A Study of "Martyrs in a Time of Alienation" (XIV)

A Study of "Martyrs in a Time of Alienation"
Part XIV

In January 2008, Al-Fajr Media Center, an al-Qaida affiliated media group, released an extensive issue in its series, "Biographies of the Martyrs in the Land of Khorasan."  The book -- in the summary translation used here -- consists of 120 brief biographies of men who died in the insurgency against Coalition forces and regional governments.  The following is a brief analysis (in green) of the book's content based on a summary translation available through WNC (Dialog), see the "Introduction" post for record information.

Previous posts can be found here.  This is Part XIV.

Abu−Abdallah al−Jaddawi: His name is Muhsin Bin−Abdallah Bin−Salih al−Awlaqi from Saudi Arabia. He traveled to Afghanistan where he received his military training in Kandahar. He fled to the tribal areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan and was later assigned with other Al−Qa'ida fighters to go to Jalalabad to recruit and reorganize. He was killed in an operation against their position.

This Saudi’s bio shares a common element with several others in the collection: after the fall of the Taliban, AQ went through a period of recollection and regrouping.  It’s training capabilities moved quickly to the other end of Pakistan (just how would make for an interesting research paper), and some members were scattered throughout Afghanistan with the task of reconstituting the group’s support among the local tribes.  It may appear to be so much old news, but these reformative years actually provide insights into how current AQ (and other future groups) respond to extreme pressures.

Abdallah Jan al−Afghani: His name is Salwalah from Afghanistan. He worked in the clandestine service of Al−Qa'ida alongside Abu−Zubaydah and was charged with recruiting foreign fighters to Afghanistan and smuggling them to Pakistan as secret agents. He joined Abu−al−Layth al−Libin in eastern Afghanistan where he was killed in a US air bombing.

What the hell is the “clandestine service”?!  This is very interesting, because it suggests that AQ has some kind of secret apparatus (a la the Muslim Brotherhood) that helped move recruits into Pakistan for some unclear purpose, possibly training (?), after the Taliban fell.  It also suggests that Zubaydah had some leadership role other than being the group’s “#3” after the death of Abu Hafs al-Masri. 

Abdallah Bin al−Basri: His full name is Abdallah Bin Sami Bin−Muhammad Bin−Fahmi Tufankashi born in Saudi Arabia to Egyptian parents. He traveled at an early age to Afghanistan with his father who participated in jihad against the Soviet invasion. They left and returned after the Taliban took control of Kabul. Abdallah Tufankashi received his military training in Kandahar. He fled to eastern Afghanistan after the US invasion where trained new recruits and was later killed in an operation by US forces.

Here is another example of family-centered Salafist-Jihadism.  Clearly not all AQ members and supporters convert to the group’s ideology.  Some men are raised into it.  It’s difficult to say whether the generational Salafist-Jihadis are better represented into the current incarnation of the group, but it suggests that father-son relationships sometimes play a role. 

Abdallah al−Afghani: His name was Muhammad Anwar from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He was a member of the Taliban who was assigned the role of an interpreter. He died in a battle against government forces in Zabul, Afghanistan.

Interesting to see that even the Taliban apparently needs interpreters.

Abu−Ubaydah al−Banshiri al−Shahri: His name was Sa'd Bin−Khalid al−Shahri from Saudi Arabia. He served in the Saudi armed forces before he traveled to Kandahar, Afghanistan. He fled to the tribal areas of Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban and later died in Shankay area.

How many more members of the “Saudi armed forces” are active supporters of AQ?

Abu−Ubaydah al−Hijazi: His name was Muhammad bin Dulaym al−Asmari from Saudi Arabia. He traveled to Afghanistan through Iran. His arrival to Kandahar coincided with the fall of the Taliban and was forced to flee to the tribal areas among Abu−al−Layth al−Libi's fighters. He was killed in Shankay, Afghanistan.

Another Saudi – this one is known to have transitted through Iran – who died in Shankay, apparently a victim of bad timing. 

Abu−Abd−al−Rahman al−Kanadi al−Masri: His name was Ahmad bin Sa'id bin Khudr from Egypt. He traveled to Afghanistan to support mujahidin against the Soviet invasion. He returned to Afghanistan from Canada and remained there until the fall of the Taliban. He fled to the eastern region of Afghanistan where he was later killed.

An Egyptian by birth, this jihadi’s bio suggests at how easy it has been for some Western passport holders to travel to and from regions of active violent jihad.