Israeli Technology to Track Terrorists on Social Media, Prevent Attacks

Israeli Technology to Track Terrorists on Social Media, Prevent Attacks

With the recent wave of terrorism unleashed on Israeli civilians, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government is investing in technology to pre-empt “lone wolf” attacks. Since September 2015, more than 100 stabbings attacks have taken place and 29 Israelis have died, including an American teenager. The terror attacks in Israel are not limited to knife attacks alone, about 40 shootings and 20 car ramming incidents have also taken place during the same period.

Hamas and PLO-affiliated terrorist group are increasingly using Facebook and other social media platforms to recruit and direct attacks against unsuspecting Israeli civilians.

And Israel is doing what Israel does best — using cutting-edge technology to fight back terrorism.

Speaking at a Cyber Technology conference in Tel Aviv, Israel’s Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said that the country is studying the modus operandi of these “lone wolf” terrorists, and devising tools to monitor social media and pre-empt such attacks. Jerusalem Post reports:

Israel will invest more in technology enabling it to gather intelligence on social media about potential “lone wolf” terrorists, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said on Wednesday.  (…)

Erdan said that the current wave of terrorism is forcing Israel to deal with a new challenge. When the terrorism was directed by terrorist organizations, Israel knew well how to collect intelligence and thwart the attacks, he said.

But, he added, “today there is incitement on the Palestinian television and social media, and you find yourself against hundreds of thousands of potential attackers who could go out to kill innocent civilians,” adding that terrorist attackers over the last number of months have admitted the degree to which they were affected by the social media.

According to Minister Erdan, “[Israel] intends to invest more in the acquisition of resources and technologies that can help us reach the potential attackers.”

These analytical tools will detect patterns common to terrorists, as they change their profile pictures on social media, or write about their intention before embarking on a terrorist mission, or communicate with their circle of friends.

The term “lone wolf” does not fully describe the recent phenomena of ‘inspired’ attacks being carried out by Radical Islamist in the West. Many of these “lone wolfs” are exposed to radical Islam at an early age, often by their own parents and teachers — indoctrinating impressionable young minds about the ‘virtues’ of bloodshed and martyrdom. This infrastructure of hate is aided by television, internet and print media spanning the entire Arab and Muslim world. These “lone wolf” are just low hanging fruit marinating in the hate, now ready to be plucked by Islamic State and its affiliates.

The tactic of “lone wolf” perfected by Palestinian terrorists against Israeli and Jewish targets, has today become the weapon of choice for Islamic State and Al Qaeda, as they wage their global Jihad.

Israel has long been at the forefront of the war against terrorism. Faced with a vastly overwhelming threats, the Jewish State has prevailed by turning its vulnerabilities into strengths. Lacking in manpower and resources, Israel turned to technology, innovation and even improvisation to level the playing field. This has turned Israel into a world leader in high-end military technology. The tiny country at the edge of the Middle East has now rapidly turning into a global leader in Internet- and Cybersecurity — with applications in both defense and commerce.

With terrorist groups like Islamic State and Al Qaeda now proving their capabilities to hit at cities across North America, Europe and Asia; Israel can again show the world how to fight this terrorism in the age of internet and open border.

Video: Social Media as Tool for Palestinian Incitement to Murder (courtesy Israel Defense Force)

[Cover image courtesy Israel’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, YouTube Screenshot]

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