Here's why and what's known about ISIS communication in general:
Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2025 7:03 am
Security Risks of Phone Communication: Any use of standard telecommunications (cell phones, landlines, even satellite phones) leaves a digital trail. This includes:
Metadata: Who was called, when, for how long, and from what general location (cell tower data). This metadata can be highly revealing for intelligence agencies.
Interception: Calls can be intercepted and recorded by sophisticated intelligence agencies.
Geolocation: Phones can be tracked, even if just argentina whatsapp database turned on, through cell tower triangulation or GPS (if active). This has been a key factor in targeting and killing previous leaders of terrorist organizations. For example, previous ISIS leaders like Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Abu Ibrahim al Hashimi al Qurayshi were killed in US military operations, highlighting the effectiveness of intelligence gathering.
ISIS Communication Methods (General):
Secrecy and Secure Channels: Terrorist leaders prioritize operational security. They are known to use highly secure and often offline or encrypted methods for crucial communications to avoid detection.
Couriers/Face-to-Face: Direct, in-person communication via trusted couriers remains a primary method for top-tier leadership in many clandestine organizations to minimize electronic footprints.
Encrypted Messaging: When digital communication is necessary, they would rely on highly encrypted messaging apps, often used on burner devices, and with extreme caution regarding metadata and usage patterns.
Internet and Social Media (for propaganda/recruitment): ISIS has historically been very adept at using the internet and social media for propaganda, recruitment, and radicalization, but this is distinct from the secure internal communication methods used by top leadership for operational planning.
Given the constant efforts by international counter-terrorism forces to track and eliminate ISIS leadership, it is highly improbable that the current leader would risk using a phone that could compromise their location or communications. Their methods would almost certainly involve layers of security, encryption, and likely physical couriers.
Metadata: Who was called, when, for how long, and from what general location (cell tower data). This metadata can be highly revealing for intelligence agencies.
Interception: Calls can be intercepted and recorded by sophisticated intelligence agencies.
Geolocation: Phones can be tracked, even if just argentina whatsapp database turned on, through cell tower triangulation or GPS (if active). This has been a key factor in targeting and killing previous leaders of terrorist organizations. For example, previous ISIS leaders like Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and Abu Ibrahim al Hashimi al Qurayshi were killed in US military operations, highlighting the effectiveness of intelligence gathering.
ISIS Communication Methods (General):
Secrecy and Secure Channels: Terrorist leaders prioritize operational security. They are known to use highly secure and often offline or encrypted methods for crucial communications to avoid detection.
Couriers/Face-to-Face: Direct, in-person communication via trusted couriers remains a primary method for top-tier leadership in many clandestine organizations to minimize electronic footprints.
Encrypted Messaging: When digital communication is necessary, they would rely on highly encrypted messaging apps, often used on burner devices, and with extreme caution regarding metadata and usage patterns.
Internet and Social Media (for propaganda/recruitment): ISIS has historically been very adept at using the internet and social media for propaganda, recruitment, and radicalization, but this is distinct from the secure internal communication methods used by top leadership for operational planning.
Given the constant efforts by international counter-terrorism forces to track and eliminate ISIS leadership, it is highly improbable that the current leader would risk using a phone that could compromise their location or communications. Their methods would almost certainly involve layers of security, encryption, and likely physical couriers.