Indonesian terrorists using social media algorithms to spread radicalism
Social media is terrorists' tool of war, says an antiterror official.
SEMARANG CITY: Terrorist groups are using algorithmic systems on social media especially Twitter and Facebook to spread radicalism, said a top Indonesian counterterror police official.
The head of the Indonesian police’s Antiterror Special Detachment 88 (Densus 88), Marthinus Hukom, said terror groups recruit people through social media and spread their propaganda on Twitter and Facebook.
"This is ISIS's clever use of social media, especially Facebook and Twitter, to recruit vulnerable targets. Social media is a tool of war in the era of advances in information technology," said Marthinus according to news reports in Indonesian.
Marthinus was giving a public lecture at Soegijapranata Catholic University, Semarang City, Central Java province, Monday.Â
He explained that terrorism is not the monopoly of one particular sect, but instead, terrorism can manifest in many sects or religions, in fact, even in irreligious individuals.
"Actually, radicalism exists in any religion, not only related to one particular religion," he explained.
In his talk entitled "The Danger of Terrorism Radicalism Propaganda Virus on Social Media", Marthinus asked his audience to flood social media with positive content as a counter narrative to radicalism.
"This is a way to care for the diversity that exists in Indonesia, so that this nation and state remain strong and intact. Let’s not only prevent traditional wars, but also social media wars," he emphasised.
Munir Kartono, a former terror convict, said that a terrorist cannot be identified from his physical characteristics or style of dress, but instead, the notion of terrorism emerges because of an error in the way of thinking.
"There are concepts and ways of thinking that are wrong in his head," said the former member of the Jemaah Ansharud Dawlah or JAD terror network.Â
Munir himself was involved in funding ISIS and was even known to be close to ISIS frontman Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian militant who fought with ISIS in Syria who was killed by U.S. forces in June 2018.
Munir also raised funds through social media as well as the internet and prepared the funding for the July 2016 bombing at the Surakarta Police Headquarters.
Another former terrorist convict, Hadi Masykur, admitted that he was active in the JI terror organisation for 20 years. As a result of his involvement, he also had to stay behind bars.
His mind opened when he received a message from his mother that made him realise his missteps and wrong perspectives.
"I advised the students to give space, to be tolerant to what other people do, so that we don't think that we are the most correct, while others are wrong," said Masykur.