Attacking the al Qaeda "Narrative"

[Merv Benson]

The Times of London has a story from a trial of three al Qaeda ops who were disseminating info for al Qaeda in Iraq.

Violent al-Qaeda propaganda, including footage of the beheading of hostages, was distributed around the globe by computer by young men sitting in their bedrooms in Britain, a court heard yesterday.

Three men appeared before Woolwich Crown Court accused of inciting terrorism abroad. They were said to have a “close affiliation” with al-Qaeda in Iraq, the group founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Younis Tsouli, 23, Waseem Mughal, 24, and Tariq al-Daour, 21, allegedly played important roles in al-Qaeda’s “media war” and had massive quantities of films, audio recordings, books and documents promoting the extremist ideology of Osama bin Laden and global jihad.

Among the footage found in police raids on their homes in London and Kent were films of the beheading of the British engineer Kenneth Bigley as well as the executions of American, Korean, Japanese, Egyptian, Iraqi, Turkish and Bulgarian hostages.

The footage of Mr Bigley’s death was found in a computer file labelled “The throat slitting of the Briton who Blair and his people would not help”. Other video material showed him pleading for his life along with his fellow hostages, the Americans Jack Hensley and Eugene Armstrong.

Police also seized film of the beheadings in Iraq of the Americans Nick Berg and Paul Marshall Johnson Jr, and the murder in Pakistan of the US journalist Daniel Pearl. The videos contained scenes of hostages as their heads were severed.

Other films found on the men’s computers or on discs in their rooms included footage of suicide attacks in Iraq, the video wills of “martyrs” and stylised productions eulogising the 9/11 hijackers.

...

Mr Tsouli had a Powerpoint presentation entitled “carbom-bzip” and another file containing video clips of the World Bank building and the US Capitol in Washington DC and the George Washington National Masonic Memorial.

A CD was found in the home of Mr Mughal containing a file giving instructions on how to make a suicide-bomb vest.

Mr al-Daour had a CD file entitled “special course in manufacturing explosives”, a document with instructions for firing a rocket-propelled grenade and a data file, “The Mujahidin Explosives Handbook”.

...

There is more at the link. I have comments on the group here.

[Jedburgh]

Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Focus, 22 May 07:

Al-Qaeda's Media Doctrine: Evolution from Cheerleader to Opinion-Shaper

...Since 1996, al-Qaeda's media operations have grown more sophisticated, pervasive and effective. From a media world in which al-Qaeda and other Islamist leaders repeatedly and simplistically urged Muslims to wage jihad "in God's path," emerged such sophisticated and multi-topic electronic journals as al-Ansar, al-Neda and Sawt al-Jihad. Today, al-Qaeda's media arm provides in-depth religious instruction for Muslims on the justifications for jihad that are found in the Quran, the sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad and Islamic history. Even using selective portions of scripture, al-Qaeda's scholars have fashioned a cogent religious foundation for waging a defensive jihad that has won support among tens of millions of Muslims, and especially among the young. Militants are now armed with religious arguments with which to match, and in their own minds trump, the anti-jihad arguments of those the West regards as "moderate" Muslims.

Al-Qaeda also has developed what can only be judged as a spectacularly successful online university of strategy, tactics and training for guerrilla warfare and terrorist operations (www.alsakifah.org). In journals such as those mentioned above and others, al-Qaeda's analysts and strategists have developed a worldview that neatly fits the Islamists' struggle into the context of contemporary international relations, explaining why there are solid geopolitical reasons—such as status quo U.S. foreign policies in the Muslim world, and the West's dependence on Muslim oil and need to defend its access thereto—that make al-Qaeda's war aims of "bleeding America to bankruptcy" and "spreading out U.S. forces" attainable...

[aktarian]

Originally Posted by Jedburgh

Jamestown Foundation's Terrorism Focus, 22 May 07:

Al-Qaeda's Media Doctrine: Evolution from Cheerleader to Opinion-Shaper

I would say there are three reasons behind this:
-spread of internet even to poorer regions. While not everybody has internet and computer in targeted areas there are enough of them for owner to get these tapes and either screen them for wider audience or copy them to VHS.
-internet is harder to censor than traditional media so message (including video) can spread to countries where it would be hard to smuggle and distribute ordinary videos or print underground newspapers
-with OEF AQ lost host country where they could operate freely. so if you can't teach recruits how to make and plant bombs etc you make instruction video. Not as effective but better than nothing
-

[SWJED]

General James Mattis - Attacking the al Qaeda "Narrative" by Jim Guirard at the SWJ Blog...

In his June 2007 State Department E-Journal article, New Paradigms For 21st Century Conflicts, Dr. Dave Kilcullen of General David Petraeus' senior staff in Baghdad called for, among other things, a "New Lexicon" for better defining and more effectively defeating enemies which subscribe to the faith-based mantra of "Death to America, the Great Satan".

In other public statements and in several Small Wars Journal postings, Kilcullen entered very slowly, very prudently into the virtually verboten realm of attacking al Qaeda-style Terrorism in Islamic religious context, rather than in Western secular terms only -- referring to the AQ terrorists as "munafiquun" (hypocrites to authentic, Qur'anic Islam) and pointing out that "they call themselves mujahideen" but are doing barbaric things which are anything but holy.

To which this word warrior says: Spot on! Two small steps for a good man, two giant steps for truth-in-language and truth-in-Islam in the War on al Qaeda-style Terrorism -- a.k.a., Irhabi Murderdom and the AQ Apostasy, as this essay recommends as its most appropriate new names.

But even these two measured Kilcullen attacks on the terrorists' religious legitimacy were in conflict with the State Department's basic rule in such matters. As stated on page 25 of the US National Strategy For Public Diplomacy and Strategic Communication, the official advisory is, in part, as follows: Use caution when dealing with faith issues. Government officials should be extremely cautious and, if possible, avoid using religious language, because it can mean different things and can be easily misunderstood...

[Nat Wilcox]

It also worries me. I think back to Dubya's frequent use of mufsiduun (well, really the English evildoers) way back when. I remember well the nearly universal postmodern sneering at this sort of talk that ensued around my university, at cocktail parties, in the Western media generally. And I'm sure the same thing would happen all over again if our government or military tried talking that way again as a deliberate matter of policy.

Maybe it doesn't matter, but maybe it does. I don't know exactly how attuned your average Mahmoud is to the discordant din of public discourse in the West, but I'll bet that whatever edge such an alternative lexicon might potentially have, it would be substantially dulled by our own cacophany over its use. It might even backfire. It would be one thing if Muslims themselves naturally developed this alternative lexicon, but I'm pretty nervous about us trying to adopt it as a deliberate tactic.

[Rob Thornton]

You know, some if the lingo like "Irhabi" is making its way into the ISF lexicon - when I first got there ISF (who spoke some English) when talking to Americans either said Ali Baba (picked up from U.S. troops during 03/04 or simply the terrorists. On the back side I heard IA patrols calling into their BN TOC reports of Irhabi, and in discourse between IA and IP at their Joint targeting meetings.

When Al Jazeera and Islamic state officials such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, etc, clerics, sheiks and mullahs, can with confidence and without fear of losing power, use this type of lexicon to describe AQ and like activities - it will have the desired effect. Until then, it may only meet with marginal success.

As such I think our Strategic Communications and public diplomacy to our Arab & Muslim partners, friends and allies must encourage them to see and understand how we view these activities and to issue public condemnations in the strongest language that challenges the religious beliefs the Irhabi cloaks themselves in.

On the tactical level, I think using the appropriate terms does resonate. When I say tactical I mean the interactions with local officials, HN Security forces, and everyday people on the street during patrols. Hearing it, even from an American as a vocal expression, or on a hand bill - particularly if they are already thinking it anyway, raises the issue and may lead that person to question where they had placed terrorist activities in the context of their faith and life. It also creates an opportunity for dialogue. Your next tip, or the tip to an ISF may come from somebody vocally raising that doubt about what is good and what is bad. I've had some interesting conversations with both English speaking Arabs and through an interpreter while patrolling about our role in Iraq, the future of Iraq and what is right and wrong.

I'd also add that our understanding of these words is fundamental to interaction and understanding our common enemy.

[Nat Wilcox]

Both points well-taken, Rob: I see how discrete promotion of that lexicon in Riyadh, and its use on the ground in Baghdad, can be quite helpful. You've helped me focus my nervousness: It would be with hearing it come from White House Press Secretary, or from a prominent U.S. senator talking to our media. To everything, there is a time and a place.

[J Wolfsberger]

It's good news that the terminology is being adopted. But the key term is "munafiquun." About the only thing the Dems and other leftists have gotten right is that there is a civil war. Of course, they don't understand that it is a civil war within all of Islam. When the man on the street begins to describe the Taliban and Al Qaeda as "munafiquun" we'll be a lot better off.

[goesh]

The problem with using 'the lingo' on the street/tactical level is it comes across as phony and affected and can have an adverse impact. These aren't common terms used every day to begin with and are subject to all kinds of interpretation and meaning by the common person. Infidels and islamic esoteria don't mix well and the same can be said of most cultures, like the wannabes wearing turquoise jewelry and Indian attire believing they will come across as hip and cool and in the know about Indian culture(s) and be more readily accepted. From my Peace Corps days I remember a couple of Black Americans who despite their good language skills and cultural awareness were always spotted as non-Africans when they wore local attire - the kids would hit on them for hand outs as fast as they would on Whites and more than one African told me they could always spot a Black American no matter they were wearing. Good info to have, these terms, but caution is needed in exploiting them.

[marct]

Hi Goesh,

Originally Posted by goesh

The problem with using 'the lingo' on the street/tactical level is it comes across as phony and affected and can have an adverse impact. These aren't common terms used every day to begin with and are subject to all kinds of interpretation and meaning by the common person. Infidels and islamic esoteria don't mix well and the same can be said of most cultures,..

That is a good point and, at the general rule of thumb level i would agree with you. This, however, is one of the situations where that rule of thumb is maladaptive. Case in point, we have already adopted the use of esoteric Islamic language ("jihad", "mujahadeen") and use it in everyday talk - we are just using the wrong terms.

[J Wolfsberger]

Marc,

Originally Posted by marct

...we have already adopted the use of esoteric Islamic language ("jihad", "mujahadeen") and use it in everyday talk - we are just using the wrong terms.

The point I was trying to make (poorly) is that the goal of our IO should be to have the Moslem community adopt these concepts, especially "munafiquun."

[marct]

Hi JW,

Originally Posted by J Wolfsberger

The point I was trying to make (poorly) is that the goal of our IO should be to have the Moslem community adopt these concepts, especially "munafiquun."

Actually, I agree totally with you, althoug I would think it a step forward to just use irhabi in place of jihadist. My response was aimed at Goesh's comment about the adoption of terms.

Marc

[J Wolfsberger]

Hi Marc,

Originally Posted by marct

Hi JW,



Actually, I agree totally with you, althoug I would think it a step forward to just use irhabi in place of jihadist.

Marc

Actually, I think that's occurring. I've read a number of anecdotes in various places where, as an example, sheiks and tribesmen in Anbar refer to the "irhabi."

[Cavguy]

Originally Posted by J Wolfsberger

Hi Marc,



Actually, I think that's occurring. I've read a number of anecdotes in various places where, as an example, sheiks and tribesmen in Anbar refer to the "irhabi."

I'll categorically state that as of 2006 in both Ninewa (Tal Afar/Mosul) and Anbar (Ramadi), "irhabi" is used constantly by the locals to describe AIF/AQIZ.

[redbullets]

Originally Posted by J Wolfsberger

The point I was trying to make (poorly) is that the goal of our IO should be to have the Moslem community adopt these concepts, especially "munafiquun."

IMO, directing our own IO campaign with the objective of having the Muslim community adopt these concepts will not be effective. At this stage, at best it will be viewed as disingenuous, and at worst counterproductive.

The focus should be on a truly Muslim IO campaign (if we can convince any of our allies to think, plan and execute such) toward developing/reinforcing these concepts among the mainstream believers, hopefully to eventually trickle down to and influence the fringe, or at least introduce some distance between the two.

Cheers,