Abstract
In his latest book, Gabriel Weimann, Professor of Communication at the University of Haifa, reflects on the strategic use of the Internet by terrorists to operate in decentralized networks. The Internet, with its open access and freedom of speech, provides a platform for terrorists to deliberate with group members while remaining anonymous. A few terrorist organizations have already demonstrated sophisticated use of technology to radicalize individuals in the West, hack government websites and social media accounts, disrupt electronic banking, and gain access to military databases. As the young generation of terrorists increasingly gains expertise in advanced technological skills, Weimann warns that the “new jihad” will not be fought with weapons, but with control over cyberspace.
Weimann restricts its analysis to Islamic extremist groups in the Middle East, especially to events that involve Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah. Hence, scholars who wish to examine the online activities of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are advised to look elsewhere. Despite its limited scope, the book provides comparative and comprehensive literature on the origins and consequences of cyberterrorism; agreements/disagreements between Al-Qaeda, Hamas, and Hezbollah on aspects of dissemination of jihadi content; recruitment of women as terrorists; suicide operations; and the potential use of nuclear weapons. For instance, Weimann states that although the Arab media still debates whether suicide bombing is “haram” in Islam, the terror organizations have declared the action as legitimate. A Hamas-affiliated Palestinian Islamic Scholars Association states that according to Islamic law, Jihad is a collective duty . . . However, if infidels conquer even an inch of the Muslims’ land, as happened with the occupation of Palestine by the Jews, then Jihad becomes an individual duty and therefore, suicide attacks are permissible.
While Weimann’s book excludes Christian, Hindu, and politically motivated extremism, it also overtly relies upon Western authority to interpret Islam. Owing to its exclusion of the Muslim opinion, one could see the project as an orientalist one.
The book is divided into three components. The first part answers three questions: why terrorists use the Internet, how they use it, and for what purposes. While the second part focuses on the emerging trends in cyberterrorism, the third part is a commentary on counterterrorism measures and on the ethics of online surveillance in the United States that forces citizens to compromise privacy for national security.
Throughout, the book explores the symbiotic relationship between media and terrorists. “Terrorism is a theater,” writes Weimann. Like an artist, a terrorist wants to attract attention. He chooses his method, time, location, and victims to create a spectacle for the international audience. In this regard, the author argues, “The most powerful and violent performance was the Al-Qaeda attacks on American targets on September 11, 2001.”
In comparison with the existing literature on media and terrorism, the book stands out in its conceptual extension of narrowcasting, e-marketing, and principles of inter-group behavior during terror operations. For instance, Weimann explains that the recruitment of lone wolf terrorists (individuals who self-radicalize and operate alone) is through the strategy of narrowcasting. Such an approach needs further exploration because lone wolf terrorism is a growing threat in the United States. Weimann’s scrutiny of terrorist groups from an organizational perspective could be beneficial for scholars and marketing strategists, who intend to make new interdisciplinary pathways.
Out of the many propositions of extremists that Weimann covers, his insights on the role of women as suicide bombers are especially interesting. He states that many terrorists’ websites advise women on how to raise children to carry on jihad. Testaments and biographies of female martyrs in both Islamic history and modern times are regularly published to encourage women to carry out suicide attacks. One such woman, Umm Nidal, whose six sons are all jihadi fighters for a Hamas affiliate, was elevated to the status of a role model after her death in March 2013. She was dubbed as “the khansa of Palestine” after the female poet Al-Khansa. Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri’s wife Umayma Hassan is also portrayed as an idol. Her messages instruct women to assist their men in jihad.
Finally, two chapters, “Challenging Civil Liberties” and “The War Narratives,” reinforce the book’s U.S.-centric perspective. While Weimann lauds the counter-extremist strategies of security agencies in the United States, he does not acknowledge the efforts of their allies in joint-counterterror operations. For instance, in 2010, British authorities removed an explosive device from a U.S.-bound cargo plane planted by Al-Qaeda that was set to explode over the United States. But references to such incidents are missing. Also, in the last chapter, Weimann examines extremist narratives to propose counterterrorism measures, but reveals his bias in presenting narratives of Osama bin Laden, Jihadi Jane, Adam Gadahn, and Nidal Hasan among others—all prompting the Islamic jihadi rhetoric—and ignoring White extremism in the digital sphere.
Like its predecessor titled Terror on the Internet, which Weimann wrote in 2006, the new book is current and provides an easy read. The book may not benefit scholars of cybersecurity because of its generalist approach, but as a basic examination of topics related to new media and terrorism, it could be useful. However, any reader interested in a balanced consideration of the complexity of international terrorism should proceed with caution given the book’s essentialist approach that perpetuates the Muslim stereotype.