Forest Jihad: Islamic terror group claims responsibility for Arizona fires

**Posted by Phineas

"...can prevent forest jihad."
“…can prevent forest jihad.”

A while back, when it seemed like all Colorado was afire, I wrote about the possibility ofΒ “forest jihad,”Β a form of war against the WestΒ advocated by al QaedaΒ as part of a death by a thousand cuts strategy — destroying resources, morale, etc. And while acts of forest jihad were suspected in Europe, Israel, and Australia, there were no claims of responsibility for wildfires in the Great Satan, that is, us.

Until now:

A Palestinian jihadist group known as Masada al-Mujahideen took credit for the [Arizona] fires in a statement that was obtained and translated by Search for International Terrorist Entities (SITE) Intelligence Group,Β accordingΒ to the Clarion Project.

The terror group claims that the fires are a reprisal for Israel’s β€œoccupation” of what they say are Palestinian lands.

Nineteen firefighters have been killed while fighting the blaze.

β€œWe had previously announced an unconventional war against the occupation state of Israel, and then we escalated this war to reach its main supporter, America, so that it receives a major share of it, which will destroy their flora and fauna, with permission from Allah and then with our hands,” the group said, according to Clarion and SITE.

Masada al-Mujahideen is apparently a legitimate jihadist group, not a cut-out for another organization. TheΒ Long War JournalΒ has this to say about them:

Masada al Mujahideen announced its formation in April 2008 and said its leader is Abu Omar al Ansari, according to SITE. The terror group has claimed numerous attacks against Israel, including rocket and mortar attacks. The group has also claimed credit for setting numerous fires inside Israel, and even an arson attack in Nevada.

Masada al Mujahideen also eulogized Osama bin Laden immediately after he was killed by US Navy SEALs in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in May 2011. “Although Sheikh Osama has been killed, his creed will not be killed, and the whole Ummah, Allah willing, is Osama bin Laden. We do not say that as hyperbole, for you see with your own eyes and acknowledge with your own mouths that most of the jihadi groups in the world have come to follow his example, method and creed,” the group said inΒ aΒ statementΒ that was translated by SITE.

Masada al Mujahideen also eulogized Atiyah Abd al Rahman, a top al Qaeda leader who wasΒ killed in a US drone strikeΒ in North Waziristan, Pakistan, in August 2011. “He was truly one of the well-known people of jihad and a bright star in the sky of knowledge,” the group said inΒ aΒ statementΒ translated by SITE.

It’s possible, of course, that theseΒ holy warriorsΒ refugees from a medieval insane asylum are lying about Arizona and are just claiming credit to up their standing in the world ofΒ brave knights of IslamΒ medieval psychos. America seems a long way to come for a small terrorist outfit, when Israel is right next door.

But when you read the United Nations report on the porous US-Mexican border,Β “A Global Pathway to the USA;”Β when you recall thatΒ Hizbullah, Hamas, andΒ al QaedaΒ are all trying to set up operations in the Western hemisphere; and when you keep in mindΒ geography

Well, the possibility that Masada al Mujahideen really did set the fires thatΒ killed 19 American firefightersΒ and destroyed dozens of homes and businesses doesn’t seem so inconceivable after all, does it?

If we can establish to our satisfaction they did do this, then we should hunt them down and kill them all. This isn’t a criminal matter; by their own declaration, this isΒ jihad fi sabil allah, “holy war.” And in that case, we should show them exactly how real war is fought.

Meanwhile, this news demonstrates again why border security is more than just an immigration issue — it’s a matter of national security.

UPDATE: Reader Crosspatch reports that the cause of the Arizona fire was describedΒ as lightning.

(Crossposted at Public Secrets)

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