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


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Extremist Content Online: ISIS Propaganda Video Located On Facebook

(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, CEP researchers located a
recent ISIS propaganda video on Facebook that features attacks against the
Egyptian armed forces in Sinai, including extensive combat footage and several
executions. Also, CEP researchers located two uploads of an ISIS bomb-making
video on the Internet Archive that provided instructions on how to manufacture
the explosive TATP, which has been used in several terrorist attacks in Europe.

 

Meanwhile, a white supremacist Telegram channel encouraged attacks on
lawmakers—including on their families and at their homes—during the
presidential inauguration. Additionally, Telegram removed at least twenty
channels belonging to white supremacist and neo-Nazi accelerationist channels
that advocated for acts of violence and routinely called for acts of terrorism,
including the murder of people of color, Jews, immigrants, LGBT people, and law
enforcement officers. Also, on January 11, several white supremacist Telegram
channels shared links to Telegram chats for Parler users who switched apps
after the latter application became inaccessible.

 

Additionally, a user of an 8chan successor imageboard on the dark web
expressed a desire to commit an attack and was encouraged by other board users
to pursue potential attacks on people of color, immigrants, or law enforcement
officers. Also, a white supremacist user of the main 8chan successor forum
encouraged violence in what he or she stated was a civil war that began with 
Dylann Roof <[link removed]>’s 2015
attack. Finally, a white supremacist Telegram channel posted information on 3D
printed firearms, including links to downloadable files for gun designs and
tips on printing and improving durability.

 

Recently Released ISIS Propaganda Video Located on Facebook

 

On January 13, CEP researchers located a recently released ISIS propaganda
video on Facebook. The video, originally released on January 8, shows attacks
against the Egyptian armed forces in Sinai and includes extensive combat
footage and several executions. The video, uploaded to Facebook on January 10,
was online for approximately 72 hours when it was located and had 38 reactions
and over 180 comments. Facebook removed the video after it was reported for
violating theirCommunity Standards
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on terrorism, however the account was not removed despite also being reported.

 

Infamous ISIS Bomb Making Video Located on the Internet Archive

 

On January 13, CEP researchers located two uploads of an infamous ISIS
bomb-making video on the Internet Archive. The video shows how to manufacture
the explosive TATP, which has been used in several terrorist attacks in Europe.
This specific video has been linked
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 to the May 2017 Manchester Arena bomber, who killed 22 people and injured
hundreds more. In addition to providing bomb-making instructions, the video
encourages attacks in the West and shows knife tactics on a human target, who
is executed in the process. The files were removed quickly by the Internet
Archive after being reported. 

 

Neo-Nazi Telegram Channels Encourage Attacks on Lawmakers and Infrastructure
During the Presidential Inauguration

 

In a January 10 post, a white supremacist Telegram channel encouraged attacks
on lawmakers outside of Washington, D.C. during the presidential inauguration,
including attacks against politicians, their families, and their homes. The
channel administrator advised his or her followers to only work with people
they already know. The post was viewed over 1,300 times. The channel had
approximately 2,400 followers on January 13 and was not one of the channels
targeted for removal by Telegram between January 12 and 19.

 

On January 11, a prominent neo-Nazi accelerationist channel with approximately
3,900 members that has frequently advocated for acts of terrorism shared
several posts urging their audience to kill local officials. Both channels were
removed by Telegram on January 13 and January 14, however, a linked
announcement channel for announcing the next Telegram location remains online.

 

Telegram Removes Select Neo-Nazi Channels

 

Between January 12 and January 16, Telegram removed at least 31 channels
belonging to far-right, white supremacist, and neo-Nazi accelerationist
channels that advocated for acts of violence. Several of the accounts removed
had thousands of subscribers and routinely called for acts of terrorism,
including the murder of people of color, Jews, immigrants, LGBT people, and law
enforcement officers. By January 14, at least nine of the removed channels had
created alternate or backup channels to continue posting content, however, with
smaller audiences. At least one additional channel removed by Telegram already
had a channel in place for announcing its next location.

 

The removals occurred started on January 12, and continued over several days,
allowing channel administrators time to back up content, create alternate
accounts, and share advice on information security. At least one channel was
created for the specific purpose of sharing which accounts had been deleted by
Telegram and the addresses of backup channels. A neo-Nazi Telegram channel
dedicated to information security shared information on how to archive channels
and improve Telegram channels' security. The post on archiving channels was
viewed over 15,000 times after being online for approximately 48 hours.

 

In the past, Telegram has taken minimal action against white supremacist and
neo-Nazi users of their service who have encouraged terrorist acts. In November
2020, Telegram did not remove a neo-Nazi channel spreading bomb-making guides
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 for a week until Vice published an article about it. Additionally, a notorious
neo-Nazi accelerationist channel that routinely advocates for violence and
supports neo-Nazi groups such as the Atomwaffen Division
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 and The Base <[link removed]> was removed 
twice
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 and allowed to return until the most recent removal effort. The same channel
still operates an account on Telegram used for broadcasting future channel
locations. In 2015 Telegram began to take action against ISIS's use of their
app, however supporters of the terrorist group used the platform with moderate
interference until November 2019 when Telegram and Europol conducted a campaign
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 to remove ISIS chats, channels, bots, and users.

A neo-Nazi accelerationist channel removed by Telegram on January 12

 

White Supremacists Telegram Channels Encourage Spreading Propaganda to Further
Radicalize New Telegram Users

 

On January 11, several white supremacist Telegram channels shared links to
Telegram chats for Parler users who switched apps after the latter application
became inaccessible. The white supremacist channels urged subtly and offered
talking points for users attempting to spread white supremacist anti-government
and accelerationist ideas.

 

Users of 8chan Successor Website Encourage Poster to Commit Attack

 

On January 13, a user of an 8chan successor imageboard on the dark web
expressed a desire to commit an attack and was encouraged by other board users.
The thread discussed potential attacks on people of color, immigrants, or law
enforcement officers. The imageboard, which explicitly endorses fascism and
white supremacist violence, was created in February 2019 in order to be more
extreme than 8chan’s “politically incorrect” imageboard.

 

4chan and 8chan Successor Website Forum Users State Civil War Has Already
Begun, Encourage Attacks

 

On January 12, a white supremacist user of the main 8chan successor forum
encouraged violence in what he or she stated was a civil war that began with 
Dylann Roof <[link removed]>’s 2015
attack. The January 6 attack on the Capitol Building was cited as another
salvo, and the poster encouraged people to prepare and train for war. The post
led to arguments in the comments section, where most statements were in support
of the original post.


Another user posted links to publicly available bomb-making manuals on the
same 8chan successor forum and a 4chan firearms community. Links were posted on
the Internet Archive and Mediafire.

 

White Supremacist Telegram Channel Posts Information on 3D Printing Firearms

 

On January 12, a white supremacist Telegram channel posted information on 3D
printed firearms, including links to downloadable files for gun designs and
tips on printing and improving durability. The channel publishes information on
weapons, firearms modifications, and gunsmithing and has approximately 2,250
members. The Telegram channel has posted content endorsing white supremacy and
acts of violence.

           

The channel’s original administrator was identified
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 by anti-fascist researchers in June 2020, after he went to counter-protest an
anti-police brutality demonstration while armed in Dallas, Texas, on May 30. He
allegedly gave up his channel administrator position in August.

 

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