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In reply to the discussion: When did you first hear of Khorasan? [View all]wandy
(3,539 posts)13. In some form or another they may have been around for some time..........
That part of the world appears to have as many local terror groups as American towns have local garage bands. Like local garage bands they may not have a formal name until they do something important or someone (probably the U.S.) gives them one.
After all you can have a Mad Max movie staring the 'man with no name', but it is difficult to report on a terror grope 'with no name'.
A BBC article shows an interesting perspective on this.
What is the Khorasan Group?
The Khorasan Group - a name apparently coined by the US - is believed to be made up of about 50 veteran militants from Afghanistan and Pakistan, which jihadists refer to as Khorasan, as well as North Africa and Chechnya.
US officials said they had been sent to Syria by al-Qaeda's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, not to fight the government of President Bashar al-Assad but to "develop external attacks, construct and test improvised explosive devices and recruit Westerners to conduct operations".
The militants are thought to have embedded themselves within al-Qaeda's local affiliate, the al-Nusra Front, and obtained land and buildings in its strongholds.
US officials said they had been sent to Syria by al-Qaeda's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, not to fight the government of President Bashar al-Assad but to "develop external attacks, construct and test improvised explosive devices and recruit Westerners to conduct operations".
The militants are thought to have embedded themselves within al-Qaeda's local affiliate, the al-Nusra Front, and obtained land and buildings in its strongholds.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29350271
I would say this is as believable, or as unbelievable as anything else.
Doing some searching I find some mention of them involved in the USS Cole bombing and also Chicago Towner Cartridge bombs in 2010.
Nothing conclusive or even detailed to include a link here.
If I had to make a guess I would go with local terrorist garage band given a name by the U.S state department.
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Funny (not haha funny) how you conveniently left out those historic mentions.
Luminous Animal
Oct 2014
#25
You made the claim that there are Google links. Did they disappear from your history. Put up or...
Luminous Animal
Oct 2014
#34
we bombed them because they're al qaeda. we never need 'an excuse' to blow up
geek tragedy
Oct 2014
#27
Presto! They're al Qaeda again! (We've always been at war with al Qaeda)
DisgustipatedinCA
Oct 2014
#28
did you know that the "National Security Agency" is also affiliated with a group called
geek tragedy
Oct 2014
#31
27 < 28 < 29. Don't apply for any jobs detecting crickets. I'm not predicting success.
DisgustipatedinCA
Oct 2014
#35
That's about that person in *Iran*, not Syria (or Iraq, which you bring up for some reason)
muriel_volestrangler
Oct 2014
#40
If the name is unimportant to you, you may find greener pastures elsewhere.
DisgustipatedinCA
Oct 2014
#45
You're under the impression that Afghanistan and Syria are the same place.
DisgustipatedinCA
Oct 2014
#50
The Khorasan group is based in Albania where they mine yellow cake and build aluminum tubes
whereisjustice
Oct 2014
#49