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Nico Prucha

Mag. Nico Prucha

Job Info
Position:
Affiliated Researchers
Tel.:
E-Mail:
nico.pruchaoiip.ac.at
Expert's report area:
  • Islamism and Democracy
  • Terrorism
    Personal Info

    born 1979 in Germany

    Work experience:
    Since November 2007          
    Freelance Consultant for Jane’s Information Group’s Strategic Advisory Services (JSAS), focused on Arabic jihadist sources. Web-monitoring of forums and online radicalization processes, assessment and translation of jihadist Arabic literature and videos and of various magazines issued by different jihadist groups, as well as analyzing jihadist propaganda and key ideological concepts.

    January 2009                           
    Graduate of the University of Vienna with honors (Oriental Studies): Magister der Philosophie (Mag. phil.) / Master of Philosophy Spring Term 2009           
    Start of the Dissertation at the University of Vienna: (Working title) “Key Concepts of Contemporary Jihadist Ideology – Means of Radicalization, Motivation and Recruitment via the Mechanisms, Networks and Possibilities of the Internet”


    Research:
        * Translations, analysis of jihad literature, online forums and videos.
        * Since 2002: Establishing a database of (mostly) Arabic jihad-literature and videos; identification of categories and doctrinal keywords and key ideologues.
        * Clarifying Islamic judicial terms and verses of the Quran, used in the jihad-literature.
        * The ideology of al-Qa’ida.
        * Practical aspects of contemporary Jihadists movements on the internet (handbooks on weapons, explosives and instructions for hackers).
        * Monitoring radical Islamist and jihadist, mostly Sunni, online forums.
        * Thorough assessment of jihadist web-related content in general,
        * including jihad videos on a global scale and the dissemination of radical ideology related to filmed actions of fighting elements.
        * Patterns of recruitment, radicalization and motivation (on- and offline).
        * Assessment of jihadist magazines.
        * Assessment of available religious, historical and contemporary publications in Arab countries.
        * Personal talks with ‘ulama’ members to further the understanding of specific ‘dual use’ concepts of contemporary and historical Islam.
        * Online Jihad and electronic games.
        * The German Red Army Faction and al-Qa’ida: Comparison of original statements, declaration of goals and expressed strategies.
        * Historical Islam and Jihad.


    Publications:
    ·        Prucha, Nico: Anwendungsbeispiel der Online-Welten der „al-Qa’ida“ - Yaman Mukhaddab, ein Online-Sympathisant [An Example of al-Qa'ida's onlineworlds: Yaman Mukhaddab, a Online Sympathiser], Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP), (http://www.oiip.at/fileadmin/Unterlagen/Dateien/Publikationen/Online_Dschihad.pdf).

    ·        Prucha, Nico: Global Jihadists setting sights on Germany, Newsletter for Bessentials Group, November 2009, (http://bessentialsgroup.com/images/stories/PDF/Newsletters/Newsletter_November_2009.pdf ).

    ·        Prucha, Nico: Jihadists‘ Use of Quran’s ribat concept in: Jane’s Islamic Affairs Analyst, August 2009, published online as “The concept of 'Ribat' in jihadist mindset”, (http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/jiaa/doc_view.jsp?K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/mags/jiaa/history/jiaa2009/jiaa5218.htm@current&Prod_Name=JIAA&QueryText=).

    ·        Prucha, Nico: Validating Violence – Jihadists Sanction Energy-Related Attacks in: Jane's Energy Security - distributed to delegates at CERAWeek and published in Jane’s Intelligence Review, January 2009, (http://www4.janes.com/subscribe/jir/doc_view.jsp?K2DocKey=/content1/janesdata/mags/jir/history/jir2009/jir10566.htm@current&Prod_Name=JIR&QueryText=).

    ·        Prucha, Nico: Sawt al-Dschihad – die Stimme des Dschihad al-Qa’ida erstes Online Magazin (Sawt al-Jihad: al-Qa’ida’s first online Magazine, Thesis), University of Vienna 2009.

    ·        Anonymous: Finding Nemo in: Jane’s Terrorism & Security Monitor, July 2008, (http://www.janes.com/news/security/terrorism/jtsm/jtsm080707_1_n.shtml).

    ·        Anonymous: The Rise of Al-Ekhlaas in: Jane’s Terrorism & Security Monitor, May 2008, S. 14-15, (http://emag.digitalpc.co.uk/jig/jtsm0805.asp).

    ·        Lohlker, Rüdiger/ Prucha, Nico: Dschihadismus im Internet – Die praktische Seite [Jihadism on the Internet – the practical aspect], in: SIAK Journal Zeitschrift für Polizeiwissenschaft und polizeiliche Praxis, Ausgabe 04/2007.

    ·        Prucha, Nico: Dschihadistische Foren im Internet [Jihadi Forums on the Internet], Institut für Wissenschaft und Forschung, IWF Research Notes (SIAK), Vienna 2007.

    ·        Prucha, Nico: Jihad on the Internet. The Anomalous Case of Abu Jandal al-Azdi, in: Journal for Intelligence, Propaganda and Security Studies (ACIPSS), Vol. 1, No.2, 2007.

    ·        Schahbasi, Alexander and Prucha, Nico: Analyse dschihadistischer Internet-Videos [Analysing Jihadi Online Videos],  Institut für Wissenschaft und Forschung, IWF Research Notes (SIAK), Vienna 2007

    ·        Unofficial author of the blog onlinejihad (http://onlinejihad.wordpress.com/)

     
    Forthcoming publications:
    ·        Prucha, Nico: Die Stimme des Dschihad – Sawt al-jihad al-Qa’idas erstes Online-Magazin, Verlag Dr.Kovac: Hamburg 2010.

    Languages     
    German: mother tongue
    English: fluent
    Arabic: fluent
    French: basic knowledge