Germany and Saudi Arabia: Alliance in Counter- Terrorism Edited by Dr. Majid Rafizadeh Author: Salman Al-Ansari Introduction On April 19th, 2015, the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel published1 confidential documents that detail a complete restructuring of the terrorist organization “Daesh”, containing the name of the organization’s founder as well as its the real leader as well as his strategy. 2 This leader, according to documents referred to in the newspaper, is a former officer in Saddam Hussein's Baath Air force Intelligence named Samir Abd Mohammed Al-Khalafawi. The report illustrated that Al-Khalafawi worked for Syrian intelligence services after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq. Eventually he was hired by Bashar al-Assad’s Intelligence force. Reportedly, his purpose was to destabilize the security and stability of Iraq. This appears to have more likely made American troops hesitant to move militarily into Syria. 3 1 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-islamist- terror-group-a-1029274.html 2 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-islamist- terror-group-a-1029274.html 3 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-islamist- terror-group-a-1029274.html Iran and Syria are among the three countries, which the US State Department has designated as state sponsors of terrorism.4 5 Since that time, several intelligence reports indicate 6that Iran and Syria have supported Daesh and they have been implementing an elaborate strategy to sow sectarianism, discord and confusion in the heart of the Middle East7, particularly in Saudi Arabia. 8 Periodically they incited rumors9 and allegations10 regarding Riyadh's support for terrorism.11 These issues ignored the fact that the Kingdom is one of the countries that has endured intense consequences as a result of rampant terrorism.12 For example, the Kingdom has been targeted by terrorists since 1990. The violence escalated in 1991 with the US-led launch of the coalition forces in the Gulf War.13 4 http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm 5 http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/crt/2015/257520.htm 6 http://www.thetower.org/2699-analysis-the-different-stages-of-iranian-support-for-isis/ 7 https://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2016/07/29/Fact-checking- Saudi-and-Iranian-statements-on-terrorism.html 8 http://www.newsweek.com/saudis-are-fighting-terrorism-dont-believe-otherwise- 422710 9 http://jcpa.org/article/isis-irans-instrument-regional-hegemony/ 10 http://www.newsweek.com/saudis-are-fighting-terrorism-dont-believe-otherwise- 422710 11 http://www.thetower.org/2699-analysis-the-different-stages-of-iranian-support-for-isis/ 12 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1478358/History-of-Saudi-attacks.html 13 http://fas.org/irp/threat/terror_91/mideast.html Acts of terror against Saudi Arabia14 have escalated to the current day, including an attempted assassination of Saudi Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, at the hands of one of Al-Qaeda’s operatives, Abdullah Asiri, in September 2009. 1516With no evidence or substantiation, Saudi Arabia has been wrongly implicated in multiple violent terrorist attacks throughout European countries, such as France and Germany.17 18Daesh’s lone wolves have also tried to undermine trust in Saudi Arabia as a vitally important global ally in the fight against terrorism. From the prism of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh has demonstrated its dedication to peace in multiple ways, such as the war waged by Riyadh to reestablish legitimacy in Yemen after being violated by Iranian-backed Houthi militias, 19 20 and also its efforts to help the Syrian people who have been forced to become refugees in both the region and various countries of the European Union.21 14 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1478358/History-of-Saudi-attacks.html 15 https://english.alarabiya.net/en/webtv/reports/2015/12/04/Rare-footage-2009- Mohammed-Bin-Nayef-assassination-attempt-.html 16 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1478358/History-of-Saudi-attacks.html 17 https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2016/07/15/White-House-No-evidence-of- Saudi-role-in-9-11.html 18 http://www.newsweek.com/saudis-are-fighting-terrorism-dont-believe-otherwise- 422710 19 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-houthis-iran-insight- idUSKBN0JT17A20141215 20 http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-year-later-why-we-saudis-went-to-war-in-yemen- 1458943065 21 http://www.newsweek.com/gulf-states-are-taking-syrian-refugees-401131 The most prominent of these attempts is brought to light by the website of the German newspaper “Der Spiegel”.22 On August 5th, 2016 it revealed, citing sources in the German intelligence that have confirmed - according to the newspaper - the terrorist operative that carried out an attack aboard a train headed towards the German city Urtsburg on July 18th 2016, was a 17- year-old Afghan refugee. The attack led to the injury of four people with serious wounds. He was in contact with branches of Daesh based in his home country, as well as members of the terrorist organization based in Saudi Arabia and spread throughout other countries via online messaging 22 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/teen-dead-after-perpetrating-german- train-attack-a-1103646.html platforms.23 The following report reveals the most high-profile terrorist operations carried out against Saudi Arabia during a time in which both the Syrian and Iranian regimes enjoy the privilege of not only being shielded by the Daesh card, but also the distinction of not having any terrorist attack committed against them by the organization. 24 It reveals the relationship between Syrian intelligence and the establishment of the terrorist organization25 26, as well as the most significant operations in which Saudi Intelligence has collaborated with international security agencies27 to thwart a number of terrorist operations. 28Additionally, the report reveals some of the most important commentary made by world leaders in reaction to the Kingdom's tireless efforts in the fight against terrorism.29 30 23 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/teen-dead-after-perpetrating-german- train-attack-a-1103646.html 24 http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/teen-dead-after-perpetrating-german- train-attack-a-1103646.html 25 http://www.newsweek.com/how-syrias-assad-helped-forge-isis-255631 26 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of- islamist-terror-group-a-1029274.html 27 http://newsweekme.com/13304-2/ 28 http://www.newsweek.com/saudis-are-fighting-terrorism-dont-believe-otherwise- 422710 29 http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/873691 30 http://2001-2009.state.gov/s/ct/rls/rm/2004/30740.htm The Relationship Between Syrian intelligence and Daesh Confidential documents obtained by the German journalist Christoph Reuter and published by the site “Der Spiegel”31 on April 19th, 2015, revealed that the first founder of the terrorist organization Daesh is Samir Abd Mohammed Al-Khalafawi, a former officer in Saddam Hussein's Baath Air intelligence. Records showed that Al-Khalafawi also worked for the Baath Syrian intelligence after the defeat of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq at the hands of the US Army. After the murder of Al-Khalafawi in Tell- Rifaat north of Aleppo, Syria in January 2014, the documents that outlined the founding of "Daesh" were discovered at his residence. This was recorded in private documents by the Syrian Ministry of Defense.32 The true nature of the murder revealed that it was in fact the result of a split in Tell-Rifaat that drew a rift between loyalists for Daesh and others belonging to opposing factions. The opposition arrived at his home, and an exchange of fire occurred that got Al-Khalafawi killed. At first, the rebels did not recognize the identity of the man they just killed, nor his significance and stature. They 31 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-islamist- terror-group-a-1029274.html 32 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of- islamist-terror-group-a-1029274.html realized who their victim was only after reading his documents, which stated that he is the one nicknamed “Al-Haji Bakar”.33 34 After the opposition’s victory in the battle of Tell-Rifaat, it captured Al- Khalafawi’s home in which they found the original documents that were used in establishing Daesh. The German journalist was able to get his hands on 31 pages of these documents that are full of writings, diagrams and tables that explain how Daesh was built and how it is able to operate between its institutions.35 The Relationship Between Syrian intelligence and Daesh These documents included:36 A list of influential families. Names of the most powerful individuals within those families. Knowledge of their sources of income. Knowledge of the names and sizes of the rebel brigades in any given village. Knowledge of the names of their leaders, and who controls the 33 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/haji-bakr-former-saddam- hussein-spy-is-mastermind-behind-isis-takeover-of-northern-syria-and-push- 10189280.html 34 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of- islamist-terror-group-a-1029274.html 35 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of- islamist-terror-group-a-1029274.html 36 http://www.npr.org/2015/04/23/401655832/secret-papers-reveal-islamic-states- structure brigades and their political orientations. Knowledge of their illegal activities (according to Islamic Sharia law), which can be used to blackmail them if necessary. Documents revealed that the Syrian Ministry of Defense sent fake religious clerics to cities and villages of Syria to open fraudulent religious offices, which were used to teach Sharia law and religion. Over time, these offices were used to draw in young people who were eventually manipulated into submitting to the bidding of the clerics. When the regime began to emphasize repression against the revolution, the heads of Daesh's offices around the country started to deliberately promote religious Sunni intolerance and raise the banner of so-called "jihad".37 37 http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/islamic-state-files-show-structure-of-