Terror on the Internet: The New Arena, the New Challenges

5 Comments

1. Comment by Billy-Bob Garcia — January 1, 2010 @ 4:09 am

   Mr. Weimann from Israel wants American government control over access to certain Internet websites so that terrorists won’t be able to communicate; or perhaps the real reason is to block Moslem news and propaganda so that we will be exposed only to Israeli-slanted news and propaganda. That way the US can continue to support Israeli efforts at ethnic cleansing from all the land which they say God promised them. Still not convinced? Mr. Weimann is a fellow at the ironically-named United States Institute for Peace, a neocon thinktank.
   Rating: 3 / 5

2. Comment by The Spinozanator — January 1, 2010 @ 4:19 am

   Terrorist websites have increased from several hundred a few years ago to over 5,000 at this time – and that only counts those documented by strict criteria. Hezbollah has cartoon websites targeting children that depict beheadings and advocate all the atrocities committed by adult terrorists. Al Queda and others have websites targeting women. Throughout the web, messages from various organizations glorify suicide attacks.

   These websites are used for recruitment, distribution of literature, manuals, instructions, fund-raising, car-bombs, use of missiles – any needs of the organization. A jihad on-line encyclopedia is available, and participants may come and go with anonymity.

   Chat rooms contain debates between members of different organizations – which certainly open the door for counterterrorism efforts. These sites are monitored by government agencies from many countries.

   All methods of censoring these sites run the risk of damaging our civil liberties, although this is not a problem for some countries.

   The author covers the material well and ends with a caveat and a recommendation. Caveat – that this is a psychological war over minds and hearts. Recommendation – that we be proactive by producing anti-terrorism websites. Most young people participating on terrorism websites never see another version of life and truth.
   Rating: 5 / 5

3. Comment by E. Jacobs — January 1, 2010 @ 5:34 am

   Good book to get a clear picture of how terrorists now use the Internet as a central part of their operations. Weimann is a well-respected scholar who cleary has his finger on the pulse of modern terrorism.
   Rating: 4 / 5

4. Comment by Michael Wise — January 1, 2010 @ 5:51 am

   This is a scary book about the ways terrorists are using the Internet. It is very interesting, well documented, well-written (easy for people like me who are not sophisticated Internet users) and very alarming. The author knows well the dark sides of the Net and guides the readers to the darkest virtual streets modern terrorists take when using the cyberspace. The book is loaded with examples from various terrorist groups (all are now on the Net) and relates the findings to the framework of communication studies and psychological warfare. What to do about it? Well, read the book’s last chapters…
   
   I highly recommend this book though it left me troubled and scared.
   
   Michael Wise
   Rating: 4 / 5

5. Comment by Lee Murray Brazos Booksellers — January 1, 2010 @ 7:53 am

   This is a comprehensive study of the Internet, how it is used by terrorist group–not just Islamic terrorists or al-Qaeda, but also the IRA, and South American terrorist groups as well–and what measures are being taken to combat the growing use of the Internet by terrorists. Perhaps the most valuable portion of the book is the discussion of civil liberties and tracking/surveillance of the Internet. Mr. Weimann does an excellent job of pointing out the problems inherent on both sides of the issue, but does more than that–he offers solutions to the questions he raises. A bit outdated, the Patriot Act update was not yet passed by Congress when this book went to press. Many of the concerns of Internet surveillance were addressed in the Patriot Act update of 2006. Still, a great resource for the average thinking person who wants to be reasonably informed on the dangers facing our country. Politically neutral.
   Rating: 5 / 5

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