How has terrorism changed since 9/11? Rapid globalization and ubiquitous access to the internet, mobile phones, and social media have created a breeding ground for terrorist communication networks to flourish. By using the dark web and messenger encryption, Jihadist organizations are able to infiltrate into bedrooms from San Bernardino to London and radicalize and recruit individuals. With some of the most high-profile attacks across Europe and the US directed remotely by Jihadists in Syria and Iraq, how can national security experts sever radical networks at the root? What can law enforcement do to target Jihadist funding sources, intercept terrorist communication webs, and improve surveillance systems to prevent future attacks?
Context
Background reading and multimedia:
- Isis Agent Tried to Recruit Undercover Reporter for London Bridge Attack
The Guardian, September 3, 2017 - ISIS’s Propaganda Machine is Thriving as the Physical Caliphate Fades
Joby Warrick, The Washington Post, August 18, 2017 - Radicalization and the Travel Ban
Nada Bakos, Susan Hasler, and Cindy Storer, The Atlantic, February 10, 2017 - Not ‘Lone Wolves’ After All: How ISIS Guides World’s Terror Plots From Afar
Rukmini Callimachi, The New York Times, February 4, 2017