IS keeps ‘solid’ web support despite setbacks: Europol

Despite setbacks on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq the Islamic State group retains a “solid base of dedicated supporters” online, Europe’s policing agency warned yesterday, reports AFP from The Hague. Jihadist groups are also now using smaller internet platforms and forums to spread terror propaganda, Europol added.

“The relative decrease of ‘official’ IS propaganda over the last month has allowed more room for pro-IS user generated content,” the agency said in a statement from its Hague-based headquarters.

“This indicates that the so-called Islamic State organisation continues to have a solid base of dedicated supporters in the virtual environment of the internet,” it said.

The agency released its findings after a two-day joint operation earlier this week to seek out and flag content posted by jihadist groups on the internet.

Europol’s Internet Referral Unit teamed up with counter-terror and online propaganda experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Hungary. “Jihadist organisations and their supporters continue to abuse a variety of platforms for disseminating their propaganda,”

Europol said.

 

IS keeps solid web support despite setbacks: Europol

Despite setbacks on the battlefield in Syria and Iraq the Islamic State group retains a solid base of dedicated supporters online, Europes policing agency warned yesterday, reports AFP from The Hague. Jihadist groups are also now using smaller internet platforms and forums to spread terror propaganda, Europol added. The relative decrease of official IS propaganda over the last month has allowed more room for pro-IS user generated content, the agency said in a statement from its Hague-based headquarters. This indicates that the so-called Islamic State organisation continues to have a solid base of dedicated supporters in the virtual environment of the internet, it said. The agency released its findings after a two-day joint operation earlier this week to seek out and flag content posted by jihadist groups on the internet. Europols Internet Referral Unit teamed up with counter-terror and online propaganda experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Estonia and Hungary. Jihadist organisations and their supporters continue to abuse a variety of platforms for disseminating their propaganda, Europol said.