Blogs as another front in the war

[a_majoor]

Special Dispatch-Jihad & Terrorism Studies Project March 20, 2007 No. 1508

Islamist Website Instructs Mujahideen in Using Popular U.S. Web Forums to Foster Anti-War Sentiment among Americans

To view this Special Dispatch in HTML, visit: http://www.memri.org/bin/opener_latest.cgi?ID=SD150807 .

In the past few months, Islamists engaged in "media jihad" have increased their efforts to expose as broad a Western audience as possible to their jihad films, which purport to document the growing success of the mujahideen in Iraq and Afghanistan. As part of this endeavor, they have posted jihad films on popular free video-sharing websites such as YouTube, LiveLeak, and Google Video, hoping that such films will tip public opinion in the West against the war in Iraq and Afghanistan ­ thus pressuring Western governments to withdraw their troops from these countries.

As part of the campaign to foster anti-war sentiment among Westerners, and more specifically among Americans, a member of the Al-Mohajroon Islamist website with the username Al-Wathiq Billah instructed mujahideen in how to infiltrate popular American forums and to use them to distribute jihad films and spread disinformation about the war.

The following are excerpts 1)

"Raiding American Forums is Among the Most Important Means of Obtaining Victory in the Fierce Media War... and of Influencing the Views of the Weak-Minded American"

"There is no doubt, my brothers, that raiding American forums is among the most important means of obtaining victory in the fierce media war... and of influencing the views of the weak-minded American who pays his taxes so they will go to the infidel American army. This American is an idiot and does not [even] know where Iraq is... [It is therefore] mandatory for every electronic mujahid [to engage in this raiding]."

"It is better that you raid non-political forums such as music forums and trivia forums... which American people... favor... Define your target[ed forum]... and get to know it well... Post your contribution and do not get into... futile arguments..."

Indicate You Are an American

"Obviously, you have to register yourself using a purely American name... Choose an icon that indicates that you are an American, and place it next to your nickname [in the forum]."

"In my experience, the areas most visited in American forums... [are titled] 'Random Thoughts' and 'What's going on in your mind?'... [The former] takes priority in the American forums, and is highly popular. You should post your contribution there... This should include films of the mujahideen in Iraq, mujahideen publications in English, and images and films of the Americans' crimes, [such as] killing unarmed civilians in Iraq... etc."

"Invent Stories About American Soldiers You Have [Allegedly] Personally Known"

"Obviously, you should post your contribution... as an American... You should correspond with visitors to this forum, [bringing to their attention] the frustrating situation of their troops in Iraq... You should invent stories about American soldiers you have [allegedly] personally known (as classmates... or members in a club who played baseball and tennis with you) who were drafted to Iraq and then committed suicide while in service by hanging or shooting themselves..."

"Also, write using a sad tone, and tell them that you feel sorry for your [female] neighbor or co-worker who became addicted to alcohol or drugs... because her poor fiancé, a former soldier in Iraq, was paralyzed or [because] his legs were amputated... [Use any story] which will break their spirits, oh brave fighter for the sake of God..."

How to Make Americans Feel Frustrated With Their Government

"You should enter into debate or respond only if it is extremely necessary... Your concern should [only] be introducing topics which... will cause [them to feel] frustration and anger towards their government..., which will... render them hostile to Bush... and his Republican Party and make them feel they must vote to bring the troops back from Iraq as soon as possible."

"Do not... discuss issues pertaining to Arabs or Muslims at all, whether negatively or positively... because this could be a trap for you... In addition, do not ask people to circulate the material [you have posted] in other forums... as these types of requests will expose you..."

Endnote: (1) http://www.mohajroon.com/vb/showthread.php?t=48233 .

********************* The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent, non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background information, are available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with proper attribution.

The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837 Phone: (202) 955-9070 Fax: (202) 955-9077 E-Mail: memri@memri.org

 

[Journeyman]

You mean like, "The army seduced my 23 year old bluenoser son, and I'm sad"

;D  OK Mods, I couldn't help myself. Delete

 

[Centurian1985]

Excellent article, thanks for the info.

 

[TAS278]

Freedom of speech. If we want to use it, so can everyone else.

 

[Donut]

Freedom of speech. If we want to use it, so can everyone else.

How about information warfare?  Enemy combatants have no rights, until they put on a uniform or surrender.

Journeyman, it's all part of the same campaign...wasn't the term "useful fools"?

Edit to add a link to Jihad Watch: 
http://www.jihadwatch.org/

 

[Bobby Rico]

Hah, makes you wonder who if anyone is floating around these forums.

But if these so-called jihadist-types are going on public forums to spread their word...clearly the war can't be going well for them if that's what they're reduced to.

 

[a_majoor]

Hah, makes you wonder who if anyone is floating around these forums.

But if these so-called jihadist-types are going on public forums to spread their word...clearly the war can't be going well for them if that's what they're reduced to.

From a 4GW perspective this is a brilliant ploy; it attacks civilian moral directly (and opposing governments indirectly), as an economy of force measure is hard to beat and is totally asymmetrical; given the very limited access to the Internet that is allowed by government entities in the "Axis of Evil" camp, or the general inability of the population to gain access to the Internet in any of Thomas P.M. Barnett's "Gap" nations due to poor telecommunications infrastructure.

Really the only way to match this would be to flood nations like Iran with millions of cell phones with the web browser functions enabled and "Firefox" pre loaded with western music, porn and consumer sites as the "Favorites" for the target audience to browse.

 

[TAS278]

How about information warfare?  Enemy combatants have no rights, until they put on a uniform or surrender.

Journeyman, it's all part of the same campaign...wasn't the term "useful fools"?

Edit to add a link to Jihad Watch: 
http://www.jihadwatch.org/

Information warfare.....  over the internet... Maybe if they had virus's galore heading towards banks and other important infrastructure. All I see is the opportunity to lure in weak minded people.

  I really find it hard to believe that a forum user as yourself, would suggest that posting information that he/she feels penitent should be considered information warfare. Anyone and everyone should have the right to use the internet in any fashion that is deemed leagal/semi-leagal by their country. 

Do i agree with what they are saying... I am sure you can figure it out. Do I have to read it....

This may be a "front" as it is called in the title but it seems more like a desperate act to try and get more support in an ever loosing battle.

 

[Donut]

Information warfare.....  over the internet... Maybe if they had virus's galore heading towards banks and other important infrastructure. All I see is the opportunity to lure in weak minded people.

  I really find it hard to believe that a forum user as yourself, would suggest that posting information that he/she feels penitent should be considered information warfare. Anyone and everyone should have the right to use the internet in any fashion that is deemed leagal/semi-leagal by their country. 

Do i agree with what they are saying... I am sure you can figure it out. Do I have to read it....

This may be a "front" as it is called in the title but it seems more like a desperate act to try and get more support in an ever loosing battle.

No, viruses would be a direct attack on our infrastructure, an overt attack.  Attacking our "weak minds" IS information warfare, just like leaflet drops at enemy troops and other psyops against a fighting force...please see Ruxted's post on this subject:

http://ruxted.ca/index.php?/archives/17-Terrorism-is-Information-Warfare-disguised-as-Military-Action.html.

Attacking the public's support for CF and Allied operations may not be "illegal", but it is an attack, and should be viewed as such.  They don't need to actually inflict many casualties, they just need to be seen inflicting casualties, and distorting the actual costs of the war and increasing the perceived collateral damage is one means of doing so. 

Members of this forum have read, on more then one occasion in unfriendly media, that they had been killed.  Repeatedly.  Was Al-Sahaaf engaged in psyops when he talked out of his ass about the high American casualty rates as they approached Baghdad?  You bet he was.  It was for local consumption, primarily, but it was a psyop operation nonetheless.  The reporters in Beirut who, upon their return, revealed they KNEW what they were filming was staged?  Another aspect of Info War.

Blogs and discussion boards are a front in this war...and those that are taken in by them weaken our national resolve to get the job done.

DF

 

[TAS278]

Yes but unlike flyers you still have the choice to view it or not.

 

[RangerRay]

Journeyman, it's all part of the same campaign...wasn't the term "useful fools"?

I believe it was Lenin or Stalin who referred to the western left as "useful idiots".

 

[Timmy!]

Hah, makes you wonder who if anyone is floating around these forums.

But if these so-called jihadist-types are going on public forums to spread their word...clearly the war can't be going well for them if that's what they're reduced to.

That is the scary part. But I am sure the mods will sort them out.

 

[Sassy]

It's been my experience that the left/left embrace the jihadist's mantra.  I've seen nice forums flame into ruins as posters posing as Canadians call our troops "Invaders of Afghanistan, baby killers, our troops are only there to lay pipe lines for the US, the list is endless" and no the mods don't sort these people out they silence any voice that speaks out against their beliefs.  It gets worse on a daily basis, the right is often shouted down and have verbal abuse hurled at them for supporting our Military.  That article explains why it appears that so many Canadians loathe the Military, hate the US and blame all  that ails this world on American foreign policy.  Yes I could avoid reading it, but not rebuttalling them allows only their deluded voices to be  heard. To me it appears that the extreme left have climbed into bed with Radical Islam and they are  making room for the peaceniks and treehuggers.  If we ignore this pattern of the extreme left uniting with Radical anything it will have ramifications for Canadians. 

 

[TAS278]

That is the scary part. But I am sure the mods will sort them out.

What is scary about it?

Honestly, how could you be scared of some random internet personality preaching something that you may not believe in our can choose to ignore.

This hype seems to take advantage of some people really quickly. Hackers and other internet Vandals have been around as long as anyone can remember the internet. Are you scared of them?

If i had to choose the lesser of two evils on the internet I would take the "terrorist" blogger anyday.