1
Cyber Science 2019
Examining the Roles of Muhajirahs in the Islamic State via Twitter
Source: BuzzFeed
Aunshul Rege & Scott VanZant
2
Cyber Science 2019
Background
• Terrorists’ use of social media
• Propaganda and information dissemination, recruitment
• Conway (2016):
• Despite more than a decade of terrorism research, the online activities of jihadi females is a topic area that remains understudied
3
Cyber Science 2019
Women Leaving for IS
• 2014-2015:
• ~ 550 women (Hoyle et al. 2015)
• Push Factors:
• Loneliness and alienation; disenfranchisement
• Pull Factors:
• Sense of belonging: “habibti”, “akhewat”
• Caliphate utopian ideal
• Objectives:
• Experiences of migrant women in IS after arrival
• Levels/types of involvement
4
Cyber Science 2019
Methodology Part 1: Document Analysis
• Agency reports & media articles
• Selection criteria
• Accounts of those who self-identify as muhajirah (migrants)
Methodology Part 2: “Snowball” Document Analysis
• 15 Muhajirah accounts
• Selection Criteria
• Snowballed to other muhajirah accounts (retweeters, followers)
• Cross-checked in media and agency reports
• 83 unique muhajirah accounts; 763 tweets
• No Retweets
• Women’s own voices & their own descriptions of events
5
Cyber Science 2019
Limitations and Mitigation Approaches
• Variations in Online Presence
• More ‘vocal’ accounts; public accounts; English only
• Account Suspensions
• No continuity of analysis; difficulty to identify ‘reincarnations’
• Account Veracity/Attribution
• Mitigating approaches
• Interactions with others: attribution
• Consistency across different platforms: attribution• Tumblr, Instagram, Kik, Ask.fm
• Cross-checked against agency and media reports: attribution
• Length of ‘active’ time & regenerated accounts: suspensions
• Archived tweets: September 2014-December 2016: suspensions
6
Cyber Science 2019
Analysis
1. Identity & Sisterhood1.1: Roles
1.2: Building the Utopian Caliphate
1.3: Living by the Rules
1.4: Bonding & Oneness
2. Recruitment2.1: Planning Hijrah
2.2: Maqars and Marriage
2.3: Citizen Privileges
2.4: Incite/Inspire ‘At-Home’ Attacks
3. Other Involvement3.1: Disseminating Propaganda3.2: Promoting Hate/Rivalry 3.3: Celebrating Violence3.4: Indicating Desire to Engage in Violence
4. Western Influences4.1: Language4.2: Culture Memes4.3: Food4.4: Social
5. Tech Savviness5.1: Technologies and Social Medias5.2: Private/Secure Communications5.3: Regenerative Traits
6. Muhajirah Difficulties6.1: Cultural Alienation
6.2: Differential Treatment
6.3: Freedom & Movement Restrictions
6.4: Desire to Return
7
Cyber Science 2019
1.1: Identity & Sisterhood: Roles
• Domestic
• Wife: back-end support to male jihadists
• Mother: glory of raising next generation
"The best thing a man can do is jihad, and the best thing for a women is to be a righteous wife and to raise righteous children." - Umm Ubaydah
"As mundane as some of the day to day tasks may get … [we] will spend mornings and nights in happiness because [we] are cooking the Mujahideen foodor [the sisters] clean the whole building without anyone even figuring it out who it was." -Umm Layth
8
Cyber Science 2019
1.1: Identity & Sisterhood: Roles
• Teachers
• Tax Collectors
• Doctors/ Nurses
• Basic health clinic for women & children
• Antenatal checks
• Prescribing antibiotics
• Administering vaccines
• Police (Al-khansaa & Umm Al-Rayan brigade)
• Enforce strict standards on dress & morality
• Expose male activists disguised in women’s clothing at checkpoints
“Any Muhajirah with diploma or degree in nursing, radiography, lab tech, or anything has to do with Medicine please @ or DM me.”- Bird Of Jannah
9
Cyber Science 2019
2.1: Recruitment: Planning Hijrah
• Online guides: advice, support, travel tips, how to avoid detection
“For those who wanna know more about Hijrah… http://ask.fm/BintNur” - BirdofJannah
10
Cyber Science 2019
2.1: Recruitment: Planning Hijrah
• Checklists
“… bring some good clothes and boots because you will be disappointed with the quality here” - birdOfJannah
“No good makeup... n clothes too. I brought 2 suitcases.” - Umm Abbas
“If you can take out a student loan pls do so… the kuffar [non-Muslim] wealth is halal [permitted] for us” – Umm Umar
11
Cyber Science 2019
2.2: Recruitment: Maqars and Marriage
• Maqar [hostel for unmarried women]
• what sort of 'brother' she wants to marry
• "marriage affairs" /emirs play matchmaker
• "speed-dating": 5 mins to speak to each other (viewing optional)
• Father’s permission sought via phone/internet
• Marriage
• Same/next day as speed-date
• May (not) share ethnic backgrounds/language
• Monthly allowance for food, expenses, and own house
12
Cyber Science 2019
2.3: Recruitment: Citizen Privileges
• Free food, clothes, fresh bread
• Monetary gifts for newlyweds
• Shaheed’s wife honored & proud
“U dnt hav 2 pay 4 ANYTHING if u r wife of a shaheed” – Umm Zhara
13
Cyber Science 2019
3.4: Other Involvement: Desire for Violence
• Religious fatwa : "situation for Muslims has become desperate“
• Ready for Violence
• Desire for Violence
“I will be straight up and blunt with you all, there is absolutely nothing for sisters to participate in Qitaal[fighting]” – umm Layth
“Laaawl me and the akhawats {sisters} thought maybe murtads {apostates} were in the city lool -I put the belt [explosive belt] on and everything” – umm Khattab
“I want to be the first UK woman to kill a Westerner” – Khadijah Dare
“There’s not a single women fightinin IS. The womens place is in her house looking after her kids & fulfilling her duty to her husband. Khalas” – Al Khanssaa
“If we ever get hold of her I call dibs on cutting her head plz” -bintladen
14
Cyber Science 2019
4.1: Western Influence: Language
• "Bizarre mix of western teenage speak with massive brutality"
“I wonder if I can pull a Mulan and enter the battlefield” –Umm Ubaydah
15
Cyber Science 2019
4.2: Western Influence: Cultural Memes
16
Cyber Science 2019
4.2: Western Influence: Cultural Memes
17
Cyber Science 2019
4.3: Western Influence: Food
“I’m making pancakes, and there’s Nutella, come up in a bit” – Umm Khattab
“omg do you have achaar lol and tandoori :p I'm taking taxi to your house now” – Umm Anwar
"Oreo cheesecake a la @OumMujahid93 and me"
18
Cyber Science 2019
6.1: Muhajirah Difficulties: Cultural Alienation
“To live amongst people that differ from you –e.g. language, background, lifestyle and et. Is not always fascinating.” – BirdofJannah
19
Cyber Science 2019
6.2: Muhajirah Difficulties: Differential Treatment
“The doctor came and examined 2 women who were just experiencing cramps, leaving the Muhajirah sister in pain and drenched in blood. She wasn’t offered a chair or a bed and nobody even returned to check on her to see the progression of her case.”- bintWater
#NobodyCaresAboutAWidow- women are in vulnerable positions, after losing a jihadist husband
20
Cyber Science 2019
6.3: Muhajirah Difficulties: Freedom & Movement
“Wallahi life here is very difficult for the Mujahirat... It's not like the west where you can casually walk out and go to Asda/Walmart... we have to stay safe outside and must always be accompanied by a Mahram [male chaperone]”- umm Layth
21
Cyber Science 2019
6.4: Muhajirah Difficulties: Desire to Return
“subhana’Allaah many sisters are now wanting to go back while sisters in the west would give anything to be here. Allaah guides whom he wills”- Al Khanssaa
22
Cyber Science 2019
Discussion
• Duality:
• Domestic BUT Corner Stones
• Contradictions:
• Shaheed’s Wife Honored vs. #NobodyCaresAboutAWidow
• Perfect Life vs. Wanting to Return
• Alienation as a Push Factor vs. Alienation in IS
23
Cyber Science 2019
Future Research Directions
• Relevant to current events
• Shamima Begam (left UK 2015)
• Hoda Muthana (left US 2014)• Uncertain about future of IS
• Fear children’s future
• Did not cause harm
• Brainwashed
• Threshold/continuum of support
• Support IS vehemently online, but no hijrah
• “This area is unstable. I think it needs to settle down”
• Content to fight for IS online without giving up western life
24
Cyber Science 2019
Examining the Roles of Muhajirahs in the Islamic State via Twitter
Comments/questions?
Aunshul Rege & Scott VanZant
[email protected]@temple.edu
@prof_regesites.temple.edu/care