CAIRO // Young men and women sit in front of their computers at the Al Azhar Observatory in Cairo, intently monitoring ISIL and other radical groups online.
The 70 observers analyse data they find scattered across websites, warning concerned parties and publishing responses on their website and related media.
Messages left by terrorist groups often contain instructions to their followers before attacks take place.
Before the attack in which a lorry driver killed 86 people in Nice in July, ISIL called on fighters in the West to use vehicles or knives, not bombs.
“We saw this publication and were analysing the report,” said Huda Mansour, one of the researchers.
“We didn’t know if they would actually implement it, or when and how, but we try to read between the lines. They often say things that are carried out in real life.
"So we issued a warning. Our analysis was published on our website, Facebook page, Sawt Al Azhar magazine and TV channels."
ISIL recently announced a new wave of attacks using Molotov cocktails, with its magazine Rumiyah showing how the explosive bottles could be made.
“Our prediction is that they will start using these in their attacks,” said Ms Mansour.
ISIL is focusing on recruiting new troops and attracting children, said Dr Osama Khalid, an English researcher at the observatory.
A screen at the centre of the control room shows an application for children introduced by ISIL, which teaches Arabic using military terms and images.
The letter “D” is used for “dababah”, or tank, and “S” for “sarookh”, or missile.
“So the child becomes familiar with war machinery and not afraid of it when asked to implement a certain operation” Dr Khalid said. “They also teach children how to slit throats of dolls, so when they grow up they are ready to slaughter a human being.”
Mohammed Hussein watches a video showing live coverage of an operation by Boko Haram, which is published on a Swahili language website.
“We captured the footage and prepared responses to its contents, based on proper Islamic principles,” Mr Hussein said.
The responses were on a poster that included illustrations of each concept addressed. The observatory also published a related article that was cited by the Coptic Christian website copts-united.com.
Al Azhar welcomes other channels to repost its material, as its target is to reach as many people as possible. As the centre was established in May 2015, its main challenge is to become widely recognised and followed.
In the Spanish-language section, observers are kept busy keeping track of issues facing Muslims in Spain and Latin America, while responding to articles that defame Islam.
“We observe everything published about Islam in Spanish, whether positive or negative,” said Mona Abdulhussein.
Their role is to correct extremist ideologies that have been wrongly attributed to Islam, said Ms Abdulhussein, “and we communicate with the publication or reporter to correct the information”.
“Or sometimes I could respond in the form of a commentary on the newspaper’s website,” she said.
Recent problems facing Muslims in Spain include “a wave of racist attacks against mosques, which escalate after ISIL-led attacks,” said researcher Abdulhalim Zidan.
His team responded by publishing a report on the issue.
The observatory also works closely with the UAE’s Muslim Council of Elders and sends peace envoys around the world.
Mustafa Al Badri was one of three observers who joined the council’s trip to Spain in July 2015 to look at problems facing the Muslim community and hold open interfaith discussions with various sects.
Problems include lack of Islamic studies teachers and burial facilities, which Islamic unions have been requesting for years.
While a 1992 mandate on Muslims’ rights and obligations in Spain gave them the right to establish their own graveyards and schools, such projects often face complications, Mr Al Badri said.
hdajani@thenational.ae
