Wiki Leaks discussions continue to cast a large shadow over one of the more populated jihad forum sites. But Al-Qassam Martyrs Brigade has also had an unusual presence in the last month. With a steady stream of official press releases, interviews and photographs the signals are moving in cyberspace. Unsure what the signals foretell.
There is always difficulty in assessing the propaganda war. It is rarely based on facts but small factoids are used to facilitate the bigger lie. The lens of the individual is used to interpret the war. Moods and feelings are the exploitable products which are adeptly manipulated to craft the message delivered to the audience. In the case of a vigorous propaganda presence of Al-Qassam, the increased operational tempo on a forum site gives rise to a couple of concerns:
*What is the reason for the sudden release of a stream of information?
*Why now? Why several months of smattering of posts followed by media saturation?
The month has ended with what now appears to be less grandstanding, and more a recruitment effort. The brigade hosted an event with an anchoring memorial which looks very familiar - a "wall" displaying the images of 119 martyrs from 1989-2000. One thousand images of "occupation" are also on display. Naturally, images of children retain high value for propaganda wars. Beyond the photography are visible presentations of the booty of war: weaponry, the uniform of an Israeli soldier along with field gear, munitions laid out for display.
Al-Qassam states they are "ready to repel aggression". Are they looking for a fight or do they see a fight coming to them?
Tammy Swofford
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