Terrorist organisations have pitched the use of social media and publishing of high-quality jihadi videos as the preferred ways of reaching masses besides achieving their ultimate goal; that is to magnify their terrorist activities across the globe.
Terrorists prowess use media, has become one of the most concerning issues across the world. Terrorist organisations are using media platforms for recruiting, training and communicating with their followers, supporters, donors, as it is cheaper, easier, faster and effective method of communication.
The members of the terrorist organisations are spreading their ideological thoughts and teaching, propaganda and their activities with intended purpose and objective.
The Somali-based Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen (HSM) and the Al-Qaeda official branch in East Africa has embraced the use various media platforms as key weapons when it comes to fronting their information warfare. The jihadist has mastered the art of manipulating Islam religion to fit their desire, atrocious activities with singular goal of luring more Muslim Youth into the militia group.
During the period of Ramadhan and especially the month of May 2019, Al-Shabaab released more than ten (10) videos ‘teachings’ in form of series their past ‘operations or attacks’. The videos released in high resolution formats, parading of sophisticated paraphernalia in their coverage is an indication that the jihadist group has majorly invested in establishing a strong media presence.
Since mid-2017, the Al-Shabaab media or the Al-Kataib has not been releasing videos as often through 2018. Intelligence points that their media director has been ailing and thus the possibility of cited inactivity of the media wing during this period.
The released videos in May 2019 are believed to have been done and covered close to Somalia southern coast, are aimed at inspiring Muslim youth to carryout Hijra. The teachings are reflections and expectations from slain ‘Shekhe Abu Yahya Al-Libi, who was a leading high-ranking official within Al-Qaeda, and an alleged member of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, calling on ‘Mujahideens’ to carry on the path of Jihad.
The videos that has been released are packed into 11 series are aimed at inspiring fighters citing such videos are intended to give them morale to conduct attacks and die for a ‘cause’.
The video teachings are trying to justify the acts of atrocities, killings conducted against innocent civilians which itself is against the teaching of the holy Quran that ‘whoever kills an innocent life it is as is if he killed all of humanity’ [Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:32].
The teachings are aimed for recruitment purposes. Calling on youth to join the organization and do hijra and fight for their land ruled by sharia as the ultimate prize for jihadi. The teacher calls on recruits to turn up in numbers and fight against security forces; the army men and police, fronts them as ‘oppressors’ rather than the guardian of law.
The videos are reengineered for psyops purposes to groups’ foot soldiers who seemingly are already in despair in order to discourage them surrendering towards to the authorities, as it has been seen in a several occasions. Sympathizers here referred to as ‘brothers’ are called to remember their ‘brothers’ in prayers and offer support for the cause of jihadi. This means the videos and the teaching therein are meant to lure local and regional sympathizers to provide material help and finances to aid the groups’ operations.
As a sure way of getting their message to their targets, the depicts adherents even taking notes of the teachings. The teacher encourages and calls on their masses mostly sympathizers to share the videos. Potential recruit and sympathizers use social media and other jihadi forums every hour to interact thus the insurgent groups intends to take advantage of these masses to spread their online message of radicalization.
Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen have their trend of releasing videos mostly of their past operations with an intention of motivating their cells and in turn activating them to conduct similar and more successful attack operations and the recent releases are of no exemptions.
Threatened by prowess of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria which has over-time become world’s deadliest terror group through disseminating videos of Americans beheading on twitter and YouTube among other online platforms and now has a wilayah in Somalia, the Al-Qaeda branch videos are timely and tactically aimed at out-doing their arch-rival, Abnaa ul-Calipha (Islamic State in Somalia).
On the seventh video, the teaching is calling on the mujahideen’s unity. There has been rivalry between, Al-Shabaab and the splinter faction, Islamic State in Somalia. This jihadi rivalry has seen either faction lose a number of its fighters. the teaching is aimed at calling for Al-Shabaab fighters to remain with its parent Al-Qaeda affiliate fold and not to shift loyalty and not to entertain spies among them.
Online media is a powerful tool where terrorists have been able to disseminate their ideologies, offer practical instructions, explanations and justifications. The medium is a key means of indoctrinating and training would-be terrorists. Extremists use websites and social media to recruit and radicalise individuals through videos and propaganda. Such websites and social media messages can also provide advice and instructions on how to plan and prepare for attacks, acting as a “virtual training camp” or ideas forum. The use of videos is a medium Harakat al Shabaab al Mujahideen will continue to bank on as intends to harvest and activate its already seemingly demotivated foot soldiers.
Online vigilance remains as critical as ever in combating violent extremism. Stifling terrorist propagandists and recruiters demands a far more collaborative, coordinated approach between governments, tech companies, and third-party entities. For example, YouTube and other platforms blacklisting and flagging terrorist contents just enumerates a handful of successes against terrorist content dissemination. This should not just be seen as victories, but also as a wake-up call for other platforms combating the onslaught of digital radical violence and hate to press on.
