Mantiqi IV: AI-Qaeda's Failed Co-Optation of a Jemaah Islamiyah Support Network

Al-Qaeda's attempts to attack Western countries have often been enabled through the co-optation of existing jihadist organizations and their external support networks. This article examines this phenomenon through a case study of al-Qaeda's failed attempt to co-opt elements of Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) for an attack in Australia. The article first examines the emergence of JI and its Australian-based support network Mantiqi IV. It then analyzes al-Qaeda's unsuccessful attempt to utilize Mantiqi IV for an attack during the 2000 Sydney Olympics, identifying key factors that both enabled and hindered the plot.