However, I realised there was in terms of suppressor use by extremist groups nothing on the Internet. So, I started on it for myself to get a sense. But there was no one prepared to go into the level of detail that I wanted to see. It’s very good, and it’s very interesting. There are many people on Twitter and on the Russian-speaking internet who do similar stuff. You have touched on it before, but what sparked your interest in this field?Ĭalibre Obscura: I didn’t see the detailed information that I wanted out there.

How long have you been doing this work?Ĭalibre Obscura: I’ve had my Twitter account since early 2017 and been interested in the subject for a long time but started actively writing since mid-spring 2018. I don’t define it as money, but if you produce the best content you can, then other things will follow. If you talk about pure success in this capitalist sense, what people would define as money. First, it’s in terms of your own satisfaction with the work, how it measures up to others in the field and how good you think it is, basically. How do you measure success?Ĭalibre Obscura: Well, there are different metrics I would say. But it’s not the only possibility I have in my life if that makes sense? So I’m not 100% sure, but I’d definitely like to push it further. I would like to take this as far as I can and see if I can make a success out of it. What is your goal, to do this full-time?Ĭalibre Obscura: I don’t know quite what my goals are at this point in my life. Do you have any formal military training?Ĭalibre Obscura: No not formal, but I wouldn’t say I don’t have any contact with anyone in that field. So, from then on, it’s just grown and I’ve tried to maintain that while working my day job. However, I had made contacts online that encouraged me to start something. That’s why I started writing about suppressor use by insurgent groups, but I didn’t know what that would turn into. I started small arms research and analysis because there was a lack of information in the OSINT realm that I wanted to see. industry and have done so for a little while. Is there something we haven’t covered you would like to add?Ĭalibre Obscura: Broadly speaking, I work in the I.T.What misconceptions do you deal with if any?.What is the most interest development you wanted to share?.You have touched on it before, but what sparked your interest in this field?.How long have you been doing this work?.What is your goal, to do this full-time?.Do you have any formal military training?.He has analysed and published illuminating articles on the use of suppressorsby extremist groups and the weapons of Albanian sniper group Xhemati Alban.

So, to shine more light on these individuals, I interviewed one of the most prolific small arms OSINT analysts around and the man behind the moniker CalibreObscura. A feat which the most experienced intelligence analyst or investigative journalist would be proud of! Groups like Bellingcat who with the use of open-source intelligence (OSINT) found the real culprits behind the downing of MH17. However, there are also plenty of super-empowered individuals active on the right side of the law. One extremist sniper group even designed a cryptocurrency based crowdfunding platform on the Dark Web for funding! With the so-called SadaqaCoins, anybody sympathetic to the group can donate towards off-road vehicles, optics, suppressors and rifles. The group also requested donations in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. The unit has introduced novel tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP), which in the past were only available to special operations units (SOF) of state actors. A private military contractor (PMC) that provides training, weapons and consulting services to extremist groups in Syria. Malhama Tactical sensationally labelled the ‘Blackwater of Jihad’. A domain that in the past was only accessible to states with an air force. They have also weaponised commercial Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) with homemade explosives to devastating effect. For example, groups like Islamic State (IS) have utilised platforms such as Telegram, YouTube, and Twitter to recruit, amplify and communicate. One of the most affected battlegrounds by these super-empowered individuals in Syria.

Or, more insidious, to recruit and direct sleeper cells to commit terrorist attacks by leveraging Facebook groups or forums such as 8Chan. Today, however, it is possible for protestors in Hong Kong to communicate and organise through apps like Tinder. While, most of these technologies and tactics used to be only available to states.

These are individuals or groups who have maximised their impact in the domains of warfare, journalism, intelligence, and statecraft, by leveraging the democratisation of technology and its disruptive effects. Much of my research and fascination is driven by the rise of the “citizen journalist”, “Homo Digitalis” or the “super-empowered individual”.

In obscura espionage definition