It turns out that all that drama at al-Faloja forum was much ado about nothing. An uncorrupted version of Inspire magazine has been successfully put into circulation by al-Qaida.

If you can't read it, Samir must have designed it.

What happened?

A. The first file was corrupted.
B. The Faloja admins panicked.
C. The jihadi rank-and-file believed the Faloja admins.
D. An uncorrupted copy of the file was uploaded.

On the left, the hit list, featuring a Zionist-made handgun.
On the right, part of the bomb-making instructions.

In summary, this magazine is almost certainly the work of American al-Qaida operative Samir Khan - I assume that at a minimum he is responsible for the layout, typography, and graphics. "Inspire" is "Jihad Recollections" with the addition of the imprimatur of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. Anwar al-Awlaki will have been standing behind Samir, leaning over his shoulder and pointing at the screen.

Your career in al-Qaida starts today

Is this "a worrying new development"?

It does slightly increase the likelihood of AQ-inspired terrorism in the West in general, and in the United States in particular. On the other hand, it is also a wonderful investigative opportunity.

Oh, and one other thing: Ellen makes great cupcakes :-)