‘Electronic armies’ threaten activists, media in Iraq

IRAQI journalists, activists and researchers are facing a wave of accusations and threats by shadowy online groups they suspect are linked to powerful pro-Iran factions.

Parties, armed groups and even officials in Iraq benefit from legions of supporters dubbed “electronic armies,” which take to social media to anonymously sing their praises or mock their detractors.

These online rivalries now appear to have been fanned by months of rising tensions pitting Iran against the US and Israel.

This summer, suspicious explosions hit five camps and arms depots run by Iraq’s Hashed al-Shaabi, a network of mostly Shiite armed factions linked to Iran.

The Hashed was quick to blame Israel and the United States, but also said it suspected “agents” of the two countries contributed to the attacks.

That accusation was followed by an online campaign accusing a broad range of Iraqi nationals of “collaborating” with Israel and the US.