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Guest Thinkers — December 21, 2010

The Forum Shell Game

Gregory Johnsen

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Last year on the eve of September 11 the al-Ikhlas forum was taken off-line. I have yet to see a good explanation for its absence although I have heard plenty of conspiracy theories many of which could form the kernel of a good novel. It was a bit disappointing for the students who were about to view “al-Qaeda’s website,” but they got over it and went about their day. This year the same thing may be happening to al-Faloja, as it has been off-line for the past two days. (I’m glad I downloaded the Battle of Marib late at night when it came out instead of waiting for the next day).

But just as al-Faloja goes down al-Ikhlas comes back, or at least something purporting to be al-Ikhlas which comes to us as a Ramadan gift from Usama bin Ladin. (Many thanks to Thomas Hegghammer for pointing this out to me this morning. Jihadica also has a very good post on the same subject.)

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