Jihadi 100-year strategy:

"The Targets inside Cities," from Mu'askar al-Battar, Issue 7 (March 2004)

republished from: The Jamestown Foundation, Terrorism Monitor, Volume II, Issue
14, www.jametown.org, July 15, 2004

By Abu Hajir Abd al-Aziz al-Muqrin

Translated by Jamestown

Translator's Introduction: The following translation is taken from Issue 7 of

Mu'askar al-Battar published in March 2004, the online military journal attributed
to al-Qaeda. The article, accredited to Abd al-Aziz al-Muqrin, provides a number
of insights into the tactics and planning of terrorist operations in urban
environments. Muqrin claimed to be the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
before his death three weeks ago at the hands of Saudi security forces. It remains
unclear whether Muqrin had been directly connected to Osama bin Laden or had
simply been an al-Qaeda offshoot. More than simply rantings of a fanatic, the
piece reveals that Muqrin and those sympathetic to his cause seek to advance their
radical agenda through sophisticated means and careful planning. The article
clearly suggests a coordinated effort to destabilize Western interests in the
Islamic world, by attacking their financial, diplomatic and military targets.
Despite his dogmatic overtones, the author is surprisingly pragmatic, advising
restraint when targeting ideological or religious opponents, as doing so may
produce a backlash from the local population. Furthermore, the text details
operations against economic targets, with the aim of disrupting the "air of
stability" necessary for trade and Western business interests to succeed.

While there is a commonly held belief that extremists wish to destroy our way of
life, this text indicates that their primary objective is the removal of "foreign"
forces and influence from Muslim lands. They view themselves as defenders rather
than aggressors, attempting to right the wrongs done to Muslims by Western powers,
and thereby restore power to an Islamic caliphate.

Introduction

Strikes inside cities are considered one type of military diplomacy, and this type
of diplomacy is often written in blood, decorated with the remains of the dead and
perfumed with the scent of gunpowder.

And it [this type of diplomacy] carries a political meaning relating to the nature
of ideological conflict, for it is considered to send messages to several parties.
Therefore one should, with great precision, be aware of their target, as in the
bombings of the al-Qaeda. Among the best examples of that point is what took place
at the hands of our four brothers (Khalid al-Sa'eed, Riyadh al-Hajiri, Abd al-Aziz
al-Mu`thim, Muslih al-Shamrani), certainly it was a bombing [carried out by]
heroes, God had mercy on them by meeting them with one of the first shots. Their
choice of target was a great success. The building was observed and owned by the
CIA. And this was a spark, and the beginning of the awakening which roused the
Mujahid youth and informed the Ummah to the reality of the presence of the
Zionists and Crusaders in the land of Muhammad.

Also, the operation in east Riyadh in 1424 Hijri [2003] had great significance and
directed an important message to the enemy: "Here we are, we struck Vinnell in
1416 H and here we are, striking it in 1424 H, so whatever you have hidden from
sight, we will find it, we are right behind you." The meaning is clear: the enemy
cannot dream of stability in the land of Muhammad.
In addition, what took place at the hands of our brothers Ali al-Ma'badi and Nasir
al-Sayyari, who targeted and attacked that which was a front for intelligence, is
evidence that military operations are diplomatic messages mixed with blood and the
remains of the dead, scented with the perfume of gunpowder and bullets.

Types of Targets Inside Cities

Part One: Targets of Ideological Complexion

In the beginning of any jihadi military act, it is not advisable to use force
against religious and ideological targets except in some exceptional cases which
include:

* Cases of Christianization in pure Islamic societies as occurred in Yemen

with the killing of the missionaries. [At a hospital in Jibla, December 2002] and
as is happening in Iraq in order to purify it from the evangelicals who are
attempting to convert the Muslims, evangelizing their religion in the areas of
Mesopotamia [i.e. Iraq] and as is happening now in Saudi Arabia. And to a limited
extent, in Riyadh where the distribution of bibles door to door was taking place
for a time. So in this case, if a hunt [for those missionaries] takes place, this
is a good thing, and in reality it is as if those who carry out these acts [are
giving] two favors to the Mujahedeen. We ask God to facilitate the hunt for them.
* Covert intelligence operations under any cover - even if they be religious.
However, any Muslims considered to be men of religious learning and faith [should
simply] not be interacted with, so that such interaction does not cause a violent
reaction from the Muslims who were deceived by these agents. If they were indeed
spies (God help us) - then any strike on those associated with religion and faith
would [only end up] glorifying them, raising their prestige and making them into
symbols - may God's wrath fall upon them!
* Also among the exceptional cases regarding ideological targets are some
priests, monks, rabbis or religious personalities who have carried out propaganda
attacks against Islam or Muslims, as happened when the cursed American priest
recently insulted the messenger of Allah. We ask Allah that he allow our swords to
come down on his neck. [Another example] is what Sayed Nosair did with the killing
of the Rabbi Kahane, may God curse him for insulting His Prophet.
* Likewise, among these exceptional cases are Jewish or Christian ideologues
who possess the ability to mobilize financially, militarily or morally against the
Muslims, as happened in past Crusader campaigns.

Part Two: Economic Targets

The goal in striking these targets is to upset security and the air of stability
necessary for growth in labor and speedy movement in the economy, such as a strike
on Iraqi oil wells and their pipelines, leading to the withdrawal of foreign
companies and at the least, ending the air of security and stability necessary to
plunder the wealth of the Muslims. Another goal of striking these targets is the
withdrawal of foreign heads of finance from the local markets. Among the gains in
such strikes are the strong economic impact felt by carrying out attacks in the
land of conflict as occurred for a brief period after the blessed Madrid strikes
which utterly affected the European economy. And in that manner, an economic blow
is two-fold to the international Crusader, Jewish or Apostate system.

Among the examples of operations in this vein:

* Operations which hit Jewish or Crusader investments in Muslim countries

* Striking international companies
* Striking international economic experts
 * Hits against imports from hostile crusade countries whether by military
means (as occurred with the explosion and burning of some American restaurants) or
by political means such as boycotting
* Strikes against the stolen raw materials from Muslim countries, as occurred
with the French oil carrier [Limburg], the hitting of the oil pipelines in Iraq
* Assassination and elimination of Jews working in the economic field, and
punishment for whoever cooperates with them economically but [only] after warning
him, and one should not be assassinated except he who has confirmed his apostasy
[by being with] the cooperators

Part Three: Human Targets

The goal is to target and kill the Jews and Christians among us. For to everyone
hostile towards God and His prophet and the believers, we say to you: we bring you
slaughter. Despite our present condition, we should not be limited by geographic
borders. For every Muslim land is our land and every Muslim country our country.
And there is no escape from the fact that we will make the lands of the
unbeliever’s hell as they have made our lands into hell. Therefore, it is upon
international cells all over the world to pay no attention to the geographic
borders of the enemies, but instead to be persistent in the pursuit of bringing
the unbeliever countries and their agents to that state [of hell], for they turned
Muslim countries into fields for testing their weapons and inventions. But there
is no escape from the reality that we will turn their lands into a hell of
destruction, the sons of the Islamic community will be strong enough for that, God
willing.

Priority in these operations should be given to Jews and Christians who have
official capacities in Muslim countries, the goal being to prevent stability in
Muslim lands. It is advised in the beginning to target easy, unprotected targets,
and the priority should be given to those countries which actively provide support
or protection to local apostate governments. For example, in Saudi Arabia: the
Americans firstly, then the British; in Iraq: the Americans; in Afghanistan: the
Americans; in Algeria: the French; in Indonesia, the Australians, and so on.

Ordering Human Targets in Order of Importance:

Jews: They are divided by importance; one should target American and Israeli Jews
first, then British Jews, then French and so on.

Christians: They are ranked by importance in the following order:

* Americans
* British
* Spanish
* Australians
* Canadians
* Italians

Then by the following divisions:

* Men of finance, labor and economy

* Diplomats, policy-makers, analysts, thinkers and political delegations
* Scholars and experts
* Military leadership and soldiers
* Tourists and travel groups, and all those warned by the Mujahedeen upon
their arrival

Apostates, they are ordered here by importance:

 * Those who are close to Christian and Jewish governments, thus the best
targets would be Husni Mubarak and the rulers of Arabian Peninsula and their
advisors.
* The modernists and seculars who have legitimized the abominations which they
believe in and who have mocked and ridiculed the faith, and those atheists who are
regarded as the hypocrites of this century
* Spies and secret police, for they are shielding and protecting the Jews and
the strong-arm of the collaborators rulers.

The Goals of Striking Human Targets

1. To clarify the nature of this ideological battle. For by targeting

Christians and Jews it makes clear that this is a religious struggle.
2. To show and make clear who the main enemy is, as is mentioned in the above
point.
3. To cleanse the earth and remove these apostate tyrants from our lands as
well as to create examples of deterrence.
4. To spread fear among the ranks of the enemy; this is set out for us in the
Shari`ah and is required of us in the following verse (8:60 Against them make
ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to
strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies)
5. To raise the moral of the Islamic Nation.
6. To undercut esteem for the government being attacked. After the attacks on
New York and Washington rubbed America's nose in the dirt.
7. To disrupt the plans of the infidels and apostates, as when Italy refused to
send troops to Iraq after bombings against Italians in Baghdad. Also when the
challenger for prime minister of Spain vowed to pull troops out of Iraq following
the attacks in Madrid.
8. In retaliation for the killing of Muslims, as Allah says in the Holy Qur'an
(16:126 And if ye do catch them out [and punish them], punish them no worse than
they punished you).

[The author goes on to discuss advantages and disadvantages of special operations

in urban environments, and detailed instructions on using dead drops to transfer
messages, arms and other materiel.]