According to a member of the Shmukh jihadi forum, the media wing of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula is making a cartoon. I haven’t seen anything like this before and I am very skeptical that it is a real product. But if it’s legit and anywhere near like the purported screen shots and promotional banner below, it would indicate that AQAP is becoming even more sophisticated in its efforts to reach out to youth. Now they just need some action figures. (If this is old hat or a rip-off of some other cartoon, please let me know and I’ll update the post.)
Update: Adam Rawnsley at Danger Room has dug deeper. His references to the Super Friends and Thundercats clinch his credibility.
Update2: Yammani, the Shmukh user who posted the pics, provides an update today. He explains that the film is in the final stages and the “brothers” asked him to share the pics and the basic concept with the forum to elicit their feedback. The brothers will then edit as needed.
Update3 (July 21): Shmukh members have translated a Reuters story on the cartoons that mentions Jihadica. They are elated at the press attention and are calling on the cartoonists to hurry up and release the film.
