How did the Islamic State pick its new leader? In a new piece for @jihadica, I look at what we can learn about the extremist group's internal succession mechanisms from how it announced the name of its new leader. jihadica.com/how-did-the-is… 
@jihadica Sources: the text is really only about the excerpt seen above, but @Jihadology_Net has Abu Hamzah's full speech: jihadology.net/2019/10/31/new… and al-Naba #206, which includes an Arabic transcript: jihadology.net/2019/10/31/new… There's also @ajaltamimi's translation: aymennjawad.org/2019/10/islami…
@jihadica @Jihadology_Net @ajaltamimi Grim @leloveluck report from Syria, where U.S. and European leaders force the SDF to run an extralegal prison archipelago on their behalf—so insecure and underfunded that it's no wonder IS has asked followers to focus all efforts on organizing jail breaks. washingtonpost.com/world/middle_e…
@jihadica @Jihadology_Net @ajaltamimi @leloveluck When EU leaders who spent years condemning Guantánamo Bay now insist that Syria and Iraq must transform into giant EU-Guantánamos—because they're too precious to adapt their own laws to deal with IS—the proper response is to roll up your copy of the Washington Post and club them.
@jihadica @Jihadology_Net @ajaltamimi Useful: on @Jihadology_Net, @azelin gathers Islamic State provinces' pledges of allegiance to Abu Ibrahim as they come in. First to go is the miserable-looking Wilayat Benghal, followed by a more serious number, Wilayat Sinai. jihadology.net/2019/11/03/the…
