Latest Articles and Blog Posts

The Islamic Fighting Group in Libya's First Statement

October 13, 2018 at 3:40 pm

In the 1990s, the Qadhdhafi regime faced a limited and unsuccessful insurgency launched by the Islamic Fighting Group in Libya (Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية المقاتلة بليبيا), more commonly known as the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and usually abbreviated as LIFG in English.

In my view, the former translation of the full name is more appropriate, even if a debate about translating the full name might seem a little pedantic. The reason I mention this point is that the former translation conveys a better sense of the group's broader vision: namely, a jihadist group that happens to be in Libya for the time being, with ambitions not necessarily confined to Libya.

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Interview with the Armed Islamic Group's Amir

October 12, 2018  •  aymennjawad.org

Over the course of 1995-1996 CE, the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) alienated many people who had come under its banner inside Algeria as well as many supporters abroad. The GIA's amir Djamal Zitouni (Abu Abd al-Rahman Amin) was assassinated by elements who had turned against the GIA. In his place came Abu Talha Antar Zouabiri (/Zawabiri), who did nothing to improve the declining reputation of the GIA.

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The Armed Islamic Group's Allegiance Pledge Document

October 9, 2018 at 1:16 pm

As can be seen from the manifesto of the Armed Islamic Group (GIA) published with the signature of Abu Abd al-Rahman Amin (Djamal Zitouni) in Sha'aban 1416 AH (c. late December 1995 CE-late January 1996 CE), the group repeatedly emphasized that it was the sole legitimate Islamic group fighting in its abode of Algeria, and as such required all Muslims within that abode to hear and obey its amir. For those who wanted to work with the GIA as a fighting force inside Algeria and/or formally join the group's ranks, it was required to pledge allegiance and sign a document called wathiqat al-ta'ahhud ("pledge document"). This document is presented in this post.

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The Middle East Studies Association and Islamic State Documents- Complaining About What?

October 8, 2018  •  History News Network

[Originally published under the headline "Why is the Middle East Studies Association Trying to Stop the Online Publication of Islamic State Documents?"]

Why would the Middle East Studies Association (MESA), the primary umbrella organization for the field of Middle East studies, oppose the New York Times partnering with George Washington University (GWU)'s Program On Extremism to produce a public archive of the thousands of Islamic State (ISIS) documents the newspaper retrieved from northern Iraq?

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The Armed Islamic Group's Manifesto

October 8, 2018  •  aymennjawad.org

The Armed Islamic Group is more widely known by the acronym GIA, derived from the French translation of its name: Groupe Islamique Armé (original Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية المسلحة). The GIA gained notoriety in the 1990s as the main jihadist group operating in Algeria's civil war. While the GIA became known to the wider world for the terrorist campaign it conducted inside of France (targeting the country for its support for the Algerian government), the GIA also attracted considerable controversy within jihadi circles for its tactics and approach, particularly within Algeria.

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