Online Islamist Radicalisation Mechanisms: Impact of the Internet on the Radicalization of Lone Actor Terrorists
By Grace Mubashir,
New Age Islam
19 January 2024
Islamist Radicalisation Is Not Exclusively An Online
Process, As Offline Detachment And Vulnerabilities Played A Crucial Role In All
Three Cases. This Aligns With The Existing Research Consensus That The Internet
Alone Cannot Drive Individual Radicalization.
Main Points:
1.
The utilization of
the Internet for terrorist recruitment and operations has witnessed a
substantial increase in recent years.
2.
The path to
radicalization is rarely linear, often paved with pre-existing vulnerabilities
that make individuals susceptible to extremist ideologies. These
vulnerabilities encompass a vast spectrum, weaving together personal struggles,
social factors, and psychological experiences.
3.
While the acknowledgement
of the internet as a platform for radicalization is widely accepted by
policymakers, researchers, and the media, the underlying mechanisms of online
radicalization have remained unclear.
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This study explores the scope and severity of the threat
associated with online radicalization in the context of terrorist activities
and related offences. The influence of online platforms is widely acknowledged
as a significant factor driving the dissemination and adoption of extremist
ideologies, often rooted in collective grievances, leading to subsequent acts
of violence. While the focus is particularly evident in discussions around lone
actor terrorism, it extends to various forms of extremist offences and beyond.
The present research contextualizes the phenomenon of online radicalization
that culminates in terrorist acts within the broader landscape of
grievance-based beliefs and attitudes. It also delves into existing
perspectives and debates regarding the relevance and mechanisms of online
radicalization in the context of terrorist offences.
The ensuing discussion explores diverse interpretations of
the presented estimates, acknowledging that while online radicalization is
indeed a reality, both with and without ties to offline processes, the current
threat level is disproportionately high. It is important to note, however, that
this evaluation pertains to the present, and the landscape may evolve in the
future given the continual growth and acceleration of online activities among
terrorist actors.
Mechanisms Of Online Radicalization
The utilization of the Internet for terrorist recruitment
and operations has witnessed a substantial increase in recent years. This
growth includes the adoption of Western social media platforms like Facebook,
Twitter, and YouTube. While the prevalence of this phenomenon is
well-documented, the intricacies of the mechanisms and power dynamics
underlying the use of online media for promoting radicalization, which can
escalate into terrorism, remain challenging to ascertain due to limited
research. Presently, more conventional models are employed, focusing on
concepts such as psychological warfare, propaganda, indoctrination, and data
mining. Additionally, narratives are recognized as a significant element in the
allure of radicalization.
Major online mechanisms of online radicalisation are
described below along with strategies to counter it.
1. Compensation
In the pre-radicalization phase, compensation primarily
emerges as individuals strive to address offline vulnerabilities by creating an
alternative online presence. This concept establishes a connection between
offline vulnerabilities and the dynamics of online radicalization. The
underlying assumption is that easily accessible online content provides
vulnerable individuals with alternative worldviews that align with shared
ideologies. Opting to seek affiliation in an alternative social environment
with a low inclusion threshold becomes an appealing choice. Importantly, the
accessibility for unmoored and vulnerable individuals distinguishes online
compensation from seeking compensation through joining radical networks
offline.
The path to radicalization is rarely linear, often paved
with pre-existing vulnerabilities that make individuals susceptible to
extremist ideologies. These vulnerabilities encompass a vast spectrum, weaving
together personal struggles, social factors, and psychological experiences.
On a personal level, life crises, mental health challenges,
and past trauma can create a sense of isolation and despair. Individuals
grappling with such burdens may be more likely to seek solace and belonging,
making them susceptible to the promises of a seemingly stable and
purpose-driven community offered by extremist groups.
A history of violence can also be a factor, as it indicates
a potential propensity for conflict and a desensitization to violence.
Similarly, negative familial experiences and socio-economic hardships can
foster alienation and disillusionment with existing social structures, pushing
individuals towards alternative ideologies that promise radical change.
2. Isolation
Isolation acts as a potent magnet for radicalization,
drawing individuals in through both offline alienation and online immersion.
This process unfolds over different stages, playing a pivotal role in both
pre-radicalization and the radicalization phase itself.
The journey towards radicalization often begins with a sense
of social disconnection and detachment. Feeling marginalized by their
communities or society at large, individuals experience a weakening of offline
ties and relationships. This sense of isolation disrupts their sense of
belonging and can leave them vulnerable to alternative narratives, particularly
those offered by online extremist groups.
The internet emerges as a seductive escape hatch for these
individuals. Drawn to online forums and communities that validate their
feelings and echo their frustrations, they find a virtual haven for belonging.
Engaging with like-minded individuals online can further exacerbate their offline
isolation, leading to a withdrawal from real-world relationships and a
deepening immersion in the virtual world.
This dynamic is particularly relevant for lone actors, who
often lack strong real-world connections and find their sense of community
entirely within online forums and platforms. They operate within a virtual echo
chamber, constantly bombarded with extremist narratives that solidify their
convictions and fuel their isolation.
During the pre-radicalization phase, this offline alienation
acts as a priming factor. Feeling ostracized and misunderstood, individuals
become more receptive to radical narratives that promise acceptance and a sense
of belonging. Online forums offer a ready platform for these narratives,
providing a fertile ground for their seeds to germinate.
As the radicalization phase progresses, isolation transforms
into a more dynamic force. It manifests as a confrontational dance between
real-world relationships and online integration. While not entirely severing
ties with the offline world, radicalized individuals often exhibit a gradual
withdrawal, prioritizing their online communities over real-world interactions.
Fierce clashes with family and friends become commonplace as the online
ideology takes precedence over established bonds.
Understanding the complex interplay between offline
alienation and online immersion is crucial for designing effective
counter-radicalization strategies. Addressing the root causes of social
isolation, promoting online literacy and healthy online communities, and
offering alternative narratives of belonging can help break the cycle. By
fostering social inclusivity and providing support systems that address
vulnerabilities, we can shield individuals from the alluring grip of isolation
and offer a brighter path forward.
3. Facilitation
Facilitation encompasses the elements within the online
sphere that enhance and simplify exposure to and interaction with extremist
content. Researchers widely agree that the Internet serves as a facilitative
tool, offering opportunities for both ideological development and operational
planning. Scholars analysing data from interviews with extreme-right and jihadi
offenders, asserted that the internet plays a crucial role in radicalization by
serving as a "key source of information, communication, and propaganda for
their extremist beliefs," providing a "greater opportunity than
offline interactions to confirm existing beliefs." Similarly, in a
quantitative study examining the role of the Internet in the terrorist
activities of 227 convicted extremists, scholars found that the internet
facilitates radicalization by enabling it rather than driving it.
In the unfortunate trajectory of radicalization,
facilitation plays a crucial role, acting as a catalyst for both solidifying
extremist ideologies and enabling their translation into harmful actions. This
support can take various forms, evolving as the individual progresses through
different stages.
Shaping Ideological Foundations:
During the radicalization phase, facilitators act as
architects of extremist thought. They employ various tactics to inform and
develop the target's ideology, including:
Sharing Propaganda: Disseminating extremist materials
like online guides, videos, or speeches can shape the individual's worldview,
normalizing violent narratives and demonizing opposing perspectives.
Mentoring And Guidance: Experienced facilitators
engage in one-on-one interactions, providing personalized advice and bolstering
the individual's sense of belonging within the extremist community.
Debates and discussions: Online forums and closed
communities offer platforms for controlled discussions, where facilitators
steer conversations towards reinforcing extremist beliefs and silencing
dissenting voices.
Enabling Operationalization:
As the individual becomes more entrenched in their ideology,
facilitation shifts towards enabling them to translate their beliefs into
action. This support may involve:
Logistical assistance: Facilitators may help acquire
materials like weapons or explosives, provide secure communication channels, or
offer training in operational tactics.
Financial support: Funds may be provided to cover expenses
related to travel, equipment, or living arrangements, removing logistical
obstacles to planned attacks.
Network connections: Facilitators may introduce the
individual to other operatives or provide access to secure channels for
communication and coordination within the extremist network.
Combating Facilitation: Disrupting the Cycle of Harm
Understanding the multifaceted nature of facilitation is
crucial for developing effective counter-terrorism strategies. By identifying
and disrupting these support networks, we can hinder the spread of extremist
ideologies and prevent their translation into harmful actions. This requires a
multi-pronged approach that:
Counters online propaganda: Disrupting the dissemination of
extremist content online by identifying and reporting harmful materials,
promoting media literacy, and supporting alternative narratives.
Identifies and monitors facilitators: Building robust intelligence
networks to track the movements and activities of known facilitators and
disrupt their ability to connect with potential recruits.
Offers alternative pathways: Providing support systems and
resources for individuals at risk of radicalization, offering them positive
alternatives to the allure of extremism.
4. Echoing
In the intricate realm of online extremism, a troubling
phenomenon looms large - the echo chamber. Here, instead of reverberating with
echoes of laughter and conversation, the chamber amplifies and solidifies
extremist views. Surrounded by like-minded individuals who mirror their radical
perspectives, people find a distorted form of validation, a twisted sense of
belonging that can cement their beliefs and legitimize even the most violent
ideologies.
The internet's most perilous potential may not lie solely in
exposure to extremist rhetoric, but rather in its capacity to forge communities
where such rhetoric gains acceptance and affirmation. Envision a closed room,
bereft of windows and dissenting voices, where extreme messages reverberate,
gaining strength and distorting perceptions with each repetition. This is the
disconcerting reality of the echo chamber, aptly characterized by scholars as
"insulation from pervasive outside influence". Within these virtual
walls, alternative perspectives are stifled, providing fertile ground for the
unchallenged amplification of radical narratives. Over time, this internal echo
can transform into a deafening roar, drowning out reason and potentially paving
the way for the unthinkable.
Breaking the cycle of the echo chamber requires a
multi-pronged approach. Individuals must be equipped with the tools of media
literacy, enabling them to critically evaluate information and discern the
insidious whispers of extremism amid the cacophony of online voices. By
promoting platforms for alternative narratives, glimpses of hope and
inclusivity can be offered, presenting visions for a future that stand in stark
contrast to the darkness propagated by extremist communities. Finally,
disrupting these closed networks, introducing dissenting voices, and fostering
critical thinking within their confines are crucial steps in dismantling the
walls of the echo chamber and allowing sunlight to penetrate the shadows.
The echo chamber effect is not an unavoidable aspect of the
online world. By nurturing open dialogue, promoting critical thinking, and
creating spaces for diverse voices to be heard, we can shape a digital
landscape where reason regains its rightful place, and the echoes of hate and
violence fade into a distant memory.
In the realm of online extremism, the echo chamber emerges
as a disturbing space where extreme voices resonate without restraint,
cultivating not only intensified beliefs but also a chilling transformation in
one's worldview. Within these confined walls, a perilous polarization takes
hold. The "in-group," a close-knit community of like-minded
extremists, becomes a refuge, offering a sense of belonging and validation.
However, this newfound identity comes at a sinister cost – the
"out-group," those beyond the echo chamber, ceases to be merely
different and is instead fundamentally other. Dehumanization infiltrates,
casting the external world in the darkest hues of animosity.
The process, termed "echoing" by scholars, extends
beyond legitimizing violent discourse; it erodes the internal barriers that
might have once deterred violence as a means of change. Surrounded by voices
endorsing or celebrating violence, the individual's internal resistance weakens.
What was once inconceivable becomes, within the distorted reality of the echo
chamber, a conceivable tool for achieving the group's perceived righteous
goals.
This transformation transcends the embrace of radical ideas;
it entails a complete reconstruction of the self. The individual discards their
former identity, constructing a new one based on the echo chamber's distorted
values and worldview. The online community becomes not just a source of
validation but the very cornerstone of their new existence.
Liberating oneself from this self-constructed extremist
prison necessitates more than exposing the lies and distortions propagated
within. It requires an understanding of the echo chamber's insidious impact on
identity and perception. Offering alternative narratives, spaces for
constructive dialogue, and opportunities to rebuild connections with the
"out-group" – friends, family, and the broader community obscured by
the echo chamber – becomes imperative.
The polarizing effect of the echo chamber serves as a
chilling reminder that the online world, with its potential for good, can also
serve as a breeding ground for intolerance and violence. By acknowledging its
dangers and actively fostering empathy and understanding, we can combat the
distortions of the echo chamber and build a digital landscape where diverse
voices coexist without dehumanization or the allure of violence.
5. Action Triggering
Action triggering marks the pivotal moment that propels
individuals toward committing acts of political violence. It's essential to
differentiate between the decision to engage in violence and the willingness to
participate in radical networks and discourse. Many scholars emphasize the
necessity of an action trigger to connect preexisting grievances with a defined
adversary.
The factors that trigger violent actions are highly
subjective, varying for each individual. These triggers may encompass personal
challenges, societal occurrences, inspiration drawn from a previous successful
terrorist attack, experiences provoking "moral outrage," or a
perception that one's community is under threat. Crucially, scholars concur
that action triggering can occur exclusively in the online realm, such as
through video or written messages from an organization's leadership, online
chat forums, emails, or social media posts.
Conclusion
While the acknowledgement of the internet as a platform for
radicalization is widely accepted by policymakers, researchers, and the media,
the underlying mechanisms of online radicalization have remained unclear. This
article reveals that distinct mechanisms were at play in each case, with no
single mechanism fully active across all instances. Isolation, echoing, and
(ideological) facilitation were, to some extent, present in all three cases,
suggesting their significant relevance in explaining online radicalization.
Thus, the study both supports and challenges prevailing theories. It emphasizes
that online radicalization is not exclusively an online process, as offline
detachment and vulnerabilities played a crucial role in all three cases. This
aligns with the existing research consensus that the internet alone cannot
drive individual radicalization. Additionally, the study dispels the notion
that face-to-face interactions with other extremists are universally necessary,
indicating that online communication with like-minded individuals is sufficient
for radicalization to occur.
Ultimately, it is evident that the internet influences lone
actor radicalization through various channels, serving as one among several
probable causes of radicalization. In practice, online radicalization involves
individuals whose actions cannot be comprehended without taking into account
the social contexts that shape their beliefs and influence their behaviours,
both within the online realm and beyond it.
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Beadle, S. (2017). How does the internet facilitate
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Crenshaw, M. (1981). The causes of terrorism. Comparative
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Feldman, M. (2018). Terrorist ‘radicalising networks’: A
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A regular
columnist for NewAgeIslam.com, Mubashir V.P is a PhD scholar in Islamic Studies
at Jamia Millia Islamia and freelance journalist.
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism