Photos from IMU training camp in Pakistan, apparently
I found these photos of an apparent IMU training camp named after the now deceased Abu Abdullah on my wander through the internet tonight, because well that’s what one does on a Saturday night. I don’t know the date of these photos or the location, other than it being an IMU camp somewhere in Pakistan, apparently. So, if anyone who can read Uzbek wants to fill in the details from the original source of the photos I’ll be happy to add (link to original source is after photos).
But they’re interesting so I thought I’d post them for those whose net access etc prevents them looking on these sites. It’s hard to comment on some aspects because of a lack of knowledge about where or when then these photos were taken, but a few things were of interest to me. First the IED photos are interesting.
There looks to be two separate lessons areas, one of which has a covering of some sort. At least the IMU is smart enough to camouflage it, which you can see on the top of a few pics. Al Qaeda used white tents when based in Afghanistan. Even after airstrikes. And bin Laden used to personally choose the areas for camps, which caused some chagrin among those with more experience (and arguably common sense) because of his proclivity to choose exposed areas, coupled with white tents. I kid you not. I’m guessing that practice stopped pretty quickly once AQ left Afghanistan and he was out of the operational picture.
But back to the IMU pics, aside from the two ‘class’ teaching areas, there appears to be at least three areas for whatever you military people call scenario training. And with homemade flags of the countries they are targeting, by the looks of it. But I’ll leave it at that and let the rest of you take a look and offer comment. I’m sure some of you will have comments on the weapons etc and are better placed than me to point out what is what.
As a little aside, these pics show a lot more organisation and general ‘neatness’ than the pics we were treated to from Abu Khabab al Masri’s little training ‘centre’. But that was mostly in a small compound, this is not. Curious as to where these guys are sleeping when doing their training.
If you click on each pic it *should* come up larger in a separate window, I hope.
Link for the original source is here http://furqon.com/Maqolalar/ta’limgoh.html
Link is dead at my end. From the text in the pics: the writing on the map is Russian. The “grenade guide” is just a very basic Uzbek language description of Chinese, British, Austrian and Soviet grenades. Some are very, very old. I’m guessing it’s part of an old Soviet military manual – no jihadi commentary.
Thanks! Will find the link in my history folder and re-post. Hope you’re doing well. Cheers, L
Description at original link is the usual jihadi blather. It start with the al-Anfal sura and then it ‘welcomes’ the “shahid ustaz Abu Abdullah the Pakistani.” At the top of the pictures it just sorta says “check out these pics [and spread them around].” No useful info…
Hi Leah, Haven’t met up with you yet, but look forward to it when our paths cross. Briefly, date/time stamp details for images talimgoh-1, -2 and -3 are as follows:
Date/Time Original : 2010:09:27 06:46:08
Date/Time Original : 2010:09:27 06:46:29
Date/Time Original : 2010:09:27 07:18:08
By looking at the photos and shadows (changing from early morning to morning) this indicates that the time settings on the camera are accurate so one could possibly assume that the date is correct as well.
Link is dead on my end as well
Sorry I’ll try to find it again or will email it to you.
I found these pictures a few weeks ago. The IED stuff isn’t really new although it’s interesting to see a metal detector used for “confirmation” in low-metal or no-metal content IED emplacement.