Al Qaeda Targets California

Fox News reports that the General Atomics defense contractor in San Diego is among the terror targets mentioned in a new English-language Al Qaeda magazine called Palestine–Betrayal of the Guilty Conscience Al-Malahem. 

The magazine, which is published by AQAP, the media wing of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, uses language that implies an attack will come very soon. 

Instructions for making car bombs are accompanied by a list of possible terror targets–including public places such as Times Square in New York City and casinos in Las Vegas, as well as military venues such as the Georgia Military College and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Other targets listed include oil tankers and trains.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), which translated the text from the magazine, said the text included a timeline of “selected jihadi operations.” 

MEMRI Executive Director Steve Stalinsky reportedly explained, “The timeline concludes with the date 201?’ and blank spaces and question marks for the photo and information of the next attack — implying that it is coming soon.” MEMRI monitors the online and media work of Jihadi groups around the world.

The magazine states: “This recipe gives you the ability to make a car bomb even in countries with tight security and surveillance,” adding a “shopping list” that includes cooking gas, oxygen gas and a barometer.

The article does not restrict the list of terror targets to America, according to MEMRI: targets in Great Britain include a military academy and the Marks and Spencers chain of department stores. The article instructs prospective bombers to act on Fridays when Muslims are praying so they won’t be victimized. The magazine focuses its terror plans on tourist resorts attended by Israelis, Britons and Americans.

The nine-page article on making a bomb reads: “My Muslim brother, before you start reading the instructions, remember that this type of operation if prepared well and an appropriate target is chosen and Allah decrees success for you, history will never forget it. It will be recorded as a crushing defeat on the enemies of Islam.”

The Palestine magazine apparently is intended to capitalize on anti-U.S. and anti-Israel feeling that has been stoked by the Israel-Hamas war. The magazine is a spin-off of AQAP’s Inspire magazine, long known for its attempts to teach prospective jihadis how to commit terrorist actions.

Stalinsky commented: “Both AQAP and IS [Islamic State, or ISIS], as well as every other Al-Qaeda branch and offshoot is relying on U.S. social media companies including Twitter and YouTube for their cyber-Jihad efforts….There could be some envy by AQAP that IS is now getting all the headlines.”