Saturday, December 27, 2014
Picture of white jihadi sparks fears of Islamic State propaganda coup
Telegraph, Picture of white jihadi sparks fears of Islamic State propaganda coup " The appearance of a photograph appearing to show a young white ‘jihadist’ armed with a rifle sitting alongside Islamic State fighters has led to fears of a major propaganda coup by the extremist group."
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Online ventures target global Muslim consumer market
alarabiya, Online ventures target global Muslim consumer market "From travel guides to shopping portals, new Internet ventures aim to capitalise on the growing "Muslim lifestyle" market, which is expanding beyond food to include areas such as tourism, fashion and credit cards."
How Qatar uses social media
yourmiddleeast.com, How Qatar uses social media "For the first time, a study of Internet users in Qatar has explored the usage of emerging social media channels, alongside more established networks, thereby providing a holistic view of the country's social media population."
Friday, December 19, 2014
Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014
Theology and Religious Studies - University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Some of the research associated with this blog contributed to the School of Theology, Religious Studies and Islamic Studies' REF result.
Some of the research associated with this blog contributed to the School of Theology, Religious Studies and Islamic Studies' REF result.
Islamic State could be behind botched cyberattack on Syrian dissidents
Mashable, Islamic State could be behind botched cyberattack on Syrian dissidents "nternet watchdog Citizen Lab says an attempt to hack into systems operated by dissidents within the self-styled caliphate could be the work of hackers affiliated with the Islamic State group."
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Nowhere to hide?: "The FBI Used the Web's Favorite Hacking Tool to Unmask Tor Users"
The FBI Used the Web's Favorite Hacking Tool to Unmask Tor Users | WIRED "Since Operation Torpedo, though, there’s evidence the FBI’s anti-Tor capabilities have been rapidly advancing. Torpedo was in November 2012. In late July 2013, computer security experts detected a similar attack through Dark Net websites hosted by a shady ISP called Freedom Hosting—court records have since confirmed it was another FBI operation. For this one, the bureau used custom attack code that exploited a relatively fresh Firefox vulnerability—the hacking equivalent of moving from a bow-and-arrow to a 9-mm pistol. In addition to the IP address, which identifies a household, this code collected the MAC address of the particular computer that infected by the malware."
7 held in Spain, Morocco over female Islamic State recruits
middleeasteye.net, 7 held in Spain, Morocco over female Islamic State recruits "Spain's interior ministry said four women, one of them a minor, and three men were arrested in Barcelona, Spain's North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, and in the nearby Moroccan town of Castillejos."
Taliban Gunmen Kill More Than 100 At Pakistani Military School
Huffington Post, Taliban Gunmen Kill More Than 100 At Pakistani Military School "Taliban militants have stormed a military-run school in Pakistan, killing 126 people, including 84 children."
article contains social media reaction
article contains social media reaction
Monday, December 15, 2014
Sydney cafe siege updates - #illridewithyou
Sydney cafe siege updates - BBC News "In Australia the hashtag #illridewith you is trending, as non-Muslims offer to travel with Muslims on public transport if they feel unsafe following the events in Sydney." See #illridewithyou
Sydney Somalian jihadi brides-to-be call home
theaustralian.com.au, Sydney Somalian jihadi brides-to-be call home "Australian Somali Community Association chairman Abdullahi Farah said the girls had contacted their families once “through social media” to say they had passed Turkey and reached Syria."
Friday, December 12, 2014
The Second Wives Club
NewYorkObserver, The Second Wives Club: New Matchmaking Site for Muslim Polygamists "Yusuf Khan, a web developer and entrepreneur, launched the UK-based polygamy site three months ago. The site already has over 3,000 users, he said.
“SecondWife.com wasn’t planned,” Mr. Khan said by email. Originally, he had hoped to create a more traditional matchmaking site, but found that the market was already saturated. “There [were] plenty of fish (excuse the pun) to compete with,” he said.
Screenshot here:
“SecondWife.com wasn’t planned,” Mr. Khan said by email. Originally, he had hoped to create a more traditional matchmaking site, but found that the market was already saturated. “There [were] plenty of fish (excuse the pun) to compete with,” he said.
Screenshot here:
Net radicalisation issues
Muslims in Britain against extremists | All media content | DW.DE | 10.12.2014
"Young British Muslims are appearing in videos to show their solidarity
against IS, and to send the message that IS does not represent them or
their values. The videos enjoy tens of thousands of supporters, while
President Barack Obama has praised the campaign for its courage. But
other Muslim groups have criticized the campaign. They say Muslims
aren't responsible for the actions of extremists and shouldn't have to
publicly distance themselves from extremists."
Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State: Gaging Failure and Success in Online Jihad
Rita Katz, Site Intelligence, Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State: Gaging Failure and Success in Online Jihad
"We always hear about the overwhelming social media campaigns by the Islamic State (IS), and how they flood the internet with gruesome images of beheadings, threats, military achievements, and victories. But what about al-Qaeda (AQ) fighters and supporters? After all, geographically speaking, they include a much larger array of areas and groups, from AQ in Afghanistan, Shabaab al-Mujahideen in Somalia, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Algeria, and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
"With these questions in mind, a comparison of a recent social media campaign by AQ/AQAP supporters following the failed U.S. rescue mission (and consequential execution) of Luke Somers, to those more successful ones launched by IS supporters, provides a better scope of success (or lack thereof) in today’s jihadist social media campaigns."
Opinion/analysis
"We always hear about the overwhelming social media campaigns by the Islamic State (IS), and how they flood the internet with gruesome images of beheadings, threats, military achievements, and victories. But what about al-Qaeda (AQ) fighters and supporters? After all, geographically speaking, they include a much larger array of areas and groups, from AQ in Afghanistan, Shabaab al-Mujahideen in Somalia, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in Algeria, and al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS).
"With these questions in mind, a comparison of a recent social media campaign by AQ/AQAP supporters following the failed U.S. rescue mission (and consequential execution) of Luke Somers, to those more successful ones launched by IS supporters, provides a better scope of success (or lack thereof) in today’s jihadist social media campaigns."
Opinion/analysis
Inside the battle for Ask.fm
washingtonpost.com, Inside the battle for Ask.fm, the site where Islamic State recruited three American teens "When three teenage girls from Denver left their homes for an Islamic State camp in Syria two months ago, their parents — and the FBI — were quick to search social media for clues to their escape. And in the weeks since the girls were intercepted in Frankfurt and returned home, it’s become pretty clear that they were indeed radicalized and recruited online.
"But while accounts of similar Western recruits have fingered major social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, or popular messaging platforms like Kik, a report out from NPR claims another social network, Ask.fm, was actually the major force at play."
"But while accounts of similar Western recruits have fingered major social networks like Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr, or popular messaging platforms like Kik, a report out from NPR claims another social network, Ask.fm, was actually the major force at play."
Converting the preachers
The Economist, Converting the preachers "Now Saudi preachers face a new constraint: starting next year authorities will install centrally monitored cameras in every mosque to record what goes on inside. The move is ostensibly meant to prevent theft and regulate energy use, but few doubt the real intention is to tighten the state’s grip on Islam, part of a trend across the Middle East."
Islamic State orders wifi cut during prayers
Reuters, Yahoo, Islamic State orders wifi cut during prayers: Syria monitor, 11 Dec 2014 " Islamic State militants have ordered shopkeepers to shut down their wireless Internet during prayer times in the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zor, a group monitoring the Syrian conflict said on Thursday."
Thursday, December 11, 2014
'Mum jailed for Facebook terror post'
BBC News, Mum jailed for Facebook terror posts "A mother-of-six has been jailed for five years and three months for promoting terrorism on Facebook."
ISIS sex slaves guide mars international Human Rights Day
ara.tv, ISIS sex slaves guide mars international Human Rights Day "The pamphlet is titled Su'al wa-Jawab fi al-Sabi wa-Riqab - “Questions and Answers on Taking Captives and Slaves” and in it ISIS justifies capturing the women due to their status as non-Muslims."
Matchmaking online
Lydia Green, BBC News, Why millions of Muslims are signing up for online dating, 10 Dec 2014
"Arranged marriages are standard practice in many societies, but the
introductions and screening process can be an ordeal for the young
people involved - even if they are pleased with the eventual outcome.
Some Western Muslims have concluded that online matchmaking can help
reduce embarrassment."
Also see:
alarabiya.net, Online dating gains traction among Muslims in West "Adeem Younis, founder of matchmaking site Single Muslim, which boasts of having over one million members, told the BBC that he set up the service after to avoid the pain of family-orchestrated matchmaking – and as an alternative to the more casual hook-up culture prevalent with many secular dating sites."
Also see:
alarabiya.net, Online dating gains traction among Muslims in West "Adeem Younis, founder of matchmaking site Single Muslim, which boasts of having over one million members, told the BBC that he set up the service after to avoid the pain of family-orchestrated matchmaking – and as an alternative to the more casual hook-up culture prevalent with many secular dating sites."
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
iReligion: Religious Elements of the Apple Phenomenon
iReligion: Religious Elements of the Apple Phenomenon - Journal of Religion and Popular Culture - Volume 26, Number 3 /2014 - University of Toronto Press I haven't read the entire article, due to the pay wall, but it looks interesting. Not sure if the tribulations some experienced with Yosemite and Mavericks form part of the 'religious experience'.
Defusing Taliban publicity
Massoumeh Torfeh, aljazeera.com, Defusing Taliban publicity "Journalists in Afghanistan have decided for the second time this year to curtail their reporting on Taliban attacks as a means of reducing the impact of their message. The first such collective action was taken during the presidential elections when the Taliban were completely boycotted. This is a strategic decision according to Fahim Dashty, the chief executive of Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (ANJU). The decision follows the recent heavy escalation of attacks in Kabul."
Aussie Imam Claims Islam 'Allows Wine'
OnIslam, Aussie Imam Claims Islam 'Allows Wine' "Muslim scholars have criticized claims by a Sydney mosque imam that Islam does not ban wine, seeing his comments as contradicting with the consensus of Muslim scholars."
ISIS's brutal beheading video: Search for clues
CNN, ISIS's brutal beheading video: Search for clues "The US-based terrorism research organization TRAC (Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium) and UK-based counter-extremism think tank Quilliam have analyzed the footage frame-by-frame to understand the video's production techniques, the identity of the hostages and their killers, and the visual significance of such calculated brutality."
Monday, December 08, 2014
Heavy Censorship in Pakistan
Heavy Censorship in Pakistan Shows Why the Next Arab Spring Won't Be on Facebook | Motherboard " During the second half of 2013, Facebook censored or removed 162 posts from Pakistan, according to Facebook’s official transparency report, which outlines government requests for censorship and user data around the world.
"What’s even more interesting is that, in the first six months of this year, Facebook removed 1,773 posts—roughly a 1,000 percent increase.
"What’s even more interesting is that, in the first six months of this year, Facebook removed 1,773 posts—roughly a 1,000 percent increase.
The Criminalisation of Islam in The British Media
huffingtonpost.co.uk, The Criminalisation of Islam in The British Media "Professor Paul Baker of Lancaster University carried out a unique research entitled, 'The Representation of Islam and Muslims in the UK Press 1998-2009'. Along with three other academics, Professor Baker embarked on a rigorous study that involved the analysis of more than 200,000 articles, equating to over 147million words of journalism. The use of "corpus linguistic methods" in creating an "acceptable bias" was amongst other objectives of their endeavour."
Iran: Telecommunications minister says every Internet user will be 'identified'
ibtimes, Iran: Telecommunications minister says every Internet user will be 'identified' "Vaezi announced last month that the country would have "smart filtering" within six months that would enable the authorities to filter out offensive and criminal content from being accessed online in the Islamic Republic." Also see AFP/Gulf News, Iran minister says all web surfers to be ‘identified’
Woman who stabbed U.S. teacher in UAE was lone terrorist - agency
Reuters, Woman who stabbed U.S. teacher in UAE was lone terrorist - agency "A United Arab Emirates woman who killed an American teacher last week has been inspired by "terrorist ideology" acquired through the Internet but investigators have found no links to militant groups, the state news agency WAM reported on Sunday."
How To Stop Being a Celebrity Shaykh Fanboy or Fangirl and Build Real Relationships With Them Instead
Omar Usman, muslimmatters.org, How To Stop Being a Celebrity Shaykh Fanboy or Fangirl and Build Real Relationships With Them Instead "Random Muslim Person sees inspirational Islamic video on YouTube. Random brother or sister now feels speaker in said YouTube video is the solution to all of their life problems."
Wireless in Gaza
Guardian, Wireless in Gaza: the young entrepreneurs beating the blockades "With few goods, or people, allowed to cross the border, the pool of customers and employees in Gaza is small. Web-based startups are giving those with bright ideas a chance to expand their horizons and their businesses."
Tuesday, December 02, 2014
Lebanon detains ‘wife and son’ of ISIS leader Baghdadi
alarabiya.net, Lebanon detains ‘wife and son’ of ISIS leader Baghdadi "The wife of the elusive Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdad, has been reportedly detained at the Lebanese-Syrian border, Lebanese security officials said on Tuesday."
Online - Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet Vol. 6 out
Online - Heidelberg Journal of Religions on the Internet Vol.6 (2014)
Possible highlights (in relation to this blog) include:
Possible highlights (in relation to this blog) include:
Claudia Carvalho
Sean O'Callaghan
Kayla Renée Wheeler
I have yet to read these yet.
Baby boom? ISIS bans contraceptive pills in Mosul
alarabiya.net, Baby boom? ISIS bans contraceptive pills in Mosul "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in the city of Mosul have shut down family planning departments at public hospitals in order to prevent women from using contraceptive pills, the Iraqi Human Rights Ministry said on Monday."
Egyptian ‘hipster’ ISIS fighter Islam Yaken killed in Kobane
alarabiya.net, Egyptian ‘hipster’ ISIS fighter Islam Yaken killed in Kobane "Yaken - who according to friends had lived a cosmopolitan lifestyle back home in Egypt - bewildered many when he joined the extremist militants. A photo of him published on social media networks in August showed him brandishing a sword while mounted on a horse in Syria."
Monday, December 01, 2014
Russia blocks Vimeo video hosting access for Islamic State video
TASS, Russia blocks Vimeo video hosting access for Islamic State video "At the request from Russian telecommunications watchdog communications providers have blocked access to Vimeo video hosting which posted a video of extremist grouping Islamic State."
India: net as ISIS recruitment tool
NDTV, Instead of Jihadi, Was Used as Labour, Alleged IS Fighter Areeb Majeed Says net as recruitment tool "Majeed, according to investigators, says he was surfing the Internet to learn more about the conflict between Palestine and Israel when he began to watch orthodox Islamic preachers online.
""I was studying engineering but lost interest and began thinking about Islamic countries that followed the Shariat," he has reportedly said.
"With the other three men from his neighbourhood, he contacted a woman named Tahira Bhatt on Facebook who claimed to be a recruiter for IS. She asked the men to head to Iraq and gave them contact information for representatives who would meet them there."
""I was studying engineering but lost interest and began thinking about Islamic countries that followed the Shariat," he has reportedly said.
"With the other three men from his neighbourhood, he contacted a woman named Tahira Bhatt on Facebook who claimed to be a recruiter for IS. She asked the men to head to Iraq and gave them contact information for representatives who would meet them there."