A major forum on cyber terrorism and on how to bring the culprits to justice will be hosted by Imam Muhammad bin Saud Islamic University (IMSIU) on Nov. 18. “The forum is being organized within the framework of the initiative launched by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to curb terror in all its forms,” said Suleiman bin Abdullah Aba Al-Khail, IMSIU rector, on Saturday.
He noted that cyberspace holds considerable potential for terrorist activities, including through general communication, fund-raising and other forms of attack. “Terrorists’ use of the Internet is not only a national security concern, it poses more significant challenges to society as a whole,” said Aba Al-Khail.
Those involved in cyber terror seek the nation’s intellectual property and seek to trade secrets for military advantage in addition to sharing confidential information about other countries. Referring to the objectives of the forum on cyber terrorism, the rector said that this one-day event will help to evaluate and strengthen the roles of families, education and mosques in curbing cyber crime.
The forum will also discuss a strategy to identify websites and online information about terror units and work to block them, he added. The theme of the event is “Cyber terrorism: Its tactics and methods for combating it.” A panel of speakers will discuss a range of subjects related to cyber terrorism, including cyber extremism, types of cyber terrorism, causes of cyber terrorism, and combating cyber crime on regional and international levels.
“However, the lack of an international agreement on cybercrime and terrorism is hampering all efforts to bring cyber terrorists to justice,” said a report released this week by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). UNODC has suggested that nations consider the creation of a universal agreement requiring countries to cooperate with each other during cybercrime and cyber terrorism investigations.
Much like every other multinational group, cyber criminals are using the internet to grow their business and to connect with like-minded individuals — and, interestingly, they are not hiding in the shadows of cyberspace. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has produced a full-color English-language online magazine.
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