Tools used
Al Qaida is a terrorist organization that has been recruiting youths based on specific patterns and descriptors. The terrorist organization uses three major tools to recruit its members. Such include propaganda, extremism, and online recruitment techniques. The online recruitment involves the use of websites and other social media platforms that are specifically designed to promote propaganda (ADL, 2019). Therefore, they are able to influence public opinion and change the attitudes and beliefs of the people concerning a given political point of view. In some instance, they use religious extremists to inflict fear among a population and coerce the government to meet their demands.
Methods of communication
Al-Qaida’s communication strategy is based on highlighting specific appeals. For example, they use multidimensional, multi-platform techniques that intend to attract both friends and foes to reach the target groups and inform them of the relevance and resonance of the organization. The form of communication synchronizes the existing narratives and actions that leverage the group’s operational and strategic influences in targeted regions. Notably, the internet is an outstanding tool used to promote and support terrorist acts. It is the primary tool used to promote propaganda, which is also a tool on its own that spreads multimedia information regarding ideological explanations and practical instruction. These can be in the form of virtual messages, magazine articles, and audio and video clips. Therefore, the al-Qaida terrorist group can easily promote violence through its propaganda in the form of video footage of violent activities that stimulate the terrorists to engage in role-plays (ADL, 2019). Additionally, the internet, through social media, can be used to publish information about extremist rhetoric and videos to clandestinely recruit new members to the group. The members, therefore, claim to be experiencing issues regarding injustices, exclusion, and humiliation.
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Typical sequence of events
The events commence with the use of propaganda, which is disseminated through the internet. This first step promotes violence and expands extremist groups through YouTube and Rapidshare. Propaganda is followed by the financing of acts of terrorism through direct solicitation and e-commerce. Other financing methods can be the use of online payment tools and charitable organizations. After getting adequate funds, training is the next step that distributes practical guides to individuals in the form of audio and video clips (UNODC, 2012). This also involves the provision of technical information and advice in the form of detailed instructions on how to become a member of the organization. Thereafter, planning is another step of the sequence. It entails remote communication of the different branches of the terrorist organization to promote violence and extremism. It is usually followed by execution, which involves explicitly violent threats and the use of weapons to induce anxiety and panic in a given targeted population. Finally, a cyberattack is the last step that involves the deliberate use of computer networks to launch an attack (UNODC, 2012). This may target computer servers, its systems, and associated infrastructure to hack important data through malicious access, malware, and phishing.
The selection process
Therefore, it uses specific approaches like the net, the infection, and the seed crystal. The net involves sending videotapes of terrorist combatants, which is sent to a given target population like students and youths in general. In such cases, this population may respond differently, either positively or negatively although they are all primed for recruitment. The net further assesses the geography and demographic-psychographic similarities and differences among the target population to know how they will respond differently to the militia organization. For example, the net targets mosques whose heads are imams that are known to be very radical and can organize the recruitment pitch with the required preparation. The best location where the net is applicable worldwide is the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan.
Additionally, the recruiter may use the funnel in case the target population is already ripe for recruitment although may need some degree of transformation regarding identity and motivation. The potential recruits may commence at a particular end of the recruitment process and they undergo transformation through culling and eventually included in the group of dedicated terrorists at the other end. When using this tool, hazing rituals and group identity-building actions may be undertaken to facilitate the validation of al-Qaida members. This ensures that the new members are committed to the principles of the group, especially by depicting a jihad attitude. Jihadism is an Islamic knowledge that involves the application of violent means to achieve set goals.
Further, the infection is a strategy that involves recruitment from within, especially when the target group is complicated and insular in nature. In this case, a trusted agent may survey the target population and apply the use of direct personal appeals to influence the youths to join the organization. The method is used to form groups that are specifically intended to counter the police and a country’s military more so when a number of citizens are not extremists. Therefore, this tool can easily influence citizens who are dissatisfied with their jobs to take up al-Qaida operations and develop grudges against the police.
Finally, the seed crystal is the last recruitment tool that the organization uses to recruit audience hailing from remote and inaccessible areas, especially when a trusted agent cannot fit such regions. This involves self-recruitment, whereby an individual will emerge with his/her own group of new recruits in line with the pattern of infection. Notably, the al-Qaida uses the seed crystal to target people in the diaspora, especially when open recruitment is difficult. As a result, the recruited members become actively involved in incitements and radicalization.
The selection process further involves three major tests like knowledge tests, ability tests, and tests of loyalty.
Knowledge tests
Such tests are used the overall knowledge regarding terrorism. They are usually in the form of general knowledge questions, especially those relating to regional and national aspects of terrorism. For example, the tests may ask about the origin of terrorism, the various forms of terrorism, the trends of terrorist attacks that have occurred over a given period, etc.
Ability tests
Al-Qaida terrorist group assesses individuals to know the levels at which they can perform various tasks and reach different situations. This further includes the ability of the individuals to influence people in the background to join the terrorist organization. Therefore, the ability tests are crucial in depicting how the newly recruited individuals will perform their duties in different work settings. Also, such tests will help in predicting how the individual will interpret behavior and intentions while taking advantage of the general population.
Loyalty tests
For the case of Al-Qaida, loyalty tests assess whether or not, the potential candidate is committed to Islam to prove that he/she will truly fight a jihad. Adherence to the organization’s ideology is equally important and the individual should sacrifice to keep secrets of Al-Qaida, maintain truthfulness (Guadagno, et al., 2010). Further, loyalty means displaying the ability to maintain tranquility and cautiousness with which one observes, analyzes, and acts when approaching various situations.
Influence of modern technology in the recruitment of terrorists
Technological advancements have expanded the reach of terrorists, especially through the internet. Modern technologies enable jihadist recruiters to conquer both small and mid-sized cities in diverse ethnicities and races to increase the number of followers. Therefore, technology makes it easier to recruit extremist groups who espouse violent jihad. Additionally, through technology, terrorists can spread online extremist videos and engage themselves in chats with other averters based in other Islamic states; thereby, influencing interested individuals to make decisions to join the group. This reinforces and deepens terrorist new works that persuade the target population and sympathizers to join them. The networks connect the jihadists with the various branches of terrorist organizations across the globe. Also, the cyberspace forms a serine environment that feeds terrorists with privileges and resources that spread propaganda and eventually enhancing the plans to launch attacks against foes worldwide.
Finally, the recruitment of terrorists is similar to the human resource hiring processes in traditional organizations. For example, both are concerned with assessing the social, personal, and economic aspects of the recruitment with regards to how they either support or drag the organization’s activities behind. However, there is a slight difference since the terrorist organizations provide their sympathizers with pictures of fighters and videos that train potential recruits on how to protect themselves from competitors (Hunter, et al., 2017). This implies that they are based on violence and ideological rationality. However, the traditional, nonviolent organizations and terrorist groups are based on organizational legitimacy that influences potential recruits. This allows for individual-level analysis of all applicants involved in violent extremist organizations and those with past experiences in Jihadism.
References
ADL. (2019). Propaganda, Extremism and Online Recruitment Tactics. Table Talk: Family Conversations about Current Events . https://www.adl.org/education/resources/tools-and-strategies/table-talk/propaganda-extremism-online-recruitment
Guadagno, R. E., et al. (2010). Social Influence in the Online Recruitment of Terrorists and Terrorist Sympathizers: Implications for Social Psychology Research. Revue internationale de psychologie sociale , 23 (1), 25-56. Presses universitaires de Grenoble. https://scholar.google.com/scholar_url?url=https://www.cairn.info/load_pdf.php%3FID_ARTICLE%3DRIPSO_231_0025%26download%3D1&hl=en&sa=T&oi=ucasa&ct=ufr&ei=xgooXbj9C4eTmgGUmp2wCw&scisig=AAGBfm0_oXswirly2I9i8S1CQ7_ddAhuxA
Hunter, S. T., et al. (2017). Recruitment and Selection in Violent Extremist Organizations: Exploring What Industrial and Organizational Psychology Might Contribute. American Psychologist , Vol. 72, No. 3, 242–254. American Psychological Association. https://www.academia.edu/33781968/Recruitment_and_Selection_in_Violent_Extremist_Organizations_Exploring_What_Industrial_and_Organizational_Psychology_Might_Contribute
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2012). The use of the Internet for terrorist purposes. United Nations. New York. https://www.unodc.org/documents/frontpage/Use_of_Internet_for_Terrorist_Purposes.pdf
