Cyber Terrorist Radicalization and Recruitment

Introduction
The term Cyber has been overlooked in term of fighting terrorist radicalization and online
recruitment. Cyber involves computer or computer network as the internet. The lame definition
of cyber or the cyberspace, it refers to the internet. Today the society is embracing the
advancement of technology and the internet (Ines, et al., 2013). The devices created today such
portable computer, laptops, mobile phones, kindles e.t.c they easily gain access to the internet. It
is so unfortunate the internet has become a tool for terrorist radicalization and online recruitment.
The internet is playing a key role in many people live; there have been arguing that is associated
with the high growth of isolation while other people suggest it the association of a high
sociability (Ines, et al., 2013, p. 2). (Manuel & Guastavo, 2006) argues by saying The network
society is a hyper social society not a society of isolation. The internet has made the world a
global society. Many people take refuge to the internet from the harsh physical society. The
internet has very many platforms were people interact. The common platforms are like
Facebook, Twitter, online discussion forums and blogospheres.
These platforms have a low barrier to; the content that is published online, allowing anonymity
and the worst, they provides exposure of online users and they are used for potential widespread
quick diffusion of message (Denzil & Ashish, 2013). The internet also provides the terrorist and
extremist the same opportunities and capabilities as it gives to the rest of society: to
communicate, to collaborate and to convince (Ines, et al., 2013, p. 3). The terrorist and extremist
uses the same platforms for malicious intent such like;
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.

To create hate groups

To form racist communities
To spread extremist agendas
To incite anger and violence
To promote radicalization
To recruit member online
To create virtual organizations and communities

Today there is a significant quantity of radical materials and content online and the numbers
grows daily as days goes by (Ines, et al., 2013, p. 3)

Ethical Issues
Due to the misuse of the internet by the terrorist and extremist, they have being ethical
implication caused.
1. Misinformation
On the internet there are of misinformation content uploaded and written in the
blogosphere, that mislead and lure innocent. This information includes extremist agendas,
political agendas, racism agenda, religious agenda etc. The information posted online
contain manipulative content and very convincing literature. The terrorist relate and
reference to situations, occurrences and issues that happen in daily to day life. This
content brainwashes its nave reader, therefore being a tool for radicalization and online
recruitment (Julian, 2010).
2. Deception
Social media is a platform where people from all walks of life use to communicate, share
ideologies and create a community online. Social platforms like Facebook and twitter
have a very active interactive platform. They offer its user direct interaction through chats
and instant messaging platform. People with malicious intent use this platform to recruit
its member even with meeting physically. Online forums also use radical material where
they discuss their ideologies on viewpoints and beliefs with the intention of deceiving
nave forum contributor thus radicalizing and recruiting them unknowingly (Alireza,
2011).
3. Use of graphical video and radical videos
The internet having a very significant quantity of radical material, videos are the most
effective tool of radicalization. In the fact decade, there has been graphical videos with
viewer discretion uploaded online, of which it motivates particular groups affiliated to
certain religious group, political group etc. to join them in spearheading their agendas.
There have being radical material such as radical preaching, radical activities and videos
tutorial show casing on how to do, create and implement radical activities (Julian, 2010,
p. 81).

Social issues
Social issues are the social problem or social ills that are opposed by a large number in the
society. Social issue are the root cause of online radicalization and recruitment.
1. Division

In the society today there are a lot of division among the people living together (Omer,
2009). This has led to isolation among the young people, thus they cannot interact with
one other. Due to this kind of division and lone solitude among the young people, they
end up into use of internet where they are prone to radicalization and online recruitment.
Division is the root cause and the fuel tool of hatred among the society. This provides the
terrorist and extremist ideologies fertile grounds take root in young nave mind of the
youths.
2. Normalized Violence
Violence in daily to day life has become a normal thing. Unfortunate this violence are
glorified while the young people see, instead of this violence be condemned by the
society at whole (Huma, 2015). The youth later embrace this daily violence by being
targets of radicalization by terrorist and extremist online. The extremist use this violence
as part of their ideologies to lure young people.
3. Poverty
Poverty is the root cause and the breeding ground for radicalization. When young people
go online to look for work or greener pastures online, they end up in the bait of terrorist
and extremist. Most terrorist have target poor neighborhood with extreme poverty by
luring them with money (Tom, Burridge, 2014). Some of these young people are victim
of lack of education, these makes them easier targets of being brain washed by terrorist
and extremist ideologies and propagandas. The societies exposed poverty they do not
give positive and moral support to their youths thus leading to frustrations and joining
terrorist groups (Huma, 2015).
4. Narratives
There are a number of narratives that are used as a tool of radicalization and recruitment,
(Omar, 2010), they are political narratives, socio-psychological narratives, instrumental
narratives, theological narratives and historical narratives. The society have actively
being part of voicing these narratives. The narrative are then written on blogs online and
other social media platforms. These radical material are then used to recruit online
radicalize.
5. Grievances
It is notably that the society is common in rising grievance toward a particular party in
concern. The grievance range from political grievances, grievances towards foreign
policies and even religious grievances (Institute-For-Strategic-Dialogue, 2010). Political
grievance which arise from western policies (Christmann, 2012) are the root cause of

frustrations and anger among the young people. These frustrations and anger are vented
in social media platforms such as blogs and chat rooms via internet. Thus, it become easy
for terrorist and extremist to radicalize nave young youths online.

Legal issues
Professional issues

References
Alireza, I. M., 2011. originating, Some considerations on ethical and unethical
issues, Hamedan: LIS Department of Islamic Azad University.
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Available at: http://arxiv.org/abs/1301.4916
[Accessed 14 November 2015].
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[Accessed 20 November 2015].
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Tom, Burridge, 2014. Funding jihad: Al-Shabab cash lures in young Kenyans. BBC
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