(New York, N.Y.) – The Counter
Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by
extremists to exploit the Internet and social media platforms to
recruit followers and incite violence. This week, CEP researchers
located multiple pro-ISIS and neo-Nazi accounts advocating for
violence on the Instagram platform. CEP also found that Telegram
increased its removal of ISIS channels, chats and bots during the
month of April. Additionally, ISIS claimed responsibility for the
first time for a terror attack in the Maldives, while the pro-ISIS
Internet group “Cyber Caliphate Shield” released a new video on
Telegram and numerous websites. Finally, a neo-Nazi Internet security
group announced the formation of an offensive cadre for the purposes
of infiltration and sabotage, and Kohti Vapautta, a Finnish neo-Nazi
group closely linked to the Nordic Resistance Movement distributed
violent propaganda on multiple social media platforms.
Multiple Pro-ISIS And Neo-Nazi Accounts Located
On Instagram
Between April 11 and April 16, CEP researchers located
multiple accounts posting ISIS and neo-Nazi propaganda on
Facebook-owned Instagram. Content on pro-ISIS accounts included
segments from the group’s propaganda videos showing combat and footage
of suicide bombings. ISIS content was posted in March and April of
2020, videos had up to 80 views. Neo-Nazi Instagram accounts included
stores selling anti-Semitic and Nazi themed clothing, accounts calling
for acts of violence, and an account belonging to a New England based
neo-Nazi gang.
T-shirt for sale by a Ukrainian neo-Nazi
clothing company on Instagram. “Rahowa” refers to “racial holy
war.”
Telegram Increases Removal Of ISIS
Channels
Telegram increased their removal of ISIS channels, chats, and
bots so far during the month of April. For the months of January,
February, and March 2020, Telegram claimed to have removed on average
818, 819, and 990 (approximately) ISIS channels, chats, and bots per
day. As of April 15, Telegram claimed to have removed an average of
1,867 ISIS channels, chats, and bots per day. The terrorist group has
continued to spread propaganda on Telegram, despite the increased rate
of content removal.
ISIS Claims First Attack In The
Maldives
ISIS claimed their first official attack in the Maldives in
the group’s April 16 release of the weekly al-Naba newsletter. ISIS
claimed to have attacked five Maldivian government boats on April 15
using incendiary weapons. Local authorities identified an ambulance boat, two dinghies, and
four speedboats, including a police vessel, which were damaged. The
Maldivian government blamed the attack on a “gang war.” The al-Naba
newsletter was available on Telegram, RocketChat, the Internet
Archive, and Top4top.
A pro-ISIS group claimed responsibility for a February 4 stabbing on the island of Hulhimalé near the
Maldivian capital of Malé, which resulted in injuries to three
tourists. ISIS did not officially take responsibility for the attack.
CEP reported legacy pro-ISIS Maldivian blogs on the
WordPress platform in mid-February, which were removed.
Pro-ISIS Cyber Group Releases New Video On
Multiple Websites
The pro-ISIS group Cyber Caliphate Shield released a new
video on April 15. The video claims to show the defacement of South
African commercial websites and the posting of ISIS propaganda on
them. The video also shows a user accessing a password protected area
of a French company’s website.
In addition to Telegram, the video was posted on at least
eight other websites on April 16: Amazon Drive, the Internet Archive,
Dropbox, the Microsoft One Drive, Mail.ru, Ok.ru, file.fm, and pc.cd.
Approximately six hours later, the video was still available on at
least five websites in addition to Telegram: the Internet Archive,
Mail.ru, Ok.ru, file.fm, and pc.cd.
Neo-Nazi Internet Security Group Announces
Formation Of Offensive Cadre
A neo-Nazi internet security group announced on April 14 that
they were in the process of forming a small cadre for the purposes of
online “infiltration” and “sabotage.” In March 2020, in response to
COVID-19, the group endorsed the tactic of accelerationism. The group
has previously released cyber and information security
manuals. The group’s Telegram channel had over 2,600 members on April
16.
Finnish Neo-Nazi Group Spreads Propaganda On
Multiple Social Media Platforms
The week of April 11 to April 16, CEP researchers located
multiple pages for the Finnish neo-Nazi group, Kohti Vapautta (KV).
The gro up, whose name translates to “Towards Freedom,” was founded in
2019, following a Finnish court order banning the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) for inciting
hatred and promoting violence. NRM is currently appealing the court’s
ruling. Finnish law enforcement believe that Kohti Vapautta is closely linked to
NRM and that the two groups share members and
ideology.
KV maintains a website, a Telegram channel, a page on the
Russian social media site VK, and a Twitter account. An essay on KV’s
website calls for the extreme right in Finland to take advantage of
the COVID-19 crisis there, and to march in protests in order to blame
a predicted financial crisis on “globalist criminals” and immigrants.
The same essay also lashed out at Finnish politicians deemed
insufficiently nationalist, and called for Finland to leave the
European Union. The website uses Cloudflare as its name
server.
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