maghreb, and all the honest mujahideen in the rest of Muslims' homelands, we tell you: may Allah accept your Jihad and may He reward you on behalf of us the best of rewards, and you carried out your promise so you became the invulnerable fortress of this nation and its steadfast pillar, we consider you so and we do not exalt anyone but Allah.”

[5/11/09]			Hamas: “Anti-Hamas Approach Fading” The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from Hamas titled, "Anti-Hamas Approach Fading." In the statement, dated May 7, 2009, Hamas notes that "Since the conclusion of Zionist 22-day military offensive in January which coincided with U.S. President Barack Obama taking power in Washington, Hamas has had many more international visitors...There is simply a growing international perception, especially since the war that the old 'isolate Hamas' approach is not working." Further, "Alongside fiery Hamas declarations, such as that delivered last Friday in a Gaza mosque by a top Hamas man, Mahmoud Al-Zahar, in which he vowed the organisation would ‘never ever’ recognise Israel, there are distinct signs of Hamas pragmatism. There has been an almost total lull in rocket fire from Gaza at settlements in recent weeks. This pragmatism is meant to stem less from fear of Zionist retaliation and is geared more to bolstering the tentative gains in international credibility." Hamas ends by asserting that "The Zionist entity...may well find that a strident approach will bear little fruit when Netanyahu meets President Obama at the White House in three weeks time, and discovers just how far the U.S. Administration has departed from the absolutist anti-Hamas approach of the previous Administration, and steps up its insistence that the Zionist entity lines up with the two-state solution.”

[3/20/09]			Hamas Addresses Prisoner Swap: "Zionist Occupation Bears Full Responsibility" The NEFA Foundation has obtained a communiqué from Hamas' "military" wing, the Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades, addressing the prisoner swap. According to the statement, "The Zionist enemy has not provided any new offer recently. What Olmert has tried to propagate in the Zionist media in recent days is maneuvering for internal political purposes and for absorption of popular protest within the entity, But, in fact, his move did not refer to any actual intention to complete the swap agreement.” It continued, “The enemy [needs] to understand that hindrance of the exchange deal will have a negative impact, and the only realization is disappointment and great loss."

[3/19/09]			Palestinian Al-Qaida Faction Claims Murder of Israeli Policemen The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué from a previously unknown Palestinian Al-Qaida faction claiming responsibility for the murder of two Israeli policemen in the West Bank. According to the statement from the “World Islamic Front for the Liberation of the Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Aqsa Army” (dated March 15), “a unit of the al-Malhamah Brigades… has executed an attack on a Zionist vehicle on patrol, killing two police officers in the southern al-Aghur region of occupied Palestinian territory, near the Massua settlement. The incident took place on Sunday, March 15, 2009… At about 6:35 pm, three mujahideen from the al-Malhamah Brigades ambushed the Zionist police vehicle on Road No. 90, in Wadi Arabah, and shot two Zionist police officers. Praise be to Allah, the unit was able to safely return to its base. This blessed operation was launched as a response to the call issued by the Mujahid Shaykh Usama Bin Laden, may Allah protect him, in his sermon, ‘Practical Steps to Liberate Palestine.’”

[2/9/09]			Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) Issues Message to the Austrian Government The NEFA Foundation has obtained a new communiqué from Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam) in Gaza, in which the group urges the Austrian government to release Muhammad Shawqi Mahmoud from jail. In March 2008, Mahmoud was sentenced to four years in prison for belonging to a terrorist organization. Mahmoud, a central figure in the Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF), was involved in producing a March 2007 GIMF video that threatened Austria and Germany if the countries did not withdraw their troops from Afghanistan. That same month, BBC reporter Alan Johnston was kidnapped in Gaza; the Army of Islam subsequently issued a videotaped claim of responsibility for the operation. During the February 2009 Canadian trial of Mahmoud’s GIMF co-conspirator, Said Namouh, prosecutors revealed that Mahmoud and Namouh “played a major role for the GIMF in the editing” of that Army of Islam video. However, in this statement, the Army of Islam claims that "Muhammad Shawqi Mahmoud has no ties to the Army or any part in capturing the British reporter Alan Johnston by any way, shape or form. He has no relation to or knowledge of this operation, and these accusations directed to him are nothing of the truth, and basically pure falsehood.” In April 2008, Al-Qaida’s Committee in the Islamic Maghreb attempted to secure the release of Mahmoud and his wife by offering to free Austrian hostages.

[12/19/08]			Fatah al-Islam Claims Death of Leader, Endorses Terror Financing Through Bank Robberies The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated two new communiqués from the Al-Qaida-linked Fatah al-Islam in Lebanon and Syria. On November 29, Fatah al-Islam issued a statement condemning “Syria’s entrance into the public arena against Fatah al-Islam… If this organization is wiped out, then no other force will remain in Lebanon besides the force of [Hizballah]. This stands in accord with the Iranian policy aimed at controlling the region.” On December 8, the group distributed a second statement claiming, among other things, that its commander Shaykh Shakir al-Absi has been missing and is presumed dead following a failed bid to join Al-Qaida in Iraq. According to the statement, al-Absi and a group of aides left their former base in Lebanon for Syria “in order to allow their wounds to heal, to reestablish the [communication] channels that were cut off during the war, and to rebuild the organization… [Al-Absi] started contacting the brothers from the Islamic State of Iraq (ISI), through people who were well-known to the ISI, and was also trying to reach the brothers in Afghanistan—though not with much success.” Fatah al-Islam was also specifically insistent on the legitimacy of committing bank robberies as a financing tactic: “we say, relying on Allah, that stealing money from the infidels, from the usurious banks and the institutions which belong to the infidel regimes and states, is a legal thing which Allah has permitted us to do. This money is being seized from them and instead directed towards jihad and the mujahideen in order to fulfill their needs, to buy equipment etc.”

[5/31/08]			New Documents from Emerging Al-Qaida Faction in Gaza Strip The NEFA Foundation has obtained and translated a communiqué and audio recording from an emerging branch of the Al-Qaida-aligned Fatah al-Islam movement based in the Gaza Strip. On January 12, 2008, the group issued a statement naming its local commander in the Palestinian territories as "Abu Abdelrahman al-Ghazzawi", who it simply described as “a very kind brother, with much previous experience in jihad and deep-seeded roots in theology.” On February 12, 2008, Fatah al-Islam released the first known audio recording of Abu Abdelrahman al-Ghazzawi, in which he announced, “we shall commence our war from Palestine along with the Ansar and Muhajireen [emigrants and supporters] in order to unite our lines and to [honor] our slogans about battling the Jews who live near us—a jihad, in which there is no regard for clay and dirt… We declare to Shaykh Shaker [al-Absi] and Usama [Bin Laden] and Ayman [al-Zawahiri] and Abu Omar [al-Baghdadi]: ‘Go forth with the blessing of Allah, go forth with your Lord and fight, and we shall fight with you.’ O’ sons of Islam, sons of the Gaza Strip, you are our base of support and, on your behalf, we shall ask for help and assistance from Allah… No border or language shall separate us—we share the same Lord, the same religion, and the same enemy.”

[2/13/08]			Hezbollah Statement on the Death of Imad Mugniyeh The NEFA Foundation has obtained a communiqué issued by Hezbollah, in which the terror group responds to the assassination of Imad Mugniyeh. Hezbollah blamed "'Israeli' criminal hands" for Mugniyeh's killing and asserted, "we pledge to continue the martyr's path until achieving complete victory." The statement added that Mugniyeh "had been a target for the Zionists for more than 20 years."

[12/07/07]			Q&A with a Hamas Spokesman Hamas' English-language website has posted a transcript of a Q&A session with Abu Obaida, the spokesman for Hamas' military wing, the Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades. When asked why Hamas "stay[s] silent" and doesn't "punish" infidel regimes that support the Palestinian Authority over Hamas, Abu Obaida comments, "We are not in a war against non-Muslims or against Muslims who support parties that act against the resistance. However, we make it clear that we will defend our resistance project with all our strength. We will not allow any party to interfere or hinder our resistance action...We take actions, covert and visible." And, queried about Hamas' response to criticisms by Al-Qaida number two Ayman Al-Zawahiri, he responds, "We do not tell Al-Dhawahry [Al-Zawahiri] what to do in Afghanistan since we are not aware of his situation...His judgments and opinions are his; but they are not correct. More importantly, we are not awaiting approval or blessing from anyone except Allah."

[6/1/07]			Al-Qaida Threatens Lebanon Over Fatah al-Islam On May 25, 2007, copies of a new video recording were publicly distributed over password-protected Al-Qaida Internet websites after being authenticated by the pre-eminent Al-Fajr Media Center. The seven-minute recording contains a speech by a masked individual identifying himself only as the “military commander of Al-Qaida’s Committee in Al-Shams” (“Greater Syria”). This is the first known occasion that any individual or organization inside of Lebanon has explicitly identified themselves as part of the international Al-Qaida terrorist network. The speaker addresses a message directly to the Patriarch of the Christian Maronite church in Lebanon: "pull back your dogs from our people, and cease your artillery fire—or else, from today onwards, there will be no safe place for any crusader in Lebanon, and as you strike, we will strike... If you do not stop, we will tear your hearts out with explosives, and surround your every post with our bombs. We will target your entire economy, starting with tourism and ending with all the incoming resources you [received when you] launched this new crusader war... We have ignored you previously, but we give you this final warning that from now on, an ocean of blood will be spilled.”

[2/10/07]			Palestinian Militants Hail the "Islamic State of Iraq" (ISI) On February 2, the Salahudeen Brigades in Palestine--an Islamic militant faction associated with the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC)--released a new statement on behalf of commander "Abu Abir" (a.k.a. Mohammed Abdul Aal). In the communique, Abu Abir directly endorsed Al-Qaida's "Islamic State of Iraq" as "a symbol of dignity that every Arab Muslim is proud of." Moreover, according to Abu Abir: "...we are proud of what you are achieving in the righteous land of Iraq, which is both ours and yours... We have been fighting the same battle and it extends all the way from here—the Land of Ribat [Palestine]—to the Tigris and the Euphrates, and to all of the righteous rivers. The forces of oppression have together pounced upon us. The conspiracy [in Iraq] is the same conspiracy [in Palestine] and infidelity is infidelity, regardless of its various names and types. All of us are blessed with the honor of crushing the tyrants in this world under the hooves of the steeds of the mujahideen and the sandals of our warriors."

[7/31/06]			Sunnis Divided Over Hezbollah War in Lebanon After days of Israeli military attacks on targets in South Lebanon thought linked to the Shiite Hezbollah militia, sentiment among Sunni extremists remains divided over the proper response to events in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. While the Taliban and Al-Qaida's deputy commander Ayman al-Zawahiri have emphasized the importance of broadly confronting Israeli forces across sectarian and nationalist lines, other Sunni Muslims have reacted more cautiously--among them, the Al-Fatihin Army in Iraq, which bluntly warned in a new statement, "the war in Lebanon weakens the jihad in Iraq." Communiqué from the Taliban on the War in Lebanon Communiqué from the Al-Fatihin Army on Lebanon Video of Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri on Gaza and Lebanon Training video of Hezbollah fighters in South Lebanon

[4/11/06]			Al-Qaida Cell Claims Rocket Attack in Israel A previously unknown group calling itself "Al-Qaida's Committee in Palestine" has claimed responsibility for an alleged rocket attack on a "strategic target" in Israel. According to a statement from the group, "The operation was kept in secret until now in order to insure the safety of our mujahideen brothers. We proudly declare the initiation of our attacks and we inform the Zionist enemy to expect more innovative operations. Let the world realize that jihad in the cause of Allah will not be stopped by borders and walls. We inform our brothers that we keep our doors open to all brothers who want to declare jihad in the cause of Allah."

[10/8/05]			"Al-Qaida's Jihad in Palestine" Distributes Flyers An organization calling itself "Al-Qaida's Jihad in Palestine" has reportedly been distributing leaflets from the Salahudeen al-Ayyubi Mosque in the Gaza Strip on the occasion of Ramadan. One document--urging Muslims to "restore the era of the first Islamic empire"--described how "[t]he West appointed governments that are loyal to their interests, and attack those who stand up for Islam... The Westerners have forced us to taste shame and humiliation... We call upon all the factions to grasp our hands and join forces under one raised banner: the banner of Islam and al-Tawheed."

[8/16/05]			Palestinian Al-Qaida Swears Oath to Mullah Omar A previously unknown group calling itself the "Al-Qaida-Palestine Frontier Jihad Brigades"--responsible for at least one rocket attack on Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip--has issued a detailed political platform and has sworn a bayat (oath of allegiance) to Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar. According to a statement issued by the group, "we also pledge our allegiance to the leader of the Islamic army and the global jihad Abu Abdullah Usama Bin Laden. Should he order us to join him, then we will and we will not abandon him until we reach the heart of America. Let him order us—the commanders and the soldiers—to do whatever he desires and we shall obey his orders." Aug. 9 political platform of the Frontier Jihad Brigades Aug. 15 oath of allegiance to Mullah Mohammed Omar

[8/6/05]			Al-Qaida Faction Claims Attack in Gaza Strip A previously unknown group calling itself the "Al-Qaida-Palestine Frontier Jihad Brigades" has released a video allegedly depicting an August 1 Sajil rocket attack on Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. According to a statement read by a masked militant, "we confirm that this operation comes as a part of the global Islamic Jihad that has been initiated by our brothers from Al-Qaida’s Committee against the Jews and the crusaders... these brigades [have]... a faithful spirit pushing forward the mujahideen in Palestine to be decisive and unite behind faithful commanders who do not negotiate or surrender... It is a spirit that saves the mujahideen from falling for the tricks of some of our politicians… who seek status and prestige under the banner of kufr [disbelief], treason, and corruption." English translation of communiqué Video released by "Al-Qaida-Palestine"

[7/26/05]			"Tawheed wal-Jihad" Claims Recent Sinai Bombings In a new communiqué posted online and verified as authentic by sources close to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the "Egyptian Tawheed wal-Jihad Movement" has claimed responsibility for recent suicide bombing attacks in the Sinai resort towns of Taba and Sharm el-Sheikh. The statement justified the latest carnage in Sharm el-Sheikh as the "response to the orders of Allah and his Prophet to fight the infidels everywhere [and] to demonstrate our loyalty to the commanders of the mujahideen, Usama Bin Laden and Shaykh Ayman al-Zawahiri." Only hours after the latest bombings in Egypt, Zarqawi's Media Wing released a video showing Al-Qaida interrogators questioning former Egyptian Ambassador to Baghdad Ihab el-Sherif concerning the location of Jews in the Sinai Peninsula--to which an obviously distressed Sherif responded, "From Taba to Sharm al-Sheikh."

[12/24/04]			Hamas Releases Video of Tunnel Bombing in Gaza The Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas has released video of a December 12 tunnel bombing attack on an Israeli military outpost in the Gaza Strip. Five Israeli soldiers were killed and six wounded near Rafah when a booby-trapped tunnel blew up underneath the outpost. This attack marks the second major effort in the last six months by Hamas operatives to video-record the mining and detonation of makeshift tunnels under Israeli army outposts.

[9/11/04]			Hamas Video of RPG Attack on Israeli Tank in Gaza The Palestinian group Hamas has released new video of a Sept. 9 Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack on an Israeli tank in the Gaza Strip near the Al-Jabaliya Refugee Camp. The Israeli Army has just ended 3-day "large scale" incursion into the northern Gaza strip aimed at deterring Hamas rocket attacks. Eight Palestinians were reported killed.

[9/11/04]			Hamas Suicide Car Bomb Video Hamas releases a video showing a suicide car bomb attack on an Israeli military checkpoint in the Gaza Strip. Hamas identified the driver as 23-year old Tareq Hmeid.