(New York, N.Y.) — The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) reports weekly on the methods used by extremists and terrorist groups on the Internet to spread propaganda and incite violence. Last week, CEP researchers reported several uploads of a new ISIS propaganda video released by the group’s West Africa Province. Online pro-ISIS communities and extreme right Telegram channels celebrated the May 21 murder of two Israeli embassy employees in Washington, D.C.
The second edition of a neo-Nazi prison newsletter was released on Telegram on May 17, containing writing from individuals affiliated with accelerationist groups or websites. Also, on Telegram, a British extreme right channel posted photos of graffiti that called for violence against Muslims and South Asians. Finally, the leader of the neo-Nazi accelerationist group The Base posted two videos on a Russian video site, where he defended the group’s propaganda output, calling it necessary for recruitment, and advised the global movement to focus their efforts on creating a white separatist breakaway state.
ISIS Releases New Propaganda Video on Multiple Websites
On May 19, ISIS released a new propaganda video on multiple online platforms. The approximately 16-minute video, which contains subtitles in Hausa and Arabic, showed fighting between ISIS and Nigerian military and pro-government militias in Borno and Yobe states. The video also shows the execution of a man who allegedly conducted intelligence activities for the Nigerian and Chadian militaries, a man identified as a member of a pro-government militia, and a man accused of spying for the Nigerian army. The last provincial-level propaganda video from the Islamic State West Africa Province was released in December 2024. The province has released multiple Amaq propaganda videos and photos between the two video releases.
The video was spread via Telegram, RocketChat, SimpleX, and Element. CEP researchers reported uploads of the video to Instagram, Mega.Nz, FromSmash, Files.Fm, FileDitchFiles.Me, GoFile.Io, and the Internet Archive. Pro-ISIS accounts on TikTok also advertised the video. As of May 27, the video was still available on Instagram, Files.Fm, and FileDitchFiles.Me.
ISIS video released on May 19, which was available on Instagram on May 22.
Online ISIS Supporters, White Supremacists Celebrate Murder of Two Israeli Embassy Employees in Washington, D.C.
Following the May 21 murder of two Israeli embassy employees at the Capital Jewish Museum, online ISIS supporters and white supremacists celebrated the attack despite the perpetrator belonging to neither group. The suspect allegedly released a manifesto dated the day before the murders, claiming that peaceful protests against Israel’s killing of civilians in Gaza were insufficient and noting satisfaction that many in the U.S. would allegedly view the attack as justified.
Online ISIS supporters posted photos from the aftermath of the shooting on RocketChat. On Telegram, pro-ISIS channels posted information on the attack. White supremacist Telegram channels also celebrated the attack. The administrator of an antisemitic channel with over 1,200 subscribers hoped that the perpetrator shared their ideology. Nathan Damigo, the former leader of the extreme right group Identity Evropa, claimed that the killing was “ultimately a good thing,” alleging that all Israeli diplomatic personnel are involved in the secret control of American politics. Users of a chat affiliated with Murder the Media posted antisemitic content following the attack. A neo-Nazi Telegram channel with over 2,500 followers that had posted a meme promoting violence against Jews on May 20 posted content celebrating antisemitic violence less than two hours after the May 21 attack.
Second Edition of Neo-Nazi Prison Newsletter Released
On May 17, the second issue of a neo-Nazi prison newsletter was released. The issue celebrated the upcoming 100th anniversary of the publishing of Mein Kampf and contained a post originally published on an accelerationist website by Ryan Hatfield, the former leader of the Atomwaffen Division successor group National Socialist Resistance Front, that promoted the concept of revolutionary “racial struggle” despite seemingly overwhelming obstacles.
Other articles encouraged taking inspiration from the famous Battle of Rorke’s Drift in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 to “fight back and resist the horde,” an article originally from 1982 by William Luther Pierce, the author of The Turner Diaries, and submissions to the newsletter by individuals in prison that denounced the lack of unity in the white power movement.
A reading list in the second issue included books by Adolf Hitler and Savitri Devi, as well as Siege by James Mason, the accelerationist book Harassment Architecture by Mike Mahoney, a.k.a. Mike Ma, and two publications affiliated with an accelerationist website that promotes Atomwaffen Division successor groups.
The first issue of the bimonthly newsletter was released on March 15.
Article from neo-Nazi prison newsletter. Screenshot taken on May 22.
British White Supremacist Telegram Channel Promotes Violence Against Muslims and South Asians
On May 19, a British white supremacist Telegram channel posted a video of graffiti allegedly in Airdrie, Scotland, calling for violence against Muslims and South Asians. The graffiti, which appeared as if the same person did it, included “Kill all Muslims,” “white power,” and “fuck Gaza.” The platform has removed three previous versions of the Telegram channel. The channel advertises that people can send content to post through a Telegram bot, offering to amplify messages. The Telegram channel also has an X account that posts new Telegram channel links.
Leader of Neo-Nazi Accelerationist Group The Base Notes the Necessity of Propaganda for Recruitment
In a ten-minute clip released on a Russian video platform on May 19, Rinaldo Nazzaro, the leader of The Base, stated that the group needed to release propaganda videos and photos to recruit. He invoked the concept of “propaganda of the deed,” claiming that videos showing the group engaged in training were meant to appeal to the small number of potential recruits, noting that real-world activity was essential and that there was risk associated with joining the group. Nazzaro also criticized Active Clubs for being insufficient due to their focus on mixed martial arts and self-improvement rather than small-unit tactics and accelerationist ideology. The video was released approximately a week after The Base announced an upcoming training event in the U.S.
On May 23, in a video posted on the same site, Nazzaro called for accelerationists to pool their resources to fight where the global “system” was the weakest to create a white separatist state.