Overview
Mostafa Mahamed is an Australian- and U.S.-sanctioned preacher from Sydney who joined al-Qaeda’s former affiliate in Syria, the Nusra Front (a.k.a. Jabhat Fateh al-Sham).David Wroe, “Notorious Australian jihadist pictured fighting against Islamic State,” Sydney Morning Herald, August 28, 2014, http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/notorious-australian-jihadist-pictured-fighting-against-islamic-state-20140828-109jxg.html. As director of the Nusra Front’s media relations, Mahamed disseminated materials on Twitter and has conducted a series of interviews with foreign media outlets in promotion of the group, including with the BBC and Sky News.SkyNews, “Syrian Rebel Group On Ending The Siege In Aleppo,” YouTube video, August 18, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SG7VOuGYEF0;
BBC Newsnight, “Jabhat Fath al Sham in depth interview - BBC Newsnight,” YouTube video, September 16, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU1a61yAQWQ&feature=youtu.be. On October 17, 2016, Mostafa Mahamed posted an announcement via Twitter formally acknowledging his dissociation from the Nusra Front earlier that month to “pursue a number of projects independently.”Mostafa Mahamed, Twitter post, October 17, 2016, 3:18 p.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSulaymanMM/status/788096804709687297. According to the announcement, Mahamed did not resign as a result of the group’s formal distancing from al-Qaeda, a move which he said he believed was “in the best interest of [the Nusa Front].”Mostafa Mahamed, Twitter post, October 17, 2016, 3:18 p.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSulaymanMM/status/788096804709687297.
Before Mahamed’s purported resignation, the Nusra Front representative had been described in various news outlets as Australia’s highest ranking al-Qaeda member,Geoff Chambers, “Aussie sheik Abu Sulayman is hunted by both IS and US forces,” Daily Telegraph (London), October 15, 2014, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/aussie-sheik-abu-sulayman-is-hunted-by-both-is-and-us-forces/story-fnpn0zn5-1227090642757; Dylan Welch, “Abu Sulayman: The rise of Australia's most senior man in Al Qaeda,” ABC News, July 25, 2016, http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-25/abu-sulayman-australias-most-senior-alqaeda-operative/7657744.with Australian officials calling Mahamed a “magnet” for foreign fighters traveling to Syria.Geoff Chambers, “Aussie sheik Abu Sulayman is hunted by both IS and US forces,” Daily Telegraph (London), October 15, 2014, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/aussie-sheik-abu-sulayman-is-hunted-by-both-is-and-us-forces/story-fnpn0zn5-1227090642757. During his time with the Nsura Front, Mahamed had reportedly occupied a number of high-level positions, including serving as a member of the group’s General Islamic Council, as well as a senior spiritual advisor and top sharia official.Mark Schliebs, “Top Aussie terrorist warns of ‘perpetual war’ on Twitter,” Australian (Surry Hills), May 14, 2015, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/terror/top-aussie-terrorist-warns-of-perpetual-war-on-twitter/story-fnpdbcmu-1227354039977; Geoff Chambers, “Aussie sheik Abu Sulayman is hunted by both IS and US forces,” Daily Telegraph (London), October 15, 2014, http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/aussie-sheik-abu-sulayman-is-hunted-by-both-is-and-us-forces/story-fnpn0zn5-1227090642757; Mosafa Mahamed, Twitter profile, accessed September 29, 2016, https://twitter.com/AbuSulaymanMM.
Although unconfirmed, Mahamed reportedly remains on a U.S. kill list.Mark Schliebs, “Kill-list Aussie terrorist Mostafa Mahamed launches PR blitz,” Australian (Sydney), June 28, 2016, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/terror/killlist-aussie-terrorist-mostafa-mahamed-launches-pr-blitz/news-story/19c3b35f08590fa8245ee87c2a4ba503. Mahamed was sanctioned by the U.S. government in May 2016, at which point the U.S. government noted Mahamed’s success in both recruiting Australians to the Nusra Front as well as helping to finance it.“Treasury Designates Al-Qaida, Al-Nusrah Front, AQAP, And Isil Fundraisers And Facilitators,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 19, 2016, https://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl0462.aspx.
Associated Groups
- Extremist entity
- Nusra Front (Jabhat Fateh al-Sham)
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Insurgent, non-state actor, terrorist, transnational, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Al-Qaeda affiliated group, Islamist, jihadist, Qutbist, Salafist, Sunni
- Position(s):
- Former director of foreign media relations, former member of the General Islamic Council, former propagandist, former senior official, former senior spiritual advisor, former top sharia official
Al-Nusra Front is an internationally sanctioned terrorist group, one of the strongest insurgent groups in Syria, and a formerly open al-Qaeda affiliate that seeks to replace the Assad regime in Syria with an Islamic state. Operating as part of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) coalition since January 2017, al-Nusra Front stands accused of serving as a base for global al-Qaeda operations.
- Extremist entity
- Al-Qaeda
- Read Threat Report
- Type(s) of Organization:
- Insurgent, non-state actor, terrorist, transnational, violent
- Ideologies and Affiliations:
- Islamist, jihadist, pan-Islamist, Qutbist, Salafist, Sunni, takfirist
- Position(s):
- Highest ranking member from Australia
Al-Nusra Front is an internationally sanctioned terrorist group, one of the strongest insurgent groups in Syria, and a formerly open al-Qaeda affiliate that seeks to replace the Assad regime in Syria with an Islamic state. Operating as part of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) coalition since January 2017, al-Nusra Front stands accused of serving as a base for global al-Qaeda operations.
History
United States
May 19, 2016The United States designated Mostafa Mahamed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).“Counter Terrorism Designations and Removals,” U.S. Department of the Treasury, May 19, 2016, https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20160519.aspx.
Australia
August 20, 2015Australia added Mostafa Mahamed to its terrorist sanctions list.“Mostafa Mahamed - Australian Citizen Added to Terrorist Sanctions Lists,” Defence Portal, August 20, 2015, http://defenceportal.com.au/defence-news/global/middle-east/mostafa-mahamed-australian-citizen-added-to-terrorist-sanctions-lists.
Daily Dose
Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.
Fact:
On October 7, 2023, Hamas invaded southern Israel where, in the space of eight hours, hundreds of armed terrorists perpetrated mass crimes of brutality, rape, and torture against men, women and children. In the biggest attack on Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, 1,200 were killed, and 251 were taken hostage into Gaza—where 101 remain. One year on, antisemitic incidents have increased by record numbers.