ISIS Members Advertise Marital Status On Twitter

The following report is a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.

Both Western fighters and those interested in migrating to the Islamic State have turned to social media for both making travel arrangements and to finding spouses. A Twitter account called Jihad Matchmaker offers its services to prospective immigrants.[1] Matchmaking efforts are also conducted on Facebook.[2] At this time, it appears that fighters are beginning to advertise their marital status on their Twitter bylines. Women also indicate whether they are married or widowed.

The following are examples from ISIS fighters' social media accounts:

Noting Marital Status

British ISIS fighter Abu Awlaki,[3] aka Omar Hussain, writes on his Twitter byline: "Living under the shade of the Khilafah (ex-Jabhat) Married to a princess. Three slots still available." Hussain previously wrote an advice piece on marrying fighters off of Twitter.[4]

British fighter Abu Dujana[5] writes: "Looking for a second wife. In Khilafa. I’m serious. Sisters can DM my wife @UmmDujana91."

A Western ISIS fighter[6] calling himself The Last Tweet[7] writes: "Citizen & soldier of Islamic State. Looking for Third Wife. Hesitation kills, plan it! Execute it!"

Finnish ISIS fighter Abu Ibrahim Finlandi[8] writes on his Twitter byline: "A person in sham/levant. Revert, originally from Finn. Single 21. Muwwahid who has been given life by the grace of Allah."

A Dutch woman calling herself Oum Haarith[9] writes: "Zawzjatu Shaheed" – i.e. widow of a martyr.

A British woman, Sally Jones, who is married to Junaid Hussain, writes: "Zawji Abu Hussain al Britani" – "My husband is Abu Hussain al Britani."

A woman named Umm Ikhlass writes in her Twitter byline: "Umm Ikhlass al Shishaniya Zawjatu [wife of] Abu Sayf Al Tounisi."  Her name indicates that she is a Chechen married to a Tunisian.

Dutchwoman Umm Oussama Muhajira[10] writes: "The heart lays where the greenbirds stays. Zawjat Abou Oussama al Almany [i.e. wife of Abou Oussama al Almany]."

Marriage Process

It is also worth noting that a large number of those engaged to fighters in the Islamic State have not yet arrived there, or even met their prospective spouses.  

On March 30, Finnish fighter Abu Ibrahim Finlandi tweeted: "That moment when you find out the one you want to marry is already engaged to someone who hasn't even done hijrah yet."