Al-Qaeda Teaches on Twitter How to ‘Kindly’ Cut off Human Head

An article in Lebanese daily As-Safir has taken a look into al-Qaeda’s increasing use of social media networks and media technology in spreading its ideology and even teaching people how to kill with kindness.

Malak Hamoud, the writer of the article, says al-Qaeda’s active offshoot in Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), which was previously just Islamic State of Iraq during the years of wars in Iraq is gaining more power in the social media, silencing almost every strong voice that is raised against them, Al-Alam reported.

The author says it is surprising that how al-Qaeda has come to get this much power; “Do it destroy them and make them invisible?”

The ISIL which is called “Daesh” in Arabic, is forcing itself in all types of media, reports, TV programs and now it is raising up in the internet space.

The group’s unique and unprecedented way of extremism, along with its media boosts, have made a unique image of this terrorist group for the viewers.

“Daesh has made it possible for everyone to follow its acts and behaviors and this is very dangerous, especially if the follower has some sense of extremism him/herself.”

Daesh writes in its Twitter account that, “The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant is stable and will remain firm with the help of God, Divine rules will be implemented by it and violated rights of Muslims will be regained”. Daesh considers anyone who rejects this, even Muslims, as enemies and a killing target.

These “new invaders”, as the writer describes, try to show themselves as traditional and committed to Sunnat (traditional way of life), but they are moving forward with the modern life and benefit from every new technology.

They have several Twitter accounts with different names, each with a different mission; “Lions of the Islamic State”, “Falcons of the Islamic State”, Companions of the Islamic State”, and “Shaam State” are among the most famous ones.

They have different missions, but they share the same goal: Establishing Khilafa.

Daesh official account has 60,000 followers and they are campaigning to attract more.

According to Daesh rules, having facebook pages is illegal and there are just a couple of pages which their followers do not exceed from several hundred.

The group leadership has also banned follower from using the name “Daesh” and anyone who uses this name in his account will be lashed 70 times.

They have an advertising ministry-like setup which issues statements on different subjects such as, Do not wear jeans, Do not use makeup, Do not shave your face, etc, and they get their statements from their clerics.

Most recently the advertisement ministry is training its followers how to “kindly cut human’s head” because they don’t want to seem violent. They teach followers how they started their war, and justify their acts and lead people to their other pages and groups to join them.

The war in Syria started in March 2011, when pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of western and regional states.

Since the start of the war al-Qaeda affiliated groups have been emerging under different names in Syria, fighting at the side of the US-backed opposition which is leading one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the turmoil that has gripped Syria for over two years.