While the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is undoubtedly skilled at using social media to spread its message, sometimes that can backfire.
After a member of the Islamic State bragged about his command’s capabilities on social media, the military used the information to target an Islamic State headquarters building, according to Air Force Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command.
“It was a post on social media to bombs on target in less than 24 hours,” Carlisle said, according to Defense Tech. Carlisle was speaking at an Air Force Association breakfast on Monday. “Incredible work when you think about it.”
He said the military dropped three joint direct-attack munitions on the building after the social media post was discovered by airmen with the 361st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
“The guys that were working down out of Hurlburt, they’re combing through social media and they see some moron standing at this command. And in some social media, open forum, bragging about the command-and-control capabilities for Daesh, ISIL,” Carlisle said. “And these guys go: ‘We got an in.’ So they do some work, long story short, about 22 hours later through that very building, three JDAMS take that entire building out.”
