Here's another report just released by the CTC.
Greetings from West Point! We are pleased to provide you with Al-Qa’ida’s Foreign Fighters in Iraq: A First Look at the Sinjar Records. This report is a preliminary analysis of over 600 individual records containing background information on foreign fighters entering Iraq via Syria over the last year. This is the latest in a series of reports from the Combating Terrorism Center drawing on newly released information from captured al-Qa’ida documents maintained in the Defense Department’s Harmony Data Base. The report and the Sinjar Records themselves can be accessed at: Welcome to the Combating Terrorism Center
Highlights of the report’s findings on this group of foreign fighters include:
· In terms of sheer numbers, Saudis constituted the largest group of foreign fighters, making up over 41% of the sample studied. Libya was second, contributing almost 20% of the total fighters listed in the Sinjar Records. In per capita terms Libya is far and away the most frequently listed country of origin for these fighters. The Libyan numbers vastly exceeds previous estimates of Libyan fighters in Iraq. The increase in Libyan fighters is likely linked to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group’s increasingly close relationship with al-Qa’ida, which culminated in LIFG formally swearing allegiance on November 2, 2007. The number of fighters from other North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco in the Sinjar records indicate that this region contributes more fighters than in previous estimates.
· 56% of the fighters that listed their “role” in Iraq were suicide bombers. Saudi Arabia contributed the most suicide bombers in absolute numbers, but the percentage of Saudi fighters that were listed as suicide bombers versus fighters was actually lower than non‐Saudis. Libyan and Moroccan fighters listed in the Sinjar Records had the highest percentage of suicide bombers as a group with 85% and 92% respectively claiming to travel to Iraq conduct suicide bombings.
· The Sinjar Records provide evidence that suggests al-Qa’ida’s Iraq affiliates rely on criminal smugglers as part of their logistics train in Syria.
· Many fighters to Iraq sign up for or travel to Iraq in small groups, rather than alone. 46% of fighters in the Sinjar Records that listed their date of arrival in Iraq arrived on the same day as another individual from their hometown.
· Over 40% of the fighters that listed their occupation were students. Al-Qa’ida is finding many of its volunteers for Iraq in universities.
Highlights of the report’s findings on this group of foreign fighters include:
· In terms of sheer numbers, Saudis constituted the largest group of foreign fighters, making up over 41% of the sample studied. Libya was second, contributing almost 20% of the total fighters listed in the Sinjar Records. In per capita terms Libya is far and away the most frequently listed country of origin for these fighters. The Libyan numbers vastly exceeds previous estimates of Libyan fighters in Iraq. The increase in Libyan fighters is likely linked to the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group’s increasingly close relationship with al-Qa’ida, which culminated in LIFG formally swearing allegiance on November 2, 2007. The number of fighters from other North African countries such as Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco in the Sinjar records indicate that this region contributes more fighters than in previous estimates.
· 56% of the fighters that listed their “role” in Iraq were suicide bombers. Saudi Arabia contributed the most suicide bombers in absolute numbers, but the percentage of Saudi fighters that were listed as suicide bombers versus fighters was actually lower than non‐Saudis. Libyan and Moroccan fighters listed in the Sinjar Records had the highest percentage of suicide bombers as a group with 85% and 92% respectively claiming to travel to Iraq conduct suicide bombings.
· The Sinjar Records provide evidence that suggests al-Qa’ida’s Iraq affiliates rely on criminal smugglers as part of their logistics train in Syria.
· Many fighters to Iraq sign up for or travel to Iraq in small groups, rather than alone. 46% of fighters in the Sinjar Records that listed their date of arrival in Iraq arrived on the same day as another individual from their hometown.
· Over 40% of the fighters that listed their occupation were students. Al-Qa’ida is finding many of its volunteers for Iraq in universities.
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