IRAQ: Jihadi Forums Detail Tactical Use of Silenced Weapons in Iraq - Jamestown Terorism Focus

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Jihadi Forums Detail Tactical Use of Silenced Weapons in Iraq

Jamestown Terorism Focus
March 25, 2008 – Volume 5, Issue 12

The latest insurgency technique of using silenced handguns to kill
U.S. and government forces in Iraq is discussed in two different
jihadi internet forums (hanein.info, March 18; ek-ls.org, March 17).
Over five days, Islamist forum participants discussed the use of
silenced weapons in killing Iraqi and U.S. personnel at checkpoints
and other security controls, the types of silenced handguns and
accounts of successful insurgency attacks using silenced weapons.

Even though jihadis have enjoyed a freer hand in the Sunni districts
of Iraq—launching terrorist attacks at security checkpoints and police
stations in these areas more often than in other areas of Iraq—they
still needed extensive planning before attacking fortified security
installations. A typical operation involved preparing eight jihadist
assailants and backup teams with up to five AK-47 assault rifles and
one PKC (the Iraqi name for the Russian-made PK machine gun) to
perpetrate a two-minute attack that might kill, at most, only three
security personnel, due to the quick response of the well-protected
security forces. According to a forum participant nicknamed “Ashiq
tahat rayat al-Dola,” these attacks became costly and difficult to
carry out as the security situation improved in Iraq with an
increasing number of Sunnis supporting government policies. Hence,
says al-Dola, jihadis switched to a new technique using silenced
pistols. “Today’s jihadist operations against security controls have
become a lot easier than yesterday…. An attack requires two jihadis at
the most with one pistol of the smallest caliber,” says al-Dola. The
jihadi walks past the checkpoint like any other citizen and
assassinates the closest security personnel with a 7mm silenced
pistol, giving the assailant enough time to retreat before any
response from the security forces. Another chatter nicknamed “Shamil
al-Baghdadi” reaffirmed al-Dola’s posting, saying he knew of a
jihadist cell of about 10 jihadis with a decade of experience in
Afghanistan that operated in Khan Bani Saad in Diyala. In four months
the cell carried out over 20 attacks on security stations using
silenced guns and swords.

Many other Islamist forum chatters showed interest in the silenced gun
attacks and contributed to the subject with long and short comments. A
forum participant nicknamed “Obaid al-Baghdadi” recounted an attack by
two jihadis on an Iraqi military barracks in the al-Saidia district of
Baghdad where silenced weapons were used prior to an unnoticed
withdrawal. “They perpetrated the operation quietly. The [other Iraqi
soldiers] didn’t find out the two were shot until lunchtime. May God
grant the two jihadis heaven and beautiful virgins,” says al-Baghdadi.

Responding to complaints about the inconvenient size of the silencers,
a few chatters posted links to small, lightweight integral suppressors
such as the U.S.-made Gemtech Oasis-R. Moreover, jihadis are inventing
their own designs for small-sized silencers with fewer baffles in the
barrels. Further information is found in the Mawsu’at al-I’dad
(Encyclopedia of Preparation), still one of the main sources for
jihadist weapon-manufacturing know-how. The fourth edition of the
manual includes a video clip showing how to manufacture silencers.

The switch from mass attacks to assassinations using silenced weapons
is an indication that jihadis are responding to an improved security
situation in Iraq following the ongoing U.S. training of Iraqi
security forces and the creation of tribal security support units such
as the Awakening Councils. Nevertheless, the use of silenced weapons
against security and military personnel reflects the adaptability and
determination of the insurgents and poses a new challenge for Iraqi
government and Coalition forces.

Abdul Hameed Bakier is an intelligence expert on counter-terrorism,
crisis management and terrorist-hostage negotiations. He is based in
Jordan.