Social Media as Recruitment Channel for Terror Networks
In today’s digital era, there are almost no limits to information. Anybody can access any information in a few clicks within seconds. Likewise, the opportunities for recruitment by radical organizations and the opportunities for spreading ideologies have increased dramatically. Communication and discussion tools in social media are very effective means of recruitment. This presentation provides and analyzes examples of websites, blogs, messages, social media, and radio and television broadcasts used to recruit and spread ideologies.
Podcast:
Nasir Abas is a public figure in Indonesia who was actively involved in various extremist Islamic groups from 1987 to 2003, at which time he became a partner of Detachment 88, an anti-terror unit of the Indonesian National Police. Nasir is also a resource person for the Government Anti-Terror Body (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme—BNPT), whose purpose is to counter violent extremism in the population. He is also involved in government programs that focus on de-radicalization. Other government institutions —e.g. the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Directorate General of Correction, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the military— have also involved him in counter-terrorism activities. Nasir Abas lectures at universities and at the Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Cooperation (JCLEC) training center.