CTC Sentinel. Volume 1, Issue 9, August 2008. The Sakinah Campaign and Internet Counter-Radicalization in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The prominent role of the internet in propagating and perpetuating violent Islamist ideology is well known. The speed, anonymity and connectivity of the web have contributed to its emergence as a powerful source of knowledge and inspiration; it is an unrivaled medium to facilitate propaganda, fundraising and recruitment efforts. The vast scope of information available, coupled with the absence of national boundaries, facilitates ideological cohesion and camaraderie between disparate and geographically separated networks. A broad spectrum of individuals turn to the internet to seek spiritual knowledge, search for Islamist perspectives and attempt to participate in the global jihad. As such, identifying methods to short-circuit internet radicalization has become an urgent goal for numerous governments.

Additional articles include: Pursuing Al-Qa'ida into Diyala Province; Jama 'at al-Fuqara': A domestic Terrorist Threat to the United States?; Key Factors for the Recent Growth of the Afghan Insurgency; A Preliminary Assessment of Counter-Radicalization in the Netherlands; and others.