Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

US destroys Isis headquarters after 'moron' jihadist posts photo to social media

US aimen who were combing social media were able to trace the location and destroy it within 24 hours

Alexander Ward
Friday 05 June 2015 19:39 EDT
Comments
Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after a recent airstrike
Smoke rises over Syrian town of Kobani after a recent airstrike (Reuters)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The US Air Force has destroyed an Isis stronghold after an extremist let slip their location on social media.

According the Air Force Times, General Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, said that Airmen at Hulburt Field, Florida, used images shared by jihadists to track the location of their headquarters before destroying it in an airstrike.

Gen Carlisle told the Air Force Association: “The [airmen are] combing through social media and they see some moron standing at this command.

“So they do some work, long story short, about 22 hours later through that very building, three JDAMS [Joint Direct Attack Munitions] take that entire building out... Bombs on target in 22 hours.”

The news comes after the most recent atrocities committed by Isis in the Middle East, after they slaughtered hundreds of men having captured the Syrian city of Palmyra.

The destruction of the Isis headquarters was two days before the US’ Homeland Security Committee was due to inform Congress about Isis’ use of social media, the Air Force Times reported.

According to experts, the extremist group has published 1,700 pictures, videos and other publications which have reached up to 200,000 people on Twitter and other social networks.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in