Online Jihad Seeks Western Converts

Jihadists have long used the internet to spread their message, but now a growing number of Western-based extremists are tapping into a Western audience by giving the message a pop-culture twist, the Times reports. They act as middlemen, translating newsletters and relaying videos from militant Islamic leaders; they also turn insurgent footage from Iraq into hip-hop videos. 

"It is as if you would watch a Hollywood movie," said one German fan; indeed, the videos are even readily available on YouTube. The 100 or so English-language sites posting such material are usually run by Islamic youths in America or Europe seeking to convert an audience of their peers. The sites aren't usually illegal but do get shut down regularly. (More Islamic extremism stories.)