Extremist online content: SoundCloud and the spread of ISIS songs

Hossam al-Haddad

The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) provides a weekly report on the methods extremists use to exploit the internet and social media platforms to recruit followers and incite violence. Last week, CEP researchers identified several ISIS songs on SoundCloud, including versions in Arabic, French, German and English. In addition, ISIS released a propaganda video of Amaq Al-Akhbariya on several sites, which it allegedly showed after a bloody IED attack on a Syrian army vehicle in the Homs area.

CEP researchers have identified an Instagram account for a clothing line affiliated with the white supremacist Rise Above Movement (RAM) that advertises RAM-branded clothing – including photos of RAM co-founder Robert Rondo – and contains links to its merchant site. Also, CEP researchers identified two posts published by a white supremacist fanatical Telegram channel, originally published on December 4, which provided addresses and instructions for contacting incarcerated mass shooters, including Brenton Tarrant, Dylann Roof, Anders Breivik and Patrick Crusius, among others. Finally, the neo-Nazis celebrated the 36th anniversary of the death of Robert Jay Matthews, the leader of the radical neo-Nazi group The Order, who was killed in a shootout with federal agents in Whidbey Island, Washington, while on the run.

ISIS songs

On December 10, CEP researchers identified several ISIS songs on SoundCloud. One account – which used photos taken from official ISIS propaganda – uploaded 57 songs to the site on December 9, including songs in Arabic, French, German and English. Another account uploaded 33 audio files to SoundCloud on November 25 and also used standard ISIS icons.

ISIS propaganda video

On December 9, ISIS published a propaganda video of Amaq Al-Akhbariya on several sites that allegedly showed a bloody IED attack on a Syrian army vehicle in the Homs region. The video was posted on RocketChat and uploaded to at least eight other sites, including File.Fm, Streamable, PixelDrain, Top4Top, Dropbox, Microsoft One Drive, Internet Archive, and Mega.Nz. After about 24 hours, the video was still available on three websites: File.Fm, Top4Top, and Internet Archive.

CEP researchers also identified an Instagram account for a clothing line affiliated with white supremacist group Rise Above Movement (RAM). The account advertises RAM-branded clothing – including photos of RAM co-founder Robert Rondo – and contains links to their marketing site. The first photo was uploaded to the account on November 22, and the page had more than 300 followers on December 10.

The account has not been removed by Instagram, even though it has been reported. Instagram previously allowed a RAM clothing store to work on their platform and only removed it in August 2018 after Huffington Post contacted them. A separate Instagram account belonging to an international online community affiliated with RAM was also located by CEP in September and is still online.

CEP researchers also identified two posts by a white supremacist fanatical Telegram channel, originally published on December 4, which provided addresses and instructions for contacting incarcerated mass shooters, including Brenton Tarrant, Dylann Roof, Anders Breivik and Patrick Crusius, among others. The posts had more than 2,600 views each. The channel provided advice on writing, operational security, and successful letter delivery. The channel urged its fans to use a mailbox or someone else’s address in place of the writer’s address, mail it from a mailbox far from the individual’s place of residence, and wear gloves to avoid fingerprints. The channel reported that the runners “sacrificed everything for us.”

Celebrating neo-Nazis

On December 8, the neo-Nazis celebrated the 36th anniversary of the death of Robert Jay Matthews, leader of the radical neo-Nazi group The Order. Matthews was killed in a shootout with federal agents on Whidbey Island, Washington, while on the run. The organization is a white extremist group formed in September 1983 and was heavily inspired by Turner’s Diaries. The group was responsible for the murder of Jewish radio presenter Alan Berg, attempted a synagogue bombing, counterfeited American currency, and carried out several robberies, including armored cars and a bank.