by Jerry Gordon and Joseph Shahda
Back in early June, we published an article on the New English Review drawing attention to the question of whether Google/YouTube was an enabler of terrorists. This had followed a series of exchanges with Google, the ACLU, the New York Times and other publications triggered by a letter sent on May 19th from Senator Lieberman to Dr. Eric Schmidt, Google CEO. The contretemps was over the request by Senator Lieberman to take down some of the more inflammatory videos produced by As Sahab, the media production arm of Al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups. These terrorist videos were used to both train and incite Jihadis to conduct attacks against U.S., Coalition and NATO troops in the field in Iraq, Afghanistan and other ‘targets of opportunity’ around the globe. We have also learned that these training videos have been used to incite ‘home grown terrorists’ via the internet as reflected in the conviction of a trio of Toledo Jihadi wannabes by a Federal Court in Ohio. The criticism of Senator Lieberman’s Goggle/YouTube request to take down these terrorist videos was that it would amount to ‘censorship’ and violation of ‘free speech’.
Thus, began a campaign demanding that Google remove from YouTube the hundreds if not thousands of Islamic terrorist videos that contain terrorist propaganda and very violent materials depicting attacks on US and allied troops, Iraqi and Afghani civilians. For the last three years the terrorists have intensified their efforts to post videos on YouTube. They have been successful in doing so without any significant moderation by Google/YouTube. However, after Senator Lieberman’s recent request that Google remove the terrorist video materials from YouTube, Google apparently implemented a strict and effective policy to do so. It is now clear that these efforts have paid off.
A thread posted on the Ekhlaas terrorist forum on July 4, 2008 voiced complaints and concerns that most of the terrorist materials posted on YouTube were recently removed. Members of Ekhlaas, which is the largest terrorist forum on the internet, were called upon to intensify their efforts and post more terrorist materials on YouTube.
Credit for this successful development is due to the initiative of Senator Lieberman and constructive response by Google/YouTube management resulting in the significant reduction of posting of terrorist materials on YouTube. Further, we would like to thank the many ‘patriots’ who are working hard every day to track these terrorist materials posted on YouTube and inform Google/You Tube management in order to remove the offending materials.
Below is a translation by our colleague Joseph Shahda of the thread that was posted on Ekhlaas terrorist forum on July 4, 2008. Shahda has made comments within the body of the translation in parentheses.
The translation of Ekhlaas terrorist forum thread:
Username: Mohajer Daya’aa Al Tareek, July 4, 2008
Dear Brothers: Invade, Invade YouTube. Most of special and martyrdom operations have been removed.
In the name of Allah the most merciful the most compassionate
Beloved brothers, we beg you to invade YouTube because most of the Jihadi sections have been removed and in particular the martyrdom ones. I did not find the operation of Khatib Fatima. Therefore experts, invade, invade. Allah blesses you.
Username: Hanat Yadaiy, July 4, 2008
I post one movie a day on YouTube and under dozens of different names. After a month one or two names are removed but I keep the work using the other names..
Username: Mohajer Daya’aa Al Tareek, July 4, 2008
Allah bless you my beloved brother and continue your work and Allah willing we will have the experience and we will not stop from invading the infidels. Allah will make us victors and the prophet is our idol and the martyrdom is our goal.
Username: Mohajer Daya’aa Al Tareek, July 5, 2008
Elevate this subject ( *** he is asking that this thread he wrote be put in a more prominent place on Ekhlaas terrorist forum so more members will see it and participate in it).
Username: Hanat Yadaiy, July 5, 2008
Thanks Allah who gave us this tool to speak the truth in their sites and no matter how many names they remove, eliminate, and ban we will not give up and they will not get rid of us until we go to the battlefields and then our brothers after us will take the task.”
