Disrupting the Recruitment Process to Exploit Weaknesses in Terrorist Organizations - Research Paper Example

? Disrupting the Recruitment Process to Exploit Weaknesses in Terrorist Organizations Disrupting the Recruitment Process to Exploit Weaknesses in Terrorist Organizations Introduction Terrorism threatens all states and people since it poses a significant threat to the lives, security, and economies of countries. A comprehensive response to counter terrorism requires disrupting of existent terrorist networks as well as preventing fresh recruitments into terrorist organizations. This paper explores recruitment practices in the global Jihad as they play out in America and Europe. Whereas the focal point of the discussion is terrorism, the paper explores a distinct form of contemporary terrorism, Global Jihad, which embodies religiously inspired conflicts with a global vision. Nevertheless, the paper does not necessarily centre on terror groups with nationalistic or secular motives. The global Jihad is entangled with individuals, organizations, and ideologies from the Middle East, South East Asia, Central Asia, and North Africa. There are four distinct levels of commitment within terrorist organizations. These include passive supporters, active supporters, cadre, and leaders. Although all play a critical part in the running of the terrorist organizations, the cadre can be singled out to be the level that has a phenomenal influence in the recruitment process. Cadre encompasses the nucleus of active members engaged in the overall running of the terrorist operations inclusive of recruiting new members. Terrorist organizations employ both hierarchical and networked structures of organization. Islamic radicalization can be considered as the lynchpin to homegrown terrorism, especially in the West. Delegitimizing radicalization is arguably an effective way of disrupting recruitment process. Disrupting recruitment process into terrorist organization presents a golden chance of defeating terrorism (Bowen, 2008). Community level partnerships comprising of anti-radicalization Muslim leaders, groups, and communities can be valuable assets in slowing down recruitment into terrorist organizations. Current Structures of Recruiting Environment A historical feature of recruitment environment entails top-down versus bottom up recruitment. However, this is not a clear cut phenomenon as best demonstrated by Hamburg cell that is blamed for 9/11 attacks. Most recruitment processes into terrorist organization feature aspects such as targeting of the alienated and marginalized, spiritual quest, radicalization, gradual seclusion and cell formation, adoption of violence as a legitimate political means, linkage with a gatekeeper, and eventual operation of the cell. Terrorist recruitment cells can be delimited into four separate cells; management cell, information gathering cell, preparation cell, and execution cell. Disrupting Recruitment Process Most international terrorist organizations are actively engaged in recruitment of Westerners into terrorist organization via facilitation of travel to foreign training camps and mounting grounds. Foreign terrorist organizations have shifted their strategy from passive influence of western radicals into directly motivating, inspiring, and training, especially through internet-based propaganda. Recruitment of Western radicals has worked for foreign terrorist organizations as they can conceal the identity as the recruits hold “clean” citizenship. The employment of homegrown terrorist cells has complicated the ability to infiltrate terrorism recruitment rings (Cortright & Lopez, 2007). The four principal ingredients to a thriving terrorist’s organization include recruitment, motivation, funding, and haven. Terrorism is affected by interplay of factors such as a haven, leadership, and the underlying conditions within the society. Terrorist organizations leaders avail motivation, mobilization, and organization functions within the organizations. In addition, leaders within terrorist organizations act as principal sources of propaganda besides acting as symbolic figureheads (Reuveny & Thompson, 2010). Safe heavens often entail ungoverned or under-governed places, which provide a safe environment for conducting of activities such as training, planning, financial services, and base for launching of attacks, as well as operation supports. Furthermore, the underlying conditions propel terrorist activities in the form of grievances and conflicts that fuel radicalization. Terrorists employ diverse tactics to raise funds, recruit members, and disseminate propaganda. Disrupting the recruitment process in terrorist organizations demands full exploitation of weaknesses that the terrorist organizations manifest. This demands a close pinpointing of loopholes in the cycle of terrorist activities (Bowen, 2008). Adoption and adaptation of compliance methodologies coupled with employment of detective and preventing measures ensure that roadblocks placed in the path of the recruitment process to terrorist organizations succeeds. Disruption of the recruitment process into terrorist organizations demands that countries attend to the fundamental circumstances that terrorists exploit at both national and local level, and in inducing and alienating populations into becoming sympathizers, supporters, and members of terrorist networks. Most of counterterrorism policies are inclined towards enhancing the security of public infrastructure and transportation systems, directed at complicating the ability of terrorists to mount an attack on highly visible targets. Other efforts encompass military efforts directed at capturing terrorists, freezing their assets and disrupting their access to funding. Nations should take proactive steps directed at halting recruitment into terrorist organizations by exploiting weaknesses within terrorist organizations, especially in the arena of terrorist financing (Coolsaet, 2008). Fraud and money laundering are some of the core means by which terrorists’ finance and transfer funds to finance their activities. Terrorists mainly exploit systematic weaknesses within the financial system when raising, transferring, and financing their activities. Overtime, efforts aimed at stopping recruitment of terrorist operatives will cause attrition within terrorist organizations while depriving the organizations of a chance to access valuable educated and skilled recruits. Effective disabling and disrupting of the recruitment process requires proactive actions directed at disrupting funding sources, as well as interdiction of transfer mechanisms in order to starve terrorists’ material support critical in the recruitment process (Bowen, 2008). The most critical vulnerabilities to terrorist organizations, which have a direct impact on the recruitment process, are communications and finance. Communication can be a tactical weapon of mass influence and can be employed by terrorist organizations in recruiting members. In addition, strategic communication is also a counterterrorism tool used in dissuading and deterring terrorism activities. Communication and finance are critical to dismantling extremists and their activities (Clarke & Newman, 2006). Although terrorists constantly alter their modes of operations and exhibit adaptability to avoid detection, the groups must still continue to communicate, raise, and spend money in order to function. This makes both enviable tools of disrupting recruitment as most recruits are lured into terrorism owing to promised financial windfalls. An effective way of defeating terrorism includes putting an end to terrorist financing, which can be labeled as the lifeblood of terrorism. Stopping “economic Jihad” is one the principal means of disrupting the recruitment process in terrorist organizations. Terrorist organizations are in need of financial support so as to achieve their goals, inclusive of recruitment of new members. Terrorist organizations continually adapt to utilize systematic weaknesses and forge opportunities to tap into fresh funding opportunities (Forest, 2007). Thus, terrorist organizations establish financial infrastructures encompassing sources of the funding, ways of laundering, and the availability of funds. Some of the systematic weaknesses that terrorists exploit include identity theft and fraud, criminal activity, credit cards, internet, and cyber fraud. Terrorists financing can be curtailed through identification of funding streams as well as enforcing disruptive and preventive measures to lessen the capability of such organizations to orchestrate, thrive, and pose a threat to the economy and national security (Cortright & Lopez, 2007). Mechanisms of Fundraising and Operations Terrorists utilize two prominent ways of transferring funds; the formal and informal systems. The formal system comprises of financial institutions while the informal system encompasses moving funds by means other than financial systems. Financial institutions encompass banks, broker dealers, and credit unions. Informal methods of funds transfer encompass physical transfer of funds by using methods such as courier and bulk cash shipment. The scale and the mode of funds transfer hinges on factors such as culture, sophistication of the banking system, timing, accessibility, systematic vulnerabilities, level of investigative scrutiny, and situational considerations. The investigative scrutiny and international pressure placed on banks have weakened the capability of terrorists in using the financial sector (Coolsaet, 2008). Exploitable Weakness in Terrorist Organizations Terrorists are driven by ideology and pose a threat to national security. Disrupting the recruitment process demands exploitation of weaknesses present at dissemination of ideologies. Disrupting recruitment process calls for prevention of the dissemination and the emergence of violent Islamic radicalization; this helps to curtail terrorist’s future recruits as well as defeating an upsurge of homegrown extremism. This calls for identification of potential catalysts for radicalization, which include feelings or perceptions of social discrimination that fuels homegrown extremism (Forest, 2007). Reducing people’s susceptibility to extremism is critical to stalling recruitment process into terrorist organizations. Today, radicalization is rife among immigrant populations, youth, and alienated minorities in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Disrupting radicalization requires a concerted effort as the arena (geographical and ideological) is both fluid and shifting. The hijacking and corruption of Islamic ideology to justify terrorism has propelled jihadist philosophy. The notion of Jihad has been radically transformed into mindless violence targeting civilians. What used to be regarded as a form of self-defense against aggression has now been transformed into indiscriminate bombings targeting innocent civilians (Reuveny & Thompson, 2010). The ideologies have found refuge among the aggrieved and disenfranchised factions within the world. Steps should be taken to isolate, discredit, and attack the extremist messages so as to ensure that they lose credibility (Clarke & Newman, 2006). This will be vital in stopping recruitment process into terrorist organizations as most of the operatives are lured into terrorism by the radicalized messages. This calls for building of trusted networks of governments, private citizens, and organizations so as to protect at-risk populations from the grip of subversive manipulation by terrorist organizations. In addition, nations should create mechanisms aimed at addressing people’s needs and grievances, which marginalizes terrorists. Terrorist manipulation and exploitation of the media plays a crucial role in the recruitment process into terrorist organizations. The advancement of information and technology has also lured terrorist organizations into exploiting modes such as internet in disseminating propaganda as well as inspiring potential operatives across the world. Websites and internet services are utilized by international terrorists, transnational cybercrime organizations, as well as individual extremists. The internet is a prime recruiting tool for terrorists through components such as chat rooms, websites, and social networking tools. Terrorist organizations utilize the internet not only for recruitment but also for fundraising through cyber-crime. Terrorist organizations utilize the internet in spreading their message, publicizing their causes, and relaying their tactical information as well as carrying out their radicalization process (Bowen, 2008). This is a weakness in itself as Information and Technology can be monitored and possibly blocked. Recruitment process through the internet stems from mild interests in the content broadcasted through the web into full commitment and integration into terrorist organizations. Research conducted in this area demonstrates the fact that online interaction generates social world exhibiting elements such as passion, commitment, dependency, trust, shared vision, and mutual responsibility, all of which result into construction of fresh identities. In addition, research has demonstrated that, in cases where people disengage from previous online groups, they undergo similar processes just as when disengaging from personal relationships. This paints a grave picture on the influence that internet bears on the persons. The anonymous identities created by the internet have a phenomenal influence on the dynamics of group formation (Forest, 2007). Such identities avail a chance for people to express extreme and unpopular sentiments to the extent of experimenting with radical identities. Information Technology is a decisive constituent in the recruitment process of members into terrorist organizations. Monitoring online activities such as chat can be regarded as essential in disrupting terror recruitment. Monitoring and disrupting such online discussions by radical online communities is a necessity so as to upset recruitment process into terrorist organizations. Nevertheless, the proposal to tap or monitor online activity is not without controversies. Suggestions of intrusive measures such as online surveillance are met with strong opposition. Previously, terrorist organizations utilized structured process recruitment, initiation, training, and eventual deployment into terrorist organizations. However, contemporary terrorism is increasingly moving towards “leaderless groups” or “self starters.” The overt recruitment is mainly conducted over the internet, making it highly unstructured. For instance, Al-Qaeda brags that it has more volunteers at its disposal than needed, and instead of sending out recruiters to carry out its heinous acts, it would rather mobilize local, and self organized groups via the internet. Self-forming confederations over the internet have led to an upsurge in recruitment of sympathizers, supporters, and volunteers into carrying out of terror activities. Counterterrorism efforts should also promote ideological competition and dissension within Jihadist community fashioned at advocating antiterrorism voices (Bowen, 2008). Denying terrorists the sustenance and refuge of rogue states or control of any nation eliminates utilization of the said locations as a launch pad for terror; it is an effective way of disabling recruitment process in terrorist organizations. Terrorists mainly set up bases in fragile, weak, and failing states as there is no oversight authority to deter illegal operations (Forest, 2006). Similarly, weak states have weak or nonexistent law enforcement mechanisms. Stability of states starves terrorist organizations a rich ground from which they could recruit new operatives. The same case applies to minimization of disenfranchisement within the society, which denies terrorist cells an enabling environment for recruiting of members. Conducting raids on known terrorist training and recruitment locations can aid in disrupting recruitment into terrorist organizations. Efforts should be geared towards apprehending persons known to harbor and promote terror activities. This method has effectively been applied in mosques suspected to carry hate or radicalization programmes. Efforts should be fashioned to disrupt “grooming” process of potential terrorists who could be deployed either at home or abroad (Forest, 2006). This is essential in choking off any threat or plots that might be hatched. Efforts should be geared towards locating, arresting, and prosecuting recruiters. Stopping terrorist financing should also focus on curbing credit card information theft and fraud. This is an area of vulnerability, which is increasingly exploited even though empirical-statistical data pointing to an establishment of a nexus between credit card exploitation and terrorist are lacking. Credit card information theft avails a lucrative funding stream for financing terrorist activities and poses a grave threat to national security. Nevertheless, generous anecdotal case studies paint a real picture on how widely terrorists rely on credit card information in carrying out their activities. This is fuelled by increased utilization of the internet and technology in facilitating fraudulent activities (Forest, 2006). Terrorist organizations do not necessarily possess exclusive access to credit card information theft and fraud. However, the field is increasingly becoming popular as a growth industry for terrorists, especially homegrown terrorist organizations rather than foreign terrorist organizations. Conclusion There is an urgent need to institute and maintain viable detective and preventative capabilities so as to disrupt recruitment process in a terrorist organization. Combating Islamist radicalization and recruitment requires employment of a multifaceted and multinational approach in order to disrupt recruitment at home as well as at the international arena. Adoption of an international platform is essential so as to attain a concerted effort in delegitimizing radical ideologies, containing and reversing Islamist radicalization, and tracking and tearing down recruitment systems. However, this is complicated by the fact terrorist learn from their own history and experience. Terrorist organizations assess their own vulnerabilities and perpetually adapt fresh methodologies to offset the exposed vulnerabilities. Hence, terrorist organizations are careful not to leave loopholes that can be exploited by authorities. This calls for a continuous development of proactive and innovative mechanisms geared towards exploitation of terrorists’ vulnerabilities, especially in recruitments processes. Employment of practices fashioned at detecting, disrupting, and deterring radicalization is essential to combat recruitment into terrorism organizations. This requires a decisive analysis on communication and financing of terrorist activities as the two elements have an immense bearing on terrorist recruitment process. The approach should be realistic enough to view potential recruits as open and receptive persons seeking fresh identities, especially in cases of online identities. References Bowen, N. (2008). Terrorism and Homeland Security: Thinking strategically about policy. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis. Clarke, R. & Newman, G. (2006). Outsmarting the terrorists. Westport, CT: Greenwood. Coolsaet, R. (2008). Jihadi terrorism and the radicalization challenge in Europe. Burlington, VT: Ashgate. Cortright, D. & Lopez, G. (2007). Uniting against terror: Cooperative nonmilitary responses to the global terrorist threat. Massachusetts, MA: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press. Forest, J. (2006). The making of a terrorist. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International. Forest, J. (2007). Countering terrorism and insurgency in the 21st Century: Strategic and tactical considerations. Westport, CT: Greenwood. Reuveny, R. & Thompson, W. (2010). Coping with terrorism: Origins, escalation, counterstrategies, and responses. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis. Read More