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| Science & Technology |
| From propaganda to practice: Instructional media and the diffusion of drone capabilities in jihadist ecosystems |
| 2026-08-24 |
| By Carl Peterson and Harold Chambers [GNetResearch] On 1 May 2026, Marvin Aneer Jalo was sentenced in Phoenix, Arizona, in the United States for an Islamic State (IS)-inspired plot. A year prior, while still a minor, he planned a complex attack on the Phoenix Pride Parade; intending to first use triacetone triperoxide (TATP) and C-4 explosives on a building, he would then use a “bomb drone” to attack the fleeing crowd. Whether this refers to a kamikaze-style drone or a dropper-style drone equipped to release one or more improvised explosive devices (IEDs) onto the crowd is still unclear. What this plot does demonstrate is how rapidly the threat posed by lone actors using drones as attack vectors has grown with access to new technologies in recent years. Drones have become a hot topic among radicalising individuals. Like explosive materials and IEDs before it, the technical know-how for drone attacks has spread to isolated actors in the digital space. Alarmingly, IS actors demonstrate an increasing focus on publishing guides explaining different aspects of planning and conducting attacks using drones. The first six issues of Modern Warfare, the primary series by IS’s “lone wolf” tactical advisors, have already been discussed by analysts and researchers. This Insight investigates how IS-affiliated publications are increasingly bridging the gap between online instruction and operational use. By analysing the Modern Warfare series of drone manuals, including the latest, seventh issue, the three drone guides thus far released by the Al Saqri Foundation for Military Sciences, and contextualised commentary from IS supporters online, the Insight will reveal how this information is framed, shared, and adapted. Additionally, it will examine the technical gaps seen in the guides, their targeted purpose, and what has been demonstrated in IS plots thus far. Such a comprehensive analysis, which builds on previous research, allows for more attuned policy recommendations aimed at preventing future potential drone plots. More at the link Related: Marvin Aneer Jalo 10/26/2024 Dipsy Doodle Arizona Teen Plotted Massacre at Phoenix Pride Parade, to Take Over Country Marvin Aneer Jalo 10/24/2024 Teen arrested for plotting terror attack on Phoenix Pride parade |
| Posted by:badanov |