Abu Muhammad al-Adnani

Robin Wright, The New Yorker, Abu Muhammad al-Adnani, the Voice of ISIS, Is Dead, 30 August 2016 "Hassan Hassan, the author of the Times best-seller “ISIS: Inside the Army of Terror,” described Adnani as one of a small handful of leaders left from among the organization’s founding fathers. “This means that the transition to the second and third tiers of the group is already well under way. And this could affect the direction of the organization and how it operates” ... "

Bing translation enrages Saudis

The Register, Microsoft redfaced after Bing translation cockup enrages Saudis also see Daily Mail, Fury as Microsoft Bing translates the Arabic word ‘Daesh’ into English as ‘SAUDI ARABIA’

An extremist’s path to academia -- and fighting terrorism

PBS Newshour, An extremist’s path to academia -- and fighting terrorism "Jesse Curtis Morton begins work as a counterterrorism researcher at George Washington University this fall. But his path to the position was highly unconventional: until 2012, Morton was Younus Abdullah Muhammad, a Muslim extremist who founded a radical Islamist website. His decision to go undercover and assist in counterterrorism efforts while in prison changed his trajectory profoundly."

ISIS in New Zealand inevitable

Stuff, ISIS in New Zealand inevitable

'Average man takes on IS online'

The Australian, Average man takes on IS online "Mohamed Amin Ahmed manages a gas station in Minneapolis. He is a father to four children, all under the age of 8. And in his spare time, he fights back against Islamic State propaganda he believes is poisoning his local community."

Malaysia: Terrorists are the ‘worst of creation’

The Star Online, Terrorists are the ‘worst of creation’, 21 Aug 2016 "IT exasperates Umno Youth exco Datuk Dr Fathul Bari Mat Jahya that the IS extremists and militants who are butchering and beheading people, have the audacity to proclaim themselves Salafists."

Liberté, Egalité, Burkini?

BBC News, Liberté, Egalité, Burkini? "While some people in France have seen the controversial Burkini ban as a defence of female freedom and French values, others, both there and across the Arab world, have expressed the view that, it is an attack not only on women penalised by the restrictions, but also on Muslims in general." Good summary by BBC Trending.

New and noted: Millennial Muslim Identities in the Contemporary United States

"Muslim, Period. American, Period": Millennial Muslim Identities in the Contemporary United States, Ledaman Bliss Zakarison, Whitman College [dissertation]

#Malaysia: Growing intolerance of LGBTIQ community due to Islamisation, forum told

themalaymailonline.com, Growing intolerance of LGBTIQ community due to Islamisation, forum told " Social activist Azrul Mohd Khalib added that those from the LGBTIQ minority group are facing increased persecution on a daily basis as Islamic teachings in Malaysia were against sexual orientations that differed from the heterosexual norms." Opinion

#Malaysia: Research outfit starts online ‘pondok’ to counter radicalism

themalaymailonline.com, Research outfit starts online ‘pondok’ to counter radicalism (VIDEO), 18 August 2016

"IMAN Research said that in the interviews they conducted across the
peninsula with Muslim youths from various backgrounds, interviewees in
Kedah were “extremely reluctant” to denounce IS, while those in Selangor
were hesitant to challenge verses or scholars that propagate violence,
even if they disagreed with the terrorist group’s level of violence."

Anjem Choudary and prison radicalisation

Standard, Hate preacher's followers still posting extremist videos on YouTube Interesting original report in the Times over the weekend. I have posted this link, as the Times has a paywall online (I bought the newspaper!).

Also see related coverage/opinion pieces:

Mail Online, The face of hatred unveiled: Wife of jailed Anjem Choudary is clearly identified for the first time as she vows non-Muslims in Britain will be destroyed

Express, 'Belmarsh HERO' Hate preacher Anjem Choudary ‘raising an army of extremists’ behind bars [the emphasis is from the Express]

BBC News, Prison extremists to be put in special units in jails

Raffaello Pantucci, Telegraph, It's cruel, but isolation is the only way to deal with prisoners like Anjem Choudary

Putting Islam centre stage in the digital age

Gulf News, Putting Islam centre stage in the digital age Profile of Peter Gould: "“When someone asks me today what is Islamic art, I say our art has very deep, sacred roots but it could also be that kid on the street in Jakarta with a spray can, it could be a guy in San Francisco making an app showing you how to pray and where to pray. It [faith] has to influence and inspire all of these decisions we are making every day, and that’s when you get beautiful things. Your faith can and should have influence in what is being created around the world today.”

Twitter suspends almost 250,000 accounts with 'terror' links

middleeasteye.net, Twitter suspends almost 250,000 accounts with 'terror' links "Twitter has suspended 235,000 accounts believed to have links to militant groups like the Islamic State, the company said."

Twitter users take down French politician who told Muslims to be 'discreet

Middle East Eye, Twitter users take down French politician who told Muslims to be 'discreet

Going undercover against extremism

BBC News, Going undercover against extremism, 18 Aug 2016 "A long-running undercover police operation in the Bedfordshire town of Luton, which has contributed evidence to two recent counter-terrorism trials, helped build up an incredibly detailed picture of the depths of loathing for Britain felt by the men at the heart of the investigation."

Wayback Machine Won’t Censor Archive for Taste, Director Says After Olympics Article Scrubbed

USA News, Wayback Machine Won’t Censor Archive for Taste, Director Says After Olympics Article Scrubbed

ISIS militants shut down internet, confiscate satellite devises in Syria's al-Bab

ARA News, ISIS militants shut down internet, confiscate satellite devises in Syria's al-Bab "Radical group of the Islamic State (ISIS) has shut down the internet network in the city of al-Bab in Syria’s northern Aleppo province, local sources reported on Wednesday."

ISIS fighters using impenetrable encrypted messaging to carry out attacks: UN experts

indianexpress.com, ISIS fighters using impenetrable encrypted messaging to carry out attacks: UN experts

Kedah to produce videos on dangers of IS’ deviant Islamic teachings

themalaymailonline.com, Kedah to produce videos on dangers of IS’ deviant Islamic teachings

Tunisia: women in hip hop

Middle East Eye, Women in hip hop: Making space for Tunisia’s unseen queens "In Tunisia, female hip hop artists are breaking away from societal norms and bringing a new twist to Tunisian hip hop culture."

FSB busts internet ring recruiting terrorists for ISIS

RT, FSB busts internet ring recruiting terrorists for ISIS, 11 Aug 2016 " Russia’s Federal Security Service has uncovered and closed an internet community recruiting fighters for Islamic State and propagating terrorism on the web. It also seized weapons and explosives from the suspects during searches in three Russian regions."

Anjem Choudary

Dominic Casciani, BBC News, How Anjem Choudary's mouth was finally shut "For 20 years Anjem Choudary stood on street corners, in shopping precincts, outside mosques, embassies and police stations and used his megaphone to drive a wedge between Muslims and the rest of Britain. Now he has been convicted of inviting others to support the Islamic State militant group."

 Mail Online, Fanatic's web of hatred: From 7/7 bombers to Lee Rigby's killers, how vile preacher's network of radical connections was like a who's who of Islamic terrorism - with links to 15 plots and 500 jihadis

Daily Mirror, Anjem Choudary's 'perfect Sharia Britain' included no queues, tax or air stewardesses...and instructions on biscuit-making

BBC News, Anjem Choudary case raises terror law questions

Miqdaad Versi, Independent, Anjem Choudary inspired terrorists around the world – and the media shares some of the blame [opinion piece]

Leaked Isis documents reveal recruits have poor grasp of Islamic faith

Independent, Leaked Isis documents reveal recruits have poor grasp of Islamic faith, 16 Aug 2016 "An AP analysis of thousands of leaked Isis documents reveals most of its recruits from its earliest days came with only the most basic knowledge of Islam. A little more than 3,000 of these documents included the recruit's knowledge of Sharia, the system that interprets into law verses from the Quran and "hadith" — the sayings and actions of the Prophet Muhammad."

New and Noted: Inside the Caliphate's Classroom: Textbooks

Jacob Olidort, Inside the Caliphate's Classroom: Textbooks, Guidance Literature, and Indoctrination Methods of the Islamic State "Two years after the declaration of a caliphate by the Islamic State, the world has become well acquainted with the group's brutality, territorial expansion, apocalyptic narrative, and ability to stage large-scale terrorist attacks inside and outside the Middle East. Less discussed are IS textbooks and book-publishing activities. Our knowledge of the group's ambitions and ideas are based on texts leading up to the group's declaration of a caliphate, social media communications (in particular its English-language propaganda magazine, Dabiq, and videos), interviews with defectors, and leaked bureaucratic documents. Yet, to date, no systematic survey has been conducted of the Arabic-language books the group has published since June 2014." Available as a PDF

IS Apps

ISIS On The Internet: 7 Apps The Islamic State Group Uses For Recruitment, News And More, 10 Aug 2016

How to keep Facebook, Twitter from being terrorists’ hunting grounds

Computer World, How to keep Facebook, Twitter from being terrorists’ hunting grounds " Rand's Boudine-Baron, who has been researching terrorists and their social media activities since 2014, said that while the account suspension campaigns reduce the ease with which people can stumble on to terrorist content and outreach, there needs to be a bigger presence in "counter messaging.""

Father Jacques Hamel

Reuters/The Star, France buries priest slayed by Islamic militants "Mourners crammed into Rouen Cathedral on Tuesday for the funeral of the Roman Catholic priest knifed to death at his church altar, as France's political leaders sought ways to defeat home-grown Islamist violence.
"Father Jacques Hamel was leading morning mass in the nearby industrial town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray last Tuesday when the attackers stormed in, forced the 85-year-old to his knees and slit his throat while chanting in Arabic."