al-Awlaki Kindle edition

MEMRI, Amazon.com Sells Sermons, Inspirational Islamic Teachings Of Dead Al-Qaeda Leader –Yemeni-American Sheikh Anwar Al-Awlaki; Available For Kindle Too:

'£1 Fish Man'

 "While 31-year-old Mohamed Shahid Nazir has built a reputation in an East London market for his ultra-cheap fish, it is his catchy sales jingle that has brought him a moment of global fame.

 "Fans cannot stop carping on about his "One-Pound Fish" tune, recorded on a mobile phone and uploaded to YouTube. With more than five million views, some might say you do not have to be a brain "sturgeon" to see he has a hit on his hands."

Muslim scholars reject prophecies of doomsday on December 21, 2012

abna.ir, Muslim scholars reject prophecies of doomsday on December 21, 2012:

"All the religious scholars lamented over the role of media, the media of an Islamic country in particular. They said that the media should play a responsible role and should avoid spreading such false and baseless stories. There were people of all kind exposed to the media like women, children, heart patients and people with emotional disorder. Such rumours could create something horrible in their lives. Media has to play its role in the education of the people rather than spreading of falsehood and rumours, they said."

Dubai-based British diplomat bombarded on Twitter Q&A

Dubai-based British diplomat bombarded on Twitter Q&A - The National:

"The session, using Ms Davis's @RDavisFCO Twitter account and the hashtag #MiddleEastQA, generated more than 300,000 online impressions, reaching an audience of more than 77,000 followers, according to www.hashtracking.com, a Twitter analytics site."

Ayatollah Khamenei's Facebook page beats his own ban

Ayatollah Khamenei's Facebook page beats his own ban - The National: "Iran, the country that banned Facebook, calling it a weapon in the West's battle against the Islamic republic, now appears to have its septuagenarian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as a member of the social networking site." update on this story

Nick Kristof live-tweets his Bahrain visa crisis

Nick Kristof live-tweets his Bahrain visa crisis | SreeTips - CNET News:

Technology discussion

Tomorrow's World | Editorial | December 2012 | emel - the muslim lifestyle magazine "Technology has changed our world, but it has not changed the essence of the human condition. We still cry out when in need; we still hurt when we are unloved. With or without our computers, our telephones, our mobile devices, we still feel the emotions of being human."

Muslim Community Board UK

Muslim Community Board UK on Facebook report that "Following numerous requests for the English translation of The Quran from non muslims who have seen the Billboards at the Major London Railway Stations and 5 Shahadas at Victoria Station on Saturday, Network Rail and Chiltern Railways have ordered our billboards to be removed on the grounds of no religious advertising on their premises despite allowing other faith groups to carry out similar campaigns. Its a move which can only be seen as discriminatory.

"It appears that the English Translation of The Quran is a book too controversial for them to allow to be advertised on their premises.
However, we know that "...And God is the best of planners." [Quran 8:30]

"By removing the billboards this has actually created a massive movement on social media in support of the billboard campaign and bought more attention on The Quran itself, which can only be a good thing God willing!"

Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen Renounce 'Omar Hammami

MEMRI, Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen Renounce 'Omar Hammami "In a statement in English posted today (December 17, 2012) on its official Twitter account (@HSMPress), the Somali jihad group Al-Shabab Al-Mujahideen renounces the American jihadi 'Omar Hammami, aka Abu Mansour Al-Amriki."

New 'Batchwiper' malware reported in Iran

New 'Batchwiper' malware reported in Iran | GlobalPost: "Iran has reported a new malware outbreak capable of completely erasing batches of files stored on hard disks and on one's desktop, earning it the nickname Batchwiper, according to Ars Technica. "

Internet ayatollah: Iran's supreme leader ‘likes’ Facebook

Reuters/NY Daily News, Internet ayatollah: Iran's supreme leader ‘likes’ Facebook, 17 Dec 2012 "Launched a few days ago, the Facebook page "Khamenei.ir" displays photographs of the 73-year-old cleric alongside speeches and pronouncements by the man who wields ultimate power in the Islamic Republic."

Seven online activists 'arrested in UAE'

BBC News - Seven online activists 'arrested in UAE' "Seven online activists are reported to have been arrested in a continuing crackdown in the United Arab Emirates."

Changing landscape of the social-media deluge

Times Higher, Changing landscape of the social-media deluge ""As Twitter researchers we have to be very flexible and not rest on our laurels. One of the ways I keep on top of this is by being active on Twitter myself," she [Dr Farida Vis] said."

Darul Uloom Deoband fatwas

indianexpress.com, Fatwas are not necessarily binding on Muslims: Islamic Scholars "Recent Darul Uloom's fatwas advising Muslim women against working as receptionists and its decrees on tattoos and perfumes may have caused a stir, but Islamic scholars are of the view that such decrees are not necessarily binding on Muslims." More on Darul Uloom Deoband fatwas (also posted earlier this week on this).

Islamist groups gaining prominence in Syria fight

USA Today/news10.net, Islamist groups gaining prominence in Syria fight, 13 Dec 2012 "[But] as fighting has gone on for months, the main rebel groups that once spurned the jihadists because many were foreigners are now welcoming them, says Thomas Pierret, a researcher from the University of Edinburgh who specializes in Islamic factions."

Selisha.de

qantara.de, A Kind of eBay for Muslims "From trendy headscarves to prayer rugs with integral compasses, Selisha.de has everything the devout Muslim could possibly wish for. It is the very first Islamic auction website in the world."

Chicago man sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for overseas terrorism plot - chicagotribune.com

Chicago man sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for overseas terrorism plot - chicagotribune.com:
Internet thread to this story: "A federal judge sentenced a Chicago man Tuesday to nearly 10 years in prison for planning to wage jihad in Somalia for a terrorist group connected to al-Qaida, saying his willingness to die in a suicide mission was "disturbing to this court.""

'Jihad Jane' case coverage

Jihad Jane: From abused child to American jihadist - Reuters Investigates (10:01) "Colleen LaRose, an American woman who called herself Jihad Jane online, was arrested in 2009 for plotting to kill Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks. Reuters investigative correspondent John Shiffman chronicles LaRose on her to journey to jihad, beginning with her abusive childhood. (Part 1) Produced and edited by Andrew Lampard (Dec. 9, 2012)" Other coverage also available via this site. Also see Guardian, 'Jihad Jane' explains her strange journey from victim to radical Muslim

Darul Uloom Deoband 'fatwas'

Rediff.com, Fatwa Factory: Black hair dye, Women receptionists,'un-Islamic': A collection of religious opinions or fatwas from Darul Uloom Deoband, complete with photographic illustrations (some more useful than others)

Book: Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy | Digital Islam

Book: Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy | Digital Islam:

Description:  "Liberation Technology brings together cutting-edge scholarship from scholars and practitioners at the forefront of this burgeoning field of study. An introductory section defines the debate with a foundational piece on liberation technology and is then followed by essays discussing the popular dichotomy of "liberation" versus "control" with regard to the Internet and the sociopolitical dimensions of such controls. Additional chapters delve into the cases of individual countries: China, Egypt, Iran, and Tunisia."

Have yet to see this one. 

"Liberation Technology: Social Media and the Struggle for Democracy" edited by Larry Diamond and Marc F. Plattner. (Johns Hopkins University Press)

Kazakhstan portal

For information: "Kazakhstan to launch the first Islamic educational website. Religion. Tengrinews.kz: "The e-ISLAM portal is being developed as instructed by Head of State following the 38th sitting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers August 15, 2011."

Unrestricted Access To The Online Jihad

Joseph Carter, Unrestricted Access To The Online Jihad / theriskyshift.com, 15 Nov 2012 "If our attempts at fighting the global jihad and combating violent radicalisation online are to be successful, students and academics must be allowed to conduct primary research free from the fear that trawling the jihadist websites and reading al-Qaeda magazines may one day put them in front of a judge." Just picked this up

Empowerment online

Empowerment online - Daily News Egypt: "The internet, which was one of the catalysts of the January uprising, is playing a significant role in increasing social and political awareness. There are several online initiatives that have started producing informative and educational videos to explain the new concepts and situations Egyptians are faced with today."

Pakistan Cyber Army

400 Chinese Government websites defaced by Code Cracker of PCA – HackRead "A hacker who goes by the handle of Code Cracker from Pakistan Cyber Army has defaced 400+ Chinese government sub domains."

ubuntunet

New high-speed internet connects African research to world - University World News:
"An African-led high-speed internet network has been launched to connect academics and researchers throughout Southern and East Africa to peers across the two regions and in Europe. The network will promote African collaboration in research globally."

Cyberactivism

Haven't read this yet, but it looks interesting: Courtney Radsch, Muftah » Revolutionaries Unveiled – Cyberactivism & Women’s Role in the Arab Uprisings "Cyberactivism refers to the use of digital media technologies and social media platforms for sociopolitical contestation. Yet cyberactivism, with its emphasis on the virtual public sphere, is not exclusive of traditional activism. In fact, it is better understood as a mode of contentious politics that relies on new media technologies for information dissemination, networking, and the construction of collective identities and joint grievances, organization, and mobilization."

mehr.ir

Mike Isaac, AllThingsD, Iran Debuts Its Own Version of YouTube "The government of Iran on Sunday launched the Mehr.ir Web site, the country’s homegrown flavor of a user-generated video content site."

Divorce by text message sparks legal battle

CNN/local10.com. Divorce by text message sparks legal battle:

"Aceng claimed divorcing his wife through text messaging is allowed under Islamic Sharia law, his lawyer said."

There are numerous precedents for this (and opinions relating to the validity or otherwise of text divorce), which I have discussed in my books.

Appeals Court Sides With Bush Wiretapping

Appeals Court Sides With Bush Wiretapping | Threat Level | Wired.com: "The case concerned a lower court decision in which two American attorneys — who were working with the now-defunct al-Haramain Islamic Foundation — were awarded more than $20,000 each in damages and their lawyers $2.5 million in legal fees after a tortured legal battle where they proved they were spied on without warrants."

Syria Deeply and the ongoing unbundling of the news

GigaOm, Syria Deeply and the ongoing unbundling of the news "Instead of filing traditional news reports about Syria to traditional outlets like ABC News and Bloomberg, foreign correspondent Lara Setrakian decided to start her own dedicated news site about the conflict in the war-torn country — part of an ongoing trend towards the unbundling of the media."

See syriadeeply.org

Qur’an For Deaf American Muslims - Americas - News - OnIslam.net

Qur’an For Deaf American Muslims - Americas - News - OnIslam.net: "Seeking to help deaf Muslims to read the Noble Qur’an, an Islamic organization has launched a new campaign to translate the holy book into American sign language."

Similar efforts have been made in the UK: muslimdeaf.org

Google approved to keep showing 'Innocence of Muslims'

RT, Google approved to keep showing 'Innocence of Muslims' "A federal judge ruled in favor of allowing Google to continue showing the controversial film trailer, “Innocence of Muslims”, on YouTube. The anti-Muslim video sparked anger that led to worldwide protests resulting in at least 75 deaths."

YouTube Ban Is Shrugged Off in Afghanistan

YouTube Ban Is Shrugged Off in Afghanistan - NYTimes.com "It is a measure of some of Afghanistan’s complexities, however, that even as Afghan rights advocates have worried about censorship, a common reaction on the street to the YouTube ban has been praise, or at worst ambivalence, even among some of the younger, Internet-savvy set in Kabul."'

Facebook in the Arab World in 2012 [Infographic]

Facebook in the Arab World in 2012 [Infographic] - ArabCrunch:

this is a useful infographic

Support for the Moderate Forces

Support for the Moderate Forces - Qantara.de  "Anyone following the conflict in Syria over the Internet will find themselves torn between hopeful enthusiasm and utter dismay. Various developments in the country are tugging the country in one or the other direction. Whoever gains the upper hand will certainly determine the immediate future of Syria."

Taliban Face Sick Police

IPS – Taliban Face Sick Police | Inter Press Service, 7 Dec 2012: "Terrorists have also damaged or destroyed 300 Internet cafes and CD shops, 325 schools and 100 electricity grid stations."

Michele Bachmann wins: How the anti-Muslim fringe hacked the media - Salon.com

Michele Bachmann wins: How the anti-Muslim fringe hacked the media - Salon.com:  "A new report shows that it's not just Fox News. Anti-Shariah groups are pulling the conversation to the fringe"

Terrorism Online: The Web's Role in Radicalization

Chandler Karadsheh, OODA Loop - Terrorism Online: The Web's Role in Radicalization:

Analysis/case-studies/opinion

'Syria Jihadis slay captives in video'

The Daily Star, Syria Jihadis slay captives in video, 1 Dec 2012 "New footage posted on the Internet appears to have been filmed by a Syrian rebel who points the camera along the barrel of his gun as he executes 10 unarmed prisoners."

In Syria, a fine line between Jihadists and opposition

alarabiya.net, In Syria, a fine line between Jihadists and opposition: "“It is difficult to distinguish between moderate Islamists and Salafi-jihadists in the context of the Syrian civil war,” says Elizabeth O’Bagy, author of a recent Institute for War report entitled “Jihad in Syria.”

“The mainstream use of jihadi iconography by non-Salafist opposition groups distorts perceptions about their ideologies and end-goals,” she says."

The report is here (pdf): Elizabeth O’Bagy, , Institute for the Study of War, 'Jihad in Syria'. I have yet to read it.

Iranian "Porn" App Programmer "Repents", Narrowly Avoids Death Sentence

DailyTech - Iranian "Porn" App Programmer "Repents", Narrowly Avoids Death Sentence "Amidst the sweeping internet revolution that has occurred in recent years, the Revolutionary Court has made a special point of widely advertising cases like Mr. Malekpour's to "warn" citizens not to disobey the nation's strict Islamic law online."

Al-Qaeda fear growing in Syria

thenewstribe.com, Al-Qaeda fear growing in Syria: Rebel commander seeks Islamic state

Dubai: ITU World Conference on International Telecommunications

RFE/RL, Dubai Meeting On Internet Governance "Internet freedom advocates say they fear the debates will be closed to all but government representatives, and that the ITU will merely present its conclusions at the end of the conference without input from the private sector, technical experts, or civil society." Also see ITU, World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT-12)

US media helped anti-Muslim bodies gain influence, distort Islam

wired.co.uk, US media helped anti-Muslim bodies gain influence, distort Islam, 30 Nov 2012 "A study published by a sociologist has revealed that fear-mongering non-governmental anti-Muslim organisations have been heavily influencing US media since 9/11, their messages seeping into news articles and television reporting and drawing their ethos from the fringes, straight into the mainstream."

Iran sacks cyber police chief

Frace24, Iran sacks cyber police chief over blogger's death "Tehran's cyber police chief has been sacked for negligence in events leading to the death in custody of an Iranian blogger, Iran's police said Saturday on its website."

'Anonymous Hackers Swat At Syrian Government Websites In Reprisal For Internet Blackout'

forbes.com, Anonymous Hackers Swat At Syrian Government Websites In Reprisal For Internet Blackout, 30 Nov 2012 "Beginning Thursday afternoon, the loose hacker collective went on a spree of attacks against various Syrian government targets hosted outside of the disconnected country, including embassy websites in China, Australia, Saudi Arabia and other government sites including that of the Baath political party and the Syrian railway system."

Muslim Jokes Written 1,000 Years Ago Are Revealed In Ancient 'Guide To Gatecrashing'

huffingtonpost.co.uk, Muslim Jokes Written 1,000 Years Ago Are Revealed In Ancient 'Guide To Gatecrashing':

"The translation of a 1,000-year-old "guide to gatecrashing", written by a renowned Muslim scholar has revealed the lighter side to ancient Baghdad."

Syria Has Just Been Taken Offline

Syria Has Just Been Taken Offline | Danger Room | Wired.com:

"Syria has been largely cut off from the rest of the internet — just as rebel forces are making some of their biggest advances yet against the Assad regime."

Egyptian-American activist Mona Eltahawy turns down no-jail deal for defacing pro-Israel subway ads - NY Daily News

Egyptian-American activist Mona Eltahawy turns down no-jail deal for defacing pro-Israel subway ads - NY Daily News:

Poetic injustice?

alarabiya.net, Poetic injustice? Qatari poet gets life sentence for ‘incitement against authorities’ "Many have been shocked to see Qatar, the country which has been showing support to the Arab Spring's revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia, and other Arab countries, issuing a harsh life sentence imprisonment on Thursday against an opponent poet of the ruling family over a poem. "

Infographic: Abuse Against Afghan Women

Infographic: Abuse Against Afghan Women

Internet blackout across Syria reported amid Damascus fighting

alarabiya.net, Internet blackout across Syria reported amid Damascus fighting "Renesys, a U.S.-based network security firm that studies Internet disruptions, says Syria effectively disappeared from the Internet at 12:26 p.m. local time.

"Akamai Technologies Inc., another U.S-based company that distributes content on the Internet, also confirmed a complete outage for Syria."

Reading List - 'The Islamophobia Industry'

The American Muslim (TAM), Book Review: The Islamophobia Industry, How the Right Manufactures Fear of Muslims (Nathan Lean) "The book, written by the editor-in-chief of Aslan Media, comes at an opportune time. Released in September 2012, the book landed just one month after American Muslims witnessed a stark increase in hate attacks during the holy month of Ramadan. A report by the Council on American Islamic Relations documented that the Ramadan of 2012 “saw one of the worst spikes of anti-Muslim incidents in over a decade.”"

Nurul’s statement and the Kaum Tua mentality

Nurul’s statement and the Kaum Tua mentality | Free Malaysia Today: "The case of Nurul Izzah Anwar, the PKR vice president, making the statement that there is no compulsion in religion and that this should apply not only to non-Malays but to Malays as well is now commanding the public domain.

"Thanks to Utusan Malaysia and the Internet, the speed at which Nurul’s statement spread was staggering."

An "Iron Curtain" for the Digital Age

mobiledia.com, An "Iron Curtain" for the Digital Age "The U.S. is solidifying its position and taking action by sanctioning Iran. The WCIT conference could highlight the possible growing divide between countries that want a free Internet and those who want to limit its power, while people around the globe grapple with questions about human rights, the Internet and how to best manage its undisputed power. The future of the Internet's "Iron Curtain" remains very much up in the air, subject to the vagaries of international diplomacy."

Cyber-Islam: A Review of Gary Bunt’s “iMuslims”

Dominic T. Bocci, Muftah » Cyber-Islam: A Review of Gary Bunt’s “iMuslims”, 21 Nov 2012:

This review makes some useful suggestions for future research.

" ... the clear strength of iMuslims rests in boldly going where many have not: laying the groundwork and asking scholars to unpack what, at first pass, looks to many like unholy bedfellows for the sake of understanding the effect of Internet technologies on theology."

Switzerland's Real-Life *Homeland* - Spy Converts To Islam, Goes Rogue

Switzerland's Real-Life *Homeland* - Spy Converts To Islam, Goes Rogue | @worldcrunch:

Al-Molhid (The Atheist) Egyptian film praises Islam, says film crew

Al-Molhid (The Atheist) Egyptian film praises Islam, says film crew, Ahram Online: "Despite the approval of both Al-Azhar and the Censorship Committee, the film crew are still receiving threats. "We constantly receive attacks and death threats on our Facebook page, but nothing physical so far," Hisham confesses."

Online Indiscretion Leads to Islamic Jihad Texting Threats to Israeli Soldiers During Operation Pillar of Defense

Online Indiscretion Leads to Islamic Jihad Texting Threats to Israeli Soldiers During Operation Pillar of Defense, Algemeiner.com:

Has Morsi Pulled a Mubarak and Cut the Internet Off Tahrir Square?

Has Morsi Pulled a Mubarak and Cut the Internet Off Tahrir Square? · Global Voices:

"Egyptian netizens are reporting Internet cuts around Tahrir Square, the epi-centre of the Egyptian revolution while others are saying it is working fine."

Pakistan cuts phones in hope of stopping attacks on Shi'ites

Pakistan cuts phones in hope of stopping attacks on Shi'ites | NBC News:  "Pakistan is suspending phone coverage in many cities this weekend, an important one in the Shi'ite Muslim calendar, after a series of bomb attacks on Shi'ites triggered by mobile phones."

Blogger's death in Iran window onto cyber patrols

Blogger's death in Iran window onto cyber patrols - MiningJournal.net "The current furor traces back to a number of tweets last week when some Saudi women discovered their husbands were receiving text messages notifying them of their spouses’ entrances to and exits from the country. That’s obviously sketchy, and definitely happening, but it’s been that way for a while now."

Is Saudi Arabia Electronically Tracking Women?

Is Saudi Arabia Electronically Tracking Women? | Geekosystem "The current furor traces back to a number of tweets last week when some Saudi women discovered their husbands were receiving text messages notifying them of their spouses’ entrances to and exits from the country. That’s obviously sketchy, and definitely happening, but it’s been that way for a while now."

Against all odds, ‘Mosque for gays’ to open in France

alarabiya.net, Against all odds, ‘Mosque for gays’ to open in France "An Algerian homosexual man is planning to open a “mosque for gays” in France by the end of the month, which sets to be a place of worship for Friday prayers at first, then will hold same-sex Muslim marriages."

U.S. suspects use social media

alarabiya.net, Two of four U.S. terror suspects were Islamic converts: "Authorities won’t say how the investigation began, but at least two members of the group shared their beliefs on Facebook and held Skype phone calls with Kabir - all of which was recorded by an FBI informant or captured by agents monitoring their activity."

Osama bin Laden sea 'burial'

Osama bin Laden: US Navy emails reveal no sailors witnessed secret burial at sea - Telegraph: "The emails were released by the Pentagon after a freedom of information request by the Associated Press, but were heavily redacted."

Analysis: Egypt's President Morsi feted for negotiating role

Analysis: Egypt's President Morsi feted for negotiating role - Telegraph:

"Gaza’s Internet Boy Wonder Takes on Israel"

Gaza’s Internet Boy Wonder Takes on Israel - The Daily Beast: "Last week, when the Israel Defense Forces threatened to pull the switch on the Internet in Gaza, Nour Haridy wanted a backup plan. So the 15-year-old high-school student from Cairo went on Twitter and asked in Arabic and English for help on how Gazans could get back online in the event of a shutoff."  Also see voxpalestine.org

Unveiled Syrian Facebook post stirs women's rights debate

BBC News - Unveiled Syrian Facebook post stirs women's rights debate "Among the dozens of Facebook groups spawned by the Syrian uprising, a page supporting women's rights has suddenly received a wave of attention, because of an image posted there by one of its followers. The picture was of 21-year-old Dana Bakdounis, without the veil she had grown up wearing - and it polarised opinion." Also see

 انتفاضة المرأة في العالم العربي 
This is on Facebook (The uprising of women in the Arab world)

'Killer robots' should be banned, say human rights groups

'Killer robots' should be banned, say human rights groups | Science | guardian.co.uk:

Top 10 ignorant and/or racist statements by academics

Top 10 ignorant and/or racist statements by academics — C L O S E R: opinion piece "Being active on social media brings many benefits. For me social media has been a very useful vehicle for sharing articles, blogs, news and activities with others. Another main benefit has been exchanging thoughts, and sometimes humorous rants, with like-minded people."

‘No Twitter for Terrorists’

alarabiya.net, ‘No Twitter for Terrorists’: pro-Israel group demands Hamas tweet ban "A Christian pro-Israel group has kicked off an online campaign demanding that microblogging site Twitter ban members of Hamas from using the service."

Social media in Gaza

Arab Media & Society, Social media and the Gaza conflict: "[But] above all, social media have advanced to the fore in this round of fighting because of Israel’s decision to impose a media blackout on Gaza. Days before the beginning of operation “Cast Lead,” foreign correspondents were barred from entering the territory. The government even prohibited Israeli soldiers from bringing in mobile phones – by now the medium of choice for leaks of embarrassing information the world over."

Analysis: Media war escalates in Gaza

Analysis: Media war escalates in Gaza - Features - Al Jazeera English: "Global information network accessibility is key to the rising visibility of the Palestinian narrative. Online activism is emerging as a powerful tool in shaping public perception. And as Israeli leaders ponder the best course of action in the highly publicised assault on Gaza, Palestine advocates, propagandists and armed groups are capitalising on the digital media platforms to make headway in the information race."

Operation Pillar of Defence: Death via Social Media

Operation Pillar of Defence: Death via Social Media | Scoop News opinion piece by Binoy Kampmark. "Social media has become a fixation for those dying the slow lonely life in suburbia to residents of frenetic inner metropolises. It galvanises political movements and enables groups to challenge mummified structures of power. But what is often forgotten is that it can just as well be used by those in power against those out of it. Nothing has illustrated this better than the Israeli use of social media even as the IDF pummels positions on the Gaza Strip in Operation Pillar of Defence. Peter Kafka of All Things Digital (Nov 15) sums up the effect of this strategy. “The idea is familiar to anyone who had a message to push in 2012: Instead of relying on middlemen like the press to convey your story, you can go over their heads, and right to your target audience.”"

Fighting for online equality

Fighting for online equality | Radio Netherlands Worldwide  "Internet is an open space where all are equal. Not so, say gender activists worldwide. The on-line world mirrors the roles and restrictions of offline society, and women are sometimes much more vulnerable than men when they are active online."

Israel Wages Cyber War With Hamas as Civilians Take Up Computers

Israel Wages Cyber War With Hamas as Civilians Take Up Computers - Businessweek "Knowledge of computer code is proving to be as important to Israel’s conflict with Hamas as the Iron Dome system intercepting rockets from the Gaza Strip."

Pushing for change, some in Jordan point to king

Timesonline.com: Middle-east, Pushing for change, some in Jordan point to king "Hirak surfaced in the wake of the Arab Spring through Internet social networking."

Heavy blow to Syria opposition bloc: Islamic rebel groups want Islamic state:.

Middle East Online::Heavy blow to Syria opposition bloc: Islamic rebel groups want Islamic state:.: "he main Islamist rebel groups in Aleppo province, including Al-Nusra Front, have rejected the newly-formed Syrian opposition bloc saying they want an Islamic state, in an Internet video posted on Monday."

Pakistan acquits girl of blasphemy charges

Pakistan acquits girl of blasphemy charges - Central & South Asia - Al Jazeera English "Pakistan court has thrown out charges against a young Christian girl accused of blasphemy in a case that drew international condemnation, lawyers said."

Will social media sway Malaysia's elections?

Al Jazeera English, Will social media sway Malaysia's elections? - Features -  "The proliferation of independent websites and blogs such as Malaysia Today and Malaysiakini rendered the ruling coalition's propaganda machinery less effective during the electoral race, as formidable opponents appeared in the crucial arena of cyberspace."

Around 400 Egypt activists cross into Gaza on ‘solidarity’ trip

alarabiya.net, Around 400 Egypt activists cross into Gaza on ‘solidarity’ trip "“Almost 400 of us, mostly Egyptian activists in AlShifa hospital #Gaza for solidarity rally. We got convoy through Rafah, who would've thought?” tweeted an Egypt-based activist late Sunday as the group begun their visit to the city by visiting a Gaza hospital."

Paris Hilton’s new Mecca store gets mixed reviews in Saudi Arabia

alarabiya.net, Paris Hilton’s new Mecca store gets mixed reviews in Saudi Arabia "Hilton announced the news on her Twitter account Thursday. “Loving my beautiful new store that just opened at Mecca Mall in Saudi Arabia!,” she tweeted."

Egypt train tragedy

bikyamasr.com, Update: 50 dead, 15 injured in Egypt train crash, mostly young children: "On social media networks in the country, reports are coming in that reveal that some families lost two or three children each in the incident."

Tracking social media from Israel and Gaza

Tracking social media from Israel and Gaza - Interactive - Al Jazeera English

BCC Taliban issue

TNW, Taliban forgets to BCC an email, reveals its entire PR mailing list of over 400 people, "Taliban spokesperson Qari Mohammad Yousef Ahmadi apparently needs a lesson in the difference between carbon copy (CC) and blind carbon copy (BCC). His slipup has resulted in the leaking of the group’s entire PR mailing list, which includes over 400 email addresses belonging to journalists, members of government, academics, and activists."

Photo of journalist carrying dead son in Gaza spurs online grief

alarabiya.net, Photo of journalist carrying dead son in Gaza spurs online grief "The death of Mishrawi’s son at first prompted anger from online commentators and news blogging sites, particularly when the poignant went viral on social media networks, photo over the BBC’s alleged lack of, or minimal, reporting on the killing."

Group Anonymous attacks Israeli websites to retaliate against bombing of Gaza

alarabiya.net, Group Anonymous attacks Israeli websites to retaliate against bombing of Gaza "Hacker group, Anonymous, has launched hacking attacks on websites owned by the Israeli government in retaliation against the ongoing Israeli military campaign on the Gaza Strip."

Israeli and Palestinian officials exchange war of words via social media

Global Edmonton | Israeli and Palestinian officials exchange war of words via social media

More on social media issues and Palestine. 

I am watching the tweets come pouring in on TweetDeck, but it is difficult to keep up with the volume of content at present, let alone record anything...

Truth does not bother “Israel”. Pushing Buttons Do. To mute from “Tweeting until Termination”

Truth does not bother “Israel”. Pushing Buttons Do. To mute from “Tweeting until Termination” | Occupied Palestine | فلسطين:

Opinion piece in relation to social media and Palestinian issues

Hamas military chief "received draft proposal for a ceasefire agreement" hours before his death

BBC Newshour ‏@BBCNewshour #Israeli negotiator - #Hamas military chief "received draft proposal for a ceasefire agreement" hours before his death. via Twitter

Gaza under attack

Gaza under attack | The Stream - Al Jazeera English "Gazans live-tweet airstrikes as the fear of return to war with Israel grows."

#gazaunderattack

BBC Radio 4 - Moral Maze, The Moral Code of Social Media

BBC Radio 4 - Moral Maze, The Moral Code of Social Media

BBC Radio 4 - Digital Human

BBC Radio 4 - Digital Human, Series 2, Episode 7 "The distinction between our physical selves and mental states is a philosophical construction, but it signifies a line in the sand between those who believe our bodies make us human and those who define humanity by our thoughts and social lives. But after our death can our persisting digital selves continue our presence for those left behind?"

Moaz al-Khatib

Newshour had an interesting report on Moaz al-Khatib (between 930-10 Uk time). There should be a podcast on the link above. Also see BBC News, Profile: Syria opposition leader Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib

Turkish start-up conquering Middle Eastern online gaming world

Turkish start-up conquering Middle Eastern online gaming world - CNN.com

Egyptian Islamist denounces Internet as major sin

digitaljournal.com, Egyptian Islamist denounces Internet as major sin: "Salafist preacher Sheikh Muhammad Hussein Yaqob has now issued a fatwa against the Internet, calling it haram (forbidden)."

Now Israel and Hamas are at war on Twitter as Gaza killing of Ahmed Jabari 'opens gates of hell'

Now Israel and Hamas are at war on Twitter as Gaza killing of Ahmed Jabari 'opens gates of hell' | Mail Online

Porn sites appear in Islamic countries’ most-visited online rankings

alarabiya.net, Porn sites appear in Islamic countries’ most-visited online rankings "At least five pornographic websites are among Egypt’s 100 most frequently visited online destinations this year, according to Alexa, a division of Amazon.com that tracks online traffic patterns globally."

Imagining Tahrir

jadaliyya.com, Imagining Tahrir jadaliyya.com have produced a great set of photos and a related commentary

Assad Gangnam Style يلعن روحك يا حافظ

Psy-ops? Gangnam Style reboot for Syria:

Assad Gangnam Style يلعن روحك يا حافظ - YouTube

Headlines from five years ago

Headlines on this week, five years ago on virtuallyislamic.com

AFP, Bangladesh launches Internet sabotage probe, 13 Nov 07 "Bangladesh on Tuesday launched an investigation after the country's Internet link was sabotaged, disrupting communications nationwide for most of the day"

Janes, Taliban communications, old and new, 12 Nov 07 "The Taliban use a variety of ways to communicate and influence the people of Afghanistan and supporters in other Muslim countries. While their 'night letters' reflect traditional Afghan practice and are aimed at a domestic audience, the adoption of the internet and multimedia formats is a more controversial development for the movement and seems largely intended for an international audience."

AP, Project seeks to track terror Web posts, 12 Nov 07, "Researchers at the University of Arizona are developing a tool that uses these clues to automate the analysis of online jihadism.

AME Info, 'Islamic' car planned, 12 Nov 07, "The firm is to link up with companies in Turkey and Iran in order to develop the vehicle which would feature a compass indicating the direction of the Qiblah as well as spaces to store a headscarf and a copy of the Quran. It is claimed the idea originated in Iran."

BBC News, Egypt's mufti rejects criticism, 14 Nov 07 "With tears in his eyes, Grand Mufti Sheikh Ali Gomaa told reporters his religious edicts were never influenced by pressure from the authorities."

And finally ...

A Turkish version of Islam in the Digital Age was published: Gary R. Bunt Dijital Çağda İslam, (trans. Nil Erdoğan), (Istanbul: Babil Yayınları, 2007)

UAE makes more online speech illegal, but English announcement leaves out the details

Matt J. Duffy, UAE makes more online speech illegal, but English announcement leaves out the details "The state news agency reported a major change to the Cybercrime Law of 2006 that details which online acts are illegal."

Also see Gulf News, Full text of UAE decree on combating cyber crimes, 12 Nov 2012 "The decree further stipulates punishments for any person creating or running an electronic site to publish information online or through any information technology means to promote any terrorist groups and any unlicensed society, organisation or body, to facilitate contacts with their leaders or to solicit new members, promote the thoughts thereof, to finance their activities, to provide funds and actual help for its activities, or, for that matter, to promote the making of incendiary devices, explosives or any devices used in terrorist acts."

‘Destroy the idols,’ Egyptian jihadist calls for removal of Sphinx, Pyramids

alarabiya.net, ‘Destroy the idols,’ Egyptian jihadist calls for removal of Sphinx, Pyramids:

"An Egyptian jihad leader, with self-professed links to the Taliban, called for the “destruction of the Sphinx and the Giza Pyramids in Egypt,” drawing ties between the Egyptian relics and Buddha statues, local media reported this week."

Talking to foreign media is ‘haram:’ Saudi Grand Mufti

alarabiya.net, Talking to foreign media is ‘haram:’ Saudi Grand Mufti "Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti has issued a religious edict prohibiting contact and cooperation with foreign media outlets seeking to “spread chaos and strife in Muslim lands.”"

Iran Says Sattar Beheshti Was Not Tortured Before Death

Iran Says Sattar Beheshti Was Not Tortured Before Death - NYTimes.com: "An influential Iranian lawmaker said Monday that a blogger who died last week while in captivity had not been tortured during interrogations."

International Telecommunications Union internet regulation

Crikey, International Telecommunications Union internet regulation | "An unusual coalition has launched a campaign against the increasingly aggressive push to use the International Telecommunications Union to regulate the internet."

Abu Qatada Wins Appeal Against Extradition

Sky News, Abu Qatada Wins Appeal Against Extradition "The Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Siac) upheld the radical cleric's appeal after his lawyers claimed he would not get a fair trial."

Pakistan official consider options for filtering YouTube videos

The Independent, Pakistan official consider options for filtering YouTube videos - Asia - World - "Interior Minister Rehman Malik, a regular social media user, announced this week that the government will set up a committee to find a way to filter anti-Islamic content on YouTube — most notoriously, the crudely made "Innocence of Muslims" video that mocked the Prophet Mohammad — but still let Bollywood music videos continue to entertain the nation."

US whacks sanctions on Iranians for web, TV censorship

US whacks sanctions on Iranians for web, TV censorship • The Register "The US has announced sanctions against Iran's communications minister and three other Iranians, as well as five companies and government departments in the Middle Eastern nation, for censoring the internet and media."

Arab States in Transition: The West’s Mediterranean Challenge

I participated in this event at Chatham House last week:

Arab States in Transition: The West’s Mediterranean Challenge | Chatham House: Independent thinking on international affairs:

Thursday 8 November 2012 12:30 to 13:30 GMT

Dr Gary Bunt, Reader in Islamic Studies, University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Cesare Merlini, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy, Center on the United States and Europe, Brookings
Olivier Roy, Professor of Social and Political Theory, European University Institute
Chair: Dr Claire Spencer, Head, Middle East and North Africa Programme, Chatham House

---

"The panellists will explore the profound social, cultural and religious changes taking place in the Arab states of the Mediterranean and how these will affect their fundamental transitions in governance. They will also consider the ramifications for the West and the policy options for dealing with this new world."

You can listen to the event in full via the Chatham House website, and download the discussion.

I was there to discuss my contribution in Cesare Merlini and Olivier Roy's edited book 'Arab Society in Revolt' (Brookings Institution Press), in which I have a chapter.

I have just noticed that this is also available as an eBook in various formats. It brings together perspectives from a range of academic disciplines, and was an interesting project to be involved in.

This was my first visit to the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House in London.

A Look Into The Mouth Of The 'Big Mouth Basiji'

Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL, A Look Into The Mouth Of The 'Big Mouth Basiji', 6 Nov 2012 "The Internet and social media have played a big role in bringing attention to the “Big Mouth Basiji,” who seems to enjoy his celebrity status.

"He's certainly not the first regime supporter to convey his views on social media. But he's easily the most unconventional."

#saveMuslimhistory

Twitter / Search - #saveMuslimhistory:

ongoing campaign on Twitter [received via Yahya Birt on Facebook]: "Share your concern about to protect what's left of our Muslim heritage which is being destroyed. Please use the hashtag #savemuslimhistory. Why not tweet to prominent politicians, activists and scholars in Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Libya and elsewhere."

Gaza police catch crocodile that was a fugitive for two years

The Globe and Mail, Gaza police catch crocodile that was a fugitive for two years "It took an Internet search, shark nets and two weeks of floating in a sewage pond, but Gaza policemen said Tuesday that they have finally captured a crocodile that was terrifying residents."

Saudi’s Mobily posts 502 percent data growth during Hajj

bikyamasr.com, Saudi’s Mobily posts 502 percent data growth during Hajj "The company said its network recorded a 502 percent growth in data volumes at holy sites during the 2012 Hajj season and 101 percent growth in data in the Central Area of the Grand Mosque, compared to the 2011 Hajj."

Tunisia Salafist leader wraps warning with call for calm :.

Middle East Online, Tunisia Salafist leader wraps warning with call for calm :. "A Tunisian Salafist wanted for allegedly organising an attack on the US embassy called for calm on Friday, as troops and police deployed outside a flashpoint suburb of Tunis following deadly violence earlier this week."

What al Qaeda Fans Have to Say About Hurricane Sandy

What al Qaeda Fans Have to Say About Hurricane Sandy - Brian Fung - The Atlantic "Technological advancements have enabled terrorists to wage online propaganda campaigns through "hundreds" of jihad-themed websites, experts warn."

Terrorists increasingly use web for recruitment

Terrorists increasingly use web for recruitment - khabarsoutheastasia.com: "Technological advancements have enabled terrorists to wage online propaganda campaigns through "hundreds" of jihad-themed websites, experts warn."

German Jihadists Target Youth on the Internet, Study Finds

German Jihadists Target Youth on the Internet, Study Finds - SPIEGEL ONLINE: "Today, the ex-rapper is one of the most prominent German-speaking propagandists for jihad on the Internet. A new study by the Berlin-based Foundation for Science and Politics (SWP), which advises the German government, addresses the development of the Islamist scene on the Internet in detail for the first time."

Links to the study are here: Jihadismus und Internet: Eine deutsche Perspektive

Syria's rebels fear foreign jihadis in their midst

Syria's rebels fear foreign jihadis in their midst | World news | guardian.co.uk:

The Finish by Mark Bowden reviewed

The Finish by Mark Bowden: The Killing of Osama Bin Laden – review | Books | The Guardian

Digital revolution Africa

Digital revolution lights up Africa with maps, mobiles, money and markets | World news | The Guardian:

Internet rolls into Bangladesh villages on a bike

AP, Internet rolls into Bangladesh villages on a bike: "Amina Begum had never seen a computer until a few years ago, but now she's on Skype regularly with her husband. A woman on a bicycle brings the Internet to her."

Tunisia, a Sad Year Later

NYTimes.com, Tunisia, a Sad Year Later -

Taking power through technology in the Arab Spring

Ramesh Srinivasan, Taking power through technology in the Arab Spring - Opinion - Al Jazeera English "The Internet can make that which is on the opposite end of the world seem very local. Yet this can both distort or amplify reality. For example, while the recent “Innocence of Muslims” video served as a catalyst for the dissatisfaction felt toward the lack of Western support toward the Arab world, the protests and riots would not have occurred without YouTube and Vimeo. The ways by which newer and older media come together can turn slander into reality, changing what counts as truth in today’s world." Also see

Israel invests millions in drive for elite 'cyber warriors'

Israel invests millions in drive for elite 'cyber warriors' - Telegraph: "The Jewish state is facing a dire shortage of "cyber-combat troops" and is scouring the Jewish Diaspora for exceptional, teenage computer minds to recruit to its cyber unit Intelligence Corps Unit 8200, a leading Israeli newspaper reported on Thursday."

Bahrain activist jailed for insulting king on Twitter

Telegraph, Bahrain activist jailed for insulting king on Twitter, "The online activist, who has not been named, was among four people arrested last month for allegedly defaming Bahrain's monarch in cases that mirror other social media crackdowns by Gulf Arab rulers."

Pro-Assad page claims Syria and Iran engineered Hurricane Sandy

washingtonpost.com, Pro-Assad page claims Syria and Iran engineered Hurricane Sandy

Malaysian website tests press freedom limits

Malaysian website tests press freedom limits - Features - Al Jazeera English

Islamophobia book

Islamophobia: How Anti-Muslim bigotry was brought into the American mainstream | Global Research reviewing a new book by Nathan Lean, The Islamophobia Industry: How the Right Manufactures Fear of Muslims (Pluto Press) - which looks very interesting.

Goat With The Arabic Inscription ‘Allah’ On His Coat Goes On Sale For N32.4m

informationnigeria.org, Photos: Goat With The Arabic Inscription ‘Allah’ On His Coat Goes On Sale For N32.4m "A prized goat has been put up for sale in India with a whopping £128,000 price tag. Islam Bhati, 37, from Rajasthan in India, is trying to sell his finest goat for 11 million rupees to a Muslim family celebrating the Eid al-Adha festival." Not sure if the sale went ahead - it was being advertised online

Hajj and medical treatment via internet

Saudi Gazette - Pilgrims all praises for healthcare services "The British national said, “I believed it would be difficult to find dialysis machines in the holy sites, especially in Mina. I dialed the numbers given on the Internet. When I felt reassured, I decided to perform Haj this year despite the fact that I have been suffering from kidney failure for the past 14 years.”

"Al-Islam added, “The services here excel over those in British hospitals in terms of quality, free treatment and the diversity of the medical staff. I was astonished by the international standard services that helped me complete the Haj rites due to the availability of the machines at the hospitals in the holy sites.”"

Afghanistan's first female rapper upbeat on future

BBC News - Afghanistan's first female rapper upbeat on future  "In a country where women's' rights are still fiercely contested, Soosan Firooz has added a strong new voice to the debate in Afghanistan.

"Aged just 23, the Afghan actress has become the nation's first female rapper, making her debut with a song that speaks directly to other Afghans who have shared her experiences of pain and exile as refugees."

also see Soozan Firooz on YouTube

France Euromillions site hit by religious hackers

BBC News - France Euromillions site hit by religious hackers  "The French site of the Euromillions lottery has been hacked, with the homepage replaced by a passage from the Koran condemning gambling."

Saudi Cyber Attack Seen as Work of Amateur Hackers Backed by Iran

VOA, Saudi Cyber Attack Seen as Work of Amateur Hackers Backed by Iran

Video: Mona Eltahawy's full talk from Wired 2012

Video: Mona Eltahawy's full talk from Wired 2012 (Wired UK)  ""People have totally forgotten about the social revolution that has given them the luxury to not revolt like in Egypt," columnist and reporter Mona Eltahawy told a packed audience at Wired 2012. "It has given us the luxury to be snarky on Twitter -- but, when a social revolution is face-to-face with you on the subway, you have to go and meet it in real life, not on Twitter.""

The Technology of Religion: Mapping Religious Cyberscapes - The Professional Geographer - Volume 64, Issue 4

Taylor & Francis Online :: The Technology of Religion: Mapping Religious Cyberscapes - The Professional Geographer - Volume 64, Issue 4

Cyber Warfare In The Middle East

also see Sky News, Israel Moves To Block Trojan Computer Attack

Somalian al-Shabaab group in new attack threat to Britain - Telegraph

Somalian al-Shabaab group in new attack threat to Britain - Telegraph, 23 Oct 2012  "A High Court ruling overturning attempts to stop the Egyptian-born imam being sent to the US was “a testament to the reality of the west’s vicious war against Islam and the Muslims”, al-Shabaab said.

"For this, the group said on its official Twitter feed, Britain faced another terror attack that would be deadlier than those on July 7 and July 21, 2005."

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.""

Trial Begins in for Alleged U.K. Bomb Plot Conspirators

TIME.com, Trial Begins in for Alleged U.K. Bomb Plot Conspirators, 22 Oct 2012 "Three British Muslim men went on trial in London on Monday, accused of plotting a bombing campaign that prosecutors say could have been deadlier than the 2005 London transit attacks."

State Dept. offers $7 & $5 million rewards for al Qaeda leaders

State Dept. offers $7 & $5 million rewards for al Qaeda leaders - San Diego County Political Buzz | Examiner.com: "Adel Radi Saqr al-Wahabi al-Harbi is another Iran-based al-Qaeda facilitator and deputy to al-Fadhli. His role for al-Qaeda is to facilitate the travel of terrorists to Afghanistan and Iraq through Iran.

“Al-Harbi was previously placed on the Saudi Ministry of the Interior’s January 9, 2011 list of wanted terrorists and was charged with traveling to Afghanistan to join al­-Qaeda and providing technical support on the Internet to the terrorist group."

UNODC report

unodc.org, UNODC launches report to assist Member States to counter the use of the internet for terrorist purposes "UNODC today launched a publication to provide practical guidance to Member States for more effective investigation and prosecution of terrorist cases involving the use of the Internet. The publication, entitled " The use of the Internet for terrorist purposes", is the first of its kind and was produced in collaboration with the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force." Report link (pdf) here

Jordanian Soldier Killed in Syrian Border Clash

Jordanian Soldier Killed in Syrian Border Clash - NYTimes.com, 22 Oct 2012 "Mr. Maayta said that the group had traveled to Syria and was planning to take advantage of the chaos there to obtain weapons, including dynamite, that they planned to add to existing explosives to increase their power. He said the group had taken “counsel from Al Qaeda in Iraq via the terrorist sites on the Internet,” and had posted its plans online “to enable others to be able to create the same explosives.”"

Conference: Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion Conference

Digital Methodologies in the Sociology of Religion Conference - University of Derby, 16 November 2012 "Digital methodologies have altered how we articulate our values, display our allegiances and enact our multi-faceted identities. Increasingly Sociology must function in digital contexts and using digitial methods. Religion and belief have also been 'digitized' and have a significant online presence on social networking websites, discussion forums and in online personal profiles."

iMuslims Review

iMuslims was recently reviewed in the International Journal of Middle East Studies by Dr Deborah L. Wheeler. See Volume 44, Issue 03, August 2012, pp 612-614 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0020743812000736

'British gang of Muslims waging war in Syria 'pose threat to UK''

Telegraph, British gang of Muslims waging war in Syria 'pose threat to UK', 18 Oct 2012 "The Security Services have reportedly identified the young man, who has not been named, as the leader the gang of more than 50 men who have waged a holy war against President Bashar al-Assad."

APNewsBreak: Suspect's Family Shocked at NY Plot

APNewsBreak/ABC News: Suspect's Family Shocked at NY Plot "Just a few hours before he was arrested in an FBI sting operation, a Bangladeshi man accused of trying to blow up New York's Federal Reserve building calmly spoke via Skype with his parents back home and updated them on his studies, his family told The Associated Press."

Facebook Removes Hizbullah Pages

MEMRI, Today, Facebook Removes Hizbullah Pages – Following MEMRI Series On Hizbullah Facebook Activity, 17 Oct 2012 "Last night, Facebook removed these two new Hizbullah Al-Manar TV pages, as well as a page belonging to Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. This latter page, while it was created in October 2011, has never been shut down; its removal is a new move for Facebook."

See this interesting related article, which came out last month: NYT, Free Speech in the Age of YouTube

Information on MEMRI is here

Jund al Khilafah emir killed in 'treacherous raid'

Jund al Khilafah emir killed in 'treacherous raid' - The Long War Journal: "A Swiss jihadist known for links to top al Qaeda leaders and the recruitment and training of al Qaeda fighters has been killed in a "treacherous raid" in Miramshah in Pakistan's Taliban-controlled tribal agency of North Waziristan. The jihadist, Moezeddine Garsallaoui, was the leader of Jund al Khilafah, a group that conducts attacks in Kazakhstan and Afghanistan and has also claimed credit for an attack in Toulouse, France, that killed seven people."

Islamic Virtual University to be established in UAE

Islamic Virtual University to be established in UAE - University World News: "The United Arab Emirates has granted the land for and offered to bear all expenses related to the construction of the Islamic Virtual University, which aims to expand education and research cooperation in the Islamic world, produce and disseminate teaching knowledge, and promote higher education quality, internet access and e-infrastructure."

Indonesia Aims to be Islamic Fashion Powerhouse

Indonesia Aims to be Islamic Fashion Powerhouse - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ: "For aspiring entrepreneurs and designers like Jakarta-based Rika Septiana, Facebook provides an opportunity to start a business without having to rent space. Armed with a laptop and an Internet connection, Ms. Septiana started her online Islamic fashion shop in 2010, offering hand-stitched headscarves, necklaces, hand-made crochet flower brooches and other accessories popular among hijabers."

Insight: Brazen Islamic militants showed strength before Benghazi

Reuters/DefenceWebInsight: Brazen Islamic militants showed strength before Benghazi attack, 17 Oct 2012 "So brazen was the Islamist presence in the Benghazi area that militants convened what they billed as the "First Annual Conference of Supporters of Shariah (Islamic law)" in the city in early June, promoting the event on Islamist websites, Reuters reports.

"Pictures from the conference posted on various Internet forums featured convoys flying al Qaeda banners, said Josh Lefkowitz of Flashpoint-Intel.com, a firm that monitors militant websites. Video clips showed vehicles with mounted artillery pieces, he added."

'Jihad Jane' Colleen LaRose Will Face Life In Prison After Sentencing

ibtimes.com, 'Jihad Jane' Colleen LaRose Will Face Life In Prison After Sentencing, 16 Oct 2012

Reading List: Arab Spring — before & after

REVIEW: Arab Spring — before & after | DAWN.COM "Lin Noueihed, a Reuter’s correspondent in the Middle East, and Alex Warren, a Middle East and North Africa consultant, have co-authored The Battle for the Arab Spring: Revolution, Counter-Revolution and the Making of a New Era."

Video: Muslims protest outside Google London HQ

Telegraph, Video: Muslims protest outside Google London HQ, 14 Oct 2012

Pakistan: Religious Extremists Attack Malala Yousufzai ·

Pakistan: Religious Extremists Attack Malala Yousufzai · Global Voices responses from across Pakistan (and beyond)

First evidence for Iran's parallel halal internet

First evidence for Iran's parallel halal internet - tech - 10 October 2012 - New Scientist "The idea, Anderson [Collin Anderson - an independent security researcher in Washington DC] thinks, is that the internal network will contain Iran-specific content and own-brand versions of popular services - a generic Facebook, say. The government would then throttle connections to outside networks, he suggests, rendering them unusably slow, forcing everyone onto the national network."

10 Years After Bali Bombings, Local Militants Still Pose Threat

10 Years After Bali Bombings, Local Militants Still Pose Threat - NYTimes.com "Analysts say radical clerics spread their message and seek recruits through book launches and study groups. Internet forums, military training camps and prisons also serve as recruitment pools."

Banks hacked

Techworld.com, Islamic hacktivists target SunTrust, Capital One, other major US banks, 12 Oct 2012 "The hacktivists have claimed responsibility for DDoS attacks against PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, US Bank, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase."

'Secret' video stirs Islamist fears in Tunisia

France 24, 'Secret' video stirs Islamist fears in Tunisia - Tunisia - "A video leaked this week of a conversation between Tunisian ruling Ennahda party leader Rached Ghannouchi (pictured) and a group of Salafists has exposed the divide and lack of comprehension between Tunisia’s Islamists and secularists."
Also see alarabiya.net, No blasphemy clause in Tunisia’s new constitution: speaker

'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."

Skateistan

Video: Skateistan teaches girls in Afghanistan how to skateboard | Avaaz 

A Common Word Between Us and You

acommonword.com, A Common Word Between Us and You 5th Anniversary of this inter-faith project.

Jordan media

Daoud Kuttab, The Washington Post, Freedom in Jordan does not extend to information - : opinion

"AmmanNet.net started as an electronic media experiment. It was created with support from the Open Society Institute and was sponsored in its first year by UNESCO and the city of Amman. Initially our online broadcasts were barely followed in Jordan. By collaborating with a Palestinian FM radio station, we were able to bypass government restrictions on radio broadcasts; the Palestinian station rebroadcast our signal into Jordanian air space, using our Internet Webcast. Since 2003, Jordan has allowed independent radio stations, but the Internet has continued to be a lifeline for freedom of expression."

Opinion piece: Facebook

Azhar Ahmed, a tasteless Facebook update, and more evidence of Britain's terrifying new censorship - Comment - Voices - The Independent opinion piece

Aleppo News: small in size and big in coverage

Middle East Online::Aleppo News: small in size and big in coverage:. "Aleppo News must surely be the world's smallest news agency, with a handful of amateur journalists and technicians operating from a shelled-out building in Syria's war-ravaged second city." Also see Facebook - Aleppo News

Al-Qaida making comeback in Iraq, officials say

AP/Online Athens, Al-Qaida making comeback in Iraq, officials say, 9 Oct 2012 "Iraqi and U.S. officials agree that Iraqi forces have improved their ability to gain terrorism intelligence from informants and prisoners. But they still struggle to intercept technical communications like al-Qaida's cell phone calls, radio signals and Internet messages — one of the methods used by the U.S. military."

French Terror Investigators Find Bomb-Making Material

French Terror Investigators Find Bomb-Making Material - NYTimes.com: "French police have discovered bomb-making materials and weapons during their continuing investigation into a group of young Islamic radicals arrested on Saturday, the Paris prosecutor, François Molins, said in a statement on Wednesday."

Media and Ritual

Media and Ritual: Death, Community and Everyday Life (Paperback) - Routledge new book announcement, looks interesting ...

The Fourth Arab Social Media Report: Influencing Societal and Cultural Change?

Dubai School of Government, The Fourth Arab Social Media Report: Influencing Societal and Cultural Change? [pdf link]

Viral Peace ++

Spencer Ackerman and Noah Shachtman, Danger Room | Wired.com, As Libya Burned, U.S. Terror-Fighters Asked How to 'Counter Extremism' "During those 11 years, the U.S. has become exceptional at hunting and killing Islamic extremists. But it still does not know how to undercut the basic appeal of Islamic extremism. Until it does, all the drone strikes and commando raids can do is keep terrorist attacks at bay. So experts inside and outside the government are working on an inchoate effort to supplement counterterrorism called CVE, for Countering Violent Extremism. It seeks a durable end to al-Qaida, through dissuading people from becoming terrorists in the first place."

Opinion: How to respond to the offensive videos about Prophet Muhammad

Abdelhak Hamiche, Gulf Times – How to respond to the offensive videos about Prophet Muhammad - Opinion "Muslims should avoid spreading pictures of the profane movie or its actors on the Internet and through the other available media. That is because by doing so the Muslims will directly or indirectly achieve the aims of this movie. Therefore, we may not give fame to those culprits through videos, publications or pictures, because they want to attain fame and they want to subjugate and insult the largest possible number of Muslims who have accessed the movie."

Interfaith dialogue meets the cyber age in Egypt, region

bikyamasr.com, Interfaith dialogue meets the cyber age in Egypt, region "The Angelical Diocese of Egypt, North Africa and the Horn of Africa has relaunched an online with the mission of strengthening Muslim and Christian relations and revitalize interfaith dialogue."

"Salafist Spring"

Abdel Monem Said, alarabiya.net, Salafist Spring "A year ago, the hopes and principles of the Arab Spring were still common “currency”. Even the Muslim Brotherhood began to speak of the civil state as political forces set their sights on democracy and a new constitution that would put an end to despotism. Everyone was rolling up their sleeves, readying themselves for a period of construction and development. The country would rise again, and on totally new foundations. No longer would the country be under the thumb of the “generals” and dominated by the marriage between power and money. Vibrant and dynamic democratic forces would prevail, as epitomized by those young men and women who roamed the terrains of the Internet, Facebook, and other such manifestations of the culture of advanced technology and globalization.

"But today, before the second anniversary of the Tunisian revolution, which marked the beginning of the Arab Spring, the situation has changed entirely."

The Media War in Syria

The Media War in Syria | The Majalla Magazine: detailed commentary

Broadcasts | Bambuser

Broadcasts | Bambuser links to the Middle East page (discussed in article below)

Live from Syria: Swedish streaming site gains followers

Live from Syria: Swedish streaming site gains followers | Reuters  "Syria's civil war has made Friday afternoons a busy time at Bambuser, a tiny Swedish IT startup in an old bicycle factory which streams live video from the latest uprisings."

Protests over Currency Bring Crackdown in Iran

Protests over Currency Bring Crackdown in Iran - WSJ.com "Calls for nationwide strikes and more protests filled Iranian blogs and social-networking sites such as Facebook with one blogger saying, "given the regime's weak economic spot, any movement on our part could deliver a big blow.""

Iranian Internet disrupted by cyber attacks

Iranian Internet disrupted by cyber attacks - SlashGear  "New reports are coming out of Iran that claim cyber attackers targeted the country’s infrastructure and communications companies. According to the officials, the attacks disrupted the Internet across the entire country. Report of the disrupted Internet access was announced by Mehdi Akhavan Behabadi, secretary of the High Council of Cyberspace yesterday."

Iran linked to al-Qaeda's web jihadi crew by old-school phone line

Iran linked to al-Qaeda's web jihadi crew by old-school phone line • The Register  "An organisation that attempts to recruit Westerners to carry out terrorist attacks on their home soil was backed by the Iranian state, according to an unlikely source of information: leased telephone line records."

Jordan Rises as Internet Hub While King Curbs Expression

Jordan Rises as Internet Hub While King Curbs Expression - Businessweek "The country experienced a tech boom that gained speed as young Arabs toppled regimes from Egypt to Tunisia and millions were driven online for the first time. Jordan now hosts about three-quarters of all Arabic content on the Internet, according to the Geneva-based International Telecommunication Union (ITU)."

Refers to kharabeesh.com

IKEA's Saudi Catalog Removes Images Of Women

IKEA's Saudi Catalog Removes Images Of Women | Gather  "Censoring images in international magazines were by either removing the page or coloring over any skin showing with a black marker. That is not always the case anymore. Some images are left as is in magazines and other images of women in hijab who appear in street advertising posters have their faces pixellated. "We're beyond that now in Saudi Arabia," said Eman Al Nafjan, writer and blogger who tweets as Saudiwoman. "With Internet and satellite TV, there's really no such thing anymore as blacking out women or air brushing out women. I would be upset if something like Google was doing it, but for IKEA to do it, that's just marketing, it's not such a big deal.""

'Forest Jihad' (?)

Al-Qaeda blamed for Europe-wide forest fires - Telegraph  "In linking al-Qaeda to the deadly wildfires, Mr Bortnikov pointed to calls to launch a "forest jihad" by various extremist websites which he said also publish detailed instructions about how and where to best carry out arson."

Internet slows down in Jammu & Kashmir

Internet slows down in Jammu & Kashmir as social network sites face partial censorship - Economic Times  "In a bid to prevent trouble, the government ensured the internet speeds go down in Kashmir. While the social networking sites have been rolled back to the cell phone users, even those using computers are facing crippling issues owing to lowing speed."

Syria

Syrians: made up of lots of colors but united for freedom

Iran unblocks Gmail

AFP, Iran unblocks access to Gmail, 1 Oct 2012 "[But] Mohammad Reza Miri, a member of the telecommunications ministry committee tasked with filtering the Internet in Iran, was quoted on Monday by the Mehr news agency as saying the Gmail block was an "involuntary" consequence of trying to reinforce censorship of Google's YouTube video-sharing site.

""Unfortunately, we do not yet have enough technical knowhow to differentiate between these two services. We wanted to block YouTube and Gmail was also blocked, which was involuntary," he said."

CyberOrient - new issue

A very useful edition of CyberOrient has emerged, leading with this editorial:

Ines Braune, CyberOrient, The Net Worth of the Arab Spring, CyberOrient, Vol. 6, Iss. 1, 2012

Other pieces:

Political Activism 2.0: Comparing the Role of Social Media in Egypt’s

“Facebook Revolution” and Iran’s “Twitter Uprising”

Mohammed El-Nawawy and Sahar Khamis

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7439

Al Jazeera’s Framing of Social Media During the Arab Spring

Heidi A. Campbell and Diana Hawk

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7758

Remixing the Spring!: Connective leadership and read-write practices

in the 2011 Arab uprisings

Donatella Della Ratta and Augusto Valeriani

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7763

Beyond the Soapbox: Facebook and the Public Sphere in Egypt

Anton Root

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7751

Egyptian uprising: Redefining Egyptian political community and

reclaiming the public space

Mervat Youssef and Anup Kumar

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7766

Reviews

The Arab Revolution: The Lessons from the Democratic Uprising

Marek Cejka

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7747 

The Digital Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy: Information

Technology and Political Islam

Jon W. Anderson

http://www.cyberorient.net/article.do?articleId=7753 

Haven't read all this yet - would like to download as one pdf...