Masada al-Mujahideen

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Masada al-Mujahideen
مسعدة المجاهدين
Political leaderAbu al-Walid al-Maqdisi
Dates of operation2008–2013
Allegiance Flag of Jihad.svg Al-Qaeda
Ideology Salafist jihadism
Wahhabism
Statusdefunct
Allies Flag of Jihad.svg Tawhid and Jihad Group in Jerusalem
AQMI Flag asymmetric.svg Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem
OpponentsFlag of the United States.svg United States
Flag of Israel.svg Israel
Flag of Hamas.svg Hamas
Flag placeholder.svg Jaysh al-Ummah
Battles and wars Gaza–Israel conflict

Masada al-Mujahideen (Arabic : سعدة المجاهدين) was a Palestinian terrorist organization associated with Al-Qaeda operating within the Gaza Strip. [1]

Contents

History

The group first came into prominence after releasing a video online showing them dropping a bomb on the Israeli city of Sderot. [2] This prompted the Israeli Air Force to carry out airstrikes against Masada al-Mujahideen in the Gaza Strip. [3] Following clashes with the Israeli Defense Forces, another jihadist organization in the Gaza Strip, Jaysh al-Ummah (also known as the Army of the Ummah), began fighting Masada al-Mujahideen due to disapproval of their activities. [4] Later that year, Masada al-Mujahideen established a media wing for propaganda called Riah, [5] which initially operated on Google+ until its account was taken down. [6] The group then moved its operations to Facebook, [7] where it created eulogies for Osama bin Laden, [8] Attiya Allah, [9] and Abu Yahya al-Libi. [10]

Attacks in Israel

Masada al-Mujahideen, a couple of months after the bomb attack, threatened further "operations" in Israel. [11] Later that day, they claimed responsibility for a train fire in Haifa. [12] A few days later, they also claimed responsibility for a cargo ship fire in Eilat. [13] In July 2011, they claimed responsibility for a forest fire in Jerusalem [14] and the Alfei Menashe fire. [15] In October 2011, they took responsibility for multiple arson attacks in Israel. [16] In November 2011, they claimed responsibility for an arson attack on a chemical factory owned by the Israeli government, [17] and in December, they claimed responsibility for an arson attack on an industrial center. [18] In 2012, they claimed responsibility for an arson attack in Be'er Ya'akov [19] and set a military base in Ashkelon, owned by the Israel Defense Forces, on fire. [20] Later that month, they claimed responsibility for an arson attack on an airplane factory in Haifa [21] and a residential fire in the same city. [22] In May 2012, in Northern Israel, they claimed responsibility for a series of fires and arson attacks, including some in the Golan Heights. [23] The following day, they also claimed responsibility for fire attacks targeting IDF guards. [24]

Attacks in Palestine and at Hamas

A month after the cargo ship fire, Masada al-Mujahideen attacked Palestinian Liberation Organization's soldiers following Palestine's initiation of land negotiations with Israel. [25] The group also began carrying out light attacks on Hamas in response to their treatment of prisoners of war and regular detainees. [26] In 2012, Masada al-Mujahideen accused Hamas of being responsible for the death of Salafi Jihadist leader Abu al-Walid al-Maqdisi and subsequently threatened and carried out attacks against Hamas. [27] [28]

Arizona wildfires and Nevada forest fires

In 2012, Masada al-Mujahideen attempted to claim responsibility for the Nevada forest fires, but their claim was later disproved. [29]

In 2013, during one of Arizona's wildfires, Masada al-Mujahideen claimed responsibility with the statement, "Masada al-Mujahideen Fulfilled its Promise and Attacked America Again After the Expiration of the Period with Fires that Achieved Historic Results." [30] They also celebrated the deaths of 19 firefighters who were attempting to put out the wildfire. However, local authorities in Arizona rejected the organization's claim. [31] [32]

See also

Related Research Articles

Note: This compilation includes only those attacks that resulted in casualties. Attacks which did not kill or wound are not included.

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Hisham Al Saedni, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Walid al-Maqdisi, was a Palestinian military activist and a Muslim leader and founding member of the Mujahideen Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem in the Gaza Strip and he was also leader of al-Tawhid wa al-Jihad, a branch of al-Qaeda in Gaza.

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References

  1. ↑ "Masada al Mujahideen" . TRAC. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  2. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Video of Rocket Attack on Sderot" . SITE Enterprise. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  3. ↑ Farrall, Leah (2017). "Revisiting al-Qaida's Foundation and Early History". Perspectives on Terrorism. 11 (6): 17–37. ISSN   2334-3745. JSTOR   26295954.
  4. ↑ "Army of the Ummah Takes Issue with Palestinian Faction" . SITE Enterprise. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Changes Media Arm's Name" . SITE Enterprise. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  6. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen's Media Arm Joins Google's Social Network Website" . SITE Enterprise. 20 July 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  7. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Moves to Facebook After Google+ Account Banned" . SITE Enterprise. 6 August 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  8. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Gives Eulogy for Usama bin Laden" . SITE Enterprise. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  9. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Gives Eulogy for Attiya Allah" . SITE Enterprise. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  10. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Gives Condolences for Abu Yahya al-Libi" . SITE Enterprise. 11 September 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  11. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Threatens More Operations in Israel" . SITE Enterprise. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  12. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Train Fire in Israel" . SITE Enterprise. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  13. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Ship Fire Near Eilat, Israel" . SITE Enterprise. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  14. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Jerusalem Forest Fire" . SITE Enterprise. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  15. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Alfei Menashe Fire" . SITE Enterprise. 11 October 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  16. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Multiple Arsons in Israel" . SITE Enterprise. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  17. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Arson at Chemical Factory" . SITE Enterprise. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  18. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Arson at Industrial Center" . SITE Enterprise. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  19. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Arson in Be'er Ya'akov". SITE Intelligence Group . 31 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  20. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Military Base Fire in Ashkelon" . SITE Enterprise. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  21. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Arson in Haifa Plane Factory" . SITE Enterprise. 11 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  22. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Residential Fire in Haifa City" . SITE Enterprise. 15 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  23. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Series of Fires in Northern Israel" . SITE Enterprise. 22 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  24. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Claims Fires Targeting Israeli Security Agents" . SITE Enterprise. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  25. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Attacks Negotiations for Palestinian Land" . SITE Enterprise. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  26. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Condemns Hamas' Treatment of Prisoners" . SITE Enterprise. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  27. ↑ Says, Mike Merlo (15 October 2012). "Masada al Mujahideen says Hamas is responsible for death of top Salafi leader, threatens attacks". FDD's Long War Journal . Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  28. ↑ "Masada al-Mujahideen Threatens Hamas, Israel Over Assassination" . SITE Enterprise. 15 October 2012. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
  29. ↑ "Palestinian Militant Faction Claims Nevada Forest Fire" . SITE Enterprise. 8 February 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  30. ↑ "Palestinian jihadist group claims credit for Arizona wildfire". FDD's Long War Journal . 3 July 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  31. ↑ "Arizona Officials 'Unequivocally' Reject Palestinian Jihadist Group's Claim of Responsibility for Wildfires". The 5 Towns Jewish Times . 12 July 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  32. ↑ "Palestinian Militant Group Gives Dubious Claim for Arizona Wildfire" . SITE Enterprise. 3 July 2013. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
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