The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by
extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread propaganda and incite
violence. Last week, CEP researchers identified a propaganda video from the
banned British neo-Nazi group National Action on Twitter/X, shared by a
prominent extreme right account that supports the Active Club movement.
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Extremist Content Online: Alleged ‘New Criteria’ Prompts Twitter/X To
Reinstate Account Belonging To Australian Neo-Nazi
(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the
methods used by extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread
propaganda and incite violence. Last week, CEP researchers identified a
propaganda video from the banned British neo-Nazi group National Action on
Twitter/X, shared by a prominent extreme right account that supports the Active
Club movement.
Also last week, CEP researchers located almost 50 videos and 20 collections of
manuals containing instructional content for creating explosive devices,
components for explosive devices, and poisons, posted by an ISIS supporter on
the Internet Archive, which the site removed. In addition, the Internet Archive
quickly removed the latest edition of the pro-ISIS web magazine Voice of
Khorasan after being alerted by CEP. Separately, Telegram significantly
increased its removal of pro-ISIS chats, channels, and accounts following the
March 22 attack on a Moscow concert hall.
The pro-ISIS Al Jauhar Media Center released the third issue of its web
magazine, Serut ul Haq, which condemned the government of India for allowing
the construction of a Hindu temple on the former site of the Babri Masjid and
criticized the Taliban for allegedly abandoning the implementation of religious
law after taking power in Afghanistan. Finally, pro-ISIS groups posted multiple
images online encouraging attacks during UEFA Champions League soccer games.
National Action Video Located on Twitter/X, Australian Neo-Nazi Twitter/X
Account Returns After Brief Suspension
CEP researchers located an infamous propaganda video on Twitter/X from the
proscribed British neo-Nazi group National Action that was uploaded by a
prominent extreme right account that supports the Active Club movement. The
video was uploaded on March 31 and had over 80,000 views by April 15, over 100
comments, almost 800 retweets, and over 2,100 likes. In 2018, the British
governmentexpressed <[link removed]> concern to
Google regarding the availability of the same video on YouTube.
CEP reported the video to Twitter/X on April 9. The video was still available
on April 15.
Additionally, the Twitter/X account belonging to Australian neo-Nazi Thomas
Sewell, the leader of the National Socialist Network and the European
Australian Movement, was briefly suspended on April 8 before being reinstated.
Sewell claimed that his account was “permanently suspended” on April 8 but then
posted an alleged message from Twitter/X restoring his account about 16 hours
later. The message claimed the account was returned “under our [X’s] new
criteria.”
Sewell has over 12,000 followers on the platform and has promoted
antisemitism, advocated for white supremacism and extremist groups, including
using the social media site to network with several Active Club chapters in the
U.S. and Europe. Twitter/X has afforded Sewell a larger audience than he has on
Telegram. On April 11, the same message, which was online for the same length
of time on both platforms and included a URL for a fundraising link to build a
whites-only community, had approximately 15,000 views on Telegram and 102
shares, and over 204,000 views on Twitter and 240 retweets.
“Content moderation is a vital pillar in fostering a digital space that
prevents extremist propaganda from proliferating and causing real-world
effects, such as the growth of extremist organizations and movements,” said CEP
researcher Joshua Fisher-Birch. “Twitter/X should remove the accounts of the
leaders of white supremacist organizations, and their associated propagandists,
who are using the social media site to increase their reach.”
National Action video on Twitter/X. Screenshot taken on April 15.
Large Quantity of Explosives How-to Videos and Manuals, Posted by ISIS
Supporter, Removed From the Internet Archive
On April 10, CEP researchers found almost 50 videos and 20 collections of
manuals on the Internet Archive that included instructional videos for the
homemade construction of improvised explosive devices, suicide belts, explosive
traps, detonators, and the synthesis of poisons. The content was created by
ISIS, online pro-ISIS groups such as the al-Saqri Foundation, as well as other
jihadist organizations and individuals. CEP researchers found the links posted
on a pro-ISIS website, along with messages encouraging acts of violence. The
Internet Archive removed the files shortly after CEP reported them.
A how-to video for making a suicide belt, likely made by the Islamic State of
Iraq. Screenshot taken on April 10.
Pro-ISIS Web Magazine Voice of Khorasan Issue 34 Released
On April 8, the pro-ISIS al-Azaim Media propaganda group released issue 34 of
the English language web magazine Voice of Khorasan. The main article stated
that ISIS’s March 22 attack on a Moscow concert hall was revenge for Russian
attacks on ISIS and civilians in Syria and further exposed imposters who
expressed condolences to Russia. Other articles condemned elections in
Bangladesh, condemned Turkish-backed groups in Syria, and promoted support for
ISIS, including fighting and financially supporting the group. Issue 34 also
included an extensive section regarding online privacy, information security,
and online operations security. The issue also included an English language
translation of ISIS spokesperson Abu Hudayfah al-Ansari’s March 28speech
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, calling for attacks and commemorating the tenth anniversary of the
declaration of the ISIS caliphate.
The web magazine included a wallet for sending the privacy cryptocurrency
Monero and an image encouraging attacks in Europe.
CEP reported three uploads of the web magazine to the Internet Archive, which
quickly removed them.
Cover of pro-ISIS magazine Voice of Khorasan issue 34, released on April 8.
Screenshot taken on April 11.
Telegram Increases Removal of ISIS Channels and Accounts
The communications app Telegram has increasingly deleted channels and accounts
that post ISIS propaganda. While Telegram has removed pro-ISIS chats, channels,
and accounts in large numbers since late 2019, recent removal efforts following
the March 22 attack on a Moscow concert hall have increased significantly.
For the two weeks before the attack, an average of 233 bots and channels that
posted “terrorist content” were removed daily from Telegram, according to a
channel affiliated with Telegram’s abuse team. For the two weeks after the
attack, Telegram averaged a removal of 665 bots and channels daily, according
to the same channel.
Pro-ISIS users on RocketChat commented that their accounts had been banned on
Telegram and that their phone numbers had been blocked from the app. Pro-ISIS
users on Telegram also commented that channels they had previously followed had
been deleted.
Third Edition of Pro-ISIS Web Magazine Released
On April 10, the pro-ISIS Al Jauhar Media Center released the third issue of
its web magazine Serat ul Haq.
The main article condemned the government of India
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the Indian judicial system for allowing the construction of a Hindu temple on
the former site of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya following the mosque’s
destruction. The second article condemned the Taliban for allegedly abandoning
the implementation of religious law after taking power in Afghanistan, accusing
them of being controlled by the U.S. Other articles condemned Muslim-majority
states for having friendly relations with China and ignoring the persecution of
the Uyghurs and not intervening to stop Israel’s attack on Gaza, denounced
democracy and peaceful activism, and called for patience in a long-term
struggle. An image in the web magazine celebrated the March 22 attack on a
Moscow concert hall.
The second
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issue of the web magazine was released on March 14, 2023.
Online Pro-ISIS Groups Encourage Attacks in Europe
Online pro-ISIS groups released approximately ten images between April 6 and
13, encouraging attacks on stadiums, including during the 2024 Union of
European Football Association’s (UEFA) Champions League, which begins with
qualifying matches in June. The images include depictions of European sports
stadiums and advocates for ISIS supporters to commit terrorist attacks. The
logo of the pro-ISIS-K group al-Azaim Media is included on the image-based
threats, as well as two online pro-ISIS propaganda groups.
Pro-ISIS propaganda does not have a specific connection to official ISIS
propaganda networks. The group’s online supporters create posters and images,
which are a low-effort way to amplify the terrorist group’s message, especially
during periods of heightened media attention. One pro-ISIS user on a chat
platform noted with approval that the release of pro-ISIS images in early April
had led to heightened security.
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