Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The Arab World Online: Trends in Internet Usage in the Arab Region

Sara Alshaer and Fadi Salem, Dubai School of Government, The Arab World Online: Trends in Internet Usage in the Arab Region [pdf] "Over the past 15 years, the Arab region has witnessed major technology-led transformations which changed the norms of doing business, practicing governance and carrying out development efforts in the region. With more than 125 million individuals using the Internet in the Arab region, and more than 53 million actively using social networking technologies, the DSG Governance and Innovation Program in partnership with Bayt.com conducted a regional survey to examine internet usage trends in the Arab region." Arabic version also available

Sunday, May 26, 2013

'Terror in Woolwich: Internet is the vital frontline in war against extremism'

Independent, Terror in Woolwich: Internet is the vital frontline in war against extremism, 26 May 2013 "The major battle in the war against extremism is being fought over the internet by elite teams stationed behind keyboards and engaged in winning the hearts and minds of would-be terrorists."

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Woolwich attacker named 'Mujahid' was known to banned Islamist organisation Al Muhajiroun

Woolwich attack: Were the suspected killers influenced by Nigerian terrorists? - Telegraph speculation

Woolwich attack update

Man in bloody video - named 'Mujahid' - was known to Anjem Choudary's banned Islamist group Al Muhajiroun - The Independent: "He [Anjem Choudary] denied that Mujahid could have been radicalised by his teachings, adding that more extremist material, including the sermons of Yemen-based cleric Anwar Al Awlaki and the Al Qaeda-linked magazine Inspire, have been easily available via the internet."

Woolwich attack: We must tackle hate preaching over the internet, security experts say

Woolwich attack: We must tackle hate preaching over the internet, security experts say - Telegraph "Baroness Neville-Jones, a former security minister and chairman of the British Joint Intelligence Committee, and Colonel Richard Kemp, a former Army commander and terrorism expert, said the security services need to focus on the “inspiration” that comes from internet hate preaching." No indication of how this might be facilitated...

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Text Messages From NYPD's Secret Muslim Spying Program Revealed

gothamist.com, Text Messages From NYPD's Secret Muslim Spying Program Revealed

The Rise of Hijab Fashion Bloggers

thedailybeast.com, The Rise of Hijab Fashion Bloggers

Inspire magazine and the rise of open-source jihad

theconversation.com, Inspire magazine and the rise of open-source jihad "But, in absolute terms, the numbers moved by jihadist propaganda to engage in terror will remain small (though the threat they present could be great). Criminalising such material would probably create more problems by increasing the excitement attached to it and giving it an aura of transgressive power. And any attempt to clamp down on one online source may be like trying to dam a stream with a fork." opinion

Web Jihad Inaction

washingtonguardian.com, Web Jihad Inaction - Jihadists use US servers to spread terror message "Just miles from New York City’s hallowed Ground Zero, an Internet server in New Jersey hosts a Jihadist leader’s website that instructs supporters of al-Qaida to use explosive devices against western civilians, along with blueprints showing how to build the bombs."

U.K.: Where reading can send you to jail

U.K.: Where reading can send you to jail | Toronto Star  "Under Section 58 of the U.K.’s Terrorism Act, a 2000 law granting sweeping powers to law enforcement, it is a criminal offence to download, copy or otherwise possess Inspire. Same goes for bomb-making instructions, extremist speeches or any number of materials that in the United States are protected under the First Amendment."

Friday, May 17, 2013

Syria: update

ABCNews, Grisly Execution Videos Show Growing Brutality in Syria "Both the execution and “cannibal” videos rocketed around the internet, creating a firestorm on social networking sites. Opposition activists argue they are isolated incidents not representative of the rebel forces fighting the Assad regime, while supporters of Assad argued that their true character is finally coming to light."

Ummaland

twocircles.net, Ummaland: A Social Network for Muslims "Launched on 1st of February 2013 by friends Maruf Yusupov (Design and Strategy) and Jamolidding Daliyev (Backend Programmer) and Mahmudjan Memethaji (Frontend Developer), Ummaland.com is a social network for Muslims, trying to enable the community to become more united and productive. In an Interview to TCN’S Shaik Zakeer Hussain, Maruf explains the need for an online platform exclusively for Muslims and more." I shall track this one with interest.

Knights of Glory

wamda.com, Arab Heroes can now battle on the iPhone in Falafel Games' new mobile MMO Knights of Glory |"“We’re the only game where the Arabic player can identify with his own culture, his own history, and say ‘I’m one of the heroes’ instead of the one being shot at,” says Vince Ghossoub, co-founder of Falafel Games which recently released Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) Knights of Glory for iPhone."

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Bin Laden

foreignpolicy.com, Bin Laden's porn has been found "The pornography recovered in bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, consists of modern, electronically recorded video and is fairly extensive, according to the officials, who discussed the discovery with Reuters on condition of anonymity."

Survey: Media Use in the Middle East

digitalislam.eu, Survey: Media Use in the Middle East | Digital Islam Also see: menamediasurvey.northwestern.edu This contains several useful resources.

Al-Qaida par l'image. La prophétie du martyre

Information on Asiem El Difraoui, 'Al-Qaida par l'image. La prophétie du martyre' (Jihad of Images - al-Qaeda’s Prophecy of Martyrdom), discussed in jihadica (info updated from earlier post). I have ordered a copy of this book. I had been considering a similar project, so was interested to see this. I am presently gearing up to get another book together (after I have worked through all my end-of-term marking!).

Saudi virtue police condemn Twitter

BBC News, Saudi virtue police condemn Twitter "Sheikh Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh said anyone using social media sites - and especially Twitter - "has lost this world and his afterlife". "Twitter was the platform for those who did not have any platform, he said."

Monday, May 13, 2013

Imam William Suhaib Webb

Boston.com, Imam William Suhaib Webb emerges as face of Boston’s Muslim community in time of crisis

Syria video

Time, Savage Online Videos Fuel Syria’s Descent Into Madness "War is rarely anything but violent, but in Syria, where more than 70,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict since it started as a peaceful uprising inspired by the Arab Spring more than two years ago, the savagery has reached ghoulish proportions. And it seems that soldiers on both sides of the war are committing what appear to be crimes of war at least in part so that those acts can be viewed on the Internet."

GIMF

TPM, Can The Jihadi Geek Squad Secure The Web For Al Qaeda? "The Global Islamic Media Front Technical Center is a group of mysterious programmers with links to Al Qaeda who claim to be trying to arm jihadists with digital weaponry. These high tech terrorists have released a series of plugins that purportedly encrypt instant messages to help mujahideen avoid surveillance while communicating online."

Friday, May 03, 2013

8 Reasons Why I Don’t Feel Guilty About the Boston Bombings

muslimmatters.org, 8 Reasons Why I Don’t Feel Guilty About the Boston Bombings opinion

Cambridge Lecturer Defends Himself For Comparing Homosexuality To Arson

huffingtonpost.co.uk, Cambridge Lecturer Defends Himself For Comparing Homosexuality To Arson "A Cambridge University spokesman said: "Mr Winter has apologised for these remarks, recorded nearly 20 years ago, and has emphasised that he no longer holds these views."" Ongoing controversy, with internet element.

@abumamerican

allAfrica.com: Somalia: Al-Amriki and Foreign Fighters in Showdown With Al-Shabaab Leader "In a desperate series of tweets Monday evening, al-Amriki, using the Twitter handle @abumamerican, bid farewell to the world as al-Shabaab fighters loyal to Godane allegedly stood poised to kill him and his followers."