Entries Tagged 'training' ↓

In a feeble attempt to live up to Jihadica’s new billing as the “most dangerous” website monitoring Jihadis online, I thought I’d post some thoughts on what role Jihadi forums play in recruitment and radicalization.

The usual characterization of online recruitment goes like this: some hapless Sunni Muslim starts poking around online, discovers Jihadi propaganda, and upon watching or reading it becomes radicalized and ready to fight.

It is certainly the case that some Sunni Muslims see or read online Jihadi propaganda about Muslim suffering at the hands of the West and decide they need to do something about it.  Why some respond and not others is a complicated issue that I won’t deal with here.  What I’m interested in is the mechanics of the propaganda’s delivery and how its effects are sustained.

Firstly, we don’t have a lot of examples of Muslims who were radicalized online and remained radicalized without meeting face-to-face with committed militants or like-minded acquaintances who could reinforce their new worldview.  Moreover, the pattern seems to be face-to-face radicalization first, followed and compounded by online material.  There are exceptions, but I think the general trend points in the direction I’ve indicated.

Secondly, online recruitment is not happening on the forums.  I have seen no evidence of new members being persuaded that fighting is the right thing to do; that would be preaching to the choir.  What I have seen is a lot of Jihadi missionary activity on more mainstream Muslim discussion forums.

Take for example a recent posting on the Shumukh (”Pride”) forum by member Abu Dharr al-Makki.  Makki announces the formation of an “Incitement Brigade” whose members will join other forums and, cloaked in proxy-provided anonymity, post recruitment material.  He provides a long list of such forums and suggests each member be responsible for five them.  There are lots of other examples of this type of outreach, but Makki’s post is enough to make my point.

So here’s my basic model: Jihadi forums are good for creating and storing propaganda material.  Mainstream forums are where online recruitment, if any, is happening.  But even if the recruitment is effective, the recruits still need some face time with committed militants or other recruits to remain radicalized; ingesting more propaganda or joining Jihadi forums isn’t enough.

Document (Arabic): 7-21-08-shamikh-recruitment-brigade-and-list-of-forums-for-dawa

Ekhlaas member Dir` li-Man Wahada (Armor for One Who Was Alone) has written a brief guide for the Jihadi initiate to consult in preparation for the coming al-Qaeda strikes.  His purpose, he says, is to enumerate the general strategic framework of al-Qaeda so the initiate will be able to implement the organization’s vision locally, either by himself or in a small group.

The initiate must prepare himself in three respects: religiously, intellectually, and physically.

For the religious aspect, he must read:

• تنبيه الراحل إلى أهم ما يحتاجه من المسائل (Informing the Traveler of the Most Important Issues He Needs to Know) by `Izz al-Din al-Maqdisi
• حقيقة الحرب الصليبية الجديدة (The Reality of the New Crusader War) by Yusuf `Uyayri (or `Ayiri–have we decided yet?)
• الباحث في حكم قتل أفراد وضباط المباحث (An Inquiry Into the Ruling of Death upon Soldiers and Officers of the Security Forces) by Faris Al al-Shuwayl al-Zahrani

For the intellectual and security aspect, he must read:

• موسوعة أبي زبيدة الأمنية (The Security Encyclopedia of Abu Zubayda)
• دعوة المقاومة الإسلامية العالمية (Call for the Global Islamic Resistance) by Abu Mus`ab al-Suri.  (”Reading the book will fill several weeks.  Don’t fail to complete it and don’t skip sections.”)

For physical preparation, the individual should at least do the following:

• Exercise no less than three times a week for at least half an hour.  Beginners should join sports clubs.
• Run outdoors at least once a week.
• For those who can, swim on the days you are not exercising.
• Avoid difficult exercises in the first few weeks to avoid injury.
• Exercise less during Ramadan.

Dir` cautions those who take up this program to keep their Jihadi interests to themselves.  Dir` also acknowledges that some of the Jihadis think reading these books takes too much time; he counters that if they don’t know why they are fighting, they will merely be brigands.

This curriculum is similar in some respects to one we looked at in June.

Document (Arabic): 8-17-08-ekhlaas-how-individual-can-prepare-for-coming-jihadi-stages