As readers are doubtless aware, an unknown militant is currently holding a number of hostages at a Lindt Chocolat Cafe in downtown Sydney, and forcing them to display a jihadist flag in the store's window. There is much online controversy about exactly which faction's flag it is. The Sydney Morning Herald [9] identifies it as the banner of Hizb ut-Tahrir [10], and contrasts it with those flown by ISIS and the Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front [11]. The report says Somalia's Shabab [12] is also now flying the ISIS flag, which may mark another affiliate for the "Islamic State"—which would make four [13] by our count. We have noted that protesters are on trial in Lebanon [14] for having burned the ISIS flag, ostensibly because it includes the Arabic text of the Shahada [15] or declaration of Muslim faith. These are all variations on the "Tawhid flag [16]" that has been adopted by Islamists throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Given the franchise model [13] of the jihadist networks, it really doesn't make that much difference which faction the Sydney militant is associated with, or if he is just a freelancer.
In any case, it is probably relevant that an Australian spy-plane was instrumental in the discovery of a "hidden network of caves and bunkers" occupied by ISIS fighters outside Kirkuk in northern Iraq last month, leading to its destruction in air-raids carried out jointly with the US. (Daily Mail [17], Nov. 28)
A BBC study found that last month over 5,000 were killed worldwide in jihadist violence, with the most affected countries Iraq, Nigeria and Afghanistan. (BBC News [18], Dec. 11)
