Fear Is Cheap – AQAP & The Parcel Bomb Plot

by Florian Flade

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„If your opponent covers his right cheek, slap him on his left“

– al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) states in its latest issue of the English-language Online Magazine „Inspire“ releases last night. It is a special issues highlighting new details about the failed package bomb plot in October. Never before has a terrorist group laid out why the obvious failure of an attack was still regarded as a great success because of the reaction by those targeted.

AQAP provided the reader with new information about the actual explosive devices as well as about the motives and intentions behind the parcel bombs sent to Chicago synagogues. While the West was shocked it still called the plot a „failed attempt“ to down Western cargo planes with bombs hidden in a laser printer and a printer cartridge AQAP is cheering about their interpretation of success in this latest propaganda document.

„For our enemies to think that intercepting such a package is evidence of their success is truly ridiculous“ – AQAP propaganda staff writes -„this supposedly „foiled plot“, as some of our enemies would like to call, will without a doubt cost America and other Western countries billions of dollars in new security measures.“

„We will continue with similar operations and we do not mind at all in this stage if they are intercepted“ – the Jihadis warn – „It is such a good bargain for us to spread fear amongst the enemy…in exchange of a few months of work and a few thousand bucks.“

AQAP claims the whole cost for the plot they call „Operation Hemorrhage“ was just a few thousand dollars. „Two Nokia mobiles, $150 each, two HP printers, $300 each, plus shipping, transportation and other miscellaneous expenses add up to a total bill of $4,200“ – the new al-Qaeda Magazine says – „A $4,200 operation will cost our enemy billions of dollars.“

Causing fear and Wester countries to spend billions for new bomb detection systems to check international mail therefore was the real intention of AQAP. And this was indeed achieved even without the bombs actually detonating.

„From the start our objective was economic“ – al-Qaeda describes the plot – „Bringing down a cargo plane would only kill a pilot and co-pilot. It is true that blowing up the planes in the sky would add to the element of fear and shock but that would have been an additional advantage to the operation and not a determining factor of its success.“

Nevertheless the explosive devices were meant to explode and had been designed to penetrate the regular detection system at commercial airmail centers. A militant named Ikrimah al-Muhajir (indicating he is a Non-Yemeni), explains the technical details of the bombs: „We used a device that contains organic, non-organic material, and metals. The toner cartridge contains the toner which is carbon based and that is an organic material. The carbon’s molecular number is close to that of PETN. We emptied the toner cartridge from its contents and filled it with 340 grams of PETN. We then inserted the detonator. We designed the detonator to be short so that it wouldn’t be detected and we filled it with 4 grams of Lead Azide.“

„If inspected the toner could be pulled out and would look normal without any wires sticking out. This method makes human inspection of the printer useless“, AQAP claims and presents new images showing the HP laser printer prior to sending it via mail. Because of this design and the lack of security in airmail transportation, the bomb packages even made from Yemen where al-Qaeda handed them over to FedEx and UPS staff to Dubai and even the United Kingdom before being intercepted.

„The packages not only made it out of Sanaa but one of them made it all the way to London and if it was not for an intelligence tip, both devices would have detonated“ – AQAP writes. Their initial targets were Jewish synagogues in the U.S.. AQAP even gives a reason why they choose especially the city of Chicago: „Both synagogues are in Chicago, Obama’s city.“

Further the new AQAP paper lists several questions presented to the reader. One of them reads „Isn´t it funny how America thinks AQAP has only one bomb maker?“ The man who´s name was mentioned shortly after the intercepted bomb packages, as the possible bomb maker in the parcel plot case, is Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri. Al-Asiri, a Saudi most-wanted al-Qaeda member, is said to head AQAP´s bomb-building classes. His own brother, Abdullah Hassan al-Asiri carried out the failed suicide bombing against Saudi interior minister Prince Mohammed Nayef in 2009.

„Our brother Ibrahim al-Asiri is safe and well and he is currently busy teaching a new batch of students the latest in bomb making skills“ – AQAP states in the new magazine, answering the question brought up by a CNN anchorman in October.

In my mind, the new al-Qaeda „Inspire“ issue is not really a big surprise. Its layout, the language and whole appearance is an indication this magazine again was produced by American Samir Khan – AQAP´s chief editor.
There is nothing really new in it except from the detail information that „less than six“ AQAP men planning and carried out the parcel bomb plot, the overall alleged cost of the attack attempt and the three-month-plotting phase.

Interesting to note is the fact that AQAP willingly confirms the media report that Saudi intelligence gave crucial information about the bomb plot to US and European partner and thereby interception was possible and the attack failed.

Al-Qaeda´s Greetings to Dead Crusaders

by Florian Flade

 

 

 

 

 

 

When British and Dubai security officials finally found what they were looking for after a hours-long search for two bombs hidden in packages sent via U.S. postal companies UPS and FedEx on October 28th, they were surprised to see who was listed as the addressor of the parcels.

Al-Qaeda addressed the UPS package, which was found on board a cargo plane that had just landed on East Midland Airport in Britain, to a Chicago resident named „Diego Deza“. The second mail bomb sent via FedEx from Sanaa to Chicago, was intercepted in Dubai. This time, it was addressed to „Reynaldkrak“.

Diego de Deza and Raynald Krak are not actual residents of Chicago but historical figures associated with Christian brutality against Muslims.

Deza was a Spanish Church official and Theologian, born 1444 in León. He was Archbishop of Sevilla in 1504 prior to succeeding Thomas de Torquemada as Grand Inquisitor of Andalus (Spain) in 1498. Under Deza´s rule, data says 1664 people were burned to death alive and about 32,500 other people were sentenced to torture and other forms of punishment. Most of his victims were reported to be Muslims and Jews living in Andalusia back then. Diego Deza, who sentenced accused „Secret Muslims“ to torture until they confessed being followers of Islam, died in 1523 in Sevilla.

Reynald Krak is a variant of the name Raynald of Chatillon, a Crusader Knight who took part in the Second Crusade and become famous because of his attacks on Muslim caravans. He was married first to the Princess of Antioch before being captured by the Muslim army in 1159 and imprisoned in Aleppo for 17 years. In 1176, after he was released from Muslim captivity, Raynald married Stephanie, the heiress of Kerak (or Krak, in today´s Jordan) and Mont Royal.
In 1182 as a new war broke out between the Latin empire and Muslim leader Salahuddin, Raynald, who was known as „Arnat“ by the Muslims, launched ships on the Red Sea, planning to attack Mecca and take the fight to the Arabian Peninsula.

In the very same year, Raynald was attacked by Salahuddin in an assault on his castle in Krak during the marriage of Raynald´s stepson Humphrey. The Crusaders defended the fortress and Salahuddin retreated. A truce was announced between King Guy of Jerusalem and the Muslim leaders, which was not respected by Raynald of Krak who tried to attack a caravan on its way from Cairo to Damascus in which Salahuddin´s sister was said to travel in.

Crusader Knight Raynald beheaded by Salahuddin

Salahuddin swore the disrespectful Crusader Warlord Raynald would die once he would fall into Muslim hands again. Indeed, in 1187, at the Battle of Hattin, Raynald as well as King Guy and other Crusader leaders were captured by the Muslims. It is said, Salahuddin ordered Raynald to come into his tent and offered him life if he becomes Muslim. The Knight refused and was then beheaded by Salahuddin himself or one of his guards.

As usual al-Qaeda did not miss the symbolism point when it sent the explosive-filled packages from Yemen to the United States. Jewish Synagogues in Obama-Town Chicago were the final destinations of the two potentially deadly packages while the names of historical Anti-Muslim „boogeymen“ were carefully chosen.

„Oh enemies of Allah, await the good news of what will harm you“ – al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula wrote in the claim of responsibility for the parcel bombs, released yesterday on the internet forums. The packages, al-Qaeda states, were „headed to the Jewish Zionist Temples“.

Symbolism is very important to the organization since it started global attacks on American targets and American interests. The attempted parcel bombings are just the latest examples of this Jihadi symbolism.

Al Qaeda in Yemen Claims Responsibility for Parcel Bombs – and more

by Florian Flade

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Yemen) has claimed responsibility for the failed parcel bomb attacks about one week ago and also stated it was behind the crash of a UPS cargo plane in Dubai on September 3th.

„We in the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula were awaiting good news“, the statement by the group says, claiming responsibility for bombing a cargo airplane in Dubai, which was described by Dubai authorities as an accidental crash.

„We brought down one plane…and we did tried it again, sending one via UPS and the other via FedEx“- al-Qaeda writes, „To Obama: We planned three attacks against airplanes this year and we will continue strikes on America´s interests and the interests of America´s allies – Allah willing.“

The terror group even demands fellow Jihadis around the globe to follow the example of the mail bombs. „We intent to show this idea to our Mujahideen brother in the world and expand this application to include civil airplanes.“

Read the full statement of responsibility here

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