David O. Johnson (talk | contribs) removed incorrect info for date active; cited ref indicates that "the Khorasan group probably was deployed in Syria some time after that" & gives no specific date [other than 2012] |
David O. Johnson (talk | contribs) →Criticism of term: removed info that isn't really criticism |
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==Criticism of term== |
==Criticism of term== |
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A 23 September 2014 article by the [[Carnegie Endowment for International Peace]] noted that "the sudden flurry of revelations about the 'Khorasan Group' in the past two weeks smacks of strategic leaks and political spin |
A 23 September 2014 article by the [[Carnegie Endowment for International Peace]] noted that "the sudden flurry of revelations about the 'Khorasan Group' in the past two weeks smacks of strategic leaks and political spin".<ref name=ceip/> |
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In an article in ''[[The Intercept]]'', journalists [[Glenn Greenwald]] and Murtaza Hussain stated that "There are serious questions about whether the Khorasan Group even exists in any meaningful or identifiable manner", describing reports of the group as "propagandistic and legal rationale" for military intervention.<ref>{{cite news|title=The fake terror threat used to justify bombing Syria|work=[[The Intercept]]|first=Glenn|last=Greenwald|first2=Murtaza|last2=Hussain|url=https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/28/u-s-officials-invented-terror-group-justify-bombing-syria/|date=28 September 2014|accessdate=6 October 2014}}</ref> Blogger Paul Woodward disagreed with Greenwald's interpretation, arguing instead that the creation of the name "Khorasan Group" was intended to "avoid headlines which would identify the target of a cluster of airstrikes by its real name: Jabhat al-Nusra [the al-Nusra Front]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Glenn Greenwald’s Khorasan conspiracy theory misses the point|work=War in Context|first=Paul|last=Woodward|url=http://warincontext.org/2014/09/29/glenn-greenwalds-khorasan-conspiracy-theory-misses-the-point/|date=29 September 2014|accessdate=7 October 2014}}</ref>{{reliable|date=October 2014}} The article written by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has noted that the group does exist.<ref name=ceip/> |
In an article in ''[[The Intercept]]'', journalists [[Glenn Greenwald]] and Murtaza Hussain stated that "There are serious questions about whether the Khorasan Group even exists in any meaningful or identifiable manner", describing reports of the group as "propagandistic and legal rationale" for military intervention.<ref>{{cite news|title=The fake terror threat used to justify bombing Syria|work=[[The Intercept]]|first=Glenn|last=Greenwald|first2=Murtaza|last2=Hussain|url=https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/28/u-s-officials-invented-terror-group-justify-bombing-syria/|date=28 September 2014|accessdate=6 October 2014}}</ref> Blogger Paul Woodward disagreed with Greenwald's interpretation, arguing instead that the creation of the name "Khorasan Group" was intended to "avoid headlines which would identify the target of a cluster of airstrikes by its real name: Jabhat al-Nusra [the al-Nusra Front]".<ref>{{cite news|title=Glenn Greenwald’s Khorasan conspiracy theory misses the point|work=War in Context|first=Paul|last=Woodward|url=http://warincontext.org/2014/09/29/glenn-greenwalds-khorasan-conspiracy-theory-misses-the-point/|date=29 September 2014|accessdate=7 October 2014}}</ref>{{reliable|date=October 2014}} The article written by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has noted that the group does exist.<ref name=ceip/> |
Revision as of 05:41, 20 October 2014
Khorasan | |
---|---|
(Arabic: خراسان) | |
Leaders | Muhsin al-Fadhli (allegedly killed)[1] |
Dates of operation | 2012 – present[2] |
Headquarters | West of Aleppo, Syria[3] |
Active regions | Syria |
Ideology | Salafiyya fundamentalism Sectarianism |
Part of | al-Qaeda al-Nusra Front[4] |
Allies | al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula[2] |
Opponents | United States Armed Forces European Union |
Battles and wars | 2014 military intervention against ISIL |
Khorasan, also known as the Khorasan Group, refers to a group of senior al-Qaeda members who operate in Syria.[6] The group is reported to consist of a small number of fighters who are all on terrorist watchlists, and coordinate with the al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. At an intelligence gathering in Washington, D.C. on 18 September 2014, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper stated that "in terms of threat to the homeland, Khorasan may pose as much of a danger as the Islamic State."[7] The United States had been keeping track of the group for two years, before reporting it in October 2014.[8]
Some have alleged that the threat the group represented was exaggerated to generate public support for American intervention in Syria.[9]
Name
Khorasan is a historical term for a region overlapping modern-day Afghanistan and Iran.[10] The name of the group was coined by intelligence agencies as a reference to the high-ranking Khorasan Shura; many members of the group are part of the leadership council within al-Qaeda.[11]
Membership
The group is described as "a very small group - dozens of fighters only", composed of experienced jihadis from various countries.[6][12] The group is believed to be made up of "al-Qaeda core" members, meaning the high-ranking members of al-Qaeda who moved to Pakistan following the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan.[2] An American intelligence source indicated the group numbers about 50 members.[5] Members of the group are said to have worked with bomb-makers from Yemen, including an al-Qaeda affiliated bomb-maker named Ibrahim al-Asiri[2] to target civilian aircraft heading to the United States[13] and other Western targets.[2] Another member of the group is Frenchman David Drugeon;[8] he was an intelligence officer who either worked with French military intelligence or the DGSE.[14]
The organization is reported to be led by Muhsin al-Fadhli, a prominent al-Qaeda member who went to Iran after the US invasion of Afghanistan.[7] Muhsin al-Fadhli's current status is unconfirmed, however he has been reported dead on social media by several known al-Qaeda members, including Sanafi al Nasr.[15] Another Khorasan Group member reportedly killed was Abu Yusuf Al-Turki, a Turkish national and jihadist.[16] Both are reported to have been killed on 23 September 2014 by US air strikes in Syria.[16]
There are indications that some members of the Khorasan Group (including Abu Yusuf Al-Turki) were part of an elite sniper subunit of the al-Nusra Front that was known as the Wolf Group; it was also called al-Qaeda Snipers.[17]
Activities
The group was initially reported to pose an "imminent" threat to the United States, with reports of potential plots involving "a bomb made of a nonmetallic device like a toothpaste container or clothes dipped in explosive material".[18]
Later statements by officials indicated that "there were no known targets or attacks expected in the next few weeks" at the time the US began bombing in Syria.[18] On 5 October 2014, FBI director James Comey stated, "I can't sit here and tell you whether their plan is tomorrow or three weeks or three months from now", but that "we have to act as if it's coming tomorrow."[19]
Criticism of term
A 23 September 2014 article by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace noted that "the sudden flurry of revelations about the 'Khorasan Group' in the past two weeks smacks of strategic leaks and political spin".[10]
In an article in The Intercept, journalists Glenn Greenwald and Murtaza Hussain stated that "There are serious questions about whether the Khorasan Group even exists in any meaningful or identifiable manner", describing reports of the group as "propagandistic and legal rationale" for military intervention.[20] Blogger Paul Woodward disagreed with Greenwald's interpretation, arguing instead that the creation of the name "Khorasan Group" was intended to "avoid headlines which would identify the target of a cluster of airstrikes by its real name: Jabhat al-Nusra [the al-Nusra Front]".[21][unreliable source?] The article written by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace has noted that the group does exist.[10]
2014 American intervention
On 23 September 2014, United States Central Command stated that they had made eight air strikes against the group’s training camps, command and control facilities and other sites in the area west of Aleppo, Syria.[3] The attacks were ineffective and killed only one or two militants, largely because the members of the group had advance warning.[8]
References
- ^ "Khorasan leader killed by U.S. air strike in Syria last week, Al-Qaida member tweets". Haaretz. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Phillips, James; Siegel, Josh (20 September 2014). "Q&A: Meet Khorasan, the Terrorist Group That Might Be Scarier Than ISIS". The Daily Signal. Heritage Foundation. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ^ a b Herridge, Catherine (23 September 2014). "US strikes target Al Qaeda veterans in Syria plotting 'imminent attack'". Fox News. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "The strange story behind the 'Khorasan' group's name". Washington Post. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Airstrikes in Syria That Targeted Khorasan Group Disrupted Plots Against US, Gen. Dempsey Says". ABC News. 7 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ a b Karouny, Mariam (26 September 2014). "Insight - U.S.-led strikes pressure al Qaeda's Syria group to join with Islamic State". Reuters. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
- ^ a b "US admits there is a much scarier terrorist group than ISIS". RT. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Syria Airstrikes Failed To Cripple Khorasan Threat". AP. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ Makarechi, Kia (29 September 2014). "Did the government invent an "imminent" threat to bolster support for war?". Vanity Fair.
- ^ a b c "What Is the "Khorasan Group" and Why Is the U.S. Bombing It in Syria?". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Al Qaeda Plotters in Syria 'Went Dark,' U.S. Spies Say". Newsweek. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ "Meet The Khorasan, The Terrorist Group That's Suddenly A Bigger Threat Than ISIS". Business Insider Australia. 24 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Syria's hard cell: Rise of Khorasan group alarms U.S." The Pueblo Chieftain. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Sources: U.S. air strikes in Syria targeted French agent who defected to al Qaida". McClatchy DC. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ "Al Qaeda leader claims key operative in so-called 'Khorasan group' was killed". The Long War Journal. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ a b "Khorasan leader's death suggested in militant tweets". AFP. 28 September 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ Paraszczuk, Joanna (2 October 2014). "Wolf or Khorasan: Who Was Jabhat al-Nusra's Abu Yusuf al-Turki?". Chechens in Syria. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ a b Levs, Josh; Cruickshank, Paul; Lister, Tim (23 September 2014). "U.S. strikes Khorasan Group in Syria". CNN. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ "Khorasan terrorists will attack US 'very, very soon,' FBI director warns". RT. 8 October 2014. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
- ^ Greenwald, Glenn; Hussain, Murtaza (28 September 2014). "The fake terror threat used to justify bombing Syria". The Intercept. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ Woodward, Paul (29 September 2014). "Glenn Greenwald's Khorasan conspiracy theory misses the point". War in Context. Retrieved 7 October 2014.