This article is part of AOAV’s report, Understanding the rising cult of the suicide bomber, to read the whole report, please see here. To see the other sections of the report, please go here.
- Abu Yaqoub Al Shami
Nationality: Syrian
Affiliation: Jaish Al Fateh
Operation date: August 2016
Attack location: Al Ramousah, Aleppo
Related videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmDCj2u4jBw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxLo5Aj0kjU
Description included in the video
The will of Abu Yaqoub Al Shami, a short while before he embarked with his explosive car to break the siege on Aleppo. He targeted rawafidh in Ramousah.
Content of will
Abu Yaqoub Al Shami carried out his operation in Al Ramousah, Aleppo, in August 2016, and is affiliated with Jaish Al Fateh. In the video, he states: “I call on my Jihadi brothers to unite their fight and their word. We only fight to bring victory to this relation and to the word of There is no god but Allah I. undertook this deed, because it is for establishing Sharia in the land of Aleppo and the land of Al Sham, to unify the fight, to clean the corrupts in Aleppo and Al Sham. I call on my brothers to persist, persist on this path, this road by Allah is the righteous path, and the path of the prophet, and his companions after him.’’
- Abu Dujanah Waleed Al Ousairi
Nationality: Saudi
Affiliation: Al Nusra Front or IS (different sources that indicate IS and al-Nusra)
Attack location: Jisr Al shoghour
Operation date: May 2013
Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUm_6JyWQMs
Description included in the video
The suicide bomber targeted a military barracks used by the Syrian army. The whole barracks was destroyed and almost 100 soldiers were killed.
Content of will
Abu Dujanah Waleed Al Ousairi, a Saudi suicide bomber, is either affiliated with Islamic State or Al Nusra, according to different sources. He carried out his attack in Jisr al-Shoghour, Syria, in May 2013. In his will, he states: “All the praises be to God, the Lord of the Worlds and on our prophet peace be upon him. Today we will avenge our families in Banyas, we will cut the heads of those Alawites, I ask Allah the almighty to enable me to kill them… this is the first revenge operation and Inshallah there will be an operation after the other. I ask Allah the almighty to give us the strength to persist together, and as for our jihadi brothers in Al Sham and all over the world, by Allah remain and persist on this path, the jihad path, the honourable path, do not fail. By Allah, the youth will bring victory to the nation, oh youth of the nation, those who are absent from jihad, go on to Jihad. And to those who are blessed with having arrived to the land of Jihad, persist and be patient and merciful with your brothers, and I ask Allah to bring you goodness with you and gather us with you in Heaven, and gather us together as beloved brothers, and bring us together on the platforms of light.’’
- Abu Alfarouq Alshami
Nationality: Syrian
Affiliation: Islamic State
Attack location: exact location unspecified, but the video states the attack was carried out in the ‘‘northern countryside of the Islamic State.’’
Attack date: unspecified
Related videos: https://dawaalhaq.com/post/54917
Content of will
Abu Alfarouq Alshami, a disabled suicide bomber affiliated with IS, was featured in the IS propaganda production “The seekers of life”, which was released it on 19 October 2016, two days after the battle for Mosul began.
In the film, Alshami says: “Praise be to Allah, lord of the world, the brother in the vehicle’s centre, praise be to Allah, arrange this matter, my car will be automatic, I will drive it by hand, I can’t use my legs because of my injury, thus I will use my hands. My message to the enemy of Allah, did you think that my injury will stop me from Jihad in the name of Allah? We have brothers who are thirsty for your blood and they are in same situation as me, they are disabled but are eager to meet you, enemies of Allah, with explosive cars. I don’t rest, I say what the lions say… I am the son of the Islamic state, if the mountains collapse I will not. We only carried out this work out of following the steps of the companions of the prophets, peace be upon him, following the steps Omar Bin Al Jamuh, who entered heaven with his limping leg.’’
In the propaganda production, it was stated that he carried out his attack against Sahawat Al Riddah in the northern countryside of the Islamic State. The word Sahawat Al Riddah, indicate Sunni sects that are infidels according to IS ideology.
- Omar Al Jazrawi
Nationality: unspecified
Affiliation: Jund Al Aqsa
Attack location: Hama, Syria
Attack date: August 2015
Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKJSMyKYfc4
Content of will
Omar Al Jazrawi was affiliated with Jund Al Aqsa, and carried out his operation in Hama, Syria, in August 2015. In his will, he states: “This is the path to the Houria, ten meters from here, 72 Houria, pray for us so that we can reach them, and open the road for our brothers, praise be to Allah who blessed me with this path, I call to be pious to Allah in secret and in candor, by Allah persist on this path, be patient and don’t fight among yourselves so you fail, we only fight to bring victory to Allah’s word and establish the Sharia, to respond to the call of our retained brothers and sisters in the prisons of the tyrants. I would tell my parents no to not be sad as I am going to heaven as wide as the skies and earth, and I ask Allah to accept me, as well as you, amongst the martyrs. And to gather me, as well as you, in the heavens of bliss, and at last don’t forget me from your prayers and I ask Allah to unite the jihadis fight on the unity word.”
Description included in the video
‘‘The checkpoint of is the last defence line for the city, and there are tens of soldiers and many vehicles after the checkpoints.’’ According to the video, the most important results of this suicide bombing are the following:
Breaking the last defence line of the city.
Killing no less than 50 soldiers of the Syrian army
Destroying a number of vehicles and weapons
- Abu Mus’ab Al Jazrawi
Age: 19
Nationality: unspecified
Affiliation: Jund Al Aqsa
Attack location: Sahl Al Ghab, Hama, Syria
Attack date: April 2016
Description included in the video
The video begins by quoting Bin Laden, whilst introducing the suicide bomber. It says he decided to “migrate” Al sham to defend his Muslim brothers and sisters, and shortly after he arrived he insisted on carrying out a suicide bombing targeting the regime.
Content of will
Abu Mus’ab Al Jazrawi carried out his operation in Khirbet Al Naqous, Sahl Al Ghab, in the Hama countryside during April 2016, and is affiliated with Jund Al Aqsa. He states in his will: “My Muslim nation we only sacrifice our souls to bring victory to the religion of Allah and to defend our honour. How many children died and women widowed while the traitor world leaders are watching and listening and haven’t done a thing. Don’t you even consider us as your enemies, terrorists, killers or corrupts, by my God we are your sons and you are our families, but our enemies are eager to divide us.’’
- Shamel Alansari
Nationality: Syrian
Affiliation: Al Nusra front
Operation location: Al Ghouta, near Damascus
Operation date: unspecified
Related videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEFdIRujaKU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wn2Csx2jYo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxeNNdMjyEE
Content of will
Shamel Alansari was affiliated with Al Nusra front, and carried out his attack in Tameko factory, in Al Ghouta, in the countryside surrounding Damascus. The following transcript is of an interview conducted with him on video, along his will:
Presenter: ‘‘Beloved brother in God, tell us how you joined Al-Nusra Front?’’
Alansari: ‘‘In the name of Allah almighty, Praise be to Allah, sincerest prayers be upon the prophet and his companions all. Know beloved brother, God may bring success to us both, that God endowed our Muslim nation with blessed revolutions in many countries and even in Syria, and then I asked myself: ‘What has forced people to such thing? And what do people want from such revolutions?’ I found one answer: It is to fight the enemies of Allah and tyrants who ruled people and wreaked havoc on Earth, then people had to commit to Jihad. I started looking among fighting groups about who are on my side and who carry my ideology, I found Al-Nusra Front to be calling on people to the same ideology which is enforcing laws of Allah on Earth, and enforce what his prophet practised and said, so I hurried and joined Al-Nusra Front under their banner.’’
Presenter: “How did you choose the route to martyrdom operations, despite that it is a new thing for the Syrian people and it is denounced by the majority”.
Alansari: “Yes brother, you are right by Allah, they were denounced. The Syrian people were heedless that was known only to Allah. Thank Allah they are now accepted. When I joined Al-Nusra Front and became one of their members, I went along with an Emir to one of the bases. I went into the base and found a serenity, they were like the rest of the fighting brothers, they are just more into obedience of Allah and his worship, thanks to Allah. They are people who have a unique status with Allah, what caused me to have more liking for them is their sincere love to each other in the name of Allah. Their status is their eagerness towards Allah, they long for Allah and only Allah knows their status. How they sacrifice themselves cheaply for Allah. The brother sees how when a martyr gets into his car, there are tons of explosives, or tens of tons, in one instance there was twenty. So, you see the status of the brother among the explosives, but he’s in a serenity that only Allah knows its secret. What is the status of this man! It is a relationship with Allah that has been established. Thanks to Allah, their best qualities was serenity, a one whose secret is only known by Allah. I saw this that I am talking about with my own eyes, when I hit the road with my car, I was the same like them, thanks to Allah, I rushed to ask for the Emir, I enrolled my name and joined.’’
Another section of video shows the suicide bomber talking, while he is in his explosive-filled car, the night before his operation:
‘‘This is what we could prepare for you, to rip your body apart, and these are our horses, tied waiting for you. God willing, tomorrow morning we will have our meeting with you, God may reward you. By Allah, and with his permission, Allah may accept our brother Asem, he only had one and half ton. For me, I have seven tons, Allahu Akbar. With Allah’s permission, I’ll blast them into pieces. By Allah, and with his permission, this ash is backup which will be like fire for them God’s willing. I ask Allah to make this filming. By Allah, I would not like there to be too much filming, but I did not record my martyrdom until I saw how my brothers before me, you see one brother in his vehicle like I am here now, and he is smiling as if he doesn’t care, why not, if he is going to meet Allah, we ask Allah to accept us.’’
Another section of the interview is then shown, which is outlined below:
Presenter: ‘‘How do you feel while you are heading towards your goal, and what happens then?’’
Alansari: ‘‘If I told you I was going to Allah who is going to lead me to the right path, a man who is going to meet Allah, what will his status be, he will be like someone who is longing to Allah.’’
Presenter: ‘‘We ask Allah to accept it from you.’’
Alansari: ‘‘When I hit the road towards my target, I lived an ideology between fear and hope, I fear that if I stay in this world that I will not worship Allah properly as he ordered. I have a firm belief that I am going to Allah who will lead me to the right path. I think Allah will accept from me if I delivered for him, with his permission. This is the status of those who did it before me, and this is my status with Allah’s permission, and this will be the status of those who will come after me, I am describing this to you. When I was hitting my target, I was very certain that Allah will give me steadiness in these moments; he is the one who promised us victory and steadiness. Allah says: Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): ‘I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them’.’’
‘‘With Allah’s support when I hit my target, I will be hit with the serenity that I described to you. By Allah, I felt a serenity that only Allah knows how it feels like and I had luck and success endowed by Allah. He is the one who promised us victory and steadiness. When tyrants and infidels saw a bomb with the ‘There is no God but Allah’ flag, they got scared and escaped to their destiny. Those who were initially at the forefront of the building fled and hid behind the building. They thought they would survive, but they didn’t know that Allah destined me to reach the same building and park my car there and to reach those who hid behind the building as Allah promised us victory, we slit their necks with Allah’s support. Those who fled were 14 people, I swear to Allah that they died and all those who were behind the building died too. With Allah’s support, I could park the car and open the door of the car calmly and with serenity I took the path of my brothers and the car explosion was remotely executed.’’
‘‘To my brothers, you are, by Allah, more loved to us than ourselves, and we will, by Allah, sacrifice ourselves cheaply. We are persistent and I ask Allah to accept it from you and I ask you piety and embracing Allah by obedience to him, Allah says: ‘(45) O ye who believe! When ye meet a force, be firm, and call Allah in remembrance much (and often); that ye may prosper’.”
‘‘God promised us that if we carry out these five things, he will make us give us victory and thanks to Allah we saw victory with our eyes. I ask God to give steadiness to my brothers and to accept their Jihad, and perseverance.’’
- Abu Islam Al Shami
Nationality: Syrian
Affiliation: Al Nusra
Attack location: Al-Qusayr, Homs
Attack date: unspecified
Related Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhzdsN0AYZE
Content of will
Abu Islam Al Shami was affiliated with Al Nusra, and carried out his attack in Al-Qusayr, Homs, in Syria. He says in his will: ‘‘Glory be to Allah, when I made the decision to carry out a martyrdom operation, which Allah endowed us with, I wanted to ask the Emir to give me a 5-tonne car. Glory be to Allah, Allah instead was generous to me as he endowed me with 20 tons. Thanks to Allah.’’
As part of his will he sends a message to the Nusayris in the city of Homs: ‘‘We tell them, by Allah if we could fill for you more of these explosives, we would have.’’
A person asks the suicide bomber: ‘‘You load 20 tons of explosives and you detonate yourself, how is that?’’ He replies: ‘‘By Allah, and glory be to Allah, I will say it in a few words: I hurried to you my God, so you are happy. Allah hath purchased of the believers their persons and their goods; for theirs (in return) is the garden (of Paradise): they fight in his cause, and slay and are slain: a promise binding on him in truth, through the Law, the Gospel, and the Qur’an: and who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah? then rejoice in the bargain which ye have concluded: that is the achievement supreme.
As for my first will, it is for my mother and father, I tell them that by Allah I know for certain that me being away from you all these years has an impact on your hearts, and I ask Allah almighty to compensate you with heaven, be patient and pious as much as you can, and we meet in heaven God’s willing. My second will is for Mujahedeen in the ground of Jihad, God says: ‘O ye who believe! If ye will aid (the cause of) Allah, He will aid you, and plant your feet firmly’. I ask you and ask myself embracing Allah’s piety. We will, by Allah, win through our obedience to Allah, so be pious and don’t be lenient and don’t halt until you erect Allah’s laws. By Allah, we are born for this purpose.’’
In the next part of the recording, the suicide bomber speaks shortly before carrying out the operation.
A person asks the suicide bomber: ‘‘Abu Islam, these are the last moments of you being with us in this world, do you have a word from your heart for your brothers?’’ He replies: ‘‘By Allah, there is great sadness in leaving you, leaving the brothers, but longing to Allah is greater. Honestly guys, longing for Allah is greater than anything, I swear by Allah almighty, to the extent that your heart flies from happiness. I swear by Allah almighty, and there is no power but in god, I ask you Allah’s piety. God willing, we will win only by obeying Allah, be pious as much as you can and we meet in heaven God willing. I ask my brothers in the ground of Jihad and Muslims in general to not halt and not be lenient until Allah’s laws are erected on Earth. By Allah almighty we were created for this brothers. Allah says: ‘And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me’. We were created for this purpose. God willing, they don’t halt or be lenient until they erect Allah’s laws, few years away by Allah, few years.’’
The suicide bomber also sends a message to his parents: ‘‘Embrace Allah’s piety as you can, and stick to patience, Allah almighty says, it is good news for everyone who lost their son to martyrdom. A cheer from God, he says: ‘Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.’ It means automatically when you are patient with your son, that your son is doing Jihad, then automatically there is no judgement, God willing. ‘Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.’ God willing, embrace Allah’s piety as you can, and stick to patience and prayer and we meet in heaven, God’s willing.
A person then asks the suicide bomber: ‘‘You know of course that the load of your car is 20 tons, you are the first to do this, this is generosity from God to you, if there was more, would you like more?’’ He replies: ‘‘I would love more, much more. By Allah almighty, guys I talk to myself for a while and say, Allah and Glory be to Allah says: ‘make a wish, worshipper.’ I reply with one thing: I want your satisfaction my God, by Allah more beautiful than heaven, more beautiful than nymphs, more beautiful than everything. Imagine Allah, Glory be to Allah, tells you to wish something, and you say: heaven?’’
- Abu Fouz Al Ansari
Affiliation: Al Nusra front
Attack location: Al Yarmouk, Damascus
Attack date: August 2013
Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRAhc83XaEM
Note: this area in Damascus is an area heavily populated by civilians, although in the video they say they are targeting Shabiha hiding places.
Content of will
Abu Fouz Al Ansari was affiliated with Al Nusra front, and carried out his attack in Al Yarmouk camp in Damascus, in August 2013. He says in his will: “Praise be to Allah who brought honour to the monotheists and humiliate the infidels and the polytheists, he brought honour to himself and to his prophet and to the believers, and he promised horrid torture to those who are seeking it with other than him. I write my will from Al Sham, the land of dignity and jihad. I write my will and I am eager to meet Allah and certain of his promise. To the sons of the nations who are absent from Jihad and from bringing victory to the religion, fear Allah and help you sisters who are being raped, fear Allah in the blood that are being spilled day and night in the land of Al Sham. Did you forget what Allah almighty said? If you do not go forth, he will punish you with a painful punishment and will replace you with another people and you will not harm Him at all And Allah is over all things competent.’’
- Abu Oun Al Shamali
Affiliation: Al Nusra front
Attack location: Aleppo, Syria
Attack date: January 2013
Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rttXXvyKFEk
Content of will
Abu Oun Al Shamali was affiliated with Al Nusra front, and carried out his operation in the French hospital in Aleppo, in January 2013. He states in his will: ‘‘Praise be to Allah, lord of the world, prayers and peace be upon the most honourable prophet, praise be to Allah who showed us this and we wouldn’t have with him. Praise be to Allah who made us go out of the darkness to the light, the path we are on is the happiness path, the goodness path. Allah remove, with this path, distress and sadness. This is what the prophet told us. I call on my jihadi brothers to be honest and sincere, to communicate with honesty and sincerity and to strengthen each other. Persisting on this path is honourable I swear by Allah. Cheer my brothers, the victory is near, I swear by Allah, the nation is coming into victory and goodness. I call on you, my brothers, by Allah, to carry out martyrdom operations, by Allah it’s the fastest and closest path to heaven, and the strongest spite against the enemies of Allah, we shall bring them human missiles. It is enough for us that we have the prophet’s hadith: ‘‘those who are on the front line and don’t look back until they are killed, those who will be in the highest rooms of heaven” By Allah this hadith is talking about the martyrdom operation, and those who carry them out are in the highest rooms in heaven. They are honest and are on this road and I ask Allah to give them strength and persistence.’’
- Abu Alqa’aqa Al Shamali
Affiliation: Al Nusra front
Operation location: Sahl Al Ghab, Hama, Syria
Operation date: January 2013
Will and the operation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRV6RX7vGJc
Content of will
Abu Alqa’aqa Al Shamali carried out his operation also in Sahl Al Ghab, in the Hama countryside, in January 2013, and is affiliated with Al Nusra Front. He says in his will: “These are the missiles or bashar and his ilk, they are bombing the vulnerable Muslims in Alsham. My will to my loving mother and to my dear father, if you get my martyrdom news, inshallah, be patient and don’t be sad, cheer and chant Allahu Akbar, and thank Allah that made your descendants a devoted son to his religion and wounded nation. Oh youth of Islam, here is the heaven opened its doors and is calling for you, come oh Allah servants, come to me oh servants of Allah, Allah the almighty said: ‘O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.’ Oh youth of Islam, Oh youth of Islam, come to the best of all deeds after believing in Allah Almighty, the prophet peace be upon him was asked about the best of all deeds, he said faith in Allah, faith in Allah and his prophet, he said then Jihad in his name, he said then an accepted Hajj. Oh Allah, take from my blood so you can be satisfied, I pray for Allah that he makes my body a volcano to burn the bodies of the Al Nusayris and the apostates ‘Murtadein’, Oh Allah don’t let there be a grave for my body. Oh Allah make me a martyr and raise my stand to be next to the prophets, and peace be upon our master Muhammad.’’
- Abu Mousaab
Affiliation: unspecified
Attack location: unspecified location in Syria
Attack date: unspecified
Related videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dWOh8mkZ3k
Content of will
Abu Mousaab, who carried out his attack at an unknown location in Syria, says in his will: ‘‘By Allah, be strong be strong, beware of deception and comfort, beware for your firm belief to weaken. All what you see of propaganda of military tanks, if your intentions are sincere you will win the survival of the God of all, by Allah it’s a great winning, either winning of martyrdom. Not America, not Bashar will take the Khilafat, the Khilafat was promised to us by who? By the most honest Mohammad peace be upon him, we shall take despite their will. I call on you by Allah if you get my calling, let your swords be spilling of your enemies blood before the nightfall. Stand the stand of a one man. There is no goodness in a living where our honour is being violated and out brother’s dignity is being stepped on, and we are ruled by the cross servants, Allahu Akbar. Be sincere in your prayers to your brother. God’s willing angels are the most sincere and they answer your prayers. By Allah almighty, for God’s sake I ask you to maintain cooperation with each other, for God’s sake. The most important thing is to resolve any conflicts amongst you, you know what I mean when I say resolve conflicts and deal with each other brothers. I mean, it is the maximum patience when you are patient with your brother harming you, if you do that Allah may not accept your Jihad, but may accept your patience with your brother. By Allah, brothers, Allah may bring you luck, Allah may accept you. I was wishing to carry on my operation when the Americans come, I would have loved to carry out my operation against the Americans, to avenge Sheikh Oussama, we shall avenge you Sheikh. Allah willing we will cut the necks of the infidels, a pinch, I will only feel a pinch, this is what the prophet, peace be upon him, told us, the martyr feels only a pinch, whether he is Istishhadi or fighter, Allah willing we will not feel anything but a pinch. I am eager to be with Allah, Allah knows, how eager I am to be with him and next to his prophet, peace be upon him.’’
- Abu Dujanah Al Shami
Affiliation: Al Nusra front
Operation location: Aleppo
Operation date: July 2016
Related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ewn8QgHXE4
Content of will
Abu Dujanah Al Shami was affiliated with Al Nusra, and carried out his attack in Almallah, Aleppo in July 2016. He says in his will: ‘‘The purpose of the martyrdom operation I am carrying out today, is in the Almallah area and Allzeika block which the army (referring to the Syrian regime army) recently progressed to, there are rawafidh (Shia) and pigs there… my massage to the rawafidh in the Almallah area, we prepared explosive cars for you to detry your shrines, we will humiliate you and turn you into pieces. My message to my brothers in Jihad, to be patient on the path of jihad. By Allah it’s a hard path, but it’s rewarded from Allah the lord of the world, I advise you to contemplate the martyrdom operations because it’s the harshest and strongest on the enemies of the religion, and it is the closest path to Allah the almighty.’’
This research was undertaken with assistance from the NATO Counter-IED Centre of Excellence.
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