Dangerous online traps set by radicals RIYADH – Extremist websites are an important media tool for radical groups around the world enabling them to recruit new members and provide training on how to manufacture explosives, blow up targets, carry out suicide operations, and make explosive belts. Prominent extremist websites include “Al-Sahab”, the media arm of the Al-Qaeda network, and its offshoot, “the Islamic State in Iraq,” which consists of a large number of terrorist groups operating throughout Iraq. The sites have created a so-called “Ministry of Information” with which the sites “Al-Furqan” and “Al-Fajr” are affiliated. There are also numerous independent media companies serving these groups, such as, the International Islamic Media Front, which created the “Media Jihad Brigades,” and the “World News Network” which relays messages to terrorist networks, including Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State in Iraq (hosted by “Sitegenie LLC Company in Iraq” and located in the US state of Minnesota), and a number of terrorist organizations in Iraq, such as, the “Ansar Al-Sunnah” group. A number of extremist websites dedicate special sections to the Jihadist media companies, including Al-Nasrah forum affiliated with the International Islamic Media Front hosted by Select Solutions LLC in the state of Texas, the Jihadist Iraqi Militant Group hosted by Layered Technologies Inc. in Texas, the Mujahidin Army Group hosted by Network Operations Center Inc. in Pennsylvania, the supporters of the Jihad site in Iraq hosted by Electric Lightwave Company in Washington, and, the most visited site, Al-Hesbah hosted by Realweb Host Company in Texas. The administrator of Al-Tajdid site, Saudi dissident Mohammad Al-Mas'ari, selected the Fasthosts-UK Network Company in Britain to host his site through which, in the past, he has advocated conducting terrorist operations in Saudi Arabia. Members of these terrorist groups still play an active role on the Internet, including Fares Al-Zahrani, one of the leaders of Al-Qaeda who was arrested by Saudi security authorities in 2004 after contributing to a number of extremist websites under the name Abou Jandal Al-Azdi, and Abdulaziz Al-Onaizi, who chaired the Al-Qaeda media council and was called Al-Qaeda minister of information in the Arabian Peninsula. Al-Onaizi wrote regularly for Al-Qaeda online magazine, entitled “The Voice of Jihad,” under several names. Another person whose identity has not been disclosed wrote under the name “Abou Asid Al-Fallouji” and was eventually arrested by Saudi authorities who described him as a dangerous person.
