Extremist group wages digital war for young minds amid global crackdown

Cyber security officers from many nations have taken the fight against al-Qaeda online as the group intensifies its digital presence and weaponizes social media platforms to radicalize young people, counterterrorism experts said.

"In the digital age, the battleground between extremism and global security is no longer limited to mountains and deserts," London-based global affairs analyst Esmatullah Noori told Salaam Times.

"A new front has emerged in cyberspace, where groups like al-Qaeda exploit social media to recruit a new generation of followers," he said.

The extremist group has evolved beyond rudimentary propaganda, employing sophisticated digital marketing techniques that include emotionally charged content and professional multimedia production, Noori said.

Its messages target individuals struggling with identity crises, poverty or political marginalization, he said.

"Like a marketing firm, they localize their content, translate it into multiple languages, and set up closed groups for basic training," he explained, noting that social media platforms have become primary vehicles for their message.

The fight against al-Qaeda's influence in this era is "not only a security issue but also an information and cyber challenge," Spain-based cybersecurity analyst Mohammad Younus Tawfiq told Salaam Times.

In response to the group's online threat, security agencies have redesigned their counterterrorism strategies to address its newer online recruitment and indoctrination campaigns.

Tawfiq said he advocates for an international cyber coalition to "track, remove, and respond to the group's extremist content."

Digital defense

Religious scholars are also joining the digital battlefield.

Al-Qaeda elements "produce professional video clips to construct their narrative, but in reality, these stories are not rooted in the true teachings of Islam," said Tehran-based Islamic scholar Mawlawi Mohammad Zahir Muslim.

"It's our duty as scholars to dismantle these fake narratives. Otherwise, extremists will dominate the minds of our youth."

The group distorts Islamic concepts such as jihad and martyrdom to frame its mission as a "holy war" -- a strategy that has proven particularly effective in regions where governments struggle to provide basic services, scholars say.

But there has been visible progress in the fight to curb al-Qaeda's online activity.

Countries in West Africa are training cyber officers to protect their digital spaces, said counterterrorism analyst Shafiqullah Assi, who is based in the Netherlands.

"This is a significant step in the war of narratives and in reducing al-Qaeda's appeal to young people," he told Salaam Times.

While physical security threats persist, experts emphasize that the immediate challenge lies in protecting young minds online.

"Without unity in the cyber fight, this threat cannot be effectively countered," Zahir said.