The awaited Al Qaeda comeback: Syria’s Nusra Front releases magazine

Syrian rebels loyal to the Al Qaeda terror organization, released the second edition of its English-language magazine, “Al Risalah,” Sunday. The rebels, who identify with the Nusra Front (NF), Al Qaeda’s local branch, leaked the magazine onto the social media sphere using the group’s official Twitter account, which has still not been removed. The cover of the magazine reads, “Victory loves preparation,” and shows a jihadi wearing army gear with his face covered, holding two guns. Contents of the magazine include an interview with an Australian jihadi, ads for shotguns, a call to join the Nusra Front instead of the Islamic State and a €2 million bounty for anyone who can kill Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. There is also a depiction of President Obama and another of Lady Liberty drowning in the ocean, referring to a demise in U.S. world power. The Foreign Desk obtained a digital copy of “Al Risalah.” The magazine is not published directly by Al Qaeda nor affiliated with the group’s “Inspire” magazine. The Nusra Front, sometimes referred to as Al Qaeda in Syria, is a Sunni jihadist group fighting two fronts—one against Bahsar al Assad’s government and one against the Islamic State. The group also has a branch, which operates in parts of Lebanon. The U.S. designated the Nusra Front a terror organization in 2012.