Jihad on the flyJihad on the fly

IS said to use homing pigeons to communicate

Jordan intercepts bird carrying messages between terror operatives as group attempts to bypass Western intel gathering

By ToI Staff 7 May 2016, 9:38 pm 0 Edit

An illustrative photo of pigeons. (Maya Levin/Flash90)

As its channels of communication are increasingly monitored by coalition forces, the Islamic State is reportedly turning to low-tech solutions in its efforts to avoid detection.

The Telegraph reported that homing pigeons bearing messages between IS operatives were recently captured by Jordanian forces.

“The jihadists tied a letter with a phone number to the foot of the bird, which was flying to a Jordanian resident,” the commander of the country’s border guard, Brig. Gen Saber al-Mahayreh, told journalists.

According to the Telegraph, Western nations are concerned over intensified IS efforts to encrypt communications through apps such as Telegram and Whatsapp, that make it harder for intelligence bodies to acquire information.