Abstract: Despite government denials, Bangladesh has increasingly become fertile ground for al-Qa`ida and the Islamic State. Both groups have taken advantage of an upsurge in Islamist militancy in the country over anger at the execution of Islamist political leaders in 2013, and both hope to expand their footprint there by building alliances with local groups. Bangladeshi police suspect the Bangladeshi wing of al-Qa`ida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), which has claimed a series of attacks on secular bloggers, is liaising with top leadership of the terrorist network in Pakistan.

APOCALYPTIC JIHADIST: AL-QAEDA IN THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT CHIEF AASIM UMAR" (AQIS)'s Chief Asim Umar in the October issue of Militant Leadership Monitor (Author, Animesh Roul, MLM, Jamestown Foundation, Vol 5 (10) October 2014)

The recent dismantling of Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) modules across India has revealed a meticulously crafted strategy aimed at embedding extremist networks within the country. With a focus on decentralized operations, targeted recruitment, and grassroots radicalization exploiting local vulnerabilities, AQIS seeks to establish its Pan-India terror networks, mostly in remote places, to destabilize the country while advancing its violent jihadist ideology.

Executive Summary: Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS), Islamic State in Khorasan Province (ISKP), and Islamic State in Hind Province (ISHP), attempted to destabilize India during the legislative elections from April to June with threats, anti-Hindu/anti-democratic propaganda, and terrorist attacks. Most of these efforts were foiled, but collectively, the actions represented a large-scale attempt to destabilize Indian society.

Abstract: This article examines Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent’s (AQIS) extremist propaganda in Bangladesh and how this South Asian affiliate of the Transnational Jihadist group- Al Qaeda- has dominated the extremist narrative against Bangladesh. The analyses draw on primary data from AQIS supporter channels on encrypted social media platforms such as Telegram and various “cloud-platform” websites that serve as repositories for the group’s propaganda.