Thread by @VincentFoucher

1. More news from ISWAP – in an audio released some time ago (before the Sambisa blitz against #Shekau, I think), Abu Musab al Barnawi, the ad interim boss (wali?) of #ISWAP #BokoHaram, details a point he had made in a statement that I have commented earlier. A thread.

2. This new audio revolves around Abu Musab's earlier promise to review past injustices committed by ISWAP. He reiterates. He calls all those aggrieved, whether ISWAP members or civilians, to put forth their claims. He confirms a forum will examine these claims.

3. He insists justice applies to leadership, rank and file, and civilians alike. He insists both leaders and followers in ISWAP have done some wrong. He insists that even soldiers of the Caliphate will be punished if they kill without a good reason.

4. Oddly for an organisation whose policy seems to be to kill “unbelievers”, he even mentions that revenge should be proportional, even towards “unbelievers”.

5. He shows he understands the difficulties involved in summoning all grievances, in judging: as the history of JAS & ISWAP has shown, what is one day seen as a fair punishment can be seen the next day as a self-serving abuse of the law by the powers-that-be against competitors.

6. And so, he tries to delineate the perimeter of that justice. Thus, he calls lengthily people to pardon. He refers to the Mosaic principle “an eye for an eye”. But then he says God also said that it was better to leave judgment and vengeance to Him.

7. Also, he insists that all accusers need to produce proof for the accusations to be considered by the review board.

8. Abu Musab notes that only serious offenses will be taken into consideration, though the list is a mix: “injustice, unfair judgement, death sentences, severe punishment against a person who is totally innocent or whose judgement is not in accordance with the Islamic law”

9. Strangely enough, he mentions Caliph Umar said parents must inform him before beating their children, because he is the protector of everyone. “So, also in our time, you should know this as parent and guardian. This is what we will make sure is happening in this Dawla.”

10. Errr. Will Abu Musab really look into “child protection”, against the patriarchical local mores?

11. He mentions only 2 (or 3?) cases as examples. A shame, for they are telling of the governance problems these guys have. 1st is recent. Happened in Tumbuma during Ramadan. Several people awaiting trial died because of bad detention conditions. Relatives will be compensated.

12. In a later mention, he discusses a case, already mentioned in the previous audio, of some people who were imprisoned because they showed their support to the Caliph’s decision to remove the deputy wali. It seems like these people are the ones who died in Tumbuma.

13. But who is that deputy wali who was removed? Kirmima? The latter’s latest (and last?) rank is not clear to me. If not, who is that deputy wali?

14. Abu Musab also mentions a past episode, combat in Baga (2020?), “when the town was divided into two parts between our Muslims brothers and the unbelievers [Nigerian military]”.

15. He claims the Caliph gave the order to drive out the unbelievers. If he speaks the truth, it is VERY interesting, because it would mean that the Caliph is actually giving directives on local issues like this.

16. Acting upon the Caliph’s orders, ISWAP fighters considered they had to drive out “local civilians living within the Dawla”.

17. And so civilians living in the vicinity of Baga “were driven out and abandoned their properties and farmlands which were due for harvest at that time”. According to Abu Musab, “such people can also come forward and make their case and they can be attended to”.

18. I find the audio quite telling of the complexities and paradoxes of jihadi attempts at governance, and of the attempts of some of its leaders to address these, I must say... Will Abu Musab be able to fix the bloody internal history of the organisation & contain abuses?

19. Equally interesting - but unfortunately still only indicial - is Abu Musab's reference to directives from the Caliph about the handling of Baga.