It seems to be paradox that the real restriction of operational abilities of Al Qaeda (AQ) and its affiliated Islamist terrorist organisations, caused by the pressure exerted by the security authorities worldwide in general and NATO forces in particular, is accompanied by a virtual extension of both the personnel potential and the sphere of action. Searching for the causes, we notice the propagandistic exaggeration of the organisation’s objectives and actions, which however, has to be considered a crucial point for extending the circles of adherents and sympathisers and thus its sphere of activity. No matter to what extent AQ may actually have been involved in the operational perpetration of attacks nowadays – its video messages, in particular those given by its protagonists like Usama Bin Ladin, Ayman Al-Zawahiri and Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the Al Qaeda leader in Iraq, who was killed in the summer of 2007 show how the organisation sees itself, namely as an inspiring force aiming at the community of all Muslims. Via the Internet, Arab television channels, but also through the sale of DVD’s and CD’s, masses of these messages reach interested people all over the world. Any effort to develop a counterstrategy is bound to fail if we do not understand what actual attraction these video messages hold for young and mostly male Muslims. The global impact of this propaganda and therefore its challenges for the security community are caused by a set of stylistic devices, metaphors and symbols from which the addressees in the Middle East and the West – due to the recipients’ different horizons of experience – will in different ways establish semantic links all of which will eventually strengthen, if not even generate their wish to get involved in the violent Jihad, though. The Joint Internet Center (Gemeinsames Internet Zentrum GIZ), which brings together experts of different German security authorities, faces this challenge. Within the short period of its existence it has proved already that any strategy meant to counter Islamist terrorism and the radicalizing effects of Islamist propaganda in particular requires an interdisciplinary examination approach which combines scientific and empirical expertise. Based on this experience all means which help to understand the radicalizing effects of jihad propaganda and strengthen the mutual exchange of ideas and knowledge as well as the monitoring capacities of all relevant authorities are without doubt a good investment in the security architecture of the West.