Crane crash at Grand Mosque of Makkah

RT.com, Crane crash at Grand Mosque of Makkah



BBC News, Mecca crane collapse: 87 dead in Saudi Arabia



alarabiya.net, Eighty-seven killed in Makkah crane collapse



also see the #Mecca hashtag on Twitter



The following initial montage contains graphic images:

  

ISIS 9/11 Cyber Attack: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

heavy.com, ISIS 9/11 Cyber Attack: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know "Twitter accounts affiliated with the Islamic State have purportedly threatened a September 11 hacking attack against the United States on the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attack by al Qaeda."

FBI arrests Jewish American for posing as Australian online jihadist

The Age, FBI arrests Jewish American for posing as Australian online jihadist, 11 Sep 2015 "Joshua Ryne Goldberg, a 20-year old living at his parents' house in US state of Florida, is accused of posing online as "Australi Witness," an IS supporter who publicly called for a series of attacks against individuals and events in western countries."

opinion: 'British Muslims are losing the war against ISIL'

Sunny Hundal, qz.com, British Muslims are losing the war against ISIL "When British Muslims who challenge extremism are being shouted down, when secularism is dismissed and joining a caliphate is praised, and when fighting abroad is glorified, it’s not difficult to see why British Muslims are still losing the war against ISIL."

Malaysia: Online Recruitment

freemalaysiatoday.com, Architect, technician jailed for trying to support IS, 9 Sep 2015 "It was through Facebook that both accused met several people who had the same interests gathering information on the war in Syria which were then shared on the WhatsApp application.



"They also joined a communications network in WhatsApp which was named “Jihad Fisabilillah” where they collected information on the IS group in Syria."

First multi-language app for hajj pilgrimage launched

alarabiya.net, First multi-language app for hajj pilgrimage launched "The mobile app, prepared by Dr. Najeeb Qasmi, was launched by renowned scholar of Hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad) and King Faisal award laureate Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Azmi."

Online recruitment

RT, Teenage ‘ISIS recruiter’ caught in Spain, paraded handcuffed through streets "The teenager is Moroccan, but had been living in Spain for some time, police said. "She spread jihadist ideology on the internet, justifying terrorist acts and spreading videos that glorified executions of people," the statement added.



""She had focused her online activity on recruiting women to go and swell the ranks of Daesh” – the Arabic name for the IS."

Dabiq III

Independent, Isis images show militants destroying Temple of Bel in Palmyra, 10 Sep 2015 "Pictures in Isis’s propaganda magazine Dabiq, released late on Wednesday, show for the first time the destruction of the Temple of Bel on the ground."

Dabiq II

Guardian, Islamic State uses image of Alan Kurdi to threaten Syrian refugees for fleeing, 9 Sep 2015 "Photo appears in latest issue of group’s magazine, Dabiq, which also accuses refugees of throwing away ‘lives and souls’ of their children by going to Europe."

Dabiq

heraldcourier.com, IS claims to hold Norwegian, Chinese captives "The extremist group posted pictures of the two men wearing yellow prison outfits in the latest issue of its online magazine Dabiq. It identifies the Norwegian man as Ole Johan Grimsgaard-Ofstad, 48, from Oslo, and the Chinese man as Fan Jinghui, 50, a freelance consultant from Beijing."

Montreal teen trial

montrealgazette.com, Teen facing terror charges opened up when religion challenged, trial hears "A 15-year-old boy from western Montreal who was arrested last year on terrorism-related charges considered Canada to be a war zone full of polytheists and miscreants who would be better off living under Islamic law." Internet references in this article

Opinion piece - "The true motives behind Islamic State's use of sexual slavery"

Opinion piece David Frankfurther, Reuters, COLUMN-The true motives behind Islamic State's use of sexual slavery, 9 Sep 2015 "Islamic State is attuned to the interests of observant Muslim boys and girls around the world. As it works to recruit young adults and teenagers throughout the West, newspapers have reported, the group has demonstrated a remarkable sense of the languages and challenges of modernity."

Radical killed by Britain in Syria was latest from Cardiff district

Reuters, Radical killed by Britain in Syria was latest from Cardiff district, 9 Sep 2015 comprehensive and interesting article

Al Qaeda calls Islamic State illegitimate but suggests cooperation

Reuters, Al Qaeda calls Islamic State illegitimate but suggests cooperation, 9 Sep 2015 "In an audiotape on the internet, Zawahri said: "We don't recognize this caliphate."



"It was not clear when the recording was made but references to events suggest it was made at least eight months ago."

'Inspire Magazine' - new issue

NBC News, Al Qaeda Mag Urges Attack on Koch Brothers, Buffett, Bloomberg, 9 Sep 2015 " A notorious Al Qaeda magazine is encouraging lone-wolf terrorist attacks on U.S. economic leaders, including Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and Warren Buffett."

'World’s Biggest Fatwa'

newindianexpress.com, Over 1000 Indian Islamic Scholars Issue World’s Biggest Fatwa Against ISIS, 9 Sep 2015 "For the first time ever, over 1000 (1050 to be exact), including muftis and imams of India, have issued a 15-volume fatwa against the leader, fighters and followers of the self-declared Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also known as the Islamic State (IS)."

Is the Islamic State a Cyber Threat?

Benjamin Runkle, warontherocks.com, Is the Islamic State a Cyber Threat?

'Cat and mouse game' tracking Islamic State online

PA, 'Cat and mouse game' tracking Islamic State online, 7 Sep 2015 "Internet investigators have described how they are locked in a "cat and mouse game" with Islamic State as they attempt to dismantle the terrorist group's vast and fluid online propaganda machine."

MyHack youths fight back against IS propaganda

ABC, MyHack youths fight back against IS propaganda, 3 Sep 2015 "MyHack, developed by People Against Violent Extremism and supported by the Federal Government, encourages young Australians to come up with online solutions to counter Islamic State group (IS) propaganda." Interesting report.

How al-Shabaab gave Kenyan businesses a boost

Murithi Mutiga, Guardian, How al-Shabaab gave Kenyan businesses a boost |

Father fears sons are on 'hit list' after Reyaad Khan drone strike

Father fears sons are on 'hit list' after Reyaad Khan drone strike - BBC News "The father of two Cardiff jihadists thought to have been fighting alongside Reyaad Khan has said he fears his sons are on a "hit list"."

Round-up: Technology, refugees and migrants

A collection of stories/opinions on technology, refugees and migrants; I will be writing about this in due course:



Reuters, For many refugees, journey to Europe begins on Facebook 



Independent, Surprised that Syrian refugees have smartphones? You're an idiot



hurriyetdailynews.com, Refugees opting for waterproof smart phones on risky Aegean route 



New Scientist, Tech helps refugees make journey – and survive when they arrive



BBC News, The 'vital' role of mobile phones for refugees and migrants

How the media covered Aylan’s grim and iconic photograph

ara.tv, How the media covered Aylan’s grim and iconic photograph

Tawaf on Segway board: Opinions differ on whether it is Islamic

arabnews.com, Tawaf on Segway board: Opinions differ on whether it is Islamic, 1 Sep 2015 "A short video showing a pilgrim, draped in the two pieces of seamless cloth called ihram, circumambulating the Kaaba in Makkah using a Segway board, has gone viral on social media." This is an interesting issue in relation to technology and pilgrimage.

Investing in Islamic Clothing

OnIslam, Investing in Islamic Clothing: Calyx Fashion, 31 Aug 2015 "The internet makes it possible for start-up companies focused on capturing a part of the global Muslim market to emerge, and an ever increasing number of companies are attempting to make their mark in the fashion industry; including Calyx Fashion."

ISIS, UN satellites confirm destruction temple of Bel

ANSAMed.it, ISIS, UN satellites confirm destruction temple of Bel , 1 Sep 2015

Twitter mocks ISIS by depicting militants singing karaoke

Mail Online, Twitter mocks ISIS by depicting militants singing karaoke, 31 Aug 2015 "Islamic State jihadis are being lampooned by a new Twitter account which shows the extremists as they would appear singing karaoke pop songs."

Islamic State recruiting older teens, college students

myfoxboston.com, Islamic State recruiting older teens, college students, 29 Aug 2015 "College students are heading back to the dorms and lecture halls. They are adjusting to life away from home and finding a new identity for themselves. While it may seem far-fetched, for some that makes them the perfect target for something sinister and it's happening more than you think. FOX25 investigates the way ISIS is recruiting on campus."

"Isis releases graphic video showing four men burning alive in 'act of vengeance'"

Independent, Isis releases graphic video showing four men burning alive in 'act of vengeance', 31 Aug 2015 "Issued by the militant group’s media arm and claiming to be filmed in Anbar province, the footage shows four men apparently from Iraq’s popular resistance forces (militia), “confessing” individually to the camera." Also see Mail Online, Chained upside down and burned alive This relates to the following story: IBT, Isis in Iraq: 'Iraqi Rambo' Abu Azrael filmed slicing Islamic State fighter with sword like 'kebab', 29 Aug 2015 "The video has been met with a mixed response online, with some people furious that Azrael and the Iraqi militia have sunk to the same lows as Isis by filming gruesome videos. According to the Daily Mail, Ali Khedery, chief executive of risk management firm Dragoman Partners, wrote: "War crimes are never justifiable. Horrific video featuring a war crime by Iraq's Abu Azrael.""

IS

Guardian, No regrets, no remorse: Isis mastermind who sent out 15 suicide bombers, 31 Aug 2015 "For almost a year Abu Abdullah was the most wanted man in Baghdad. He was known among his bosses inside Islamic State as “the planner” – the man responsible for dispatching suicide bombers to attack mosques, universities, checkpoints and market places across the Iraqi capital."

@UKAgainstISIL

digitaljournal.com, The British government to use Twitter to combat the threat from ISIS, 28 Aug 2015 "Following more recent threats against the United States and Europe, the British government has begun using Twitter in an attempt to thwart any potential attempt made by the well-funded terror organisation to inflict chaos on to the streets of Britain." See @UKAgainstISIL

The pen-seller of Beirut

BBC News, The pen-seller of Beirut, 28 Aug 2015 "The man is Abdul Halim Attar, a Palestinian refugee from Yarmouk in Syria, and his daughter is called Reem. We know this because an Icelandic man, Gissur Simonarson, tracked him down."

Terror law prompts British Library to reject unique Taliban archive

Guardian, Terror law prompts British Library to reject unique Taliban archive, 28 Aug 2015 "Academics lambast London institution’s refusal to host documents in unmatched digital cache"

Women use confessions app to reveal what wearing a hijab is really like

Independent, Women use confessions app to reveal what wearing a hijab is really like " ... some women revealed the secret perks of wearing a hijab: “I get away with listening to music during class because no one can see my headphones under my hijab. Rock and roll.”

UK jihadist Junaid Hussain killed in Syria drone strike, says US

BBC News, UK jihadist Junaid Hussain killed in Syria drone strike, says US, 27 Aug 2015 "A British man described as a "top cyber jihadist" has been killed in a military drone strike in Syria, US officials say."

ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape

Rukmini Callimachi, nytimes.com, ISIS Enshrines a Theology of Rape, 13 Aug 2015 "Claiming the Quran’s support, the Islamic State codifies sex slavery in conquered regions of Iraq and Syria and uses the practice as a recruiting tool."

'The Bin Laden Tapes'

The Bin Laden Tapes - BBC Radio 4

This links to the broadcast page, which made for fascinating listening.  There is a related article here: BBC News, What was in Osama Bin Laden's tape collection?, 17 August 2015  The programme interviewed Flagg Miller, the writer of The Audacious Ascetic: What the Bin Laden Tapes Reveal About Al-Qa'ida (Hurst).

Islamic State hit list prompts 'lone wolf' warning

ABC, Islamic State hit list prompts 'lone wolf' warning, 13 Aug 2015 "Deakin University Professor Greg Barton, an expert in global Islamic politics, said the group had used "amateurish" hacking techniques to target "low-hanging fruit", but the use of the information was worrying."

The Register, Doubts cast on Islamic State's so-called leak of US .mil, .gov passwords, 13 Aug 2015, "The self-titled "Islamic State Hacking Divison [sic]" claimed responsibility for the alleged leak on Twitter, and its account was deleted in the past few hours. The data appeared on Tuesday, on a compromised Wordpress-powered website that has languished unused since February this year."

'Jihadi dubbed 'Mrs Terror' who joined ISIS is 'back in Britain''

Daily Mail, Jihadi dubbed 'Mrs Terror' who joined ISIS is 'back in Britain', 14 Aug 2015

'NY man gets 16-year sentence for trying to support jihadists'

alarabiya.net, NY man gets 16-year sentence for trying to support jihadists, 14 Aug 2015 " Agron Hasbajrami, 31, was sentenced Thursday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn to 16 years in prison under a plea deal that allows for his guilty plea to be vacated if a federal appeals court decides to suppress evidence from warrantless surveillance used in a National Security Agency's secret surveillance program."

Zawahiri pledges allegiance to new Taliban chief

alarabiya.net, Zawahiri pledges allegiance to new Taliban chief, 13 Aug 2015 "Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has pledged allegiance to the new Afghan Taliban chief in an audio message posted online."

'The propaganda war'

economist.com, The propaganda war, 15 Aug 2015 "The gangland context within which IS operates, whether in Iraq, Syria, Egypt’s lawless Sinai peninsula or in Sirte, Libya, where the group has staked territory, is partly what explains its adherents’ immunity to persuasion. Traditional Islamic religious figures, and even jihadist preachers who are seen as not radical enough, have no authority over a group that believes most Muslims have strayed from the true path."

Saudi tourists’ behavior stirs social media storm

alarabiya.net, Saudi tourists’ behavior stirs social media storm "Tourists from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states are the target of harsh criticisms on social media after photographs showing them cooking, littering and smoking shisha in public parks in countries they were visiting were posted online."

Saudi female football fans at UK match create social media buzz

al-arabiya, Saudi female football fans at UK match create social media buzz, 13 Aug 2015 "The rare sight of Saudi women football fans at a London stadium match between the kingdom’s supercup rivals al-Hilal and al-Nasr on Wednesday caused a buzz on social media."

Exclusive: IS Bombers In UK Ready To Attack

Sky News, Exclusive: IS Bombers In UK Ready To Attack "Islamic State is now focused on urging British would-be recruits to carry out "lone wolf" attacks in the UK instead of travelling to fight in Syria, Sky News has learned."

Farkhunda: The making of a martyr

BBC News, Farkhunda: The making of a marty, 11 Aug 2015 "Farkhunda's story highlights, among other things, a pervasive atmosphere of misogyny in Afghan society. And although the response to her death showed that there are some in Afghanistan who want change, activists say real change could take at least a generation."

'Iranian fashion revolution'

Guardian, New model army: Iranian fashion revolution moves above ground, 9 Aug 2015 There's an online component to this story.

A baby sits next to a gun and grenade to promote ISIS in Indonesia

Daily Mail, A baby sits next to a gun and grenade to promote ISIS in Indonesia "A horrific photo of a newborn baby propped next to an automatic machine gun and grenade is fueling concerns that the Islamic State (IS) is infiltrating Indonesia with its extremist ideologies."

US names two Qatari nationals as financiers of terrorism

The National, US names two Qatari nationals as financiers of terrorism | "The United States treasury added two Qatari citizens to its list of designated financiers of terrorism on Wednesday, accusing them of raising funds for Jabhat Al Nusra, Al Qaeda’s Syria affiliate, and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan."

ISIS militants in Syria video threaten Germany

Daily Star Lebanon, ISIS militants in Syria video threaten Germany "Two German-speaking militants claiming to belong to ISIS threatened Germany with attacks in an execution video broadcast online Wednesday.



"The five-minute clip shows the men use assault rifles to kill two bound and kneeling male hostages in the Syrian ancient city of Palmyra, which ISIS fighters took in May."

New and Noted: 'Islam: A New Historical Introduction' - Carole Hillenbrand

Carole Hillenbrand, 'Islam: A New Historical Introduction', (Thames & Hudson, 2015)

I have just received a copy of this book, and it looks very useful for students, being clear and authoritative in content. The book has some wonderful photos too.  In relation to this blog, it is interesting to see the references to the internet which have been incorporated into the text (which is not always the case, even in more recent introductory volumes). I look forward to reading it in full in due course. 

4-Dubai

ara.tv, Dubai to become first ‘four-dimensional city’ in the world "A group of technology companies in the UAE have launched a project to make Dubai the world’s first four dimension city, according to Al Arabiya News channel."

Anjem Choudary charged

Guardian, Cleric Anjem Choudary charged with encouraging support for Islamic State "Choudary, 48, and another man, Mohammed Rahman, 31, both facing charges of inviting support for proscribed organisation in lectures published online."

Facing Islamic State threat, Iraq digitizes national library

Vivian Salama, AP/Yahoo! News, Facing Islamic State threat, Iraq digitizes national library, 4 Aug 2015 "These are the original chronicles of Iraq's rich and tumultuous history — and now librarians and academics in Baghdad are working feverishly to preserve what's left after thousands of documents were lost or damaged at the height of the U.S.-led invasion."

'ISIS’s Jihad Against WiFi'

Michael Weiss, The Daily Beast, ISIS’s Jihad Against WiFi, 21 Jul 2015 "It’s rather surprising, then, that it took the jihadist army this long to shut off the Internet. But that’s exactly what ISIS has just attempted. Abu Ibrahim al-Raqqawi, one of the founders of the grassroots organization Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, explained to The Daily Beast that WiFi was now “banned” in the city of Raqqa, ISIS’s de facto capital, a diktat that did not require the cutting of coaxial cable lines (because there are none) but rather the elimination of what al-Raqqawi called the “Space Internet.”" Worth reading! Some interesting technical information in this article.

New and Noted: Sources of Authority and Authenticity in American Shar’ia Law

Benson, Kristina. (2015). Sources of Authority and Authenticity in American Shar’ia Law. UCLA: Islamic Studies 0474. Dissertation (have yet to read it fully).

New and noted: 'Towards a comparative semiotics of violent religious persuasion'

Massimo Leone, Propaganda mala fide: Towards a comparative semiotics of violent religious persuasion : Semiotica  Requires download/subscription, so haven't been able to access this yet.

'Islamic State's newest concern: Internet security'

LA Times, Islamic State's newest concern: Internet security "He had reason to worry: Islamic State, its sprawling territory constantly under threat by U.S-led airstrikes and assorted foes on the ground, has been ramping up internal security measures in an attempt to thwart would-be spies and informants in its midst.



"As the group’s fears have risen, it has reined in use of social media and the Internet, while imposing ever-harsher punishments upon those suspected of espionage."

'Three women conned Isil out of cash. Now they're internet heroes'

Telegraph, Three women conned Isil out of cash. Now they're internet heroes "Three Chechen women allegedly conned Islamic State fighters out of thousands of pounds by pretending to be jihadi brides - turning them into 'catfishing' legends." Also see RT.com, Chechen girls swindle ISIS fighters for travel money, 29 Jul 2015

'One man's story of how ISIS took his hometown'

mashable.com, One man's story of how ISIS took his hometown

'World’s most popular Muslim fashion e-commerce website in Turkey'

Gila Benmayor, hurriyetdailynews.com, World’s most popular Muslim fashion e-commerce website in Turkey "The highest number of e-commerce websites marketing Muslim fashion is in Turkey. While Modanisa is leading the market, there are three more internet sites."

'IS Babies'

rfefl.org, 'IS Babies' -- The Chilling New Trend Among Islamic State Militants  "Artyom is not the only Russian-speaking IS militant to post pictures of "IS babies" on social media recently. The sharing of baby and toddler photos has become a disturbing new trend among IS recruits who've come from the Russian Federation and Central Asia."

'Al-Qaeda Militants Accuse Islamic State Of Being A Con'

rferl.org, Al-Qaeda Militants Accuse Islamic State Of Being A Con "IS claims to have established a "state" in the vast swaths of land it has captured in Iraq and Syria are nothing more than "a mirage and illusion in HD format on the screens of your gadgets," a group of Daghestani militants from Jabhat al-Nusra said.

""We started to understand that the IS that is propagandized via the Internet is one thing, but the real IS is a different thing altogether," they said in a recent interview with Nusra's new Russian-language media wing, White Minaret. "

'Britain's jihadi bride groomer

Daily Mail, Britain's jihadi bride groomer, 1 Aug 2015 "A teenage jihadi bride who groomed three of her school friends to join her in Syria to fight for Islamic State was radicalised at a women’s charity based at one of Britain’s biggest mosques, it has been claimed." There will be counter-claims. The role of the net in this case is significant (and the reason why it is posted here).

Chattanooga shooter researched martyrdom

Chattanooga shooter researched martyrdom, official says - CNN.com

How Anime and the internet is battling against Islamic State

bt.com, How Anime and the internet is battling against Islamic State 'When the Anime character is deployed she has to remain respectful of the religion of Islamic [sic] as this cartoon shows.'

Chattanooga

Rita Katz, SITEIntelGroup, Information about the Chattanooga Shooter is Disappearing from the Internet "Abdulazeez did what jihadists are asked to do prior to execution of their attacks: delete important information that could provide insight into their networks. Jihadi recruiters often advise prospects to “delete your social network accounts or stay inactive,” as well as “all the nasheed [Islamic chants], videos, pictures, messages” prior to their attacks or migration to jihad."

'Oldest' Koran fragments found in Birmingham University

BBC News, 'Oldest' Koran fragments found in Birmingham University - "Radiocarbon dating found the manuscript to be at least 1,370 years old, making it among the earliest in existence." Hopefully, we will be able to see a digitised version of this in due course. It's quite a find, and is generating discussion online.

Cardiff Isis terrorist reportedly killed in Syria air strike

walesonline.co.uk, Cardiff Isis terrorist reportedly killed in Syria air strike, 22 Jul 2015 "Experts are 'confident' the 21-year-old, who left Wales to join the terrorist group and appeared in a propaganda video, is dead"

Anonymous targets IS sympathisers on Twitter

BBC News, Anonymous targets IS sympathisers on Twitter, 21 Jul 2015 "Hacktivist group Anonymous is ramping up efforts to tackle sympathisers of the Islamic State group on Twitter."

Tough UAE social media law

The National, Tough UAE social media law could see expats deported for saving someone’s photo , 20 Jul 2015 "Simply possessing on an electronic device a photo taken without the subject’s consent is an offence for which expatriates could be deported, a leading prosecutor said."

Suruc massacre: At least 30 killed in Turkey border blast

BBC News, Suruc massacre: At least 30 killed in Turkey border blast, 20 Jul 2015

Into the Black: Channel 4's 'Escape From Isis'

HP, Into the Black: Channel 4's 'Escape From Isis', 19 Jul 2015

UK terror suspect Babar Ahmad returns home from US

aljazeera.com, UK terror suspect Babar Ahmad returns home from US, 19 Jul 2015

WikiLeaks Cables Show a Saudi Obsession With Iran

NY Times, WikiLeaks Cables Show a Saudi Obsession With Iran

How to Defeat ISIS with Twitter Trolls

gizmodo.com, How to Defeat ISIS with Twitter Trolls  "New Jersey senator Cory Booker once noted that ISIS has “fancy memes” — so why shouldn’t we get some weaponized memes of our own? That’s what Kalev H. Leetaru believes. He’s a senior fellow at the George Washington University Center for Cyber and Homeland Security and a council member of the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government. And he’s written an article for Foreign Policy about how we could run a great psychological ops campaign against ISIS." Discuss ...

'Why the Islamic State leaves tech companies torn between free speech and security'

washingtonpost.com, Why the Islamic State leaves tech companies torn between free speech and security, 16 Jul 2015 "The social-media savvy of the militant group is raising difficult questions for many U.S. firms: how to preserve global platforms that offer forums for expression while preventing groups such as the Islamic State from exploiting those free-speech principles to advance their terrorist campaign."

Derby community leader: up to 12 extreme Islamic radicals in our city

Derby Telegraph, Derby community leader: up to 12 extreme Islamic radicals in our city "A LEADING member of Derby's Muslim community says he believes there are up to 12 extreme Islamic radicals in the city who he fears are using the internet to groom young people to go to Syria."

Islamic State Launches Internet Channel In Russian

eurasiareview.com, Islamic State Launches Internet Channel In Russian Directed At Post-Soviet States - OpEd

#mecca_live

  

This is just some of the coverage/images associated with #mecca_live; I plan to write about this in due course (for my next book).
 
Independent, The Snapchat images that allowed the world to see the beauty of Mecca "Muslims were able to collaborate and share personal videos of Mecca using Snapchat's Live Story feature, which collects submitted clips and splices them together before releasing the best footage to all 100 million Snapchat users."

 aljazeera.com, Snapchat opens digital window on Mecca to millions, 14 Jul 2015 "Digital analytics site Topsy recorded more than one million mentions on Twitter alone, as Muslim users first lobbied Snapchat to feature the city and then reacted to the stream of content that flowed online once the hugely-popular, social media app agreed to do so."

Buzzfeed, Snapchat’s Live Stream Of Ramadan Prayers From Mecca Hailed For Its Portrayal Of Islam

Twitter, #mecca_live

Business Insider Indonesia,  Here are photos from Snapchat’s Mecca live story, which opened up Ramadan’s most vibrant city to the non-Muslim world

Turkey blocks access to pro-ISIS websites

Reuters/ara.tv, Turkey blocks access to pro-ISIS websites, 14 Jul 2015 "Turkey has blocked access to more than half a dozen Islamist news websites this week, prompting one group claiming allegiance to Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS) to accuse Turkey of persecuting Muslims and warn of unspecified retaliation."

Iran Nuclear Deal - Social Media Reactions

NY Times, Iranian Reaction to Nuclear Deal Fills Social Networks, 14 Jul 2015

MSNBC, The world responds to Iran nuclear deal in 140 characters 

Blocking Twitter is not the solution

Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, Asharq Al-Awsat, Blocking Twitter is not the solution, 12 Jul 2015 opinion piece "The chronology of the rise and fall of organized terrorism and its resurgence proves that the problem is deep-rooted and that it is not possible to crack down on terrorism without addressing the root problem. As such, blocking some tools, like the Internet, Twitter, and Facebook is certainly not the solution."

The 'eight faces' of anti-Muslim trolls on Twitter

Wired UK, The 'eight faces' of anti-Muslim trolls on Twitter "A criminology lecturer has published a report dissecting online Islamophobia, identifying what he believes are the eight types of troll responsible for much of the hate speech."

Snapchat Palestine

Palestine Studies, Snapchat Palestine "The social media video-sharing app Snapchat recently featured the Israeli city of Tel Aviv as part of its “Stories” features, which focuses on cities from around the world and residents may post videos for a daylong live stream of city life. The focus on Tel Aviv, however, coincided with the one-year anniversary of last summer’s Israeli war on Gaza ..."

Raqqa

middleeasteye.net, In IS-ruled Raqqa, new class divide creates tensions with local Syrians "'Muhajireen' foreigners 'live like princes' while locals in Raqqa complain of harassment and being treated like second-class citizens/"

Dismantling ISIL's propaganda machine

James Denselow, aljazeera.com, Dismantling ISIL's propaganda machine "In addition to civil society boycott of the ISIL's media products, there needs to be creative, organised and similarly determined efforts to undermine ISIL's seeming monopoly over symbolism."

Sawab Center

UPI, U.S., UAE launch social media center to counter IS propaganda efforts "The Sawab Center will use "direct online engagement" to counter IS ideology and present "moderate and tolerant voices,"the State Department said. Based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, the center issued a message on Twitter and YouTube saying the IS is spreading hate, fear and intolerance." They are on Twitter here @sawabcenter

Syrian activists say IS supporters hacked their website

AP/Yahoo, Syrian activists say IS supporters hacked their website, 8 Jul 2015 ""Hackers claiming to be supporters of the Islamic State group on Wednesday hacked the website of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the head of the monitoring group said."

Cyber Caliphate Hackers Not Linked to Islamic State

freebeacon.com, Cyber Caliphate Hackers Not Linked to Islamic State, 7 Jul 2015 "The State Department report, “Who Is Cyber Caliphate? Re-examining the Online ISIL Threat,” was produced by a unit of the Department’s Office of Diplomatic Security, which supports American businesses overseas. It describes Cyber Caliphate as a relatively unsophisticated group that has conducted cyber attacks against perceived enemies of the Islamic State."

7/7

Selected coverage of the tenth anniversary of 7/7:

Buzzfeed, This Is How British Muslims Feel Their Country Has Changed Since The 7/7 Attacks

IBTImes, 7/7 London bombings: Mosques around UK hold 'prayer for peace' events in memory of those who died

BBC News, 7 July London bombings: Ceremonies in memory of victims


The Virtually Islamic blog archive from July 2005 includes a range of links to coverage of 7/7 and its aftermath (scroll down to 7 July 2015 - some links may not be functional).

Isil trawls social media for Irish jihadi brides

Isil trawls social media for Irish jihadi brides - Independent.ie "Although policy makers and families appear most concerned about young Muslims, Dr [Maura] Conway said people of other faiths are converting under the influence of Isil as opposed to Islam. Last week, parents from Ireland's Muslim community called for "tougher restrictions" on access to Islamaphobic content, including beheadings, shootings and mass executions. Fardus Sultan, a Muslim mother and business woman said: "Muslims have an added concern with extremism online. We still face the same issues as all parents but nowadays we have that element as well.""

Here's the manual that Al Qaeda and now ISIS use to brainwash people online

businessinsider.com, Here's the manual that Al Qaeda and now ISIS use to brainwash people online "The Times notes that the tactics are similar to those laid out in an Al Qaeda manual called "A Course in the Art of Recruiting." Though ISIS and Al Qaeda are now two separate organizations, ISIS recruiters seem to follow many of the same basic guidelines for luring people into their group and indoctrinating them. And with the rise of social media, reaching these recruits across the globe has become even easier."

'Laugh out loud: UK schoolgirl jihadi's reaction to Tunisian massacre'

Daily Mail, Laugh out loud: UK schoolgirl jihadi's reaction to Tunisian massacre "The sickening remark came in an extraordinary series of exchanges with an undercover Mail on Sunday reporter, who Abase believed to be another British teenager planning to run away to join barbaric IS. Abase encouraged her to make the dangerous trip to marry a frontline jihadi fighter."

Free Wi-Fi in Makkah Haram courtyard

ara.tv, Free Wi-Fi in Saudi Arabia’s Makkah Haram courtyard "The presidency staff will use this popular wireless networking technology to send guidance and awareness text messages to pilgrims and visitors to the Grand Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday."

New and noted: Digital passages: migrant youth 2.0

Leurs, Koen (2015) Digital passages: migrant youth 2.0: diaspora, gender and youth cultural intersections. MediaMatters . Amsterdam University Press, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. LSE Research Online  I have yet to read this.

ISIS - executions in Palmyra

ara.tv, ISIS teens execute 25 soldiers in Syria’s Palmyra, 4 Jul 2015 "The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria on Saturday released a grisly video showing 25 Syrian government soldiers being executed by teenagers in the ancient amphitheater in the city of Palmyra."

ISIS Is Winning The Internet Game

OnPoint - WBUR, ISIS Is Winning The Internet Game This is available to download - I have yet to listen to it. Details follow: "The so-called Islamic State – ISIS – celebrated its one-year anniversary this week. A large part of its growth has happened online. It has a sophisticated propaganda machine, with tens of thousands of accounts spreading its messages. And those messages are reaching Westerners, Americans. We’ll talk to a reporter who tracked the radicalization of Alex, a 23-year-old Sunday school teacher and babysitter. And we’ll hear from the former State Department head tasked with countering ISIS’ online propaganda. This hour On Point: Alex’s story, and the ISIS online propaganda strategy."

Rival militants don orange outfits to kill alleged ISIS fighters

ara.tv, Rival militants don orange outfits to kill alleged ISIS fighters

Gloucester Imam combating Islamic extremism with iPad

gloucestercitizen.co.uk, Gloucester Imam combating Islamic extremism with iPad " Imam Hassan of Masjid-e-Noor is joining male and female Imams and scholars from across the UK in a digital campaign titled 'Ramadan Reminders' to help young Muslims at this time of year."