The Failure of Salafi-Jihadi Insurgent Movements in the Levant

SEPTEMBER 2009 . VOL 2 . ISSUE 9 From the LJ to the TTP The Failure of Salafi-Jihadi terrorist plots in the Levant, it does not Today, the LJ is still involved in terrorist appear responsible or interested in the attacks in Pakistan. Little is known Insurgent Movements in few Islamist insurgent movements that about the group’s current activities, and the Levant have arisen in the region.5 it is not completely clear how the two factions of the LJ—the Basra group and By Bilal Y. Saab This article assesses why the Levant the Qari Hayye group—have evolved. has been a less attractive place for Both factions likely still exist, although it is remarkable that the Levant, a global Salafi-jihadis and a more different leaders are in charge. The sub-region plagued by internal and challenging environment for them to Basra group, for example, is now part external crisis conditions that are mobilize and conduct operations. It of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and generally conducive to terrorism and attributes these failures to the existence contributes to its jihadist operations. LJ political violence, has been free from of well-established mainstream Islamic operatives probably help facilitate the any insurgent1 Islamist group with movements in the Levant that see the TTP’s terrorist acts in Punjab Province, verifiable material ties to al-Qaìda’s violent and extreme Salafi-jihadis where the LT/SSP has an established central leadership.2 The two ambitious as a threat to their interests; the base.22 attempts by Arab Salafi-jihadis to create distinct historical and socio-political insurgent forces in the Levant occurred circumstances in the Levant that make it In fact, a similar paradigm is now in Lebanon in May-September 2007 less hospitable to Salafi-jihadi ideology; occurring with the TTP. The Pakistani when Fatah al-Islam3 violently emerged the relative success of the region’s government blames the TTP for nearly in the northern part of the country, and security and intelligence services to every terrorist attack in Pakistan, some on August 15, 2009 in Gaza when Jund prevent the Salafi-jihadi threat from of which likely had little to do with the Ansar Allah4 declared war on Hamas. inflating; the subduing effect of Iran’s organization. Yet just like the LJ, it is These two attempts sought to radically dominant influence in the Levant; and easy to scapegoat the TTP rather than change the existing socio-political finally the lack of material support from reveal the true extent of jihadist violence orders in Lebanon and Gaza through the al-Qaìda’s central leadership to Salafi- in Pakistan and the many groups and use of religiously-inspired insurgent jihadi insurgent groups in the region. actors involved. violence. Both attempts failed, however. Although al-Qaìda has been tied to Al-Qaìda’s Lack of Allies in the Levant Arif Jamal is a visiting scholar at New York Other than Jund al-Sham6 and Fatah al- University and author of Shadow War: Islam (and the now crushed Jund Ansar The Untold Story of Jihad in Kashmir. 1 The emphasis on the word “insurgent” is deliber- Allah), al-Qaìda does not have allies ate and used to differentiate from the word “terrorist.” in the Levant that could effectively While there are a number of analytical and practical dif- help project its influence and ideology ferences between an insurgent group (or insurgencies) into the region and to serve its various and a terrorist group (or cell), this article only focuses on strategic objectives.7 four: one, insurgent groups enjoy a certain level of support from a segment of society, whereas terrorist groups Jund al-Sham’s lack of organizational usually work alone and do not need indigenous sup- coherence, discipline, and fighting port; two, insurgent groups are usually bigger and bet- capabilities make it an unreliable partner ter armed than terrorist groups; three, insurgent groups for al-Qaìda in the Levant.8 Far from work overtly, whereas terrorist groups operate most effectively in a clandestine fashion; four, insurgent groups 5 No hard evidence on direct material ties between these find it essential to seize territory for the realization of two groups and al-Qaìda’s central leadership has ever their revolutionary objectives, while terrorist groups emerged, even though they appear to share the same generally do not. ideological agenda. 2 Very few comprehensive studies have been written on 6 Jund al-Sham is a title claimed by several Sunni Islamic al-Qaìda’s presence and influence in the Levant. For a extremist entities, all or none of which may be connected. commendable paper on the subject, see Hassan Mneim- These entities mostly operate in Lebanon, Syria and Jor- neh, The Jihadist International: Al-Qaìda’s Advance in the dan, and their goals include the establishment of an Is- Levant (Washington, D.C.: American Enterprise Insti- lamic caliphate throughout the Levant. tute, April 8, 2009). 7 For instance, without the Taliban in Pakistan and 3 Fatah al-Islam is a militant Sunni Islamist group that Afghanistan or the Salafist Group for Preaching and is inspired by al-Qaìda’s ideology. Its members are Combat in Algeria, al-Qaìda would have found it ex- mostly Arabs from various Middle Eastern countries. It tremely difficult, if not impossible, to expand and oper- emerged in the Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp ate in South Asia or the Maghreb. More examples where in Lebanon in November 2006. Its goals are unclear but al-Qaìda relied on local support to expand its influence include the establishment of an Islamic state in northern and pursue its goals in various regions around the world Lebanon. include al-Shabab in Somalia, al-Qaìda in Iraq, and the 4 Jund Ansar Allah was founded in southern Gaza in Abu Sayyaf Group in the Philippines. November 2008 as an armed Sunni Islamist group with 8 There are three groups—Hizb al-Tahrir, Jaysh al-Is- 22 Hassan Abbas, “Defining the Punjabi Taliban Net- strong Salafi-jihadi credentials. Its goals include the es- lam, and Jaysh al-Umma—in the Palestinian Territories work,” CTC Sentinel 2:4 (2009). tablishment of an Islamic state in Gaza. that claim to be inspired by al-Qaìda’s ideology, but they 14 SEPTEMBER 2009 . VOL 2 . ISSUE 9 being an al-Qaìda “franchise” in the enter Ain al-Hilwah.11 In Syria, Jund al- the Salafist groups in the north, who Levant, Jund al-Sham is a title claimed Sham has been accused of perpetrating can be regarded as ideologically closer by several Sunni Islamic extremist a number of terrorist operations in the to al-Qaìda than other Islamic groups, entities, all or none of which may be country and of facilitating the stream have no ties to al-Qaìda and are largely connected. More like a movement, of Islamic fighters that reportedly non-militant and involved in preaching Jund al-Sham, whose alleged link to make their way to Iraq through Syrian activities. These Islamic entities and the late al-Qaìda in Iraq (AQI) leader territory.12 others such as the Lebanese Shià group Abu Musàb al-Zarqawi stems from Hizb Allah have made it more difficult reports that he had arranged training Fatah al-Islam’s crushing defeat for al-Qaìda to mobilize and create a for the group’s fighters at al-Qaìda and ultimate transformation from a solid base in Lebanon. camps in Afghanistan, has a presence centralized insurgent group to a loose in Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps network of underground terrorist cells In Syria, the Syrian Muslim after the Nahr al-Bared battle with the Brotherhood, the biggest and most “Al-Qaìda’s ideology does Lebanese army in the summer of 2007 important Sunni Islamist group in the makes it an unreliable partner for al- country that is opposed to al-Qaìda’s not have a strong popular Qaìda. extremism, is seen by many Syrians following or support base as a safety valve against al-Qaìda’s Meanwhile, Usama bin Ladin and attempts to establish an insurgent in most of the Levant.” Ayman al-Zawahiri could not relish the presence in their country.15 In Jordan, news of the birth of Jund Ansar Allah the Salafists and Jabhat al-Amal Islami in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. As soon as (Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood) are the group’s leader Shaykh Abdel Latif peaceful and denounce al-Qaìda. In the and in Syria (possibly in Jordan too).9 Moussa publicly declared an Islamic Levant, Islamic politics, like all politics, Jund al-Sham members have been emirate in Gaza, Hamas forces, who are local and are rarely connected to the described by terrorism analysts and have been officially in charge of the global Salafi-jihadi movement. Arab counterterrorism officials as Strip since the June 2007 coup against jihadist freelancers who are only tied the Palestinian Authority, confronted Al-Qaìda’s Ideology: Few Followers in the together by ideology and a desire to the newly-born Salafi-jihadi group and Levant violently defend a radical Islamic order. killed 22 of its members in a day-long Al-Qaìda’s ideology does not have a Many Islamic fighters tied to Jund al- gun and artillery battle.13 Hamas has strong popular following or support Sham in Lebanon merged with Fatah al- repeatedly fought al-Qaìda-inspired base in most of the Levant. This is in Islam during its rise and fall, while the entities in its bid to impose its influence part because of the region’s long history rest went into hiding and took refuge in and role over Palestinian society.

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