Using the Internet to market terrorism: The Islamic Jihad is supported by American ISP Companies

Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center ^ | August 2004 | Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center

[JohnathanRGalt]

Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center
at the Center for Special Studies (C.S.S)

Special Information Bulletin

August 2004

Using the Internet to market terrorism: The Palestinian Islamic Jihad markets its terrorist messages using Internet sites supported by Western (mainly American) companies
(despite the fact it has been declared a terrorist organization by both
the United States and the European Union)

Overview

1.

Palestinian and international terrorist organizations make massive use of the Internet to spread propaganda supporting terrorism and as a means of maintaining contact between organizations (and headquarters), their infrastructures and their target populations (often over enormous distances).

2.

The importance of the Internet as a means of marketing terrorism became significantly greater after the events of September 11, 2001. That was because the Web makes it relatively easy for them to evade the difficulties imposed by various governments (particularly the American government). It also enables them to exploit liberal Western laws ensuring freedom of speech to spread their propaganda without effective supervision and with no censorship whatsoever.

3.

The following case study examines the way the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) uses the Internet to spread its terrorist propaganda.

The PIJ Internet infrastructure – Survey

4.

The PIJ operates three main and three subsidiary Internet sites. A description of those sites and of the Internet companies supporting them follows. ¹

¹ The data provided here are primarily based on an examination of the Haganah Internet site in the United States ( http://internet-haganah.us/haganah/ ), which tracks terrorist Internet sites, predominantly of an Islamic nature. Other sources used were the MEMRI (particularly “ Islamist Websites and Their Hosts Part I: Islamist Terror Organizations,” by Marie-Hélene Boccara ) ( http://www.memri.org/news.html ) and Whois Domain-Based Research Services ( http://whois.net ) sites. The picture as presented here is by no means complete. In addition, the survey does not include sites which support the PIJ but do not officially belong to the organization.

5.

The three primary sites:-

a.

http://www.qudsway.com : The site posts current notices from the organization, archival material about its activities, publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ, encouragement of terrorism against Israel and praise for the suicide bombers.

b.

http://www.palestineway.com : The contents of this site are similar to those of Qudsway.

c.

http://www.sarayaalquds.com : This is the site of the organization's operational-terrorist wing (the Jerusalem Battalions). It includes updated documentation about the Battalions, archival material about the organization's terrorist activities, publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ, encouragement of terrorism against Israel and praise for the suicide bombers.

6

The three subsidiary sites:-

a.

http://www.jimail.com/abrar / : It posts notices, information about the organization's activities, publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ, encouragement of the use of terrorism against Israel and praise for the suicide bombers. It is inactive but directs surfers to the organization's main sites.

b.

http://www.rabdullah.com : This is the organization's site dedicated to its current leader, Ramadan Abdallah Shalah. It documents his pronouncements, activities and worldview in favor of an uncompromising armed insurrection for the “liberation” of “all Palestine” and the establishment of an Islamic state. It posts articles, lectures, speeches, pictures and a biography of Shalah.

c.

http://www.shikaki.com : This is the organization's site dedicated to the memory of its founder and leader, Fathi Shqaqi, who was killed in Malta in 1995. It documents his pronouncements, activities and worldview in favor of an uncompromising armed insurrection for the “liberation” of “all Palestine” and the establishment of an Islamic state.

7.

Insofar as can be verified, the organization's Internet infrastructure is supported by Western companies located mainly in the United States; in one case it is supported by an Iranian company (See Appendix A). The PIJ appears on the lists of terrorist organizations prepared by the United States and the European Union. Preference mainly for the United States and Western companies is not a matter of chance but rather convenience: it features companies which can provide advanced technological support, the PIJ can easily “disappear” among so many Western companies, and because of freedom of expression laws, it does not strictly or effectively control the sites of the various terrorist organizations (in the United States reliance is placed on the First Amendment to the Constitution).

8.

In that context, it is worthwhile to note that other Palestinian terrorist organizations, such as Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah, as well as international terrorist organizations such as – paradoxically -- Al-Qaeda, all extensively use Western companies and technology, particularly those in the United States.

9.

Following Appendices describe the various PIJ Websites and provide information about the companies supporting them.

Appendix A

http://www.qudsway.com   and    http://www.qudsway.org

Home Page

1.

This is a Palestinian Islamic Jihad Website. It posts basic information about the PIJ and its past and present leaders; regular reports on its terrorist attacks (and those of other organizations), archival material, publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ, encouragement of terrorism against Israel and praise for the suicide bombers. It is frequently updated.

2.

Its ISP is Iranian:-
Telecommunications Company of Iran (TCI)
Data Communication Affairs
665 Shiraz Ave.
Mollasadra St.
Tehran 14358, Iran
+98 218029495
+98 218029494
mahdioun@mail.dci.co.ir

Appendix B

http://www.palestineway.com (abrarway.com)

Home Page

1.

This is a Palestinian Islamic Jihad Website. It posts announcements about the organization and its activities, archival material, publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ, encouragement of terrorism against Israel and praise for the suicide bombers. It is updated frequently and its contents are similar to those of qudsway.com.

2.

Its ISP is VONOC, located in Englewood, Colorado.

3.

Its host server is web-host-plus.com, probably based in London (Note: In early July 2004 it was learned that web-host-plus.com is actually based in Bucharest, Romania. Its current status is unclear).

4.

The site is registered in Beirut.

Appendix C

http://www.sarayaalquds.com Home Page

1.

This is the site of the Jerusalem Battalions, the PIJ's operational-terrorist wing. It posts updated information about the Battalions, material about the organization's terrorist activities (wills of the “martyrs,” words of praise in their memories, announcements, etc.) and publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ. The site is updated less frequently than Qudsway.com and Palestineway.com.

2.

Its ISP is Level3, located in Broomfield, Colorado.

3.

The site is registered in Beirut .

Appendix D

http://www.jimail.com/abrar Home Page

Note: Above is the home page reached for jimail.com/abrar.

1.

This is the PIJ's site. It posts announcements, information on the organization's activities, publication of books and articles sponsored by the PIJ, encouragement of terrorism against Israel and praise for the suicide bombers. It is inactive but serves to direct surfers to the organization's main sites.

2.

Its ISP is Alabanza, based in Baltimore, Maryland.

3.

The site is registered in Beirut .

Appendix E

http://www.rabdullah.com Home Page

1.

This is the organization's site dedicated to its current leader, Ramadan Abdallah Shalah. It documents his pronouncements, activities and worldview in favor of an uncompromising armed insurrection for the “liberation” of “all Palestine” and the establishment of an Islamic state. It posts articles, lectures, speeches, pictures and a biography of Shalah. The site is not updated.

2.

Its ISP is Level3, Broomfield, Colorado.

3.

The site is registered in Beirut.

Appendix F

http://www.shikaki.com Home Page

1.

The PIJ Website dedicated to the memory of its founder and leader, Fathi Shaqaqi (killed in Malta in 1995). It documents his pronouncements, activities and worldview in favor of an uncompromising armed insurrection for the “liberation” of “all Palestine” and the establishment of an Islamic state. It is almost identical in structure to Ramadan Shalah's site.

2.

Its ISP is Alabanza, based in Baltimore, Maryland.

3.

The site is registered in Beirut.

Appendix G

Information about Level3, an American-based company working globally,
used by the PIJ internet infrastructure, taken from their Website, www.level3.com

Appendix H

Information about Alabanza, an American-based company working globally,
used by the PIJ internet infrastructure, taken from their Website, www.alabanza.com

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http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/sib/8_04/internet.htm

[JohnathanRGalt]

Jehadi Cyberwar ping.
Let me know if you want on or off

[Cindy]

LINKS OF INTEREST
http://www.truthusa.com/LinksOfInterest.html

[EdReform]

read later

[wolicy_ponk]

ping

[Velveeta]

bump

[Looking4Truth]

Oh boy!! Another chance for the MSM to slam the internet. The good will get shut out because of the bad, wait and see.

[JohnathanRGalt]

Oh boy!! Another chance for the MSM to slam the internet. The good will get shut out because of the bad, wait and see.

How so, explain further?

I don't see MSM in the list of guilty, evil companies supporting terrorists here at all. The only ones listed here are:

• VONOC, located in Englewood, Colorado.
• Level3, located in Broomfield, Colorado.
• Alabanza, based in Baltimore, Maryland.
• TCI located in Tehran, Iran.

The companies host terror, and continue to host it because :

• Individuals such as ourselves don't complain loudly enough to the ISPs
• The media goes out of it's way to keep the information from people.
• Law enforcement doesn't enforce laws against terrorism.
  
• People think that if they complain, they will be interfering with some secret FBI / CIA / NSA sting / monitoring operation.

'Uncle Bill' and MSM have nothing to do with this scandal.