A strategic briefing from the London-based Quilliam Foundation,, that aims to provide an insight into Islamic State's propaganda machine. their key conclusions:
  • A “good” image brings real power. IS’ careful and consistent branding exercise has enabled it to attract new recruits and donors, as well as satisfy the needs of current supporters.
  • IS’ declaration of the caliphate was a strategic calculation that was long in the making. Now, everything it does publicly is geared towards maintaining its image.
  • The brand has been crafted such that it appeals to a range of audiences, not just jihadists. Shrouding its actions beneath religion and history, it promises utopia, camaraderie, empowerment and adventure – these are key drivers for recruitment.
  • The campaign against Islamic State is a war of information just as much as it is military. If we are ever to effectively “degrade and destroy” the IS organisation, we must radically restructure our efforts.

Quilliam's President, Noman Benotman, a former Libyan jihadist with LIFG, has a great sentence:
We will never be able to live with the terrorism of IS, so we must figure out a way to defeat it.
Link:http://www.quilliamfoundation.org/wp...ne-year-on.pdf