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 government expressed 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 28 speech, 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 and 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 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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