article_snippet: Indicative of this was the announcement on Saturday that the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram had pledged the Nigerian terrorist group Boko Haram "allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims," ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.
article_snippet: Lt. Col. Michael Waltz, a U.S. Special Forces reserve officer who has just returned to the States after advising the Nigerian Ministry of Defence in the Nigerian Ministry of Defence fight against Boko Haram, told me, "So far the pledge (to ISIS) seems to be legit.
article_snippet: Waltz says there is some debate about the timing of the pledge (to ISIS), because Boko Haram has recently come under effective attacks by Nigerian forces allied with the armies of neighboring African countries that are also threatened by the group: "Some folks in the region are saying it's a sign of desperation, as the regional offensive by Nigeria and Nigeria neighbors has knocked Boko Haram on Nigeria heels and out of a number of Nigeria sanctuaries.
article_snippet: But Waltz also says there is some evidence that the Boko Haram pledge to ISIS "has been in the works for some time.
article_snippet: The pledge might be exactly that: Boko Haram has recently suffered some serious blows and feels Boko Haram needs to try something different to strengthen Boko Haram position.
article_snippet: Hilary Matfess, a researcher at the Nigeria Social Violence Project at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, told me, Boko Haram Boko Haram would be the largest group to pledge allegiance to ISIS, but Boko Haram's not certain what kinds of logistical or operational support that ISIS could provide an African affiliate."
article_snippet: Since August, Boko Haram is one of some 30 terrorist groups that have issued statements of support for ISIS or have gone further and pledged Boko Haram allegiance to ISIS, according to IntelCenter, a Virginia-based company that tracks terrorist organizations.
article_snippet: In addition to Boko Haram, terrorist groups in Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Libya, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Yemen have pledged allegiance to ISIS, according to IntelCenter.
highlights_snippet: Boko Haram is the latest of terrorist groups in 12 countries to pledge allegiance to ISIS .
  