Abstract
This chapter presents an exploratory study of jihadi extremist groups’ videos using content analysis and a multimedia coding tool to explore the types of videos, groups’ modus operandi, and production features that lend support to extremist groups. The videos convey messages powerful enough to mobilize members, sympathizers, and even new recruits to launch attacks that are captured (on video) and disseminated globally through the Internet. They communicate the effectiveness of the campaigns and have a much wider impact because the messages are media rich with nonverbal cues and have vivid images of events that can evoke not only a multitude of psychological and emotional responses but also violent reactions. The videos are important for jihadi extremist groups’ learning, training, and recruitment. In addition, the content collection and analysis of extremist groups’ videos can help policy makers, intelligence analysts, and researchers better understand the extremist groups’ terror campaigns and modus operandi, and help suggest counterintelligence strategies and tactics for troop training.
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Acknowledgments
This research has been supported in part by NSF/ITR, “COPLINK Center for Intelligence and Security Informatics – A Crime Data Mining Approach to Developing Border Safe Research,” EIA-0326348, September 2003–August 2006.
We would like to thank the staff of the Artificial Intelligence Lab at the University of Arizona who have contributed to this work, in particular Wei Xi, Homa Atabakhsh, Catherine Larson, Chun-Ju Tseng, and Shing Ka Wu. Finally, we also acknowledge the presence of native analysts on our team who, in addition to being proficient in translating Arabic text to English, are also able to place the content within the sociopolitical and cultural environmental context. The absence of this latter skill would have created serious gaps which could have derailed our analysis.
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Appendices
List of Sample Videos
ID | File name | Time (m:s) | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 0405200501.rm | 08:27 | Abduction and execution of Jasim Mahdi | Beheading |
2 | 01.(1).wmv | 00:05 | Hummer destruction in Taji | Documentary |
3 | 0130200501.wmv | 01:30 | American embassy attack | Documentary |
4 | 02.(1).wmv | 00:49 | Rocket attack on American base in Dayali | Documentary |
5 | 0330200501.rm | 00:15 | Short clips | Documentary |
6 | 03-320.wmv | 00:55 | Mortar attack on American base – Ad-Dalou’yah | Documentary |
7 | 0416200502.wmv | 00:14 | 2 IED attacks | Documentary |
8 | 0504200501.wmv | 03:20 | Sniper attacks | Documentary |
9 | 0504200502.wmv | 04:35 | The IED | Documentary |
10 | 0504200503.wmv | 08:25 | Downing of a Bulgarian aircraft | Documentary |
11 | 0513200501.wmv | 11:05 | Dedication to the pigs | Documentary |
12 | 06-h.wmv | 00:11 | Double operation | Documentary |
13 | 07-h.wmv | 00:18 | Attacking American base – Al-Khales | Documentary |
14 | 08.wmv | 00:43 | IED’s in Mushahada | Documentary |
15 | 10.wmv | 00:12 | Road side bomb 1 | Documentary |
16 | 11.wmv | 00:58 | Mortar attack on American base 1 | Documentary |
17 | 16.wmv | 01:16 | Attacking American base – Dyali | Documentary |
18 | 18.wmv | 00:18 | Road side bomb 2 | Documentary |
19 | abugraib.wmv | 02:30 | Variety of operation | Documentary |
20 | ahdath_fallujah.wmv | 01:26 | Supply line disruption | Documentary |
21 | almokawama3.wmv | 00:36 | Mortar attack on American base 2 | Documentary |
22 | almokawama5.wmv | 00:13 | 2 Attacks | Documentary |
23 | alsunnahcellphone.wmv | 00:45 | Attack on military vehicle | Documentary |
24 | amalyah.wmv | 03:53 | Mosul attack | Documentary |
25 | haifa-control.wmv | 08:46 | Haifa street battle excerpts | Documentary |
26 | ìê© ÿééáïåï¡.rm | 01:45 | Hummer Attack 1 | Documentary |
27 | insurgent1.wmv | 03:19 | Collection of operations | Documentary |
28 | insurgent4.wmv | 01:44 | Gun battles | Documentary |
29 | Jihad Academy_ 93 Mb.rmvb | 28:30 | Jihad academy | Documentary |
30 | jonood.ram | 01:08 | Killing of seven American soldier | Documentary |
31 | labayk_fallujah.wmv | 05:38 | Labayk Fallujah | Documentary |
32 | mosul.wmv | 36:46 | Operations summary 1 | Documentary |
33 | samara.(1).wmv | 00:52 | Attack on Iraqi interior minister vehicle | Documentary |
34 | shot2.wmv | 00:58 | Katibat Al-Ansar operation | Documentary |
35 | shot3.wmv | 00:54 | Mujahedeen operation in Abu-Ghraib | Documentary |
36 | taji_hit.rm | 01:19 | Taji rocket attack | Documentary |
37 | us_bomb_mosul.wmv | 00:41 | Mosul bomb | Documentary |
38 | us_humvee.wmv | 00:50 | Hummer attack 2 | Documentary |
39 | walakinallahrama.wmv | 40:48 | Operations summary 2 | Documentary |
40 | 0330200502.wmv | 05:01 | Abducted and executed truck drivers | Hostage taking |
41 | 0401200501.wmv | 05:26 | Capture and release of 16 workers | Hostage taking |
42 | 0408200502.wmv | 03:28 | Execution of Iraqi policeman | Hostage taking |
43 | farisi.wmv | 00:46 | Iranian hostage | Hostage taking |
44 | muhafiz.rm | 05:57 | Muhafiz Abduction | Hostage taking |
45 | 8-4-2005.rm | 08:00 | Jaish Islami Fi Al-Iraq Statement | Message |
46 | message-from-resistance.wmv | 04:59 | Communique NO. 6 | Message |
47 | Movie.wmv | 00:25 | Usama clip | Message |
48 | obl09232004.mpeg | 02:19 | bin-Laden message | Message |
49 | rafidan4.wmv | 05:54 | Al-Jaish Al-Islami Fi Al-Iraq communique | Message |
50 | rafidan5.wmv | 08:23 | Dale C. Stoffel scandal 5 | Message |
51 | serio0815.rm | 03:56 | Sawt Al-Khilafah (voice of the Caliphate) | Newsletter |
52 | 1basha2er.wmv | 44:11 | Basha’r Al-Nassar | Propaganda |
53 | messages_fallujah.wmv | 21:10 | Fallujah volcano | Propaganda |
54 | AlMuselmess.wmv | 05:28 | Abu Omar Al-Musli suicide attack | Suicide attack |
55 | hotel.wmv | 02:50 | Sodayr suicide attack | Suicide attack |
56 | suicidehand.wmv | 02:51 | Road side bomb – body parts | Suicide attack |
57 | voiture_kamikaze_1.wmv | 04:06 | First suicide attack British troops | Suicide attack |
58 | 1rayat.wmv | 31:38 | Operations summary 3 | Tribute |
59 | altawhiddocumentary.wmv | 54:48 | Sheikh Abu Anas Al-Shami (The Lion) | Tribute |
60 | shuhadas_alharamayn.wmv | 06:47 | Shuhada Alharamayn | Tribute |
Coding Scheme
Class | Content category | Content feature |
|---|---|---|
General information | Title | Specify the reported title of the video |
Source | Specify the source web site/forum | |
Batch number | Specify the AI batch number | |
Type of video | Documentary, suicide attack, beheading, hostage taking, tribute, message, propaganda, instruction, training, newsletter | |
Date | Reported date | Specify the activity date |
Acquisition date | Date the video was obtained | |
Production | Language | Specify the language |
Special effects | Logo, English subtitles, Arabic subtitles, none | |
Accompanying music/hymn | Hymn music, hymn + music, none | |
Number of multiclips | Specify the number of multiclips | |
Extremist group | Extremist group name | Specify the reported group name |
Group media agency name | Specify the reported group media agency name | |
Sub group name | Specify the reported group sub name | |
Expressions | Verbal | Religious verses, poetry, others |
Nonverbal | Kissing, hugging | |
Reference to media | Arab media, Western media | |
Location | Country | Specify the event country |
City | Specify the reported city | |
Event | Tactic | Suicide bomb, shooting, artillery attack, mortar attack, rocket/missile attack, knife attack, assassination, bombing, hijacking, hostage taking, vandalism, CBRN attack, threat, vehicle attack, aircraft downing, kidnapping, grenade attack, unclear/unknown |
Weapon | Improvised explosive devices (IEDs), mortar and rocket, bladed weapon, poison/biological agent, automobile/other vehicle, assault rifles, grenades, unclear/unknown | |
Parts/stages | Threat and outcome, act and outcome, outcome, act being perpetrated, threat | |
Target | Victim type | Humanitarian/NGO, military personnel, religious figure, top government official, health care, diplomatic, civilian, businessman, government personnel, other, unknown |
Victim characteristics | Iranian, American, British, Iraqi, Canadian, French, Spanish, unknown | |
Facility type | Military base, military vehicle, airports and airlines, business, government building, political party, paramilitary, transportation infrastructure, energy infrastructure, police facility, NGO, convoy, religious institutions, civilian vehicle, ship, hotel, unknown | |
Facility characteristics | American, British, Iraqi, Bulgarian, unknown |
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Chen, H. (2012). Jihadi Video Analysis. In: Dark Web. Integrated Series in Information Systems, vol 30. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1557-2_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1557-2_14
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