The fallacies of terrorists on social media platforms

Terrorist organizations are desperately trying to escalate their falsehoods and delusions on social media platforms to destroy peoples and homelands. Extremists are trying to achieve their failed goals in their quest to spread killing and destruction, and they adapt their destructive positions to suit their narrow ideas in order to spread their poison among people and drag them into violence.

The Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal) announced a significant increase in the dissemination of text messages by several terrorist organizations via a social media platform. It explained that these messages constituted 90% of extremist activity over a three-month period, in contrast to a decline in the use of visual and audio media.

The joint efforts between the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal) and the Telegram platform in combating extremist content have achieved new results, bringing the total number of extremist content removed since February 2022 to 129,634,467 million extremist content, and the closure of 14,516 extremist channels on the platform.

During the third quarter of 2024, the joint teams were able to monitor and remove the propaganda activity of three terrorist organizations: ISIS, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, and al-Qaeda, with a total of 35,634,916 extremist content items and the closure of 323 extremist channels. The ISIS terrorist organization topped the list of removed publications with 34,602,606 extremist content items and the closure of 189 extremist channels, followed by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorist organization with the removal of 768,821 extremist content items and the closure of 87 extremist channels, while the al-Qaeda terrorist organization was at the bottom of the list of removed extremist content items with 263,489 extremist content items and the closure of 47 extremist channels.

An increase in propaganda activity by the terrorist organization “ISIS” was observed, with the peak of this activity occurring on Friday, September 13, 2024, when it broadcast 1,283,141 million extremist content.

It is noted that the partnership between the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal) and the Telegram platform is based on strengthening joint cooperation and expanding coordination between them regarding the prevention and combating of terrorism and violent extremism (PCVE), through monitoring and removing terrorist propaganda content published in Arabic via the platform.

Hunting the unsuspecting on the platforms

Security expert retired Major General Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Ghamdi revealed desperate and failed attempts by terrorist organizations to use social media platforms to recruit members to serve their terrorist ambitions, after social media platforms facilitated access to societies, as being alone with a person makes it easier to convince him of the ideas and beliefs presented to him through them in order to trap him in their traps, and thus implement their agenda.

Major General Al-Ghamdi added: These groups use some platforms to spread their poison, most notably Telegram and text messages, which have made it easier for them to spread their content and beliefs. They address those they target through specific messages through which they uncover the mentally empty individual who has needs that he wants to satisfy and demands that he wants to achieve, and who strives to form an identity for himself that distinguishes him from others, thus making it easier to recruit him and exploit him to carry out the goals of those extremist groups.

Security expert Major General Mohammed Al-Ghamdi added: “During the past period, these groups witnessed a noticeable weakness in their activity and recruitment of new members to their ranks and activities, which witnessed a major decline. So they sought to try to recruit new members to them, and social media platforms were the best place for them, as it is easy to reach followers through them.”

Major General Al-Ghamdi warned against neglecting the danger of these platforms in the hands of children, and stressed the need to monitor them and pay attention to any changes that may occur in their lives, such as isolation or extremist ideas, which require intervention and correcting their course before they fall into the mire of groups or implement their extremist agenda.

Sympathizers, supporters, and perpetrators

Dr. Abdullah Abdulmohsen Al-Assaf, Head of the Specialized Media Department at Imam Muhammad bin Saud University, said: “The formation of terrorist cells via the Internet is one of the most common methods used by terrorist organizations to recruit young people. These cells constituted 70% of the means of attracting young people and preparing them to accept ideas of violence and terrorism and adopt the literature of terrorist groups on social media networks. This is because they are characterized by the diversity of methods, means, and trends, as they cover most of the inclinations, gaps, and doubts that exist among young people and their desires, and then transfer them to direct violent systems that guide them to methods of terrorism intellectually and in the field.”

Al-Assaf divided the main actors in the terrorist operation, whom terrorist organizations seek to win into their ranks through social media, into three categories: sympathizers, supporters, and perpetrators.

He pointed out that the vast internet has become a virtual training camp for terrorists, and security reports indicate that 90% of terrorist attacks were based on recipes found on the internet.

The law targets sympathizers and instigators

Lawyer and legal consultant Majid Al-Ahmari revealed that the anti-terrorism and terrorism financing system stipulates a number of deterrent penalties for all cases of terrorism and extremism. Article 31 stipulates that anyone who carries any weapon or explosives in execution of a terrorist crime shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding 30 years and not less than 10 years.

Article 32 stipulates imprisonment for a period not exceeding 25 years and not less than 15 years for anyone who establishes, manages, or assumes a leadership position in a terrorist entity. If the perpetrator is an officer or member of the military forces, or has previously received training from a terrorist entity, the prison sentence shall not be less than 20 years and not more than 30 years.

Lawyer Al-Ahmari explained that Article 33 stipulates that anyone who joins or participates in a terrorist entity shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding 20 years and not less than three years. If the perpetrator is an officer or member of the military forces, or has previously received training from a terrorist entity, the prison sentence shall not be less than 15 years and not more than 30 years.

Lawyer Al-Ahmari said: Article 34 stressed that anyone who supports any terrorist ideology, or calls for it, or a terrorist entity, or a terrorist crime or the methodology of its perpetrator, or expresses sympathy for it, or justifies its action or crime, or promotes it, or praises it, or possesses or acquires any document, publication or recording - with the intention of publication or promotion - of any kind that includes justification or promotion of a terrorist ideology or a terrorist crime or praise thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for a period not exceeding eight years and not less than three years.

Lawyer Majid Al-Ahmari explained that Article 35 stipulates that anyone who incites another to join any terrorist entity, or participate in its activities, or recruits him, or contributes to financing any of that, shall be punished with imprisonment for a period not exceeding 25 years and not less than eight years. If he has worked to prevent him from withdrawing from the entity, or exploited for this purpose what he has over him of authority, power, responsibility, or any educational, training, guidance, social, counseling, or media capacity, then the prison sentence shall not be less than 15 years.