ISIS: The State of Terror Part 15

17.Data collected from Twitter, MayJuly 2014.

18.Islamic State News no. 1 (May 27, 2014).

19.Islamic State Report no. 1 (June 2014).

20.Islamic State News nos. 24 (June 2014); Islamic State Report nos. 23 (June 2014).

21.William McCants, "How Zawahiri Lost Al Qaeda: Global Jihad Turns On Itself," Foreign Affairs, November 2013, http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/140273/william-mccants/how-zawahiri-lost-al-qaeda.

22.Rukmini Callimachi, "Yemen Terror Boss Left Blueprint for Waging Jiahd," a.s.sociated Press, The Big Story, August 9, 2013, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/yemen-terror-boss-left-blueprint-waging-jihad; "Al-Qaida Papers," a.s.sociated Press, http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_international/_pdfs/al-qaida-papers-how-to-run-a-state.pdf.

23.Islamic State Report no. 1; social media postings, MayNovember 2014.

24.Islamic State News no. 3, June 2014; Dabiq no. 4 (October 2014).

25.Rod McGuirk, "Child Holding Severed Head Photograph Is Proof of Threat from ISIS: John Kerry," National Post, August 12, 2014; Tom Wyke, "Fanatics Sink to New Low: Shocking Photograph Shows ISIS supporter getting a BABY to Kick the Severed Head of a Syrian Soldier," Daily Mail Online, November 1, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2816766/WARNING-GRAPHIC-CONTENT-Shocking-ISIS-photos-shows-toddler-kicking-severed-head-crucifixion-ex-regime-policeman-Syria.html; Jack Moore, "Former ISIS Bodyguard: We Beheaded Children in Front of Parents," International Business Times, November 11, 2014, http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/former-isis-bodyguard-reveals-horrific-secrets-terror-groups-leaders.h.i.+p-1474296; https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B2Q6OOMCYAE84Ta.jpg:large (graphic image), accessed from an ISIS supporter's social media account, November 13, 2014.

26.Brian Fishman, "Jihadists Target the American Dream," CTC Sentinel, March 15, 2008, https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/jihadists-target-the-american-dream; Alastair Crooke, "The ISIS' Management of Savagery in Iraq," Huffington Post, August 30, 2014, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alastair-crooke/iraq-isis-alqaeda_b_5542575.html.

27.Abu Bakr al Naji, The Management of Savagery, translated by William McCants, May 23, 2006, http://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/abu-bakr-naji-the-management-of-savagery-the-most-critical-stage-through-which-the-umma-will-pa.s.s.pdf, 109.

28.For instance, Islamic State of Iraq, Clanging of the Swords, Parts 34.

29."This Is the Promise of Allah," Al Hayat Media Center, 2014, https://azelin.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/shaykh-abc5ab-mue1b8a5ammad-al-e28098adnc481nc4ab-al-shc481mc4ab-22this-is-the-promise-of-G.o.d22-en.pdf; J. M. Berger, "Gambling on the Caliphate," IntelWire, June 29, 2014, http://news.intelwire.com/2014/06/gambling-on-caliphate.html.

30.Abu Bakr al Naji, The Management of Savagery, 19.

31.Data collected from Twitter, July 2014.

32.Abu Bakr Al-Hussayni al Quras.h.i.+ al Baghdadi, "Khutbah and Jum'ah Pray in the Grand Mosque of Mosul," YouTube video, July 27, 2014, http://jihadology.net/2014/07/05/al-furqan-media-presents-a-new-video-message-from-the-islamic-states-abu-bakr-al-%E1%B8%A5ussayni-al-qurays.h.i.+-al-baghdadi-khu%E1%B9%ADbah-and-jumah-prayer-in-the-grand-mosque-of-mu/.

33.Will McCants, Twitter post, July 5, 2014, https://twitter.com/will_mccants/status/485463489503195136.

34.For instance, Muhammad Abd Al-Salam Faraj, The Neglected Duty, trans. Mark Juergensmeyer, http://www.juergensmeyer.com/files/Faraj_The_Neglected_Duty.pdf, and Nosair, referenced at House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Testimony of Matthew Epstein: Arabian Gulf Financial Sponsors.h.i.+p of Al-Qaida Via U.S. Based Banks, Corporations and Charities (2003).

35.Yusuf al-`Uyayri, "Constants on the Path of Jihad," translated and expanded by Anwar al-`Awlaqi, "Constants on the Path of Jihad," audio lecture, 2005.

36.Dabiq no. 1 (July 2014).

37.William McCants, "ISIS Fantasies of an Apocalyptic Showdown in Northern Syria," Brookings Inst.i.tution, October 3, 2014, http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/iran-at-saban/posts/2014/10/03-isis-apocalyptic-showdown-syria-mccants.

38.Dabiq no. 1 (July 2014): 34.

39."A Message to America," August 19, 2014.

40.Tom Vanden Brook, "Foley Rescue Attempt in Syria Failed, Officials Say," USA Today, August 21, 2014, http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/usanow/2014/08/20/syria-isis-hostages/14360787/.

41.Abu Bakr al Naji, The Management of Savagery, 78.

42.Jamie Orme, "British ISIS Fighter Calls David Cameron a 'Despicable Swine' in Online Video," October 3, 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/03/isis-david-cameron-despicable-swine-video; Lizzie Dearden, "Islamic State: David Cameron's Head Will Be on a Spike, Says British Women in Syria," Independent, September 9, 2014, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/islamic-state-david-camerons-head-will-be-on-a-spike-says-british-woman-in-syria-9721757.html; data collected August and September 2014 from Twitter and Facebook.

43."Although the Disbelievers Dislike It," November 16, 2014: Peter Allen and John Hall, "ISIS' International Death Squad: Jihadist executioners in beheading video include two Britons, two Frenchmen and a German," Daily Mail, November 17, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2837742/Now-two-Frenchmen-German-jihadist-identified-ISIS-executioners-sick-beheading-video-Extremist-killers-came-Europe.html; Megan s.p.a.cia, "Westerners Among Knife-Wielding Militants in ISIS Beheading Video," Mashable, November 17, 2014, http://mashable.com/2014/11/17/foreign-fighters-isis-video/.

44.Greg Botelho, "ISIS Executes British Aid Worker David Haines; Cameron Vows Justice," CNN World, September 14, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/09/13/world/meast/isis-haines-family-message/; David Williams, Ian Drury, Jason Groves, and Richard Spillett, " 'Happy 47th Birthday to my Little Bro-Can't Wait to Have a Party on Your Return': British Hostage Alan Henning's Sister Posts Moving Message to Him Just Weeks Before He Appeared in Chilling ISIS Video," Daily Mail Online, September 14 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2755705/Find-s-late-He-s-Manchester-taxi-driver-went-Syria-help-refugees-Now-s-facing-death-hands-Jihadi-John.html; Rukmini Callimachi, "Obama Calls Islamic State's Killing of Peter Ka.s.sig 'Pure Evil,'" New York Times, November 16, 2014, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/17/world/middleeast/peter-ka.s.sig-isis-video-execution.html?_r=0.

45.Alice Speri, "Islamic State Video Shows Hostage John Cantlie Allegedly Reporting from Ground in Kobane," Vice News, October 27, 2014, https://news.vice.com/article/new-islamic-state-video-shows-hostage-john-cantlie-allegedly-reporting-from-the-ground-in-kobane.

46.Jamie Dettmer, "An ISIS Hostage on the Dark Side," Daily Beast, October 27, 2014, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/27/isis-hostage-cantlie-in-a-propaganda-video-from-besieged-kobani.html. Note: A subsequent "Lend Me Your Ears" release by ISIS showed Cantlie once again in the orange jumpsuit, but other ISIS propaganda indicated that the series had been filmed all in one sitting, prior to the Kobane release.

CHAPTER 6. JIHAD GOES SOCIAL.

1.Portions of this chapter were adapted from J. M. Berger, "Internet Provides Terrorists with Tools-Just Like Everyone Else," IntelWire, July 31, 2011, http://news.intelwire.com/2011/07/internet-provides-terrorists-with-tools.html.

2.J. M. Berger, "Terrorist Propaganda: Past And Present," Huffington Post, August 1, 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jm-berger/terrorist-propaganda_b_913684.html.

3.U.S. v. Muhamed Mubayyid, Emadeddin Munta.s.ser, and Samir Al Monla, Criminal Action No. 05-40026-FDS (2007), Exhibit 514A, transcript of phone conversation of January 27, 1996.

4.Joseph c.o.x, "How Jihadists Use the Internet," Vice News, January 14, 2014, http://www.vice.com/read/how-jihadists-use-the-internet.

5.Jarret Brachman and Alix Levine, "The World of Holy Warcraft," Foreign Policy, April 13, 2011, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/04/13/the_world_of_holy_warcraft. The authors here overstate the evidence linking gamification to violent activity or progressive radicalization, but the concept is part of engagement. For a more measured a.s.sessment, see Will McCants, "The Limits of Gamification," Jihadica, April 25, 2011, http://www.jihadica.com/the-limits-of-gamification/, as well as a more detailed debate over the premise, J. M. Berger, "Some Thoughts on 'Gamification': Where the Loser Takes It All," IntelWire, April 26, 2011, http://news.intelwire.com/2011/04/some-thoughts-on-gamification.html; Alex Levine, "My a.n.a.lysis of the a.n.a.lysis on Gamification," blog post, April 26, 2011, http://alixlevine.com/Alix_Levine/Blog/Entries/2011/4/27_My_a.n.a.lysis_of_the_a.n.a.lysis_on_Gamification_Article.html; and J. M. Berger, "More Gamification: Alix Levine Responds," IntelWire, April 27, 2011, http://news.intelwire.com/2011/04/more-gamification-alix-levine-responds.html.

6."Terrorist on the Internet," narrated by d.i.c.k Gordon, The Connection, WBUR Boston (radio), June 8, 2005, http://theconnection.wbur.org/2005/06/08/terrorist-on-the-internet.

7.Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister, "Al Qaeda Calling?" CNN, Security Clearance blog, August 8, 2013, http://security.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/08/al-qaeda-calling/.

8."Adam Gadahn Lashes Out Against Al-Qaeda Affiliates, Jihadist Forums," Central Asia Online, May 9, 2012, http://centralasiaonline.com/en_GB/articles/caii/features/pakistan/main/2012/05/09/feature-02.

9.Aaron Zelin, "The State of Global Jihad Online: A Qualitative, Quant.i.tative, and Cross-Lingual a.n.a.lysis," New American Foundation, January 2013, http://www.newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/Zelin_Global%20Jihad%20Online_NAF.pdf.

10.J. M. Berger, "Gone but Not Forgotten," Foreign Policy, September 30, 2011, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/09/30/Anwar_al_Awlaki_dead_but_not_forgotten.

11.Aamer Madhani, "Cleric al-Awlaki Dubbed 'bin Laden of the Internet,'" USA Today, August 24, 2010, http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2010-08-25-1A_Awlaki25_CV_N.htm.

12."Anwar Alawlaki," http://www.anwar-alawlaki.com/, accessed 2009.

13.FBI Letterhead Memorandum, "Anwar Na.s.ser Aulaqi," September 26, 2001, http://intelfiles.egoplex.com/2001-09-26-fbi-lhm-anwar-na.s.ser-aulaqi.pdf; "Terror Leader Awlaki Paid Thousands for Prost.i.tutes in DC Area, Doc.u.ments Show," Fox News, July 2, 2013, http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/02/terror-leader-awlaki-paid-thousands-for-prost.i.tutes-in-dc-area-doc.u.ments-show/#ixzz2XzwccxWq; J. M.Berger, Jihad Joe: Americans Who Go to War in the Name of Islam (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC: Potomac Books, 2011), 11626.

14.Brianna Lee, "Under Pressure, YouTube Removes Awlaki Jihadi Videos," PBS, Daily Need blog, November 5, 2010, http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/the-daily-need/under-pressure-youtube-removes-awlaki-jihadi-videos/4872/attachment/anwar-al-awlaki/; Spencer Akerman, "Qaida's YouTube Preacher Is Killed In Yemen," Wired blog, September 30, 2011, http://www.wired.com/2011/09/awlaki-dead-yemen/.

15."Lieberman Calls on Google to Take Down Terrorist Content," Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, press release, May 19, 2008, https://web.archive.org/web/20080731055347/http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm-Fuseaction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=8093d5b2-c882-4d12-883d5c670d43d269&Month=5&Year=2008&Affiliation=C; "Lieberman to YouTube: Remove al Qaeda Videos," CNN, May 20, 2008, http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/20/youtube.lieberman/.

16.Craig Ka.n.a.lley, "YouTube Gives Users Ability to Flag Content That Promotes Terrorism," Huffington Post, May 25, 2011, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/13/youtube-terrorism-flag_n_796128.html.

17."Dialogue with Sen. Lieberman on Terrorism Videos," YouTube Official Blog, May 19, 2008 http://youtube-global.blogspot.com/2008/05/dialogue-with-sen-lieberman-on.html.

18.J. M. Berger, "It's Too Easy for Wanna-be Terrorists to Use Google, YouTube for Promotion of Their Extremist Causes," New York Daily News, blog, November 21, 2011, http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/easy-wanna-be-terrorists-google-youtube-promotion-extremist-article-1.980586?localLinksEnabled=false.

19.J. M. Berger, "Anwar Awlaki E-Mail Exchange with Fort Hood Shooter Nadal Hasan," IntelWire, July 19, 2012, http://news.intelwire.com/2012/07/the-following-e-mails-between-maj.html.

20.David Ariosto and Deborah Feyerick, "Christmas Day Bomber Sentenced to Life in Prison," CNN, February 17, 2012, http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/16/justice/michigan-underwear-bomber-sentencing/.

21."$4,200." Inspire, November 2010. See also Thomas Hegghammer, "The Case for Chasing al-Awlaki," Foreign Policy, Middle East Channel, November 24, 2010, http://mideastafrica.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2010/11/24/the_case_for_chasing_al_awlaki.

22.John Burns and Miguel Helft, "YouTube Withdraws Cleric's Videos," New York Times, November 4, 2010, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/05/world/05britain.html.

23.Tom Warren, "Microsoft, like Google, Tips Off Police for Child p.o.r.n Arrest," Verge, blog, August 7, 2014, http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/7/5977827/microsoft-tips-off-police-for-child-p.o.r.n-arrest.

24.For instance, Wisconsin Sikh temple shooter Wade Page played in a "hatecore" band called Definite Hate, whose alb.u.ms were mainly distributed on Mys.p.a.ce. Eliza Shapiro, "Shooting Suspect Wade Michael Page's White-Power Past," Daily Beast, August 6, 2012, http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/08/06/shooting-suspect-wade-michael-page-s-white-power-past.html.

25."Al-Qaeda, Jihadis Infest the San Francisco, CaliforniaBased 'Internet Archive' Library," Cyber and Jihad Lab, Middle East Media Research Inst.i.tute, August 17, 2014, http://cjlab.memri.org/uncategorized/al-qaeda-jihadis-infest-the-san-francisco-california-based-internet-archive-library/.

26.The Twitter rules governing content were one page consisting of 1,123 words as of March 8, 2011. By October 27, 2014, they had expanded to more than nine pages and well over six thousand words, http://support.twitter.com/articles/18311-the-twitter-rules and https://support.twitter.com/articles/18311-the-twitter-rules, both accessed October 27, 2014.

27.For examples, Google "Nu Wexler," "suspension," and "statement" and read the news stories that come up.

28.J. M. Berger, "Zero Degrees of Al Qaeda," Foreign Policy, August 14, 2014, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/08/14/zero_degrees_of_al_qaeda_twitter.

29.Ahmad Khan, Al-Emara Twitter account, https://twitter.com/alemarahstudio.

30.Abdualqahar Balkhi, Twitter account, https://twitter.com/ABalkhi.

31.Ali Latifi, "Afghanistan's Online War Of Words," Al Jazeera, October 17, 2012, http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/10/2012101510373939539.html.

32."Al Shabaab Launches Apparent Twitter Campaign," Anti-Defamation League, December 20, 2011, http://www.adl.org/combating-hate/international-extremism-terrorism/c/shabaab-launches-twitter.html; J. M. Berger, "#Unfollow: The Case for Kicking Terrorists off Twitter," Foreign Policy, February 20, 2013, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/02/20/unfollow.

33.J. M. Berger, "Omar and Me," Foreign Policy, September 16, 2014, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2013/09/16/omar_and_me.

34.Confidential interviews with U.S. counterterrorism officials working on social media issues; interview with Jeff Weyers, University of Liverpool, researcher/consultant at iBRABO.

35.First discussed during a congressional hearing in 1993 by Undersecretary of State Tim Wirth speaking to Federal News Service, U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Security, International Organization and Human Rights, US Anti Terrorism Policy: Capitol Hill Hearing About the Middle-East, July 13 1993, H. Res. 118 (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC: Government Printing Office, 1993).

36.Central Intelligence Agency, "The Predicament of the Terrorism a.n.a.lyst," Studies in Intelligence 29 (Winter 1985), http://www.foia.cia.gov/sites/default/files/DOC_0000620573.pdf.

37.U.S. House, Committee on Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, U.S Strategy for Countering Jihadist Web Sites, Hearing, September 29, 2010, Serial No. 111-130 (Was.h.i.+ngton, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 2010), http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CHRG-111hhrg61516/html/CHRG-111hhrg61516.htm.

38."Terrorist on the Internet," narrated by d.i.c.k Gordon, The Connection, WBUR Boston (radio), June 8, 2005, http://theconnection.wbur.org/2005/06/08/terrorist-on-the-internet.

39.Pablo Barbera, "How Social Media Reduces Ma.s.s Political Polarization: Evidence from Germany, Spain, and the U.S.," October 18, 2014, https://files.nyu.edu/pba220/public/barbera-polarization-social-media.pdf.

40.Interview with Abu Suleiman al Na.s.ser by J. M. Berger, 2011.

41.Correspondence with Jeff Weyers, a.n.a.lyst with iBRABO, 2014.

42.Jenna McLaughlin, "Twitter Is Not at War with ISIS. Here's Why," Mother Jones, November 18, 2014, http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/twitter-isis-war-ban-speech; Caleb Garling, "Twitter C.E.O. d.i.c.k Costolo on Receiving Death Threats from ISIS," Vanity Fair, October 9, 2014, http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2014/10/twitter-ceo-death-threats-isis.

43.Neil Ungerleider, "Despite Ban, YouTube Is Still a Hotbed of Terrorist Group Video Propaganda," FastCompany, blog, November 12 2010, http://www.fastcompany.com/1701383/despite-ban-youtube-still-hotbed-terrorist-group-video-propaganda; David Gardner, "Facebook Used by Al Qaeda to Recruit Terrorists and Swap Bomb Recipes, Says US Homeland Security Report," Daily Mail Online, December 10, 2010, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1337344/Facebook-used-Al-Qaeda-recruit-terrorists-swap-bomb-recipes.html.

44.Confidential interviews with Google employees; confidential interviews with U.S. counterterrorism officials working on social media issues.

45.Confidential interviews with U.S. counterterrorism officials working on social media issues; email interview with Jeff Weyers.

46.Bob Griffin, "Intelligence a.n.a.lysis to Take Down a Terrorist," army-technology.com, July 12, 2011, http://www.army-technology.com/features/feature123872/.

47.Somini Sengupta, "Twitter Yields to Pressure in Hate Case in France," New York Times, July 12, 2013, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/13/technology/twitter-yields-to-pressure-in-hate-case-in-france.html.

48.Meyukh Sen, " 'Blasphemy' and Social Media in Pakistan," Internet Monitor blog, Harvard Law School, June 27, 2014, https://blogs.law.harvard.edu/internetmonitor/2014/06/27/blasphemy-and-social-media-in-pakistan/.

49.Berger, "#Unfollow."

50.Coauthor J. M. Berger reported the account shortly before it was suspended.

51."Somalia's al-Shabab Opens New Twitter Account," BBC News Africa, February 4, 2013, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-21321687.

52.Twitter data collected December 2012February 2013.

53.Berger, "#Unfollow."

54.a.s.sociated Press, "Kenya Marks 1 Year Since Westgate Mall Attack," Fox News, September 21, 2014, http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/09/21/kenya-marks-1-year-since-westgate-mall-attack-left-67-dead-on-high-alert-for/; Jason Straziuso, "NYPD Report on Kenya Attack Isn't US Gov't Review," Yahoo News, December 13, 2013, http://news.yahoo.com/nypd-report-kenya-attack-isn-39-t-us-151711825.html.

55.Lori Hinnant, "Kenya Attack Unfolded in Up and Down Twitter Feeds," a.s.sociated Press, The Big Story, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/kenya-attack-unfolded-and-down-twitter-feeds.

56.Coauthor J. M. Berger reported several iterations of the account during this period, roughly corresponding to the accounts' suspensions.

57.Peter Bergen, "Are Ma.s.s Murders Using Twitter as a Tool?" CNN, September 27, 2013, http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/26/opinion/bergen-twitter-terrorism/.

CHAPTER 7. THE ELECTRONIC BRIGADES.

1.Mark Townsend and Toby Helm, "Jihad in a Social Media Age: How can the west win an online war?" Guardian, August 23, 2014, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/23/jihad-social-media-age-west-win-online-war; quote taken from image provided by Jeff Weyers, ibRABO, specializing in terrorist's use of social media.

2.Simon Rogers, "Insights into the #WorldCup Conversation on Twitter," Twitter blog, July 14, 2014, https://blog.twitter.com/2014/insights-into-the-worldcup-conversation-on-twitter.

3.J. M. Berger, Twitter post, June 14, 2014, https://twitter.com/intelwire/status/478029497317724160.

4.J. M. Berger, Twitter Post, June 15, 2014, https://twitter.com/intelwire/status/478310946385850370.

5.Mohamed J. was identified via the Twitter account he used to design the ISIS app discussed in this chapter. The website registrations a.s.sociated with the app and additional pseudonymous social media accounts were identified using the email addresses a.s.sociated with the app and the websites, and through social network a.n.a.lysis confirmed via the content of the social media accounts. No school matching the name "Los Angeles School of Arts" could be identified.