Internet and social media platforms now toolkits of terror groups: EAM Jaishankar

Source: The Hindu | Original Published At: 2022-10-29 05:44:00 UTC

Key Points

• Terrorist groups exploiting internet/social media for propaganda and radicalization
• Emerging technologies like drones and crypto currency enabling terrorism
• UNSC CTC meeting in Delhi addresses tech-driven terror threats
• Call for international cooperation to counter digital financing of terrorism
• Delhi Declaration to formalize counter-terrorism measures

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar delivers the keynote address at the plenary session of UNSC special meeting of counter-terrorism committee, in New Delhi on October 29, 2022. | Photo Credit: Twitter/@DrSJaishankar

Terrorism is still one of the “gravest threats” to humanity said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, highlighting terror threats from the use of emerging technologies on the second day of the UN Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) held in Delhi on Saturday, October 29, 2022.

The meet began, like the first day in Mumbai with a moment of silence for victims of terrorism, and officials and Ministers from various countries, made interventions on the use of the internet, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) including drones, crypto currency and other online means of financing terrorism.

“In recent years, terrorist groups, their ideological fellow-travelers, particularly in open and liberal societies and ‘lone wolf’ attackers have significantly enhanced their capabilities by gaining access to these technologies,” said Mr. Jaishankar.

“Internet and social media platforms have turned into potent instruments in the toolkit of terrorist and militant groups for spreading propaganda, radicalisation and conspiracy theories aimed at destabilising societies,” Mr. Jaishankar added.

British Foreign Secretary, James Cleverly said the terror strikes had claimed victims from across the world, and called on the international community to “starve” terror groups of financing. He said the advent of technology had dramatically changed the nature of attacks and of recruitment by terror groups.

“Within the space of two decades, terrorists have gone from circulating crackly voice recordings from the depths of Tora Bora, to global online recruitment and incitement campaigns, to live-streaming attacks” Mr. Cleverly said at the conference.

The conference will end with the announcement of the Delhi Declaration on countering terrorism on Saturday evening. In a written statement, UN Secretary General said that the CTC meeting, that was attended by diplomats from all UNSC member countries and ministers from Albania, Gabon, Ghana, UAE and UK to “adopt concrete measures to reduce these vulnerabilities while committing to protect all human rights in the digital sphere.”