Anjem Choudary arrested

Independent, Anjem Choudary among nine arrested in London raids on suspicion of ‘encouraging terrorism’ ,

Islamic State and Rotherham abuse 'fuelling far right'

BBC News - Islamic State and Rotherham abuse 'fuelling far right': "Islamic State extremism and the Rotherham abuse scandal are fuelling a far-right backlash in the UK, one of the Home Office's most senior advisers on right-wing extremism has said.

"

Being Muslim: How Local Islam Overturns Narratives of Exceptionalism | Department of Religious Studies | Vanderbilt University

Being Muslim: How Local Islam Overturns Narratives of Exceptionalism | Department of Religious Studies | Vanderbilt University:  I am giving a paper for this workshop (poster screen grab below)

In search of a digital caliphate

Iason Athanasiadis, In search of a digital caliphate | Al Jazeera America: "This summer, when advances by the Islamic State (IS) through northwestern Iraq were beginning to earn the extremist Sunni group unprecedented notoriety, a large number of social media users switched their profile pictures to the Arabic letter nuun, for Nasrani (Nazarene, that is, Christian), in an echo of the symbol scrawled by IS fighters on the doors of Christian families in the cities they capture. IS supporters adopted the black flag of Islamic conquest, featuring the stamp of the Prophet Muhammad and the statement “There is no God but Allah.”"

'Flames of War'

Islamic State video threatens to target White House and US troops | World news | theguardian.com:

‘Daesh’

Middle East - France switches to Arabic ‘Daesh’ acronym for Islamic State - France 24: "The French government has come up with an answer to a point of persistent journalistic confusion – how exactly does one refer to the Islamic State organisation brutally carving out a self-declared "caliphate" in Syria and northern Iraq?"

Saudi Arabia's top clerics speak out against militancy

Saudi Arabia's top clerics speak out against militancy - Zawya: "Saudi Arabia's top clerical council, the only body in the country authorised to issue fatwas or Islamic legal opinions, declared on Wednesday that "terrorism is a heinous crime" under Sharia, and perpetrators should be made an example of."

iOS 8 review

iOS 8 review: the iPhone and iPad get customised, extended and deepened | Technology | theguardian.com:



new security adjustments in iOS 8 - although phones don't get any simpler ...

#NotInMyName

#NotInMyName: ISIS Do Not Represent British Muslims - YouTube:

Iran's 'Happy' dancers sentenced to 91 lashes

Iran's 'Happy' dancers sentenced to 91 lashes | SBS News "The group were arrested in May for their part in a YouTube video, which showed three men and three unveiled women dancing on the streets and rooftops of Tehran to the soundtrack of Pharrell Williams' song, 'Happy'."

Reading List - Reclaiming Jihad: A Qur'anic Critique of Terrorism

ISSUU - Reclaiming Jihad: A Qur'anic Critique of Terrorism by ElSayed Amin by Kube Publishing:



 new and noted (haven't read it yet)

What the ISIS Flag Says About the Militant Group

What the ISIS Flag Says About the Militant Group | TIME

Female ‘jihadist’ vows to raise ISIS flag over Britain

Female ‘jihadist’ vows to raise ISIS flag over Britain - Al Arabiya News:

"A 20-year-old Scotswoman who abandoned her family to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has rejected pleas from her parents to return home, saying she would only come back to raise the ISIS flag over Britain."

UK female jihadists run ISIS sex-slave brothels

UK female jihadists run ISIS sex-slave brothels - Al Arabiya News, 12 Sept 2014:

"Startling details have surfaced of British female jihadists forcing captured Iraqi women into sexual slavery at brothels run by militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), British media reported Thursday."

Infographic: 5 things that make the Islamic State different from Al-Qaeda

Infographic: 5 things that make the Islamic State different from Al-Qaeda - Your Middle East:

Spy software helps wife prove hubby’s infidelity

Spy software helps wife prove hubby’s infidelity | Arab News: "Although spying is unlawful, it has become the newest way to catch a cheating spouse. Women these days claim it is their right to spy on their husbands so that they can have solid evidence of infidelity, including intercepting cell phone and e-mail messages and monitoring their activities.
"

Thieves caught on video stealing from pilgrims at Prophet’s Mosque

Thieves caught on video stealing from pilgrims at Prophet’s Mosque | Arab News "Despite the installation of CCTVs in many corners of the Prophet’s Mosque and the Grand Mosque in Makkah, as well as the often-publicized arrest of thieves caught in the act of stealing inside the two holy mosques, incidents of pilgrims losing their personal belongings to pickpockets continue."

Report: Citizen Engagement and Public Services in the Arab World

Report: Citizen Engagement and Public Services in the Arab World: The Potential of Social Media | Digital Islam 

"The Mohammed Bin Rashid School of Government released the 6th edition of its Arab Social Media Report titled Citizen Engagement and Public Services in the Arab World: The Potential of Social Media, co-authored by Racha Mourtada, Fadi Salem and Sarah Alshaer."

Syria’s Ahrar al-Sham Leadership Wiped Out in Bombing

Syria’s Ahrar al-Sham Leadership Wiped Out in Bombing - Syria in Crisis - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace:

Flooding tweet wars

Jammu and Kashmir floods: How Twitter started a Hindu vs Muslim war over them - Firstpost "As the hashtag #KashmirFloods continued to trend on Twitter India, it was hijacked by trolls, and eventually degenerated into familiar social media religious bickering."

Dar al-Ifta in Egypt issues fatwas against "selfies" and online mixing

Dar al-Ifta in Egypt issues fatwas against "selfies" and online mixing | MuslimVillage.com: "Dar al-Ifta, which itself has 760,000 followers on Facebook, regularly uploads fatwas clarifying dietary and lifestyle queries from Muslims around the world, based on Qu’ranic and other religious literature, and the decisions of experts in Islamic law. Other recent edicts include guidance on searching for a husband online, petting cats and writing poetry."

60,000 Pro-IS Twitter Accounts Set Up Since May

Sky News, 60,000 Pro-IS Twitter Accounts Set Up Since May: "Some 60,000 Twitter accounts have been set up by IS sympathisers since May, a Sky News investigation has found.

And despite the site vowing to stamp them out in the wake of the murder of James Foley, 27,000 continue to express pro-jihadi views."
Also see the accompanying report 'Armchair Jihad'

#BurnISISFlagChallenge

Your Middle East, #BurnISISFlagChallenge trending, but controversial   "The Minister of Justice Ashraf Rifi has called for the “sternest punishments” of the people burning the ISIS flag, considering it an “insult” to Islam as the flag has the Muslim Shahada (the declaration of belief), “There is no god but God and Muhammad is his Prophet,” printed on it, reports Asharq al-Aswat. Rifi also warned that the act could stir sectarian violence."

Also see

IBT, 'Burn Isis Flag Challenge' Goes Viral in Arab World

Twitter - #BurnISISFlagChallenge

IS v aQ

J.M. Berger, Foreign Policy, The Islamic State vs. al Qaeda - Who’s winning the war to become the jihadi superpower? "The Islamic State has thrown down the gauntlet to al Qaeda and seeks to supplant its former ally as the symbol and leader of a global movement acting out a twisted definition of jihad. Its sweeping military campaign has captured a huge swath of Iraq, even as it fights both Bashar al-Assad's regime and rival jihadi groups in Syria, while its proclamation in June of an Islamic caliphate has sparked a furious debate about its legitimacy among global terrorists."

Jihadi Rap

The combination of jihad and rap do not represent a new combination - but this is a useful article: politico.com, Al Qaeda’s New Front: Jihadi Rap - The suspected killer of James Foley represents a new, dangerous merger of gangsta hip-hop and Islamism. "Abdel Majed Abdel Bary, the rapper suspected of murdering American journalist James Foley somewhere between Syria and Iraq, is the product of a British youth culture that has managed to merge two seemingly contradictory lifestyles: gangsta rap and jihad. Like Douglas McAuthur McCain—an American hip-hop fan who was recently killed fighting for the Islamic State—Abdel Bary represents a new and very scary evolution in modern jihadi history."

'Love jihad'

Reetu Sharma, OneIndia, Will love jihad be checked by banning mobile phones for girls? "It seems that now the idea of Love jihad is creating more and more fear amongst the people in Uttar Pradesh as a committee in the state has asked school girls from its community to stop using cell phones.

"As per a TOI report, "An influential committee of vaishyas (trader) in Uttar Pradesh has asked school girls from the community to stop using cell phones to save themselves from falling prey to love jihad."

I understand why Westerners are joining jihadi movements like ISIS

Michael Muhammad Knight, Washington Post, I understand why Westerners are joining jihadi movements like ISIS. I was almost one of them.

'Iran's Leaders Fight Over 'Immoral' Mobile Internet'

IB Times, Iran's Leaders Fight Over 'Immoral' Mobile Internet "Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has refuted claims from a prominent cleric that high-speed mobile internet is immoral and un-Islamic, urging religious leaders not to "close the gates to the world"."

Steven Sotloff video

Telegraph, Jihadists appear caught offguard by release of Steven Sotloff video, 2 Sep 2014 " The Twitter account @JihadWitness, which tweets in English in support of the IS and other jihadist groups, expressed surprise when the video began to appear online.

""How did this leak out to news before the publication?" one tweet read."

‘They can fly!’

alarabiya.net, ‘They can fly!’ Saudis mock religious police after attack on Briton "Saudis took to Twitter to mock the latest controversy clouding the kingdom’s religious police, after members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice attacked a British man outside a crowded Riyadh mall earlier this week."

ISIS Sends a Message

Nathaniel Zelinsky, Foreign Policy, ISIS Sends a Message: What Gestures Say About Today’s Middle East "The curious thing was not the head [Abdel Majed Abdel] Bary held in his left hand -- however ghoulish the trophy -- but the gesture he made with his right. For followers of ISIS, a single raised index finger has become a sign of their cause, and it is increasingly common in photographs of militants. Some have even gone so far as to call the symbol “the jihadi equivalent of a gang sign.”"

Sotloff murder

Dan Murphy, CSM, Sotloff murder sparks outrage and condemnation, but should it drive policy? (+video) "A man with a British accent, hiding behind a mask, threatens his audience as he waves his knife around over the bound and defenseless hostage. The murderer is practically preening as he runs through his exhortations. In his mind, he's elevated himself to the level of the world's great powers. And then he beheads his victim."

ISIS vs. mainstream Muslims: The media war

Daniel Burke, CNN Belief Blog Editor, ISIS vs. mainstream Muslims: The media war "Quoting Islam's holiest text to make that point was smart, said Hussein Rashid, a religion scholar at Hofstra University in New York. "ISIS violates every single tenet of this verse, so Barfi shows them to be ignorant," he said."

Saudi court upholds 10-year term for blogger who insulted Islam

alarabiya.net, Saudi court upholds 10-year term for blogger who insulted Islam "Raef Badawi had been convicted of creating an anti-Islam website, criticizing senior scholars and mocking national symbols, Al-Madinah newspaper reported.

"He was accused of insulting Muslims as well as casting doubt on the existence of houris, the virgin companions of the faithful in Paradise, and the concept of torment in the grave."

The Gaza War Map

kolor.com, The Gaza War Map 3-D representation

'Looney Tunes'-style cartoon takes aim at ISIS

AP/alarabiya.net, 'Looney Tunes'-style cartoon takes aim at ISIS, 1 Sep 2014 " The Looney Tunes-style cartoon targeting Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) comes after its militants have swept across large swaths of Syria and Iraq, declaring their own self-styled caliphate while conducting mass shootings of their prisoners."

Egypt’s Top Islamic Authority Prohibits Online Chatting Between Men and Women

egyptianstreets.com, Egypt’s Top Islamic Authority Prohibits Online Chatting Between Men and Women, 31 Aug 2014 "Egypt’s Dar al-Ifta issued a Fatwa (religious edict) on Saturday specifying that men and women are not permitted to engage in online chats if they do not know each other."

The Middle East finds its voice on social media

USC, The Middle East finds its voice on social media

ISIS video

alarabiya.net, Video: ISIS parades half-naked Syrian soldiers "Militant group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) released a video on Thursday showing the capture of dozens of Syrian regime fighters."

Isis threatens second journalist after 'beheading' of James Foley

Steven Sotloff: Isis threatens second journalist after 'beheading' of James Foley - Middle East - World - The Independent:

British imams say Isis 'is not what Muslims stand for'

British imams say Isis 'is not what Muslims stand for' - ITV News:


"Leading British imams and clerics have released a video rejecting the Islamic State's ideology following the apparent beheading of American journalist James Foley."

And here is the video:

James Foley

ISIS beheading U.S. journalist James Foley, posts video - CNN.com
"The militant in the video, who speaks English with what sounds like a British accent, says the other American's life hangs in the balance, depending on what Obama does next."


BBC News, James Foley 'beheading': West condemns 'barbaric' murder, 20 Aug 2014


Global Voices Online, ISIS Beheads Kidnapped Photojournalist James Wright Foley in Horrific Video Message to the US


Sam Thielman, Adweek, Islamic State Militants Exploit Digital Services to Disseminate Video of Apparent Murder Journos promote photos of victim in happier times to counter

alarabiya, British media reacts to James Foley alleged executioner’s accent

Attack analysis in the context of the Israeli-Hamas conflict

DDoS & Security Reports » DDoS and Geopolitics – Attack analysis in the context of the Israeli-Hamas conflict:



'via Blog this'

Meet the ‘Infoladies’

Meet the ‘Infoladies’: the women who get Bangladesh's villages connected | The FRANCE 24 Observers: "In Bangladesh, dozens of women on wheels are biking into remote villages and hooking up poverty-stricken families to the net. Thanks to ‘Infoladies’, tens of thousands of people are connecting with social media, chatting to loved ones, and getting government services."

From Syria to Ukraine, social media opens up warfare

Peter Apps, Reuters, From Syria to Ukraine, social media opens up warfare | 6 Aug 2014 "As conflict flares in the Middle East and Ukraine, the number of images posted on social media is increasing exponentially, giving observers half a world away unprecedented visibility of events on the ground."

#Gaza Social Media Visual Narrative by VJ Um Amel, a cyborg's voice

#Gaza Social Media Visual Narrative by VJ Um Amel, a cyborg's voice "Data set includes over 6,000 tweets collected over one hour on July 26, 2014 courtesy of R-Shief."

ISIS slideshow

ISIS, ISIS baby! 13 facts about the baddest boys of religious fundamentalism | Al Bawaba:

slideshow (not sure about the headline)

ISIS imposes media controls on activists in Deir al-Zor

ISIS imposes media controls on activists in Deir al-Zor | News , Middle East | THE DAILY STAR "ISIS has told activists in Syria’s Deir al-Zor province they must swear allegiance to it and submit to censorship, an anti-regime monitoring group said Friday."

Counter-Terrorism: Somali Women Take A Hit For The Cause

Counter-Terrorism: Somali Women Take A Hit For The Cause "The extent of the al Shabaab woes could be seen in 2013 when pro-terrorist Internet sites lit up with discussions and criticism of al Shabaab because of the many setback the Somali terrorists had recently suffered. Most fanboys (and a few fangirls) demanded that something be done (one way or the other) to revive al Shabaab."

Turkish women laugh off the misogyny

Diana Moukalled, Turkish women laugh off the misogyny - Al Arabiya News:
"There is an infection that has a positive effect on those who follow a particular hashtag -#direnkahkaha (resist laughter) - on Twitter. At least, that is how I feel."

Social Media Jihad

Social Media Jihad: Islamic State ramps up gruesome Internet campaign | Fox News Some interesting comments from Erin Evans (Human Rights Watch): " ... Evans questions whether the videos have had their intended effect in the region.


“I don't think this is an indication of their increased popularity in Iraq,” she said. “On the contrary, their brutality turns off most Sunnis I have spoken to in Iraq. The government's indiscriminate attacks on civilians in Sunni areas, on the other hand, does seem to radicalize people and exacerbate the sectarian nature of Iraq's conflict.”

Israel, Gaza, War & Data – The Art of Personalizing Propaganda

Gilad Lotan, Israel, Gaza, War & Data – The Art of Personalizing Propaganda · Global Voices "While war rages on the ground in Gaza and across Israeli skies, there’s an all-out information war unraveling in social networked spaces." Some interesting research - I've yet to read it all.

New Issue of the Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research

New Issue of the Journal of Arab and Muslim Media Research | Digital Islam: "The Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research released its new issue (Vol. 6, Issue 2-3, 2013), edited by Noureddine Miladi from the Qatar University. The issue focuses on the role and impact of traditional and new media in the Middle East region."

Some interesting topics here, although each article has to be purchased.  One section includes reference to UK organisations in cyberspace. I'd like to see a review of this journal's content.

Israeli blogger asks: does the Gaza conflict make me look fat?

Israeli blogger asks: does the Gaza conflict make me look fat? - Al Arabiya News "An Israeli blogger has stirred controversy after she penned a blog post on the Times of Israel’s website lamenting that the conflict in Gaza - which has killed close to 1,800 Palestinians - had caused her to gain weight."

Bomb Gaza: the 'disgusting' games on Google's app store

Bomb Gaza: the 'disgusting' games on Google's app store - Telegraph: "Chris Doyle, the director of The Council for Arab-British Understanding, said that such games were in “very, very poor taste”.

"“These games glorify the horror and violence of the bombing of Gaza, sanitising for a younger generation what is a dreadful conflict that has killed thousands and decimated the lives of hundreds of thousands. It raises serious questions of Google’s ethical standards if these games remain hosted on its platforms,” he said."

Screen shot below is taken from the Android game 'Wack the Hamas'

International Society for Media, Religion and Culture conference

I gave a paper on 4th August entitled 'Islamic Big Data' at the International Society for Media, Religion and Culture conference in Canterbury, Kent. This was part of a panel I convened on Contemporary issues in Islam. It also featured Mona Abdel-Fadel ("'Frustration Creates Miracles': Islamist Women Activists before, during and after the Egyptian Uprisings"); Ibrahim Abusharif ("Arab Spring, Media and Islam"); and Vit Sisler ("Playing with Representations of Islam in Arab and American Video Games"). It was great to see the presentations from the rest of the panel, and to get several interesting questions afterwards. 

Islam Yaken, a cosmopolitan Egyptian who turned into ISIS fighter

Meet Islam Yaken, a cosmopolitan Egyptian who turned into ISIS fighter - Al Arabiya News "Egyptians on social media were abuzz over the weekend expressing bewilderment over a young man named Islam Yaken, who according to social media posts, had led a cosmopolitan lifestyle before teaming up with the radical Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)."

Saudi Arabia is Using Social Media to Entrap LGBTs

Saudi Arabia is Using Social Media to Entrap LGBTs | Care2 Causes:

"A Saudi Arabian gay man has reportedly been sentenced to 450 lashes and three years in jail after religious police used social media to entrap him, and sadly this isn’t the first case of its kind."

#Gaza

Round-up on Gaza/social media issues: 

It is not possible to record all developments within this catastrophic sequence of events - here are a few links relating to this blog's main theme. Also see my Facebook page for more on this.

Arab News, 100 Gazans die in maniacal strikes "Israel on Tuesday unleashed its heaviest bombardment in a 3-week-old war against Hamas, striking symbols of the group’s control in Gaza and firing tank shells that Palestinian officials said shut down the strip’s only power plant."

HP, Gaza in Social Media Images Speaks Volumes "The images from and about Gaza disseminated through social media are striking, searing, poignant and loaded with messages, proving, yet again, that a picture (or cartoon) is worth a thousand words."



Gulf News, How social media hijacked the Gaza narrative

mashable, #IStandWithPalestine vs. I 3 IDF: A War of Photos Between Supporters

aljazeera, Israeli fire kills nineteen in Gaza UN school

#direnkahkaha

BBC News, #BBCtrending: The women having a laugh in Turkey  "Women should not laugh in public. So said Turkey's Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc in a speech on Monday about "moral corruption" in Turkey. "Chastity is so important," he said. "She will not laugh in public."

"His comments have prompted a big backlash from women on social media in Turkey, with thousands posting photos of themselves laughing and smiling on Twitter and Instagram. There have been more than 300,000 tweets using the term "kahkaha" - the Turkish word for "laughter" - and on the hashtags "Resist Laughter" (#direnkahkaha) and "Resist Woman" (#direnkadin)."

Also see IBT,  #DirenKahkaha: Turkish Women in Social Media 'Laugh Protest' against Erdogan's Deputy

The Islamic State’s most effective wars are waged online

Zana Gulmohamad, The National, The Islamic State’s most effective wars are waged online "The internet has provided an extremely effective platform for the warring parties in Iraq and Syria to wage a proxy war. The Islamic State group (formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL), has launched a global campaign on social media, which has wrong-footed the international community. Compelled by the success of this propaganda, government officials in Iraq and Syria have also bolstered their cyber warfare efforts."

'Gaza and Israel: War of the hashtags'

aljazeera.com, Gaza and Israel: War of the hashtags "How instant access to online images and information is helping to shape global reaction to the Israel-Gaza war."

Mehmet Görmez

todayszaman.com, Turkey's top cleric calls new Islamic ‘caliphate' illegitimate "[Mehmet] Görmez said death threats against non-Muslims made by the group, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), were hugely damaging. "The statement made against Christians is truly awful. Islamic scholars need to focus on this [because] an inability to peacefully sustain other faiths and cultures heralds the collapse of a civilization," he told Reuters in an interview."

Jihadi tours

channelnewsasia.com, Jihadists organise tours in their Syria, Iraq 'caliphate' "Salameh said the group's tour buses start their journey in Tal Abyad (on Syria's Turkish border) and end in Iraq's Anbar. Passengers can get off wherever they want, and they don't need a passport to cross the border."

#JewsandArabsRefuseToBeEnemies

alarabiya.net, Kiss and tell: Arab-Jewish peck goes viral "The campaign #JewsandArabsRefuseToBeEnemies was launched by Abraham Gutman and Dania Darwish, both students at Hunter College in New York, shortly after the Israeli military launched Operation Protective Edge on July 8 in a bid to stamp out rocket fire from Gaza killing at least 583 people." #JewsandArabsRefuseToBeEnemies

'Saudi cousins lashed for ‘exchanging insults’ on Whatsapp'

alarabiya.net, Saudi cousins lashed for ‘exchanging insults’ on Whatsapp, 22 Jul 2014 "The Criminal Court in the city of Jeddah sentenced two Saudi women to 10 days in jail and 20 lashes each for exchanging insults via text and WhatsApp messages, Okaz daily reported Tuesday."

'Iraq cyber-war'

BBC News, Iraq conflict breeds cyber-war among rival factions, 22 Jul 2014 "A cyber-civil war is being waged alongside the armed conflict in Iraq, research by security firms suggests.

"As well as using social media to rally supporters and spread propaganda, some factions are employing hackers to gather intelligence."

#Gaza - Round-up of Reporting

For info purposes, here is a brief collection of links/images relating to the current situation in #Gaza.














 aljazeera.com, Al-Qassam Brigade: We have kidnapped an Israeli soldier #Gaza #Israel. Is this a game changer?

BBC World Service, Newshour, Lyse Doucet, Audio Postcard from Gaza

Telegraph, Gaza conflict: Broken by Israeli barrage, the people of Shejaiya flee as homes are laid waste  

IBT, #OpSaveGaza: Anonymous Takes Down 1,000 Israeli Government and Business Websites


 

Facebook: Palestine Solidarity Egypt:













Daily Star, NBC Pull Gaza Reporter after Massacre Report  

IBT, Hamas 'Gives Gazans Guidelines For Reporting Israeli Attacks on Social Media' "The Hamas interior ministry website statement, issued along with an instructional video, said: "The Information Department of the Ministry of the Interior and National Security has instructed activists on social media websites, particularly Facebook, to correct some of the commonly used terms as they cover the aggression taking place in the Gaza Strip.... [and] to use the proper terminology, in order to play their part in strengthening the home front and in properly conveying information worldwide.""

Sydney Morning Herald, Israeli propaganda war hits social media, 18 Jul 2014

gulfnews.com, Gaza stories that have gone viral on social media

Foreign fighters flock to ISIS

Foreign fighters flock to ISIS - Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East: "Jabhat al-Nusra is still trying to pick up the pieces of its defeat to the Islamic State (IS, formerly known as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, or ISIS) in the northern region. This defeat resulted in the fleeing of its leaders; its groups fell into division and confusion. As a result, the general command of al-Qaeda stretched out a helping hand to its branch in al-Sham. Meanwhile, it has been noticed that the influx of foreign fighters to Syria has increased since the declaration of the Islamic caliphate."

The International Society for Media, Religion and Culture (ISMRC) conference August 4-7, 2014

Digital Religion Research Prominent Theme in Upcoming International Conference | Religion Press Release Services "The International Society for Media, Religion and Culture (ISMRC) conference held August 4-7, 2014, is the 9th in a series of events assembling an international group of interdisciplinary scholars to better understand relationships between media, society and religion and the significance of media for religion in public life. The event draws a diverse crowd of academics and students with interests ranging from media studies and religious studies to anthropology and digital humanities."

Documentary: Babar Ahmad: The godfather of internet jihad?

BBC News - Babar Ahmad: The godfather of internet jihad? "This week has seen the jailing of a man the Americans consider to be one of the most dangerous facilitators of terrorism in the West. But he is likely to be free in less than a year. He was a pioneer when it came to using the web as a tool of jihadist propaganda. So why do thousands of people think that Babar Ahmad is a victim of an injustice?"



I have discussed Babar Ahmad (and his internet activities) in my publications in the past.  The documentary can be heard via iPlayer.  It can also be downloaded.  The reporter, Dominic Casciani, can be found on Twitter @BBCDomC 

Also see BBC News, British cyber-jihadist Babar Ahmad jailed in US, 16 Jul 2014

British ‘recruiter’ jihadist allegedly killed in Iraq

British ‘recruiter’ jihadist allegedly killed in Iraq - Al Arabiya News: "A Scottish jihadist who appeared in an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) recruitment video last month urging young Western Muslims to perform their duty of Jihad in Iraq and Syria and to has been killed, it has been claimed."

Jordan's Abu Qatada says caliphate declaration 'void'

Jordan's Abu Qatada says caliphate declaration 'void' - Al Arabiya News ""The announcement of a caliphate by the Islamic State (IS) is void and meaningless because it was not approved by jihadists in other parts of the world," Abu Qatada wrote in a 21-page document published on jihadist websites."

Kurd singer Helly Luv to ‘Risk it All’ for independence

Kurd singer Helly Luv to ‘Risk it All’ for independence - Al Arabiya News "Kurdish pop singer Helly Luv says she will not be put off by death threats from Iraqi Islamist militants since release of her first music video but, drawing on its title, insists she will "Risk It All" to help a push for an independent Kurdistan." 2.5m hits on YouTube.

Dabiq: ISIS issues print, electronic newspaper

ISIS issues print, electronic newspaper - Al Arabiya News:

"The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria has issued an electronic and printed newspaper named Dabiq in Arabic and English, the London-based Rai al-Youm newspaper reported Tuesday, citing social media accounts close to ISIS."

Facebook page calls for release of Musa Cerantonio

Facebook page calls for release of Musa Cerantonio | Mail Online:

"Within hours of the Philippines arrest of an Australian convert to Islam who used the internet to urge people to join 'jihad', a Facebook page calling for his release hit the social media site.

"Robert Edward Cerantonio, 29, who also goes by the name Musa Cerantonio, was detained on Friday in the central Filipino city of Cebu where he is believed to have been hiding from Australian authorities, despite claiming he had arrived in the Middle East just days before."

Fatwas online

Fatwas popular these days, available even on internet - The Times of India: "Darul Ifta, the fatwa-issuing department of the UP-based Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband, launched its website in 2007. Till date, it has issued 14,581 fatwas in Urdu, and 7,045 in English. "We decided to accept queries for fatwas online to reduce the load on our staff," says Noamani. The number of queries has gone up in recent years because of the online facility. "A decade ago we used to get around 10,000 queries yearly. This number is around 25,000 today plus 5,000 via email," says a source from Darul Ifta."



hardly a 'headline', but an interesting article

Move over, smiley face: New religious emojis on the way |

columbiafavs.com, Move over, smiley face: New religious emojis on the way |:

Abdullah-X

Sky News, Abdullah-X Cartoon Aims To Deter Jihadists "The creator of the online campaign featuring a disillusioned young Muslim is a former follower of Abu Hamza and Omar Bakri."

 

Iran Jails Facebook Users For 127 Years

Sky News, Iran Jails Facebook Users For 127 Years, 14 Jul 2014 "Eight Facebook activists in Iran been jailed for a total of 127 years for making posts critical of the ruling regime."

(Selected) Opinions from Israel

David Sheen, Storify, Terrifying Tweets of Pre-Army Israeli Teens "On Thursday, July 10, I entered the Hebrew word for "Arabs", ARAVIM, into Twitter and searched for uses of the word over the previous few hours. What I found was young Israelis proclaiming their desire for all Arabs to die and in some cases be tortured to death."

Also see Mira Bar Hillel, Independent, Why I'm on the brink of burning my Israeli passport, 11 Jul 2014 "Ayelet Shaked represents the far-right Jewish Home party in the Knesset. This means she is well to the right of Benyamin Netanyahu, just in case you thought such a thing was not possible.

"On Monday she quoted this on her Facebook page: “Behind every terrorist stand dozens of men and women, without whom he could not engage in terrorism. They are all enemy combatants, and their blood shall be on all their heads. Now this also includes the mothers of the martyrs, who send them to hell with flowers and kisses. They should follow their sons, nothing would be more just. They should go, as should the physical homes in which they raised the snakes. Otherwise, more little snakes will be raised there.”"

Essential reading

Muslim life in the UK

The Guardian, What is it like to be a Muslim in Britain today? "We asked Muslim bloggers to tell us their experiences of living as a Muslim in the UK today. Do you agree? Share your thoughts and experiences."

Israel / Palestine Conflict animation

filmsforaction.org, I've Never Seen the Israel / Palestine Conflict Illustrated More Uniquely Than This "Nina Paley created this (extremely brief) animated history of the land that was at one time called Israel, Palestine, Canaan and the Levant. She even created this viewer's guide to make sense of what's happening."

Singapore concerned over returning Syrian jihadists

Singapore concerned over returning Syrian jihadists - Al Arabiya News "Singapore on Wednesday expressed concern at the risk of militant attacks posed by local and foreign jihadists returning to Southeast Asia after fighting in Syria."

Can’t win if you sin! Cleric tweets on Brazil loss

Can’t win if you sin! Cleric tweets on Brazil loss - Al Arabiya News: "His post was ridiculed by many on Twitter, with one user sarcastically replying that Germany had won because they were “busy praying Taraweeh, (special night prayers during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan).”

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Imam of Mosul mosque executed before 'caliph' gave sermon

smh.com.au, Imam of Mosul mosque executed before 'caliph' gave sermon, 8 Jul 2014: ""Here a Sunni movement is executing Sunni religious leaders. That should make us think," said Heiner Bielefeldt, the UN's special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. "It's important to focus more attention on these particular killings, because here we are not talking about Sunnis versus [Shiites]. This is a very clear case of atrocities committed against their own people, against religious leaders from Sunni Islam who probably have a less simplistic understanding of what Islam means."

Twin Girls Flee UK to Join Isis Jihadi Fighters in Syria

ibtimes.co.uk, Twin Girls Flee UK to Join Isis Jihadi Fighters in Syria "The girls' parents found their beds empty at 8am last Thursday and called the police. Counter-terrorism forces were subsequently alerted when the girls contacted their family from Syria, where their elder brother is believed to be jihadi fighter."

Blogs of War - ISIS/ISIL: Jihadists Go for the Lulz

Blogs of War - ISIS/ISIL: Jihadists Go for the Lulz: "ISIS, although far more dangerous and disturbing, has swept into the public consciousness in much the same way as LulzSec. Their spectacular success on the ground has been augmented by a clever, well-orchestrated, social media campaign. More importantly, its members and supporters speak the language of social media, and are able to build campaigns around it, in a way that few other groups have. They get snark. They understand the quirky humor and leverage it to their advantage. They know how to make their message move and how to trigger a response. They even have technical resources to help them do that. All of it would be unremarkable, actually, if not for their mission and the surrealness of unspeakable brutality juxtaposed with the odd kitten and AK-47 pic."

Prominent scholars declare ISIS caliphate 'null and void'

middleeastmonitor.com, Prominent scholars declare ISIS caliphate 'null and void' "The International Union of Muslim Scholars, led by influential Sunni cleric Dr Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, released a statement on Friday concerning the recent declaration of a "caliphate" by the Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIS). The union said that the caliphate declaration is "null and void" and "lacks any realistic or legitimate standards." It warned of serious consequences of the declaration on both Sunni Muslims in Iraq and the revolution in Syria."

Islamic State's 'caliph' lauds Iraq rebellion

Islamic State's 'caliph' lauds Iraq rebellion, Al Jazeera English "In a video posted on social media, the newly elected 'caliph', Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, delivers a Friday sermon and leads prayers in the grand mosque of Mosul."

Imams' Letter

Imams Online, Over 100 UK imams unite to sign open letter urging British Muslims not to travel to Syria and Iraq This is the link to the letter.



Channel 4, Imams' plea to British Muslims: don't go to Syria or Iraq, 4 Jul 2014 "An open letter signed by more than 100 imams from across major theological backgrounds and cultural groups urged British Muslim communities "to continue the generous and tireless effort to support all of those affected by the crisis in Syria and unfolding events in Iraq", but to do so "from the UK in a safe and responsible way"." Also see

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."