Syrian Jihadism by Aron Lund

In its public propaganda, Jabhat el-Nosra has been anxious to preempt accusations of ”Iraq-
style” extremism. It has not indiscriminately targeted civilians or conducted large-scale
sectarian massacres, although it does murder civilian supporters of the regime. While
consistently threatening and aggressive towards Alawites, a March statement about the
bombing of an intelligence facility in a Christian-inhabited Damascus neighborhood, included
a clarification: ”we inform the Nazarenes (Christians) that they were not a target”. 69 The
group has also produced video clips to demonstrate that it would rather cancel an attack than
endanger Muslim passers-by. It also tries to demonstrate a charitable side, by showing clips of
fighters handing out food and provisions to the civilian population in ”liberated” villages. 70
The most credible theory of Jabhat el-Nosra’s background is that it was formed by Syrian and
other Levantine jihadis who had been fighting with al-Qaeda’s ”Islamic State in Iraq” (ISI,
Dawlat el-Iraq el-Islamiya), or who were active in pro-ISI support networks in surrounding
countries. US political and intelligence sources have repeatedly pointed to links between
Jabhat el-Nosra and the ISI. 71 Support for the theory of an al-Qaeda link can also be found in
the fact that the transnational jihadi community immediately embraced the group. Indeed,
some major jihadi web forums ran pre-release advertisements for Jabhat el-Nosra’s first
video, as if it had been vouched for by trusted sources. Jabhat al-Nosra also appears to have a
considerable presence in those regions of eastern Syria that traditionally served as entrypoints
into Iraq (Mayadin, Deir el-Zor, Al-Bu Kamal), and the rare interviews with Jabhat el-Nosra
members often reveal a connection to the Iraqi resistance movement. 72
69 Aaron Y. Zelin, "al-Manārah al-Bayḍā’ Foundation for Media Production presents a new statement from Jabhat al-Nuṣrah:
’Operation Against the Directorate of Air Security and the Department of Criminal Security in Damascus'", Jihadology, March
21, 2012, http://jihadology.net/2012/03/21/al-manarah-al-bay%e1%b8%8da-foundation-for-media-production-presents-a-newstatement-from-jabhat-al-nu%e1%b9%a3rah-operation-against-the-directorate-of-air-security-and-the-department-of-criminal.
70 Aaron Y. Zelin, "al-Manārah al-Bayḍā’ Foundation for Media Production presents a new video message from Jabhat al-
Nuṣrah: 'Fulfillment of the Vow #1'", Jihadology, May 22, 2012, jihadology.net/2012/05/22/al-manarah-al-bayḍa-foundationfor-media-production-presents-a-new-video-message-from-jabhat-al-nuṣrah-fulfillment-of-the-vow-1;
Aaron Y. Zelin, ”al-
Manarah al-Baydah foundation for media production presents a new video message from Jabhat al-Nusra: ’Fulfillment of the
Vow #2”, Jihadology, August 19, 2012, http://www.jihadology.net/2012/08/19/al-manarah-al-bay%E1%B8%8Da-foundationfor-media-production-presents-a-new-video-message-from-jabhat-al-nu%E1%B9%A3rah-fulfillment-of-the-vow-
2%E2%80%B3.
71 Jonathan S. Landay, "U.S. officials: Al Qaida behind Syria bombings”, McClatchy, February 10, 2012,
www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/02/10/138593/us-officials-al-qaida-behind-syria.html; Zeina Karam, "Islamists seek influence in
Syria uprising", The Guardian, March 22, 2012, http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/10156718.
72 Rania Abouzeid, ”TIME Exclusive: Meet the Islamist Militants Fighting Alongside Syria’s Rebels”, Time Magazine, July 26,
2012, http://world.time.com/2012/07/26/time-exclusive-meet-the-islamist-militants-fighting-alongside-syriasrebels/#ixzz23RjwPIbS;
Ghaith Abdul-Ahad, "Al-Qaida turns tide for rebels in battle for eastern Syria", The Guardian, July 30,
2012, www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jul/30/al-qaida-rebels-battle-syria.
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