Current Cyber Jihadism News

October 2007 to May 2008

Jihadis Counter “Censorship” of Islamic State of Iraq

In the context of spreading al-Qaeda’s propaganda in Iraq, pro-al-Qaeda members of jihadi internet forums and enthusiasts of the so-called Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) are posting ways to break through the so-called “censorship” imposed on ISI news. A recent post entitled “Practical methods of breaking media censorship imposed on ISI” explains the reasons for imposing censorship on ISI by Western media policies and suggests ways to evade the media blockade (al-ekhlaas.net, May 16). A forum participant, nicknamed al-Battar Imran, says Western media intentionally avoid using the name “Islamic State of Iraq” and mention only “al-Qaeda in Iraq” because it would mean recognition of an Islamic state. In the same token, Western media highlight the civilian casualties in any operation of al-Qaeda in Iraq to manipulate the audience into detesting mujahideen operations and blocking ISI’s video broadcasts as much as possible. Imran suggests different methods to break the media blockade, including prioritizing the target audience of the campaign. This begins with the Islamic religious scholars as the highest priority, followed by students and then Islamic youth in general, regardless of their religious commitment……(Jamestown, 3 Jun 08)

Jihad’s new women warriors

On the street Malika El Aroud is anonymous in an Islamic veil covering all but her eyes. In her living room, El Aroud, a 48-year-old Belgian, wears the ordinary look of middle age: a plain black T-shirt and pants and curly brown hair. The only adornment is a pair of powder-blue slippers monogrammed in gold with the letters SEXY.

But it is on the Internet where El Aroud has distinguished herself. Writing in French under the name Oum Obeyda, she has transformed herself into one of the most prominent Internet jihadists in Europe. She calls herself a female holy warrior for al-Qaeda. She insists that she does not disseminate instructions on bomb-making and has no intention of taking up arms herself. Rather, she bullies Muslim men to go and fight, and rallies women to join the cause……(Dispatch, 5 Jun 08)

Virtual Assassination as a Counterterrorism tool

As part of the virtualization of terrorism it is worth considering what, if any, terrorist tactics can be applied in this new paradigm. One tactic, which can probably transfer from the real world to cyber environments is assassination, or in this case virtual-assassination. The tactic of assassination has value for a number of reasons. It can remove competent or charismatic leadership, damage morale and as a side effect can force an increase in security. So how would all this work in cyberspace? You can’t of course physically murder someone there. But by looking at what assassination actually achieves it is possible to formulate a scenario that has a similar cyberspace effect……(Counterterrorism Blog, 29 May 08)

Female al-Qa'eda supporter uses internet as 'bomb' to recruit others to wage jihad on West

A self-styled female holy warrior of al-Qa'eda is exploiting free speech laws to harness the internet as a "bomb" to recruit others to wage jihad on the West. Malika El Aroud, a 48-year-old Belgian of Moroccan origin, has been convicted in Switzerland for her part in running terror websites showing execution videos and promoting statements from al-Qa'eda linked groups. Six months ago, she was among 14 people arrested on suspicion of plotting attacks on targets in Brussels and of planning to free a convicted Tunisian al-Qa'eda terrorist. Belgian law required that El Aroud be released within 24 hours after searches failed to turn up weapons, explosives or incriminating documents……(Telegraph, 28 May 08)

Al Qaeda Warrior Uses Internet to Rally Women

On the street, Malika El Aroud is anonymous in an Islamic black veil covering all but her eyes… it is on the Internet where Ms. El Aroud has distinguished herself. Writing in French under the name “Oum Obeyda,” she has transformed herself into one of the most prominent Internet jihadists in Europe. She calls herself a female holy warrior for Al Qaeda. She insists that she does not disseminate instructions on bomb-making and has no intention of taking up arms herself. Rather, she bullies Muslim men to go and fight and rallies women to join the cause. “It’s not my role to set off bombs — that’s ridiculous,” she said in a rare interview. “I have a weapon. It’s to write. It’s to speak out. That’s my jihad. You can do many things with words. Writing is also a bomb.”……(New York Times, 28 May 08)

The Female Face of Jihad

…one Malika El Aroud, a 48-year-old Moroccan now living in Belgium where she spending her time authoring incendiary pro-jihad writings on the Internet.  Seems there’s a place for women in Islam after all.  Read it all and be afraid. Writing in French under the name “Oum Obeyda,” she has transformed herself into one of the most prominent Internet jihadists in Europe. She calls herself a female holy warrior for Al Qaeda. She insists that she does not disseminate instructions on bomb-making and has no intention of taking up arms herself. Rather, she bullies Muslim men to go and fight and rallies women to join the cause. ….(Poli Gazette, 28 May 08)

Gold Web Sites Used to Finance Terrorism, Globe Reports

Canada's financial intelligence agency said criminals may be using Internet-based companies that sell electronic gold to launder money or finance terrorists, the Globe and Mail reported. The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada said Web sites that offer transactions in units backed by gold and silver have reached a critical mass and are allowing millions of transactions, the Globe said today, citing a report obtained through access-to-information legislation. The Web sites allow individuals to move money around the world and bypass financial reporting rules set up by countries such as the U.S., the U.K. and Canada after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the newspaper said. The Web sites offer the potential for terrorists to move money and plot attacks……(Bloomberg, 27 May 08)

Web Terror Threat To U.S. "Not Serious"

An “analyst” who supposedly has “close connections” to al Qaeda was quoted in an article posted on the Internet Wednesday as saying that a strike against the United States and European countries was imminent. The article was published by “Jihad Press” and posted on the popular jihadi Web site al Ekhaas. Such threats are based on speculation and should not be taken seriously, says Yasser Serri, an expert on Islamic movement, who heads the London-based Islamic Observatory. “If a group really wants to do something, they would not reveal it,” he adds. It’s clear from the statement that the “analyst,” who was identified as Yaman Mokhadib, has based his prediction on his own analysis rather than information he learned through his alleged connections with al Qaeda. He notes that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden issued three statements addressed to Americans and three to Europeans, which included offering both a truce. Mokhadib argues that Bin Laden was following Islamic law in making three attempts that included the truce offer before launching an attack. He therefore expects Bin Laden not to release any more statements to Americans or Europeans before a punitive strike against them…..(CBS, 23 May 08)

Iranian Regime-Affiliated Websites and Their Hosts

In 2007, MEMRI posted a number of reports listing Islamist websites, forums, and blogs hosted in the West that support warfare against Coalition forces in Iraq and/or feature jihadist incitement and propaganda. [1] This report lists Iranian websites (most also hosted in the West) which are affiliated with the Iranian regime and are used by it to disseminate its ideology…..(MEMRI, 21 May 08)

Jihadi Website Interviews New Leader of Somalia’s Shabaab al-Mujahideen

On the eve of the fatal U.S. strike against Aden Hashi Ayro, leader of the Shabaab al-Mujahideen movement in Somalia, the electronic monthly magazine Echo of Jihad conducted an interview with Mukhtar Ali Robow, the ex-deputy minister of defense of Somalia’s Islamic Courts Union (ICU). Better known as Abu Mansur, the veteran militant is the spokesman for Shabaab al-Mujahideen as well as Ayro’s successor (alsomal.com, May 9). The interview was published as a special edition by the Global Islamic Media Front and posted in different pro-jihadist websites (shmo5alislam.net, May 8)… In his interview with Echo of Jihad, Abu Mansur said that the “gates of jihad” are wide open in the Horn of Africa, which he describes as the third- or fourth-most important jihadist front defending Islam. Abu Mansur also declares the adherence of Somali jihadis to the Salafi-jihadist confession of Islam. Somali jihadis acquired two decades of jihadi experience in different types of jihad, describing their efforts as “the jihad against the apostates” and “jihad against regimes aiding the Crusaders’ proxy war against Muslims.” Abu Mansur enumerates the achievements of the Somali jihadis as follows….(Jamestown, 20 May 08)

Combating cyber-terrorism

As many as 30 countries will be represented in Malaysia starting today at a global conference aimed at improving the world's capacity to prevent and respond to a threat that many governments have only begun to acknowledge — cyber-terrorism. This event is the largest ministerial-level gathering ever organized against this threat. Cyber-terrorism is starkly different from common Internet crimes like identity theft and money fraud in that it can involve use of technology to divert or destroy systems and infrastructure, cause injury or death and undermine economies and institutions. To accomplish their goals, cyber-terrorists target the computer systems that control air traffic, electric power grids, telecommunications networks, military command systems and financial transactions……(Washington Times, 20 May 08)

Virtual Jihad

…Michael McConnell, the nation's Director of National Intelligence, addressed the importance of this threat before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in February. "Attacks by 'homegrown' extremists inspired by militant Islamic ideology but without operational direction from al-Qaeda will remain a threat to the United States or against U.S. interests abroad," McConnell testified, adding, that "the spread of [terrorist] Internet sites that provide religious justification for attacks and increasingly aggressive and violent anti-Western rhetoric ... all suggest growth of a radical and violent segment among the West's Muslim populations." As Director McConnell points out, the commonly associated ideas of terrorist cells and extremist preaching are no longer necessary to spread terrorist ideology, recruitment or planning. Terrorist organizations are using the Internet as a powerful tool to spread their message and ideology throughout the world. "Virtual Jihad," the term that describes use of the Internet to spread Islamic extremist beliefs and to coordinate future attacks, is quickly spreading in reach and influence throughout the Western world…Insider threats to critical infrastructure and key resources are an increasing concern. Virtual Jihad is breeding homegrown terrorists who are invisible to their co-workers and members of their community. These radicalized individuals are U.S. citizens and legal residents, living and working in the United States. Extremist sites on the Internet provide ample provocation and the tools to attack from the inside, making employers and co-workers particularly vulnerable……(Forbes, 19 May 08)

Web Site Sympathetic to Terrorists Blasts FOX News for Profile

An English-language Web site that unabashedly promotes the work of Islamic terrorists has responded to a FOXNews.com profile of the site by assailing "the Kuffaar behind FOX News." Kuffaar, roughly translated, means "unbelievers." After quoting FOX News.com's Friday story and citing verses from the Koran, the Revolution.Muslimpad.com blog affirms the belief that jihad is "an Islaamic obligation" rooted in Muslim texts.

"So in reality, you are calling my Prophet, Muhammad — peace be upon him — a terrorist," the blog post continues. "But of course, you guys won’t say that directly because you fear the wrath of the Muslims." The site also decries what it calls a double standard toward terrorists, comparing the attacks of Sept. 11 with the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima during World War II……(Fox, 18 May 08)

Israeli study shows US a digital haven for terrorists

…Prof. Niv Ahituv, academic director of the Netvision Institute for Internet Studies (NIIS) at Tel Aviv University (TAU), said that some of the world's most dangerous organizations, including Hezbollah and al-Qaeda, host their web sites on servers owned by popular American and Canadian ISPs used by most North Americans.  "Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah are among the dozens of terrorist organizations and hundreds of terrorist blogs that abuse the web. They use the same well-known service providers that we all use," Ahituv tells ISRAEL21c. "The coordination of 9/11 was partially done by e-mail, written in plain English," Ahituv continues. The terrorists disguised the logistic information in coded messages, which ostensibly dealt with normal kinds of information, such as registering for a degree at a college. They did this right under the eyes of the FBI.….(Israel 21c, 15 May 08)

Internet fuels emergence of violent Islamist groups in the United States

The violent Islamist terrorist threat has evolved and expanded since al Qaeda planned the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and radicalization of disaffected Muslims and recent converts to Islam is increasingly occurring here in the United States. Yet the federal government has "no cohesive and comprehensive outreach and communications strategy in place to confront this thread." Those are among the findings of a new report by the staff of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee……(Gov Exec, 12 May 08)

Islamist Forums Teach Mujahideen How to Manufacture and Use Explosives, Weapons, and Poisons

In recent years jhihadist organizations have been using the Internet for purposes of indoctrination, propaganda, recruitment and maintaining morale among the mujahideen. In addition, Internet forums provide venues not only for sharing views, but for exchanging information that serves the operative needs of the mujahideen, such as guidance in guerilla warfare techniques, and information on manufacturing and using explosives, weapons, and poisons. Such information is often posted in special Al-'Udda Wal-I'dad (Equipment and Preparation)( [1] ) sections of numerous jihadist forums, including Shabakat Al-Firdaws Al-Jihadiyya (www.al-firdaws.org ),( [2] ) Shabakat Al-Ma'arik Al-Salafiyya (www.m3ark.com ),( [3] ) Shabakat Al-Mujahideen Al-Elektroniyya (www.majahden.com ),( [4] ) Shabakat Shumoukh Al-Islam (www.shmo5alislam.net ),( [5] ) Minbar Al-Battar Al-I'lami (www.albatar.1talk.net ),( [6] ) Mawqi' Al-Muhajir Al-Islami (www.asia.geocities.com/mohajerlb ),( [7] ) and others.( [8] )…..(MEMRI, 8 May 08)

Virtual Worlds require Virtual-HUMINT (VHUMINT)

The excellent Dark Web project at Arizona Universities Artificial Intelligence Lab has recently completed research into the use of Web 2.0 media by International jihadi groups. While fascinating in some respects it also clearly demonstrates how traditional text-mining attempts to collect data can be applied to some Web 2.0 applications, but miss the mark with virtual worlds. The leader of the lab Dr. Chen kindly forwarded their research paper to me and it can be linked to here (Cyber Extremism in Web 2.0: An Exploratory Study of International Jihadist Groups). In essence the Dark Web project’s methodology is to search for material with extremist or terrorist style language (but please read the paper for a better description of methodology). Interestingly, they concluded that sites such as Facebook and MySpace, which have been big components of the Web 2.0 milieu are not suited to the propagation of extremist views…..(Counterterrorism Blog, 7 May 08)

Security Panel Finds Internet Being Used To Recruit, Train Terrorists

A Senate homeland security committee report set for release Thursday details a growing threat from terrorists' use of the Internet as a recruiting and training tool. The report concludes that the U.S. government should consider its own outreach program as a counter to the Web strategies of groups such as al-Qaida… This report paints Internet use by terrorists as having an unlimited reach, including into English-speaking communities in the United States. Al-Qaida, it says, runs a "a multi-tiered online media operation in which a number of production units associated with [al-Qaida] or allied violent Islamist organizations produce content consistent with the core terrorist enlistment message."….(Courant, 8 May 08)

http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/_files/IslamistReport.pdf

DHS Report: Violent Islamist Extremism, The Internet, and the Homegrown Terrorist Threat   ….. 8 May 08

Jihadi Website Advises Recruits on How to Join al-Qaeda

In their attempts to gather more recruits to the cause, jihadi websites are constantly posting enticing messages about the merits of the holy war against Crusaders and Zionists. A posting that appeared in a pro-jihadi forum entitled “How to become a member of al-Qaeda” lays out the requirements needed to join the terrorist group while encouraging Islamists to join the jihad. Another posting warned about the misconceptions that paralyze jihad efforts (al-ekhlaas.net, March-April). A forum participant nicknamed Wali al-Haq posted the requirements for joining al-Qaeda. Al-Haq argues that the accusations of terrorism commonly applied to any Muslim—whether affiliated with a jihadi group or not—who prays for the victory of Islam and the mujahideen is proof of the jihadis’ success in terrifying the Jews and Crusaders: “Al-Qaeda today is not only an organization seeking to fight the Jews and Crusaders; rather it’s an ideology and a mission calling on all Muslims to uphold God’s religion and rescue the weak monotheists.” Al-Haq, who has over 3,600 contributions to jihadi forums, mostly in the field of jihadi propaganda, then proceeds to explain what a Muslim should do to join al-Qaeda……(Jamestown, 6 May 08)

April 2008

US radio websites in Eastern Europe hit by cyberattack: bosses

Websites run by US Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, based in eastern Europe, have been hit by an "unprecedented" cyberattack, management said Monday. "The attack, which started on April 26, initially targeted the website of RFE/RL's Belarus Service, but quickly spread to other sites," a statement on its website said. "Within hours, eight RFE/RL websites (Belarus, Kosovo, Azerbaijan, Tatar-Bashkir, Radio Farda, South Slavic, Russian, and Tajik) were knocked out or otherwise affected,"……(AFP, 28 Apr 08)

European Officials Agree on Framework for Outlawing Online Terror Recruiting

European Union justice ministers agreed Friday to toughen laws across their 27-nation bloc to punish those who promote violence and recruit people for terrorist attacks. Reflecting mounting anxiety that the Internet has become a crucial tool for would-be terrorists, the agreement will make it a crime to disseminate terrorist propaganda through the Internet for recruiting, training and bomb-making purposes….(New York Times, 19 Apr 08)

EU to punish incitement to terrorism on Internet

EU states agreed on Friday on tight laws against incitement to terrorism in order to clamp down on militant groups' use of the Internet. EU justice and interior ministers also agreed in Luxembourg on an action plan to try to stop groups getting explosives. Police say the Internet has taken on huge importance for militants, enabling them to share know-how, plan operations and spread propaganda to a mass audience. "The Internet is used to inspire and mobilize local terrorists ... functioning as a virtual training camp,"….(Reuters, 18 Apr 08)

Terrorism: Al-Qaeda linked website launches Italian section

One of the most popular Jihadist web forums, the al-Qaeda linked Ekhlas website, has launched a section in Italian. Ekhlas was previously entirely in Arabic. Ekhlas' Italian section appears to take the place of the blog of the former imam of the northern Italian city of Carmagnola, Abdul Qadir Fadlallah Mamour and his wife, Barbara Farina. Mamour's blog, which was shut down by the Italian postal police on 22 February, was the first al-Qaeda website in Italian.  Managing the content of this new Italian section of Ekhlas is a figure that goes by the name Nahir al-Murtadin, which in Arabic means "killer of apostates". He does not appear to have a good command of the Italian language…..(AKI, 14 Apr 08)

Jailed terrorists are using the internet to contact supporters

Terror suspects held at one of Britain's most secure jails are secretly accessing the internet to contact their supporters. The discovery raises fears that some of the UK's most dangerous terrorists could be plotting new attacks from inside prison. The serious security breach was revealed last week after The Mail on Sunday was alerted to messages on a "private" website linked to militant Islamic movement Al-Muhajiroun, which has been banned under anti-terror laws...It is thought inmates are sending the illicit messages using smuggled mobile phones, many of which now allow access to the internet……(Daily Mail, 14 Apr 08)

RFERL Report: The al-Qaeda Media Nexus: The Virtual Network Behind The Global Message  Mar 08

NYC Cabbie Who Runs Anti-American Islamic Web Site Mocks GI Deaths, Calls for Shia Law In U.S.

A New York City cabbie who operates an extremist Islamic anti-American Web site that features violent images — including mocking the deaths of GIs in Iraq — says he’s doing the country a service by “exposing the truth.”    Yousef al-Khattab, who runs RevolutionMuslim.com from his home in Queens, told FOX News that he also wants the U.S. to embrace Islam and Sharia Law, which prohibits alcohol and can include stoning to death or severe flogging for pre-marital sex and adultery. On any given day, log on to al-Khattab's site and a host of startling images appear:

— The Statue of Liberty, with an ax blade cutting through her side;

— Video mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl, entitled "Daniel Pearl I am Happy Your Dead:) ";

— Video of a puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq;

— The latest speech from Sheikh Abdullah Faisal, an extremist Muslim cleric convicted in the UK and later deported for soliciting the murder of non-Muslims.

Even more surprising is that al-Khattab runs his site from his home in Queens, New York……(Fox News, 7 Apr 08)

Video:  Mocking the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl

Video: Puppet show lampooning U.S. soldiers killed in Iraq

March 2008

Islamic Jihad says hacked Israeli websites
London-based al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper quotes statement by al-Quds Brigades saying group's 'electronic surveillance unit' defaced 'Zionist websites'. Islamic Jihad operatives have been able to hack into several Israeli websites, the London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat reported Sunday. "The electronic surveillance unit of the media warfare division has been able to hack into several Israeli websites and take them over," said a statement by the al-Quds Brigades, quoted by the paper…..(YNet, 30 Mar 08)

Unwittingly hosting terror

For more than a year, a Burlington-based Internet company hosted a website that taught its members how to outfit a suicide bomber, aired Al Qaeda propaganda videos, and offered an "exclusive" Taliban video showing the beheadings of three "spies," according to computer records. The English-language website, Leemedia.net, was taken down earlier this month - but not in a counterterrorism crackdown, government officials said. Instead, the Web server, Endurance International Corp. Inc., shut it down after Internet watchdogs made repeated demands to remove the terrorist material. The case of Leemedia.net, which was operated by a suspected terrorist sympathizer in Karachi, is the latest example of how US Internet companies are unknowingly hosting possibly hundreds of the most virulent Islamic extremist websites in the world, inciting young Muslims to kill Christians and Jews……(Boston Globe, 27 Mar 08)

U.S. Based Revolution Muslim Website Spreading Messages of Hate

On any given day, log on to RevolutionMuslim.com and a host of startling images appear…Even more surprising is that RevolutionMuslim.com isn't being maintained in some remote safe house in Pakistan. Instead, Yousef al-Khattab, the Web site creator, runs it from his home in the New York City Borough of Queens…..(Fox, 27 Mar 08)

Muslim man who sold DVDs glorifying the 9/11 atrocities jailed under new terror laws

A Muslim who possessed DVDs glorifying the 9/11 atrocities has become one of the first people to be jailed under a section of the Terrorism Act. Bilal Mohammed, 27, was sentenced under Section 2 of the 2006 Act but his case is the first time the section has been used independently. A court heard how he possessed nine videos and CDs in support of 9/11 and the Palestinian struggle against Israel. He routinely took trips around the country to set up stalls where he sold some of his material including in London, Manchester, Leeds, Huddersfield and Halifax. He admitted one count of possessing terrorist publications with a view to selling or distributing them. The items were found to glorify the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism and were likely to encourage people to engage in terrorist acts……(Daily Mail, 20 Mar 08)

Bilal Mohammad of West Yorkshire admits to possession of terrorism recruitment DVDs

A MAN from West Yorkshire will next week become one of the first in the country to be sentenced for his involvement with publications glorifying terrorism. Bilal Mohammed, 27, of Thrum Hall Close in Halifax, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court yesterday to possessing terrorist publications with a view to selling or distributing them between July 13, 2006 and January 24, 2007. It is understood the items were for sale along with mainstream Islamic material at stalls he set up in the North and London. The charge specifies that he and another man, Rizwan Mahmood Ditta, had in their possession DVDs and CDs including material which "glorified the commission or preparation of acts of terrorism", and which some people who saw or listened to it could reasonably be expected to infer was being done as conduct that should be emulated by them or was likely to directly or indirectly encourage or induce them to "commit, prepare for or instigate acts of terrorism"……(Yorkshire Post, 15 Mar 08)

Islamist Websites Allegedly Under U.S. Authorities' Pressure to Remove Jihadist Material

An Islamist website claims to have moved from a U.S.-based server to one in Russia following continued pressure from its U.S. server to remove jihadist material from the site. In a message to subscribers on February 27, 2008, the Islamist website www.al-farooq.net announced the removal of jihadist material following threats from U.S. authorities to shut down the site if it did not comply. At the time, the website claimed that it had agreed to remove jihadist material from the site in order to avoid being shut down, but that "eliminating [jihad content] from the website's sections cannot eliminate [jihad] from our hearts."......(MEMRI, 13 Mar 08)

Spreading the web of terror

In an internet age, Al Qaida prizes geek jihadis as much as would-be suicide bombers and gunmen. The terror network is recruiting computer-savvy technicians to produce sophisticated Web documentaries and multimedia products aimed at audiences in the United States, Britain and other Western countries. Already, the terror movement's Al Sahab production company is turning out high quality material, some of which rivals productions by Western media companies. The documentaries appear regularly on Islamist websites, which Al Qaida uses to recruit followers and rally its supporters……(AP, 8 Mar 08)

Producing propaganda videos for Al Sahab is a three-step process

Producing propaganda videos for Al Sahab is a three-step process, says Rita Katz, director of SITE Intelligence Group, a US terrorism research centre. The first is to shoot the video. The second step - the most time-consuming - is to edit and produce the material, a process which requires skilled technicians but can be done in a simple mud hut anywhere in Afghanistan or the rugged border area of Pakistan.  Once the material is ready, step three is transmitting through an internet cafe. "The Al Sahab man doesn't have to lug his computer on his back into the cafe," Katz said. "All he needs is a small USB stick and the high-speed internet connection." Al Qaida technicians have also become skilled at evading American detection techniques……(AP, 8 Mar 08)

Expert says fake DVDs fund militants in Philippines

Proceeds from the sale of counterfeit cigarettes, medicines, CDs and DVDs that are regularly smuggled into the southern Philippines could be helping fund al Qaeda-linked militants in the region, a security expert said on Thursday…….(Reuters, 6 Mar 08)

Online Terrorists Prey on the Vulnerable

As the internet matures so has the terrorist use of this ideal instrument of communication. Following the path of modern Western advertising techniques, terrorist organizations have begun “narrowcasting,” or making targeted pitches for recruitment and support among specific demographics like women and children……(YaleGlobal, 5 Mar 08)

Al Qaeda looking for a few media-savvy geeks

In an Internet age, al Qaeda prizes geek jihadis as much as would-be suicide bombers and gunmen. The terror network is recruiting computer-savvy technicians to produce sophisticated web documentaries and multimedia products aimed at Muslim audiences in the United States, Britain and other western countries……(AP, 5 Mar 08)

Islamist Website Allegedly Under Pressure From U.S. Intelligence

….The message from the website administrator to its subscribers read: "We decided to remove the jihad sections because the [site] administration and its hosting company... received a letter from the American intelligence [agency indicating that] the site contains topics which, as usual, worry the American intelligence [agency]. The letter gave the site administration two options: [Either the agency] takes the site off the main host, 'Data Center' (i.e. SoftLayer), which is located in the USA, and reports it to the intelligence agency in our city, or we eliminate those jihad topics and close the [jihad] sections [on the website]. We had no choice but to accept the second option, to ensure the continuation of our communication with you... [You should know, however,] that eliminating [jihad content] from the website's sections cannot eliminate [jihad] from our hearts..."…..(MEMRI, 5 Mar 08)

February 2008

Symposium: Cyber Jihad

Al Qaeda has recently declared "Cyber Jihad" on the West. The terror group's electronic experts will now apparently be attacking certain anti-Islamist websites. What exactly is Cyber Jihad? What exactly will wanna-be jihadists who cannot be martyrs on the battlefield be doing on the net to fulfill their jihadi obligations? What dangers does the electronic war pose to the internet and to the West in general?.....(FrontPage, 28 Feb 08)

Leading Experts to Address Terrorism Threats in the Virtual World

Seats remain for the next Counterterrorism Foundation event on Friday, February 29, at noon. I will moderate a panel titled, "Meta-Terror: Terrorism and the Virtual World" in room B339 of the Rayburn House Office Building. Our panelists include three of the leading experts in tracking and preventing terrorists' use of the Internet and virtual world……(Counterterrorism Blog, 25 Feb 08)

Jihad Wants You: al-Qaeda Seeks Skilled Recruits in Iraq

In another example of jihadist media use, internet forum participants posted instructions for Muslims craving a role in the Iraqi insurgency. Iraqi jihadis issued a call for skilled assistance in strengthening their self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) (al-ekhlaas.net, December 11, 2007.  In this al-Qaeda-associated web forum, a participant nicknamed “Abu Dakoon” addressed potential jihadist Islamists who are seeking ways

to join the jihad in Iraq by encouraging them to study what jihad requires before attempting infiltration into Iraq……(Jamestown, 20 Feb 08)

Jihadist Web Site Taken Down

One of al-Qaida supporters' oldest and most stable Web sites apparently was taken down this morning. It contained a 21-minute audio clip calling for Palestinians to attack Jews and the United States, according to organizations that track jihadists online ......(Tampa Tribune, 19 Feb 08)

Analysis: Terrorist use of the Internet

…"There is no censorship option," Greg Austin, vice president of the East West Institute, told United Press International. "Trying to suppress anything (on the Internet) except direct operational use by terrorists is a mistake."… The report urges that, rather than try to close extremists sites, the private sector and religious and community groups should step up, countering extremists' propaganda strategy with messages that promote peaceful dialogue and emphasize the human cost of extremist violence. The East-West Institute, a non-partisan global research institute based in New York, Moscow and Brussels, published the report "Countering Violent Extremism: Video-power and Cyber-space," to coincide with its fifth annual security conference in Brussels this week. "We will lose the battle for cyberspace with terrorists and violent extremists if owners of large TV, film and Internet companies do not step up soon," said Austin, adding media industry leaders had to "choose sides" to prevent terrorist recruitment of "radicalized youth around the world through (their) sophisticated and aggressive use of the Internet.".....(Middle-East Times, 18 Feb 08)

Report: COUNTERING VIOLENTEXTREMISM - VIDEOPOWER AND CYBERSPACE

Cyber-attacks are terrorism, says watchdog

Any attempt to disrupt a computer system can be described as an act of terrorism, according to a report from the UK government’s terrorism watchdog published today. The report, by Lord Carlile of Berriew Q.C. in his capacity as independent reviewer of terrorism legislation……(Information Age, 18 Feb 08)

The Cyber Jihad
It's no secret that terrorists use the Internet to communicate, but the use is becoming more sophisticated, according to Jeff Bardin, a blogger for CSO online. Bardin, who worked for the National Security Agency and served as a chief security information officer for several private corporations, recently downloaded the Mujahedeen Secrets 2 Program (بـرنـامـج // أســرار المجاهـديـن) and wrote in his blog…..(Gov Exec Blog, 15 Feb 08)

Combating Enemies Online: State-Sponsored and Terrorist Use of the Internet

Even before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, security experts were becoming increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of U.S. computer systems and associated infrastructure. The 9/11 attacks amplified these concerns.  Less attention, however, has been paid to state sponsors of illicit computer activity, which are increasingly using the Internet to conduct espionage, deny services to domestic and foreign audiences, and influence global opinion….(Hawaii Reporter, 10 Feb 08)

Germany Sees Online al-Qaida Activity

German security officials have seen an increase in al-Qaida activity on the Internet aimed at radicalizing, recruiting and training potential German-speaking terrorists..."We have very clearly seen that al-Qaida increasingly uses the Internet for three components _ a massive radicalization, recruiting and the spreading of technical information on how to carry out a terror attack, including construction of explosive devices."…..(AP, 8 Feb 08)

Iraqi Jihadi Offers Online Lessons on Ambush Techniques

As part of the military, intelligence and religious information exchanged through Iraqi jihadist internet forums, one jihadi recently posted a training lesson for militants in the battlefield entitled “Allurement is a technique mastered by the enemy.” The posting offers methods of luring U.S. forces into ambushes and urges militants to practice devising “baits” for this purpose (hanein.info, January 29).  A forum participant nicknamed “Jeel al-Aqeeda” reminds readers how U.S. forces were lured into a well-planned ambush at the beginning of the occupation, in which a bomb was detonated by a phone call in a house surrounded by 10 U.S. Humvees. Al-Aqeeda explains that the action at the house was the ambush, false intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists in the house was the bait, and feeding U.S. forces with the false intelligence was the lure……(Jamestown, 5 Feb 08)

Al-Qaeda Group's Encryption Software Stronger

Al-Qaeda support group Al-Ekhlaas has improved its encryption software. Mujahideen Secrets 2 has added the ability to encrypt chat communications, says Paul Henry, VP of technology evangelism at Secure Computing. Henry says he got the software through a contact in the intelligence community. The home-grown Mujahideen Secrets 2 encryption software, based on open source RSA code, can encrypt binary files so they can be posted on ASCII-text-based bulletin boards and Web sites…..(CIO, 5 Feb 08)

Al-Qaida Web site was hosted in Phoenix

A Web site used by al-Qaida to recruit car bombers, encourage war on the West and provide a forum for Islamic militants went online from Phoenix this week. The site, a well-known and popular forum for Islamic terrorists and their sympathizers, was the first to report the death of senior al-Qaida leader Abu Laith al-Libi in Pakistan this week. The north Phoenix company hosting the site took it down Wednesday, just hours after being contacted by The Arizona Republic. The Web site, www.ek-is.org, facilitates discussions on weapons, explosives and propaganda and often serves as a question-and-answer center for terrorists, a review of the Web site shows...Bob Cichon, president of Phoenix-based CrystalTech Web Hosting Inc., said he was unaware of the site's content when his company posted it earlier this week…..(Arizona Republic, 1 Feb 08)

January 2008

Local Firm Removes Jihadi Web Site

A Tampa Web-hosting company has taken down a Web site used by al-Qaida for communicating in secret and hiding files from investigators. The company, Noc4Hosts, took the action Monday after it was informed about the site by The Tampa Tribune…The Web site includes a graphic interface program that is of special interest to those who monitor jihadi activity. Known as "Mujahideen Secrets 2," it allows for encryption of messages and files."Mujahideen Secrets 2 is designed to allow mujahedeen encrypted communication online using elaborate algorithms and symmetrical and asymmetrical encryption keys,"…..(Tampa Tribune, 29 Jan 08)

Russian protesters turn to cyber-terrorism tactics

A series of Internet attacks paralyzed parts of the Estonian economy and service sector last spring. The three-week cyber war targeted government services, ministries, banks and media outlets…So far there are no indications the Russian government had anything to do with the attacks. However, the case does highlight the need for more stringent online security protocols. Estonia’s 1.3 million residents have some of the highest per capita Internet subscriber rates in Europe…..(Western Star, 29 Jan 08)

Florida ISP Said to Host Terrorist Software

…A few days ago, Paul Henry, vice president of technology evangelism at Secure Computing, began tracking a software package called Mujahideen Secrets 2 -- an update to an encryption tool used by al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups to communicate on the Internet.  Henry tracked it down to a password-protected Web site that belongs to an Islamic forum known as al-Ekhlaas. al-Ekhlaas's domain, Ek-ls.org, traces back to a hosting company, Noc4Hosts, which in turn is run by Hi Velocity, a hosting provider based in Tampa, Fl……(Internet News, 24 Jan 08)

Jihadists Move to Encryption on Internet Sights

...Recently Computerworld looked at the use of Jihadi encryption on their websites. Shows how much the world has changed, when computer magazines start paying attention to this stuff. This includes a new version of an already-existing encryption system offered from a website hosted in Florida that claims to be “the first Islamic computer program for secure exchange [of information] on the Internet,” providing users with “the five best encryption algorithms, and with symmetrical encryption keys (256 bit), asymmetrical encryption keys (2048 bit) and data compression [tools].” Dubbed Mujahadeen Secret 2…..(Douglas Farah, 24 Jan 08)

Al-Ekhlas Announces New Version of "Mujahideen Secrets" Software
On January 13, 2008, the Islamist forum Al-Ekhlas (http://ek-ls.org, hosted by NOC4Hosts Inc. in Florida, USA), announced the imminent release of a new version of the "Mujahideen Secrets" software. The first version, which was released a year ago…..(MEMRI Blog, 24 Jan 08)

U.S. Web site said to offer strengthened encryption tool for al-Qaeda backers

An Arabic-language Web site hosted on a server located in Tampa, Fla., is apparently offering a new version of software that was designed to help al-Qaeda supporters encrypt their Internet communications. The new encryption tool is called Mujahideen Secrets 2 and appears to be an updated version of easier-to-crack software that was released early last year, said Paul Henry, vice president of technology evangelism at Secure Computing Corp. in San Jose. The tool is being distributed free of charge on a password-protected Web site that belongs to an Islamic forum known as al-Ekhlaas, according to Henry and a blog posting by the Middle East Media Research…..(Computer World, 23 Jan 08)

Al-Qaeda’s Islamic State of Iraq Turns to YouTube

In the last few years radical Islamist jihadis have exerted substantial efforts to boost their propaganda capabilities by encouraging their followers to exploit all means at their disposal, such as the internet, mobile phones and preaching in mosques. In his communiqués, al-Qaeda’s second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri has repeatedly emphasized the importance of jihadi media, declaring that 50 percent of the “war on the enemies” is a media war…….(Jamestown, 22 Jan 08)

Jihadi software promises secure Web contacts

An Islamist Web site often used by al Qaeda supporters carried updated encryption software on Friday which it said would help Islamic militants communicate with greater security on the Internet. The Mujahideen Secrets 2 was promoted as "the first Islamic program for secure communications through networks with the highest technical level of encoding"……(Reuters, 18 Jan 08)

UK aiming to curb terrorists on internet

Britain has announced a drive to shut down websites inspired by al-Qaeda, comparing the move with efforts to target paedophiles online. British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith vowed the government would deny Islamist ideologues the use of a key recruitment tool……(Reuters, 18 Jan 08)

Al Qaeda Claims Its Space On The Web

The internet has long been an al Qaeda stronghold - a center for raising money and spreading propaganda. A record 97 messages were posted in 2007.  But now, the cyber world has also largely replaced conventional training camps and has become the primary location where Islamic radicals are recruited, trained and sent on their way to carry out attacks…..(CBS, 17 Jan 08)

"Al-Qaida's MySpace": How Suicide Bombers Are Being Recruited Online

…The report includes both testimonials gathered from the forums themselves, and never-before-seen evidence uncovered during the British investigation of "Irhaby 007" (a.k.a. Younis Tsouli). Tsouli's former headquarters on the web--the Muntada al-Ansar forum--was a major center for such online terrorist recruiting……(Counterterrorism Blog, 17 Jan 08)

CTC Sentinel  Vol 1, Issue 2: Al-Qa`ida’s Extensive Use of the

Internet

IT 'anorak' who spread al-Qa'eda hate

One of al-Qa'eda's most influential cyber-terrorists, who used the internet to distribute images of beheadings and jihadist propaganda, ran his operation from a top-floor flat in Shepherd's Bush, west London….(Telegraph, 17 Jan 08)

Al-Qaeda’s 007

…Amid the mess typical of any 22-year-old’s room, detectives found a laptop on a desk, still switched on and with programs running. When specialist forensic science officers arrived, they found that Tsouli had been creating a website called YOUBOMBIT. A banner with the title and flames was across the bottom of the screen. Also on his screen was a search box with the word “bomb” as the search term. Tsouli was logged in under the username IRH007. The detectives didn’t know it – and wouldn’t realise for some weeks – but they had caught one of the most notorious, most wanted cyber-jihadists in the world: a man whose case illustrated perfectly how terrorists are using the internet not just to spread propaganda, but to organise attacks. Younes Tsouli arrived in London in 2001 with his father, a diplomat from Morocco. He studied IT at a small college in Central London… Others have tried to take Irhabi 007’s place, even paying homage to him and using similar names.  But no one has been able to fill his shoes and al-Qaeda has been forced to use teams of people to replicate what that one young man did from his bedroom in Shepherds Bush. No one has matched his influence on the web: they have learnt to keep a lower profile than the celebrity-conscious Tsouli……(Times Online, 16 Jan 08)

British Muslim computer geek, son of diplomat, revealed as Al Qaeda's top cyber terrorist

…Younes Tsouli, 23, an IT student at a London college, used his top-floor flat in W12 to help Islamist extremists wage a propaganda war against the West. Under the name Irhabi 007 — combining the James Bond reference with the Arabic for terrorist — he worked with al Qaeda leaders in Iraq and came up with a way to convert often gruesome videos into a form that could be put onto the Web……(Daily Mail, 16 Jan 08)

NEFA: Irhaby 007’s American Connections, Updated Jan 08

NEFA: Expert Report on the ~AQCORPO Website Aug 06

The world's most wanted cyber-jihadist

…The story of Younis Tsouli, or Terrorist 007 as he styled himself, reveals how virtual terrorist networks can emerge out of sight of the authorities and not only radicalise the young online but also help them carry out terrorist attacks.  Tsouli had begun browsing the web for extremist material but quickly became much more than an observer. He took on the user name of Irhabi 007 - Irhabi meaning Terrorist in Arabic. He began posting advice on hacking and uploaded extremist propaganda but soon began to try to help those planning attacks…..(BBC, 16 Jan 08)

al-Qaida Videos Now on Cell Phones

Al-Qaida video messages of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri can now be downloaded to cell phones, the terror network announced as part of its attempts to extend its influence. The announcement was posted late Friday by al-Qaida's media wing, al-Sahab, on Web sites commonly used by Islamic militants. As of Saturday, eight previously recorded videos were made available including a recent tribute to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the former al-Qaida in Iraq leader killed by U.S. forces in Iraq in June 2006…….(AP, 6 Jan 08)

Arab Israeli Arrested for Cyber-Sabotage of Israeli Websites

Police have arrested a 17-year-old Israeli Arab for involvement in an international group of hackers that targeted Israeli websites for cyber-vandalism. In 2006, the hackers managed to shut down about 750 Israeli websites and their attacks have caused millions of shekels in damage. The group, calling itself "Team-Evil", apparently includes hackers in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Turkey, and other Muslim countries. Three main networks from which the virtual terrorism originated were found to have been located in Saudi Arabia, and police suspect that other Arabs with Israeli citizenship are involved, as well…..(Israel National News, 2 Jan 08)

Joseph Shahda: Internet Counterterrorism Shadow Warrior

In the world of special ops against Islamic terrorism, there is group of talented private “shadow warriors” engaged in fighting the little known “internet Jihad” war. One of those “privateers”, Joseph Shahda, emerged from the shadows in a series of investigative articles by New York Times reporter, Michael Moss, that appeared on October 15th and 21st. The first article discussed the internet Jihadis themselves, including, most dramatically, 21-year-old Samir Khan of North Carolina who ran an internet relay for al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, seemingly with impunity. In the October 21st article, Joseph Shahda emerged from the shadows, replete with photograph, to discuss his private efforts that have successfully taken down several dozen Jihadi websites and forums. These were spreading hate and training potential terrorists in techniques that ultimately can be used to kill our troops on the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq and even here in the US.  Shahda does this at great personal risk, including having received several death threats……(FSM, 1 Jan 08)

What to Do About Pixels of Hate

One by one, starting a few weeks ago, 40 militant Islamist Web sites got knocked off the Internet. Gone were some of the world’s most active jihadi sites, with forums full of extremist chatter…..(New York Times, Oct 21, 07)

Arab teen suspected of 'Internet terror'

…The 17-year-old from the Wadi Ara village of Kafr Kara was arrested Monday afternoon after police searched his house and discovered that the youth's personal computer contained what police termed "implicating information." The youth's mother allegedly tried to hinder police during the search of the family's house, but to no avail…..(Jerusalem Post, 1 Jan 08)

December 2007

Muslim youth 'shop around for fatwas online'

Young Muslims are increasingly turning to the internet to get religious advice on jihad as national security agencies crack down on local hardline clerics. With counter-terrorism agencies keeping a close eye on radical imams, moderate leaders fear impressionable young followers are seeking religious orders from other sources…..(Australian, 28 Dec 07)

Dark Web Terror  Part Three

Global connectivity, rapid technological development, highly skilled professionals, experienced employee mobility and lack of knowledge, expose IT and network infrastructure to a myriad of risks of which the risk of a malicious cyber attack by terrorists is the most threatening because of its final goals. Debating the terrorists capabilities to launch a sustained cyber-attack on networks and IT infrastructure argument, suffice to quote Kent Anderson in “Managing the Cyber Threat”: “Traditional wisdom holds that insiders are the greatest threat to an organization. This is based on two assumptions: first, insiders have access and second, that they have knowledge of a company’s systems, applications and processes”….(Global Politician, 21 Dec 07)

Ask a Terrorist

The shadowy terror network is offering up Ayman al-Zawahiri, to any journalists with questions for its No. 2 man. The invitation, issued by the group's media arm, As-Sahaab (The Cloud), came at the end of a 90-minute video message from Zawahiri, posted on one of the group's various militant Web pages…This is the first time Al Qaeda has made a formal call to journalists, although it will not be the first time the radical Islamic group has granted interviews to Western media. Counterterrorism experts believe that the posting is genuine and that it is part of Al Qaeda's evolving tactics to use the Web as part of its propaganda arsenal...Recent messages from both Osama bin Laden and Zawahiri have specifically called on Americans to embrace Islam and turn against the governments they deem to be enemies of Islam……(Newsweek, 21 Dec 07)

EDITORIAL: Zawahiri's e-town meetings

…Then there are questions about the nature of al-Qaida's tactics. What kind of cause is it that finds it acceptable to decapitate fellow human beings on camera and then screen the hideous proceedings on the Internet? These, apparently, are not the kind of question that have been coming in so far to the Jihadist Web sites that appear to be the main means of communication with Zawahiri. Some ask for information about the health and whereabouts of various al-Qaida militants…..(Middle-East Times, 21 Dec 07)

Qaeda invites people to quiz Zawahiri: website

Al-Qaeda has launched an open offer to people to quiz terror network chief Osama bin Laden's number two Ayman al-Zawahiri, according to a statement published on an Islamist website. "Anyone who would like to ask him a question must be concise and precise," according to the statement published on December 16 by Al-Qaeda's media outlets As-Sahab and Al-Fajr.

People are invited to pose questions to Zawahiri in writing via the two websites before January 16 and both media organizations and individuals are welcome to take part….(AFP, 20 Dec 07)

Al-Qaida Offers 'Interview' With No. 2

Al-Qaida has invited journalists to send questions to its No. 2 figure, Ayman al-Zawahri, in the first such offer by the increasingly media-savvy terror network to "interview" one of its leaders since the 9-11 attacks. The invitation is a new twist in al-Qaida's campaign to reach a broader audience, and represents an attempt by al-Zawahri to present himself as a sophisticated leader rather than a mass murderer…..(AP, 19 Dec 07)

Policing Terrorism on the Internet

…Underlying this approach is the dilemma of how to ensure that prudent prevention does not become presumptuous pre-emption.  Or – taken to an extreme – will we end up with a society akin to that in the 2002 movie Minority Report where a special ‘pre-crime’ unit arrests people before they broke the law?…..(CDI, 18 Dec 07)

Jihadinets

…The real-world Afghanistan may be gone as a terrorist training safe-haven but creating virtual Afghanistans is literally and figuratively child's play. From the Provisional IRA to al-Qaeda terrorists have traditionally relied on pliant host governments to conduct their necessary face-to-face training. That may no longer be necessary. Geographically dispersed terrorist groups could easily come together to learn the complex technical tradecraft of terror, such as bomb making - but within a virtual environment. Training camps have also traditionally played a significant role in terrorist movements, by indoctrinating recruits into their new cause. This essential discourse will be replicated, virtually across voice-enabled worlds. Systems such as the virtual world Second Life are unlikely to be used in this way, as potential jihadis will seek to operate behind private protected systems.  However, password protected environments do become compromised over time as the monitoring of jihadi forums by the SITE Institute clearly shows. Unfortunately, terror has a dangerously clever and elusive option…..(Counterterrorism Blog, 17 Dec 07)

Zawahri Wants Your Questions Online

Expanding its use of the Internet, al Qaeda now is asking that online users submit their questions -- even "hostile" ones -- to its No. 2 man, Ayman al Zawahri.  And like any other blogger, Zawahri says he is prepared to engage. He made the offer on a video posted on a jihadist Web site Sunday.....(ABC Blotter, 17 Dec 07)

German Anti-Terrorism Forces Go Online Looking for Extremists

The German authorities try to make another step in the fight against terrorism and attempts to move online, for a closer surveillance of potential terrorists. Germany's top anti-subversion official, Federal Prosecutor General Monika Harms, says that the web is becoming one of the most popular ways for organizing terrorist attacks, as many of the extremists go online to give orders and set up some details of their attacks….(Softpedia, 17 Dec 07)

German anti-terrorism official: police must snoop online

Surveillance of Islamists on the internet has become vital in the battle against terrorism, Germany's top anti-subversion official, Federal Prosecutor General Monika Harms, said Friday. Reviewing what has changed in the past year, she said, 'the internet has developed into the decisive means of communication within international Islamist terrorism.'….(DPA, 14 Dec 07)

Online terror camps cut overhead, teach Google Earth target acquisition

Western governments have ceded the Internet to terrorists, security experts are warning. Most European Union governments as well as the United States have dismissed pro-Al Qaida websites as merely propaganda without understanding their capability to recruit and carry out operations.  Western experts said Al Qaida's use of the Internet has been so successful that the movement has shut down training camps in Afghanistan. Instead, they said, the Internet is used to teach operatives how to kill and maim. “Now they meet in cyberspace,".....(World Tribune, 10 Dec 07)