Extremists abuse Internet for spreading propaganda: BNPT

Extremist groups that lean toward terrorism often abuse the Internet to spread propaganda, head of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT), Commissioner General Boy Rafli Amar  has said.

“Beyond using the Internet for propaganda, they also try to siphon terrorism funding that targets the younger generation,” he added in a statement issued on Friday.

Extremist groups carry out terrorism recruitment, planning, and funding targeted at youngsters and even encourage women’s involvement in terror acts, he said during the Aqaba Process Southeast Asia Expert-Level Meeting.

There should be a collective commitment among governments, organizations, international entities, and technology companies on confronting this challenge, he added.

Moreover, a multi-disciplinary approach through partnership strengthening is necessary, he said.

Cooperation to handle the challenge of Internet exploitation by extremists and terrorists must not only involve countries but also international organizations, including technology companies, he added.

The Aqaba Process was initiated by King Abdullah II of Jordan in 2015 to connect government representatives, technology practitioners, and civilian organizations.

The goal of the Aqaba Process is to improve coordination at the global level and the exchange of information as well as expertise in efforts to mitigate terrorism and extremism online and offline through a holistic approach.

This year, the Aqaba Process Southeast Asia Expert-Level Meeting was held in Bali on November 22–23 and was joined by 16 countries.

The countries comprised Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Singapore, the Philippines, Cambodia, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

During the meeting, the participating countries agreed on the importance of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT) and Christchurch Call to Action for the dissemination of information, research, and best practices on radicalization through the Internet prevention exchange.

The meeting was also attended by technology companies such as Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Google.

 

Source: Antara News