Highlights
– AOIM’s professional media arm has steadily improved its media productions, to include its website, videos and statements, throughout the past year
– We believe he organization has been able to effectively increase in size, capability, and strength, through the use of such media outlets
– AOIM will continue to improve its media outreach in order to recruit more fighters and boost morale for the mujahideen
Al-Qaeda Organization in the Islamic Maghreb (AOIM) is a productive and advanced user of information communication technologies. AOIM is currently producing a multitude of Jihadist propaganda.
Since the former Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) merged with al-Qaeda in September 2006, the group has improved its virtual products in order to reach out to aspiring Muslim extremists to join in the cause. It is clear that more AOIM attacks are now followed by digital propaganda including videos and written statements.
Progressive Media Releases
We are aware of fifteen jihadist videos and almost twice as many written statements that the AOIM has released since September 2006. Of that number, several trademark media releases from the group have made it easier to track the group’s progress in capabilities and strength.
The first of these was a September 13, 2006, video statement from former GSPC leader, Abu Musaab Abdel Wadood, who pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden after Ayman al-Zawahiri’s announcement of GSPC’s merger with al-Qaeda in a 5th anniversary 9/11 video just two days before (Previous Report and Previous Report). The speedy release of AOIM’s response video to al-Zawahiri indicated two important elements of the group at that time – the level of communication between AOIM and al-Qaeda, and the ability to produce well organized videos, showcasing its capabilities and strengths. .
Likely to be the group’s most popular and influential video production was a January 18, 2007 “behind-the-scenes” video of the Bouchaoui attack conducted on December 10, 2006 (Previous Report and Terrorist Attack). This was the first attack conducted after the merger with al-Qaeda, and it was able to illustrate the success of its attack on Brown Root and Condor employees, from making the bomb to locating the target and executing the attack.
• For the first time since its merger with al-Qaeda, young and impressionable recruits, who may have been excited to join the jihad in Algeria, but thought it was too difficult or beyond their capacity, were able to see a step-by-step video documentary of the attack. This was crucial for the group’s growth, as well as retention of its members.
January 2007 was an important month for AOIM, as the group announced its formal name change from the GSPC to AOIM on January 26, 2007 in a written statement posted on jihadist websites (Previous Report). We believe the group planned the release the Boucaoui attack video prior to the name change in order to gain credibility and legitimacy as a group before attaching the al-Qaeda brand.
Professionalism Pays Off
From January to September 2007, AOIM’s videos increased in both quantity and quality. Whereas in the beginning the group was more interested in showing violent tactics to captivate its audience, AOIM’s strategy progressively matured, adapting to its audience and reevaluating its techniques to ensure higher retention, resolve, and recruits.
By September 2007, each video released in AOIM’s Sword’s Shadows episodes, as the group calls its attack videos, is better and more advanced than prior releases. Videos are crisp, clear and professionally edited. Via this propaganda AOIM is able to communicate the successes of each attack, while conveniently concealing its losses or weaknesses.
Additionally, for each video that AOIM produces, it is accompanied by a written statement posted online, articulating the goals and successes of each attack. This is important for aspiring jihadists, who may lack understanding or clarity of the mission. AOIM’s level of professionalism in its media sector is most likely one of its strongest attributes, allowing it to reach out to poor and uneducated potential recruits and persuade them to join the jihad.
AOIM Personal Website
For several months, AOIM leveraged independent prominent jihadist forums and websites to disseminate its productions. AOIM still takes advantage of this method of communication, but has also launched its own website on April 24, 2007 (Previous Report).
The group’s site has not always been the primary source for the group’s most updated information. In fact, often times AOIM would post its latest videos on other websites before hosting videos on its own site. This was most likely done because the group was more concerned with disseminating the information to a known and heavily trafficked site as its new site did not become as popular until recently.
Since its launch in April 2007, AOIM’s website has been frequently disrupted. In October 2007, most likely tracked by Algerian security forces, AOIM’s website was offline for less than one week before it was up again and hosted on a different server – this one located in Manchester, New Hampshire. The old site has also been reactivated, and is hosted from Malaysia.
Since its inception, AOIM has been able to effectively use a number media channels to advocate its cause. With the Internet being the fastest growing source for militant recruitment and propaganda, AOIM has found a niche in utilizing technology for the benefit of the North African jihad.
We believe the group will continue to advance its use of the Internet and media productions as long as access is available.