16 May 2020

Armed “jihad” or proselytism – two sides of the terrorist propaganda during the pandemic

Sorin Butiri

Among the main “ingredients” necessary for a terrorist organization to accomplish its objectives there are the financial and the human resources. These can be obtained through major impact attacks and propaganda. Through propaganda, the terrorist organizations are extending their recruitment spectrum and get funds from sympathizers or sponsors. The current pandemic of the new coronavirus offered a series of propagandistic opportunities for two major terrorist organizations: “The Islamic State in Iraq and Levant” and “Al-Qaeda”. Meanwhile both organizations follow the principle of unscrupulous exploitation of this opportunity, each chose its own way of acting in the online space.

Image source: Profi Media

This crisis is a punishment from Allah, but...

In order to support their cause, terrorist organizations need human, financial and material resources. They get that through concrete actions (attacks) that have major media impact and through propaganda. Even for the uncommon terrorist attacks in terms of their lethality, like the 9/11 one, terrorists want rather a big audience, than many victims. The audience supports their cause, extends their recruitment spectrum and provides them the necessary funds to continue the fight.

The salafist-jihadist groups’ visions’ over the coronavirus pandemic follows the same principles – the media exploitation of the moment to mobilize the members and sympathizers and get new ones. Even if the main purpose is the same, the main salafist-jihadist terrorist organizations have different visions on how to approach the pandemic in their propaganda.

Both the Islamic State for Iraq and Levant (ISIL) and Al-Qaida (AQ) agree that the virus is a “punishment” from Allah, but the problem of conspiracy theories on virus’s origin or the exploitation method of the COVID-19 threat marks a difference between the messages of the two groups.  These media and operational differences are nothing new, being frequently observed in Africa, within the groups affiliated to ISIL and AQ.

The “Islamic State” calls on fight...

After the repeated defeats from Syria and Iraq and the death of organization’s leader, Abu Bakrs Al-Baghdadi, the current pandemic is just like a “breath of fresh air” for organization’s media sector. As I was stating in a previous article, firstly, ISIL issued a “travel warning” for its members and sympathizers, asking them to avoid  travelling to Europe, the coronavirus pandemic focus, but also to other areas affected by this virus. The message was sent through ISIL’s bulletin from “Al-Naba” and it was asking the ISIL members and followers to not go to Europe or, if they are there already, to not come back to the territories controlled by the organization. In a graphic page, the ISIL message trains militants on how to stop the spread of the pandemic within the organization. Therefore, the ISIL members are advised to “trust Allah and seek refuge in Him during this difficult time”, but also to “cover their mouth when they are yawning  or sneezing and to wash their hands frequently, at least three times a day”. If in that phase, the message sent by ISIL wanted to keep its forces, then, also through Al-Naba, the organization’s leadership said to its members that their war will continue even during the coronavirus pandemic. Also, ISIL asked its members and followers to take advantage of the current pandemic, especially in Iraq, where the Global Coalition against ISIL, led by US, announced, on March 20th, that it will withdraw and reposition its forces to stop soldiers from being infected with COVID19. The message had a strong impact within ISIL members. Therefore, they started to launch frequent attacks, trying to extend their influence, focusing especially on the territories disputed in Iraq. At the beginning of March, two Peshmerga fighters were killed and others were hurt in an ISIL attack over Kolajo, the Kurdistan region. Afterwards, ISIL executed an attack close to Al-Haliwa military airport. At the beginning of April, Al-Naba was officially announcing that ISIL claimed 29 attacks from Irak, in the first eight days of the month, and 11 attacks in Syria. On April 9th, ISIL launched an offensive over Al-Sukhnah, east of Syria, killing 32 Syrian soldiers.

...meanwhile Al-Qaida has a softer approach

Unlike ISIL, AQ has a different approach, a softer one, regarding the exploitation of COVID-19. AQ’s messages were directed towards a religious rhetoric, in order to gain the sympathy of Muslims and gain substantial support from them. The organization issued a statement acknowledging the challenges of the current pandemic for Muslims and suggesting a direction to follow in the post-coronavirus period.

Unlike SIIL, AQ did not call its followers to battle, but emphasized the economic conditions that also affect Muslims, but also the inability of believers to pray in mosques or make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Under these conditions, AQ calls on business people to donate money to the organization.

This AQ approach indicates two possible realities. First - the organization does not have, at this time, the ability to carry out an attack with a global or regional media impact and wants to preserve its available forces. Second - the group tries to attract as many supporters and sponsors as possible by sending a message of temporary tolerance in order to facilitate recruitment. Also, this "soft" approach of AQ is an attempt to return to bin Laden's approach before the attacks of September 11, 2001, an approach that sought to gain the sympathy of the population and attract as many recruits as possible. In fact, this tactic is currently being used by the JNIM (Jama'a Nusrat al Islam wa al Muslimeen) group, affiliated with AQ, to "gain ground" in front of ISWAP/ISGS (Islamic State in West Africa Province/Islamic State in Greater Sahara).

Conclusion

Both organizations, ISIL and Al-Qaeda, adopted different media strategies, but they still follow the same principle – exploit the opportunities. Their implementation depends on organization’s ideology and the targeted population.

The AQ position indicates the organization's efforts to get funding and attract new followers by faith, not by brutal coercive measures. In these circumstances, we can say that the goal of AQ is, during this period, the spread of Islam rather than attacks. But as the aforementioned bin Laden approach ended with the 9/11 attacks, it is expected that this proselytism condition currently being addressed by the AQ will end in smaller-scale attacks, that will ensure the recruitment and funding of the organization.

On the other side is ISIL, which sees this pandemic as an opportunity to continue attacks and "jihad", given that security forces are primarily involved in limiting the effects of the current pandemic.

So, during the pandemic of COVID-19, whatever direction these terrorist organizations take to strengthen their position, their actions cannot be ignored and the actions of the intelligence services, the armed forces and law enforcement is crucial.

Translated by Andreea Soare