Europol: Daesh used women in the media  to promote the organization

Ahmed Lamlom

Since announcing itself in Syria and Iraq in 2014, the Daesh terrorist organization relies on a number of techniques in which it attempts to amplify its gains. At the heart of it is the media machine. The media aspect of its movements is not less important than the other aspects. It is usually associated with each group.

Usually in every group, there is a person with a camera on his shoulder documenting what is happening, so that the recorded footage or videos are used later to promote the terrorist organization.

Exploitation of women in the media

In a report issued by the European Police Agency (Europol) on Friday, it was reported that Daesh recruiting women and using them to support its position and promote its extremist ideas could pave the way for women to play a greater role on the front lines of terrorist groups in the future.

According to the 34-page report, women ideologues are ideologically motivated as male counterparts and willing to contribute to building a state where interpretations of the terrorist organization of Islamic law are applied. It also concludes that there are many examples of women who have carried out terrorist attacks or were arrested before the attacks were carried out and how they were prepared to use violence if they were allowed to do so.

The organization does not allow for large participation of women at present; however, this situation may vary according to the needs of the terrorist organization and developments on the ground.

European concerns

The report comes amid concerns over the threat posed by foreign evildoers, including women, to return to their mother countries in Europe after a humiliating defeat in Syria and Iraq, said Catherine DePaul, director of the European Police Agency (Europol), in an earlier statement.

She added that 15 per cent of persons convicted on terrorism-related charges in the European Union in 2018 were women, as well as some women reprimanding their husbands to join the Daesh terrorist organization.

The report cited the attack by three women against a police station in the city of Mombasa, Kenya in 2016, and how the propaganda methods of the organization dealt with the incident.