Becoming a terrorist from Facebook 'likes'

Those who embark on the path of radicalization do not do so because they seek information from dubious sources. In fact, this process often begins with something as simple as pressing the "like" or "share" button on Facebook.

The convenience of social media makes many people vulnerable to being lured by ISIS. Photo: Today Online.

Shortly after seeing someone "like" or "share" messages expressing sympathy for the plight of Muslims in Syria, or commenting on an online forum about the topic, extremists will contact that person through public chat tools to talk about very ordinary topics such as family, school, work, aspirations, and life challenges.

The target is disillusioned young people.

Gradually, conversations will shift to encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram to discuss topics such as the war in Syria or persecution of Muslims in other parts of the world.

These "new acquaintances" will readily share articles and videos praising suicide bombers and the vision of an Islamic state and other issues. When the opportunity arises, the question will be: Do you want to join the Islamic State (IS) and take up arms to participate in jihad? Then, the "victims" will receive instructions on how to manufacture and use weapons or how to get to Syria.

The threat of radicalization in Southeast Asia has become even more alarming following the recent arrest of a kindergarten employee and two police officers in Singapore. Two of the three are under 30 years old, and one is a woman.

In early June 2017, the Singapore Ministry of Home Affairs announced that Syaikhah Izzah Zahrah Al Ansari, 22, a neonatal care assistant, had been arrested in Singapore for wanting to become a “widow of a martyred fighter.” She had begun to be radicalized in 2013, at the age of 18, due to the influence of an online propaganda campaign related to ISIS and had shared pro-ISIS materials online.

Following Izzah's arrest, Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean stated that most Singaporeans who have been radicalized are under 30 years old, and that five of those arrested had held extremist views since their teenage years.

Counterterrorism experts provide in-depth analysis of IS's highly effective recruitment strategies, particularly targeting young people.

“Maintaining constant and consistent contact with ‘targets’ is a key recruitment method for IS,” said Dr. Jolene Jerard, a researcher at the S Rajaratnam International School. “The ‘targets’ see that they have a friend on the other side of the border, even though they are separated by an ocean. That personal connection will draw them in,” Dr. Jerard said.

The convenience of social media technology makes it possible for anyone to become radicalized regardless of their personal circumstances or place of residence, observes Remy Ahmad, a researcher at the Center for Terrorism and Political Violence Studies at the S Rajaratnam International School. He argues that this is not only an abuse of technology but also an attack on emotionally vulnerable and mentally unstable individuals.

Images of military conflict and war victims evoke feelings of empathy and solidarity in them, leading them to make life-changing decisions such as enlisting to fight or providing emotional and financial support, Remy said.

Young people are particularly vulnerable to ISIS because they are in a phase where they are prone to life crises or "searching for meaning," said Gullnaz Baig, a terrorism expert at the London School of Economics. This search for "meaning" often involves spiritual needs and a desire to "seek enlightenment or religion in its purest form," Baig said.

Many women fall into the trap.

Similarly, terrorist groups have long targeted women. Many girls around the world, including in Western countries, fall into this trap.

One example is 27-year-old Indonesian woman Dian Yulia Novi. Late last year, Novi was arrested by Indonesian authorities for planning to detonate a pressure cooker filled with explosives in front of the presidential palace. Determined to die as a martyr, Dian told Time magazine in an interview this March that "holy war" is mandatory for all Muslims, just like prayer.

ISIS has a group of women whose job is to recruit young girls. But the methods used to attract women into ISIS are similar to those used to recruit young men.

Like other disillusioned young people whose current circumstances affect them, these girls joined the IS army to feel empowered, Baig said. They also viewed joining IS as a kind of “sacred religious duty” that needed to be fulfilled.

Although drawn in through similar means, young people, adults, women, and men play different roles within the IS structure, experts say. For women, their roles are supportive, providing necessities for their husbands, and guiding and training children to become the next generation of jihadists.

That role is clearly stated in numerous IS documents, such as the Rumiyah magazine. The May issue of this magazine features an article titled "Women as shepherds in their husbands' families." However, Dr. Jerard emphasizes that the role of women in IS is increasingly significant. They are becoming providers of funds, recruiters, and even moral police officers. More and more women are becoming suicide bombers.

According to TPO