Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked rebel group, al-Shabab, has claimed its return to Twitter. The groups official accounts were suspended two months ago after they claimed responsibility for a deadly attack.
On Sunday the group posted under the handle @HSM_INFO. An official for the group then told Al Jazeera, “The aim is to vigorously challenge defamatory reports in the media by presenting an accurate portrayal of the current state of Jihad in Somalia and countering Western, state-sponsored propaganda machines that are paid to demonize the Mujahideen.”
The Somali government, which has struggled to fight back against al-Shabab, has already asked Twitter to suspend the groups newest social media account. Government officials fear that Twitter is the best way for the group to influence young and susceptible citizens in the region.
To date Twitter has suspended at least six accounts associated with al-Shabab. The groups most recent account was suspended two months ago when they claimed responsibility for the Nairobi Westgate mall attack.
Twitter’s TOS specifically states that “Users may not make direct, specific threats of violence against others.”
At this time Twitter is not commenting on the account. al-Shabab has not yet used the account to make direct threats. Here are a few of the tweets sent from the @HSM_INFO handle:
All praise is due to Allah, Jihad , by the pen and the sword, still continues to terrify the hearts of the Kuffar invaders #JihadDispatches
— HSM Press Office (@HSM_INFO) December 16, 2013
With renewed vitality, the 140-character journalistic guerilla warfare continues to challenge the mainstream Western narrative #Jihadnalism
— HSM Press Office (@HSM_INFO) December 16, 2013
HSM Press aims to create awareness of the Mujahideen’s struggle, further the cause of Jihad and promote the goals visions of global Jihad
— HSM Press Office (@HSM_INFO) December 16, 2013
All journalists in the mailing list have just been sent an e-mail notifying them of the new account. Stay tuned for any further updates
— HSM Press Office (@HSM_INFO) December 16, 2013
Do you think the new al-Shabab Twitter account should be immediately removed?
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