Terrorism threats from Syria and Iraq
The “Glocal Jihad”
The ISIS Phenomenon
Prof. Boaz Ganor
Ronald Lauder Chair for Counter Terrorism,
Founder & Executive Director, ICT –
The International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) ,
Dean, Lauder School of Government Diplomacy & Strategy
The Interdisciplinary Center, (IDC) Herzliya, Israel
Email: ganor@idc.ac.il,
Web: www.ict.org.il
The “Arab Spring” and
the Syrian Civil War
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
The most troubling
statements made by
Brennan related to his very
definition of the enemy
itself; he argued that the
war being fought by the US
is not against “terrorism,”
because “terrorism is a
tactic.”
Nor, he argued, should it be described as a war against “jihadists” or
“Islamists,” because “jihad is holy struggle, a legitimate tenet of Islam
meaning to purify oneself of one’s community.”
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
• Rebellions against traditional regimes
• The liberals initiative is taken over by
Islamists
• Ungoverned territories
• Terrorists strengthening (prisoners)
• State of the art weapons + experience
• Foreign fighters
• Unconventional - CBRN
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
The Civil War in Syria
Northern Idlib
Aleppo and Its Countryside
Katibat Ajnad ash-Sham ()‫كتيبة أجناد الشام‬
Katibat al-Shuhaba’ ()‫كتيبة الشـــــــــــهباء‬
Katibat Abu Talhah al-Ansari ()‫طلحة األاري‬
Katibat Ansar al-Haqq ()‫كتيبة أنصار الحق‬
Katibat Jabar bin ‘Abd Allah ()‫كابر عبد هللا‬
Katibat Burj al-Islam ()‫كتيبة برج اإلسالم‬
Katibat Sa’id bin Zayid ()‫كتيبة سعيد بن زيد‬
‘Amar bin Yasir ()‫عمار بن ياسر‬
Katibat Sa’d bin Mu’az ()‫كتيبة سعد بن معاذ‬
Katibat Hasan bin Thabit ()‫سان بن ثابت‬
Katibat Sayyuf al-Sunnah ()‫ كتيبة سيوف السنة‬Katibat Ahfad ‘Ali bin Abu Talib ()‫بن أبيلب‬
Abu Darda’ ()‫أبو الدرداء‬
Katibat Abu al-Zubayr ()‫كتيبة أبو الزبير‬
Ladhakiyyah
Katibat Jund ar-Rahman ()‫ كتيبة جند الرحمن‬Ahbab al-Rasul ()‫أحباب الرسول‬
Katibat Zayid bin Harith ()‫كتيبة زيد بن حارثة‬
Katibat al-Khadra’ ()‫االخضر كتيبة أنصار الحق‬
Katibat al-‘Abas ()‫كتيبة العباس‬
Katibat Suqur al-Ladhakiyyah ()‫كتيبة صقور الالذقية‬
Sarayah Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman ()‫اليمان‬
Katiat Asad al-Sunnah ()‫كتيبة أسد السنة‬
Southeastern Idlib
Katibat Zayat al-Haq ()‫كتيبة رايات الحق‬
Katibat Sayyuf al-Islam ()‫كتيبة سيف االسالم‬
Katibat ‘Abd Allag bin ‘Umar ()‫كبد ا بن عمر‬
Katibat Abu Hudhayfah ()‫كتيبة أبو حذيفة‬
Katibat Salah ad-Din ()‫كتيبة صالح الدين‬
Katibat al-Aqsa ()‫كتيبة األقصى‬
Katibat Dhia’ al-Islam ()‫كتيبة ضياء اإلسالم‬
Katibat at-Tawhid ()‫كتيبة التوحـيـد‬
Katibat al-Mujahidin ()‫كتيبة المجاهدين‬
Katibat al-Alqsa ()‫كتيبة األقصى‬
Katibat al-Qawat al-Khasah ()‫كتيبة القوات الخاصة‬
Katibat at-Tawhid wa-l-Iman ()‫كالتو واإليمان‬
Sarayah Abu ‘Abd Allah Li-l-Maham al-Khasah (
Katibat al-Shuhada’ ()‫كتيبة الشهداء‬
Bayyariq al-Islam ()‫بيارق اإلسالم‬
Tajama’a Jund al-Islam ()‫تجمع جند اإلسالم‬
Katibat Jawhar al-Dudayyif (
Siham al-Layl ()‫سهام الليل‬
Katibat Abu al-Islam ()‫كتيبة أبو إسالم‬
Katibat Ahfad Muhammad al-Fatih (
Katibat al-Husayn ()‫كتيبة الحسين‬
Katibat Nusibah al-Ansariyyah ()‫نُسيبة األنصارية‬
Katibat Abu ‘Ubaydah al-Jarah (
Katibat al-Qa’qa’ ()‫كتيبة القعقاع‬
Katibat Abu Hasan ()‫كتيبة أبو الحسن‬
Katibat al-Ansar ()‫كتيبة األنصار‬
Katibat ‘Az ash-Sham ()‫كتيبة عزّ الشام‬
Katibat Saraya al-Majad ()‫ كتيبة سرايا المجد‬Katibat al-Ansar ()‫كتيبة الفرقان‬
Katibat al-Ahwaz ()‫كتيبة األحواز‬
Liwa’ al-Haqq
Katibat al-Riyyah al-Jinah ()‫كتيبة رياح الجنّة‬
Katibat al-Saqiq ()‫كتيبة الصديق‬
Katibat Khalid bin al-Walid ()‫كتيبة خالد بن الوليد‬
Katibat al-Furati ()‫كتيبة الفراتي‬
al-Kharsa’ ()‫الخرساء‬
Katibat al-Huda ()‫كتيبة الهدى‬
al-Murabitin ‘Ala ad-Din ()‫المرابطين على الدين‬
Katibat al-Nasir Li-Din Allah ()‫لدين هللا‬
Katibat Hamzah Sayyid al-Shuhada’ ()‫الشهداء‬
Katibat Siba’ al-Bar ()‫كتيبة سباع البر‬
Katibat Shuhada’ Baba ‘Umru ()‫ بابا عمرو‬Katibat al-Shahid Yusuf Yasin ()‫كتيبة أنصار الحق‬
Dara’a
Katibat Atba’ al-Rasul ()‫ كتيبة أتباع الرسول‬Katibat ‘A’ishah Um al-Mu’minin ()‫كم المؤمنين‬
Katibat Mus’ab bin ‘Amir ()‫كتيبة مصعب بن عمي‬
Katibat al-Yarmuk ()‫اليرموك) كتيبة عباد هللا)بن ثابت‬
Katibat al-Ansar ()‫كتيبة األنصار‬
Katibat al-Bara’ ()‫كتائب البراء‬
Katibat al-Bara’ bin Malik ()‫لبراء بن مالك‬
Jaysh at-Tawhid
Liwa’ Tariq bin Zayad ()‫لواء طارق بن زياد‬
Katibat Abu Qasim ()‫كتيبة أبو القاسم‬
Katibat al-Sawarikh ()‫كتيبة الصورايخ‬
Katibat Ahbab al-Mustafa ()‫أحباب المصطفى‬
Damascus and Its Countryside
Katibat al-Ansar ()‫كتيبة األنصار في بنش‬
Katibat Yazid bin Ma’wayah ()‫يزيد بن معاوية‬
Katibat Jund ash-Sham ()‫كـتـيـبـة جند الشام‬
Katibat Mus’ab bin ‘Umar
Katibat ‘A’ishah Um al-Mu’minin ()‫المؤمنين‬
al-Zubayr bin al-‘Awam ()‫الزبير بن العوام‬
Suqur al-Islam
Katibat al-Rahbah ()‫كتيبة الرحبة‬
Katibat Fajr ash-Sham ()‫كتيبة فجر الشام‬
Kata’ib al-Iman al-Muqatilah
Liwa’ al-Mansur ()‫لواء المنصور‬
Katibat Fajr al-Islam ()‫كــتــيبة فجر اإلسالم‬
Katibat Hamzah bin ‘Abd al-Mutalib
Katibat Hadhifah bin al-Iman ()‫ كتيبة حذيفة بن اليمان‬Jama’at al-Tali’ah al-Islamiyyah
)‫محمد بن مسلمة‬
Katibat Ahmad ‘Asaf ()‫كتيبة أحمد عساف‬
Katibat Zayd bin Thabit ()‫كتيبة زيد بن ثابت‬
Katibat ‘Abd Allah bin Salam ()‫ كتيبة عبد هللا بن سالم‬Katibat Shuhada’ ()‫كتيبة شهداء‬
Saraya Ahmad Yasin ()‫سرية أحمد ياسين‬
Katibat Muhammad bin Muslimah ()‫كتيبة محمد بن مسلمة‬
The Coast
Katibat Nusur al-Sahil ()‫كتيبة نسور الساحل‬
Katibat ‘Abadah al-Samit ()‫كتيبة عبادة بن الصامت‬
Katibat Nusrah al-Madhlum ()‫كتيبة نصرة المظلوم‬
Katibat Ibn Taymiyyah ()‫كمية)كتيبة محمد بن مسلمة‬
Ariha and the Mountains
Katibat ‘Abad ar-Rahman ()‫باد الرحمن‬
Fuwaris al-Sunnah ()‫فوارس السنّة‬
Katibat Rijal Allah ()‫كتيبة رجال هللا‬
Katibat Abu Dujanah ()‫كتيبة أبو دجانة‬
Katibat al-Sariyyat al-Jabal ()‫ن مسلمة‬
al-Jazirah (Northeastern Syria)
Katibat al-Miqdad bin al-Aswad ()‫ود‬
Katibat Ahrar al-Jazirah ()‫حرار الجزيرة‬
Katibat Tal Hamis ()‫كتيبة تل حميس‬
Katibat al-Qadisiyyah ()‫كتيبة القادسية‬
Abu Muhajir ()‫أبو مهاجر‬
Musa bin Nasir ()‫موسى بن نصير‬
Katibat ‘Ali bin Abu Talib ()‫ن أبي طالب‬
Harakat al-Fajr al-Islamiyyah )‫مسلمة‬
al-Ghab (Hama)
Katibat al-Sayyidah ‘A’ishah ()‫عائشة‬
Katibat ‘Uthman bin ‘Afan ()‫بن عفان‬
Katibat ‘Ali bin Abu Talib ()‫ن أبي طالب‬
Ahrar Jiblah ()‫أحرار جبلة‬
Katibat ‘Umar bin Khatab ()‫ن الخطاب‬
Katibat Abu Bakr as-Sadiq ()‫ر الصديق‬
Katibat Qawafil al-Shuhada’ ()‫شهداء‬
Katibat
Ansar al-Haqq ()‫بة أنصار الحق‬
Liwa’ al-Iman
Katibat Abu al-Fida’ ()‫كتيبة أبي الفداء‬
Katibat Salah ad-Din ()‫يبة صالح الدين‬
Katibat Abu ‘Ubaydah ‘Amar bin al
Katibat ‘Amad ad-Din Zanki ()‫ن زنكي‬
Katibat al-Hamzah bin ‘Abd al-Mut
Katibat al-Zubayr bin al-‘Awam ()‫ام‬
Katibat al-Bara’ bin ‘Azib ()‫بن عازب‬
Katibat Shuhada’ al-‘Arbayyin ()‫عين‬
Katibat al-Mulazim Awal Ra’id Muq
Katibat Tariq bin Zayad ()‫ارق بن زياد‬
Katibat al-Fatihin ()‫كتيبة الفاتحين‬
Katibat Abna’ al-Islam ()‫أبناء اإلسالم‬
Katibat al-Furqan ()‫كتيبة الفرقان‬
Katibat al-Qa’qa’ ()‫كتيبة القعقاع‬
Homs and Its Countryside
Katibat Junud ar-Rahman ()‫الرحمن‬
Katibat al-Hamra’ ()‫الكتيبة الحمراء‬
Katibat Ansar al-Sunnah wa-l-Shar
Katibat ‘Adnan ‘Aqalah ()‫عدنان عقلة‬
Katibat ‘Abad Allah ()‫عباد هللا)بن ثابت‬
1. Sunni – Salafi - Global Jihad (ISIS)
2. Sunni – Salafi - Local Jihad (Jabhat)
3. Sunni – Muslim Brotherhood
4. Kurds
5. FSA – Free Syrian Army
6. Hezbollah
7. Assad Forces
Mercenaries:
• Qardawi – Call for volunteers
• Over 60 countries, 10,000 foreign fighters (mainly to ISIS & Jabhat al-Nusra)
• Over 2000 fatalities, (older age with families)
• Main source countries – Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Chechnya, Saudi Arabia.
• Others: Kuwait, Lebanon, Chad, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Turkey, Jordan
• Israel – 15-20 Israeli Arabs, (2013 – 2 Israeli Arabs from Taybe arrested).
Concrete Challenges
The Growing Threat of ISIS
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The Anatomy of the Islamic State
Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali Muhammad al-Badri al-Samarra
ISIS 2011
Heading ISIL as of May 2010
Abu Bakr )Iraq+Syria(
Amir al-Mu'minin, proclaimed as caliph 2014 (Mosul)
ISIL
Wanted - 10 Million dollar.
al-Baghdadi
Was born – 1971, Samarra, PhD– Bagdad U– Islamic studies"Caliph Ibrahim”)Iraq+Levant(
Was arrested 2005 – 2009, Iraq
Was seriously hurt in May 2015 airstrike?
Deputies – supreme council
Fadel Ahmed Abdullah al-Hiya
Iraq -Former Major
District general ,Military
Former Lieutenant general ,
Military intelligence and
Special forces under
Sadam
Fighters
Assistance
Council
Abu
Kassem
Foreign fighters
Suicide attackers
Abu
Muslim alTurkmani
Shura
Council
Legal
Council
Abu Arkan
Al –Ameri
Enforcing the
“Sharia” law
Jugging religious
Law breakers
- Verdicts
intelligence
District
6 X Governor
Abu Ahmed
Al-Alwani
8-13 Members
Military
activities
Governor
Abu
Kofah
Weapons
Casualties
Women
Explosives
Financial
Council
Media
Council
Abu Salah
Abu Hajar
Al -Assafi
Drafting Laws Abu Louay
Key Policies
Aka Abu Ali
Nominating
The Caliph
Saladin Kirkuk SE Euphrates Borders
Abu
Suja
ISIL, 2007
Al Qaeda-AQI
2003, Iraq
Syria
Abu District
Ali alAnbari 6 X District
Cabinet – Overall Policy
Security
District Governors in Iraq
Council
Military
Leadership
Council
Council
9-11 Religious
Leaders
Nominating
Governors
councils
Abu
Shema
Abu
abu
Omar musab alAl-bgdadi zarqawi
Internal Policing
Executions
Bagdad
Anbar
Monetary
Road Blocks
management
“Beatles” (British)
Weapons
Hostages
Acquisition
Oil Sales
Propaganda
Regulating
Media &
Social Media
ISIS is the “Real Thing”
IRA
PFLP
Fatah
PFLP/GC
Hamas
Al Qaeda
PIRA (provisional)
Real IRA
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
ISIS
The ISIS Epidemic
• Majlis Shura Shaba al-Islam • Jaysh al-Sahaba fi Bilad al-Sham
• Jund al-Rahman Brigade
• Abu Mohjen Al-Taifi
• Ansar Al-Shari'a
• Mu'tah Islamic Army
Lybia
• Al-Ikhlas Brigade
Philippines
Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis
• The Army of the Prophet's
Companions in Greater
Mujahideen of
Sinai, Egypt
• Jaysh Al-Sahaba
Eastern Indonesia
Jama‘at Abu Sayyaf
Al-Huda group –
Kamal Abu al-Yaqdhan
Syria
Maghreb
• Abu Yazid Abd al-Qahir al-Khurasani
• Tehreek-e-Khilafat
• Abd al-Rahim Dost Al-Afghani
Ansar al-Tawhid al-Hind
Ansar al-Islam
India
Boko Haram
Nigeria
Iraq
Movement for Oneness and
Jihad in West Africa - Hammad
bin Muhammad al-Amin
Mali
Taliban Pakistan
Abu Malik al-Tamimi
AQ – Afghanistan
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
Concrete Challenges
The War against ISIS
The US campaign in Iraq
August 8, US president Barack Obama announced air strikes against Isis in Iraq.
16 September 2014 - Dempsey and Hagel: The US is “at war” with Isis.
23 September 2014 - The US military - the total number of attacks against Isis targets in Iraqi
territory - 194.
At first on the average 3-5 daily air strikes, in Iraq Recently 15-20 daily strikes in Syria and Iraq
Israel in Gaza – in pillar of defense (2011) - approx. 187, protective edge (2014) – approx. 167
The US campaign in Syria
The American led airstrikes against ISIS in Syria
September 2014
September 10th 2014 Barack Obama announced
“an open-ended bombing campaign against
ISIS militants that will extend into Syria for the first
time.
“We will conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes
against these terrorists,” said Obama.
Up to September 25th –
33 Airstrikes in Syria.
Qalamoun:
Qara
Dier Al Atiya
Al Hajar Al Aswad
Al Yarmouk
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
US Airstrikes on ISIS 23 September 2014 - ISIL Finance center in Raqqa.
The attack was engaged with tomahawk cruise missiles fired from the USS Philippines sea.
Was a finance center
destroyed or
damaged?
In a CENTCOM statement: (23 September 2014) - The strikes destroyed or
damaged multiple ISIL targets in the vicinity of the towns of Ar Raqqah
including a finance center.
Copyright © Dr. Boaz Ganor
Hezbollah Website (January 2015)