In ‘Watershed Moment,’ YouTube Blocks Extremist Cleric’s Message

New York Times, In ‘Watershed Moment,’ YouTube Blocks Extremist Cleric’s Message "Now, under growing pressure from governments and counterterrorism advocates, YouTube has drastically reduced its video archive of Mr. Awlaki, an American cleric who remains the leading English-language jihadist recruiter on the internet six years after he was killed by a United States drone strike. Using video fingerprinting technology, YouTube now flags his videos automatically and human reviewers block most of them before anyone sees them, company officials say." Widely available elsewhere, however.

Radio station shut down after broadcasting 25 hours of lectures by al-Qaeda recruiter

Independent, Radio station shut down after broadcasting 25 hours of lectures by al-Qaeda recruiter "Sheffield-based Iman FM claimed its staff were “not aware of the background” of American hate preacher Anwar al-Awlaki, who was killed by a US drone strike in Yemen in 2011."

How Islamic Terrorists Are Being Radicalized Online

thedailybeast.com, How Islamic Terrorists Are Being Radicalized Online new documentary 'American Jihad' discussed, which focuses on Anwar al-Awlaki.

Navy SEAL, 8-year-old American girl died in Yemen raid

NBC, Navy SEAL, 8-year-old American girl died in Yemen raid, 31 Jan 2017 "In what an official said was the first military raid carried out under President Donald Trump, two Americans were killed in Yemen on Sunday — one a member of SEAL Team 6 and the other the 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki, the New Mexico-born al Qaeda leader who himself was killed in a U.S. strike five years ago."

'Inspire' and other magazines

strategypage.com, Information Warfare: Deadly Demographics Doom Online Magazines " Resurgence and Al Somood appealed to a specific audience (Somali, Afghan and Pakistani expatriates in English speaking countries) to mainly obtain recruits for al Shabaab and the Taliban. All three of these publications attracted a lot of attention from the mass media and politicians but otherwise were ineffective. For example not a lot of captured Islamic terrorists note these magazines as being an influence on them. The same pattern was found when analyzing online “chatter” among active Islamic terrorists. Some Islamic terrorist groups noted this and tried to adapt." Opinoin about the 'effectiveness' of Inspire and other magazines.

al-Awlaki

Scott Shane, NYT, An Al Qaeda Martyr’s Enduring Pitch, 18 Sep 2016 "On Sept. 30, it will be five years since the C.I.A. drone strike in Yemen that killed Mr. Awlaki, the first United States citizen executed without trial on orders of a president since the Civil War. But the Hellfire missile that ended his life promoted him to martyrdom in the eyes of his fans, and his influence has turned up in terrorism case after terrorism case. His videos, forecasting a West in which Muslims would increasingly be denigrated, marginalized and threatened with expulsion or worse, have been viewed by hundreds of thousands."

Falling under the spell of a slain terrorist

Peter Bergen, CNN, Falling under the spell of a slain terrorist "The U.S. drone strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American cleric who was born in New Mexico and who would go on to become an al-Qaeda leader in Yemen, did not silence his siren call to jihad."

Boston Marathon suspect had bomb-making instructions, jihad literature available online

startribune.com, Feds: Boston Marathon suspect had bomb-making instructions, jihad literature available online relates to 'Inspire'

Inspire Magazine - influence

huffingtonpost.co.uk, Luton 'Terror Plotters' Planned Sending Toy Car Bomb Into Territorial Army Centre, 15 Apr 2013 "Luton terror plotters discussed sending a toy car carrying a bomb under the gates of a Territorial Army centre, based upon instructions in an al Qaida manual entitled "make a bomb in the kitchen of your mom, Woolwich Crown Court has been told."

Ongoing Trial (and 'Inspire Magazine' reference)

FT.com, Donors ‘duped’ by alleged terror plotters - 23 Oct 2012

  BBC News, Terror trial: 'Public duped into funding bomb plotters', 23 Oct 2012

  AP/ABC, Prosecutor: UK Bomb Plotters Discussed Attacks, 23 Oct 2012 "The prosecutor said Tuesday that suspect Irfan Khalid was heard describing the device, featured in the al-Qaida magazine Inspire, saying the idea was to "just drive it into people in (a) crowded area.""

'Morten Storm'

The Independent, Born in Denmark, lived in Yorkshire, led the CIA to al-Qa'ida's leader in Yemen, 10 Oct 2012 "In a series of interviews with the Danish media, the 36-year-old said he had exploited his friendship with the US-born al-Qa'ida chief to help in the assassination of the radical cleric last year. Storm claims he located Awlaki using an encrypted USB device passed to one of the militant cleric's messengers during a visit to Yemen in 2011. Awlaki is alleged to have orchestrated attacks on Western targets including one involving underpants bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab."

Trial outcome

AFP, Nine Islamists jailed for plotting terror attacks, 9 Feb 2012 “[Judge] Wilkie said they were “fundamentalist Islamists who have turned to violent terrorism in direct response to material, both propagandist and instructive, issued on the Internet by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.”“

'Congress tries to counter terrorist social media propaganda'

AHN/GantDaily.com, Congress tries to counter terrorist social media propaganda, 5 Dec 2011 "So far, U.S. government efforts against online recruiting by jihadists have involved tracking the information to see who is publishing it. Government public relations personnel also counter extremist propaganda with public information campaigns. "The subcommittee on counterterrorism and intelligence wants to know what more can be done without trampling free speech."

Mohamed Mahmoud profile

Souad Mekhennet, NYT, Austrian Returns, Unrepentant, to Online Jihad, 16 Nov 2011

"According to interviews with Arab, American and European intelligence officials, as well as investigative files, Mr. Mahmoud combines a gift for inspiring followers, a knack for tapping into the power of the Internet and a virtual Rolodex of Qaeda leadership connections, many made in prison or in training camps.

"In short, these officials say, Mr. Mahmoud represents a wave of young heirs apparent to take over the role of Al Qaeda’s propagandist in chief from Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-born cleric turned militant leader who was killed by an American missile strike in Yemen in September."

'New statement from the Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum'

Aaron Y. Zelin, jihadology.net, New statement from the Anṣār al-Mujāhidīn English Forum: “Marking the Martyrdom of Imām Anwar al-’Awlaqī and Samīr Khān”, 11 Oct 2011

'Dead cleric’s videos may find eternal life online'

Omar Sacirbey| Religion News Service, Washington Post, Dead cleric’s videos may find eternal life online, 6 Oct 2011 "The threat is compounded by al-Awlaki’s continuing online presence. His writings and lectures can be viewed on websites with names like AlGhurabaa.com (The Strangers), Salaattime.com (Prayer time), Halaltube.com, and IslamicTube.com, as well as blogs devoted to spreading his videos and writings. "Several al-Awlaki videos have received more than 100,000 views, including one titled “Major Signs Before the Day of Judgment,” with more than 260,000 views."

Anwar al-Awlaki

Middle East Online, ‘Mowing the grass’ in Yemen, 7 Oct 2011 opinion piece "Claims that Awlaki was an Al-Qaeda leader or that he was directly involved in any terrorist action have never been substantiated. His murder was clearly just another feather in Obama’s warrior headdress as he launches his re-election campaign this autumn, notes Eric Walberg"

Media coverage of Islam

Get Religion, Anwar al-Awlaki’s many faces, 3 Oct 2011 opinion: "Anwar al-Awlaki was reportedly killed by a U.S. drone strike on Friday morning. He was as the New York Times describes him “the American-born cleric whose fiery sermons made him a larger-than-life figure in the shadowy world of jihad.” "But that is not how the New York Times always described him. It’s interesting to review the coverage he received over the years and what, if anything, that can tell us about media coverage of Islam in America."

'Beyond Yemen'

Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, CSM, Beyond Yemen, Awlaki: Look for core Al Qaeda members outside the hot spots, 3 Oct 2011

"Awlaki's Killing No Interest for Arabs"

Onlslam.net, opinion, Awlaki's Killing No Interest for Arabs, 3 Oct 2011 "The killing was heavily covered in the US with American analysts involved in lengthy discussions about the fallout of his death. "But the impact of Awlaki's death was much less in the Arab countries. ""I don't think this will really get people's interest, I can't imagine why it would,” said Shadi Hamid, director of research at the Brookings Doha Center."