In late 2016, ISIS put my name on a hit list and exhorted lone wolves to "take action". The list was circulated among their Telegram channels. In 2017, they sent another more direct threat. That was actually what established my first contact with Norwegian security authorities.
The threat at the time had nothing to do with my name, but rather my close support for anti-ISIS Syrian activists. It was determined that I don't need to be under police protection. The entire world had its eyes on ISIS. They said there was no active plot (only a threat).
In October 2018 following the Khashoggi murder I became a target of another evil power - MBS and his henchmen. The threat level escalated over the months until it triggered, in April 2019, a "special" visit from Norwegian intelligence, who now said I need to be under protection.
Interestingly, the earlier ISIS threats were a factor again. Because *both* ISIS and MBS want me dead, one could kill me and make it look like it's the other who did it. (I'm just glad that both tyrants and terrorists want me dead, means I'm onto something).
With the evil Baghdadi gone, I come back to ask myself, am I a little safer now? Not yet - ISIS is in the end an ideology, and it has a history of transcending its leadership. This is a big blow to them, yes, but it's not their end, esp given the regional context.
We'll have to balance out the loss of leadership with the new opportunities presented by the turmoil in their active region. Their past leadership was strategically disastrous anyway (good tactically but terrible strategists). New leadership may bring new opportunities for them.
Now I'm going to go to sleep wondering how my life got this complicated. But also with a little smile on my face, knowing I'm no longer the second most famous living Baghdadi. Bwahahahaha.
