Anisa Shabir
@anisashabir.bsky.social
Fact-checker & open-source reporter | Volunteer researcher Bellingcat's Global Authentication Project | MA Investigative Journalism | Fulbright Scholar. [email protected]
anisashabir.com
anisashabir.com
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
New iMEdD interview on how open-source work grew from peer-to-peer info, why our verification and deliberation systems are failing, and how that collapse fuels splintered realities, Trump-era politics, and pressure on investigative journalism.
lab.imedd.org/en/eliot-hig...
lab.imedd.org/en/eliot-hig...
Eliot Higgins: Algorithms, spies and Trump in the mix - iMEdD Lab
The founder of the investigative platform Bellingcat speaks about algorithms and democracy in the 21st century, the world of intelligence services, and how investigative journalism is funded in the er...
lab.imedd.org
December 5, 2025 at 12:30 PM
New iMEdD interview on how open-source work grew from peer-to-peer info, why our verification and deliberation systems are failing, and how that collapse fuels splintered realities, Trump-era politics, and pressure on investigative journalism.
lab.imedd.org/en/eliot-hig...
lab.imedd.org/en/eliot-hig...
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
This Saturday, November 22 I'll be streaming a 12-hour gaming session to raise funds for Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children via @extralife4kids.bsky.social!
That's right: I'll be playing video games from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. Come join and donate for a good cause!
www.twitch.tv/gianfiorel
That's right: I'll be playing video games from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. Come join and donate for a good cause!
www.twitch.tv/gianfiorel
Twitch
Twitch is the world
www.twitch.tv
November 17, 2025 at 3:15 PM
This Saturday, November 22 I'll be streaming a 12-hour gaming session to raise funds for Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children via @extralife4kids.bsky.social!
That's right: I'll be playing video games from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. Come join and donate for a good cause!
www.twitch.tv/gianfiorel
That's right: I'll be playing video games from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST. Come join and donate for a good cause!
www.twitch.tv/gianfiorel
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Streets have been renamed, Ukrainian monuments removed, and murals painted over. Bellingcat investigates how apartment blocks in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol have been demolished to make way for a new Russian suburban utopia… www.bellingcat.com/uncategorize...
Building on Ruins: The Russification of Mariupol, One Apartment Block at a Time - bellingcat
Bellingcat has identified 23 multi-storey housing complexes being built in occupied Mariupol and advertised for sale to Russian citizens.
www.bellingcat.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Streets have been renamed, Ukrainian monuments removed, and murals painted over. Bellingcat investigates how apartment blocks in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol have been demolished to make way for a new Russian suburban utopia… www.bellingcat.com/uncategorize...
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
GeoSpy AI attempted to do a geolocation in the occupied West Bank in Palestine. However, nothing beats the human eye, as @annonemo.bsky.social showed that the correct location was actually 19.6 km from what the AI and it’s founder claimed it was: 32.113212, 35.133272.
November 9, 2025 at 10:57 PM
GeoSpy AI attempted to do a geolocation in the occupied West Bank in Palestine. However, nothing beats the human eye, as @annonemo.bsky.social showed that the correct location was actually 19.6 km from what the AI and it’s founder claimed it was: 32.113212, 35.133272.
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
tfw you're forced to listen to Trump
October 13, 2025 at 5:45 PM
tfw you're forced to listen to Trump
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
oh my goodness world leaders are rubbing sores in Egypt about Trump and the Nobel
October 13, 2025 at 5:09 PM
oh my goodness world leaders are rubbing sores in Egypt about Trump and the Nobel
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Russia's Matryoshka disinformation campaign is now creating new content formats for Bellingcat. This is both the worst and best thing they've done, imo.
September 26, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Russia's Matryoshka disinformation campaign is now creating new content formats for Bellingcat. This is both the worst and best thing they've done, imo.
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Last year @johannawild.bsky.social came into our Discord Server to discuss the process of updating the toolkit and why the relaunch was needed. You can listen back to that conversation here: rss.com/podcasts/bel...
"Revealing the Bellingcat Toolkit" with the Bellingcat Team | Podcast Episode on RSS.com
This week's stage talk is focused on our new and updated toolkit! We've packed every useful open source research tool into one place to help assist new and old researchers, journalists and NGOs. Johan...
rss.com
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Last year @johannawild.bsky.social came into our Discord Server to discuss the process of updating the toolkit and why the relaunch was needed. You can listen back to that conversation here: rss.com/podcasts/bel...
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Our new and improved Bellingcat Toolkit is one-year-old today! If you haven't used it yet its a one-stop shop for discovering useful open source tools, maintained by an amazing group of volunteers. You can find use cases, guidance and honest reviews for each tool. bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit
Home | Bellingcat's Online Investigation Toolkit
A toolkit for open source researchers
bellingcat.gitbook.io
September 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Our new and improved Bellingcat Toolkit is one-year-old today! If you haven't used it yet its a one-stop shop for discovering useful open source tools, maintained by an amazing group of volunteers. You can find use cases, guidance and honest reviews for each tool. bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Our revamped toolkit page is one year old today!
The toolkit helps researchers and journalists across the world do impactful work.
Maintaining it with up-to-date entries and guides is a huge effort from our staff and volunteers.
You can help us keep it up by donating: www.bellingcat.com/donate/
The toolkit helps researchers and journalists across the world do impactful work.
Maintaining it with up-to-date entries and guides is a huge effort from our staff and volunteers.
You can help us keep it up by donating: www.bellingcat.com/donate/
September 24, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Our revamped toolkit page is one year old today!
The toolkit helps researchers and journalists across the world do impactful work.
Maintaining it with up-to-date entries and guides is a huge effort from our staff and volunteers.
You can help us keep it up by donating: www.bellingcat.com/donate/
The toolkit helps researchers and journalists across the world do impactful work.
Maintaining it with up-to-date entries and guides is a huge effort from our staff and volunteers.
You can help us keep it up by donating: www.bellingcat.com/donate/
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
In April, authorities raided what they say was a Tren de Aragua gathering. Attendees say it was a birthday party.
Among those detained included a homeless barber/DoorDash driver, and three people who fled Venezuela years ago *because of* that gang
🧵
www.texasobserver.org/officials-tr...
Among those detained included a homeless barber/DoorDash driver, and three people who fled Venezuela years ago *because of* that gang
🧵
www.texasobserver.org/officials-tr...
Officials Said They Busted a Tren de Aragua Party. Attendees Beg to Differ.
A highly publicized multi-agency raid in Hays County resulted in dozens of arrests on low-level immigration charges and left an Austin mother's life in tatters. It also fit a pattern of unproven gang-...
www.texasobserver.org
September 22, 2025 at 6:50 PM
In April, authorities raided what they say was a Tren de Aragua gathering. Attendees say it was a birthday party.
Among those detained included a homeless barber/DoorDash driver, and three people who fled Venezuela years ago *because of* that gang
🧵
www.texasobserver.org/officials-tr...
Among those detained included a homeless barber/DoorDash driver, and three people who fled Venezuela years ago *because of* that gang
🧵
www.texasobserver.org/officials-tr...
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
235 people were killed in April when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub came crashing down during a packed concert. We found that for years before the collapse, structural issues and warning signs went unaddressed. w/ @stepozzebon.bsky.social and @averyschmitz.bsky.social for CNN youtu.be/H5UpgvxSc1A
CNN analysis explores cause of deadly Dominican nightclub roof collapse
YouTube video by CNN
youtu.be
June 17, 2025 at 11:24 PM
235 people were killed in April when the roof of the Jet Set nightclub came crashing down during a packed concert. We found that for years before the collapse, structural issues and warning signs went unaddressed. w/ @stepozzebon.bsky.social and @averyschmitz.bsky.social for CNN youtu.be/H5UpgvxSc1A
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
My latest. I heard about this growing up and spent the last few years seeing what FOIAs, interviews, and archives can tell us. It’s a glimpse into the murky, ruthless underworld of 1970s Texas. Grateful for my brilliant editors @gycsak.bsky.social @liseolsen.bsky.social @beaudonelly.bsky.social
The USA has a problem solving homicides. In partnership with the @texasobserver.org, we take you into one cold case; a tale of gambling, oil barons and pigeons, to see what open source research can reveal: www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/05...
Pigeon Shoots and Hitmen: New Leads in a Texas Oilman's Cold Case - bellingcat
Illustration by Ann Kiernan.
www.bellingcat.com
May 27, 2025 at 9:20 PM
My latest. I heard about this growing up and spent the last few years seeing what FOIAs, interviews, and archives can tell us. It’s a glimpse into the murky, ruthless underworld of 1970s Texas. Grateful for my brilliant editors @gycsak.bsky.social @liseolsen.bsky.social @beaudonelly.bsky.social
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
From researching on Telegram to analyzing satellite imagery, the @journalismfestival.com offers free online recordings from past events. I have compiled a list of sessions that focus on, or are related to, open source research methods: t1p.de/mod4u. #OpenSourceResearch
IJF Open Source Research Panels
A list of Open Source Research related panels from the International Journalism Festival in Perugia (in English and only if a recording is available) 2025 Sam Cole, Kolina Koltai, Charlotte Maher...
t1p.de
May 30, 2025 at 8:26 AM
From researching on Telegram to analyzing satellite imagery, the @journalismfestival.com offers free online recordings from past events. I have compiled a list of sessions that focus on, or are related to, open source research methods: t1p.de/mod4u. #OpenSourceResearch
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
Am I bad at posting? Yes. Will I get better at it? tbd.
Anyways, I've written over 100 pieces at CityView. Here are a few I'm proud of, a thread 🧵:
Anyways, I've written over 100 pieces at CityView. Here are a few I'm proud of, a thread 🧵:
May 23, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Am I bad at posting? Yes. Will I get better at it? tbd.
Anyways, I've written over 100 pieces at CityView. Here are a few I'm proud of, a thread 🧵:
Anyways, I've written over 100 pieces at CityView. Here are a few I'm proud of, a thread 🧵:
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
PimEyes allows users to upload photos of faces in order to search the internet for pictures of people who look similar. Learn more about the tool in Bellingcat’s Online Investigation Toolkit: bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more... by @anisashabir.bsky.social #OpenSourceResearch
PimEyes | Bellingcat's Online Investigation Toolkit
An AI-powered facial recognition reverse image search tool.
bellingcat.gitbook.io
May 13, 2025 at 5:54 PM
PimEyes allows users to upload photos of faces in order to search the internet for pictures of people who look similar. Learn more about the tool in Bellingcat’s Online Investigation Toolkit: bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more... by @anisashabir.bsky.social #OpenSourceResearch
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
New to flight tracking? Our Flightradar24 toolkit guide by teaches you everything you need to know about the site, including when (not) to use it: bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more.... Written by @afko.bsky.social for @bellingcat.com's Online Investigation Toolkit.
Flightradar24 | Bellingcat's Online Investigation Toolkit
Flightradar24 is a real-time flight tracking service that provides detailed information about aircraft positions, flight numbers, origins, destinations, historical data, and aircraft information.
bellingcat.gitbook.io
April 17, 2025 at 4:02 PM
New to flight tracking? Our Flightradar24 toolkit guide by teaches you everything you need to know about the site, including when (not) to use it: bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit/more.... Written by @afko.bsky.social for @bellingcat.com's Online Investigation Toolkit.
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
NEWS: It began with Mahmoud Khalil. Now the Trump admin is trying to deport *hundreds* of students by vaguely saying they have criminal records—making them guess why.
Some have traffic violations. Some didn't even commit a crime.
One's "criminal record"? Apparently being a domestic violence victim.
Some have traffic violations. Some didn't even commit a crime.
One's "criminal record"? Apparently being a domestic violence victim.
Trump Is Trying to Deport Students Who Show Up in a ‘Criminal Records Check.’ But Many Have Never Been Convicted
What began with Mahmoud Khalil has now expanded into widespread immigration status revocations with no explanation and little apparent recourse.
zeteo.com
April 8, 2025 at 7:40 PM
NEWS: It began with Mahmoud Khalil. Now the Trump admin is trying to deport *hundreds* of students by vaguely saying they have criminal records—making them guess why.
Some have traffic violations. Some didn't even commit a crime.
One's "criminal record"? Apparently being a domestic violence victim.
Some have traffic violations. Some didn't even commit a crime.
One's "criminal record"? Apparently being a domestic violence victim.
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
"Hi Francesca, we are going to respectfully decline an interview"
I am going to respectfully file a torrent of FOIA requests ... and you cannot stop me <3
I am going to respectfully file a torrent of FOIA requests ... and you cannot stop me <3
April 8, 2025 at 6:38 PM
"Hi Francesca, we are going to respectfully decline an interview"
I am going to respectfully file a torrent of FOIA requests ... and you cannot stop me <3
I am going to respectfully file a torrent of FOIA requests ... and you cannot stop me <3
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
As part of a large collaboration of a dozen newsrooms, led by @forbidden-stories.bsky.social, Bellingcat investigated two cases where journalists were targeted by the IDF shortly after they used drones to document Gaza from above.
Together with our publishing partners, Bellingcat continues the work of drone journalists who had been killed while documenting the war in Gaza, visualising the unprecedented scale of destruction through detailed 3D aerial maps. www.bellingcat.com/news/2025/03...
Shot From Above: The Dangerous Work of Drone Journalists in Gaza - bellingcat
Examining the high price those documenting devastation in Gaza pay.
www.bellingcat.com
March 29, 2025 at 11:47 AM
As part of a large collaboration of a dozen newsrooms, led by @forbidden-stories.bsky.social, Bellingcat investigated two cases where journalists were targeted by the IDF shortly after they used drones to document Gaza from above.
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
This was a challenging but important piece to work on. Telling the stories of those attacked for showing the scale of destruction and helping illustrate that scale ourselves using a 3D model.
Bellingcat, along with our partners, identified several cases where drone journalists were killed or injured shortly after capturing aerial images of the destruction in Gaza. Find the video version of this investigation here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLbv...
Shot From Above- The Dangerous Work of Drone Journalists in Gaza
YouTube video by Bellingcat
www.youtube.com
March 29, 2025 at 6:34 AM
This was a challenging but important piece to work on. Telling the stories of those attacked for showing the scale of destruction and helping illustrate that scale ourselves using a 3D model.
New: I wrote about the recent train hijacking by the militant group BLA in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwestern province. We geolocated the footage the group released, identifying the attack's actual location. @thomasbordeaux.bsky.social provided crucial geolocation insights: shorturl.at/OqSBO
BLA train hijacking location misrepresented in reports - Soch Fact Check
Claim: Some media reports state the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) hijacked the Jaffar Express between the Pehro Kunri Station and Mashkaf Station, in the Kachhi District in Balochistan; other repo...
shorturl.at
March 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM
New: I wrote about the recent train hijacking by the militant group BLA in Balochistan, Pakistan’s southwestern province. We geolocated the footage the group released, identifying the attack's actual location. @thomasbordeaux.bsky.social provided crucial geolocation insights: shorturl.at/OqSBO
Reposted by Anisa Shabir
"This is the first arrest of many to come"
Folks: Believe the man. Take him seriously. He is telling you what he's going to do.
If you think that you or anyone you know will not be impacted by this kind of gross violation of due process, I'll catch you at the bottom of the slipper slope.
Folks: Believe the man. Take him seriously. He is telling you what he's going to do.
If you think that you or anyone you know will not be impacted by this kind of gross violation of due process, I'll catch you at the bottom of the slipper slope.
Trump takes credit for Mahmoud Khalil's arrest by ICE:
March 10, 2025 at 5:51 PM
"This is the first arrest of many to come"
Folks: Believe the man. Take him seriously. He is telling you what he's going to do.
If you think that you or anyone you know will not be impacted by this kind of gross violation of due process, I'll catch you at the bottom of the slipper slope.
Folks: Believe the man. Take him seriously. He is telling you what he's going to do.
If you think that you or anyone you know will not be impacted by this kind of gross violation of due process, I'll catch you at the bottom of the slipper slope.