• $
  • £

Isis have a 'I can haz Islamic state' kitten twitter account

Isis have a 'I can haz Islamic state' kitten twitter account
22.08.2014 14:45
Twitter may be cracking down on graphic imagery shared by Islamic State fighters, but a more mundane and insidious type of propaganda is also being spread online: pictures of jihadists playing with kittens.

The Twitter account ‘Islamic State of Cats’ (@ISILCats) starting posting on June 25th and has since tweeted dozens of pictures supposedly showing fighters playing with kittens,  along with a smattering of memes and other ‘homely’ images of life from Raqqah, the centre of Isis operations.Most of these refer to the cats as ‘mewjahids’ (a pun on mujahideen, a term that’s often used to label extremist Muslim fighters) and show kittens playing alongside the paraphernalia of Isis members’ homes – bodybuilding weights, guns and ammunition.It’s unclear whether the account is being run by a member of Isis or by a supporter based abroad, but the pictures certainly follow terrorist organization’s strategy of normalising its activities to Western audiences.The Twitter account is one of many using shared cultural touchstones (memes and lolspeak_ alongside pictures of small acts of charity (one video shows a fighter feeding a dog with the hashtags #Justice and #AllEyesOnIsis) to try and ‘balance’ reports from the region of fear, poverty and widespread murder.Images like this stand in stark contrast to footage of the death of James Foley – an American photojournalist who travelled to the region to document the citizens’ suffering and was decapitated as warning to America following US airstrikes.Speaking to The Daily Telegraph about the danger of accounts like @ISILCats, Mohammed Shafiq of the Ramadhan Foundation think tank said:  “If you don’t confront it, the softer postings on Facebook and Twitter will seek to normalise the idea of going to fight in Iraq and Syria.”(independent.co.uk)Bakudaily.Az

Similar news
Similar news
Armenia, United States sign TRIPP framework agreement
World 11:30
Armenia, United States sign TRIPP framework agreement

Ukraine drone strike on Simferopol leaves three dead, seven injured
World 10:00
Ukraine drone strike on Simferopol leaves three dead, seven injured
Pashinyan says Armenia faces construction labour shortage after Volodin warning
World 17:30
Pashinyan says Armenia faces construction labour shortage after Volodin warning
Bahrain bans citizens from traveling to Iraq, Iran over 'tense security situation'
World 18:00
Bahrain bans citizens from traveling to Iraq, Iran over 'tense security situation'

Case opened against Samvel Karapetyan in Armenia
World 17:00
Case opened against Samvel Karapetyan in Armenia

Pashinyan criticizes Russia’s restrictions on Armenian goods as “wrong step”
World 16:30
Pashinyan criticizes Russia’s restrictions on Armenian goods as “wrong step”
Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes off coast of southern Italy
World 11:30
Magnitude 6.1 earthquake strikes off coast of southern Italy

Russia imposes temporary ban on jet fuel exports
World 15:30
Russia imposes temporary ban on jet fuel exports

Lithuanian President congratulates Azerbaijani leader
World 15:00
Lithuanian President congratulates Azerbaijani leader
Anews TV

Our official Youtube channel

Subscribe