Terrorism on the Internet: another Border to Protect one Country’s Sovereignty

"The Internet is a weapon in the hands of our extremist enemies," Senator Joe Lieberman, (I-Conn.) chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, said after the Senate's review of a recent report on how terrorists are using the Internet to spread their radicalism. 

 At the beginning of May this year, the Senate Homeland Security Committee engaged in a deep analysis of how the Internet is being used by terrorist organizations to express their prejudice against the United States. This analysis included reviewing a recent report prepared on this subject, listening to the testimony of several Internet experts and the drafting the United States' response to this practice.

The recent report on terrorism on the Internet reviewed by the Homeland Security Committee of the US Senate revealed that Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations like "Jihadi" are using the Internet to recruit militants and raise funds for their organizations.  Additionally, these organizations use flashy websites, video games, videos, and music to express their radical ideology, the report showed.  Terrorists are hacking websites and posting training manuals in inner directories where people may not notice them (this practice is called ‘parasiting'); developing violent video games spreading the message that Islam is under attack and inviting to fight in its defense; and making hip-hop and rap music with melodies that call for violence, this report informed. 

One of the Internet experts called to testify on the Senate session was Frank Cilluffo, Director of George Washington University's Homeland Security Policy Institute ("the Institute").  Mr. Ciffuffo testified on the Institute's Internet-Facilitated Radicalization study and said, "we have created this global village -the Internet- without a police department."  In presenting the Institute's study, Mr. Cilluffo revealed that terrorists use, among others, hard-to-intercept communications like ‘dead drop.'  ‘Dead Drop' communications are drafted e-mails stored in accounts where adepts access them and read their rebel message.  No e-mail is sent, thus, no interception may be accomplished.         

The Institute's study also proposed some counter-measures to the problem of terrorism on the Internet and presented examples of other countries' current measures on this issue.  For instance, UK implemented a program called the ‘Radical Middle Way" which aims to undermine the extremist's message of violence as expression of their Islam religion.  The program also encourages dialogue with these extremists groups to encourage communication and lessen violence.   Egypt also implemented a program to counter-attack Jihadists activities in that country.  Likewise, Indonesia first democratic president has implemented programs favoring religion freedom and tolerance.  Jordan Muslim clerics issued fatwa in 2005, a program denouncing all kind of terrorism on the name of the Islam. 

Among the counter measures against Internet terrorism in US proposed by the Institute's study are, (i) developing a compelling counter-narrative with world-wide distribution.  The narrative, the study suggests, should not be confused by the goal of improving the US image.  Instead, it should focus on hope and ‘realistically attainable alternative future' to those that may be seduced by the extremist ideology; (ii) fostering intra -and - cross- cultural dialogue to tie local, national and international communities; (iii) recognizing the need for additional research on behavioral conduct on online radicalization; (iv) denying or disrupting extremists access to the Internet through legal and technical means; and (v ) remedying resource capabilities in the US government.  This means, the government should be capable of speaking, understanding and translating Arabic to foster prevention and response efforts.[1]

Reference:

[1]http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?id=1765&s=latestnews

Malaysia: Fighting cyber terrorism

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has approved a US$13 million grant to lay the foundation of IMPACT, a not-for-profit global organisation, to rally efforts from governments, the private sector, and academia worldwide, against the growing threat of cyber terrorism. IMPACT, or International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Terrorism, is the first global public-private initiative against cyber terrorism. It drives collaboration among governments, industry leaders and cyber security experts to enhance the global community’s capacity to prevent and respond to cyber threats.

The start-up grant will be used to construct the IMPACT building in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, and operations are expected to start in December.

The fund will also finance the infrastructure for the four centres of IMPACT: the Centre for Training & Skills Development; the Centre for Security Certification, Research & Development; the Centre for Global Response; and, the Centre for Policy, Regulatory Framework & International Co-operation.

Currently chaired by the Malaysian PM, the leadership of the International Advisory Board of IMPACT will be handed over to other member countries after the initial three-year term. “From the standpoint of the Malaysian government, their contribution is a gift to the global community. Someone has to start. They feel they’re just giving the seed,” said Mohd Noor Amin, Chairman, Management Board, IMPACT.

Warning System
IMPACT is currently building two systems for its member countries. One is an early warning system. which will aggregate ‘feeds’ from IMPACT’s security partners and member countries, which will be redistributed across the world to member countries.

Another is a collaboration system that, according to Amin, is a secure electronic platform enabling experts from member countries to collaborate with one another based on their specialty and niche areas.

Al-Ihsal Ishak, Acting COO and Head of the IMPACT Centre for Training and Skills Development, shared his expectations of IMPACT’s new systems and its network of partnerships across the globe.. “We actually are looking at first-hand interaction with the Cyber Crime Convention where we believe 14 countries have signed, or will sign,” said Ishak, adding that INTERPOL was represented at the first IMPACT World Cyber Security Summit, held in Malaysia, May 20-22. At press time, 30 countries had confirmed participation and representation at ministry-level of the summit, including the secretary-general of the International Telecommunication Union, a member of IMPACT’s International Advisory Board.

Worldwide Attention
Amin said that IMPACT is more concerned more about the consequences of cyber terrorism than whether the threats are initiated by individuals or organised groups. “We are talking about threats that are far more serious, for instance, the ability to bring down the airport traffic control systems, the stock market systems, or to tamper with medical records,” he said. [1]



Reference:
[1]http://www.mis-asia.com/technology_centre/security/cio-article-2799