Joint police action 'punches big hole' in Isis propaganda ability - Guardian

Joint police action 'punches big hole' in Isis propaganda ability
Computer servers seized in two-day operation in Europe, US and Canada to prevent radicalisation

Jamie Grierson

 @JamieGrierson
Fri 27 Apr 2018 20.21 AEST Last modified on Fri 27 Apr 2018 20.58 AEST

 Rob Wainwright, director of Europol

Law enforcement authorities have “punched a big hole” in Islamic State’s propaganda machine, targeting news agencies and radio stations used by the jihadi group to radicalise people across the world.

Isis computer servers in the Netherlands, Canada and the US, as well as digital evidence in Bulgaria, France and Romania, have been seized in a two-day takedown operation co-ordinated by Europol.

UK authorities took part in the operation, dealing with top-level domain registrars – companies that register websites – abused by Isis.

The action targeted Isis-branded media outlets such as Amaq and Nashir news agencies and al-Bayan radio, hitting the extremist organisation’s ability to broadcast and publicise terrorist material.

Rob Wainwright, executive director of Europol, said: “With this groundbreaking operation we have punched a big hole in the capability of IS [Isis] to spread propaganda online and radicalise young people in Europe.”

The data captured as part of the operation will help to identify the administrators behind Isis media outlets, Europol said.

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Amaq is the main mouthpiece for Isis and has been used to claim responsibility for terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels, Barcelona, Berlin and Trebes. Europol and law enforcement across Europe have been targeting the news agency and other Isis outlets since 2015.

In June 2017, an operation targeted at Amaq’s web assets and infrastructure led to the identification of radicalised individuals in more than 100 countries.

The EU security commissioner, Julian King, said: “This shows that by working together we can stamp out the poisonous propaganda Daesh [Isis] has used to fuel many of the recent terror attacks in Europe. For too long the internet has been open to terrorists and those who seek to do us harm. Those days are coming to an end thanks to this type of co-ordinated global work.”