Page 96 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 5-6: Radicalization, Violent Extremism and Conflicting Diversity, eds. Mitja Sardoč and Tomaž Deželan
P. 96
šolsko polje, letnik xxix, številka 5–6
now exist only few clicks away from the propaganda source. This improves
the chances for recruitment of new members of terrorist groups in ways
previously seen only in case of propaganda by some nation states. ISIS’s
use of the internet for propaganda purposes reflects a very professional
approach, resulting in an increase in the reach of messages, and conse-
quently in the recruitment of new members (worldwide and not only in
the Middle East). Dissemination of propagandistic messages through so-
cial networks is additionally appealing because of the use of online media
and the simplicity of access (Taylor, 2017).
The propaganda strategies of al-Qaeda and ISIS have actually been
intertwined. They have many common characteristics. Allison Smith and
her colleagues (in Cohen, Kruglanski, Gelfand, Webber and Gunaratna,
2016: p. 144) studied the content of propagandistic material of several vi-
olent Islamist extremist groups. They discovered that the main points of
propaganda material are based on the emphasis of in-group righteousness,
morality, and civility. Al-Qaeda liked to use positive emotion words in its
messages and in the speeches of its leaders (Osama bin Laden and Ayman
al-Zawahiri), such as “happy,” “joy,” “love,” etc. Positive emotion words
were actually used more frequently than negative emotion words, such as
e.g. “awful,” “cry,” “hate,” and anger words (e.g. “kill,” etc.) (Pennebaker
and Chung, 2007: p. 5). An important element of Al-Qaeda’s propaganda
material is also violence. Through violent content, the group gains access
to even wider audiences and realises the group’s main objective – gain-
ing new activists, winning hearts and minds among the Muslim popula-
tion, awakening sympathy in parts of the audience, and terrorizing the en-
emies – who have to begin to seek surrender. The ideology in propaganda
by al-Qaeda is strictly religious, since the group wanted to be a sole repre-
sentative of global Jihad (Jordan, Torres and Jeep, 2005).
The religious ideology of al-Qaeda has performed like a glue, which
held together the entire terrorist group, not only on a local scale, but on a
global one as well. A strong ideology, which translates through the propa-
ganda of the group, is also needed because of the apparent out-numbering
by the majority population. The ideology also serves as a motivational fac-
tor, and strict interpretations of Quran are helpful. In the case of al-Qae-
da, the ideology has been always internationally oriented and filled with
the attempts of contextualising local conflict as parts of global struggles.
But this is not enough for speeding up the whole radicalisation process.
Dehumanisation of the enemy is often portrayed in propagandistic messag-
es, and it became one of the key factors of rapid radicalisation towards vi-
olence. This way, the ideology can have a deeper impact, since the enemy
94
now exist only few clicks away from the propaganda source. This improves
the chances for recruitment of new members of terrorist groups in ways
previously seen only in case of propaganda by some nation states. ISIS’s
use of the internet for propaganda purposes reflects a very professional
approach, resulting in an increase in the reach of messages, and conse-
quently in the recruitment of new members (worldwide and not only in
the Middle East). Dissemination of propagandistic messages through so-
cial networks is additionally appealing because of the use of online media
and the simplicity of access (Taylor, 2017).
The propaganda strategies of al-Qaeda and ISIS have actually been
intertwined. They have many common characteristics. Allison Smith and
her colleagues (in Cohen, Kruglanski, Gelfand, Webber and Gunaratna,
2016: p. 144) studied the content of propagandistic material of several vi-
olent Islamist extremist groups. They discovered that the main points of
propaganda material are based on the emphasis of in-group righteousness,
morality, and civility. Al-Qaeda liked to use positive emotion words in its
messages and in the speeches of its leaders (Osama bin Laden and Ayman
al-Zawahiri), such as “happy,” “joy,” “love,” etc. Positive emotion words
were actually used more frequently than negative emotion words, such as
e.g. “awful,” “cry,” “hate,” and anger words (e.g. “kill,” etc.) (Pennebaker
and Chung, 2007: p. 5). An important element of Al-Qaeda’s propaganda
material is also violence. Through violent content, the group gains access
to even wider audiences and realises the group’s main objective – gain-
ing new activists, winning hearts and minds among the Muslim popula-
tion, awakening sympathy in parts of the audience, and terrorizing the en-
emies – who have to begin to seek surrender. The ideology in propaganda
by al-Qaeda is strictly religious, since the group wanted to be a sole repre-
sentative of global Jihad (Jordan, Torres and Jeep, 2005).
The religious ideology of al-Qaeda has performed like a glue, which
held together the entire terrorist group, not only on a local scale, but on a
global one as well. A strong ideology, which translates through the propa-
ganda of the group, is also needed because of the apparent out-numbering
by the majority population. The ideology also serves as a motivational fac-
tor, and strict interpretations of Quran are helpful. In the case of al-Qae-
da, the ideology has been always internationally oriented and filled with
the attempts of contextualising local conflict as parts of global struggles.
But this is not enough for speeding up the whole radicalisation process.
Dehumanisation of the enemy is often portrayed in propagandistic messag-
es, and it became one of the key factors of rapid radicalisation towards vi-
olence. This way, the ideology can have a deeper impact, since the enemy
94
