Citizen journalists combat anonymous ISIL supporters by revealing their geographic locations

A photo campaign by ISIL to demonstrate the terror group’s broad geographic reach has backfired, after social media users began geolocating their anonymous members.

The photos, which feature handwritten notes by alleged members of ISIL and the #ISIS hashtag – both in Arabic – as well as images of their author’s locations, were recently shared via the Telegram secure messaging app to a number of supporters.

The photos were then publically shared by representatives of the international terrorist group, many of which were reposted by Dubai-based journalist Jenan Moussa.

"With these pro-ISIS messages, the group creates the impression they have a worldwide network,” Ms Moussa wrote in a tweet, using an alternative name for the terrorist organisation.

Locations in Europe, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, and Germany are featured in a number of the photos shared by Ms Moussa.

But the campaign was undermined after members of the public retaliated by banding together to geolocate each photo.

The effort, led by the founder of citizen journalism website Bellingcat, Elliot Higgins, sparked a flood of suggestions, information and Google Streetview comparisons.

Twitter users ArtWendeley and hotzn1 have since successfully managed to pinpoint the position of one photo from Germany.

Mr Higgins said in a Tweet that a second ISIL “fanboy” had been geolocated in London, including the @metpoliceuk handle in his message.

“Let's hope for CCTV coverage @metpoliceuk,” he tweeted.

A third has since been reportedly located in Paris and a fourth in Holland.

Mr Higgins has encouraged his Twitter followers to report any relevant information to local police.