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What Types of Media Do Terrorists Collect? An Analysis of Religious, Political, and Ideological Publications Found in Terrorism Investigations in the UK

Details

Author: Donald Holbrook

Date of Publication: September 2017

Journal / Publisher: ICCT

 

Design of the study

Approach

The purpose of the study is to shed light on the nature of the media environment in which individuals convicted of participation in terrorist plots operated in the weeks and months prior to their arrest. Some Case Studies are mentioned. Empirical data is generated.  

Where

West

Type of ‘participant’ 

Lone and Group Actors. The study looked at 44 individuals across 10 UK Terror plots.


Topic

The impact of Social Media and the increase in activity leading to an attack


Key Findings 

Types of material found:

  • Biographies of past Foreign Fighters
  • Material which considered the legitimacy of attacking civilian targets
  • Lectures by Charismatic Preachers/Leaders
  • Nasheeds (Islamic Vocal Songs)

Origins of material found:

  • Published media from extremist organisations
  • Published media from religious movements
  • Published media from mainstream 

Publishers:

  • Online media sharing sites
  • Over 50% of material was audio media

The study identifies the most popular authors/speakers:

  • Abdullah Azzam
  • Abi Zakaryya al Dimashqi 
  • Mohammed ‘Abdus Salam Faraj
  • Sayyid Qutb
  • Moulana Mohammed Massood Azhar

The study makes a very important observation in that major works, which espouse the Jihadist cause, have been significantly modified and added to by publishers, often using translation as an opportunity to do this. The study particularly mentions publishers in the UK doing this and that some had links to Terrorist investigations and their material, although no longer published, remains online.  

Also:

  • The study found that all 44 subjects involved in the 10 terrorist plots reviewed sought to collect material, which conveyed ideological, religious or political content.
  • Most of the material was in English apart from the Nasheeds which were in Arabic (very few of the subjects spoke Arabic, the original language of most of the texts).
  • 13% of the 1,695 titles found were featured in more than one investigation, and the most repetitive related to extremist ideological publications. 
  • The most prominent type of publication were audio files, especially of lecture series and sermons. 
  • A third of the material was graded extreme whilst half was moderate, with no justifications for violence.
  • Most cases revealed material, which condemned violence suggesting knowledge of the counter narrative.
  • Most material did not provide suggestions as to how violence should be actioned.
  • A relatively small number of authors, distributors and organisations seem to be responsible for a large share of extremist content.
  • Anwar al-Awlaki dominated the list of most popular authors. 
  • Material specifically related to particular locations and dates were sought out.
  • Stories, fables and biographical accounts conveying heroic narratives were especially popular.
  • Publishers act as gatekeepers to and interpreters of a written narrative that was not originally authored in English and some alter the meaning and direction of the original message. 

Key Recommendations 

The author used a grading scheme for Extremist Material and an ‘Extremism Media Index’ consisting of ‘Extreme’ ‘Fringe’ and ‘Moderate’ material. Extreme content category contained three further subdivisions. These grades were then used to codify the material and assess variations.

The Counter Narrative should take into account the media that subjects have been exposed to in the first place.  


Reviewer's Notes

It is important for Law Enforcement and Intelligence Agencies to be aware of what information is being consumed by extremists, particularly violent extremists. Although ideology may not play a significant part in the journey of some individuals towards the commission of violent acts, some subjects will turn to ideology prior to conducting violent activity to assure themselves that it is justified. Some subjects will justify violence on the Battlefield, but would not be content with conducting violence against non-combatants (they may be coerced to do this though). This study found a significant level of this material showing that it is an important factor to some at least. Investigators can use the possession of certain material as part of a risk assessment, and can draw some inferences from an increased consumption of material and take the material subjects have been exposed to when designing counter narratives. The possession of some extremist material is a specific offence in some jurisdictions, e.g. Inspire magazine.  

Returnees are known to have contributed to plots in the West, did these subjects already have aspirations to conduct attacks in the West when they left with the intention of becoming Foreign Fighters, or have they undergone additional radicalisation which has shifted their mind set to allow them to attack non-combatants?  

The cases evaluated were not alluded to. There is mention of material involved in some other infamous cases:

Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City Bomber was inspired by William Pierce’s Turner Diaries.

  • Thomas Mair who murdered MP Jo Cox subscribed to Far Right Magazine SA Patriot. 
  • Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel who conducted the 2016 Nice attack made repeated searches for Nasheeds in the days prior to the attack. 
  • Morten Storm, a Jihadist turned MI6 Agent stated that he was guided by, “books, lectures and conversations late into the night.” He particularly gave credit to films from Chechnya and other battlegrounds that solidified his cohort.

Similar material is found across the World as all material is connected to Salafi Jihadi Doctrine. 

Nasheeds are particularly important in Salafi Jihadi culture, they themselves can provide justification for violence and glorify Violent Jihad. They are used in battle to maintain morale.    

Lectures by Charismatic Preachers are often found in audio format. Abu Hamza al-Nasri and many other preachers sold recordings of their preaching. This spread the work and generated income.

Material is often found to be summarised in notebooks and these notebooks are often found in the possession of perpetrators after an attack, suggesting that they wish to read them prior to the attack and/or they wish to leave their justification behind.   

It would be interesting to know which groups these subjects came from, and if any were Lone Actors. A particular Group will tend to supply the same material to its members, which is compatible with its own particular narrative, rather than permitting individuals to seek it out for themselves. Al Muhajiroun tightly controlled the material given to its members - See ‘The Islamic State in Britain’ by Micheal Kenney.  

The author does not comment on whether material was found online, self-acquired or supplied by others within their cohort, or from outside the cohort.


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