British jihadist calls for 'flag of Islam' over Downing Street and Buckingham Palace

Independent, British jihadist calls for 'flag of Islam' over Downing Street and Buckingham Palace, 4 Jul 2014

ISIL calls for killing of The 99 creator

arabianbusiness.com, ISIL calls for killing of The 99 creator, 4 Jul 2014 "In response, Al Mutawa tweeted: “My work has glorified Islam from the US to China for the past ten years. I really do not believe in ISIL and Qaeda…I don’t care about them”."

Syrian rebel leader

Independent, Syrian rebel leader gives speech to Islamist militants with Hello Kitty notebook, 4 Jul 2014 "A jihadist rebel leader fighting in the Syrian War has been filmed giving an impassioned speech to a group of armed militants with a Hello Kitty notebook in front of him."

Hackers hit IDF account

alarabiya.net. Hackers take over Israel army Twitter account "Internet hackers briefly took over an Israeli army Twitter account, the military said Friday, posting an alarming message that a nuclear facility had been hit by rocket fire."

Enjoy a virtual iftar this Ramadan

Enjoy a virtual iftar this Ramadan | The National "If you can’t make it home from work for iftar, why not break your fast with your family virtually over the internet?"

Twitter launches Ramadan 'hashflags'

Twitter launches Ramadan 'hashflags' | Technology | theguardian.com:

"Twitter has introduced its second set of "hashflags" for users observing Ramadan and celebrating Eid, following from the state-specific flags introduced during the world cup."

Phone apps aid Genxt Muslims in India during Ramadan

Phone apps aid Genxt Muslims in India during Ramadan (Technology Feature) | Mizo News:

Anti-terror police arrest and bail teenager in Cardiff

BBC News - Anti-terror police arrest and bail teenager in Cardiff: "In an online conversation with a reporter from BBC Wales' Week In Week Out programme, he  [Aseel Muthana] described seeing "martyrs" to militant group Isis's cause and said he would be "willing to die" for the cause."

The State of the 'Caliphate' Is... Meh

J.M. Berger, Intelwire.com: The State of the 'Caliphate' Is... Meh: "Apparently, no matter how awesome the power of social media, you can't just announce that you're the boss of everyone and expect people to fall in line."

New and Noted: 'Playing with Religion in Digital Games'

RNS, New Book Sheds Light on the Role Played by Religion in Digital Games "The book Playing with Religion in Digital Games spotlights the growing influence religion has in digital gaming. It also showcases the increased attention by scholars around the world to digital gaming and its impact on popular conceptions of religion."

ISIS round-up

Here's a collection of articles and links relating to ISIS over the past week. Obviously it is not possible to gather them all up, but I am focusing on the online activities here.  Check out my Twitter and Facebook for more info.

Independent, Iraq crisis: Isis changes name and declares its territories a new Islamic state with 'restoration of caliphate' in Middle East  "The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) has reportedly declared the areas it occupies in Iraq and Syria as a new Islamic state, removing Iraq and the Levant from its name and ushering in “a new era of international jihad”."

Thomas Hegghammer, Sample messages from #CalamityWillBefallUS Twitter campaign 
 
The Guardian, Who is behind Isis's terrifying online propaganda operation?, 23 June 2014

alarabiya.net, How ISIS conquered social media, 24 June 2014 "After seizing swathes of land in Iraq and Syria, the Al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is expanding its presence on social media, using sophisticated techniques to recruit fighters, spread its propaganda and garner financial support."

Infowars, ISIS Releases Global Takeover Map
 

alarabiya.net, Shocking video: ISIS dumps bodies of executed rivals in deep gorge

Mail Online, Inside the ISIS gift shop: Online jihadist spring/summer collection of T-shirts, hoodies and baseball caps shocks internet



 BBC News, Iraq conflict: What does 'caliphate' mean?

Motherboard, Iraq's ISIS-Targeting Internet Bans Have Caused a Huge Surge in Tor Usage "Of everything the Iraqi government has thrown at a rapidly-advancing Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), nothing yet has made a major dent in the jihadist militant group's push toward Baghdad. According to a study from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, even the internet filtering imposed by the Iraqi government to hinder ISIS communications is being subverted."

 Jamie Bartlett, Telegraph, Isis and their so-called social media genius " ... enough of them are also smartphone-using digital natives in their twenties. They know that building an Android app really isn’t that hard, and giving interviews to Vice magazine or posting picture of cats is a fairly obvious and easy thing to do to get more coverage. No wonder they are good at it. It’s the same reason governments aren’t. It’s what they’ve grown up with."

BBC Radio Wales - Good Morning Wales

BBC Radio Wales - Good Morning Wales, 24/06/2014 Here's a link to the programme on BBC Radio Wales I was interviewed on this morning. My contribution starts at 01:12:45 (live from my kitchen table!), in which I briefly discuss 'radicalisation' issues.

How ISIS Games Twitter

How ISIS Games Twitter - J.M. Berger - The Atlantic:

"Media attention has focused, not unreasonably, on ISIS’s use of social media to spread pictures of graphic violence, attract new fighters, and incite lone wolves. But it’s important to recognize that these activities are supported by sophisticated online machinery. ISIS does have legitimate support online—but less than it might seem. And it owes a lot of that support to a calculated campaign that would put American social-media-marketing gurus to shame."

Who is behind Isis's terrifying online propaganda operation?

Who is behind Isis's terrifying online propaganda operation? | World news | The Guardian: article by Patrick Kingsley, with substantial useful detail. "The extremist jihadist group leading the insurgency against the Iraqi government is using apps, social media and even a feature-length movie to intimidate enemies, recruit new followers and spread its message. And its rivals – including foreign governments – are struggling to keep up."

Teen known as ‘Osama Bin Bieber’ fights alongside ISIS

Teen known as ‘Osama Bin Bieber’ fights alongside ISIS - Al Arabiya News "There are Instagram pictures, posted by Hadi, that show him holding guns and tweets claiming that he is in Syria with 'Dawla', another name for ISIS."

Dark day for media freedom as Al Jazeera journalists convicted

Dark day for media freedom as Al Jazeera journalists convicted | Amnesty International "The conviction today of three Al Jazeera English journalists accused of “falsifying news” and belonging to or assisting the banned Muslim Brotherhood movement in Egypt is a ferocious attack on media freedom, said Amnesty International."

Banned cleric preached at mosque where jihadi brothers worshipped

Banned cleric preached at mosque where jihadi brothers worshipped - Telegraph "It is understood that children in Cardiff’s Muslim community have been receiving messages from Nasser Muthana in Syria via the mobile phone messaging service WhatsApp."

China cracks down on online terrorist material

China cracks down on online terrorist material - Firstpost "China launched a campaign Friday to rid the internet of audio and video material that promotes terrorism and violence."

As Iraq censors Internet, Tor usage jumps tenfold

TheDailyDot, As Iraq censors Internet, Tor usage jumps tenfold: "As the Iraqi government censors large swaths of the Internet following devastating attacks and victories by the militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), thousands of people are adopting Tor, the most popular anonymizing tool online, to get around government obstruction."

'How I helped kill Al Qaeda's terrorist mastermind 'the Sheikh'

'How I helped kill Al Qaeda's terrorist mastermind 'the Sheikh' by Morten Storm | Mail Online:

based on a forthcoming book

Video of hate is STILL on YouTube

Video of hate is STILL on YouTube: Online site 'is failing to stop terrorists' | Mail Online:

Father of Isis volunteer: 'My son has betrayed Britain'

Father of Isis volunteer: 'My son has betrayed Britain' | World news | The Guardian "At the Manar centre in Glynrhondda Street, Cardiff, one of the places where the Muthana brothers worshipped, elders suggested that the men must have been radicalised via the internet.


"Trustee Barak Albayaty said: "Nasser Muthana was just like any other guy. I was shocked to see him in the video. But I am sure coming here is not the source of radicalism. We're against going to Syria for the armed struggle and have spelt this out on many occasions. The boys are affected by the internet. It's not just Cardiff, it's all over the UK.""

#AllEyesOnIsis

ISIS receive notes of support from EVERY continent after Twitter charm offensive | Mail Online "Using the hash tag #AllEyesOnIsis, extremist fighters flooded the social media site with propaganda, luring vulnerable people to join them in Iraq.



"And within minutes, their stunt - which Twitter is powerless to block or moderate - was met with chilling messages of support from countries all over the globe - from Rome to Australia, Switzerland to America, Kenya to Nepal."

ISIS vs Kuwait’s Tabtabaie: a tale of two tweets

ISIS vs Kuwait’s Tabtabaie: a tale of two tweets - Al Arabiya News
"A single tweet can get you in a lot of trouble as trolls and haters might react aggressively to your views on social media."

'British Jihadist' Video Calls For Iraq Recruits

Sky News, 'British Jihadist' Video Calls For Iraq Recruits: "A video purporting to show British jihadists urging Western Muslims to join them in Iraq has been released on social media."

How ISIS is spreading its message online

BBC News - How ISIS is spreading its message online "Alongside the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant's (ISIS) battlefield successes in northern Iraq, the group has deployed a sophisticated social media strategy that is redefining its propaganda."

New and noted - PhD dissertation

New and noted: Rebecca S. Robinson, 'Individuals, Collectives, Sisters: Vernacular Cosmopolitan Praxis Among Muslim Women in Transnational Cyberspaces' - this is a PhD dissertation from Arizona State University. It looks interesting, but I haven't read it yet. This links to the pdf of the dissertation.

Twitter account associated with Iran leader warns of ‘war in Muslim world’

alarabiya.net, Twitter account associated with Iran leader warns of ‘war in Muslim world’ "A Twitter account Iran experts believe is run by the office of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in comments apparently inspired by Iraq's turmoil, accused militants on Thursday of wanting to bring about a war in the Muslim world."

Selling terror: how Isis details its brutality

Roula Khalaf and Sam Jones, FT, Selling terror: how Isis details its brutality, 17 Jun 2014 also see zerohedge.com, ISIS Stunner: Terrorist Organization's Annual Reports Unveiled; Reveal Full "Investment Highlights"

'Whisper' in Iraq

alarabiya.net, Careful ‘Whisper?’ Iraqis share fears via popular app, 17 Jun 2014 "Plagued by insecurity and violence, Iraqis are increasingly taking to the anonymous app “Whisper” to share their stories as other social media giants report disruptions to their services in the country."

Terror group Isis gives travel advice

Terror group Isis gives travel advice to extremist Britons travelling to Iraq and Syria, Daily Express: refers to ask.fm and other social media

Iraqis turn to Whisper app

CNN, Iraqis turn to Whisper app during conflict - Jun. 16, 2014:
also see alarabiya.net, Careful Whisper

Iraq Orders Complete Internet Shutdown in 5 Provinces

mashable, Iraq Orders Complete Internet Shutdown in 5 Provinces:

The terrifying rise of Isis: $2bn in loot, online killings and an army on the run | World news | The Guardian

The terrifying rise of Isis: $2bn in loot, online killings and an army on the run | World news | The Guardian:



contains a section on social media use

ISIS Fighters and Their Friends Are Total Social Media Pros

ISIS Fighters and Their Friends Are Total Social Media Pros | VICE News
"As they staged their offensive on the ground, quickly conquering one town after the next, members of the al Qaeda splinter group launched an equally efficient public relations war — trumpeting their arrival on Twitter like the most social media-savvy marketing company."

Terrorists using Twitter, Facebook to spread propaganda

Terrorists using Twitter, Facebook to spread propaganda, recruit would-be jihadists | News.com.au:

"As the jihadist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) rampages through Iraq, posting graphic images on Twitter of what appear to be mass executions, Twitter is scrambling to block their posts."

Iraq Crisis: PM Vows To 'Face Terrorism'

Iraq Crisis: PM Vows To 'Face Terrorism', Sky News:

Selfie culture a new battleground for the Iranian regime

Selfie culture a new battleground for the Iranian regime | World news | theguardian.com:

Iraq militants walk fine line in seized areas

Iraq militants walk fine line in seized areas - The Washington Post: "In the week since it captured Iraq’s second-largest city, Mosul, a Muslim extremist group has tried to win over residents and has stopped short of widely enforcing its strict brand of Islamic law, residents say. Churches remain unharmed and street cleaners are back at work. Getting around is easier now that much-despised blast walls and security checkpoints are gone."

Social media battle augments Iraq bloodshed

Social media battle augments Iraq bloodshed - CNN.com "CNN's Nick Paton-Walsh in Turkey interviewed a defector from ISIS who said he used to recruit Westerners for the cause through direct messages on Twitter."

ISIS: Iraq KILLS the INTERNET

ISIS: Iraq KILLS the INTERNET: VPNs, social media and chat apps blocked by government, The Register:

"Iraq has widened its internet ban to include virtual private networks and mobile data in a bid to halt the progress of brutal offensives in the country led by the extremist militant group calling itself the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis)."

ISIL Twitter terror

ISIL Twitter terror: gruesome Iraq photos and candid selfies of jihadist group members, smh.com.au:

Iraq blocks Facebook

alarabiya.net, Facebook is latest casualty in Iraq’s battle with ISIS "The Iraqi government blocked Facebook on Friday, citing security concerns after the militant group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and other local armed groups seized large parts of the country, Al Arabiya's correspondent in Baghdad reported."

Closing shops during prayer

alarabiya.net, Closing shops during prayers sparks debate among Saudi Twitter users also see the discussion with Ahmed al-Ghamdi here

Sunnis and Shias: What's the story?

BBC, Sunnis and Shias: What's the story? This looks like a useful guide.

Mosul updates

Independent, Iraq crisis: Islamist militants close in on Baghdad after capturing two towns north of capital

Niqash, inside mosul: why iraqis are celebrating islamic extremists’ takeover of their city "This week, Mosul’s streets were filled with celebrating locals. And the Internet was alive with videos of Mosul people jeering the Iraqi army as it left and congratulating the extremists who took their place. That is even though most of them know about the beheadings and amputations and other cruelties that come with the hardline Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. So why was everyone so happy? And how long can ISIS’ honeymoon in Mosul last?"

alarabiya.net, With ISIS advancements, nearby Jordan must be concerned, analysts say
 
 BBC 5 Live scroll through: around 5.15 on 12.6.14, there was a good interview with a Mosul resident.

Foreign Policy, The Beginning of a Caliphate  

alarabiya.net, Video shows Saudis fighting alongside ISIS in Iraq

Egypt Wants Greater Monitoring of Bloggers, Social Media

VOA, Egypt Wants Greater Monitoring of Bloggers, Social Media "Newly leaked documents show the Egyptian government now wants to greatly expand its monitoring of Egyptians’ use of social media, hauling in massive amounts of data on just about everyone online in Egypt."

Mosul and social media

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

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

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

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

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

Egyptian ‘First Kiss’ video proves a shocker

alarabiya.net, Egyptian ‘First Kiss’ video proves a shocker and here it is: [it's been out a while]

"The number of global jihadis is increasing, but Americans aren't necessarily less safe"

PRI, The number of global jihadis is increasing, but Americans aren't necessarily less safe, 4 Jun 2014

UAE social media

Douglas A. Wissing, Genie Uncorked: Social Media in the UAE, 5 Jun 2014 "Like a capricious genie, social media is vexing United Arab Emirate leaders eager to uncork its powers. With the Arab world's highest social networks penetration rates, the formerly quiescent Gulf monarchies are now abuzz with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+ and other social media. But the free-spirited social media genie is creating a unique tension in the 21st-century Arab autocracies."

al-Shabaab and technology

BBC News, How Somalia’s al-Shabab militants hone their image "A recent al-Shabab directive that all its members change their mobile phone numbers shows how tech-savvy the al-Qaeda-linked Somali Islamist group remains and how their communications strategy is key to their survival."

Hezbollah's Tech-Savvy, Platform-Agnostic Guerrilla Marketing Campaign

businessweek.com, Hezbollah's Tech-Savvy, Platform-Agnostic Guerrilla Marketing Campaign, 5 Jun 2014 "There’s a setting in Special Force 2 that lets you kill as many Israeli soldiers as you want, no matter how many times you get blown up. This would be called “God mode” in a typical first-person shooter video game. But the developers behind Special Force 2 belong to Hezbollah, “the party of God” in Arabic, and follow the Islamic tenet that there is no god except God. So the setting is named shahid—martyr—mode."

Facebook blocks rock band page at Pakistan govt request

PM News Nigeria, Facebook blocks rock band page at Pakistan govt request "Facebook has blocked the popular page of a liberal rock band in Pakistan at the request of the government, angering activists campaigning against censorship in the Islamic country."

Dutch “Halal” Sex Shop Expands

onislam.net, Dutch “Halal” Sex Shop Expands "Widely dubbed in the media as the world’s first “halal” sex shop, a Dutch online shop that allegedly promotes Muslims “sexual well-being” has announced an alliance with Europe’s largest erotic retailer to tap into the 1.8 billion Muslim market."

Modern Muslimahs

Mail & Guardian, Modern Muslimahs: A step in Mr Right's direction "Muslim women today have social networking, matrimonial sites, samoosa runs and matchmakers to help find the right husband. But it's still not easy."

Young Iranians 'claustrophobic' as culture is forced online ...

Young Iranians 'claustrophobic' as culture is forced online but accessed in private, theguardian.com "The absence of public space and the wide availability of digital media means that there is no middle ground between these two worlds. Both at home and at school, young people feel isolated in their virtual microcosms and trapped in their contrasting physical reality. Their parents, usually oblivious to the purposes of sites like Instagram, worry about what their children do outside the home. But in a closed society like Iran's, the virtual world can be just as psychologically damaging as hard drugs." Opinion

Sex in Tunisia & the Arab World

Sex in Tunisia & the Arab World: Interview with Shereen El Feki | Tunisia Live: "You now see the emergence of really good websites starting to give reliable information in Arabic. One of them is called Love Matters, Hob Thaqafa, it was just launched in March. It’s an initiative from Radio Netherlands, but the team are all Arab and much of it is based in Cairo, and it’s basically just providing information on sex in a very respectable, scientific, attractive way."  The internet is playing a significant role in relation to issues discussed in this interview.

Activists in Egypt say online monitoring is scare tactic

Activists in Egypt say online monitoring is scare tactic - News - Aswat Masriya "The new system will track down certain words such as “bombs”, “explosives,” or “terrorism” to maintain the country’s national security, a security source told Aswat Masriya. "

‘Bomb-Making for Beginners’: Inside al Al-Qaeda E-Learning Course

‘Bomb-Making for Beginners’: Inside al Al-Qaeda E-Learning Course | Anne Stenersen | Perspectives on Terrorism "This study explores how terrorists utilize the Internet to learn bomb-making skills. Unlike previous studies, it does not focus on assessing the quality of online bomb recipes. Rather, it discusses the efforts being made by on-line jihadists to help others learn by providing so-called “e-learning courses.” As of today, such courses have few active participants yet they tend to attract large interest – indicating that there is a demand among Al-Qaeda’s online sympathizers for developing this concept further."

New and Noted: Jihadi Culture on the World Wide Web

Anne Stenersen, e-ir, Review – Gilbert Ramsay, Jihadi Culture on the World Wide Web, New York: Bloomsbury, 2013



Book information here

Saudi cleric declares online chatrooms are evil

Saudi cleric declares online chatrooms are evil - aysor.am   "Sheikh Abdullah al-Mutlaq, a prominent member of the Saudi Committee of Senior Scholars, has said the online conversations between different genders are prohibited and would eventually lead to committing a sin."

Cyber warfare

Yaakov Lappin, Jerusalem Post, Israel, Iran wage cyber warfare in the battlefield of the future " What may begin as an enemy intelligence-gathering mission could later turn into a virus that disrupts military operations." Analysis and speculation

Iran's Dubious Digital Revolution

usnews.com, Iran's Dubious Digital Revolution "Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has taken steps to reach the country's powerful youth constituency since his election in June 2013, using Twitter and talking about the importance of the Internet in an effort to connect. The country has a young, tech-savvy population, more than half of which is under the age of 30, making it an important voice in determining the country's future."

'Facebook has no comment for the eight Iranians sentenced to long prison terms for posting messages'

venturebeat.com, Facebook has no comment for the eight Iranians sentenced to long prison terms for posting messages, "This week, eight Iranian students and adults were slapped with jail sentences ranging from seven to twenty years in prison for posting Facebook messages deemed inflammatory by the Islamic government. Their fate elicited a “no comment” Thursday from the Menlo Park-based company."

Little Chechnya on the Steppes

BBC Radio 4, Little Chechnya on the Steppes, "Award-winning travel writer Oliver Bullough journeys into the frozen heart of Central Asia to meet the 'White Hats'. This exiled community of Chechens survived everything that Stalin threw at them and now live an isolated and ascetic life on the steppes of Kazakhstan."

Social Networking in Cyber Spaces: European Muslim's Participation in (New) Media

KU Leuven - Call for Papers: Social Networking in Cyber Spaces: European Muslim's Participation in (New) Media, 27-28 November 2014. "The increasing growth of the Internet is reshaping Islamic communities worldwide. Non-conventional media and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter are becoming more popular among the Muslim youth as among all parts of the society. The new channels of information and news attract new Muslim publics in Europe. The profile of the people using these networks range from college students to Islamic intellectual authorities. Such an easy and speedy way of connecting to millions of people across the globe also attracts the attention of social movements, which utilize these networks to spread their message to a wider public. Many Muslim networks and social movements, political leaders, Islamic institutions and authorities use these new media spaces to address wider Muslim and also non-Muslim communities, it is not uncommon that they also address and reach certain so-called radical groups."

Sounds interesting (+familiar territory for several readers of these pages)

Iranian hackers use Facebook to spy on U.S.

Iranian hackers use Facebook to spy on U.S. - Al Arabiya News:

"In an unprecedented, three-year cyber espionage campaign, Iranian hackers created false social networking accounts and a fake news website to spy on military and political leaders in the United States, Israel and other countries, a cyber-intelligence firm said on Thursday."

Allegations re ballot stuffing (in Egypt)

dailynewsegypt.com, PEC denies authenticity of video showing ballot stuffing

Egypt: Media presents election as forgone conclusion

indexoncensorship.org, Egypt: Media presents election as forgone conclusion

Why the Internet Is Not Increasing Terrorism

Taylor & Francis Online :: Why the Internet Is Not Increasing Terrorism - Security Studies - Volume 23, Issue 2  "Policymakers and scholars fear that the Internet has increased the ability of transnational terrorists, like al Qaeda, to attack targets in the West, even in the face of increased policing and military efforts. Although access to the Internet has increased across the globe, there has been no corresponding increase in completed transnational terrorist attacks. This analysis examines the causal logics—which have led to the conventional wisdom—and demonstrates both theoretically and empirically that the Internet is not a force multiplier for transnational terrorist organizations. Far from being at a disadvantage on the Internet, state security organs actually gain at least as much utility from the Internet as terrorist groups do, meaning that at worst the Internet leaves the state in the same position vis-à-vis terrorist campaigns as it was prior to the Internet." Have yet to read this.

Why are Iranian men wearing the hijab?

alarabiya.net, Why are Iranian men wearing the hijab? "Earlier this month, Iranian women flooded Facebook with pictures of themselves with their hair uncovered to spark a debate the freedom to choose whether or not to wear the hijab."

Rouhani on the web

Mehrdad Balali, IOL SciTech, Time to embrace internet, Iran leader says, 27 May 2014 "Iran should embrace the Internet rather than see it as a threat, President Hassan Rouhani has said, in remarks that challenge hardliners who have stepped up measures to censor the Web."

'Terrorists Exploit Social Networks'

Magharebia, Imrane Binoual, eurasiareview.com, Terrorists Exploit Social Networks "Videos, audio recordings, messages and speeches from terrorist organisations blanket YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and blogs. Maghreb extremists have embraced the virtual arena, using online networks to attract recruits and spread propaganda."

Papal visit

Guardian, Pope Francis makes unofficial stop at Israeli terrorism memorial, 26 May 2014

BBC News, Pope prays at Israel's West Bank separation barrier

'Fajer Al Bashaer' app

vocativ.com, Now Available in the Android Store: An App for Terrorists "The Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS)—a jihadi group that even Al Qaeda’s leadership severed ties with for being too extreme—has blazed new trails in cyberspace. Its app, paradoxically called Fajer Al Bashaer (Dawn of Good Omens), delivers news and links to articles about ISIS “successes” in Syria, where the group is based. The app’s developers say their goal is to “assist the victory of the Islamic state by conveying its messages to Muslims everywhere.”"

'Counter-Terrorism: The Electronic Jihad'

Strategy Page, Counter-Terrorism: The Electronic Jihad "In April 2014 a Moslem man (Lawal Olaniyi Babafemi) from Nigeria pled guilty in an American court to charges that he had participated in an al Qaeda operation in Yemen to promote Islamic terrorism via the Internet. Babafemi faces up to 30 years in jail for going to Yemen in 2010 and joining al Qaeda. He later returned to Nigeria and was arrested there and extradited to the United States in 2013. He is one of an increasing number of Islamic terrorist sympathizers who stay out of the battleground areas and provide support via the Internet. Terrorist leaders now recognize this sort of support is important for jihad (struggle) and it is encouraged."

Concerns over online extremism

Belfast Telegraph, Concerns over online extremism, 21 May 2014 " Fears have been raised about online extremism a year after the death of soldier Lee Rigby, as deadly jihadist material remains widely available online."

Central Asia Digital Islam Project

Registan, The Central Asia Digital Islam Project: How the Internet and Social Media are Reshaping the Islamic Marketplace in Central Asia "Advances in communications technology and large-scale migration are rapidly eroding these obstacles, however, allowing Central Asians to increasingly participate in trans-national Islamic discourses through digital media."

Aleppo's most wanted man (and video impact)

Guardian, Aleppo's most wanted man - the rebel leader behind tunnel bombs "The giant plumes of dirt and rubble that ballooned several hundred metres skyward as the hotel crumbled, killing 30-50 Syrian troops, have fast become one of the most jaw-dropping images of Syria's civil war. In three years of aerial blitzes, scud missiles, chemical attacks and suicide bombs, little else had been captured so spectacularly and in real time (video).

"That was one of the best things about the operation," said Assad. "The effect on morale was immediate. Ever since, the men have wanted to fight more than before. We have called this "Operation Aleppo Earthquake".

UAE privacy laws

The National, Be aware of UAE privacy laws when posting Facebook content, TRA warns, 20 May 2014 "Posting content about other people on Facebook without their consent could be breaking the law, regulators warn."

#Happy Iranians arrested

BBC, Iranian Pharrell fans arrested for Happy tribute video "A group of Iranian fans who created a tribute to Pharrell Williams' hit song Happy have been arrested."

Abu Hamza guilty

Guardian, Abu Hamza found guilty of 11 terrorism charges, 20 May 2014 "Hamza was accused of being a terrorist of global reach, and was charged with providing material support to terrorist organizations by enabling hostage-takers in the Yemen kidnapping to speak on a satellite phone, by sending men to establish an al-Qaida training camp in Bly, Oregon, and by sending at least one man to training camps in Afghanistan."

KSA hackers

Saudi Gazette, alarabiya.net, Saudi interior ministry plans to recruit hackers, 14 May 2014 "The National Information Center of the Saudi Ministry of Interior is planning to employ native hackers in its efforts to define holes in the electronic networks in the Kingdom."

Shaykh Nazım al-Haqqani dies

Hurriyet Daily News, Islamic scholar Shaykh Nazım dies at the age of 92, 7 May 2014 "Influential Turkish Cypriot Islamic scholar Shaykh Nazım al-Haqqani died May 7 after being hospitalized for lung and kidney failure last month."

Some of the reactions online are shown below:

Also see SufiLive

KSA, English language and the net

Arab News, Winds of change: English teaching in Saudi Arabia, 9 May 2014 "For several years now, English has been touted to be an important lingua franca in many countries where it is widely used as a means of communication among various ethnic groups and people of different backgrounds. The advent of the Internet has only reinforced its eminence where almost 30 percent of the data is in English. In addition, most of the world’s music is in English (although this is debatable) while job opportunities are certainly better in non-English speaking countries with good salaries and perks."

Kyrgyzstan seeks to stem recruitment for Syrian war

Central Asia Online, Kyrgyzstan seeks to stem recruitment for Syrian war "While the Kyrgyz government attempts to curtail the exodus of young men joining the war in Syria have yielded some effect, social network users are still vulnerable to external influence online."

Boko Haram and online activities

CBS News, Nigeria schoolgirl kidnapping boosts Boko Haram's online presence, for better or worse "While the reaction has been a mix of support and condemnation of the group's kidnapping of almost 300 teenage girls from their school in the northern Borno province, the overall outpouring of interest seems to have elevated the group to a more equal footing with other al Qaeda affiliates -- at least on the vital modern battlefield of the Internet."

'Jihadi Converts' - radio programme

Radio 4, The Report, 'Jihadi Converts' "Converts to Islam are far more likely to be involved in terrorist incidents than those who were born into Muslim families: converts account for around a quarter of terrorist convictions in Britain since 9/11 yet they represent only 2-3% of the UK's Muslim population."

Raif Badawi case

National Turk, Medieval Justice in Saudi Arabia: Ten years imprisonment and 1,000 lashes for blogger Raif Badawi, 8 May 2014 "Now, an appeals court in the port city of Jeddah has tightened the punishment again. The judge sentenced the blogger on Wednesday to ten years in prison and 1,000 lashes. In addition, he shall pay a fine in the amount from the equivalent of just under 200,000 euros."

Abu Hamza trial

Telegraph, Abu Hamza trial: hate preacher says British wife persuaded him to turn to Islam "It was his first wife, an Englishwoman, who persuaded him to start to study Islam with her because she became interested in the religion, he explained. “She was persistent,” he said. “She pushed too hard.”"

Pakistan: YouTube Ban Resolution

Tribune, YouTube Ban Resolution Unanimously Passed in National Assembly "Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) MNA Shazia Mari presented the resolution in the session of the National Assembly today."

WhatsApp faces ban in Iran over 'American Zionist' Zuckerberg

Techie News, WhatsApp faces ban in Iran over 'American Zionist' Zuckerberg "Abdolsamad Khorramabadi, head of the country’s Committee on Internet Crimes, announced the ban, saying that “the reason for this is the adoption of WhatsApp by the Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is an American Zionist.”"

Disillusioned ‘jihadi’ gets death threats for exposing recruiters

arabnews.com, Disillusioned ‘jihadi’ gets death threats for exposing recruiters "Blurring the line between reality and fiction, a former member of a terrorist group has made a movie slamming those in the Kingdom who recruit young Saudis to fight abroad." I have yet to see the film (which is linked into this report).

Allegations: "Islamic Cleric From Michigan Is a Top Online Figure for Jihadists in Syria"

The Blaze, Islamic Cleric From Michigan Is a Top Online Figure for Jihadists in Syria "Ahmad Jibril, who was released from prison in 2012 after serving time for fraud, began his online sermons just as Al Qaeda extremists began flooding into the civil war in Syria." Allegations.

British Fighters Filmed In Syria 'War Crime'

Sky News, British Fighters Filmed In Syria 'War Crime' "They [ICSR] believe the man that posted the video is part of a group of British fighters, known as Rayat al Tawheed, an affiliate of the Sunni jihadi movement ISIS, which controls large swathes of northern Syria."

Global terrorism rose 43% in 2013 despite al-Qaida splintering

Global terrorism rose 43% in 2013 despite al-Qaida splintering, US reports | World news | theguardian.com:

The latest challenge of ‘The 99’ superheroes is tackling a fatwa

The latest challenge of ‘The 99’ superheroes is tackling a fatwa | The National "It began as a suspicious relationship. I did not expect approval to begin with, and the suspicion of the Saudi authorities over the (to them) subversive nature of the content meant we were at loggerheads. It turned out that the solution was simple. I had to first get approval from a religious authority for my superheroes to fly in the Kingdom."

Crossing red-signals is ‘haram,’ says Saudi grand mufti

Crossing red-signals is ‘haram,’ says Saudi grand mufti - Al Arabiya News

Palestinian activist given house arrest for a Facebook status

Palestinian activist given house arrest for a Facebook status | +972 Magazine "In the latest case of Israeli police detaining Palestinian activists for social media activity, a Lod man is placed under house arrest and has equipment confiscated for openly opposing the enlistment of Christian Arabs on his Facebook page."