Jihadists Have Been 'Banned' From Twitter the guardian UK

guardian UK

- See more at: http://aitonline.tv/post-jihadists_have_been__banned__from_twitter#sthash.2gycYY69.dpuf

Jet

Isis fighters are withdrawing into smaller bases and leaving Twitter to avoid being killed by Western forces, reports have suggested after extremists were hit by another British air strike.

International observers and witnesses have claimed the jihadis - whose aggressive presence on social media was until now part of their campaign of fear - appear to be turning more wary to avoid being tracked down and destroyed.

The claims were made ahead of British jets hitting another Islamic State target in Iraq yesterday, as calls grow for the attacks to be extended into the group's strongholds in Syria.

Charles Lister, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Centre in Qatar, said Isis appeared to have imposed a 'total social media and electronic blackout' on its own fighters.

A message in Arabic, apparently banning militants from taking photographs during battle, was circulated on Twitter with the Arabic hashtag #MediaSecrecyCampaign after the British Parliament overwhelmingly voted to join U.S. air strikes.

Mr Lister told The Times the message appeared to be genuine, and 'gained solid traction across the IS and pro-Islamic State camps shortly after being published'.

He added: 'If it is indeed genuine, it's symbolic of the pressure that IS has been placed under in recent weeks'.

British experts have run voice recognition tests on propaganda videos such as those of the 'executioner' Jihadi John, and it is thought militants want to give agents as few clues as possible as to their identity or whereabouts.

Reports from Iraq also suggest Isis are switching to a more low-key operation on the ground - switching convoys for motorcycles, using phones less and hoisting their black flag on empty houses to confuse jet pilots.

An unnamed tribal sheikh who lives near Kirkuk, northern Iraq, told the Reuters news agency Isis had 'abandoned one of their biggest headquarters' in his village.

'They took all their furniture, vehicles and weapons,' he said on the day British air strikes were approved.

'Then they planted roadside bombs and destroyed the headquarters.

'They don't move in military convoys like before. Instead they use motorcycles, bicycles, and if necessary, they use camouflaged cars.'

U.S. Navy Vice Admiral John Miller also acknowledged the militants had changed tack. He told ABC News on Sunday: 'They're an adaptive force, and we've seen them adapt to the airstrikes that we're doing.'
- See more at: http://aitonline.tv/post-jihadists_have_been__banned__from_twitter#sthash.2gycYY69.dpuf