The Long War Journal (Site-Wide)

---

• Paris knife terrorist swore allegiance to ISIS leader before attack
• Authorities say ISIS-linked family conducted suicide bombings at Indonesian churches
• Analysis: Shabaab advertises its al Qaeda allegiance
• Somali markets targeted in Shabaab explosions

Paris knife terrorist swore allegiance to ISIS leader before attack Posted: 13 May 2018 10:08 AM PDT The Islamic State's Amaq News Agency has released a video purportedly showing the young man who attacked several people with a knife in Paris yesterday. Similar to previous videos released by the group after small-scale attacks in Europe, the jihadist swears allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi and exhorts the so-called caliphate's members to continue fighting.

Authorities say ISIS-linked family conducted suicide bombings at Indonesian churches Posted: 13 May 2018 09:00 AM PDT According to authorities, an ISIS-linked family carried out suicide bombings at three churches in the Indonesian city of Surabaya earlier today. The bombings came just days after other ISIS-affiliated militants conducted a prison riot south of Jakarta. ISIS has long targeted Christians, among many others. The group previously ruled that suicide attacks aimed at churches were an acceptable way to attain "closeness to Allah."

Analysis: Shabaab advertises its al Qaeda allegiance Posted: 13 May 2018 05:49 AM PDT Since late April, Shabaab has released a series of videos emphasizing its place in al Qaeda's global network. Two of the videos were recorded by the group's emir, Abu Ubaydah Ahmad Umar, a normally reclusive figure. Abu Ubaydah refers to the Taliban's emir as the "Commander of the Faithful" and Ayman al Zawahiri as the "father-emir" while addressing the mujahideen in Syria and Yemen.

Somali markets targeted in Shabaab explosions Posted: 12 May 2018 06:12 PM PDT Two busy markets in southern Somalia were targeted by deadly explosions this week, which left at least 14 people dead and many others wounded.