Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami
Encyclopedia
Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami is a group that came to international attention in the immediate aftermath of the 2011 Norway attacks
, when it was reported that they had claimed responsibility for them.
The group was described by Karen Joy Greenberg
, executive director of the Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law
as a Kurdistan-based affiliate of Al Qaeda led by Abu Suleiman al-Nasser. According to The New York Times, unnamed American officials said that, "the group was previously unknown and might not even exist."
. The individual who reportedly made this statement is Abu Suleiman al-Naser
.
, the group was said by Will McCants to have claimed responsibility for them by means of a statement to the internet forum Shmukh that he says was eventually removed.
The New York Times reported that the group claimed responsibility for the attacks, citing a statement identified by a terrorism analyst that said they were a response to the presence of Norwegian forces in Afghanistan
and "unspecified insults to the Prophet Muhammad." Giving its source as a report on Norway TV, the Wall Street Journal noted the statement from Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami said, "This is just the beginning of what will come"; while also noting that, "It's unclear that the group has taken responsibility." The Times said that Norwegian television reports indicated that Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami had denied involvement in the attacks.
On the same day of the attacks, police arrested and identified Anders Behring Breivik
, a Norwegian with anti-Islamic views, as the shooter in Utøya
and also linked him to the Oslo
bombings, and he was subsequently charged with terrorism. According to his defender Geir Lippestad
, Breivik has acknowledged that he is responsible for both the bomb and the shooting during interrogation.
Will McCants said someone identifying as Abu Sulayman al-Nasir who had posted the first claim of responsibility later made a further statement to Shmukh retracting it, stating that the attacker "must surely be known to all".
2011 Norway attacks
The 2011 Norway attacks were two sequential terrorist attacks against the government, the civilian population and a summer camp in Norway on 22 July 2011....
, when it was reported that they had claimed responsibility for them.
The group was described by Karen Joy Greenberg
Karen Joy Greenberg
Karen J. Greenberg is an American professor and author.-Education:Greenberg's undergraduate degree in history is from Cornell University.Her PhD, also in history, is from Yale University.-Academic career:...
, executive director of the Center on Law and Security at New York University School of Law
New York University School of Law
The New York University School of Law is the law school of New York University. Established in 1835, the school offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in law, and is located in Greenwich Village, in the New York City borough of Manhattan....
as a Kurdistan-based affiliate of Al Qaeda led by Abu Suleiman al-Nasser. According to The New York Times, unnamed American officials said that, "the group was previously unknown and might not even exist."
Prior to 2011 Norway attacks
The Middle East Observatory reported on May 3, 2011 that the organization "sent an urgent message on jihadist forums, to all jihadists around the globe to mobilize and prepare to wage jihad operations against the Zionist-crusader alliance" after the death of Osama bin LadenDeath of Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden, then head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, shortly after 1 a.m. local time by a United States special forces military unit....
. The individual who reportedly made this statement is Abu Suleiman al-Naser
Abu Suleiman al-Naser
Abu Suleiman al-Naser is the leader of the al-Qaeda affiliate in Iraq and “war minister” of the Islamic State of Iraq . Little is known about Abu Suleiman. He succeeded Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq who was killed along with ISI leader Abu Omar al-Baghdadi in a joint operation...
.
2011 Norway attacks
On July 22, in the hours following the 2011 Norway attacks2011 Norway attacks
The 2011 Norway attacks were two sequential terrorist attacks against the government, the civilian population and a summer camp in Norway on 22 July 2011....
, the group was said by Will McCants to have claimed responsibility for them by means of a statement to the internet forum Shmukh that he says was eventually removed.
The New York Times reported that the group claimed responsibility for the attacks, citing a statement identified by a terrorism analyst that said they were a response to the presence of Norwegian forces in Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and "unspecified insults to the Prophet Muhammad." Giving its source as a report on Norway TV, the Wall Street Journal noted the statement from Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami said, "This is just the beginning of what will come"; while also noting that, "It's unclear that the group has taken responsibility." The Times said that Norwegian television reports indicated that Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami had denied involvement in the attacks.
On the same day of the attacks, police arrested and identified Anders Behring Breivik
Anders Behring Breivik
Anders Behring Breivik is a Norwegian terrorist, paranoid schizophrenic and the confessed perpetrator of the Norway attacks on 22 July 2011: the bombing of government buildings in Oslo that resulted in eight deaths, and the mass shooting at a camp of the Workers' Youth League of the Labour Party...
, a Norwegian with anti-Islamic views, as the shooter in Utøya
Utøya
Utøya is a small island in the Tyrifjorden lake in Hole municipality, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The island is , situated off the shore, by the E16 road, driving distance north-west of Oslo city centre.-Overview:...
and also linked him to the Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
bombings, and he was subsequently charged with terrorism. According to his defender Geir Lippestad
Geir Lippestad
Geir Lippestad is a Norwegian lawyer and head of the law firm Lippestad. He has been defence counsel in high profile cases such as the murder of Benjamin Hermansen and the 2011 Norway attacks.-Education and cases:He obtained the cand.jur...
, Breivik has acknowledged that he is responsible for both the bomb and the shooting during interrogation.
Will McCants said someone identifying as Abu Sulayman al-Nasir who had posted the first claim of responsibility later made a further statement to Shmukh retracting it, stating that the attacker "must surely be known to all".