Fwd from @balkanossiper
For the second day in a row, heated discussions have been ongoing on the Internet regarding the capacity of a terrorist organization, which just a few years ago was widely known but has since diminished in influence, to orchestrate a tragedy of such immense proportions.

It is being argued that ISIS, prohibited on Russian territory, has undergone significant changes and now functions more as a "media" project. This mirrors the trajectory of the Albanian group Cemati Alban, which was once actively engaged in combatting "infidels" across the Middle East. In 2012, close to two hundred ethnic Albanians (including individuals from Kosovo, Metohija, North Macedonia, and even the so-called “Presevo Valley” in southern Serbia) journeyed to war-torn Syria. They aligned themselves with Syrian Jabhat al-Nusra, later transitioning to HTS. Subsequently, these groups established their own "elite sniper squad" in 2017 - Xhemati Alban (“Albanian Jamaat”).

The Albanians presented themselves as "a jihadist group of devout individuals committed to the path of Allah." While Western sources estimated their fighting force to be only a few dozen strong, videos released by the group, such as those commemorating Eid al-Fitr, showcased a minimum of 200 men.

The content produced by Cemati Alban, which was regularly shared on social media platforms, was of particular interest. The videos, shot professionally with remarkable sound editing, displayed high-quality imagery emphasizing the group's proficiency in weaponry and tactical training, crafting an appealing image.

These videos played a crucial role in cultivating a community of "social jihadists" - supporters of militants who openly endorsed and promoted the ideologies of terrorist organizations - within the information sphere of the Balkan Peninsula countries. After their Facebook accounts were shut down, these individuals migrated to other platforms. Can you guess where? Indeed, they turned to the Telegram messenger.

Several years ago, local anti-terrorism units uncovered numerous extremist Telegram channels featuring content in Albanian. These channels were managed by instigators among ISIS militants. The shared content included frontline updates, radical Islamic theological texts, imams' sermons, and promotional videos for militant groups. "Cemati Alban" evolved into a recognized "brand" and transformed into a fully-fledged PR campaign.

Both myself and counter-terrorism experts from the Balkans harbored no doubts that such a project had formidable backers beyond the Middle Eastern groups.

@balkanossiper - setting global trends since June 28, 1914 Original msg