The As-Sahab Foundation for Islamic Media Publication is the media production house of al-Qaeda, used to relay the organization's views to the world. Its first production under the name was believed to have been in 2001 with the involvement of Adam Yahiye Gadahn. As-Sahab "produces documentary-quality films, iPod files and cellphone video." In 2007, it released 97 original videos, a sixfold increase from 2005.
Production
The organization uses modern technology to produce its video statements. In addition to being released in Arabic, some published videos come with English or other language subtitles. More recently, the release of the "5 years after tribute", The Manhattan Raid demonstrated a standard comparing favorably with the production quality obtained by major television networks some 10 years ago. Video and audio are usually crisp, and subtitles are by and large free of grammatical and spelling errors and sometimes explain Islam-specific concepts. It is unknown whether this indicates a general increase in capability or a tapping of additional resources to produce what seems to be a kind of "special release" video. An August 2002 study by an independent researcher has revealed that As-Sahab may be using a technology similar to greenscreen to accomplish backdrop effects. U.S. and British intelligence officials believe it to be run by former Orange County California resident Adam Gadahn, who left America to join al Qaeda in Pakistan in 1998. In 2005 a CBC programme based on a documentary originally produced in Japan by NHK Television and was updated by the Discovery Times Channel, was released called Media Jihad - As-Sahab Foundation which traces the origins of As-Sahab.
Method of delivery
Previously al Qaeda preferred to deliver its videos via a dead drop method using couriers. However, the method of delivery was changed in January 2006 after the Damadola airstrike on an al Qaeda meeting near Damadola, Pakistan. The current method of delivery, which appears to be handled by As-Sahab, is an internet delivery of video or audio materials.
On 6 September 2007, Osama bin Laden's image was posted at a banner advertisement on an Islamic militant website, where As-Sahab posts messages. In the image, the man purported to be bin Laden had a beard that appeared to have been dyed. Al-Sahab said that bin Laden would release a new video ahead of the 6th anniversary of the 2001 attacks, which would be the first new images in 3 years.
