Disambiguating Al-Shabaab’s Dominant Terrorist Narratives: Deliberate Miscommunication Through Multi-Media Approach

Abstract

This study interrogates Al-Shabaab’s multimedia narratives to uncover how deliberate miscommunication that sustains the group’s ideological and operational power. Guided by four objectives—(i) to analyze Al-Shabaab’s exploitation of digital platforms such as Twitter and YouTube; (ii) to identify its dominant narratives; (iii) to examine the framing of Islamic texts; and (iv) to explore the religious foundations underpinning extremist messaging—the research employs a qualitative exploratory case study design. The sample comprised Ten (10) domain experts, Ten (10) videos from Al-Shabaab and their sympathizers, and Fifty-two (52) tweets from Al-Shabaab’s Twitter (X) handle. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used to reveal the underlying power relations and ideological distortions, while Thematic Analysis enabled systematic categorization of martyrdom, anti-Western sentiments, theological justification, and intra-Muslim betrayal as recurring narrative motifs. Framing Theory elucidated how Al-Shabaab constructs selective realities by emphasizing grievance, resistance, and heroism, while Todorov’s Narrative Theory exposed the structural sequencing of narratives—from disequilibrium to imagined resolution—used to legitimize violence and mobilize support. Findings demonstrate that Al- Shabaab’s communicative power emerges from the convergence of digital innovation, ideological framing, selective invocation of Islamic texts, and historical continuities of conflict. Unlike Western-centric models of jihadist narratives that prioritize immediacy and viral circulation, the East Africa case highlights durability and narrative continuity, reflecting a temporal strategy embedded in extremist communication. Furthermore, glorification of martyrdom, the re-imagination of digital spaces as extensions of territorial jihad reveals how Al- Shabaab curates an aspirational, transnational identity that transcends ethnic and national boundaries. This research contributes to terrorism studies by disambiguating extremist narratives, showing how miscommunication operates as a strategic tool of persuasion, identity formation, and ideological resilience. It also offers a comparative lens on the evolving communicative ecologies of violent extremism, with implications for counter-narrative interventions in the digital age.This study interrogates Al-Shabaab’s multimedia narratives to uncover how deliberate miscommunication that sustains the group’s ideological and operational power. Guided by four objectives—(i) to analyze Al-Shabaab’s exploitation of digital platforms such as Twitter and YouTube; (ii) to identify its dominant narratives; (iii) to examine the framing of Islamic texts; and (iv) to explore the religious foundations underpinning extremist messaging—the research employs a qualitative exploratory case study design. The sample comprised Ten (10) domain experts, Ten (10) videos from Al-Shabaab and their sympathizers, and Fifty-two (52) tweets from Al-Shabaab’s Twitter (X) handle. Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was used to reveal the underlying power relations and ideological distortions, while Thematic Analysis enabled systematic categorization of martyrdom, anti-Western sentiments, theological justification, and intra-Muslim betrayal as recurring narrative motifs. Framing Theory elucidated how Al-Shabaab constructs selective realities by emphasizing grievance, resistance, and heroism, while Todorov’s Narrative Theory exposed the structural sequencing of narratives—from disequilibrium to imagined resolution—used to legitimize violence and mobilize support. Findings demonstrate that Al- Shabaab’s communicative power emerges from the convergence of digital innovation, ideological framing, selective invocation of Islamic texts, and historical continuities of conflict. Unlike Western-centric models of jihadist narratives that prioritize immediacy and viral circulation, the East Africa case highlights durability and narrative continuity, reflecting a temporal strategy embedded in extremist communication. Furthermore, glorification of martyrdom, the re-imagination of digital spaces as extensions of territorial jihad reveals how Al- Shabaab curates an aspirational, transnational identity that transcends ethnic and national boundaries. This research contributes to terrorism studies by disambiguating extremist narratives, showing how miscommunication operates as a strategic tool of persuasion, identity formation, and ideological resilience. It also offers a comparative lens on the evolving communicative ecologies of violent extremism, with implications for counter-narrative interventions in the digital age.