US military flailing in online fight against Islamic State

Known as "WebOps," the program was launched several years ago by a small group of civilian contractors and military officers assigned to the information operations division at U.S. Central Command's headquarters in Tampa.

WebOps relies on dozens of Arabic-speaking analysts who scour Twitter and other social media platforms for people whose postings suggest they are vulnerable to the Islamic State's siren call.

The information operations division that runs WebOps is the command's epicenter for firing back at the Islamic State's online propaganda machine, using the internet to sway public opinion in a swath of the globe that stretches from Central Asia to the Horn of Africa.

Central Command spokesman Andy Stephens declined repeated requests for information about WebOps and the new contract, and did not respond to detailed questions the AP sent on Jan. 10.

The whistleblower's complaint alleges multiple conflicts of interest that included division officers being treated to lavish dinners paid for by a contractor.

Garcia, who moved to his new post two months before the contract was awarded, said he scrupulously avoided any discussions about the contract with his friend and his former deputy, who served on the five-member panel that reviewed all of the bids.

"Because I was aware of these conflicts of interest, I intentionally kept myself out of that process, with any of these contract processes," Garcia said.