ISIS in Sydney?
As readers are doubtless aware, an unknown militant is currently holding a number of hostages at a Lindt Chocolat Cafe in downtown Sydney, and forcing them to display a jihadist flag in the store's window. There is much online controversy about exactly which faction's flag it is. The Sydney Morning Herald identifies it as the banner of Hizb ut-Tahrir, and contrasts it with those flown by ISIS and the Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front. The report says Somalia's Shabab is also now flying the ISIS flag, which may mark another affiliate for the "Islamic State"—which would make four by our count. We have noted that protesters are on trial in Lebanon for having burned the ISIS flag, ostensibly because it includes the Arabic text of the Shahada or declaration of Muslim faith. These are all variations on the "Tawhid flag" that has been adopted by Islamists throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Given the franchise model of the jihadist networks, it really doesn't make that much difference which faction the Sydney militant is associated with, or if he is just a freelancer.
In any case, it is probably relevant that an Australian spy-plane was instrumental in the discovery of a "hidden network of caves and bunkers" occupied by ISIS fighters outside Kirkuk in northern Iraq last month, leading to its destruction in air-raids carried out jointly with the US. (Daily Mail, Nov. 28)
A BBC study found that last month over 5,000 were killed worldwide in jihadist violence, with the most affected countries Iraq, Nigeria and Afghanistan. (BBC News, Dec. 11)
'Lone actor' in Sydney siege
The assailant and two others are dead after police stormed the Sydney cafe. Accounts are vague on how the two hostages were killed. Authorities now say the militant, Man Haron Monis, was a "lone actor," but that he had already come to the attention of police after he sent "poisonous letters" to the families of Australian soliders who were killed in Afghanistan. He was currently on bail for being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife. He was born in Iran, and received asylum in Australia in 1996, so he is presumably Sunni. He is described as a "self-styled cleric." (BBC News, SMH)
Five international ISIS affiliates?
We forgot to include the most questionable, Dawlat al-Islam on the West Bank. The others are al-Shabab in Somalia, Ansar al-Sharia in Libya, Ansar Beit al-Maqdis in the Sinai, and the Soldiers of the Caliphate in Algeria.