Al-Qaida mocked as it looks for PR advice

Security analyst J.M. Berger urged his followers on the site to hijack a hashtag allegedly used by terrorists to canvass suggestions for “media ops”.

Social networkers responded with a barrage of satirical advice which included the proposal that al-Qaida should release the film Dude, Where’s My Car Bomb?

Another user suggested: “More cats in online video releases”.

Mr Berger launched his “trolling” crusade earlier this week when he alerted followers to an arabic hashtag being used to “solicit ideas” for a public relations campaign and urged social networkers: “You should all send some.”

One user responded: “al-Qaida the movie: Dude, where’s my car bomb?”

Another wrote: “Open up a fast food restaurant called Jihad Joes” while social networker Mike Doran suggested al-Qaida’s leader Ayman al-Zawahiri should “start ‘Martyrdom’, AQ’s brand of exclusive fragrances”.

Several suggestions made reference to the pornography allegedly found at Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan after he was killed by US navy Seals in 2011.

Chris Forewit wrote: “My suggestion for al-Qaida’s woes: sell Osama’s porn collection on eBay.”

Other ideas included the suggestion from Calum Roberts: “Jihadist’s Got Talent: Western infidels vote for their favourite jihadi acts” and Herschel Jacobson’s advice: “More cats in online releases.”

Sean Marshall mooted an “edgy” campaign featuring a “spokesmodel that shows some ankle”.

Mr Berger – whose own ideas included advising al-Qaida to “auction off the cabinet Osama bin Laden filmed his videos in front of” – later praised Twitter users for their work.

“Nicely trolled everyone, but keep it up,” he wrote.