Around the globe, nations are struggling to deal with interconnected terrorist movements that continue to recruit and attack. A May 2022 U.S. federal jury conviction of an ISIS member details the extent of the networking and the depth of the determination to join terrorist groups among the radicalized. Terrorist groups continue to easily spread their propaganda and recruiting materials based on religious, ancestral, and a range of other ideas. Yet nations are still stuck in reaction mode, instead of prevention.
What Just One Motivated Terrorist Can Do
Examining the Mirsad Kandic case shows us that terrorists, even when suspected/identified by various governments are still able to find ways around travel bans. In his case, Kandic was able leave Brooklyn and reach Syria in 2013 even after the US and Canadian governments stopped him at their airports in 2012. Not deterred by two failures to launch, Kandic simply took a bus from NY to Mexico and then flew to Syria via Panama, Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Kosovo, and Turkey.
Once in Syria, Kandic became a fighter and then a senior leader in the organization helping to provide weapons, property, equipment and false identification papers to fighters. He became a prolific recruiter and human smuggler. His value as an information operation expert and recruiting expert brought hundreds if not thousands more terrorists into the group. It is unknowable how many he inspired to join other terrorist groups elsewhere, but his effect was large.
Kandic was especially proud of one of the terrorists he recruited, Jake Bilardi of Australia. This 18-year-old who had never left his home country reached out to Kandic seeking assistance to get to Turkey and into the war. Kandic helped Bilardi become an ISIS terrorist, and later a suicide bomber. The Australian then killed over 30 Iraqi security forces in a suicide truck bombing in Ramadi in March 2015. Kandic sent the Australians a message before the attack saying, “May Allah make [their] inner organs implode.” He was proud of the suicide bombings he facilitated for ISIS. After causing untold death and misery, Kandic was arrested in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He now faces “a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on the two counts resulting in death, and 20 years’ imprisonment on each of the other four charges,” for his convictions on conspiracy to support ISIS and five counts of providing support to ISIS. This justice cannot bring back those murdered by ISIS, and cannot undo the global recruitment boost that various Khawarij-inspired terrorist groups.
ISIS is Not Alone
In Afghanistan, Pakistan, Niger, Somalia, Syria and dozens of other nations the morale of terrorists is very high. They again have the world on the defensive. The comradery and collaboration among the groups is something that security officials must sever in order to slow the growth of terrorist forces and attacks.
Just this week a new radical Islamist training center was opened in a former media station in Northern Afghanistan. They will be able to radicalize hundreds of young men into hatred and violence in the coming years. AQ, as tight at ever with the Haqqani-Taliban regime in Kabul, is now shifting some focus towards Kashmir as they adjust to the new safety they have in Afghanistan.
A recent UN report of Taliban terrorism monitors suggests that the Taliban-Haqqani regime is in direct control of 3 of the 8 Jaish-e-Mohammed camps in Afghanistan, and that the regime is supporting both JeM and LeT. JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba are both Pakistan-based anti-India terrorist groups. LeT has operated in South Asia since 1987 when it was founded with funding from Osama Bin Laden. JeM has been operating since 2000 in Kashmir with an aim to separate the lands from India and merge them with Pakistan.
Another UN report notes that the AQ leader Zawahiri is busier than ever sending out more recruiting videos gloating about the Taliban victory. He is able to “lead more effectively” now with the NATO forces out of Afghanistan, and the Haqqani-Taliban regime basking in their “victory.” It goes on to state that Al-Qaida appears free to pursue its objectives.” Those objectives include rebuilding their “global jihad” capabilities through fundraising, recruiting, and training. All those activities are enabled through Zawahiri’s propaganda videos.
Get Ahead or Stay Behind
The case of Mirsad Kandic should be a warning to all nations of the ability of just one terrorist to mobilize and recruit dozens, if not hundreds of young fighters. It should show the need for more investment in detection and prevention of radicalizers and recruiters. Reacting after they have led others down this dark path is not going to reverse the current momentum of terrorists globally.
