Introduction
The MEMRI Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor tracks the multiple ways in which jihadi groups are using social media such as Facebook,[1] YouTube,[2] and now Twitter – including "tweeting" news flashes, reporting attacks, battles, and other operational activities, sharing videos, inciting to Jihad and more. See:
- "Twitter Continues To Evade Explaining Its Breaking of U.S. Law and Its Indirect Support For Online Jihad: The Case of Hizbullah and Al-Manar TV," MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 777, December 22, 2011, Twitter Continues To Evade Explaining Its Breaking of U.S. Law and Its Indirect Support For Online Jihad: The Case of Hizbullah and Al-Manar TV
- "Somali Al-Qaeda Affiliated Al-Shabaab Tweets Jihad and Martyrdom," MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 772, December 13, 2011, Somali Al-Qaeda Affiliate Al-Shabaab Tweets Jihad and Martyrdom
- "UK Home Office Bans 'Terror Organization' Muslims Against Crusades; Group Spokesman Anjem Choudary Still Communicating Via Twitter, YouTube," MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 4278, November 11, 2011, UK Home Office Bans 'Terror Organization' Muslims Against Crusades; Group Spokesman Anjem Choudary Still Communicating Via Twitter, YouTube
- "Deleting Online Jihad on Twitter: The Case of British Jihadi Anjem Choudary – Tweeting for the Caliphate and the Conquest of the White House," MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 755, November 4, 2011, Deleting Online Jihad on Twitter: The Case of British Jihadi Anjem Choudary – Tweeting for the Caliphate and the Conquest of the White House
- "Why Haven't the Taliban's Twitter Accounts Been Shut Down?" MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 746, October 7, 2011, Why Haven't The Taliban's Twitter Accounts Been Shut Down?
This research also details Twitter's declared policy relating to U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organizations that use its service – a use that violates U.S. law and indirectly supports online jihad.[3]
The latest terrorist organization to begin tweeting, joining Hizbullah,[4] the Somali Al-Qaeda linked group Al-Shabaab,[5] the Taliban,[6] and many others on which MEMRI will be reporting soon, is Hamas. (For more on Hamas, see "The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement - Hamas," MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 3867, The Covenant of the Islamic Resistance Movement – Hamas: From the MEMRI Archives .)
It should be noted that other Palestinian groups designated by the U.S. as foreign terrorist organizations use Twitter as well, including the PFLP (http://twitter.com/PFLPgaza), which was designated an FTO in 1997 (see Appendix III).
The following report examines how the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas and its multiple apparatuses, ranging from its official information ministry, its military wing, its TV and radio channels, and its spokesman all use Twitter.
Hamas – A U.S.-Designated Foreign Terror Organization
Hamas was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization by the U.S. Department of State in April 1993. The FBI and U.S. Department of Justice stated in 2004 that Hamas threatened the United States through covert cells on U.S. soil.[7]
In testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee in 2005, FBI director Robert Mueller stated that his organization "believed that the main interest of Hamas in the U.S. remained the raising of funds to support their regional goals. Of all the Palestinian groups, Hamas has the largest presence in the U.S., with a robust infrastructure, primarily focused on fundraising, propaganda for the Palestinian cause, and proselytizing. Although it would be a major strategic shift for Hamas, its U.S. network is theoretically capable of facilitating acts of terrorism in the U.S"[8]
Now Tweeting: Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades, Al-Aqsa TV, Officials, Radio
Since Hamas sent its first tweet on November 21, 2009, it has posted a total of over 9,220 tweets in its various accounts, and has gained over 19,036 followers. The accounts include those of Hamas Info – the main organization’s office, Hamas' military arm Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' media wing Al-Aqsa TV, Hamas Political Bureau deputy chairman Moussa Abu Marzouq, Izzat Rishq, a senior Hamas official based in Syria, and Hamas Radio (see Appendix II).
The following are Hamas' various Twitter accounts:
Hamas Info (http://twitter.com/hamasinfo)
Hamas Info began tweeting on November 18, 2010. As of December 27, 2011 Hamas Info had posted 834 tweets and gained 4,047 followers.
Al-Qassam Brigades (http://twitter.com/AlqassamBrigade)
The Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' military wing, was founded in 1992, with the primary objective of building a cohesive military organization to support the goals of Hamas. In March 2002, the United States designated the Al-Qassam Brigades a foreign terrorist organization.
The Al-Qassam Brigades began tweeting on November 21, 2009. As of December 27, 2011 it had posted 2,282 tweets and gained 1,456 followers.
The Al-Qassam Brigades tweets include speeches and communiqués by the Hamas political and military leadership, excerpts from the Koran to incite jihad and martyrdom attacks, and links to YouTube videos inciting to violence, and even calls for "a new Holocaust."
Also tweeted are specific "military statistics" including the number of jihadist and martyrdom operations by Hamas, such as "the total number of the Zionists who were killed and injured by our hands reached to (7767)" and the number of "shelled targets by Al-Qassam Brigades of Zionists with homemade projectiles"; how many Al-Qassam martyrs and how many "Zionist soldiers" it killed, as well as calls for abducting Israelis, announcements of missiles and mortars fired at Israel, claims of responsibility for terror attacks, and more.
One tweet, sent December 21, 2011 stated: "Hamas calls for forming Arab army to liberate O. Jerusalem qassam.ps/news-5208-Hama…" with a link to the Al-Qassam web page that featured a press released by Hamas. The press release stated: "The Palestinian refugees in Arab countries at the vanguard of this army and called on the Arab countries witnessing the Arab spring to take the lead in creating the atmosphere and starting preparatory steps for the formation of this army. The first of these steps it to form Al-Quds brigade in each of these Arab countries and invite Palestinian refugees to take part in it."[9] The press release concluded, "We are confident that the battle for liberating Jerusalem has become closer than ever, and we are promised an imminent victory by God."[10]
"Zahar: Jews will soon be expelled from Palestine http://www.qassam.ps/news-3735-Zahar_Jews_will_soon_be_expelled_from_Palestine.html" was another tweet that linked to the Al-Qassam website, and to a post on a speech by a Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar. The post stated: "Al-Zahar says Jews were kicked out by France, Britain, Russia and Germany 'because they betrayed, stole and corrupted these countries.' The Jews will soon be expelled from Palestine that same way they were kicked out by France, Britain, Belgium, Russia, and Germany. […] But they have no place here amongst us because of their crimes. They will soon be expelled from here and we will pray at the Aqsa Mosque [in Jerusalem]."[11]
"Hamas & the Islamic Jihad 'the heart of the resistance'" http://www.qassam.ps/news-3688-Hamas__Islamic_Jihad_the_heart_of_the_resistance.html" was a tweet by the Al-Qassam Brigades which included a link to a speech by Islamic Jihad leader in Syria Ramadan Shallah, in which he said, "[T]he slogan of all should be that Israel must be wiped out of existence."[12] (For more tweets, see Appendix I.)
Al-Aqsa TV Channel (http://twitter.com/AqsaTVChannel)
On January 7, 2006, Hamas launched its TV channel, Al-Aqsa TV. On March 18, 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions against Al-Aqsa TV and designated it a terrorism-financing organization. The actions taken by the U.S. Treasury Department freezes all assets held by Al-Aqsa TV under U.S. jurisdiction and prohibits U.S. persons from engaging in any transactions with them. The Treasury Department stated that Al-Aqsa TV is financed and controlled by Hamas, serving as a primary Hamas media outlet that airs programs "designed to recruit children to become Hamas armed fighters and suicide bombers upon reaching adulthood."[13]
Following the U.S. Treasury Department's actions, France moved to ban the broadcasting of Al-Aqsa TV in France.[14] Al-Aqsa TV Channel began tweeting on September 14, 2011. As of December 27, 2011 it had posted 731 tweets and gained 4,351 followers.
Moussa Abu Marzouq, Hamas Political Bureau Deputy Chairman (http://twitter.com/mosa_abumarzook)
Hamas Political Bureau deputy chairman Moussa Abu Marzouq was listed as a Specially Designated Terrorist by the U.S. Treasury Department in 1995, and is currently on the re-named Treasury Department's Specially Designated National list under a number of alternative spellings: Dr. Musa Abu-Marzuq, Sa'id Abu-Marzuq, Mousa Mohamed Abou Marzook, Musa Abu Marzouk, and Musa Abu Marzuk. He is also listed under the alias Abu-'Umar.
Abu Marzouq began tweeting on July 24, 2011. As of December 27, 2011 he had posted 79 tweets and gained 524 followers.
Izzat Rishq, Hamas Political Bureau Member Based in Syria (http://twitter.com/izzat_risheq)
Izzat Rishq, a senior Hamas official based in Syria, is a member of the organization's Political Bureau. Rishq began tweeting on September 2, 2011.
As of December 27, 2011, he had posted 1,171 tweets and gained 2,547 followers.
Appendix I: Al-Qassam Brigades Tweet Koran Excerpts Inciting Jihad, Suicide Attacks; "Military Statistics" Including Jihad/Suicide Operations; Targets Shelled; Missiles and Mortars Fired at Israel; Claims of Responsibility for Killing Jews and Terror Attacks
The following are notable tweets by the Al-Qassam Brigades:
*Statements by HAMAS leaders in Support of Jihad
AlqassamBrigade
PM Haniya, "We clearly say that the militant resistance is the only way for liberating the land".
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Haniya: Palestine belongs to Palestinians qassam.ps/news-5189-Hani…
December 17, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Zahar:" Hamas renewed the history of resistance and Jihad"qassam.ps/news-5173-Zaha…
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Abu Obeida is talking on al Aqsa TV, in Gaza city, directing messages to the Araband Muslim nations and for the Zionists
October18, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Who is the Qassam commander Ismail Lubad?http://qassam.ps/news-4360-Who_is_the_Qassam_commander_Ismail_Lubad.html
April 2, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Abu Obeida: Today operation is a message and response"http://qassam.ps/news-4306-Abu_Obeida_Today_operation_is_a_message_and_response.html
March 19, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Zahhar: We are close to historic victoryhttp://www.qassam.ps/news-4014-Zahhar_We_are_close_to_historic_victory.html
January 10, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Zahar: Jews will soon be expelled from Palestinehttp://www.qassam.ps/news-3735-Zahar_Jews_will_soon_be_expelled_from_Palestine.html
November 7, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Abu Obeida the spokesman of al Qassam brigades declares responsibity. http://almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?p=60827#post60827
March 26, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Dr-Rantisi said " All we are going to die , either by cardeic arrest or abachi i prefer to be by Abachi"
January 25, 2010
*Official Calls For Conquering Israel and Jerusalem
AlqassamBrigade
Hamas calls for forming Arab army to liberate O. Jerusalem qassam.ps/news-5208-Hama…
December 21, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
On Nakba Day: "The Zionist project must end" - Ezzedeen Al-Qassam Brigades http://bit.ly/lxnRzH
May 15, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Our only goal is to liberate Palestine http://www.qassam.ps/news-3915-EQB_Our_only_goal_is_to_liberate_Palestine_from_the_occupation.html
December 15, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Hamas: Resistance will free Palestine http://www.qassam.ps/news-3898-Hamas_Resistance_will_free_Palestine.html
December 11, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Hamas & Islamic Jihad "the heart of the resistance."http://www.qassam.ps/news-3688-Hamas__Islamic_Jihad_the_heart_of_the_resistance.html
October 30, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Military Communique by al-Qassam Brigades:http://almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?p=60833#post60833
March 26, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Are You Prepared for Deathhttp://www.almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?p=60562#post60562
March 21, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Jurisprudence of jihad http://almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?p=59938#post59938
March 10, 2010
*Claims of Responsibility for Attacks and Calls For Future Attacks
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam Brigades: "the total number of the Zionists who were killed and injured by our hands reached to (7767)".
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
(E.Q.B), the armed wing of Hamas released on Wednesday a new military static on the occasion of Hamas 24th anniversary.
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Since the founding of Hamas, its armed wing, Ezzedeen Al Qassam Brigades (E.Q.B) shelled Zionist targets with 11093 homemade projectiles.
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
During the past 24 years of Hamas founding, Al Qassam Brigades implemented 1117 Jihadist operations, 87 were martyrdom operations.
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
During the past 24 years, Al Qassam mourned 1848 martyrs, while it has killed 1365 Zionist soldiers and injured 6411others.
December 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam Brigades vows to abduct more soldiers qassam.ps/news-5044-Al_Q…
October 23, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Breaking news: Palestinian resistance factions launch 7 Grad missiles and 10 mortars at Israeli military bases on Sunday morning, 2011.
August 21, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam brigades declares responsibility for killing two Zionist soldiers. http://almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?p=60827#post60827
March 26, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
The popular resistance is no substitute for the armed resistance qassam.ps/news-5131-The_…
November 27, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam Brigades pound Israel's army military bases http://qassam.ps/news-4396-Al_Qassam_Brigades_pound_Israels_army_military_bases.html
April 9, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
E.Q.B declares responsibility for Sa'ad operation http://qassam.ps/news-4391-Al_Qassam_declares_responsibility_for_Kfar_Saad_operation.html
April 7, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam targets Israeli military bases near Gaza http://qassam.ps/news-4304-Al_Qassam_targets_Israeli_military_bases_near_Gaza.html
March 19, 2011
*Linking To Youtube – Videos of Attacks
AlqassamBrigade
youtube.com/watch?v=bIO4W3…
July 11, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
YouTube - Intifada 3 (15-05-2011) - Trailer http://bit.ly/hwQnWK
April 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
YouTube - Third Palestinian Intifada Official Promo! http://bit.ly/euFavi
April 14, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
video: launching two Qassam rockets at the Israeli military base of Sofa. http://www.alqassam.ps/arabic/video1.php?id=479&cat=4
April 11, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Qassam:Khanyounis operation(video) http://www.qassam.ps/index.html
March 31, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Videos by Al-Qassam Brigades http://www.alqassam.ps/arabic/video1.php?id=267&cat=1
January 28, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Video: I am the Resistanc http://almoltaqa.ps/english/showthread.php?p=57928#post57928
January 26, 2010
*Outreach and PR Efforts
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas to hold a joint press conference in Gaza at 11:00 am in Al Katiba square in Gaza city.
April 3, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qassam Brigades invites local and international media outlets to cover its unique and informative-military conference for importance.
December 25, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Facebook bans Al Qassam English homepage http://www.qassam.ps/news-3872-Facebook_bans_Al_Qassam_English_homepage.html
December 4, 2010
AlqassamBrigade
Third Intifada page regains 27,000 fans in first day http://qassam.ps/news-4354-Third_Intifada_page_regains_27000_fans_in_first_day.html
March 31, 2011
*Assorted
AlqassamBrigade
Al Qarni in response to Zionists: capture soldier- get $100,000 qassam.ps/news-5060-Al_Q…
October 27, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
One Nation For New Holocaust, God willing. check this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETt2FHdy8Kc&feature=player_embedded#at =55
April 7, 2011
AlqassamBrigade
Hamas has new initiatives in store http://www.qassam.ps/news-4192-Hamas_has_new_initiatives_in_store.html
February 20, 2011
Appendix II: Hamas Radio Twitter Accounts
Al-Aqsa Voice Breaking [http://twitter.com/alaqsavoice_brk]
Al-Aqsa Voice Breaking began tweeting on October 12, 2011. As of December 27, 2011 it had posted 1,086 tweets and gained 4,952 followers.
Al-Aqsa Voice [http://twitter.com/Alaqsavoice]
Al-Aqsa Voice began tweeting on September 10, 2011. As of December 27, 2011 it had posted 3,037 tweets and gained 1,159 followers.
Appendix III
PFLP Gaza [http://twitter.com/PFLPgaza]
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization on October 8, 1997. PFLP Gaza began tweeting on June 4, 2011. As of December 27, 2011 it had posted 349 tweets and gained 71 followers.
*Steven Stalinsky is the Executive Director of The Middle East Media Research Institute.
[1] MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 650, "Social Network Jihad Part 1," December 13, 2010, Social Network Jihad Part 1
[2] MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 769, "YouTube – The Primary and Rapidly Expanding Online Jihadi Base, Part VI: Following Deaths of Bin Laden and Al-Awlaki, Jihadi Groups Continue to Post Thousands of Videos, Provide Cyber Jihad Tools on YouTube; The Case of 'Muslims Against Crusades,'" December 6, 2011, YouTube – The Primary and Rapidly Expanding Online Jihadi Base, Part VI: Following Deaths of Bin Laden and Al-Awlaki, Jihadi Groups Continue To Post Thousands of Videos, Provide Cyber Jihad Tools on YouTube; The Case of 'Muslims Against Crusades'
[3] According to Twitter's Terms of Service, account holders may use the Services only if "you [the user] can form a binding contract with Twitter and are not a person barred from receiving services under the laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdiction." Its "Restrictions on Content" states "We reserve the right at all times (but will not have an obligation) to remove or refuse to distribute any Content on the Services and to terminate users or reclaim usernames... We also reserve the right to... enforce the Terms, including investigation of potential violations hereof." Twitter also provides readers with the option to report violations. Twitter's Terms of Service do not ban designated terrorist groups, which are increasingly active on it, but focus instead on trademark violations, breaches of privacy, child pornography, copyright issues, harassment and violent threats, impersonation, and "name squatting." http://twitter.com/tos
A December 18, 2011 Washington Post report revealed that "U.S. officials have grown increasingly concerned about extremists' stepped-up activity on social media sites, citing cases in which Americans have been recruited online by terrorists overseas."
As far back as April 2011, Twitter was asked by The Washington Times to comment on reports about the Taliban Twitter account and about the law prohibiting provision of services to designated terrorist groups – but refused to do so. The newspaper report did quote Senator Joseph Lieberman as saying that he believed that the Taliban's use of Twitter "would be violating the company's terms of use."
Subsequently, the Los Angeles Times reported, on November 23, 2011, that after some Congressmen urged Twitter to stop hosting pro-Taliban tweets, Twitter executives told lawmakers that the micro-posts do not violate the website's terms of service because the Taliban is not listed by the State Department as a foreign terrorist organization. Such a designation would make it illegal to provide 'material support or resources' to the group. The Los Angeles Times, November 23, 2011. While the Pakistani Tehreek-e Taliban was designated by the U.S. State Department as both a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Special Designated Global Terrorist Organization, in September 2010 (http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/rm/2010/146597.htm), the Afghan Taliban has not been so designated. On this occasion too, "Twitter officials did not respond to requests for comment."
When it was discovered that Al-Shabaab – which was designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. State Department in 2008 (http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/other/des/143205.htm) – had launched a Twitter account and begun tweeting on December 7, 2011, questions arose regarding whether the government – or Twitter – would take action. A State Department spokesman said, "We are looking closely at the facts of this situation to determine what the appropriate next steps might be." According to a December 20, 2011 New York Times report, "some American officials said the government was exploring legal options to shut down the Shabaab's new Twitter account, potentially opening a debate over the line between free speech and support for terrorism... American officials said they were worried that the Shabaab might be using Twitter to reach potential recruits in the West."
Again, just as Twitter refused to comment to The Washington Times and the Los Angeles Times, company spokesman Matt Graves told The New York Times on December 19, 2011, "I appreciate your offer for Twitter to provide perspective for the story, but we are declining comment on this one."
[13] MEMRI Special Announcement No. 107, "Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV Placed Under Sanctions By U.S. Treasury Department," March 18, 2010, Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV Placed Under Sanctions By U.S. Treasury Department.
[14] MEMRI Special Announcement No. 115, "The Banning of Al-Aqsa TV in France Based on MEMRI Research," June 13, 2010, The Banning of Al-Aqsa TV in France Based on MEMRI Research.
