The aim of this paper is to examine the Islamic state’s information operations and how they target three different domains of influence. Domains consisting of the field of information, the physical world and human cognition, as described by the Swedish armed forces. Previous studies showcase that the ISIS information approach is mainly characterized by utilizing the internet and distributing propaganda. All in order to gain support and legitimize their newly founded caliphate. However, studies does not show how these operations target different domains in order to influence the recipients. The lack of insight in how this phenomenon occurs is also evident in contemporary military theory. An insight that this study aim to provide.
The theoretical premises used for the analysis are What is information warfare? by Martin C. Libicki and Karl Popper’s Objective knowledge. The designated method to examine the empirical data was a qualitative text analysis. The result of the analysis indicates that ISIS target all three previously mentioned domains by psychological operations. ISIS also target the field of information using cyber operations.