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Pro-Isis 'hackers' threaten to carry out cyber attacks against Europe, US and Australia in propaganda video

It is unclear whether Isis were involved in the making of the video

Kashmira Gander
Tuesday 12 May 2015 18:29 BST
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A video from a group calling themselves Islamic State’s Defenders
A video from a group calling themselves Islamic State’s Defenders (Islamic State’s Defenders )

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Hackers aligned with Isis have released a propaganda video threatening to launch cyber attacks against Europe, the US and Australia.

The group behind the video which calls itself Islamic State’s Defenders in the Internet claimed that it had already hacked into the websites of the “American leadership”, an Australian airport, and “many other websites”, the MailOnline reported. However, it does not name specific targets or people.

Designed to shock and frighten viewers, the 3 minute video shows a faceless, hooded figure in front of a laptop reciting a speech in Arabic, but also includes English subtitles.

It begins by citing previous instances when the so-called Cyber Caliphate group successfully infiltrated US networks, including when it hacked into and displayed a banner reading “I love you Isis” on the Central Command’s Twitter account earlier this year.

A video from a group calling themselves Islamic State’s Defenders
A video from a group calling themselves Islamic State’s Defenders (Islamic State’s Defenders)

The hooded figure warns that the Islamic State’s Defenders in the Internet will carry out cyber attacks, and claims it can monitor the communications of inhabitants in the US and Europe.

“Soon you will see how we control your electronic world,” the video threatens.

“Your security information is in our hands,' the speaker continues, saying that they 'observe all the movements you are doing from your devices,” the figure adds.

The hooded figure in the propaganda video
The hooded figure in the propaganda video (Islamic State’s Defenders in the Internet)

However, it remains unclear whether the group is linked to Isis, or if it is working on its behalf, as it was not released by one of its official media outlets.

JM Berger, co-author of the book ISIS: The State of Terror and a fellow at the Brookings Institute, told BuzzFeed that the video does not bear the hallmarks of propaganda by the extremist group.

Referring to alleged UK hacker Junaid Husain, who is feared to be in Syria and appeared to have tweeted the gunman who carried out a shooting in Texas last week, Berger explained: "It suggests this may have been thrown together pretty quickly to exploit the publicity from Garland.

"However the differences may also be intended to present more of a hacker façade," he adds.

The video comes after US President Barack Obama last month gave the go ahead to establish an office which deals with cyber threats.

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