Jihad Detainees Reveal Mass Recruitment Via Internet

The story may be read at The Media Line. The following are quotes with commentary.

Confessions of several detainees in Saudi Arabia are providing an indication of the extant[sic] Jihadi websites are impacting on potential Al-Qa`ida recruits.

What is missing when this subject is discussed is any measure of the extent to which all this online activity is actually effective as regards achieving the stated objectives of al-Qa`ida in general, and their webmasters, editors and forum administrators in particular.

Detained terror suspects explained in televised interviews broadcast on Saudi television on Tuesday how Al-Qa`ida was using the Internet as a tool to recruit new members and propagate radical ideology.

Yes, we are aware of their intent, but does it work? It seems to us that if the Internet was an effective tool there would be a good deal more terrorism occurring in the world today.

The interviewees included the Egyptian Abu `Azzam Al-An`sari, who is was editor of the online `Sada Al-Jihad (Jihad Echo) magazine, and Um Usama, [formerly] editor of the Al-Khansa magazine.

Those interviewed said the Internet was their preferred means of recruiting people and propagating their ideas, because it provided relative security, especially since none of the participants in the forums know each others' identities.

The equation

radical Islamic beliefs + online activity = jail time

is clearly one these folks are not yet familiar with, despite the fact that they themselves are in jail in Saudi Arabia for precisely that reason. But who are we to get in the way of a good story. Go ahead kids, stay online. Operators are standing by...

Detained Al-Qa`ida suspects have admitted to joining the organization after following news of the fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq.

If providing news of the fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq "makes" terrorists, then counter-measures need to include not only the jihadi sites, but also Reuters, CNN, BBC, and al-Jazeera, to name just a few of the handmaidens of the global jihad.

Saudi Arabia is very concerned about the use of the Internet as a tool to promote terrorism.

The word around the campfire is that Saudi Arabia remains concerned about this issue only to the extent that the jihadis make trouble within the Kingdom.

Saudi Arabia is an ally of the United States in the war on terror.

Such friends...

Posted on 06 July 2008 @ 23:24