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."
Friday, December 12, 2014
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."
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Istanbul’s Friday sermon focuses on lies, gossip via technological devices
hurriyetdailynews.com - Istanbul’s Friday sermon focuses on lies, gossip via technological devices "The sermon stated that people could forget about upholding their “holy watch” while seated before a computer and could act irresponsibly towards others’ dignities. People who make their tongues into a poisonous arrow through the use of gossip, lies and allegations should remember they will be held accountable for their acts, the sermon added."
Support for Isis stronger in Arabic social media in Europe than in Syria
Guardian, Support for Isis stronger in Arabic social media in Europe than in Syria "In Syria, Isis appears to be dramatically losing the battle for hearts and minds with more than 92% of tweets, blogs and forum comments hostile to the militants who have rampaged through the east of the country and western Iraq, seizing large tracts of territory and declaring the establishment of a religious state."
A Jordanian Spins Comic Book Tales to Counter Terrorist Ideologies
NYT, A Jordanian Spins Comic Book Tales to Counter Terrorist Ideologies "Mr. Bakhit, 36, is a Jordanian comic book author and entrepreneur who creates Middle Eastern stories that are an alternative to terrorist ideologies. His field research has included surveys of children in poor neighborhoods in and around the Jordanian capital of Amman and in Syrian refugee camps."
Hackers use defaced sites to build a botnet
Hackers use defaced sites to build a botnet - Cyberwarzone "Hackers and hacktivists are using defaced websites to infect unaware
visitors with malware. The malware allows the hackers to control the
infected device. The AnonGhost hackers are using their defaced websites
to build a botnet by infecting unaware visitors. In a earlier report we
reported that the AnonGhost hackers will be able to hit targets fasters
because Mauritania Attacker has gone active again."
visitors with malware. The malware allows the hackers to control the
infected device. The AnonGhost hackers are using their defaced websites
to build a botnet by infecting unaware visitors. In a earlier report we
reported that the AnonGhost hackers will be able to hit targets fasters
because Mauritania Attacker has gone active again."
Friday, November 28, 2014
The Caliph, The Fat Sheikh And Their Goats: The Keyboard Warriors Taking Social Media Back From Iraq's Extremists
Niqash - society - The Caliph, The Fat Sheikh And Their Goats: The Keyboard Warriors Taking Social Media Back From Iraq's Extremists "“There are a large number of actual ISIS sympathisers who
follow me and even retweet many of the jokes,” al-Fatassi says. “Because
the first thing they do when making a Twitter account is search for
“ISIS”. So they end up following me and ISIS Media not knowing we are
both parody accounts.”"
follow me and even retweet many of the jokes,” al-Fatassi says. “Because
the first thing they do when making a Twitter account is search for
“ISIS”. So they end up following me and ISIS Media not knowing we are
both parody accounts.”"
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Syrian electronic army 'hacks' Independent, OK Magazine and NHL
Guardian, Syrian electronic army 'hacks' Independent, OK Magazine and NHL "The Syrian Electronic Army has “hacked” a number of high profile sites, after the group apparently exploited a fault with a content delivery network (CDN)."
'Blood Jihad 2'
IB Times, ISIS Child Training Camp In Iraq Shown In New Video 'Blood Jihad 2' "Training in Raqqa has two tracks: A 45-day “legitimacy training” and three months of “war course,” or a combined 45-day program during times of intense battles, a spokesperson for the anti-militant activist group Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, recently told IBTimes."
Purple Rain blog: UKIP Mistake Cathedral For Mosque
hopenothate, Purple Rain blog: UKIP Mistake Cathedral For Mosque "South Thanet UKIP branch have been left with egg on their face after making a huge mistake on the social network Twitter."
Terror suspect posts image of baby
BBC, Terror suspect posts image of baby "A terrorism suspect [Abu Rumaysah] who skipped bail in London has apparently released an image he claims shows him with his newborn son in the Islamic State (IS)."
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Britons jailed over Syria terror camp
BBC News, Britons jailed over Syria terror camp, 26 Nov 2014 "Mohommod Nawaz, 30, and Hamza Nawaz, 24, both from Stratford, east London, were sentenced to four-and-a-half years and three years respectively."
Western Media Is Obsessed With Kurdish Female Fighters Battling ISIS
Ruwayda Mustafah Rabar, Global Voices, Western Media Is Obsessed With Kurdish Female Fighters Battling ISIS, 19 Nov 2014 "International media agencies and activists alike have pushed images of female Peshmerga in their coverage and on social networking sites. The idea of women in uniform, heavily armed, fearless and fighting alongside men seems to be enticing, perhaps even captivating because it is perceived to be one of the strongest messages of defiance in the face of ISIS — a notoriously brutal Al Qaeda offshoot responsible for mass killing of Iraqi soldiers, Syrian soldiers, aid workers, journalists and the kidnapping, rape and forced marriage of women. In the group's Mosul manifesto, ISIS requires the confinement of women to their homes, unless absolutely necessary."
Why journalists should approach #ISIS tweets with caution
CJR, Why journalists should approach #ISIS tweets with caution "ISIS’ social media presence is also a massive phenomenon that warrants careful research and reporting beyond its instrumental use as a primary source. The tweets are more than a megaphone—they are a sign of ISIS’ ambition, part of what set the group’s declared state-building project apart from the sect-like secrecy of its forerunner, Al-Qaeda." The same applies to academics.
Why ISIS supporters can't stop tweeting about Ferguson
vox.com, Why ISIS supporters can't stop tweeting about Ferguson "Since the news of Darren Wilson's non-indictment broke last night, some Arabic language journalists noticed something curious: pro-ISIS Twitter users were all over the Ferguson discussion. "It's horrible," Joyce Karam, the Washington Bureau chief for Al-Hayat, writes. "Most of the tweets when you look up "فيرغسون" ([Arabic] for Ferguson) are ISIS driven.""
Soldiers, Spies, Cyberwarriors: '@War' In The Internet Age
Discussion of a new book: NPR, Soldiers, Spies, Cyberwarriors: '@War' In The Internet Age "The book looks cyberspace as war's "fifth domain" (after land, sea, air and space). [Shane] Harris covers topics like the NSA, the role of cyber warfare in the Iraq troop surge of 2007, China's "rampant" espionage on American corporations — and the U.S. government's strategy of playing the victim."
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Egyptian Cyber Army: The hacker group attacking ISIS propaganda online
Mashable, Egyptian Cyber Army: The hacker group attacking ISIS propaganda online "Last week, less than 24 hours after ISIS social media accounts posted a threatening message from the group's leader, the audio recording was replaced with a song and its transcript with a logo resembling that of the Egyptian military, accompanied by a writing in Arabic that read "Egyptian Cyber Army.""
Hunting the Taliban, Crossing Continents
Hunting the Taliban, Crossing Continents - BBC Radio 4
"Mobeen Azhar reports from Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city, where police are at war with the Taliban. Given rare access to the work of the police by a Senior Superintendent in Karachi's Criminal Investigation Department, Mobeen joins officers on a night time raid in search of the men who train suicide bombers. He meets a suspect in custody who brags about planting bombs and describes how he urges teenage boys to sacrifice their lives in violent jihad. Mobeen also talks to a businessman who was kidnapped for ransom and meets the families of police officers who have been killed by the militants.
"Assassinations linked to political parties have blighted the city for over a decade but today, more than 70 groups representing the militant Taliban are also fighting for control. This guerrilla war, once confined to the tribal belt of Waziristan has moved into Karachi with devastating results."
"Mobeen Azhar reports from Karachi, Pakistan's biggest city, where police are at war with the Taliban. Given rare access to the work of the police by a Senior Superintendent in Karachi's Criminal Investigation Department, Mobeen joins officers on a night time raid in search of the men who train suicide bombers. He meets a suspect in custody who brags about planting bombs and describes how he urges teenage boys to sacrifice their lives in violent jihad. Mobeen also talks to a businessman who was kidnapped for ransom and meets the families of police officers who have been killed by the militants.
"Assassinations linked to political parties have blighted the city for over a decade but today, more than 70 groups representing the militant Taliban are also fighting for control. This guerrilla war, once confined to the tribal belt of Waziristan has moved into Karachi with devastating results."
Friday, November 21, 2014
French jihadis
Zee, Jihad lures teens from unsuspected corners of France ""Religion is very much an accessory. It`s an Islamist community, but it could just as easily have been anarchist, or anti-fascist," [Marc] Sageman told a news agency.
"It was a point underlined recently when it emerged that would-be jihadists bought the books "Islam for Dummies" and "The Koran for Dummies" over Amazon before leaving Britain last year."
"It was a point underlined recently when it emerged that would-be jihadists bought the books "Islam for Dummies" and "The Koran for Dummies" over Amazon before leaving Britain last year."
'Report Jihad'
Mirror, 'Report Jihad' button promised by UK internet providers to help tackle online extremism "Internet service providers in the UK including BT, Virgin, TalkTalk and Sky have pledged to introduce a 'report Jihad' button to make it easier for customers to flag extremist materials."
Jihad + poetry
RFE/RL, 'What Rhymes With Islamic State?' Militants Express Ideology Through Poetry "In one recent poem about Syria, published on the khilafa.org website, which is run by Chechens in the Latakia-based Khalifat Jamaat faction, the Daghestani author criticizes such "armchair warriors," who he says post pictures of food on social media instead of defending hungry children in Syria."
Monday, November 17, 2014
Kenya arrests
alarabiya.net, 200 arrested as Kenya police raid suspected Al-Qaeda linked mosques "One man was killed Monday as Kenyan security forces arrested more than 200 people and seized weapons in raids on mosques accused of links with Somalia's Al-Qaeda affiliated Shebab militants, police said."
Iran to have Internet ‘smart filtering’ within months
alarabiya.net, Iran to have Internet ‘smart filtering’ within months, 14 Nov 2014 "Iran will have “smart filtering” within six months to weed out Internet content the authorities deem offensive or criminal, the telecommunications minister said on Friday."
Doha-based Qardawi rejects UAE blacklisting
alarabiya.net, Doha-based Qardawi rejects UAE blacklisting, 17 Nov 2014 "The International Union of Muslim Scholars and its chairman, Qatar-based Egyptian cleric Youssef al-Qaradawi, expressed “astonishment” on Monday at being designated a terrorist body by the United Arab Emirates."
Say hello to Zilzar.com, the Islamic answer to Amazon
just picked this up from a couple of weeks ago: Guardian, Say hello to Zilzar.com, the Islamic answer to Amazon see zilzar.com (screenshot left)
Boko Haram - opinion piece
Jacob Zenn, Washington Post, Boko Haram is acting increasingly like the Islamic State. Why don’t we treat it that way?, 13 Nov 2014 "The United States may have “insurgency fatigue” as a result of unsettled scores in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria, let alone the enduring conflicts in Libya, Mali, Somalia and elsewhere. But Nigeria is a longtime ally of the United States, and effective global leadership in West Africa is needed to halt Boko Haram’s momentum. Only then can students like those in Yobe State, Chibok and elsewhere have the opportunity to craft a future for themselves and their country."
ISIS at RISK
tabsir.net » ISIS at RISK "The more the media spreads news about ISIS or ISIL or IS or Da’ish, the crazier it gets. The current Wikipedia entry is one of the longest I have ever seen. But let’s take a reality check here. ISIS is a digital creation as much as a successful terrorist operation that feeds the current media frenzy with Islam and terrorism."
ISIS/Kassig
Independent, A new Isis video – but a different ending. What could it mean? "The video that appeared on Sunday confirmed to show the head of the American aid worker Peter Kassig at the feet of a hooded killer of Isis is at once similar and dissimilar to the tapes we have seen before announcing the killing of Western hostages. Common to all of them is their savagery."
Saturday, November 15, 2014
Islamic State sets sights on Saudis
BBC News, Islamic State sets sights on Saudis "In a 17-minute audio message, purportedly from its elusive leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the group sets its sights firmly on Saudi Arabia, birthplace of Islam and the world's largest oil producer and exporter."
Friday, November 14, 2014
KSA
Malay Mail, Free Saudi cyber activists, demands media watchdog, 14 Nov 2014 "Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged Saudi authorities today to drop charges against dissidents jailed in recent months over their Internet activity."
Jordan
Yahoo News, Jordan takes Islamic State battle to Internet, mosques ""Jordan is waging a war against jihadist ideology and amended the anti-terrorism law... because the Internet has become the main tool for mobilising and recruiting" militants, said analyst Hasan Abu Haniya." Also listen to Radio 4, The World Tonight from last night on Jordanian issues
Jihadis who travel to Syria could be barred from UK return for two years
Guardian, Jihadis who travel to Syria could be barred from UK return for two years "Suspected jihadis, including teenagers, who travel to Syria will be prevented from returning to Britain for two years and only allowed to re-enter if they consent to face trial, home detention, regular police monitoring or go on a deradicalisation course."
The Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research
digitalislam.eu, The Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research "The Journal of Arab & Muslim Media Research released its new issue (Vol. 7, Issue 1, 2014), edited by Noureddine Miladi from the Qatar University. The issue focuses on representation of Muslims in the British media and the future of traditional media in the Middle East region."
Wednesday, November 05, 2014
IS Mosul Net Hit
Coalition Airstrikes Demolish IS Internet Network in Mosul | BAS NEWS " The Iraqi authorities also revealed that during the airstrikes, the internet network of Islamic State in Mosul has become the target and coalition jets has destroyed the network."
Opinion re IS
How social media is helping Islamic State to spread its poison - Telegraph " In the post-Snowden world, this has become immeasurably more difficult – not least because the whistle-blower’s revelations prompted many of the world’s leading social media companies to tighten up their security arrangements, primarily to reassure customers that their private activities were safe from the activities of intelligence-seeking eavesdroppers."
IS Iceland
washingtonpost.com, Why the Islamic State is interested in Iceland, 14 Oct 2014 I just picked up on this, although it came out a few weeks ago
Tech groups aid terror, says UK spy chief
Tech groups aid terror, says UK spy chief - FT.com also see Robert Hannigan, FT.com, The web is a terrorist’s command-and-control network of choice. Radio 4 also had a piece on this yesterday [4 November] on PM (about 15 minutes in): Themes discussed would be familiar/obvious to many readers of this blog, I expect.
Monday, November 03, 2014
British-Iranian woman jailed for a year for trying to watch volleyball game
Guardian, British-Iranian woman jailed for a year for trying to watch volleyball game "Ghoncheh Ghavami, 25, a law graduate from London, was found guilty of spreading “propaganda against the regime” following a secret hearing at Tehran’s revolutionary court." Here's a related Amnesty International page
Reading list: Media Evolution on the Eve of the Arab Spring
palgrave.com, Media Evolution on the Eve of the Arab Spring, Edited by Leila Hudson, Adel Iskandar, Mimi Kirk, "Leading scholars of Arab media come together to offer unparalleled insight into the communication environment that preceded the political and societal ruptures that shook the Arab world 2010-2011. Examining the role of competing publics, the state's ability to construct meaning, and social and political change in the region, they unsettle oversimplifications of much of the existing literature and examine numerous precipitating conditions, including, political stagnation, civil engagement, new media, rural and urban divides, Islamist blogospheres, video games, Turkish and Syrian dramas, mediated diplomacy, and diaspora." Looks interesting. Out at the end of the year. Expensive!!
'15 Progressive Islamic Facebook Pages'
patheos.com, 15 Progressive Islamic Facebook Pages That You Should Really Check Out! "When was the last time you came across a very enlightening post from a mainstream Islamic page that completely changed your paradigm, or at least made you think differently? If you only follow mainstream Islamic pages, chances are that it may very well have been a long time ago (if ever). I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some pretty terrible experiences with popular Islamic pages. And, let me tell you why." Opinion ... define 'progressive'.
Who is the 'Angel of Kobane'?
BBC News, Who is the 'Angel of Kobane'?, 3 Nov 2014 "Thousands around the world on social media have shared the image of the "Angel of Kobane" or "Rehana", a Kurdish fighter who has become a symbol of resistance against Islamic State. According to the stories, she's slain as many as 100 Islamic State fighters. Only one hitch: she's probably not who people think she is."
Uprising could trigger Isis undoing, says study
Guardian, Uprising could trigger Isis undoing, says study "A large-scale uprising from people living under the totalitarian regime of Islamic State (Isis) is the most likely trigger that will lead to the undoing of the self-declared caliphate, according to an authoritative report into the jihadi group by the former head of counter-terrorism at MI6."
Friday, October 31, 2014
Zora Foundation
RFE/RL, How To Be A Good Islamic State Wife "The Zora Foundation says it aims to prepare potential female IS recruits for jihad in several ways. Among the "useful skills" taught by the group will include practical competencies such as first aid (to be used to help militants injured in battles), how to work with design and editing programs (to help spread IS propaganda), how to use weapons, and how to cook and sew for militants."
Czech Intelligence: Al-Qaeda using social networking in EU
praguepost.com, Czech Intelligence: Al-Qaeda using social networking in EU
"Al-Qaeda tends to focus on spreading its ideology among young Muslims in Europe and the Czech Republic via the Internet, for which it mainly used its website and social networks, the Czech Military Intelligence Service (VZ) says in its annual report for 2013."
Colorado teen radicalisation
Denver Post, Analyst group: Colorado teens spoke with top Islamic State terrorists, 29 Oct 2014 "Two of the three girls had secondary Twitter accounts — one of which included "SlaveOfAllah" in the handle — that they used to express their Islamic views. When the three left on their trip, their travels created international chatter on social media as supporters and detractors offered words of support and criticism." Features work of SITE
Thursday, October 30, 2014
'Isis wants to spread Ebola: security chief'
thelocal.es, Isis wants to spread Ebola: security chief, 30 Oct 2014 "Spain’s state secretary for security, Francisco Martínez, has told Congress that jihadists with connections to the extremist force Isis have discussed on internet forums how they could use Ebola as a weapon against the United States and the West in general."
Hyderabad techie arrested for allegedly trying to join the Islamic State
firstpost.com, Hyderabad techie arrested for allegedly trying to join the Islamic State, 29 Oct 2014 "Software engineer Munawad Salman, hailing from Tamil Nadu, got attracted to jihadist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) through social media networks and had planned to join its forces, a senior police officer said today."
Opinion: 'A Beginner's Guide to Dressing Like the Islamic State for Halloween'
Laila Alawa, mic.com, A Beginner's Guide to Dressing Like the Islamic State for Halloween "Pretending to be a member of IS is not unique or trendy. Rather, it plays right into what these types of terrorist organizations want: public recognition of their existence and tacit permission to be a part of American culture. Considering that IS regularly recruits soldiers on social media, it's not too far-fetched to wonder if some of these social media posts of people dressing up "like them" may one day serve as recruitment tools. Ultimately, these types of costumes whitewash a violent criminal organization while simultaneously insulting Muslims, a diverse, mostly peaceful community of 1.6 billion people. "
Portsmouth recruits to ISIS
BBC News, Portsmouth men killed in Syria were 'radicalised online', 26 Oct 2014 "A faith equality leader in Portsmouth has blamed social media and the internet for "radicalising" young men fighting in Syria for Islamic State."
Child recruitment to ISIS
Bloomberg, Mosul’s Children Lured to Islamic State to Swell Ranks "The 13-year-old encountered fighters on his street who told him he should visit their new centers in the neighborhood. He then watched a video of Islamic State battles in a nearby house, which had been converted into a makeshift Internet cafe and cinema.
"One of the fighters “said we can be heroes just like the men in these videos and we can have a salary and a gun,” Abdullah, who registered his name, said in a phone interview conducted with his family’s consent. “I thought I will be a hero and help my family with money but my father told me this is a bad idea and I will have a job one day if I study and finish my school.”"
"One of the fighters “said we can be heroes just like the men in these videos and we can have a salary and a gun,” Abdullah, who registered his name, said in a phone interview conducted with his family’s consent. “I thought I will be a hero and help my family with money but my father told me this is a bad idea and I will have a job one day if I study and finish my school.”"
Russia Bans Wayback Machine
Moscow Times, Russia Bans Wayback Machine Internet Archive Over Islamic State Video "The Russian government has blacklisted the California-based Wayback Machine, a comprehensive archive of the Internet, over an Islamist video available on the website.
"The video, called "The Clang of Swords," by the notorious terrorist group Islamic State, was declared extremist by a court in Russia's southern Stavropol region in July."
"The video, called "The Clang of Swords," by the notorious terrorist group Islamic State, was declared extremist by a court in Russia's southern Stavropol region in July."
US urges online fight against Islamic State group
France24, US urges online fight against Islamic State group "As US-led airstrikes continue to target the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria, Washington has called for the battle against the jihadist group be taken to the internet amid mounting concern over its aggressive recruitment efforts."
Civil Defense Chief Discloses Iran's Tough Response to US Cyberattack on Natanz
farsnews.com, Civil Defense Chief Discloses Iran's Tough Response to US Cyberattack on Natanz "Head of Iran's Civil Defense Organization Brigadier General Gholam Reza Jalali revealed on Tuesday that a US cyberattack on Iran's nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz failed due to his organization's tough defensive measures."
"And now for something completely different ..."
Dean Obeidallah, Daily Beast, Middle East Goes Monty Python on ISIS 
It's an interesting article, which points to this video (among others):
It's an interesting article, which points to this video (among others):
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
UK Muslim leaders condemn IS
RT, 'Violent and terrible’: UK Muslim leaders condemn ISIS "Leaders of Portsmouth’s Muslim community have condemned the Islamic State (IS formerly ISIS/ISIL) as a “violent and terrible regime” in an attempt to stop more young people travelling to join the fight in Syria."
Friday, October 24, 2014
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Egyptian woman gives birth on hospital doorstep after being refused treatment
MEMO, Egyptian woman gives birth on hospital doorstep after being refused treatment "A video showing a woman giving birth on the doorstep on an Egyptian hospital has gone viral on Facebook and Twitter leading to the suspension of the hospital's director."
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Twitter ‘source of all evil,’ says Saudi Grand Mufti
alarabiya.net, Twitter ‘source of all evil,’ says Saudi Grand Mufti "The micro blogging site Twitter popular among both men and women in ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia is nothing more than “a source of lies” and evil, the kingdom’s Grand Mufti said."
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