Counter-terrorism: measures to fight against the foreign terrorist fighter phenomenon and the use of ICT for the recruitment of terrorists

Terrorism, in all its manifestations, has redefined national and international security landscapes in recent years. The impact of terrorist organisations has mushroomed, and they are becoming increasingly complex. There is evidence to point to the fact that the planning, recruitment, coordination and perpetration of terrorist acts has been largely assisted by the proliferation of networking hardware such as computers, cell-phones, and internet access. In addition, the availability of various digital tools and software has amplified the ease of communication, regardless of location. Strategy to date has been dominated by law enforcement and military actions, as exemplified in most international initiatives against terrorism. In some cases, this has elicited sympathy for the terrorist organisations because of resulting unintended civilian casualties. There is now recognition that a shift in strategy to a more civil society focussed approach which addresses the underlying causes may be more effective.