A start of the Saladinaldronni adventure
Hello everyone!
This is the first introduction post on the issue of jihadi terrorism. The topic is diverse, rich and can’t be fully delved into without making it a full-time commitment. Hence the researchers, bloggers and academics that operate even in one region are truly stars, helping tremendously the job of us - Islamic State and al-Qaeda researchers.
When it comes to me - I don’t feel like I need to limit myself to one area. While it's not possible to be an alfa or omega on everything, I have acquired a massive knowledge on local and regional issues wherever there is an affiliate of the two main global jihadi groups, regularly consulting problems with friends conducting field works that enables us to band together and explore our understanding.
What will be this substack about then? I have been teasing about its start for two months, finally gaining the resolve to get active. Once, being a complete upstart at the beginning of my BA degree over a decade ago, I started where me and my friends all met online- the Syrian Civil War. That evolved into the interest in jihadism, the competition between al-Qaeda and Islamic State Central.
With Islamic State expanding (not really a pun to the famous Adnani's remaining and expanding), Afghanistan and Philippines were the subject of my interest, the war against the Taliban, the collapse of Abu Sayyaf and full takeover by IS East Asia. Some of you may remember my first English analyses back in 2018-2019. Though I focused on those two in particular, I wanted to see more. That stopped when I fell ill at the end of 2019 and didn’t make a full quasi-recovery and the Twitter comeback in May 2023. Just to see Sahel burning and the whole Islamic State completely changed.
This blog will have massive Sahel updates, with JNIM, ISGS, sometimes ISWAP mentioned amid their war on the AES alliance, now also known as a confederation of juntas. Weekly Sahel updates are permament, usually at the end of a week. I haven’t abandoned Islamic State Khorasan Province and Islamic State East Asia, though now these two are also a part of the massive web the Islamic State has for years woven. And that web is going to be explored.
From time to time, given circumstances, I am going to look into certain issues of note, attacks like in Oman or Azerbaijan, lone actor jihadi wannabi Discord terrorism in Europe, Jaish al-Adl in Iran, inform on something I find interesting. All covered in that “jihadi” part of terrorism.
First post will be free, to see what that Dronni cooks. You will then decide If I am worthy of investement, even if only a coffee ;) (link in my profiles on Twitter and BlueSky).
We shall then see.
Thank you again, and I hope we will see each other more. I like whenever you comment under my Twitter/Blue posts, and happily interact answering questions. Unless someone wishes me death or is passive-agressive haha.
Paweł Wójcik