Mirsad Omerovic, a.k.a. Ebu Tejma, is a convicted Islamic extremist imprisoned in Austria. In July 2016, an Austrian court handed Omerovic a 20-year prison sentence after finding him guilty of recruiting young people to ISIS. Omerovic was officially charged on one count of membership in a terrorist organization, and on one count of promoting terrorist activities.“Twenty years in prison for Austrian hate preacher,” Deutsche Welle (Bonn), July 14, 2016, http://www.dw.com/en/twenty-years-in-prison-for-austrian-hate-preacher/a-19400850;
“Austria Sentences IS Recruiter to 20-Year Prison Term,” Voice of America, July 14, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/content/austria-sentences-is-recruiter-to-20-year-prison-term/3417847.html;
“Samra Kesinovic, Sabina Selimovic: How Islamic State recruits teenagers,” News.com.au, November 28, 2015, http://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/samra-kesinovic-sabina-selimovic-how-islamic-state-recruits-teenagers/news-story/9a0ab035c6352e2eb93c93b1733bd76e.

Prior to his November 2015 arrest, Omerovic had reportedly led a Vienna-based Bosnian terrorist cell through which he had recruited Europeans to join jihadist groups abroad. Omerovic was allegedly responsible for radicalizing Austrian teens Samra Kesinovic, then 17, and Sabina Selimovic, then 15, who joined ISIS in April 2014, becoming worldwide poster girls for the group.David Rogers, “Revealed: Hate preacher terror 'mastermind' who recruited Austrian ‘ISIS poster girls’ sent ‘another 160 to join jihad in Syria and Iraq,’” Daily Mail (London), December 10, 2014, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2865316/The-terror-mastermind-recruited-Austrian-ISIS-poster-girls-got-160-join-jihad-Syria-Iraq.html. In November 2015, news reports emerged that one of the girls, Kesinovic, had been beaten to death by ISIS after trying to escape from the group’s stronghold in Raqqa, Syria.Chris Perez, “Austrian jihadi bride beaten to death after trying to escape ISIS: friend,’ New York Post, November 24, 2015, http://nypost.com/2015/11/24/austrian-jihadi-bride-beaten-to-death-after-trying-to-escape-isis-friend/.

These two high-profile recruits were among the more than 160 Europeans believed to have joined ISIS after being radicalized by Omerovic, who preached radicalizing messages in local mosques, as well as through his YouTube videos.“Jihadist ‘mastermind’ on trial in Graz,” Local (Vienna), February 22, 2016, http://www.thelocal.at/20160222/jihadist-mastermind-on-trial-in-graz; Gianluca Mezzofiore, “Islamic hate preacher who recruited ISIS poster girls travelled through Europe ‘like a popstar on tour as he brainwashed teenagers,’” Daily Mail (London), February 22, 2016, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3458649/Islamic-hate-preacher-recruited-ISIS-poster-girls-travelled-Europe-like-popstar-tour-brainwashed-teenagers.html. At Omerovic’s July 2016 sentencing, an Austrian public prosecutor claimed that he had “brainwashed” dozens of young people into joining ISIS in Syria.“Austria Sentences IS Recruiter to 20-Year Prison Term,” Voice of America, July 14, 2016, http://www.voanews.com/content/austria-sentences-is-recruiter-to-20-year-prison-term/3417847.html.

Before his arrest, Omerovic was believed to maintain a direct line of communication with ISIS’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.“Jihadist ‘mastermind’ on trial in Graz,” Local (Vienna), February 22, 2016, http://www.thelocal.at/20160222/jihadist-mastermind-on-trial-in-graz. Omerovic was reportedly is believed to have been deeply connected to other jihadist operations in Europe. According to one Austrian newspaper, there is was “scarcely a single recruit in Europe for jihad in which [Omerovic] and his group were not involved.”“Jihadist ‘mastermind’ on trial in Graz,” Local (Vienna), February 22, 2016, http://www.thelocal.at/20160222/jihadist-mastermind-on-trial-in-graz.

Twitter personality “Jazrawi Daesh” is a proponent of ISIS. Following the December 2, 2015, shootings in San Bernardino, California, Jazrawi Daesh took to Twitter to announce the “martyrdom” of the two shooters. He referred to the male shooter as a “Mujahid,” or holy warrior.CEP, Twitter post, December 4, 2015, 2:57 p.m., https://twitter.com/FightExtremism/status/672867253688393728;
Michael Isikoff, “FBI Director Comey: San Bernardino shooting now ‘a federal terrorism investigation’,” Yahoo News, December 4, 2015, http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-director-comey-san-bernardino-shooting-now-federal-terrorism-investigation-232722009.html.

In a later tweet, Jazrawi Daesh wrote that the massacre was a “planned attack involving assault rifles and explosives.”Jazrawi Daesh, Twitter post, date and time stamp unavailable.

Jazrawi Daesh was able to continue tweeting about the San Bernardino shootings before Twitter suspended him. He issued a threat to “kuffar,” or nonbelievers, (presumably Americans), telling them to “expect more.” Jazrawi Daesh used the term “Baqiya”—a term that ISIS members use in reference to themselves—to underline the ideological premise of the attack.Jazrawi Daesh, Twitter post, date and time stamp unavailable.

He then tweeted that the “easiest place to kill kuffar is the US.” Jazrawi Daesh advised his followers to “move to a [state] that sells assault rifles guns and go target practicing in shopping mall [sic].”Jazrawi Daesh, Twitter post, date and time stamp unavailable.

Jazrawi Daesh has used Twitter to warn fellow jihadists against using certain messaging programs.Jazrawi Daesh, Twitter post, date and time stamp unavailable.

He also regularly disseminates ISIS propaganda. On December 3, 2015, he shared photos of a purported ISIS “drug enforcement team” destroying drugs owned by the Taliban.Jazrawi Daesh, Twitter post, December 3, 2015, time stamp unavailable.

“Skafisti” is a Twitter personality who propagates ISIS’s ideology by disseminating its publications and tweeting in support of the terror group.Skafisti, Twitter, accessed December 5, 2015, https://twitter.com/Skx81. On December 2, 2015, he shared an ISIS propaganda video touting “marriage contracts” in the so-called Islamic State. The video—hosted by the video uploading service “Sendvid”—is tailored for a Western audience, complete with English subtitles.Skafisti, Twitter post, December 2, 2015, 10:50 p.m.

In early December 2015, Skafisti disparaged ISIS’s rival group, the Nusra Front (Jhabat al-Nusra, or JN), by tweeting a photo of a “crying” JN soldier next to that of a “smiling” ISIS soldier.Skafisti Twitter, Archive.is, accessed December 7, 2015, https://archive.is/gdQc6.

Skafisti regularly tweets in favor of (presumably violent) jihad, and has quoted ISIS spokesman Abu Mohammed al-Adnani in support of that cause:

Skafisti often refers to “Kuffs,” or kuffar (nonbelievers). On December 5, 2015, he tweeted: “there are no tanks in the earth or jets in the heavens that can protect [the kuffar] from Allah’s punishment.”Skafisti, Twitter post, December 5, 2015, 1:08 p.m.

He has called on his followers to “read and spread” ISIS propaganda.Skafisti, Twitter post, December 3, 2015, 8:34 p.m.

Skafisti is repeatedly suspended by Twitter, but quickly resurfaces under a new user handle. CEP has been following him since early December, 2015.

“Abu Mohammed B.” is an ISIS propagandist operating on Twitter. He makes relentless calls for hijrah (migration) to ISIS-held territory, frequently tweeting messages like, “Who makes hijrah for Allah swt he will be forgiven all sins!!! What r u waiting, that death come to u there?,”Abu Mohammed B., Twitter post, November 4, 2015, 10:42 a.m., https://twitter.com/hijrah_jihad/status/661931478583025664. and, “Oh brother oh sister ur eemaan [faith] will not be complete befor u make #hijrah.”Abu Mohammed B., Twitter post, November 4, 2015, 1:35 p.m.., https://twitter.com/hijrah_jihad/status/661975151957958656.

He also advocates for (presumably violent) jihad. He has asserted that dying without the intention for jihad is nifaq, or hypocrisy.Abu Mohammed B., Twitter post, November 23, 2015, 11:19 a.m., https://twitter.com/hijrah_jihad/status/668826270885629952.

Abu Mohammed B. claims to live in the “Caliphate” (i.e. ISIS-held territory), although this is not confirmed. It is also not yet clear where Abu Mohammed B. comes from, if he is not still in his home country.

Abu Mohammed B.’s Twitter description, wherein he claims to live in the “Caliphate”

Abu Mohammed B. writes primarily in English, although he occasionally includes phrases in Arabic. He frequently posts between 10:30 a.m. EST and 1:30 p.m. EST which, if Abu Mohammed B. were in Syria, would be 5:30-8:30 p.m.

“NikoArea_” (also known as “NikoRea_”) uses Twitter to spread propaganda on behalf of ISIS. The account holder tweets flippant captions ascribed to his cat—pictured in accompanying photographs—to convey distaste for non-Sunni ethnic groups he considers heretical, such as the Shiite Syrian-based Nuseyri religious group and the “Rafidi,” a pejorative collective term for Shiites.NikoArea_, Twitter post, August 17, 2015, 1:19 p.m., https://twitter.com/NikoArea_/status/633327411040518144.

Area also displays contempt for “kuffars,” (nonbelievers) and expresses admiration for those, apparently including his uncle, who have successfully journeyed to the self-proclaimed Islamic State in its defense. He also regularly retweets fellow ISIS supporters’ messages and exhorts others to follow them.NikoArea_, Twitter post, August 31, 2015, 8:12 a.m., https://twitter.com/__ummfaaris/status/638323500114182145.

Niko Area was welcomed into the ISIS Twitter propaganda world on August 24, 2015, by Australian recruiter Neil Prakash, a.k.a. Abu Khaled al-Cambodi.itsabUk313, Twitter post, August 24, 2015, 1:15p.m., https://twitter.com/itsabUk313/status/635862888339611648.

In September 2015, Niko Area appeared to adopt a new Twitter handle, “NikoRea_.” His first posts reminded prospective ISIS recruits that the Islamic “caliphate’s” borders were open, and offered practical tips on what to bring.NikoRea_Twitter post, September 28, 2015, 10:40a.m., https://twitter.com/NikoRea_/status/648552890810925056.

Niko Area appears to be an active ISIS militant on the front lines of military operations, according to his tweeted testimony on October 7:NikoRea_, Twitter post, October 7, 2015, 12:58p.m., https://twitter.com/NikoRea_/status/651848612222251008.

CEP has been monitoring “NikoArea_” since August 2015.

Twitter personality and alleged ISIS member “Qaswarah Al farsi” bills himself as “the only farsi [Persian] in the khilifah [caliphate].” He has been mentioned and promoted by other known extremist propagandists on Twitter, including Neil PrakashAbu Khaled the Australian, Twitter post, August 26, 2015, 1:58 p.m., https://twitter.com/itsabUk313. and Umm Nutella Lioness.Umm Nutella Lioness, Twitter post, August 26, 2015, 2:15 p.m., https://twitter.com/o7_HaqqPrevails/status/636648851932348416.

Al farsi’s Twitter photo depicts three weapon-laden masked men with the words “The Few, The Proud, The Muhajideen [holy warriors].”Qaswarah Al farsi, Twitter, accessed September 12, 2015, https://twitter.com/AlQaswarahA1. On September 5, 2015, he tweeted “How blessed are you o’ Islamic state for you have resurrected the Sunnah of jihad on almost all levels. How blessed are you o’ Islamic state.”Qaswarah Al farsi, Twitter post, September 5, 2015, 4:30 p.m.

Isa Britani is an ISIS propagandist on Twitter who claims to live in ISIS-held territory. Britani has offered help to those interested in hijrah (migration) to the self-proclaimed caliphate.Isa Britani #IS, Twitter, accessed August 27, 2015, https://twitter.com/IsaBritani. He does not specify where he is from, but the Britani moniker indicates he is of British origin.

Britani has used Twitter to call on Muslims to move to ISIS-held territory. He has also asked those who cannot make the move themselves to spread propaganda and financially support ISIS fighters.Isa Britani #IS, Twitter post, August 17, 2015, 6:05 a.m., https://twitter.com/IsaBritani/status/633218064964788224;
ʿĪsā Britani #IS, Twitter post, August 17, 2015, 6:04 a.m., https://twitter.com/IsaBritani/status/633217771074121728.

Britani has warned that “the khilafah” (caliphate) cannot be stopped. Isa Britani #IS, Twitter post, August 17, 2015, 3:07 a.m., https://twitter.com/IsaBritani/status/633173343399735296. He has praised the “mujahideen” (holy warriors) of ISIS and called for holocausts against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and the rawafid, or those who reject Islamic authority.

“Deen Design,” also known as “Ciné Deen” and “E-Muslim” is a French graphic designer who uses images to propagate ISIS messaging on Twitter and Facebook. The designs—littered among pictures of wildlife and other non-ISIS related images—are often re-tweeted by other French ISIS propagandists, as well as English-speaking cheerleaders for ISIS.

Deen Design posts 10 attractive “facts” about ISIS. Deen Design asserts that people in ISIS have benefits like free healthcare, and not having to pay rent, taxes, electricity, or water.

One of the images produced by Deen Design, published July 4, 2015.

Deen Design has alluded to the pro-ISIS process of hijrah (migration). ISIS recruiters, and occasionally propagandists, encourage Muslims to leave their homes and make hijrah to ISIS-held territory.

Translation: “Hijra [migration] will not cease until repentance will be accepted and repentance will not be accepted so long as the Sun has not yet risen in the West.”

Deen Design frequently quotes Osama bin Laden and U.S.-born AQAP propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki. The account’s Twitter profile features extremist Australian preacher Musa Cerantonio.

Deen Design’s Twitter profile features extremist Australian preacher Musa Cerantonio.

One of Deen Design’s images features al-Qaeda propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki saying that “America cannot match the entire Ummah [Muslim community]. America is too weak to do it.”

Deen Design's Twitter account, @DesignDeen, was suspended in mid-October 2015, after nearly 5 months of propagating pro-ISIS material. A few days later, a Twitter user asked in French if there were any Facebook pages worth following. Another user responded, “cine deen” (an alias for Deen Design) and linked to a Facebook account whose URL appeared to reference Ciné Deen (https://www.facebook.com/Cin%C3%A9-Deen-180173932317171/…)

The URL links to a Facebook account whose name shows up as “E-Muslim” but whose posts from early October are stamped with Deen Design's signature logos. CEP suspects that Deen Design is continuing to propagate pro-ISIS materials and art under the new alias, “E-Muslim.” As of late December 2015, the E-Muslim Facebook account has garnered over 2,500 likes on Facebook. Its owner advertises that s/he can be reached through GMX Mail, a German-based email service provider.

After Deen Design’s account is suspended, a Twitter user asks if there were any Facebook pages worth following. Another user responds, “cine deen” (an alias for Deen Design) and links to a Facebook account whose URL appears to reference Ciné Deen

The Facebook account (“E-Muslim”) is similar in style to Deen Design’s (a.k.a. Ciné Deen). Posts from early October are stamped with Deen Design's signature logos. It is active as of December 2015.

“Abu Sayfillaah” is a British Twitter personality and pro-ISIS propagandist. Sayfillaah also operates a YouTube channel on which he touts the benefits of sharia (Islamic law), and warns against the evils of nationalism, democracy, and interfaith dialogue.[1] Abu Sayfillaah, “Nationalism is a disease,” YouTube video, 21:37, September 6, 2015.

Sayfillaah is an ardent supporter of Anjem Choudary, a U.K.-based Islamist cleric, preacher, and lawyer who was convicted of inviting support for ISIS in June 2016.Nick Gutteridge, “WATCH: British Muslim's heartwarming put-down to hateful Islamist behind poppy ban edict ,” Express (London), November 5, 2015, http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/616942/British-Muslim-Haseeb-Ahmed-video-poppy-ban-Abu-Sayfillah;
“Anjem Choudary and Mohammed Rahman convicted of inviting support for Daesh,” Crown Prosecution Service, August 16, 2016, http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/latest_news/anjem_choudary_and_mohammed_rahman_convicted_of_inviting_support_for_daesh/. Following Choudary’s arrest in September 2014, Sayfillaah tweeted multiple messages of support for Choudary, insinuating that he was innocent and should be freed.Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, August 14, 2015, 11:34 a.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/632213615001665536.

Sayfillaah has tweeted that there should be an “Anjem Choudary in every city of the UK.”Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, July 8, 2015, 7:32 a.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/618789776586592256.

In addition to voicing support for Choudary, Sayfillaah associated with members of Choudary’s banned al-Muhajiroun network. U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 released a documentary in January 2016 called “The Jihadis Next Door,” which featured several members of the group. The Daily Mail revealed in July 2019 that one of the al-Muhajiroun members featured with an ISIS flag in the documentary was in fact Sayfillah. The paper identified him in the video as “Abdul Muquith.” His face was blurred in the original documentary because of a reported pending police investigation. The documentary also featured Islamist propagandist Abu Haleema and future London Bridge attacker Khuram Shazad Butt.Abul Taher and Michael Powell, “Identified for the first time... the jihadis next door: The eight men who stood in prayer behind ISIS flag in London,” Daily Mail (London), June 15, 2019, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7145929/Identified-time-jihadis-door-men-stood-prayer-ISIS-flag.html.

The U.K. government banned al-Muhajiroun in 2006 over the group’s links to terrorism.“Proscribed Terrorist Organizations,” U.K. Home Office, accessed July 31, 2019, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/538297/20160715-Proscription-website-update.pdf. British authorities released Choudary from prison on parole in October 2018. Since then, British sources report that elements of al-Muhajiroun have sought to reorganize.Ceylan Yeginsu, “One of U.K.’s Most Prolific Extremist Cells Is Regrouping,” New York Times, May 18, 2019, https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/18/world/europe/uk-extremist-cell-anjem-choudary.html.

Abu Sayfillaah supports ISIS, and has touted the self-proclaimed caliphate as a symbol of Muslim strength and unity.Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, July 20, 2015, 4:41 a.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/623095379400200192.

While Sayfillaah does not overtly advocate violence by posting photos of weaponry or scenes of violence, he insinuates that fellow Muslims should not be afraid of being labeled “radical” or “extremist,” because it would make it more difficult for them to be “sincere to Allah.”

His tweets include anti-Western sentiments and allure to pro-ISIS mentality. He accuses the British government of islamophobia,Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, July 20, 2015, 4:41 a.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/628962630242316288. and accuses the “kufr” (“kuffar,” or nonbelievers) of waging a war on Islam and polluting the Muslim youth with their ideas.Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, June 12, 2015, 1:47 a.m., https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/609280948014829568.

Some of Sayfillaah’s tweets attempt to normalize ISIS’s self-proclaimed caliphate. He wrote that he couldn’t understand why people hated Muslims who “just want to expel foreign occupiers and implement shar’iah law,”Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, June 8, 2015, 2:46 p.m.,  https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/608027255198130177. and that Islam (and sharia) is superior to any form of government.Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, May 28, 2015, 3:53 p.m.,  https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/603876731255181312.

Sayfillaah states that only kuffar would consider sharia “barbaric.”Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, May 24, 2015, 7:35 a.m.,  https://twitter.com/AbuSayfillaah/status/602483040888168448.

After the ISIS terrorist attacks in Paris on November 13, 2015, Sayfillaah took to Twitter to “remind” his followers to “look into the history of France,” and see that it is “full of bloodshed of their crusades in Muslim lands.”  In another tweet posted three days after the attacks, Sayfillaah wrote, “The bully bullies people and when his victims hit one back, he starts crying to the whole world ‘look what they did to me’.”Abu Sayfillaah, Twitter post, November 16, 2015, 3:19 p.m.

Twitter personality “GreenBirdofDabiq” is an advocate of militant Islam on social media. Proclaiming to live in Raqqa, Syria (ISIS’s de facto capital), she regularly advertises the terror group’s latest exploits and summons Muslims from around the world to venture to the self-proclaimed caliphate.GreenBirdofDabiq, Twitter post, June 28, 2015, 9:55 p.m., https://twitter.com/GreenBirdDabiq/status/615382985634754560.

GreenBirdofDabiq draws her name from Dabiq, the town in northern Syria that is, according to certain readings in the Muslim canon, the site of the final clash of armies before the apocalypse. GreenBirdofDabiq frequently promotes anti-gay material, including posting pictures promoting gay rights and claiming that ISIS would never abide such freedoms.GreenBirdofDabiq, Twitter post, June 30, 2015, 8:56 p.m., https://twitter.com/GreenBirdDabiq/status/623022031697657856.

GreenBirdofDabiq regularly attempts to glamorize life in ISIS-held territory by posting pictures of her serving tea in garish surroundings.GreenBirdofDabiq, Twitter post, September 6, 2015, 11:48 p.m., https://twitter.com/GreenBirdDabiq/status/640778566301450240.

Another feature of GreenBirdofDabiq’s Twitter feed is constant disparagement of the decadence and moral unseriousness of the West. Specifically, GreenBirdofDabiq cites the moral outrage in the West against big game hunters, and contrasts this with the silence that attends mass atrocities against civilians in Syria.GreenBirdofDabiq, Twitter post, July 29, 2015, 11:16 p.m.,   https://twitter.com/GreenBirdDabiq/status/626637429617758209.