The Middle East Media Research Institute’s Islamist Websites Monitor Project is reporting that a radical Islamic web site named Al-Ikhals has published a manual for constructing car bombs that can be detonated by remote control.

The manual was published on July 8, 2008 and was written by an individual who frequently comments about using technology during jihad. The Adnkronos International web site reported on July 9 that the manual is 13 pages long and is divided into two sections; electronic and technical.

“This work of mine is a gift that I am offering to the Islamic nation, especially to Sheikh Bin Laden,” the manual’s author wrote.

The Adnkronos International article further opines on why the manual focuses on remote-controlled car bombs, rather than suicide bombers.

“The reason may lie in the scarcity of volunteer suicide bombers underlined in al-Qaeda recruitment videos and the unpopularity of these attacks,” the article explained.

Counter-terrorism experts have warned about the increasing use of web sites and Internet forums for terrorist activities. The scattering of Al-Qaeda since the invasion of Afghanistan by American and allied forces in 2001 has forced them to decentralize. This new form of Al-Qaeda was dubbed “Al-Qaeda 2.0” by terrorism expert Peter Bergen.

Ryan Mauro