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Terrorist use of Internet : the virtual battlefields ?

Terrorist use of Internet : the virtual battlefields ?. Contents and evolution of the use of Internet by extremist networks. Different use of the Internet (1). Spreading propaganda material (messages to the Umma, reviews : Al Somoud etc.)

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Terrorist use of Internet : the virtual battlefields ?

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  1. Terrorist use of Internet : the virtual battlefields ? Contents and evolution of the use of Internet by extremist networks

  2. Different use of the Internet (1) • Spreading propaganda material (messages to the Umma, reviews : Al Somoud etc.) • Sending messages to the ennemy (communiqués) and challenging him (by sending videos of hostages e.g.) Zone for proselytism and « horizontal » communication

  3. Different use of the Internet (2) • A remote « university of terrorism  » (counter-interview & counter-surveillance techniques, IED’s handbook etc.) • Means of communication for jihadi members (« vertical communication ») • Access to sensitive information(e.g. cartography by Google Earth etc.) in order to plan terrorist operations

  4. Different aspects of Internet • Islamist Internet sites(ansar al haqq, minbar-sos, al mourabitoun etc.)as well as non specifically islamist web sites • Chat rooms and islamist fora with different levels of confidentiality(from low to high level of security : al hesbah, al ekhlaas etc.) • Use of encryption(« moudjahideen secret 1 & 2 »)

  5. Who are the activists on Internet (1) • Terrorists networks, through their « Emirs » and official spokemen - Abdelmalek DROUKDAL & Abou Mohamed Salah for Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb - Oussama BEN LADEN, Ayman AL ZAWAHIRI & Abou Yahya Al Libi for Al Qaeda - Abou Omar AL BAGDADI & Abou Hamza AL MOUJAHIR for Islamic State in Irak etc.

  6. Activists on the Internet (2) • Cheikhs • Fatwas • Advice to the muslim community on religious texts and islamic law (Chaaria)

  7. Activists on the Internet (3) Islamic media groups : As-Sahab, Global Islamic Media Front (GIMF), Al Furqan Media, Al Ansar Media etc. Translation Film production & editing Broadcasting

  8. Activists on the Internet (4) • Web users with extremist views • On-line discussions on « jihad related matters » • Relay for propaganda (e.g translation of propaganda material etc.)

  9. Is Internet a vector for radicalisation ? • Internet : one facilitation tool for radicalisation among the global process of radicalisation • The crucial role of jihadi websites(links and the feeling of « belonging to a community ») • Islamic websites : a narrow one-sided point of view (the « information bubble » )

  10. Evolution of extremist propaganda • Increasing number of communiqués, videos and audios posted • Improvement in the productionand editing of videos and propaganda material • Evolution of the message in itself(from a strong religious focus to more political and « environmental » messages)

  11. Counter-measures • Towards a common European legislation? • July 1881law and anti-terrorist act of Sept. 1986 : « public incitation to commit terrorist acts… » • Law of the 21st of June 2004 aimed at Internet : « communication to the public by electronic means… »

  12. Are counter propaganda efforts over the Internet possible ? • Radicalisation factors not all grounded in the religious field • Motivation of extremists can be more « revolutionary » than strictly related to religion • Counter-radicalisation methods in Western countries : what legitimacy ?

  13. Counter-propaganda • Issues : • The choice of religious texts • Understanting all the aspects of the doctrine • What do « defensive jihad », « offensive jihad », « excommunication » mean in our modern societies ? • Difficulties to counter-attack on extremism without attacking faith itself

  14. Cyberterrorism : myth or reality • A definition : « to destabilize a country by trying to paralyse or disrupt parts of its critical infrastructures in a direct cyber-attack (e.g denial of services, viruses) or by exploiting its vulnerabilities (e.g wireless technology etc.) »

  15. Cyberterrorism (2) • Objectives : - vital national networks such as water supplies, electricity networks or communication means …

  16. Cyberterrorism (3) • Need of a « long-term strategy » in order to identify targets and their vulnerabilities • The success of this kind of cyber-attacks may be uncertain and the impact on the population less important than the one of a more « conventional » terrorist attack (like bombings in urban transportation systems e.g)

  17. Conclusion • Al Qaeda and affiliated groups follow the evolution of the Internet and are using it in a quite efficient manner • Security services must be vigilant and not underestimate the capabilities of terrorist networks in this matter

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