Fatal Attraction: Western Muslimas and ISIS
More than 550 Muslim women from Western countries have joined ISIS and moved to its proclaimed ‘Caliphate’ in Syria and Iraq. No extremist group has been able to attract so many female Western recruits so far, and their number continues to grow. This article is intended to explain the reasons behind such unprecedented success, the motivation of Western Muslimas to join ISIS and their roles in the ‘Islamic State’. It also compares living conditions under ISIS’ rule with the expectation induced by ISIS’ recruiters in women from the West who had shown an interest to make hijra and join ISIS. Understanding these factors is vital to figure out how to stop this trend and to assess the security threat posed to the West by possible female returnees, or radicalized sympathizers who are unable to leave their countries of residence.
"Support for sisters please": Comparing the Online Roles of al-Qaeda Women and their Islamic State Counterparts
This study evaluates female roles in pro-jihadist terrorism by examining online content. Data was collected from 36 Twitter accounts of women associated with al-Qaeda (AQ) affiliated groups for a period of six months. The purpose for collecting this data was to: 1) compare how traditional female roles, as constructed within a jihadi-Salafist ideology, are reproduced and challenged on social media; 2) and determine the extent that AQ-affiliated women conform to roles outlined in Huey’s classification of females in pro-Islamic State (IS) Twitter networks. The results of this study reveal that women’s traditional roles in pro-jihadist activities are reproduced on Twitter. Although the women appear to be empowered by the anonymity that Twitter provides, their roles remain largely constrained to those in supportive positions. AQ women mainly use Twitter to share the ideological beliefs of AQ and provide emotional support for fellow AQ members. In comparison with IS, AQ females subscribe to only a portion of the roles outlined in Huey’s classification.
Terror on the Internet: The New Arena, the New Challenges
What are the opportunities for terrorist groups on the Internet? What are the possible consequences of an attack on the net? Which are the most common types of attack? Could a virtual attack combined with a physical attack be possible? Which are the ethical and legal limits when taking action on the Internet in order to protect the safety of the citizens? Gabriel Weimann, an eminent communication and terrorism analyst and professor of Communications at Haifa University in Israel, tackles the basic aspects of the issue of civil rights (such as privacy or freedom of expression) and public safety against possible cyberthreats. Terror on the Internet offers an excellent overview of the origin and evolution of the scenario of cyberterrorism from the various approaches that shape it. It also highlights the interests of direct and indirect actors involved in it. This book is relevant for professionals in the fields of counterterrorism and security on the Internet, since it expands the knowledge of these areas and goes deeper into the actual use of this technology in this area. Finally, it may be very useful as a source of suggestions for prospective analysis or for establishing possible tendencies in the evolution of this threat and how to counter it. To respond these questions, Weimann comes across with valuable examples, gathered from the dark side of the net during his eightyear research, as well as reflections by several media, such as the Washington Post or the New York Times, and the work of prestigious professionals such as Paul Eedle or Dorothy Denning. He also compiles the arguments of organizations linked to the defense of civil rights, such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC). He also completes his research with an analysis of some of the government actions carried out against this threat, mainly from the