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Handling Notice: Recipients are reminded that SD-LECC products contain sensitiveterrorism and counterterrorism information meant for use primarily within first

responder and homeland security communities. Such products shall not bereleased in either written or oral form to the media, the general public, or other

personnel who do not have a valid need-to-know without prior approval.

Terrorism Imagery Recognition

Executive Summary Group logos, flags, and other extremist imagery are prevalentthroughout most terrorist and extremist groups. Imageryprovides a means of evoking existing emotional and historicalmemories in addition to communicating ideas to potentialrecruits. Logos and symbols are often used as visualrepresentation of groups and/or their ideology. Print, internetpropaganda, tattoos, clothing and accessories, stickers, andother graphic media are the most common representations ofextremist imagery. First responders need to be aware ofcommon extremist imagery as it may indicate involvement orsupport for a particular domestic extremist organization orinternational terrorist group.

This product provides law enforcement and homeland securitypartners with information drawn from open source materialsincluding online editions of printed newspapers and relevantcounterterrorism sites.



Handling Notice: Recipients are reminded that SD-LECC products contain sensitiveterrorism and counterterrorism information meant for use primarily within firstresponder and homeland security communities. Such products shall not be releasedin either written or oral form to the media, the general public, or other personnelwho do not have a valid need-to-know without prior approval.

Domestic ExtremismDomestic groups such as animal and environmental extremists,generally use graphic and photographic imagery to garnersupport for their causes by using images that evoke emotionalresponses from the viewer.

The Animal Liberation Front (ALF) – Founded in 1976, ALFis an underground group of autonomous cells in severalcountries that wish to “effectively allocate resources (time andmoney) to end the ‘property’ status of non-human animals.”Many ALF graphic and photographic images depict a maskedindividual in military-style clothing accompanied with a smallanimal.



The Earth Liberation Front (ELF) – Modeled after ALF, ELFis composed of autonomous cells who take direct action againstbusinesses that ELF believes are harming the environment.Many individuals associated with ELF have been linked to theAnimal Liberation Front. Images that create sympathy andcompassion from supporters, while evoking emotions ofstrength and unity are common throughout animal andenvironmental extremist imagery.

Earth First! – Earth First! is an environmental group foundedin 1980 known to advocate direct action in defense of theenvironment. Many individuals associated with Earth First! havebeen linked to the Earth Liberation Front, as they share similarideology. Wrenches adopted into radical environmental imagerystem from throwing a “monkeywrench” into moving parts of amachine to prevent it from working.



Similar to animal and environmental extremist groups, otherdomestic extremist groups use imagery as a means ofpromoting radical ideology and group identity. There are manywhite supremacist groups in the United States that use variousforms of imagery in their logos and flags. Two of the morecommon groups in the southern California region are theNational Socialist Movement (NSM) and the United Society ofAryan Skinheads (USAS).

National Socialist Movement (NSM) – NSM is a neo-Naziorganization in the United States who promote their ideologythrough literature dispersals, conferences rallies, and internetforums. NSM logos include the swastika, which was the officialemblem of the German Nazi Party beginning in 1920.



United Society of Aryan Skinheads (USAS) – USAS is awhite supremacist group that originally formed in Portland,Oregon and later reorganized in California. The USAS has variouschapters in California as well as a strong presence withinCalifornia’s prison system. Many USAS members have adoptedthe Valknut image (three interlocking triangles) in tattoos,which have roots in neo-paganism.



Foreign Terrorist OrganizationsInternational terrorists commonly adopt flags and logos toidentify their group affiliation. Although particular elements ofradical imagery alone are not all associated with terrorism,many international terrorist organizations use common religiousor cultural imagery in their flags, group logos, and internetpropaganda.

Islamic ExtremismMany Islamic foreign terrorist organizations, such as al-Qa’idaand their affiliated movements, share the common ideology ofestablishing a global or regional Islamic caliphate and/or havea Palestinian nationalist agenda. Imagery used by these radicalIslamic groups often includes the Shahada or images of theQuran in logos and flags.

Shahada – the Shahada is the first of the Five Pillars of Islamand when translated reads, “there is no god but God andMuhammad is the prophet of God.” The Shahada itself is NOTradical or terrorist in nature, but has been adopted into the flagsand logos of many designated foreign terrorist organizations orindividuals affiliated with radical Islamist ideology.



Used by al-Qa’ida andaffiliated movements

Al-Qa’ida in Iraq Al-Qa’ida in the IslamicMahgreb (AQIM)

Quran – Images of the Quran in graphic imagery do notsymbolize terrorism or terrorist organizations alone, but like theShahada, are used by many terrorist groups in printedpropaganda or logos. Many radical Islamic groups often depictimages of the Quran with forms of pre-modern and modernweaponry.



Internet Imagery

Taken from an Al Mosul Mediamagazine

HAMAS Al-Qa’idain Iraq

Armed Islamic Group (GIA) Lashkar-e Tayyiba(LeT)

Taliban Code of Conduct

Al-Shabaab

Crossed Swords/Weapons – Many designated foreign terroristorganizations (to include organizations other than Islamic), haveadopted logos and imagery with crossed weapons (swords,rifles, etc.) Crossed weapons historically symbolize war and/ormilitary force. Crossed weapons can be seen in emblems inalmost every culture, and are prevalent in terrorist imagery.



HAMAS Muslim Brotherhood Muslim Brotherhood

Jamaat-ud-Dawa Sada al-Malahim Magazine Palestinian Islamic Jihad

Al-Shabaab Al-Shabaab Hizbul Islam



Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade Liberation Tigers of TamilEelam

Liberation Tigers of TamilEelam

Mujahideen-e-Khalq Revolutionary Armed Forcesof Colombia (FARC)

Popular Front for theLiberation of Palestine

National Liberation Army(ELN)

Weapons (general) – The presence of weapons in logos, flags,and other graphic media generally represent the propensity ofa group to use violence or offensive action.

Arabic Words/Terms – Graffiti, tattoos, or logos may containwords that are often associated with radical Islamic ideology.The following list of words in Arabic in print, tattoos, or logosmay indicate involvement or support for extremist ideology orforeign terrorist organizations.



Islamic Jihad Union Euskadi Ta Askatasuna (ETA) Irish Republican Army (IRA)

Hizballah Caucasus Mujahedeen Al-Qa’ida “ManchesterManual”

Propaganda/Online MediaDomestic and international terrorist organizations andindividuals use the internet extensively to promote radicalideology that can be easily posted to the internet or online socialnetworking websites. Some groups have developedcomprehensive websites such as Animal Liberation Front andEarth Liberation Front, and a few foreign terrorist organizationsuse certain media organizations to communicate their radicalideology. Media organizations that work on behalf of domesticor foreign terrorist organizations typically include their grouplogo in a place that is easily visible to the viewer.



Al Mosul Media Animal Liberation Front

North American EarthLiberation Front

As-Sahab Media Al-Malahem Media“Inspire” Magazine

Al-Kataib

For comments or questions on this product,please contact the

San Diego Law Enforcement Coordination Centerat (858) 503-5604 or

www.sd-lecc.org.

To report suspected terrorism-related incidents,please visit

www.sdrttac.org and click “Submit a Tip or Lead”or contact the San Diego Joint Terrorism Task Force

(JTTF) at (858) 565-1255.



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