What is audio-visual jihadi propaganda? - an overview of the content of FFIs jihadi video database

This report gives an overview of the content and organization of the database of jihadi propaganda videos compiled by FFI’s Terrorism Research Group. This, in turn, gives an impression of the kind of audiovisual jihadi propaganda material that has been published by jihadi actors. The videos are issued by al-Qaida, al-Qaida-affiliated groups, or other groups adhering to the same global salafi-jihadi ideology. The oldest videos in the database date back to 2000, but most videos were released after 2003 as video format was increasingly used as a means of propaganda from that period onwards. The videos have several functions, including recruitment, seeking support for the jihadi cause, boosting the morale of fighters, deterrence of the enemy, and military instructions. The overall purpose of the videos seems to be propaganda, and only a relatively small portion of the videos serve military training purposes. From the figures presented in this report, some points can be made about the types of videos that are most numerous in the FFI database. The majority of the videos are from (or about) Iraq, and many are also from (or about) Afghanistan. The media production company of al-Qaida – al-Sahab, and the various media companies of al-Qaida in Mesopotamia (Iraq) have produced the majority of the videos. Nearly half of the videos are categorized as operational videos – videos showing an attack. The most frequent types of attacks shown are IED/roadside bomb attacks on military vehicles and rocket attacks on military bases, but such films can also show suicide attacks and assaults on military bases or police stations. The second largest genre is promotion/ propaganda, which often consists of elaborate productions portraying the suffering of Muslims and arguing that armed jihad is the only viable solution. This genre is followed by ideology – which primarily consists of video speeches by al-Qaida leaders. Although the videos in the FFI database do not represent a scientifically random sample of all available jihadi videos, the numbers nevertheless give an indication of the types and quantities of videos produced and distributed on jihadi web sites. A comparison with the Jihad Archive, a large Internet based collection of jihadi videos compiled by jihadi supporters, shows a correlation between the content of the FFI database and the content on that web site. Whereas the report is first and foremost a presentation of the content of the FFI database, it is also useful for anyone seeking to acquire a general idea of the audio-visual jihadi propaganda material circulating on the Internet.