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Nonetheless, in the context of this study, it is suffice to denote new media as the use of technologically advanced tools that have the ability to enable us to communicate, transcending boundaries, time and space.13 Taking this into account, another important aspect of new media is its level of interactivity.14 The interactivity provided by new media can clearly be explained through the concept of Web 2.0. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Web 2.0 Web 2.0 is defined as: “A catch-all term used to describe a variety of developments on the Web and a perceived shift in the way it is used. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
This shift can be characterised as the evolution of Web use from passive consumption of content to more active participation, creation and sharing”.15 Based on the definition above and for the purpose of this study, Web 2.0 is referred to as the development on the web content from merely reading what is written on the web page to a more interactive one where users can posts questions, thoughts, and external links, as well as create ideas amongst others. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
One important feature of Web 2.0 that is relevant to this study is its focus on user-generated content (UGC).
12 “What does ‘New Media’ mean?”, Iowa State University Studio for New Media, http://newmedia.engl.iastate.edu/about/what_is_new_media, (accessed August 1, 2016).
13 Fernandez, Kevin.
“The two waves of cyberpolitics in Malaysia: what does the by-elections barometer tell us?.” Department of Political Science Central European University 27, no.
1 (2010): 597. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
1 (2010): 597.
14 “What does ‘New Media’ mean?”, Iowa State University Studio for New Media.
15 Joshua Stern, “Introduction to Web 2.0 Technologies”, http://www.wlac.edu/ online/documents/Web_2.0%20v.02.pdf (accessed August 1, 2016).
17 User-Generated Content (UGC) UGC is also referred to as user-created content (UCC). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
There is no commonly accepted definition of UGC but it nonetheless comprises of “[…] various forms of media and creative works (written, audio, visual, and combined) created by Internet and technology users”.16 Some of the examples of UGC are images, infographic, videos, blogs, and comments.17 In addition, social networking sites or social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter also operate on UGC. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Social Media Platforms Although there are differences between social media and social networking, people have been using these two terms interchangeably.18 In this regard, social media is defined as “forms of electronic communication […] through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content […].”19 On the other hand, social networking is defined as “the creation and maintenance of personal and business relationships especially online”.20 While there are differences in framing social media and social networking, both utilises the same web-based platforms which includes Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr among others. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In this regard, this study will use the term social media platforms to refer to these sites.
However, as will be demonstrated, Daesh is not only using web-based 16 “Participative Web: User Created Content”, April 12, 2007, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), http://www.oecd.org/sti/38393115.pdf (accessed August 1, 2016).
17 “User-Generated Content (UGC)”, Techopedia, https://www.techopedia.com/ definition/3138/user-generated-content-ugc (accessed August 1, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
18 Fauzia Bruke, “Social Media vs. Social Networking”, December 2, 2013, Huffington Post,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fauzia-burke/social-media-vs-social- ne_b_4017305.html (accessed August 1, 2016).
19 Pete Schauer, “5 Biggest Differences between Social Media and Social Networking”, June 28, 2016, Social Media Today, 20 Ibid.
18 platforms to communicate and conduct other terrorist-related activities, they are also using mobile messaging apps. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Mobile Messaging Apps Mobile messaging apps includes instant messaging applications that are accessible through hand-held devices such as iPhones, androids, iPad, tabs and the likes.
Some of the mobile messaging apps are Telegram, WhatsApp, Wickr and SureSpot.
However, it is important to note that some of these applications are also accessible through the web but are commonly used on hand-held devices. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Nonetheless, the emergence of new media and Web 2.0 as well as the utilisation of both web-based social media platforms and mobile messaging apps have dramatically changed the landscape of how people communicate and conduct their daily businesses.
In fact, such easily accessible technological advancement has led to greater immediacy and remarkably reducing the digital divide. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
These advantages have also benefited Daesh in their quest to spread their propaganda, recruit and radicalise, communicate and network, fund their terrorist-related activities, train potential recruits, plan as well as coordinate attacks.
Hacking activities are also found to be among Daesh’s activities. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
It is important that we understand why terrorist groups are adopting the internet as a tool to proliferate their ideas while simultaneously placing themselves in a vulnerable situation by exposing themselves to multilateral and state-control intelligence gathering agencies.
Before delving further into the possible uses of the Internet by terrorists, the following section will look into some of the reasons the Internet appeals to terrorists. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
19 T E R R O R I S M A N D T H E I N T E R N E T : T H E F A T A L A T T R A C T I O N 2 T he Internet serves as a space for terrorist sympathisers and followers to gather and exchange views while reinforcing their worldviews.
This is particularly appealing to terrorists as it provides them anonymity and freedom to conduct various terrorism activities to a certain extent. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Kathy Crilley of the Internet Studies Research Group, City University, asserted that amongst the many reasons why terrorists are utilising the internet include anonymity of communication, easy access to the Internet where little technical knowledge is needed in building a website, links to like-minded individuals that leads to the building of large networking, source of revenue where donations can be obtained through terrorist websites as well as the ease of bypassing national laws with the Internet being owned by no one.21 The ease of bypassing the national laws was echoed by Professor Bilveer Singh of the Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In a workshop organised by the RSIS, Professor Bilveer Singh stated that terrorists take advantage of a weak legal system.22 Such is the case of Indonesia in which the country’s legal system is deemed relatively weak to deal with cyber radicalisation and this has led to the terrorists taking advantage of the limitation.23 21 Kathy Crilley, “Information warfare: new battlefields Terrorists, propaganda and the Internet”, in Cyberterrorism, ed.
Alan O’Day, (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2004), 69. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
22 Bilveer Singh, “Countering Online Extremism – A Perspective on the Indonesian Case”, lecture given at the Workshop on Extremism and Terrorism Online: A Multidisciplinary Examination of Current Trends and Challenges, 14 October 2014, Singapore.
23 Ibid. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
23 Ibid.
20 Additionally, Dr. Anne Aly, Professor at Edith Cowan University, Australia, argued that individuals with inclination towards terrorist ideology would go online to gain information, strengthen personal identity as well as for social interaction and entertainment.24 Regarding the use of the Internet for information purposes, she cautioned that terrorists seek only information that reinforces their worldview and disregard ones that are not in line with their thinking. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
This leads to the purpose of building personal identity where the Internet is used to strengthen their credibility and support that bolsters their confidence and view of the world.25 The Internet is also used for strengthening social contact where propaganda can reach a wider range of people as well as for entertainment with the need to escape and release tension.26 She further argued that one of the appealing factors of the Internet is its user-friendly nature given the practicality of various social media platforms. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Thomas K. Samuel of the Southeast Asia Regional Centre for Counter- Terrorism (SEARCCT), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, had also given his views on the appeal of the Internet for terrorists. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Dubbed as ’Terrorists’ Show and Tell’, he maintained that the use of the Internet, particularly social media, makes it easier for terrorists to view what other terrorists are doing and subsequently replicate and duplicate successful tactics.27 Furthermore, in an interestingly framed ’The 6th Sense Effect: ‘I See Dead People’, he continued to argue that the online media has the ability to keep alive prominent terrorist figures that are deceased such as Anwar Al-Awlaki, where his sermons have known to have radicalised a number of people. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
He also suggested that the World Wide Web is the best place for terrorists to hide.28 24 Anne Aly, “Focusing Attention on Terrorists’ Audience: A Framework for Developing the Understanding of Extremism and Terrorism Online”, lecture given at the Workshop on Extremism and Terrorism Online: A Multidisciplinary Examination of Current Trends and Challenges, 13 October 2014, Singapore.
25 Ibid.
26 Ibid. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
25 Ibid.
26 Ibid.
27 Thomas K. Samuel, “The Perfect Storm: The Terrorist Message and the Online Media”, lecture given at the Workshop on Extremism and Terrorism Online: A Multidisciplinary Examination of Current Trends and Challenges, 13 October 2014, Singapore.
28 Ibid.
21 Moreover, the Internet is also useful for terrorists as it provides the much needed speed in facilitating online activities. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
This includes gathering information on potential targets and recruits as well as to disseminate propaganda, news, videos of supposed battlefields in a much faster way than conventional newspapers and in real-time.
The cost of conducting terrorist related activities online is much more economical and far more lucrative than to conduct activities in the physical world. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
For example, conducting credit card fraud online would be much easier than to conduct a bank heist given the need for weapons, gadgets, getaway cars and not to mention the risk of getting caught.
Moreover, by doing such activities online, terrorists could also gain more from credit card fraud activities as it could be done in a much larger scale than robbing a bank as well as the ability to evade capture. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In this section, we have established that some of the appealing factors of the Internet included a wider audience reach, security, easy access to network, speed and learning materials as well as weak legal system that allows terrorists to roam almost freely in the cyber realm.
However, the various usages of the Internet have yet to be ascertained. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Therefore, the next section would seek to identify the various purposes of Internet usage by the terrorists before going into a detailed look into each of the purposes.
22 3 T E R R O R I S T S ’ U S E O F T H E I N T E R N E T : A N O V E R V I E W T errorism and the Internet has gained the attention of experts from various fields. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
For example, James A. Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), argued that the Internet is being used by the terrorists as a “[…] tool for intra-group communications, fund- raising and public relations” as well as to “[…] steal credit card numbers or valuable data to provide financial support for their operations”. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
29 Fred Cohen states that in the past, cyberspace has been used by the terrorists for the purposes of planning terrorist attacks, funding terrorist activities, coordinating and monitoring of ongoing operations, to gain attention and political actions by providing websites that promoted the holding of protests as well as propaganda activities where information and narratives were disseminated.30 Another useful read when identifying the use of the Internet by terrorists was by Barbara Mantel who maintained that experts in the field have argued that the terrorists use the Internet for five particular purposes; (i) to research on potential targets and communicate among each other, (ii) to provide training manuals such as bomb making, (iii) to raise funds, (iv) to conduct media operations by disseminating videos and messages to justify violent actions, (v) as well as to radicalise and recruit members.31 29 James A. Lewis, “Assessing the Risks of Cyber Terrorism, Cyber War and Other Cyber Threats”, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), December, 2002, http://www.enhyper.com/content/0211_lewis.pdf (accessed 17 May 2014). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
30 Fred Cohen, “Terrorism and Cyberspace” in Cyberterrorism, ed. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Alan O’Day, (Alder shot: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2004), 150 31 Barbara Mantel, “Terrorism and the Internet: Should Web Sites that Promote 23 Theohary and Rollins have also suggested that terrorists are exploiting the Internet to create awareness of their struggle, to spread propaganda through media arms such as Al-Qaeda’s As-Shahab Institute for Media Production, to recruit and radicalise as well as to train terrorists by publishing bomb-making manuals.32 In addition, Madeleine Gruen also commented that the Internet can certainly be used for indoctrination, fundraising, recruiting, inciting violence and terrorise.33 Additionally, Zahri Yunos ascertained that the terrorists’ use the Internet to promote cyber terrorism activities such as videos relating to their cause through dissemination of manifestos, propaganda statements, materials for explosives, attacks, bombing and hostage- taking as well as for inter-group communication and inter-networked grouping, coordinate missions, meetings and to recruit new members.34 Gabriel Weimann added that terrorists are using the cyber network to “distribute their propaganda, to communicate with their supporters, to foster public awareness of and sympathy of their causes, and even to execute operations.”35 The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had produced a report based on an Online Expert forum on terrorists’ Use of the Internet. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In the report, it stated that some of the uses of social networking tools by terrorists include recruitment and incitement, planning/strategic communication as well as public outreach and glorification of violence and some perceived successes.36 Terrorism be Shut Down?”, November 2009, CQ Global Researcher, vol.
3, No.
11 32 Catherine Theohary and John Rollins, “Terrorists Use of the Internet: Information Operations in Cyberspace”. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
33 Madeleine Gruen, “Innovative Recruitment and Indoctrination Tactics Extremists: Video Games, Hip Hop, and the World Wide Web”, in The Making of a Terrorist: Recruitment, Training, and Root Causes, ed.
James J.F.
Forest (Westport, CT: Praeger, 2006).
34 Zahri Yunos , “Putting Cyber Terrorism Into Context”, STAR In-Tech, February 24, 2009.
35 Gabriel Weimann, “How Modern Terrorism Uses the Internet”, Security Affairs, 2005, http://www.usip.org/sites/default/files/sr116.pdf (accessed November 3, 2014. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
36 The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), “OSCE Online Expert Forum Series on Terrorist Use of the Internet: Treats, Responses and Potential Future Endeavours”, 2013, http://www.osce.org/atu/102266?download=true (accessed October 15, 2014).
24 This is by no means an exhaustive list of the studies to identify terrorists’ use of the Internet.
But the general purposes of the use of the Internet by terrorists can be derived. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
There are many purposes identified by various experts and practitioners in the field.
Nonetheless, there are essentially nine general purposes for the use of the Internet by terrorists.
The figure below illustrates the various usages of the Internet by terrorists in the effort to further their cause.
As can be seen in Figure 1, there are essentially nine purposes for terrorists’ use of the Internet. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
These includes dissemination of propaganda through terrorist websites, chat rooms, forums and various social media platforms; radicalisation of potential individuals as sympathisers/supporters and recruitment of new members; Terrorists' Use of the Internet Propaganda Radicalisation Recruitment Communication / Networking Funding Training Planning Coordination of Attacks Data Mining Figure 1: Terrorists’ Use of the Internet 25 networking and communication among members of a terrorist group or between terrorist groups; funding gained via the Internet to support terrorists related activities; training for the purpose of equipping terrorists with the necessary skills to conduct attacks; coordination of physical attacks via the Internet; and mining data for potential targets to attack or individuals to radicalise and recruit. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Several of these elements can also be grouped together, for example, planning and coordination of attacks.
It should be noted that all of the above Internet uses by terrorists falls under the category of ECM.
These uses are online activities that essentially help to facilitate, in other words, enables, terrorist attacks in the physical world and also to achieve a terrorist group’s larger objectives.
The following part will focus on Daesh’s use of the Internet. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
26 DAESH AND THE INTERNET 27 T errorism has gone through many waves.
The earliest of acts that could be deemed as terrorism began with the Sicarii or the Zealots of Judea in the first Century, followed by the Assassins or the Nizari Ismalis, a Shia Sect in the 11th Century.37 Particularly with these two groups, the overarching method chosen to spread their discontent was to assassinate their enemies. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Modern terrorism however has seen the rise of a more sophisticated, ideologically based attacks against their perceived enemies. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
This includes the likes of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC), Peru’s Shining Path, Japan’s Aum Shirinkyo, Germany’s Red Army Faction (RAF), the al-Qaeda and its splinter groups such as the al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) as well as Somalia’s al-Shaabab, the Philippines’ Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) and Indonesia’s Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
These groups have been known to adopt tactics such as bombings, Kidnappings-for- Ransom (KFR) and attacks using chemical gas among other things.
At present however, there exist a much more gruesome and influential force known as the al Dawla al Islamiya fi al Iraq wa al Sham (Daesh), also referred to as the Islamic State (IS).
Daesh grew out of an al-Qaeda faction known as the al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI).
The AQI was established in 2004 by Jordanian Abu Musab al- Zarqawi38 for two main reasons. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
The first was to rid Iraq of foreign 37 “Early History of Terrorism”, Terrorism Research, http://www.terrorism-research.
com/history/early.php (accessed March 1, 2015).
38 Al-Zarqawi had met Osama bin Laden earlier in 1999.
Their encounter did not go well as bin Laden was offended by al-Zarqawi’s arrogance and “rigid views”.
In this regard, the animosity between the two had already began in late ‘90s. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
More on this 4 T H E E M E R G E N C E O F D A E S H 28 occupying forces, namely the United States (US) and its allies, while the second reason was to replace the Iraqi government, which was dominated by the Shi’a sect, with a Sunni led government.39 Given that the AQI was led and dominated by mainly non-Iraqi citizens, another organisation was created to include Iraqis for the purpose of strengthening AQI’s image and standing as a legitimate force fighting to liberate Iraq.40 This organisation was called the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI) and was led by an Iraqi known as Abu Omar al-Baghdadi. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
The ISI was allegedly established with the merger of a council called Majlis Shura Mujahideen fil-Iraq, formed by the AQI, and three other minor groups.41 The following chart shows the members of the council and the three minor Iraqi groups that formed the ISI.
Table 1: The Creation of ISI Later in 2013, the ISI was renamed as the Islamic State in Iraq and al- Sham (ISIS) or Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and subsequently the Islamic State (IS) in 2014. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
However, governments around the world, including Australia, France and Malaysia, officially refers to the IS as al Dawla al Islamiya fi al Iraq wa al Sham or Daesh42 to degrade its status as an Islamic State.
account could be found in Michael Weiss and Hassan, “ISIS: Inside the army of terror”.
Regan Arts, 2015.
39 IHS Jane’s, “Islamic State”, December 11, 2014 Jane’s World Insurgency and Terrorism, pg.
4-5 40 Ibid, pg.
7.
41 Ibid, pg.
7. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
4-5 40 Ibid, pg.
7.
41 Ibid, pg.
7.
42 Daesh is preferred as it sounds like the Arabic words Daes which means “one who crushes something underfoot” and Dahes which refers to “one who sows discord”.
For added information on this, read “Islamic State, Daesh or Isis: the dilemma of naming 29 The atrocities of the group quickly grew and became one of the most notorious terrorist group in recent times.
They were able to gain support from various parts of the world including the Americas, Europe and Asia. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Their large force, coupled with their military capabilities and skills, led them to successfully take control of a number of cities in Iraq and Syria. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Their methods of executions include publicly torching their enemies, as can be witnessed by the burning of a Jordanian pilot, Muath al-Kasasbeh,43 throwing of homosexuals to their death from rooftops,44 the rape of children and women of Yazidis,45 and beheadings of several of their perceived enemies and parading their severed heads to the public.46 Such acts had led the al-Qaeda to condemn Daesh. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In a statement made by Ayman al-Zawahiri in 2014, the al-Qaeda decided to cut ties with the organisation and denounced the group’s violent actions.47 Although the al-Qaeda had denounced Daesh, there are several other terrorist groups that had pledged their allegiance and support to Daesh. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
According to a statement made by Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, 34 militant groups have pledged their allegiance to Daesh as of December 2015.48 These include groups such as al- the extremists”, The Week, December 2, 2015, http://www.theweek.co.uk/isis/62422/ islamic-state-daesh-or-isis-the-dilemma-of-naming-the-militants (accessed October 10, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
43 “Jordanian pilot’s “obscene” burning death by ISIS sparks outrage in Mideast”, February 4, 2015, CBSNews, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/jordanian-pilots- obscene-burning-death-by-isis-sparks-outrage-in-mideast/ (accessed July 20, 2016).
44 “Inside look at ISIS’ brutal persecution of gays”, December 2, 2015, CBSNews, http://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-persecution-gay-men-murder-lgbt-muslim- society/ (accessed July 20, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
45 Gianluca Mezzofiore, “Iraq: Yazidi girls ‘raped in public’ and sold to Isis fighters before release”, April 9, 2015, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/iraq-yazidi-girls-raped- public-sold-isis-fighters-before-release-1495594 (accessed July 20, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
46 Jake Burman, “Evil ISIS fighters yelling Allahu Akbar parade SEVERED HEADS from pick-up truck”, January 18, 2016, Express, http://www.express.co.uk/news/ uk/635560/ISIS-Islamic-State-Libya-Bin-Jawad-Severed-Heads-Parade-Terror-Oil-Ras- Lanuf-Sidra (accessed July 21, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
47 The Telegraph, “Al-Qaeda cuts links with Syrian group too extreme even for them”, February 3, 2014, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/ syria/10614037/Al-Qaeda-cuts-links-with-Syrian-group-too-extreme-even-for-them.
html (accessed March 1, 2015). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
48 “UN chief: 34 militant groups allied to Daesh worldwide”, February 6, 2016, The Gulf News, http://gulfnews.com/news/mena/iraq/un-chief-34-militant-groups-allied- 30 Ghurabaa in Algeria, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) in Pakistan/Uzbekistan, Tehreek-e-Khilafat in Pakistan, Boko Haram in Nigeria, Al-Shabaab in Somalia and Jund al-Khilafah in Tunisia among others.49 In Southeast Asia, this includes Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF)50 and the ASG (who pledged their allegiance for the second time in 2016 - previously in 2014 - and named Isnilon Hapilon as the leader)51 in the Philippines amongst others. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Furthermore, it was also reported that the spiritual leader of JI, Abu Bakar Bashir, had also voiced his support for Daesh.52 In another development, a new terrorist group called Jahba East Africa in Somalia had also pledged their allegiance to Daesh in April 2016. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In addition, a Brazilian-based terrorist group had also pledged allegiance to Daesh, making it the first group in South America to have done so.53 Known as “Ansar al-Khilafah Brazil”, the group had pledged their allegiance on July 17, 2016, just before the Olympic Games scheduled in August 2016.54 Another factor that contributed to the rise of Daesh was the influx of disillusioned individuals to Syria and Iraq, who have been radicalised by the idea of an Islamic state and the existence of a Khilafah in this to-daesh-worldwide-1.1667028 (accessed July 21, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
49 “Islamic State’s 43 Global Affiliates Interactive World Map”, December 2015, IntelCentre, http://scl.io/JGXPdMa7#gs.MVwntZM (accessed July 21, 2016).
50 “BIFF, Abu Sayyaf pledge allegiance to Islamic State jihadists”, August 16, 2014, GMA News, http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/375074/news/nation/ biff-abu-sayyaf-pledge-allegiance-to-islamic-state-jihadists#sthash.fVNkSVuo.dpuf (accessed July 21, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
51 “Abu Sayyaf rebels pledge allegiance to ISIS”, January 11, 2016, The Manila Times, http://www.manilatimes.net/breaking_news/abu-sayyaf-rebels-pledge-allegiance-to- isis/ (accessed July 21, 2016).
52 The Jakarta Post, “Sons, top aides abandon Ba’asyir over ISIL, form new jihadist group”, August 13, 2014, http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/08/13/sons- top-aides-abandon-ba-asyir-over-isil-form-new-jihadist-group.html#sthash.JfnldNqk.
dpuf (accessed March 5, 2015). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
dpuf (accessed March 5, 2015).
53 Elsa Vulliamy, “Brazilian Jihadist group becomes first in South America to pledge allegiance to Isis”, July 19, 2016, Independent, http://www.independent.co.uk/ news/world/americas/isis-brazil-rio-olympics-2016-jihadist-group-ansar-al-khilafah- terrorism-a7143116.html (accessed July 21, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
54 Lisa Daftari, “Brazil Terror Sect aligns with ISIS as Olympics approach”, July 19, 2016, Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/world/2016/07/19/brazil-terror-sect- aligns-with-isis-as-olympics-approach.html (accessed July 21, 2016).
31 day and age. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Many have travelled to these war zones from all over the world including from countries in Western Europe, former Soviet Republics, North America, the Balkans, the Maghreb, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.55 Termed as Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTFs), the number of such individuals now in Syria and Iraq was estimated to be around 30,000 as of December 2015 with the most coming from Tunisia, followed by Saudi Arabia and Russia.56 Another concerning development out of this influx is the travelling of women and girls as young as 14 years old into these war zones who are mesmerised by the ‘romantic idea of Jihad’. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Determined to help in the war, women, including girls, have travelled to Syria and Iraq to offer themselves as brides of the so-called “heroes” of Jihad.
On 17 February 2015, three British girls, Kadiza Sultana, 14, Shamima Begum, 15, and Amira Abase, 15, travelled to Syria via Turkey.
Earlier in December 2014, Sharmeena Begum, sister of Shamima, had travelled to Syria.
In mid-March 2015, another British woman was arrested in Ankara, Turkey for planning to go to Syria. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
The news came after the arrests of three other British males, two 17 year-old boys and a 19 year-old man, in Turkey while enroute to Syria to join Daesh.57 The development of militants fighting in a foreign land is not an unprecedented event.
In fact, the world had seen a similar event unfolded during the Cold War era. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
As a result of the Afghan-Soviet War (1979 – 1989), many individuals from all over the world including Southeast Asia had gone to Afghanistan to lend their hands in fighting against the Soviet forces.
The end of the Cold War saw the return of these former Afghan fighters, known as the ‘Afghan Alumni’, to their home countries and they subsequently started their own militant activities and organisations such as JI, Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia (KMM) and Rabitatul Mujahidin. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
55 “Foreign Fighters: An Updated Assessment of the Flow of Foreign Fighters into Syria and Iraq”, December 2015, The Soufan Group, http://soufangroup.com/wp-content/ uploads/2015/12/TSG_ForeignFightersUpdate3.pdf (accessed July 21, 2016) 56 Ibid.
57 The Guardian, “British woman held in Turkey on suspicion of trying to travel to Syria”, March 17, 2015, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/17/british- woman-held-turkey-suspicion-travel-syria (accessed March 19, 2015). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
32 Based on this experience, many countries in the world, including Malaysia and Indonesia, are concerned with the returning fighters from Syria and Iraq.
Embedded with violent ideology and agenda, as well as the expertise and experience in guerrilla warfare, the fear is that they are capable of initiating terrorist-related activities in their own country.
This concern is not without basis as can be witnessed in the case of an attack on the Brussels Museum in Belgium on 24 May 2014. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
The perpetrator, Mehdi Nemmouche, was believed to have travelled to Syria in 2013 to join a terrorist group in the country.58 In relation to the influx of foreigners into Syria and Iraq to join Daesh and other militant groups operating in the areas, another major and probably the leading factor that led to the rise of Daesh is the group’s own well thought-out media strategy. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
While the battle for the land of Syria and Iraq is very much in the physical world, their media strategy however lies very much in the virtual world, through the use of the Internet.
The Internet is being utilised by Daesh for various terrorist purposes.
These include networking, planning, funding, training, data mining and coordination of attacks. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
However, as like most other terrorist groups, Daesh’s main usage of the Internet is to spread their propaganda to radicalise and lure potential recruits into joining their ranks.
In this regard, the following section will focus on the use of the Internet for propaganda purposes, including the various platforms used to disseminate pro-Daesh materials. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
It will then be followed by Daesh’s other usages of the Internet including radicalisation and recruitment, communication and networking, online funding, training, planning and coordination of attacks, as well as data mining.
58 Mark Tran, “Brussels shooting raises fears over European fighters returning from Syria”, June 1, 2014, The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/ jun/01/brussels-shooting-raises-fears-around-fighters-returning-from-syria (accessed July 21, 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
33 5 P R O P A G A N D A “Behind this mask there is more than just flesh.
Beneath this mask there is an idea... and ideas are bulletproof.” - Alan Moore, V for Vendetta P rior to the emergence of Daesh, many terrorist groups have resorted to using the Internet to promote their cause and gage support from the rest of the world. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
For example, terrorist groups such as Aum Shinrikyo, the Japanese Red Army, the Shinning Path, the ETA and the FARC amongst others had created websites for the purpose of publicising their causes.59 The IRA, in the effort to form a united Ireland, also created a website to promote their agenda.60 Nonetheless, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) is believed to be among the first to use the Internet to spread the group’s propaganda.61 The civil war fought between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government had led to a large Tamil diaspora around the world, particularly in 59 Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) Working Group on “Countering the Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes, May 2011, http://www. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
un.org/en/terrorism/ctitf/pdfs/ctitf_interagency_wg_compendium_legal_technical_ aspects_web.pdf (accessed 20 January 2015). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
60 Lorraine Bowman-Grieve and Maura Conway, “Exploring the Form and Function of Dissident Irish Republican Online Discourses”, 2012, http://www.google.com.my/ url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CD8QFjAF&url=http%3A%2F% 2Fdoras.dcu.ie%2F17637%2F1%2FIrish_Republican_Online_Discourses_FINAL_NOT_ PROOF.pdf&ei=-wH9VLeMIM2eugTr-4L4DA&usg=AFQjCNGiJUP3lNl9cxzFnHABxU3R- IHKGA&bvm=bv.87611401,d.c2E (accessed December 14, 2014). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
61 Janaka Perera, “LTTE a trend setter in cyber terrorism”, Asian Tribune, October 27, 2007, http://www.asiantribune.com/node/8018 (accessed on June 27, 2016).
34 Canada, United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Australia and France.62 In this regard, the Internet was useful for the LTTE supporters within the diaspora as it allowed them to stay informed of the situation at home while simultaneously spreading the group’s propaganda. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
The al-Qaeda is also known for their use of the Internet to promote armed jihad in achieving their goal of an Islamic caliphate.
In ensuring the success of their propaganda, al-Qaeda formed a media arm known as As-Sahab.
The purpose of the media arm was to spread their propaganda and ideology through videos and statements of their leaders.63 Online magazines including Inspire and Resurgence were also published to reinforce their propaganda. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
As with the al-Qaeda, Daesh too is using the Internet to promote its propaganda.
Nonetheless, unlike its predecessors, Daesh was able to manipulate the Internet to an even greater height by creating a massive media legion. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
According to Charlie Winter’s ‘Documenting the Virtual ‘Caliphate’’, Daesh has about seven media agencies under its central media command, including al-Himma Foundation, al-Furqan Foundation, al-I’tisam Foundation, al-Hayat Media Centre, Ajnad Foundation, al-Bayan Radio and A’maq News Agency.64 In addition to that, the central media command has 37 other media offices operating in different provinces including Aleppo, Damascus, Jazira, Fallujah, Nineveh, Baghdad, Khurasan, and Sinai among others,65 while simultaneously spread the group’s propaganda. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
The need for such massive media movement is not surprising as Daesh aims to stringently control outgoing information from within its territories.66 62 Peter Chalk, ‘The Tigers Abroad: How the LTTE Diaspora Supports the Conflict in Sri Lanka’, 2008, http://journal.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/9.2-Chalk.pdf, (accessed 7 March 2014) 63 “As-Sahab: Al Qaeda’s Nebulous Media Branch”, Stratfor, September 8, 2006, https://www.stratfor.com/analysis/sahab-al-qaedas-nebulous-media-branch (accessed June 29. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
2006 64 Charlie Winter, “Documenting the Virtual ‘Caliphate’”, Quilliam Foundation, October 2015, https://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/FINAL- documenting-the-virtual-caliphate.pdf (accessed June 27, 2016).
65 Ibid. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
65 Ibid.
66 Mah-Rukh Ali, “ISIS and Propaganda: How ISIS Exploits Women”, Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 2015, https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/sites/ 35 This is to ensure that no unwanted information are being released to the international audiences, but those in line with the group’s propaganda.67 This demonstrates that Daesh recognised the importance of the media and the Internet in spreading their propaganda as well as to garner support from the international community. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Daesh has been diligent in promoting their cause on the Internet via various social media platforms including by producing Hollywood-style videos and high resolution online magazines such as Dabiq and IS Report.
Though these publications are mainly published in the English language, it is also being translated into various other languages including German, French, Arabic and Indonesian68.
Daesh’s Online Publications Dabiq, now in its 15th issue, is Daesh’s leading online magazine. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Dabiq magazines are useful in understanding the group’s motives and their propaganda themes.
It is also helpful in the examination of how Islam is being manipulated by Daesh to promote and justify the group’s establishment and acts of terror.
For example, even the name of the magazine, ‘Dabiq’, is in reference to an Islamic hadith (Sahih Muslim 2897). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In the hadith, the name Dabiq is referred to as a place in the Northern countryside of Halab or Aleppo, where alleged events leading up to the end of time would take place (near Dabiq).69 Furthermore, Daesh ensured that the hadiths quoted in the publication were from amongst the most trusted sources such as the ‘sahihain’ to justify its establishment and al-Baghdadi’s appointment as its Khilafah.70 Hence, the use of such authentic collections of the Prophet’s Sunnah is likely default/files/Isis%20and%20Propaganda-%20How%20Isis%20Exploits%20Women. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
pdf (accessed June 3, 2015).
67 Ibid.
68 Translated issues of Dabiq in Indonesian language can be downloaded at https:// baaqiyah.wordpress.com/category/artikel/ (accessed July 11, 2016).
69 “The Return of the Khilafah” June-July 2014, Issue 1, pg.
2-3 Al-Hayat Media Centre. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
2-3 Al-Hayat Media Centre.
70 Harleen K. Gambhir, “Dabiq: The Strategic Messaging of the Islamic State”, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), August 15, 2014, http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/ default/files/Dabiq%20Backgrounder_Harleen%20Final.pdf (accessed March 1, 2015).
36 to attract disillusioned readers as it can be seen as providing legitimacy to Daesh and the lands they claim to be controlling. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Apart from that, Dabiq also aims to call upon all Muslims to support Daesh and emigrate, along with their family, to the land they call the Islamic State.71 According to Dabiq’s second issue, titled The Flood, “the first priority is to perform hijrah from wherever you are to the Islamic State, from darul-kufur to darul-Islam”.72 Furthermore, it went on to suggest that if one was unable to immigrate to the Islamic state, one should organise a bay’at or pledge of allegiance to the Khilafah and publicise it.73 Additionally, Dabiq is also a source for Daesh to reveal their alleged enemies including specific individuals as well as countries whom they regard as taghut74. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In the 14th issue of Dabiq, under the article titled ‘The Murtadd Brotherhood’, Afghanistan, Iraq, Algeria, the Philippines, Tunisia, Libya, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Egypt were among the countries Daesh labelled as taghut.75 In its 15th issue Break the Cross, Daesh reiterated their justifications for regarding Christianity and secular states as their enemies.76 The impact of such call was staggering as many terrorist groups around the world had pledged their support or allegiance to Daesh. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
These include Boko Haram in Nigeria, Jund al-Khilafah in Tunisia, al- Ansar Battalion in Algeria, IMU in Pakistan/Uzbekistan, ASG in the Philippines, BIFF in the Philippines, and Mujahideen Indonesia Timor (MIT) in Indonesia amongst others.77 In addition, attacks in the name of Daesh have been recorded in Australia, Bangladesh, Belgium, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Turkey and the US amongst others.78 Malaysia too 71 Harleen K. Gambhir, “Dabiq: The Strategic Messaging of the Islamic State”, Institute for the Study of War (ISW), 72 Dabiq, “The Flood”, 2nd Edition, June-July 2014. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
73 Ibid.
74 Taghut refers to worshipping of anything except Allah.
75 “The Murtadd Brotherhood”, Al-Hayyat Media Centre, April 13, 2016, pg.
28.
76 Break the Cross, July 2016, al-Furqan, http://jihadology.net/2016/07/31/new- issue-of-the-islamic-states-magazine-dabiq-15/ (accessed September 2016). | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
77 “Islamic State’s 43 Global Affiliates Interactive World Map”, IntelCentre, December 15, 2015, http://scl.io/JGXPdMa7#gs.VWFCxW8 (accessed June 11, 2016) 78 “A timeline of Daesh attacks worldwide”, Gulf News, July 3, 2016, http://gulfnews.
com/news/mena/iraq/a-timeline-of-daesh-attacks-worldwide-1.1856495 (accessed 37 was not spared from attacks by Daesh. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
On 28 June 2016, the Movida nightclub in Puchong, Selangor, was attacked by supporters of local Daesh militants.79 Following years of no attacks, this was the first successful Daesh-related attacks on Malaysian soil. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
It is believed that the perpetrators had received orders from a Malaysian Daesh fighter in Syria, Mohammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi.80 As a result of the attack, two suspects as well as 13 other Daesh-linked individuals were arrested in a series of operations around Malaysia.81 In addition, in a statement made by the Malaysian Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar, those who were arrested had been recruited and given instructions through social media.82 The Islamic State (IS) Report is another online publication by Daesh. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
In its effort to portray Daesh as not only an organisation but a state with a strong governing structure, the IS Report offers an insight into Daesh including events that unfolded in Syria, Iraq and the region as well as interviews with Daesh’s “prominent” figures. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
For example, the first issue of the report, published in June 2014, looked into how Daesh prepared its Imams and Khateeb through education.83 In an article covered in this issue was an interview with Daesh’s Head of Consumer Complaints Division, who spoke of how his team went on the ground to inspect restaurants, shopping centres, wholesale outlets and slaughterhouses to ensure that these premises and business conducts were in line with Shari’a.84 Such publicity stunt and media strategy may mislead many to believe that Daesh is legitimate, and that it is an obligation for all Muslims to travel to Syria and Iraq to join in the struggle. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
July 11, 2016).
79 “Puchong Blast Work of Daesh Militants, says IGP”, Bernama, July 4, 2016, http:// www.bernama.com/bernama/v8/newsindex.php?id=1261026 (accessed July 11, 2016).
80 Ibid.
81 Farik Zolkepli, M. Kumar and Michelle Tam, “IGP confirms IS behind grenade blast in Puchong”, The Star, July 5, 2016, http://www.thestar.com.my/news/ nation/2016/07/05/it-was-a-terrorist-attack-igp-confirms-is-behind-grenade-blast-in- puchong/ (accessed July 11, 2016).
82 Ibid. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
82 Ibid.
83 Islamic State (IS) Report, “Propagating the Correct Manhaj”, June 2014, Issue 1, Al-Hayat Media Centre.
84 Ibid. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
84 Ibid.
38 Apart from publishing online magazines which would be translated into several other languages, Daesh also releases magazines for specific languages such as Dar-al-Islam, a French-language online magazine, Konstantiniyye, a Turkish-language online magazine and Al-Fatihin, a Malay-language online newspaper produced by Daesh-linked Furat Media.85 Another publication by Daesh worth monitoring is Rumiyah which was first published in September 2016, and bears resemblance to Dabiq. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |
Nevertheless, it must not be overlooked that Daesh and its core operatives are not the main sources for spreading the group’s propaganda and radicalising individuals.
In fact, unaffiliated sympathisers are the ones actively spreading Daesh-type propaganda.
This represents Jared Cohen’s third type of Daesh’s digital fighters. | https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/thematic2f/pw_1/1721911410576.pdf | https://www.searcct.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Terrorists-Use-Of-The-Internet.pdf | Malaysia |