At Least 300 US-Based Daesh Sympathizers Promote Group on Social Media

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — At least 300 US-based sympathizers of the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) militant group operate on social networks, promoting the group online to thousands of Americans, a study found.

"Social media plays a crucial role in the radicalization and, at times, mobilization of U.S.-based ISIS [Daesh] sympathizers. The Program on Extremism has identified some 300 American and/or U.S.-based ISIS sympathizers active on social media, spreading propaganda, and interacting with like-minded individuals," a report by George Washington University's Program on Extremism revealed on Tuesday.

According to the report, the propaganda is spread to several thousand Americans. The US-based activists of the group operate on numerous platforms, with Twitter being the most popular. Other means of communications include Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr, as well as messaging apps such as Kik and Telegram.

Banning accounts of such users often proves ineffective, as they set up new accounts within hours, the study found.

Daesh, a jihadist militant group which is outlawed in Russia, is known for recruiting young people from all over the world by extensively using social media.

Between 20,000 and 30,000 foreigners are estimated to be fighting alongside Daesh extremists against government forces in Syria and Iraq.