JWMG Desk

Summary of Information on Jihadist Websites May 2017

Against the backdrop of the terrorist attack on the Temple Mount and the flare-up in the Muslim world over Israel's decision to erect metal detectors at the entrance to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, Islamic associations in Lebanon and Turkey, most of which have ties to Hamas and the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, have demonstrated support for the Palestinian struggle against Israel's sovereignty on the Temple Mount.

Jihadist organizations attribute considerable importance to their media system by virtue of its function as a central platform to for indoctrination, waging psychological warfare against the enemy, promoting “other” narratives and strengthening the self-esteem of members of the jihadist community. Many senior members of the Salafi-jihadist movement, including the leader of Al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri, emphasized more than once the importance of the media arena and defined it as an integral part of the jihad arena in the field.[1]  A clear expression of these efforts was evident during the month of Ramadan, which began on May 26 and ended on June 24, among jihad fighters associated with Al-Qaeda throughout the Syrian arena with the launch of a unique Web series titled, “Daimeh 2”.

Summary of Information on Jihadist Websites April 2017

The terrorist attack that took place in the beginning of June by an Islamic State (IS) supporter of Somali origin in Melbourne, Australia, proves that the Muslim community in Australia continues to be a target for incitement, whether in the public arena or on social networks, by the IS and Al-Qaeda. Only recently did Turkish authorities report that their list of terrorist operatives included 40 Australian citizens who had crossed the Turkish border to Iraq or Syria, and that from 2014-2016 there was a significant jump of 350% in the recruitment of Muslims from Australia to Islamic terrorist organizations.