Want to learn more about how terrorists and violent extremists are using the internet to communicate and share propaganda? Perhaps you’re interested in why terr...
The Dark Side of Drone Tech: How Extremists Are Exploiting UAVs
Unmanned aerial vehicles - better known as drones - are transforming modern warfare. As the technology becomes more accessible to the general public, it also becomes easier for bad actors to exploit. From surveillance and reconnaissance to weaponised drone attacks, extremist groups are increasingly using this technology to enhance their operational capabilities.In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber speaks to Don Rassler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy at West Point. Together, they discuss how drones are being leveraged by terrorist organisations, the evolving threat landscape, and the countermeasures being developed to mitigate these risks.The views expressed by the guest in this podcast are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ How terrorist groups are acquiring and adapting drone technology➡︎ The tactical advantages drones offer to extremist organisations➡︎ How governments are responding to this emerging threat➡︎ The future of drone warfare in terrorist operations📱 Connect with Don Rassler.📚Learn more about the Combating Terrorism Center here.⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Game On: How Simulations are Enhancing Counter-Terrorism Responses
Video games are increasingly being leveraged as powerful tools in the fight against extremism. Counter-terrorism practitioners are using these "serious games" to enhance critical thinking and decision-making by immersing participants in realistic scenarios that mirror real-world security challenges.In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Founder & CEO of Valens Games and an internationally recognised expert on political violence, alongside Eleanor Ross, Director of Game Design at Valens Games. Together, they discuss how immersive wargames and AI-driven narrative simulations are shaping the future of intelligence and counter-terrorism training.🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ About the intersection of gaming and counter-terrorism➡︎ How Valens Games develops simulations for practitioners➡︎ The real-world applications of video game technology in security strategy➡︎ The Challenges and risks associated with gamifying counter-terrorism training➡︎ The role of AI and interactive storytelling in security simulations📱Connect with Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Eleanor Ross. 📚Learn more about Valens Games here. ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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The Rise of Jihadism in Central Asia
Terrorist activity in Central Asia traces its roots back to the Soviet era - but following the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s, suppressed religious movements evolved into underground Islamist networks, fuelling the rise of jihadist groups in the region. Today, Central Asia faces an increasingly complex terrorism landscape. In this episode of the podcast, Lucas Webber speaks to Bruce Pannier, a Central Asia Fellow at the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a veteran journalist covering the region. Together, they explore the origins of jihadism in Central Asia, the rise of Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) there, and the potential impact of the Assad government’s fall in Syria in 2024 on regional jihadist movements. We also hear about the role the internet has played for terrorist networks there. 🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ How suppressed religious movements evolved into jihadist networks in CA➡︎ How Central Asian jihadist groups use the internet to recruit and spread propaganda➡︎ The role of regional governments in countering extremism📱Connect with Bruce Pannier. 📚Learn more about the Foreign Policy Research Institute here. ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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How New Technologies Are Fueling Terrorism
Emerging technologies like 3D printing, drones, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the threat landscape, giving terrorists new tools to carry out attacks, spread propaganda, and fund their operations. But the risks don’t stop there. On the horizon are technologies like quantum computing and more, which experts warn could be the next frontier for exploitation.Join Lucas Webber as he explores more about these emerging technologies with internationally renowned terrorism expert Colin Clarke, Director of Research at The Soufan Center. And Clara Broekaert, a Research Fellow at The Soufan Center. 🎧 Listen to find out:➡︎ How terrorists are using 3D printers to manufacture weapons➡︎ Why quantum computing poses an underestimated risk➡︎ The truth about artificial intelligence misuse by terrorists➡︎ What’s behind the rise in youth extremism➡︎ The unique challenges governments, regulators, and tech platforms face in combating these threats📱Connect with Colin Clarke and Clara Broekaert. 📚Learn more about The Soufan Center here. ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website 💬Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Disrupting Terrorist Financing in the Digital Age
From buying weapons to funding attacks and recruiting new members, terrorist organisations need money to carry out their activities. But how do they raise, store and transfer finances? And what lessons can counter-terrorism teams learn from tracking terrorist money? Join Lucas Webber as he discusses all this and more with internationally renowned terrorism finance expert Dr. Jessica Davis, president and principal consultant at Insight Threat Intelligence.🎧 Listen to find out:➡︎ What money can tell us about a potential attack plot➡︎ What methods terrorists use to raise funds ➡︎ How terrorists leverage criminal activity➡︎ The role of cryptocurrency➡︎ How women are involved in terrorism financing 📱Connect with Dr. Jessica Davis. 📚Learn more about Insight Threat Intelligence here. ⚡️ Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website 💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
Want to learn more about how terrorists and violent extremists are using the internet to communicate and share propaganda? Perhaps you’re interested in why terrorists share their manifestos online and livestream their attacks? The Tech Against Terrorism podcast is a deep dive into the evolving use of the internet by terrorists and violent extremists, how this relates to real world harms, and what can be done to support the tech sector to disrupt this threat. Join us as we speak to the world’s leading experts in this field and uncover everything from the online propaganda behind an IS prison break in Syria, to the online network of neo-Nazis behind a foiled terrorist plot in Texas.
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