ISIS has posted the names, addresses, units, and headshots of 100 U.S. military personnel they claim have participated in airstrikes against the terror group’s activities in Iraq, Syria, and other areas in the Middle East.
In a message posted to the self-styled “Islamic State Hacking Division,” the terror group urges its members and sympathizers in the United States to target these military members using the same brutal tactics we’ve seen ISIS use against its captives overseas.
I chose not to go looking for the “terrorist Wikileaks,” but the New York Daily News describes what it found:
“These Kuffar that drop bombs over Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Khurasan and Somalia are from the same lands that you reside in, so when will you take action?” the group asks. “Know that it is wajib for you to kill these kuffar! and now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for? Kill them in their own lands, behead them in their own homes, stab them to death as they walk their streets thinking they are safe…”The black flag entry is a self-styled terrorist WikiLeaks titled “Target: United States Military.”It lists the name, unit and address of 100 U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marines – many of them pilots – along with headshots of each. One of the targeted is a Navy aviator from upstate New York.“You crusaders that fight the Islamic State, we say to you: ‘Die in your rage!’” the ISIS post said.
Here’s where it gets tricky. The Daily News, as well as the Washington Times, are reporting that ISIS collected the names and personal information by hacking into protected military databases, which is what ISIS is claiming. The New York Times, on the other hand, says that Defense officials who spoke off the record are claiming that most of the information ISIS posted could be found on social media, or via a public records or residential address search.
Either way, this is a terrible situation. If ISIS did manage to hack into DoD databases, it’s much worse; but the cherry on top of this sundae is that they’re still finding ways to harness the Power of Social Media© to encourage their sympathizers to join the cause. This is a challenge entirely separate from the one facing fighter pilots and military strategists managing the situation in the Middle East—how do we defeat an enemy that has already managed to collect a sympathetic–or just captivated—audience that stretches beyond its conquered territory?
Cut off one head, and another sprouts right back up. Pray for these families—and pray that the DoD can confirm that these “leaks” are really just a fabricated scare tactic.
Featured Image via the New York Daily News
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