Horrifying Isis videos still online
JIHADI propaganda which investigators think influenced the terror attack in New York is readily available on Google, it has emerged.
Court papers filed in the US say Sayfullo Saipov was motivated to commit the atrocity after listening to a sermon by Islamic State’s supremem leader, Abu Bakr alBaghdadi. He also watched scores of Isis videos on his phone.
Federal prosecutors said Mr Saipov watched a video of alBaghdadi ‘questioning what Muslims in the United States and elsewhere were doing to respond to the killing of Muslims in Iraq’.
The Mail understands this refers to a speech released on official Islamic State channels in November last year in which al-Baghdadi spoke of making ‘the infidels’ blood… flow like rivers’. Last night, a recording of the speech was available within seconds.
Clips viewed by Saipov of prisoners being beheaded or run over by tanks were yesterday appearing on the first and second ‘pages’ of a Google search under simple search terms made in English.
Yesterday, the US attorney general criticised tech companies for failing to help FBI investigations and warned of the potential ‘consequences’ of their actions.
During a speech in New York, Jeff Sessions said during the past year the FBI had been blocked from accessing 7,500 mobile devices.
Mr Saipov’s obsession with Isis propaganda emerged as he was charged with terrorism offences late on Wednesday night.
In court documents, FBI agent Amber Tyree laid particular blame for Saipov’s radicalisation on the speech by al-Baghdadi. Ms Tyree also specified a video, found on Mr Saipov’s mobile, of Isis fighters driving a tank over a prisoner.
The footage was the first result in a Google search last night.
Chris Phillips, former head of the National Counter-Terrorism Security Office, said internet giants had to be more proactive.
‘If the internet companies decide this is not their problem I think they are acquiescing in murder,’ he said.
The Mail was awaiting a reply from Google at time of going to press last night.