Iran & AQ: a safe haven or holding cell?

[davidbfpo]

A "radical" and former UK-based militant, Moazzam Begg, has a column on foreign fighters (subject of a thread) and within is this passage:

One of the leaders of Ahrar al-Sham is Abu Khalid al-Suri, an associate of mujahideen ideologue Mustafa Setmariam Nasser (aka Abu Musab al-Suri) who was arrested by Pakistani forces in 2005 and handed over to US authorities as part of the War on Terror. Through the US rendition programme Abu Musab al-Suri was sent to the Asad regime. Both men remained in Syrian custody until the former was released in 2011 while the latter’s whereabouts remained a mystery.

Link:http://www.cageprisoners.com/our-wor...-war-on-terror

[davidbfpo]

The Long War Journal reviews the AQ-Iranian relationship and concludes:

Al Qaeda's Iran-based network continues to operate despite the war in Syria.

Link:http://www.longwarjournal.org/archiv...#ixzz2s5t4XOo3

[davidbfpo]

Catching up I found this Long War Journal report, dated May 12th 2014:

In a response to al Qaeda emir Ayman al Zawahiri's latest attempt at reconciliation with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham, ISIS spokesman Abu Muhammad al Adnani made a startling admission: Al Qaeda has ordered its fighters and branches to refrain from attacking the Iranian state in order to preserve the terror group's network in the country.

Link:http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat...#ixzz32Aoe7X6g

[OUTLAW 09]

Catching up I found this Long War Journal report, dated May 12th 2014:

Link:http://www.longwarjournal.org/threat...#ixzz32Aoe7X6g

David----this is not a surprise as both the Sunni/AQI and Shia insurgent groups in Iraq after 2008 were buying and selling HME among themselves as the Sunni's had developed into major explosive producers (tens of tons of HME) and they purchased on a number of times finished EFPs or EFP components from the Shia groups for use in their IED attacks against US Forces as the EFPs turned out to be one of the most feared IED types in Iraq.

[davidbfpo]

A short update after the air attacks in Syria, which starts with:

A striking commonality between two al-Qaeda figures that made headlines this week is that they both lived in Iran. Muhsin al-Fadhli, targeted by a U.S. airstrike in Syria on Monday night, is a reported al-Qaeda figure who was reportedly placed under house arrest in Iran

Link:http://english.alarabiya.net/en/view...mplicated.html

Just me, I am curious that the cited report and the one it refers to are from Arab newspapers. A reminder to others Iran remains an untrustworthy partner against ISIS?

[davidbfpo]

The first paragraph in an article on the AQ -v- ISIS contest which fits here, my emphais:

The latest edition of Dabiq, the flagship publication of the group that calls itself the Islamic State (IS), includes an eviscerating, accusation-laden polemic against al-Qaeda’s central leadership in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The article, titled, “Al-Qa’ida of Waziristan – A Testimony of Within,” was written by Abu Jarir al-Shamali, an al-Qaeda commander who spent around seven years in an Iranian prison followed by three years in FATA, and defected to IS earlier this year (some media reports that al-Shamali actually spent the immediate post-9/11 years in Iraq rather than Iran)

Link:http://nationalinterest.org/feature/...da-heats-11962

[davidbfpo]

More of an updated amalgam of plots, perhaps the "alliance that shall not be spoken of" needs some barbs inside The Beltway?

Link:http://m.weeklystandard.com/articles...html?nopager=1

[davidbfpo]

Within a longer WoTR article on how to use the newly released documents from Bin Laden's home in Abbottabad I spotted this:

The al Qaeda operatives holed up in Iran have always been a big black hole in understanding al Qaeda. Why did they go there? What were they up to? Was Iran in bed with al Qaeda? Check out this document in particular and others describing the Iran linkages with al Qaeda. It appears al Qaeda lost a lot of manpower to Iranian detention. It’s possible that the reason for al Qaeda’s weak showing in Libya post-Arab Spring was due to its losing many of its key former members of the Islamic Fighting Group to Iran’s prisons. The entire Iran aspect in these documents is new stuff.

Link:

Follow the underlined link to the document (6 pg PDF in English):http://warontherocks.com/2015/05/con.../?singlepage=1

[davidbfpo]

Via Twitter an update:

Hamzah bin Ladin's new audio confirms that Abu Basir Nasir al-Wuhayshi was the "deputy leader of Qa'idat al-Jihad". Also interesting: he mentions some of the Iran-based AQC leaders he studied under and speaks of them as still in prison. They were: Ahmad Hasan Abu al-Khayr, Abu Muhammad al-Misri, Sayf al-'Adl and Sulayman Abu Ghayth.

The author is 'alleyesonjihad', a French student.

Quick research found Sulayman Abu Ghayth has been in US custody since March 2013 (subject of posts here IRRC). Both Abu Muhammad al-Misri and Sayf al-'Adl have been reported to be in Iran via Wiki.

[davidbfpo]

An Ali Soufan column on FP explaining how the long wanted suspect for the Kobar bombing in 1996, is now in Saudi custody; having flown from Iran to Lebanon and being arrested:http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/08/...zbollah-iran/?

Under-statement:

...the question of why Hezbollah allowed Mughassil to be plucked from its own backyard — without any retaliation or even a tangible response — may be even more fascinating.

(Later) Mughassil’s capture and arrest should be a lesson to state-sponsored terrorists everywhere: They are being played as pawns and are only safe as long as they are useful.

[OUTLAW 09]

Ah, but this could get "awkward" now... The Bin Laden Papers: al Qaeda’s secret deals with Iran.

http://on.wsj.com/1UQwhbP via @WSJ

Mod's Note: article is behind a registration / paywall alas.

[davidbfpo]

Anonymous intelligence sources led to this Sky News report; it starts with:

Iran has released five senior al Qaeda operatives from detention and will soon allow them to leave the country, prompting fears they will join other terrorists in Syria planning attacks on the West. According to intelligence sources, three of the five are members of al Qaeda's ruling committee the Shura Council.
They were released in exchange for an Iranian diplomat kidnapped in Yemen earlier this year.

(Later) intelligence sources said, were believed to be still in Iran but there are fears that they will be allowed to leave - probably to refill positions inside al Qaeda's leadership structure that has been mauled by drone attacks in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria and Somalia.

Link:http://news.sky.com/story/1552303/te...-qaeda-members

[davidbfpo]

The NYT adds:

The Iranian government, in a statement on Thursday after the release was reported by Sky News earlier this week, denied that the five men had been freed....The release of the men could re-energize the militant group, providing an influx of vetted leaders at a crucial time, terrorism experts say.

Link:http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/18/wo...-a-trade.html?

So six months ago this release happened or didn't, then a week ago the Khobar Towers suspect appears to have been "given up".

[davidbfpo]

The Long War Journal assesses the recent reports and concludes:

There is no question that Saif al Adel, Abu Mohammed al Masri and Abu Khayr al Masri are among al Qaeda’s most senior leaders....the freed jihadists may serve another purpose. Jihadists on social media have circulated a rumor suggesting that al Qaeda plans on relaunching a new branch inside Iraq, in direct competition with the Islamic State. The al Qaeda leaders released from Iran are well-positioned to lead this effort....These men could argue the opposite, saying they, and al Qaeda, are Zarqawi’s true heirs.

Link:http://www.longwarjournal.org/archiv...-from-iran.php

Now if that assessment is correct the Iranian "release" makes sense in countering ISIS. Indeed a certain US general has mooted using AQ to counter ISIS; strange world sometimes.

[OUTLAW 09]

CrowBat...back to our JaN discussion........could this be the inherent key....Iranian ties into JaN via AQ?????

Could the protective hand of the IRGC/Khamenei be over them and not so much the Russians?????

There is in fact some similarities between AQs jihadist view of revolutionary Islam and the "revolutionary Islam" preached and written about by Khomeini that both Shia and Sunni's can relate to.

Iran’s Partnership with al-Qaeda and Unanswered Questions | The Syrian Intifada - by .@KyleWOrton
https://kyleorton1991.wordpress.com/...red-questions/ …

(Mod's Note: This article is dated September 19, 2015)

Iran instrumentalizes al-Qaeda by facilitating travel of AQ members to #Syria -> weakening moderates

In 2011, Treasury reported Iran-Qaeda "secret deal".
In 2014, Treasury added these details: http://bit.ly/1QaIhQ4

(Mod's Note: This article by Kyle is dated March 24, 2014)

Sayf al-Adel was also recently freed by #Iran >> Iran’s Partnership with al-Qaeda and Unanswered Questions

And if Sayf al-Adel has now made his way into Syria, no surprise: al-Qaeda has been operating networks feeding Nusra from Iran for years.

There are a number of comments indicating he is indeed in Syria with JaN.

Sayf al-Adel worked out the plan for the formation of a jihadist statelet with Abu Musab az-Zarqawi in 2002. In #Iran.

[OUTLAW 09]

AQ has collaborated with Iranian intel (Pasdaran/IRGC) for 20+ years.
There's a whole book if you're curious:

http://www.amazon.com/Unholy-Terror-.../dp/B0044KMWPI …

[davidbfpo]

Hat tip to Outlaw 09 spotting these passages, with my emphasis in bold:

The collection includes letters to subordinates in al-Qaeda, messages from followers willing to carry out suicide attacks, and screeds on issues including bin Laden’s conviction that the United States and Iran were poised for an apocalyptic war. In one letter, bin Laden scolds one of his deputies for threatening attacks against Iran, saying, “As you are aware, Iran is our main artery for funds, personnel and communication.”
Members of bin Laden’s family were held in Iran for years in a murky state of house arrest, leading to speculation that al-Qaeda and Tehran had formed a wary partnership. But U.S. intelligence officials said they have found no evidence in the Abbottabad files of any formal arrangement along those lines.

Link:https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...4ec_story.html

Another, Arabic source (in English) and hat tip to Outlaw 09:http://english.aawsat.com/2016/01/ar...ed-to-al-qaeda

[SWJ Blog]

An article on SWJ: Iran: al-Qaeda’s “Main Artery for Funds, Personnel and Communication.” The Recently Released Osama bin Laden Letters

It has a number of references.

[OUTLAW 09]

Great summary from @JoelWing2 >> Iran#s Ties With Al Qaeda In Iraq’s [#IS's] Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
http://goo.gl/wNigNG
http://alqabas.com/7368/

[OUTLAW 09]

New Latakia emir of Jabhat an-Nusra (al-Qaeda in #Syria), Iyad at-Tubasi (Abu Julaybib), is a brother-in-law of #IS founder Zarqawi.

Nusra's new coastal emir, Iyad at-Tubasi, fought alongside Zarqawi in AFG, and moved with Zarqawi to Iraq in 2002, before the invasion.

Some of this is undeniable: #Iran's had an operational cnx with al-Qaeda since 1996, a partnership even longer.
http://i24ne.ws/ZWOzL

Iyad at-Tubasi was wrong reported killed in DEC 2012, was said to have been replaced as Nusra's Deraa emir by Mustafa Abd al-Latif Saleh.

Mustafa Abd al-Latif Saleh is also from Zarqa, and arrived early in Iraq with Zarqawi (2003 latest), working on the Assad-overseen ratlines.

Both Iyad at-Tubasi and Mustafa Abd al-Latif Saleh were among the ISI advanced party that entered Syria in AUG 2011 to create Nusra.