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ISIS claims of responsibility posted on Instagram using the “stories” feature. Screenshot taken on October 22.
German Language Online Pro-ISIS Group Calls for Murder of Jews
On October 22, the German-language online pro-ISIS group al-Saif Media released a poster on RocketChat calling for the murder of Jews. The image showed a man wearing clothing associated with Orthodox Judaism reflected in the blade of a knife, with text calling for anti-Jewish violence, and a hashtag that the group has previously used when celebrating or advocating for acts of terrorism.
Al-Saif Media has little online reach outside of pro-ISIS spaces on RocketChat. There is no evidence that the poster released on October 22 was shared on major social media platforms. It is likely that, in addition to encouraging acts of violence, the pro-ISIS group is also seeking increased media attention.
Al-Saif Media announced its existence on January 21, 2025, and posts content infrequently. The group released a pamphlet encouraging acts of violence in January, and in mid-February, it released images celebrating the Villach, Austria, knife attack and encouraging vehicular attacks. The far-right political party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has previously highlighted al-Saif propaganda while calling for mass deportations before the 2025 German federal election.
Pro-ISIS Telegram Channel Notes Syrian Government Crackdown on Foreign Fighters
On October 22, a pro-ISIS Telegram channel noted that the Syrian transitional government under President Ahmad al-Sharaa had clashed with the French foreign fighter group Firqatul Ghuraba in Idlib. Posts claimed that French fighters had the support of Uzbek and Russian groups, who traveled from other parts of Idlib to the French camp.
Telegram posts alleged that al-Sharaa was beginning a crackdown on foreign jihadist fighters at the behest of the West, and would expel, arrest, or kill members of foreign jihadist groups. On October 23, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Uzbek fighters and members of the Turkestan Islamic Party negotiated a temporary end to the fighting, noting that French authorities wanted the arrest of the leader of Firqatul Ghuraba.
Roundup of Claimed ISIS Attacks
Between October 19 and October 25, ISIS claimed credit for 17 attacks globally. The group claimed responsibility for six attacks in Mozambique, five attacks in Nigeria, three attacks in Syria, and one attack in either Pakistan, Congo, or Niger.
Active Club England Propaganda Video Receives Over 300,000 Views on X
A 35-second video promoting Active Club England and seven regional UK clubs received over 315,000 views on X within a week of its October 18 posting. The post, made by a blue-check verified X user, also received over 5,300 likes and was shared over 615 times. The post was made by an American account, but was shared by the central Active Club England account on X. The video featured footage of Active Club members boxing, training, and hiking, and included links to the group’s website, X, and Telegram accounts, as well as a specific Telegram contact for recruitment. The original X account that posted the video also posted videos endorsing Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler, and racist and antisemitic AI-generated videos.
On Telegram, a channel with almost 2,000 subscribers, allegedly belonging to the video’s creator, requested that followers comment, like, and repost the video on X. The Telegram channel posts video edits of white supremacist groups in the U.S. and Europe, and has directed followers to material on X to signal boost.
CEP reported the video to X on October 23. As of October 27, it was still online.
On October 11, via Substack, a member of a UK Active Club promoted the movement and encouraged racial hatred.
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