Online Terrorism Research Articles

Data Collection in Online Terrorism and Extremism Research: Strengths, Limitations, and Future Directions

There has been a growing interest among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to analyze the online activities of extremists and terrorists. As studies in this research area have increased, various data collection techniques have emerged to address key research questions, ranging from manual extraction to computational tools to collect online information. This article examines the strengths and limitations of commonly used data collection methods in online terrorism and extremism research. We draw from our research experiences and highlight ethical dilemmas with collection methods in practice. We then set forth suggestions for progressing research in this space.

WEB MINING TO DETECT ONLINE SPREAD OF TERRORISM

To fight online terrorism, integrating web mining techniques with data mining algorithms is crucial. Various algorithms like Logistic Regression, K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Naive Bayes (NB), Decision Trees (DT), Random Forests (RF), and Gradient Boosting (GB) are studied for detecting terrorist activities online, extracting data, identifying patterns, and relevant information. Logistic Regression provides a probabilistic framework, KNN uses similarity metrics, SVM constructs hyper-planes, NB assumes feature independence, DT builds decision trees, RF applies ensemble learning, and GB boosts weak learners' performance. These algorithms aid in proactive monitoring and prevention of online terrorism through efficient analysis of structured and unstructured web data. By combining web mining and data mining strengths, this study emphasizes a comprehensive approach to combatting online terrorism dissemination, helping security agencies anticipate evolving threats and prevent terrorist propagation effectively. Key Words: Terrorism, Naive-bayes, random forest, web mining, Gradient boosting

The Criminalization of Online Terrorism Preparatory Acts Under International Law

Terrorist organizations increasingly resort to the Internet to promote terrorism, recruit new terrorists, plan and finance their operations. The paper first proposes a definition of terrorism, cyberterrorism, and online terrorism preparatory acts. It then analyses whether current binding international instruments on terrorism, organized crime or cybercrime could prohibit cyber activities precursor of terrorism. The paper concludes that there is no gap in international law that leaves online terrorism related acts completely unregulated. It nevertheless recommends the drafting of an international treaty that would respond more comprehensively, precisely and thus efficiently to the use of the Internet for terrorist purposes.

Using Global Terrorism Database (GTD) and Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Terrorism and Threat

It is evident that there has been enormous growth in terrorist attacks in recent years. The idea of online terrorism has also been growing its roots in the internet world. These types of activities have been growing along with the growth in internet technology. These types of events include social media threats such as hate speeches and comments provoking terror on social media platforms such as twitter, Facebook, etc. These activities must be prevented before it makes an impact. In this paper, we will make various classifiers that will group and predict various terrorism activities using k-NN algorithm and random forest algorithm. The purpose of this project is to use Global Terrorism Database as a dataset to detect terrorism. We will be using GTD which stands for Global Terrorism Database which is a publicly available database which contains information on terrorist event far and wide from 1970 through 2017 to train a machine learning-based intelligent system to predict any future events that could bring threat to the society.

Social Media Compliance Programs and the War Against Terrorism

Social Media Compliance Programs and the War Against Terrorism

Criminal network investigation

Editorial Criminal networks such as terrorist and organized crime networks pose a threat to both national and international security. Investigation of such networks by law enforcement and intelligence agencies is a complex and time-consuming task. The ability to understand and model such networks, to analyze and visualize such networks, to mine and forecast such networks, to predict and simulate such networks, and to effectively collaborate and share information about such networks are key factors in defeating them. It is well known that the Internet is used for criminal activities such as terrorism. The Center for Terror Analysis, Danish Security and Intelligence Service wrote a report in 2008 that states: The Internet plays a significant and increasing role for militant extremists and terrorist groups that use this media to spread messages, communicate and carry out virtual training as well as for recruitment, logistic support and operational preparations [1]. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) wrote a report in 2012 that states: Technology is one of the strategic factors driving the increasing use of the Internet by terrorist organizations and their supporters for a wide range of purposes, including recruitment, financing, propaganda, training, incitement to commit acts of terrorism, and the gathering and dissemination of information for terrorist purposes [2]. Two papers of this special issue focus on matters related to the use of the Internet for criminal activities. The first paper in this special issue by Torok (Developing an explanatory model for the process of online radicalization and terrorism) proposes a model for understanding the mechanisms and power relations that underlie the use of Internet services such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter for online radicalization and terrorism. The model is based on previous work by Foucault on psychiatric power [3]. The second paper in this special issue by BowmanGrieve (A psychological perspective on virtual communities supporting terrorist & extremist ideologies as a tool for recruitment) examines the role of virtual communities as a tool for recruitment used by terrorist and extremist organizations. A case study looks at the how the Radical Right uses the Internet in their activities. Many terrorist organizations are transnational in nature [2]. Hence, it is important to understand and predict the locational dynamics of such organizations. The third paper in this special issue by Desmarais and Cranmer (Forecasting the locational dynamics of transnational terrorism: a network analytic approach) proposes and evaluates a network analytic approach to predict the geopolitical sources and targets of terrorism. Software tools play an increasing role in criminal network investigation [4]. Software tools can help support and (semi) automate some of the complex knowledge management processes involved in criminal network investigation (collection, processing, synthesis, sense-making, dissemination, etc.). The fourth and final paper in this special issue by Petersen and Wiil (CrimeFighter Investigator: Integrating synthesis and sense-making for criminal network investigation) presents a new software tool dedicated to support criminal network investigation.

The Vulnerabilities of Online Terrorism

Jihadist terrorism has discovered in the Internet a valuable instrument to strengthen its activities. However, in using this technology the terrorists are exposed to new vulnerabilities. The Internet plays a leveling role: each new advantageous use it brings is accompanied by a new opportunity to weaken terrorist groups. The present article examines the main vulnerabilities of radical groups who have accorded the Internet a central role in their strategy, namely, less anonymity and security, a loss of content visibility, a major credibility problem, and an undermining of the legitimacy of the terrorist discourse as a consequence of their use of Web 2.0.

The E-Marketing Strategy of Hamas

Given the growth of Internet research in recent years, it is rather surprising that research of online terrorism and countermeasures has been lacking theoretical and conceptual frameworks. The present study suggests applying the concepts and models taken from e-marketing to the study of terrorist websites. This work proves that when Hamas builds an array of sites in the Internet, it complies with the same rules that the Western business world follows. Chaffey et al. (2000) constructed a model comprised of eight decision points in the process of building a business-oriented Internet site. Although the model was developed for commercial purposes, the present study demonstrates how it could be used as an analytic framework to study terrorist websites. As shown, most of the decision points in the model were relevant to the Palestinian Information Center group of websites. Understanding the e-marketing strategy of Hamas will allow the construction of a competing marketing strategy in order to market rival ideological consumer products.

Applying the Notion of Noise to Countering Online Terrorism

The growing presence of modern terrorism on the Internet is at the nexus of two key trends: the democratization of communications driven by user-generated content on the Internet; and the growing awareness of modern terrorists of the potential of the Internet for their purposes. How best can the terrorists’ use and abuse of the Internet be countered? As this article argues, the answer to violent radicalization on the Internet lies not in censorship of the Internet, but in a more sophisticated and complicated strategy, relying on the theoretical notion of “noise” in communication process theory.

Religious Conflicts in Cyberage

The rise of the Internet has a profound impact on the way conflicts are carried out and the faithful practice their religions. This article explores new dimensions of religious conflicts by theoretically reflecting on new developments in cyberage and by substantiating this with an empirical case study—the Moluccan conflict (Eastern Indonesia). Due to the exponential growth of Internet access worldwide, religions and their followers are increasingly expanding into the online world as a new “marketplace” for religious symbols and identities that fosters religious transnationalism. At the same time conflict actors worldwide have been making increasing use of the Internet to expand their networks, plan actions and fight their enemies. While scholars have so far primarily focused on more globalized online terrorism, this paper analyses a conflict that has mainly been fought out between Christians and Muslims in a remote part of this world, but then expanded into cyberspace. Local conflict actors have used the Internet as a global stage for their cause, to connect to and seek support from their transnational religious communities, but also to manipulate the outside world's perception of the Moluccan conflict. Researching the online projects and identity politics of these actors and their offline contexts, it becomes clear that the Internet has helped to essentialize (religious) identities and to influence the conflict at the local level through the networking and mobilization of people worldwide.