Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Weekly: May 24-31, 2025

Memri

a day ago

The following are some of this week's reports from the MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) Project, which translates and analyzes content from sources monitored around the clock, among them the most important jihadi websites and blogs. (To view these reports in full, you must be a paying member of the JTTM; for membership information, send an email to [e-mail] with "Membership" in the subject line.)
Note to media and government: For a full copy of these reports, send an email with the title of the report in the subject line to [e-mail]. Please include your name, title, and organization in your email.
EXCLUSIVE: Palestinian Factions, Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias, Jihadi Clerics Celebrate Deadly Shooting At Jewish Event In Washington DC By Pro-Palestinian Activist Who Yelled 'Free Palestine!'
On May 21, 2025, a shooting attack took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where the American Jewish Committee was holding an event for young professionals.
EXCLUSIVE: Reacting To Shooting At Jewish Event In Washington D.C., Iran-Backed Houthi Leader Dismisses 'Biased' Stance, 'Exploitation' Of Incident To Silence Anti-War Voices; Pro-Hamas Media Outlet Likens Shooter To Yahya Sinwar
On May 21, 2025, a shooting attack took place outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., where the American Jewish Committee was holding an event for young professionals.
EXCLUSIVE: New Sunni Jihadi Organization In Lebanon, The Ahmad Al-Assir Brigade, Calls To Overthrow Lebanon's 'Sectarian Regime' And Establish Muslim Government Under Its Auspices; Says U.S. Embassy Is 'Base Of Collaborators, Agents, And Spies'
On May 24, 2025, a new Sunni jihadi organization in Lebanon opened a Telegram channel (at the time of writing its followers numbered 17) and posted an approximately three-minute video announcing its establishment.
EXCLUSIVE: "The Free Masked Man Movement" – A New Opposition Organization In Saudi Arabia, Comes Out Against The "Tyranny And Corruption" Of The Royal Family; Builds Military And Security Capabilities Towards A Possible Confrontation With The Authorities
On May 22, 2025, a new opposition movement to the Saudi regime announced its establishment.
EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Islamist Cleric With Ties To 2009 'Underwear Bomber' Denied Entry To Saudi Arabia, Sent Back To Nigeria
A Nigerian cleric was deported from Saudi Arabia while attempting to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.
Syrian Opposition Group Claims Attack Against Russian Forces At Khmeimim Air Base in Syria's Latakia Governorate, Threatens Russia To Leave Syria Within Month Or 'We'll Send You Back To Russia As Headless Corpses'
On May 21, 2025, a Syrian opposition group released an announcement on its Telegram channel claiming that two former HTS (Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham) operatives were killed in an "inghimasi" operation (commando-style attack behind enemy lines) against Russian forces at the Khmeimim Air Base, in Syria's Latakia governorate.
In Interview With Lebanese Daily, Shari'a Official Of Syria's Ansar Al-Sunnah Battalions Declares Targeting Minorities Current Priority, Denies Affiliation With Islamic State (ISIS)
In recent months, a new jihadi group has emerged in Syria claiming attacks on religious minorities, particularly Alawites and Druze.
Anti-Syrian Government Faction Shares Memo Attributed To ISIS Threatening Security Personnel, Foreign Fighters: 'Repent Before It Is Too Late'
On May 23, 2025, a Telegram channel which is affiliated with the country's Shi'ite Alawite community shared an alleged copy of a memo attributed to the Islamic State (ISIS) in Syria, which it said was circulated on outlets "close to the organization."
Islamic Resistance Front In Syria – Formidable In Might Militia Tightens Relations With Hizbullah-Backed Baqiyat Allah Brigades
On May 23, 2025, the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria – Formidable in Might militia posted a joint press release on its Telegram channel with a militia which is backed by Lebanese Hizbullah, announcing that the leadership of both factions had recently held "a wide-ranging coordination meeting."
Fatwa By Syria-Based Jihadi Clerics: Normalization With Israel Apostasy From Islam
On May 22, 2025, a Syrian committee comprised of ten Islamic clerics based in Syria under the supervision of an Egyptian-born cleric, published a fatwa on its Telegram channel ruling that normalizing relations with Israel is forbidden by Islam and anyone who does so becomes an apostate, whose life and property are forfeit.
Houthi Ansar Allah Movement Claims Two Same-Day Ballistic Missile Attacks On Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, Two Drone Attacks On Unidentified 'Vital Sites' In Haifa, Tel Aviv
On May 22, 2025, the Iran-backed Ansar Allah Movement (the Houthis) issued statements claiming missile and drone attacks targeting Israel's Ben Gurion Airport as well as two unidentified "vital" sites in Haifa and Tel Aviv.
Ansar Allah Houthi Movement Claims Ballistic Missile Attack On Ben Gurion International Airport
Yemen's Ansar Allah Houthi Movement claimed responsibility for firing missiles at Ben Gurion International Airport, as well as a "vital target" near Tel Aviv, Israel.
In His Weekly Speech, Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) Movement Leader Denounces 'Atrocities' In Gaza, Calls For Islamic Awakening, Reaffirms Houthis' Continuous Support Of Gaza Against Israel
On May 22, 2025, Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) Movement's leader delivered his weekly speech in which he denounced the worsening humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, criticizing Arab and Western alleged complicity.
Pro-Hizbullah Daily: Southern Syrian Tribes Seeking Weapons, Training From Parties In Turkey To Confront Israel, Syrian Government
On May 24, 2025, a pro-Hizbullah Lebanese daily published an article which quoted "field sources" in southern Syria's Daraa governorate, who claimed that "security tensions" have increased in the area due to the incursions of Israeli forces and fears of a resurgence of Islamic State (ISIS) cells, which were previously active in the area.
Iran-Backed Media Outlets React To Yemen's Ansar Allah (Houthi) Movement's 'Naval Blockade' Of Haifa Port
On May 19, 2025, Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi Ansar Allah Houthi Movement declared the imposition of a naval blockade of Israel's Port of Haifa.
Islamic State (ISIS) Provinces Escalate Attacks Across West Africa
The Islamic State (ISIS) in West Africa and the Sahel launched coordinated attacks on military targets in Nigeria and Niger, causing significant casualties, destruction, and seizure of military equipment and facilities.
Islamic State (ISIS) Weekly Newsletter Praises West Africa Province For Attacks On Military Camps In Nigeria, Niger And Cameroon
On May 22, 2025, the Islamic State (ISIS) released issue 496 of its weekly newsletter.
ISKP Magazine Questions Encryption Claims Of Messaging App, Cautions Jihadis Against Using It, Assesses Security Of WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat, Facebook, TikTok, Signal
The most recent issue of an English-language monthly magazine published by a media outlet linked to the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), which defines itself as a supporting entity for the Islamic State (ISIS)," features a long article cautioning Islamic State fighters who started switching from Telegram to new social media platform Gem Space in view of the latter's weak security.
Posters By Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Media Outlets Present Perpetrators Of Attacks In The West As Role Models, Encourage Media Incitement Of Jihad
On May 23, 2025, the Islamic State (ISIS) official English-language media outlet published English translations of two posters by unofficial pro-ISIS media groups inciting attacks in the West and media jihad.
ISIS Supporter Shares Post Arguing That Inciting Violence, Expressing Support For Terror Groups Is Permissible According To U.S. Free Speech Laws
On May 24, 2025, a user on the Islamic State (ISIS)-operated Rocket.Chat server shared a post from an X (formerly Twitter) account.
Islamic State (ISIS) Supporters Launch Fundraising Campaign For Jihad, Encourage Muslims To Be 'Mujahideen' With Their Wealth
On May 24, 2025, a platform that publishes and spreads official Islamic State (ISIS) material advertised a fundraising campaign for a mujahideen organization.
Reacting To Reports Of AI Model That Blackmailed Users, Islamic State (ISIS) Supporter Envisions Similar Model Created For Jihadi Activity
On May 25, 2025, a user of the Islamic State (ISIS)-operated Rocket.Chat server envisioned the creation of an artificial intelligence (AI) engine by jihadis and their supporters.
Pro-Islamic State (ISIS) Outlet Releases Posters Exploiting Death Of Pope Francis To Discourage Interfaith Tolerance
On May 19, 2025, a pro-Islamic State (ISIS) media outlet released two English-language translations of posters originally created by pro-ISIS foundations.
Supporter Of Islamic State (ISIS) Warns Against Joining WhatsApp Groups, Advises Other Supporters To Stay On Encrypted Forums
A supporter of the Islamic State (ISIS) warned other supporters against joining WhatsApp groups which require phone numbers.
Anti-ISIS Outlet Claims ISIS's Central Media Is 'Powerless' As Supporter Outlet Continues Fraudulent Activities, Noncompliance With Organization's Rules
An anti-Islamic State (ISIS) channel on the Al-Qaeda-operated Rocket.chat server posted a report highlighting ISIS's central media's inability to control a prolific pro-ISIS media outlet's non-adherence to the rules of the organization governing the dissemination of exclusive claims.
Al-Qaeda Affiliate GSIM Documents Attack On Military Position In Central Mali; 40 Soldiers Killed, Vehicles And Large Quantities Of Military Equipment Captured
On May 23, 2025, the official media outlet of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the African Sahel, Jama'at Nusrat Al-Islam Wal-Muslimeen (the Group for Support of Islam and Muslims – GSIM), issued a brief "breaking" claim of an attack on a military position in Dioura, in central Mali's Mopti region, in which the group's fighters seized control over the site, adding that there were "reports of heavy casualties in the enemy ranks."
Al-Qaeda Affiliate In Somalia Al-Shabab Claims Responsibility For Killing Two Ugandan Soldiers And Damaging The French Embassy In An Attack On Halane Training Facility In Mogadishu
On May 20, 2025, the media arm of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Somalia, Harakat Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen (Al-Shabab), claimed responsibility for shelling the Halane Training Facility, described as the largest military base hosting international forces and "dozens" of Western embassies in Mogadishu.
Pro-Al-Qaeda Ideologue Lambasts Arab Gulf States After Trump's Middle East Tour: 'If Supporting The Head Of Global Heresy With Trillions Is Not Heresy, Then There Is Not Heresy In The World[;] Do You Understand Who Is Funding The War Against Islam And Muslims?'
An Al-Qaeda ideologue accused Arab Gulf States of betraying Muslims after their leaders recently received President Trump during his Middle East tour and concluded investment deals with Washington.
Afghan Taliban Leader Mullah Hibbatullah Akhundzada To Cadets: 'Do Not Abandon Jihad, Do Not Abandon Supporting The Mujahideen, Do Not Be Afraid Of These Unbelievers... Prepare Yourselves For Martyrdom, Prepare Yourselves For Prison'
On May 1, 2025, the Afghan Taliban's state-owned RTA TV released a Pashto-language video showing Taliban cadets demonstrating various skills at a graduation ceremony attended by senior Taliban leaders, including the Defense Minister Mullah.