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Harmony Program

The CTC launched the Harmony Program in 2005 in order to release and analyze documents from the Department of Defense’s Harmony database. The focus of this program is to contextualize the inner-functioning of al-Qa’ida, its associated movement, and other security threats through primary source documents. Harmony products released by the CTC are typically accompanied by an analytical report and the primary source material from which its conclusions are based. By releasing this material, the CTC aims to make these sources, which are captured in the course of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other theaters, available to other scholars for further study.

While captured documents offer unique insight into the decision-making process of terrorist groups they are most valuable when contextualized with information drawn from other sources. Scholars and practitioners should be aware that analyzing such data is fraught with risk. Documents in the Harmony database were collected on the battlefield unscientifically. There is no way to know just how representative documents captured by U.S. forces are of the larger body of information produced by al‐Qa`ida or other insurgents. Likewise, the vast database in which they are stored is imperfect and virtually impossible to search systematically. Readers and researchers should therefore be wary of conclusions drawn from Harmony documents alone.

Featured Documents

`Atiyah’s Letter to Zarqawi

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This is a letter from `Atiyah `Abd al-Rahman, mostly known as `Atiyatullah al-Libi, to Abu Mus`ab al-Zarqawi. The letter was...

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Zawahiri’s Letter to Zarqawi

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This is a critical letter from Ayman al-Zawahiri to Abu Mus`ab al-Zarqawi in which the author presents his strategy of...

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Letter from UBL to `Atiyatullah Al-Libi 4

SOCOM-2012-0000019

This document is a long letter authored by Usama bin Ladin after the death of Sheikh Sa'id (Mustafa Abu'l-Yazid) in...

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Lessons Learned from the Jihad Ordeal in Syria

AFGP-2002-600080

This is a lengthy document that examines the jihad waged by the Muslim Brotherhood against the Syrian regime of Hafiz...

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Filter Harmony Documents

Title

Description

Reference Number

  • ISI Directive to the Border Emirate

    This document contains operating instructions for the border emirate (al-Hudud Emirate) of the Islamic State of Iraq and directions on how...

    NMEC-2007-657877

  • Al-`Adl Letter

    This document is a letter written by Sayf al-`Adl addressed to “dear brother” Mukhtar. In this letter Sayf al-`Adl argues...

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  • Saif Al-Islam Report

    This document is an exit report written by Saif al Islam Al-Misri in which he reflects upon the two years...

    AFGP-2002-600108

  • A Report from Saif Al-`Adl

    In this letter, Saif Al-`Adl reports to al-Qa`ida’s leadership about the purchase of a motor boat, a training camp in...

    AFGP-2002-600114

  • Template for Weekly Border Activity Report

    This document appears as an empty form to be filled out to provide an update on border activity on a...

    NMEC-2007-658008

  • Six-Month ISI Section 1 Border Activity Report

    This document is a report on Islamic State of Iraq fighters and equipment that crossed the border in Sector 1...

    NMEC-2007-658016

  • Abu Jasim Funds Distribution Report

    This is an expense report by Abu Jasim, given to Abu Husayn [Border Emir] detailing how US$3000.00 was distributed. The...

    NMEC-2007-658056

  • Abu Muthana Funds Receipt

    This is a receipt indicating that Abu Muthana “Emir of Border Sector 1 (Syria-Ba`aj)” received a certain amount of money...

    NMEC-2007-658065

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