Surfing…a gateway to terrorism?

They sit alone, staring at their computer screen, looking for answers. No one could possibly understand the way they feel. They surf Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social networking outlets trying to find like-minded individuals. Disenfranchised, powerless, defenseless, vulnerable and helpless…just trying to fit in somewhere. They eventually stumble onto a site promoting an ideological message and belief system that encourages them, maybe even excites them. This message suggests a movement from mainstream beliefs toward extreme views. A result of radical interpretations of mainstream religious or political doctrine, these extreme views tend to justify, promote, incite, or support violence to achieve any number of social, religious, or political changes.

WELCOME TO ONLINE RADICALIZATION

In many cases, online radicalization does not occur overnight, not after viewing one video or reading one online post. This is a gradual process, with several contributing factors. The factors that influence a specific individual can change depending on time or circumstance. While the factors that influence radicalization vary from person to person, so too does the radicalization process itself. Individuals can move back and forth between stages or remain static while factors and levels interact and influence one another.

Generally, as individuals immerse themselves in online extremist content, they begin to develop a skewed sense of reality in which their views no longer seem radical. Online interactions with like-minded individuals can substitute for an individuals physical community and create an online social environment similar to those of a gang in which deviant behavior and violence are the status quo. Consumers of online extremist content can also develop or increase feelings of superiority, moral outrage, desensitization to violence, and willingness to commit acts of violence in furtherance of their cause.

THE RECRUITMENT TOOL

People and organizations worldwide have embraced the Internet because of its ease and convenience. Individuals and organizations use the internet to share photos and videos, post news and press releases, raise money and communicate with others. As access to the Internet continues to spread, more people own Internet-enabled devices, and as the use of social media proliferates, people are spending more and more time online, consuming content from a variety of sources and creating virtual communities.

Violent extremists and criminal organizations are also exploiting this easy access to an increasingly broad cross-section of individuals to recruit, groom, and facilitate radicalization to violence. The internet provides radical recruiters with a more fertile ground for recruitment and more opportunities to interact with people who would not otherwise be reachable due to physical proximity.

Extremists post incendiary materials such as educational videos about how to construct explosives and operate weapons, videos of successful attacks, lectures preaching radical views, blog posts, and messages supporting and further encouraging attacks and acts of violence. For example, terrorists groups have used Facebook to exchange private messages and information to coordinate attacks. Twitter has been used to disseminate propaganda and press releases as well as YouTube being used for displaying extremists sermons and training videos.

One such example of how an individual can become radicalized through online services is anti-Islam terrorist Anders Breivik, who in July 2011 at the age of 32 carried out a bombing and shootings in Norway which killed 77 people. He was heavily armed, dressed as a police officer and appeared on the beach of a youth summer camp. For the next 198 minutes Breivek stalked and killed 69 teenagers using a cache of semi-automatic weapons.

In 2006, after failing to manage several small companies and running into some financial trouble, Breivek decided to move back into his mothers house and “decided to take a year off and play video games as a martyr gift to himself.” He then also withdrew from his social life and began writing about resistance and attempting to unite different factions of far-right political groups. His later writing also included violence and called for an armed revolution that legitimized terrorism against Western elites.

Likewise, Zachery Chesser was an average high school student in Virginia. He participated in his school’s gifted and talented program, joined the high school break dancing team, and worked part-time at a video rental store. In the summer of 2008, 18- year old Chesser converted to Islam and quickly became radicalized, solely on the Internet. He began posting views that supported Islamist terrorist groups, watching sermons by Anwar al Awlaki, and exchanging emails with the cleric about joining Al Shabab [Militant wing of the Somali Council of Islamic Courts]. Within weeks, he had quit his job because he objected to working at a place that rented videos featuring naked women, and he became increasingly hostile to his parents.

By 2009, Chesser committed himself solely to using his computer and graphic skills to contribute to and promote violent extremist messages. He also attempted to travel to Somalia with his wife[whom he met through a series of comments on al Awlaki’s blog] to join Al Shabab but was unsuccessful when his mother-in-law hid his wife’s passport.

In 2010, he uploaded a YouTube video in which he threatened the creators of the television show South Park after an episode depicted the Prophet Muhammad dressed in a bear costume.

In July 2010, he attempted to join Al Shabab once again but was held for questioning at the airport. A few days after being questioned, Chesser was arrested for attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization. He pled guilty in October 2010 to three federal felony charges; communicating threats, soliciting violent jihadists to desensitize law enforcement, and attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Zachery Chesser was sentenced in 2011 to 25 years in federal prison.

THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY POLICING

The number of cases of online radicalization is impossible to quantify, and the fact that it occurs online makes it harder for law enforcement to be aware of potential cases of radicalization morphing into violence. In addition, law enforcement officers must remember that becoming radicalized online and posting, possessing or preaching extremist views are not necessarily criminal activities. Under the First Amendment, individuals are granted freedom of speech, religion, and the press. As long as these individuals do not partake in, conspire to engage in, or facilitate the engagement of acts of violence or commit other crimes in support of violent acts, individuals and groups espousing the most radical views must be protected.

Therefore, law enforcement agencies should use community policing principles to address and counter online radicalization. Local law enforcement can work with the community to help identify, prevent, and counter online messages and activities that promote violent extremism.

ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY-

• traditional engagement including identifying ways the community can get involved in addressing crime and disorder problems

INCREASE AGENCY’S SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE

• virtually engage their communities by creating their own social media accounts
• officers dedicated to countering violent extremism can post about community events, meetings to attend, people they interact with and encouraging followers to meet them at public events
• create a counter narrative to extremist views being posted online

EDUCATING COMMUNITY MEMBERS

• speak with youth leaders, religious leaders and parents to make them aware of what online sites are attracting radical extremism.
• create partnerships with community members to address public safety concerns
• educating youth and parents about how to recognize and report suspicious online activities

Law enforcement, through its existing partnerships with potentially affected communities, can help raise awareness of the threats online extremist recruiters pose. An agency can incorporate these warnings into its overall effort to educate communities about all the Internet threats to their safety.