Al Qaeda has explicitly called for ‘cyber-jihad’ and there have been a series of attempts by terrorists to ‘invade’ Facebook, the Government's new counter-terrorism strategy said today.
Terrorists are increasingly using online technology to plan and disguise attacks and there will be more cyber-terrorism in the future, it said.
‘Since the death of Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda has explicitly called not only for acts of lone or individual terrorism, but also for 'cyber-jihad',’ it added.
Home Secretary Theresa May launched the new counter-terrorism strategy which warned that since the death of Osama bin Laden Al Qaeda had called for 'cyber-jihad'
The use of social networking sites and video sharing is now ‘commonplace’, the strategy said. ‘There have been a number of attempts by terrorist and extremist groups to "invade" Facebook.
‘Twitter will be used to re-post media or forum articles enabling extremist content to be shared more quickly, widely and amongst people who would not normally search for extremist content.’
And experts have estimated that there are already thousands of terrorist-related websites, adding: 'A few dozen are highly influential and frequented by terrorists.'
The strategy comes the day after the UK threat level from international terrorism was downgraded from severe to substantial, meaning there is still a ‘strong possibility’ of an attack and one may well happen without further warning'.
Warning: 'There have been a number of attempts by terrorist and extremist groups to "invade" Facebook,' said the Government's new counter-terrorism strategy (File picture)
FACEBOOK CRIMEWAVE
Crimes linked to Facebook reached more than 100,000 across the country in the last five years, according to a report out in December.
Callers have alerted officers to alleged acts of terrorism, sudden deaths, missing pets, sexual offences, hate crimes and even firearms offences.
Police chiefs in 16 forces received 7,545 calls from the public last year, compared to just 1,411 calls related to Facebook to police in 2005.
The website launched in February 2004 and now has over 750million active users.
The government is to launch another cyber strategy later this year, funded by part of the £650million put aside for cyber-security under their strategic defence and security review last October.
Launching the Government's counter-terrorism strategy, Home Secretary Theresa May said: ‘Advances in technology mean our response must improve to keep pace.
‘Terrorists are increasingly using online technology, including Google Earth and Street View, for attack planning.’
She went on: ‘The marauding attacks in Mumbai in 2008 were directed by people using off-the-shelf secure communications technology to stay in contact with each other.
‘Software to encrypt mobile phone voice and text functions is widely available and improving.
‘Peer-to-peer networks can be used to distribute files and information rapidly and securely.
‘And cloud computing offers new means for storing, sharing and distributing material online.
‘It can be encrypted and configured to work with mobile devices, leaving little or no trace of the data behind.
‘And while radicalisation continues primarily to be a social process, terrorists are making more and more use of new technologies to communicate their propaganda.’
Mrs May added: ‘To tackle these new and emerging threats, our own technology must constantly evolve and adapt.’
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