Shirion Collective
Anonymous pro-Israel online network founded in November 2023 that claimed to surveil and expose pro-Palestine activists; no documented link to the Israeli state
| Shirion Collective
| |
|---|---|
| Type | Online network (X, Telegram, crowdfunding) |
| Founded | November 2023 |
| Key people | Daniel Linden (identified by The Guardian as "a prime mover") |
The Shirion Collective is a pro-Israel online network that calls itself a "private Jewish surveillance force". It was founded in November 2023 and says it has volunteers in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.[1]
Activities
Novara Media reported that in February 2024 Shirion sought "volunteers willing to wear keffiyehs and walk in" pro-Palestine demonstrations. It also offered payment to "individuals with Arabic-sounding names and Middle Eastern appearance" for "deeper infiltration". Leaked Telegram posts suggested the call-out was meant mainly to sow distrust. One volunteer wrote: "And all accomplished just by ONE tweet. Doesn't even cost a cent." Shirion promoted an AI tool called "Maccabee", which it said could identify activists and send deepfakes to their employers. The White Rose Society told Novara that the claims were "pure fantasy".[1] The Guardian reported in January 2024 on leaked posts showing the group turning its attention to Australian politicians.[2]
Organiser
The Guardian identified "a tech entrepreneur named Daniel Linden living in Florida" as "a prime mover behind the Shirion Collective". It reported that he "set up Shirion's crowdfunding efforts, appears to play a central role in operating the network's social media accounts, and coordinates the group's efforts on a Telegram channel". Linden did not respond to the paper.[3]
State links
None of the reporting examined documents a direct link between Shirion and the Israeli government. Writing in Press TV, David Miller placed Shirion alongside other online groups that he said trace back to the Israeli state, such as Canary Mission, the Tel Aviv Institute, Psy-Group and Black Cube. He noted that a Shirion post repeated claims made by Canary Mission, which he said "raises questions about the extent of connection" to operations run or coordinated by the Israeli state. He also pointed to the network of front groups created by the Ministry of Strategic Affairs, since renamed Voices of Israel.[4] (Critical.)
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Clare Hymer, A Pro-Israel Group Is Trying to Intimidate Palestine Protesters With Claims of 'Infiltration' Novara Media, 1 March 2024. Journalistic.
- ↑ Pro-Israel 'surveillance' group turning attention to Australia, leaked posts show The Guardian, 30 January 2024. Journalistic.
- ↑ Revealed: the tech entrepreneur behind a pro-Israel hate network The Guardian, 29 June 2024. Journalistic.
- ↑ David Miller, Shirion Collective: Ultra-Zionist troll farm that targets pro-Palestine voices in West Press TV, 20 July 2024. Critical.