Telegram Messenger shut down 78 ISIS-linked channels

The Foreign Desk ^ | 11/18/2015 | Lisa Daftari

[Fali_G]

Telegram Messenger has has shut down 78 ISIS-linked channels that the terror group was using to spread its propaganda message across the Internet.

Using a recently-launched “Channels” feature that allows messages to be sent to unlimited users and followers, the Islamic State has used the platform to create the “Nashir” channel, meaning ‘purveyor’ in Arabic.

ISIS has expanded its selection of channels, sharing their message in 12 languages.

[TBP]

Nice.

[hoosiermama]

How quickly will they be able to reestablish new accounts

[Fali_G]

Well its a decision to start taking them down, as soon as new ones are up, they will probably take down too.

Previously they had elected to keep them up.

[hoosiermama]

Follow up is good

[VanDeKoik]

So?

They will make more and run them when the world moves on to something else.

[DCdude]

Shutting down the ISIS channels is pretty much meaningless. The jihadis are using Telegram to communicate via dual layer end to end encryption.

Telegrams servers are all over the world, the messages sent on the service are not stored on those servers, and the they self destruct much like WhatsApp’s do.

For all of our governments whining about Edward Snowden, the sad fact is their over intrusive spying on ordinary folks has led to the birth of encrypted services like Telegram.

Now, when the gov’t says they had no warning about an impending attack, it is literally because the bad guys can communicate in ways the gov’t can’t monitor.

It appears the bad guys in Paris only got caught because one was stupid enough to use text messages to communicate with his accomplices. The police found his cell phone near the Bataclan with his texts and contact info on it. Had he used Telegram instant messaging instead, they would have had his phone and his Telegram contacts, but they would not have been able to see his texts because they would have self destructed, and would not have had the cell #’s of his buddies because he was using instant messaging app.

The jihadi’s are learning how to communicate without our intelligence services being able to monitor them.

If you think about it, one of the attackers was, according to his ex-wife, an unemployed pot head. Certainly not the sharpest tool in the shed.