Terrorist groups like ISIS are embracing a bold new weapon that is more capable of causing greater carnage and impact than conventional weapons and bombs. Extremists are now taking advantage of our increasingly connected world to spread their messages of hate and violence. It works anyway. Jihadist propaganda is more visible than ever — on the internet, in the news, and on social media — and ordinary civilians from around the world are being lured and recruited into these groups in record numbers. A disturbing new documentary, Cyber Jihad, produced by VPRO’s acclaimed Dutch TV series Backlight, reveals how this is happening and what is being done to stop it.
The film draws on the expertise of journalists and counter-terrorism experts who spend much of their time investigating the group’s control and manipulation of various forms of media. Notably, ISIS considers the media component of its operations as important, if not more important, than the act of terrorism itself. For example, their preparations for the beheading video. The film tells us that every camera angle and staging was carefully rehearsed to ensure maximum shock and horror before the actual violence.
Not all of their media endeavors are as constantly graphic and nightmarish as this one. Others use insidious messages of false hope to reach their target audience. Through exquisite production values and aggressive theatrics, the group’s recruiting videos seek to appeal to the disenfranchised throughout the civilized world with the promise of living a more fulfilling life of purpose and sacrifice.
The barrage of terrorist propaganda does not end there. After high-profile events, such as the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels, the group will broadcast a series of vignettes designed to mimic traditional news outlets. Many unsuspecting users are mesmerized by the professional appearance of these “breaking news” clips until their perverted views become apparent. To excite younger generations, ISIS troops are filming their combat operations from the perspective of a first-person shooter. The organization even hires new employees whose only job is to spread the word about their mission through social media channels like Twitter and Facebook.
Cyberjihad explores a frightening new battlefield in the unfolding war on terror, a cyber war that may prove impossible.
