Excommunicating Saudis? A New Fracture Emerges in Islam

wsj.com, Excommunicating Saudis? A New Fracture Emerges in Islam, 22 Sep 2016 "Political conflicts in the Middle East between the Saudi-led camp of Sunni powers and a rival Shiite camp led by Iran have already morphed into a religious war. Now, a theological dispute within Sunni Islam is causing another regional political rift—a result of an initially obscure conference in Russia’s Chechen Republic."

Omar al-Shishani

Independent, Isis leader Abu Omar al-Shishani - also known as Omar the Chechen - 'killed in US air strike', 9 Mar 2016 "A senior Isis leader, Abu Omar al-Shishani, a Syrian-based Georgian national, may have been killed in an air strike by the US-led coalition, it has been reported."

Mosul and social media

Guardian, Isis insurgents seize control of Iraqi city of Mosul, "Islamist extremists have seized control of much of Iraq's second biggest city, Mosul, and the surrounding province, freeing more than 1,000 prisoners, sending troops and residents fleeing and crippling Baghdad's efforts to quell a fast-spreading insurgency."

Good coverage from Dan Murphy, CSM, Why Mosul's fall is a signature moment in Iraq (+video)

Also see BBC News, Battle for Mosul: Critical test ahead for Iraq and Zee News, 'Thank God for Twitter' - militants tweet after taking Iraq's Mosul " However instead of thanking the Twitter's founders like Jack Dorsey and Noah Glass, the jihadists are thanking the Almighty for the social networking site that keeps them updated and gives them a good platform to advertise their victories, like the takeover of Mosul in Iraq recently."

AP/HP, Iraqi Militants Seize Government Headquarters In Mosul (VIDEO)

IBT, The Ginger Jihadist of Mosul: Omar al-Shishani the Chechen 'General' "Following the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Shams' (Isis) capture of Mosul, which caused 500,000 Iraqis to flee the city and propelled the group to the richest terror force in the world status, pictures of Omar al-Shishani, an Isis Emir has emerged on social media inspecting stolen US-supplied humvees."

'Virtual Jihad: Chechnya's Instagram Insurgency'

Neal Ungerleider, fastcompany.com, Virtual Jihad: Chechnya's Instagram Insurgency "Pictures of Chechnyan fighters and casualties have become an unexpected hot currency on Instagram's jihadist underground, where Al-Qaeda and Taliban sympathizers eagerly swap pictures and propaganda."

Chechnya

Sophia Kishkovsky, NYT, Chechnya Coerces Women on Dress, Activists Say, 27 Sep 2010

"Women in Chechnya are under pressure to adopt Islamic dress, according to human rights activists and an Islamic fundamentalist video circulating on the Internet in the latest example of deteriorating women’s rights under Ramzan A. Kadyrov, the president of the restive southern Russian republic ...

"Footage on the Internet shows women in dresses with short sleeves and no headscarves being sprayed with paint from passing cars. Mr. Kadyrov told Chechen television in July that he approved of such action."

This issue was previously noted on Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Paintball Attacks On Chechen Women Prompt Outrage, 18 Jun 2010