Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses www.rsis.edu.sg ISSN 2382-6444 | Volume 10, Issue 3 | March 2018 A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM RESEARCH (ICPVTR) Threat of Urban Jihadism in South Asia Abdul Basit Using Theology to Legitimise Jihadist Radicalism Syed Huzaifah Bin Othman Alkaff Analysing Cameroon’s Anglophone Crisis C. Nna-Emeka Okereke Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses Volume 9, Issue 4 | April 2017 1 Building a Global Network for Security Editorial Note Emergence of Post-‘Islamic State’ (IS) Threat Environment The continuing terrorist attacks in the West is narrowly sectarian, brutally violent and tech and different parts of Asia and Africa savvy. This pro-IS generation of jihadists uses underscore the resilience, adaptability and various social media platforms for propaganda regenerative nature of the prevailing global dissemination, recruitment and operational terrorist threat. With these attacks, the planning. In recent months, they have moved contours of the post-IS threat environment are from open-end to encrypted social media now becoming increasing clear. It entails four applications. This development coupled with major issues: a decentralised threat their segregated cell-formations makes their Wlandscape, the challenge of returning foreign detection challenging. In conclusion, the fighters from Iraq and Syria, the emergence of author suggests that in addition to robust new IS hotspots in the Philippines, social media monitoring capabilities and Afghanistan and parts of Africa, and cyber operational preparedness, various South Asia radicalisation. This requires continued governments would also require robust vigilance, collaborative responses and sharing counter-ideological responses to overcome of best practices between security institutions and neutralise IS appeal in this generation of and intelligentsia. South Asia jihadists. In the context of continuing terrorist threat, the Highlighting the threat from social media, massacre of over 500 civilians in Eastern Syed Huzaifah Bin Othman Alkaff examines Ghouta in Syria by the Bashar Al-Assad the trajectory of online radicalisation of a regime is concerning for several reasons. The young Filipino girl, whose quest to atone brutal use of violence will continue to fuel herself from a ‘sinful’ past life exposed her to jihadist recruitment, strengthen the extremist IS-recruiters online. The recruiters encouraged narrative and create space for IS-linked and her to undertake the so-called ‘hijra’, after other militant groups to survive. Whether it is which she emerged as the head of IS’ female Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan, the absence of wing in Marawi (Mindanao, Phillipines). Syed conflict stabilisation has undermined counter- highlights the need for a proactive approach terrorism efforts in these war-torn territories. by the governments and mainstream Islamic The imagery of civilian killings in Ghouta plays scholars to impart correct interpretations of right into the hands of groups like Al-Qaeda key Islamic concepts such as jihad, caliphate, and IS as these groups continue to be the by- hijra and takfir to Muslim youth. It is argued products of anarchy and lawlessness in active that these efforts will circumvent the conflict zones. exploitation of these concepts by violent- extremist groups. Against this backdrop, the first article by Abdul Basit explores the urban footprint of Departing from the discussion on Islamist pro-IS jihadists in South Asia. The author terrorist groups, this issue carries an article by observes that the dissemination of IS ideology C. Nna-Emeka Okereke focusing on the of Jihadi-Takfiri-Salafism has galvanised a dynamics of the current indigenous new generation of South Asia jihadists, which Anglophone (English-speaking population) ADVISORY BOARD Editor Sara Mahmood Dr. Rohan Gunaratna Dr. Fernando Reinares Associate Editor Abdul Basit Professor of Security Studies Director, Program on Global Terrorism, Head of International Centre for Political Elcano Royal Institute Professor of Security Copywriters Jennifer Dhanaraj Studies, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Violence and Terrorism Research Teertha Samal Madrid, Spain Sylvene See Dr. John Harrison Associate Editor Journal of Transportation Design and Layout Okkie Tanupradja Dr. Stephen Sloan Security Professor Emeritus, The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and Dr. Kumar Ramakrishna The University of Oklahoma not of ICPVTR, RSIS, NTU or the organisations to which the Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses authors are affiliated.Volume Articles 9, may Issue not be4 |reproduced April 2017 without prior Associate Professor Lawrence J. Chastang, permission. Please contact the editors for more information at Head of Policy Studies & Coordinator of Distinguished Professor of Terrorism Studies, [email protected]. The editorial team also welcomes any feedback National Security Studies Programme The University of Central Florida2 or comments. Editorial Note The Emergence of Post-‘Islamic State’ (IS) Threat Environment crisis in Cameroon and the escalating violence between the community in the northwest and southwest and the government. The Anglophone community is resentful towards what is perceived to be their marginalisation and the erosion of their unique identity as a result of various government actions relating to issues such as the creation of a centralised Wstate from a two-state federation, and status of the English language. A segment of the Anglophone community has resorted to violence to address its grievances, conducting arson attacks and bombings targeting schools, government and security personnel. The instability has resulted in the displacement of thousands of refugees into Nigeria and poses security challenges to the country as it goes into the Presidential elections, and to the entire Lake Chad Basin. ADVISORY BOARD Editor Sara Mahmood Dr. Rohan Gunaratna Dr. Fernando Reinares Associate Editor Abdul Basit Professor of Security Studies Director, Program on Global Terrorism, Head of International Centre for Political Elcano Royal Institute Professor of Security Copywriters Jennifer Dhanaraj Studies, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Violence and Terrorism Research Teertha Samal Madrid, Spain Sylvene See Dr. John Harrison Associate Editor Journal of Transportation Design and Layout Okkie Tanupradja Dr. Stephen Sloan Security Professor Emeritus, The views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and Dr. Kumar Ramakrishna The University of Oklahoma not of ICPVTR, RSIS, NTU or the organisations to which the Counter Terrorist Trends and Analyses authors are affiliated.Volume Articles 9, may Issue not be4 | reproduced April 2017 without prior Associate Professor Lawrence J. Chastang, permission. Please contact the editors for more information at Head of Policy Studies & Coordinator of Distinguished Professor of Terrorism Studies, [email protected]. The editorial team also welcomes any feedback National Security Studies Programme The University of Central Florida3 or comments. Threat of Urban Jihadism in South Asia – Abdul Basit Threat of Urban Jihadism in South Asia Abdul Basit With the ingress of IS Jihadi-Takfiri-Salafism different. The state sovereignty and territorial ideology in South Asia, a new generation of integrity of regional countries, barring educated jihadists from middle and upper Afghanistan, are intact. The presence of middle-classes has emerged in the region, strong institutional structures, robust posing increased security threats. These militaries and security institutions and militants use social media for recruitment, syncretic culture will impede IS efforts to propaganda dissemination and operational expand its presence in South Asia beyond its planning. Unlike previous generations of current footprint.1 IS’ so-called message of jihadists which were pan-Islamist, these caliphate is over-simplistic in comparison militants are overtly sectarian and with the complex socio-cultural and religio- unapologetically brutal and indiscriminate. political environment of the region.2 Various South Asian governments will require robust counter-ideological capabilities Moreover, the South Asian militant landscape to counter the threat of urban jihadism in the is structured and highly competitive. The region. well-established militant groups such as the Afghan Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Introduction Jasih-e-Muhammad and others will hinder efforts of IS-affiliates to encroach into their In the last few years, the traction of IS spheres of influence. The South Asian IS- ideology in South Asia has mobilised a new affiliates have neither the numbers nor the generation of radicals among the educated resources to challenge these well-grounded youth of urban middle and upper-middle and extensive militant groups.3 classes. This generation of educated jihadists operate in a de-centralised manner Also, IS is an outsider to South Asia; the in cell formations or as lone-wolf actors impermissible barriers of language, culture, making their detection and eradication a geography and distance will not allow the challenging task. Moreover, with terror group to carve out a niche in the improvements in surveillance capabilities of region.4 More importantly, IS is a Salafi- the security institutions to monitor the open- Takfiri-Jihadi group while most of the militant end social media platforms, these militants groups in South Asia follow Deobandi- have moved to encrypted channels like Hanafism. As such, IS would not find