As Islamic State (ISIS) loses more strongholds in the Middle East, the
terror group is expanding its ability to radicalize and recruit domestic
fighters online.
“Just as we use technology throughout the course of our day, so do the
bad guys,” Michael Steinbach, executive assistant director of the FBI’s
National Security Branch, told a Senate subcommittee on July 6. “Many
foreign terrorist organizations use various forms of digital
communication platforms in an effort to reach individuals they believe
to be susceptible and sympathetic to their message. But no group has
been as successful at drawing people into its message as [ISIS].”
As Americans celebrated their Independence Day last weekend, ISIS was
busy killing hundreds around the globe. The international terror
organization maintains a wide reach and its attacks continue to grow
more violent and more frequent. That’s because ISIS is winning the
battle of the internet, a panel of expert witnesses representing
multiple government departments told the Senate Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Investigations.
When ISIS rose to international attention in 2014, social media sites
did little to block terror groups from propagating their messages. Over
the last two years, Facebook and Twitter have voluntarily made efforts
to enforce their own terms of service to prohibit incitements to
terrorism. So far, Twitter has closed more than 100,000 ISIS-linked
accounts, and Facebook has actively worked to remove offending users
while working on various ways to promote content to counter jihadist
propaganda.
But law enforcement agencies are playing catch-up, sifting through
millions of social media impressions to figure out what is dangerous to
American lives.
Lawmakers are searching for ways to help government departments and private groups to combat the ISIS online narrative.
“There is no room for complacency on this issue. It warrants continuous
scrutiny and oversight from Congress as our government’s understanding
of the enemy evolves,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio. “ISIS has
weaponized online propaganda in a new and lethal way.”
Steinbach said the U.S. is winning in key areas in its battle to rid
the world of extremists killing in the name of Islam. Of the 10 cities
ISIS once held, it now remains in five. Targeted airstrikes and
cooperation with the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State continue
to drive out militants from territory across Iraq and Syria. Late last
month, Iraq announced ISIS had fled Fallujah after losing to Iraqi
forces aided by coalition airstrikes.
But as ISIS loses territory it refocuses on larger attacks abroad.
On Sunday, while thousands filled the streets in Baghdad during
celebrations of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, ISIS fighters blew up a
minivan packed with explosives in a crowded area, killing more than
250—the deadliest attack since 2003. And days before, authorities in
Turkey blamed the Islamic State for bombing Istanbul’s main airport,
killing more than 40 persons.
“As we squeeze [ISIS] in space in Syria and Iraq they seek to reach and
lash out any way they can,” Steinbach said. “From my perspective, as we
have success on the ground in Syria and Iraq we may see a more
dangerous world in the short-term.”
Alberto Fernandez of the Middle East Media Research Institute, a former
coordinator for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications at the State
Department, said Americans face larger problems than just blocking bad
messages from spreading. The U.S. is severely behind the game, he
warned, and the ISIS narrative looms long after it goes live on the
internet: “The ISIS brand, to a large extent, has been internalized and
metastasized.”
During the hearing, Fernandez told the subcommittee ISIS uploaded a new
15-minute, high-quality propaganda film while lawmakers were listening
to testimony. ISIS even announced the new video on social media hours
beforehand, and no one was able to stop them.
“Despite the pressure we put on them, despite the fact that we take
stuff down quickly, they are able to surge and get their message out at
will, when and where they want,” Fernandez said.
Courtesy: WORLD News Service
No comments:
Post a Comment