A joint operation to tackle the Daesh* propaganda machine was launched on April 25, 2018 by the law enforcement authorities of the European Union Member States, Canada and the US and coordinated by the European Union Internet Referral Unit (EU IRU) within the European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) at the Europol headquarters.
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According to the Europol statement, principal Daesh media outlets, such as the Amaq news agency, Halumu and Nashir news and al-Bayan radio were targeted by the law enforcement services. As the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation specified, the terrorists' broadcasting capabilities had been curtailed.
However, some Twitter users claim that despite the undertaken efforts, some means for the spread of terrorist propaganda are still working, namely via the Telegram messenger.
According to @Europol the IS propaganda outlet #Amaq Agency was hit hard in a coordinated international takedown. It seems like mostly websites (servers) were targeted. Meanwhile propaganda is still spread via #Telegram channels | #ISIS #daesh #police #terrorism pic.twitter.com/8V0WmNDGMO
— Florian Flade (@FlorianFlade) April 27, 2018
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"With this ground-breaking operation, we have punched a big hole in the capability of IS [Daesh] to spread propaganda online and radicalize young people in Europe. I applaud the determined and innovative work by Europol and its partners to target a major part of the international terrorist threat prevalent in Europe today."
Daesh*, a terrorist group which created a self-proclaimed caliphate state on the territories of Syria and Iraq, was defeated last year in both countries and has lost the control it once held over a considerable amount of territory in the Middle East. The group has also staged numerous offensives across the world, including the EU countries.
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In an attempt to block the spread of the terrorist propaganda among Muslims in Europe and prevent the return of Daesh militants from Syria, the EU has been taking numerous steps, using legal and Internet means, as well as carrying out joint intelligence and police operations.
*Daesh — a terror group, banned in many countries, including Russia
