The Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades and al-Qaeda: Facts and conjecture

Abstract

This article examines the issue of the credibility of the organisation known as the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which released a series of statements claiming responsibility for several of the most important jihadist attacks perpetrated between 2003 and 2005. A critical analysis of the information available on the group leads to the conclusion that the questions concerning its involvement (or otherwise) in acts of violence and its formal ties (or lack thereof) to al-Qaeda remain unresolved and existing hypotheses regarding the nature of the Brigades must therefore remain open.

Keywords

al-Qaeda communication internet jihadism propaganda terrorism

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