Al Qaeda Magazine Calling for Targeted Assassinations

Fox News reports:

The latest issue of Al Qaeda’s online magazine Inspire released Saturday calls on would-be jihadis to undermine the American economy by targeting business leaders and entrepreneurs, according to analysts who monitor web chatter from the jihadist organization.

(See also this Washington Times article). However that understates what is in this, the 15th issue of the magazine (this links to a site where you can download a PDF of the magazine if you wish--and yes, I'm sure that traffic to that site is being monitored by authorities). Besides the general propaganda, there are some alarming articles in this magazine. Following on the prior issue, this issue focuses on instructing the "Lone Wolf" or "Lone Jihadi," discussing strategy and specific tactics and information needed by such person. In support of the foregoing:

1. There is an article discussing the strategy and general objectives of a lone jihadi, together with another article discussing early Islam's attacks against economic targets.
2. There is an article discussing and encouraging knife attacks.
3. There is an article discussing home assassinations, including conducting reconnaissance (what to look for, how to get information, and so forth). 
4. Then, for carrying out such assassinations, the magazine discusses the manufacture of parcel or package bombs, magnetic car bombs, and what they term a "door-trap" bomb.

Specifically, as to surveillance, the magazine offers up the following advice:

What are the ways of locating the target's home?
1. You can get the information related to the targets through his friends and relatives
2. You can directly follow up the target from the place of work to his residence or by placing a tracking device in his car.
3. You can obtain any documents that point to the place of the target through his transactions such as laundry or a restaurant etc.
4. Fixed phone numbers are usually listed in telephone directories such as yellowpages.
5. Obtaining information by calling the target through his mobile phone, luring them to give his residential address. 

What information is needed with regards to the residence before the execution?
1. You need to be familiar with the architecture of the house, entrances, exits and whether there is a yard or a garage.
2. You need to know the daily program in the house such as sleeping times…etc.
3. You need to know the target's daily time table of entering and leaving the house.
4. You need to know the times when the house is totally empty.
5. You need to know whether or not there are guards in the house.
6. You need to know whether the house has surveillance cameras, where and how many.
7. You need to know how many cars the targeted person uses, there types and parking places.
8. You need to know whether the garage is in the house or outside.

This is a dangerous development. I've noted before that our best defense against the terrorists is their shear stupidity, including the focus on targets that are "flashy" and of high propaganda value, but of little real consequence. This latest magazine indicates a shift toward trying to find and eliminate targets of consequence. Fortunately, even with this shift, they are still focused on CEO's and others at the top of the pyramid, and so still blinded by their desire for "flashy" targets. But this is a worrying trend that they may be becoming more competent.