I would like to draw your attention to some new FFI publications. Most important is the new report by Einar Wigen on the Waziristan-based Uzbek group Islamic Jihad Union. Einar has trawled Turkish-language jihadi websites to produce this very impressive piece of work which is arguably the best available analysis of the history of the IJU and the nature of its international network. I promise not to post on every new FFI report, but this one is exceptionally good – and very topical. I am delighted to reveal that Einar will be contributing to Jihadica in the near future. We have also made available a number of conference papers by FFI fellows. Some were presented at the International Studies Association Conference in New York in February, others at the joint FFI/Sciences-Po/West Point workshop in Oslo in March. The papers, wihch can be accessed here, cover a range of topics: –

Last week David Solway at Frontpage Magazine published an entertaining article ridiculing people who try to “understand” jihadism and its “roots” (his quotation marks). These people are like the cartoon characters shmoos (see also here), because, like the shmoos, they “recognize no threats, treat everyone as a friend and, even as they are about to be voluntarily exterminated, are all smiles and contentment.” Solway proceeded to highlight yours truly as a resident of the “Valley of Shmoon” in good standing, describing my review essay in the Times Literary Supplement as an excellent example of the “sacrificial” attitude to jihadism. As someone who studies jihadism for a living, I do not often find myself accused of not taking jihadi terrorism seriously. I am sometimes criticised for emphasising the political over the theological sources of jihadism, but usually by people who actually know what they are talking about (such as Raymond Ibrahim).