As-Sahab
Encyclopedia
The As-Sahab Foundation for Islamic Media Publication (Arabic: السحاب, "The Cloud"), is the media production house of al-Qaeda
, used to relay the organization's views to the world. Al-Qaeda is labeled as a terrorist organization by many governments.
Its first production under the name, was believed to have been in 2001 with the involvement of Adam Yahiye Gadahn
.
As-Sahab "produces documentary-quality films, iPod files and cellphone video." In 2007, it released 97 original videos, a sixfold increase from 2005.
More recently, the release of the "5 years after
tribute", The Manhattan Raid demonstrated a standard comparing favorably with the production quality obtained by major television networks some 10 years ago. Video and audio are (depending on the source material, much of which is decades old) usually crisp, and subtitles are by and large free of grammatical and spelling errors and sometimes explain Islam
-specific concepts. It is unknown whether this indicates a general increase in capability or a tapping of additional resources to produce what seems to be a kind of "special release" video.
An August 2002 study by an independent researcher has revealed that As-Sahab may be using a technology similar to greenscreen (Chroma key
) to accomplish back-drop effects.
U.S. and British intelligence officials believe it to be run by former Orange County California resident Adam Gadahn, who left America to join al Qaeda in Pakistan, as first reported by ABC News last year. Although, since his alleged death in February 2008 it has been reported that the media production of these messages has gone down hill.
In 2005 a CBC programme based on a documentary originally produced in Japan by NHK Television and was updated by the Discovery Times Channel, was released called Media Jihad - As-Sahab Foundation which traces the origins of As-Sahab.
method using couriers. However, the method of delivery was changed in January 2005 after the Damadola airstrike
on an al Qaeda meeting near Damadola
, Pakistan
. The current method of delivery, which appears to be handled by As Sahab, is an internet delivery of video or audio materials.
's image was posted at a banner advertisement on an Islamic militant website where As-Sahab posts messages. In the image, the man purported to be bin Laden had a beard which appears to have been dyed. Al-Sahab said that bin Laden would release a new video ahead of the sixth anniversary of the 2001 attacks which will be the first new images in three years.
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a global broad-based militant Islamist terrorist organization founded by Osama bin Laden sometime between August 1988 and late 1989. It operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for global Jihad...
, used to relay the organization's views to the world. Al-Qaeda is labeled as a terrorist organization by many governments.
Its first production under the name, was believed to have been in 2001 with the involvement of Adam Yahiye Gadahn
Adam Yahiye Gadahn
Adam Yahiye Gadahn is an American who is a senior operative, cultural interpreter, spokesman and media advisor for the Sunni islamist group Al-Qaeda. Since 2004, he appeared in a number of videos produced by Al-Qaeda as "Azzam the American"...
.
As-Sahab "produces documentary-quality films, iPod files and cellphone video." In 2007, it released 97 original videos, a sixfold increase from 2005.
Production
The organization uses modern technology to produce its video statements. In addition to being released in Arabic, some published videos come with English or other language subtitles.More recently, the release of the "5 years after
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
tribute", The Manhattan Raid demonstrated a standard comparing favorably with the production quality obtained by major television networks some 10 years ago. Video and audio are (depending on the source material, much of which is decades old) usually crisp, and subtitles are by and large free of grammatical and spelling errors and sometimes explain Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
-specific concepts. It is unknown whether this indicates a general increase in capability or a tapping of additional resources to produce what seems to be a kind of "special release" video.
An August 2002 study by an independent researcher has revealed that As-Sahab may be using a technology similar to greenscreen (Chroma key
Chroma key
Chroma key compositing is a technique for compositing two images together. A color range in the top layer is made transparent, revealing another image behind. The chroma keying technique is commonly used in video production and post-production...
) to accomplish back-drop effects.
U.S. and British intelligence officials believe it to be run by former Orange County California resident Adam Gadahn, who left America to join al Qaeda in Pakistan, as first reported by ABC News last year. Although, since his alleged death in February 2008 it has been reported that the media production of these messages has gone down hill.
In 2005 a CBC programme based on a documentary originally produced in Japan by NHK Television and was updated by the Discovery Times Channel, was released called Media Jihad - As-Sahab Foundation which traces the origins of As-Sahab.
Method of delivery
Previously al Qaeda preferred to deliver its videos via a dead dropDead drop
A dead drop or dead letter box is a method of espionage tradecraft used to pass items between two individuals by using a secret location and thus does not require them to meet directly. Using a dead drop permits a Case Officer and his Agent to exchange objects and information while maintaining...
method using couriers. However, the method of delivery was changed in January 2005 after the Damadola airstrike
Damadola airstrike
On 13 January 2006 the Central Intelligence Agency fired missiles into the Pakistani village of Damadola in the Bajaur tribal area, about seven kilometres from the Afghan border, killing at least 18 people. Originally the Bajaur tribal area government claimed that at least four foreign members...
on an al Qaeda meeting near Damadola
Damadola
Damadola is a village in the Bajaur Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan, about from the Afghanistan border, it is located at 34° 48' 20N 71° 28' 0E at an altitude of 1082 metres . The village gained international attention in early 2006 after the U.S. launched an...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The current method of delivery, which appears to be handled by As Sahab, is an internet delivery of video or audio materials.
2007 Osama bin Laden video
On September 6, 2007, Osama bin LadenOsama bin Laden
Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was the founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda, the jihadist organization responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States and numerous other mass-casualty attacks against civilian and military targets...
's image was posted at a banner advertisement on an Islamic militant website where As-Sahab posts messages. In the image, the man purported to be bin Laden had a beard which appears to have been dyed. Al-Sahab said that bin Laden would release a new video ahead of the sixth anniversary of the 2001 attacks which will be the first new images in three years.
See also
- 2004 Osama bin Laden video2004 Osama bin Laden videoOn October 29, 2004, at 21:00 UTC, the Arab television network, Al Jazeera, broadcast excerpts from a videotape of Osama bin Laden addressing the people of the United States, in which he accepts responsibility for the September 11, 2001 attacks, condemns the Bush government's response to those...
- Videos of Osama bin LadenVideos of Osama bin LadenThere were several video and audio recordings released by, or claiming to be produced by, Osama bin Laden between 2001 and 2011. Most of the tapes were released directly to Arabic language satellite television networks, primarily Al Jazeera....
- Videos of Ayman al-ZawahiriVideos of Ayman al-ZawahiriThere have been several video and audio recordings released by Ayman al-Zawahiri. Many of the al-Zawahiri tapes have been released directly to Arabic language satellite television networks, like al-Jazeera.-May 17, 2003:...