Terrorism and the Internet: Use and Abuse

Abstract

What began as an MIT doctoral dissertation in 1962, and a U.S. Defense Department experiment in communications in the years that followed, has evolved into a technological revolution now known as "cyberspace" and the Internet. It is indeed a revolution that goes far beyond communications. In terms of making media available to people worldwide, it is likely the most significant advance since Gutenberg's invention of moveable type in the 1 5 ~ ~ century. Use of the Internet has literally exploded from a handful of scientists in the U.S. to a world where "net" access is almost universal. The net has become a medium for all the good, the bad and the ugly, and terrorists are no exception. Terrorists, terrorist organizations and their sponsors have all become increasing users of the Internet for a variety of functions. Just as in years past, when terrorists relied on other technologies such as telephone, radio, the mails and other systems, they cannot be barred from net access and will continue to use net resources for their purposes. The present paper explores the evolution of the Internet; current terrorist uses of the net; and what may be possible in terms of counter-terrorist operations in this area.