The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by
extremists to exploit the Internet and social media platforms to recruit fol


<[link removed]>
<[link removed]>
Extremist Content Online: ISIS Releases New Propaganda Video

(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. Last week, ISIS released a new
propaganda video from their self-proclaimed Sinai province titled “Bleeding
Campaigns” depicting attacks with automatic weapons, snipers, and improvised
explosive devices against the Egyptian armed forces. Additionally, the pro-ISIS
<[link removed]> propaganda group War and Media
Agency released a video titled “The End and the Beginning” on multiple websites
that offered a history of ISIS in Iraq and Syria and condemned anti-ISIS
factions in both countries.

 

Meanwhile, members of extreme right, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi groups
and online communities on Telegram and Parler praised the January 6 attack on
the U.S. Capitol Building and urged additional violence, including on January
20. Additionally, CEP researchers located 11 white supremacist clothing
companies using Instagram to advertise merchandise, including white supremacist
or neo-Nazi themed streetwear and Mixed Martial Arts clothing. Finally, CEP
researchers located a version of James Mason
<[link removed]>’s book Siege
<[link removed]> on the
print-on-demand website Lulu.

 

ISIS Releases New Propaganda Video

 

On Friday, January 8, ISIS <[link removed]>
released a new propaganda video from its self-proclaimed Sinai province titled
“Bleeding Campaigns.” The footage shows attacks using automatic weapons,
snipers, and improvised explosive devices against the Egyptian armed forces in
Sinai. The video also includes footage of the beheading of a man accused of
being an Israeli spy and the execution of individuals identified as members of
the Egyptian security forces.

 

The video was uploaded to Telegram, and links were spread via RocketChat. The
video was posted to at least nine websites: the Internet Archive, Bcove.video,
Mail.Ru, D.Tube, Pcloud, File.Fm, FromSmash.Com, Ok.Ru, and Dropbox.
Approximately four hours later, the video was still available on six websites:
the Internet Archive, Bcove.Video, D.Tube, File.Fm, FromSmash.Com, and Ok.Ru.

 

Pro-ISIS Propaganda Group Releases Video

 

On January 2, the pro-ISIS propaganda group War and Media Agency released a
video titled “The End and the Beginning” on multiple websites. The video, over
an hour-long, offered a history of ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The video condemned
anti-ISIS factions in both countries, and sought to refute the accusations that
it has similarities to the early Islamic Kharijite sect.

 

The propaganda piece also sought to portray the terrorist group as frequently
engaging in combat with the Syrian government. The video concluded with
previously released footage of pledges of allegiance from different ISIS
regional groups and a declaration that the terrorist organization will continue
fighting. 

 

The video made extensive use of previously released ISIS propaganda footage,
including combat footage, clips taken from execution videos, and the October
2017 ambush of U.S. and Nigerien soldiers in Tongo Tongo. The video also
included footage taken from news reports of the November 2020 Vienna attack by 
Kutjim Fejzulai <[link removed]>. 

 

Links for the video were spread on Telegram, RocketChat, and Hoop. The video
was uploaded to at least eight websites: the Internet Archive, Bcove.Video,
Mail.Ru, pCloud, File.Fm, FromSmash.Com, Ok.Ru, and Dropbox. Approximately 72
hours later, the video was still available on three websites: the Internet
Archive, Mail.Ru, and File.Fm.

 

Extreme-Right, White Supremacists, and Neo-Nazis Praise Storming of U.S.
Capitol Building

 

Members of extreme right, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi groups and online
communities praised the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. Two
official Proud Boys Telegram channels, belonging to the central organization
and the group’s British chapter, posted statements and memes supporting the
storming of the Capitol and denigrating racial justice movements. The group’s
chairman, Enrique Tarrio, shared messages on Parler expressing his support for
the attack, including urging those who entered the building to stay, stating
that “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny, When the
government fears the people, There is liberty.” At least one member of the
Proud Boys was arrested
<[link removed]>
by the FBI and is accused of participating in the violent mob that raided the
Capitol Building.

 

A Telegram account belonging to the neo-Nazi group Nationalist Social Club
<[link removed]> (NSC)
shared images of an individual displaying an NSC business card during protests
outside of the Capitol. The same account also posted a photo of an alleged U.S.
Capitol Police riot helmet with an NSC sticker to claim it as a trophy. It is
unknown how the individual in the photo acquired the helmet. A Telegram account
affiliated with the white supremacist Rise Above Movement
<[link removed]> encouraged
their audience to attend the demonstrations at the Capitol, stating that it was
an “opportunity,” and encouraged attacks against journalists. 

 

Neo-Nazi accelerationist propaganda accounts on Telegram applauded the
Capitol’s storming and urged additional future violence. One prominent Telegram
channel with over 7,500 subscribers expressed hope that the events on January 6
would lead to spiraling violence and urged followers to commit acts to heighten
tension and promote disorder. The same channel argued that insurrectionists’
ability to storm the Capitol proved that “police authority is a mirage.” A
notorious neo-Nazi accelerationist Telegram channel with approximately 3,900
members urged terrorist attacks on infrastructure during the month of January
and shared a post encouraging violence targeting politicians in their home
states on January 20 while the country is preoccupied with the inauguration.
The channel has been removedtwice
<[link removed]>
by Telegram, most recently in September 2020 after it encouraged attacks on
law enforcement officers and Jews, but has returned to the communications app.
Another important neo-Nazi accelerationist Telegram channel with over 7,300
subscribers advocated for attacks on police officers. A channel with
approximately 1,900 subscribers stated that the events of January 6 were a
significant victory for bringing about the collapse of the established order,
but that future actions would have to occur in the “battle that is won day by
day, hour by hour.” A channel that focuses on information and operations
security stated that the attack on the Capitol Building would provide the
neo-Nazi movement with additional recruits and urged their followers to keep up
the momentum, promoting acts of terrorism and offering tips on operations
security. 

 

White Supremacist Street Wear Brands Use Instagram to Sell Merchandise

 

On January 5, CEP researchers located 11 white supremacist clothing companies
that use Instagram to advertise merchandise. The accounts belonged to stores
located in at least seven countries: the U.S., Serbia, Sweden, Australia,
Ukraine, Germany, and the Czech Republic. The majority of the stores sell white
supremacist or neo-Nazi themed streetwear and Mixed Martial Arts clothing. All
of the Instagram accounts had links to external websites or Telegram accounts.

 

The Instagram accounts were created between December 2019 and November 2020.
Accounts had between 246 and 5,723 followers, with an average of 1,687
followers. The accounts had an average of 73 posts each. All 11 accounts were
reported to Instagram on January 8, but were still active 72 hours later.

T-Shirt for the white supremacist band Skrewdriver advertised by a Swedish
clothing and record distributor on Instagram.

 

Notorious Neo-Nazi Book Siege Still Available on Lulu

 

On January 6, CEP researchers located a version of James Mason
<[link removed]>’s book Siege
<[link removed]> on the
print-on-demand website Lulu. Lulu has removed copies of Siege at least four
times, most recently in December
<[link removed]->
 2020. Despite the repeated upload and removal of the neo-Nazi book, which
encourages terrorism, Lulu does not proactively prevent its reupload. Lulu
specifically prohibits material that encourages harm, threats, harassment,
intimidation, or discrimination against people “based solely on race,
ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity,
(or) religious affiliation.” Mason had substantial ties to the Atomwaffen
Division
<[link removed]>
, and his work appears on a website
<[link removed]>
 that features the writing of several of the group’s members. The book was
reported to Lulu for violating their Content Policy as defined in theirTerms
and Conditions <[link removed]> on January 6,
however it was still online five days later.

 

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