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Tech Against Terrorism

Tech Against Terrorism

81 episodes

2 weeks ago

From online propaganda targeting youth, to the gendered dynamics of extremist groups, Southeast Asia faces a unique set of terrorism challenges that are often overlooked by the international community. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Julie Chernov Hwang - Associate Professor at Goucher College, Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, and an expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia. Together, they explore the key drivers of radicalisation in the region, how individuals diseng...

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Society & Culture

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From online propaganda targeting youth, to the gendered dynamics of extremist groups, Southeast Asia faces a unique set of terrorism challenges that are often overlooked by the international community. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Julie Chernov Hwang - Associate Professor at Goucher College, Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, and an expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia. Together, they explore the key drivers of radicalisation in the region, how individuals diseng...

Show more...

Society & Culture

Episodes (20/81)

Tech Against Terrorism

Al Qaeda: Current Capabilities and Threat Trajectories

Founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda is best known for orchestrating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people. But what kind of threat does the violent Islamist organisation pose in 2025? In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British diplomat and former Coordinator of the United Nations’ Monitoring Team, and an expert on Al-Qaeda. Edmund shares unique insights into Al-Qaeda’s curre...

1 week ago

36 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Balochistan Liberation Army: Pakistan’s Rising Militant Challenge

The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is fighting for the independence of Balochistan, a resource-rich but politically marginalised region in Pakistan. In pursuit of that goal, the group have evolved both their offline and online strategies, from suicide bombings to increasingly sophisticated online propaganda. Now, experts are warning the BLA could represent the most significant internal threat Pakistan faces. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Riccardo Valle, a researcher speci...

1 month ago

36 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Accelerationism: From Online Subcultures to Real-World Violence

Accelerationism is no longer a fringe theory - it’s become a dangerous ideological driver behind a growing number of real-world terrorist attacks. Rooted in the belief that societal collapse should be sped up to bring new world order, this radical worldview has been adopted by extremists across the spectrum - from the far-right to violent anarchists. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Ben Makuch, national security reporter and contributor to The Guardian and Peter Smith, an indep...

2 months ago

37 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Blueprints for Violence: How Extremists Are Weaponising 3D Printing

Once a revolutionary manufacturing innovation, 3D printing has become a double-edged sword. While the technology is driving progress across sectors like medicine and aerospace, it’s also being exploited to produce untraceable, homemade firearms. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Yannick Veilleux-Lepage, Assistant Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and a leading expert on the intersection of terrorism and emerging technologies. Together, they explore how 3D-printed...

3 months ago

42 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

The Evolution of the Islamic State: From Regional Force to Global Threat

The Islamic State, once a local insurgency rooted in Iraq and Syria, has transformed into a global network with far-reaching influence. In this episode of the podcast, we chart how its operations have expanded beyond the Middle East, as the group leveraged technology, propaganda, and local affiliates to spread its ideology across borders. Host Lucas Webber is joined by Aaron Zelin, a Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and founder of the widely acclaimed website, Jih...

4 months ago

40 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

The Dark Side of Drone Tech: How Extremists Are Exploiting UAVs

Unmanned aerial vehicles - better known as drones - are transforming modern warfare. As the technology becomes more accessible to the general public, it also becomes easier for bad actors to exploit. From surveillance and reconnaissance to weaponised drone attacks, extremist groups are increasingly using this technology to enhance their operational capabilities. In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber speaks to Don Rassler, Director of Strategic Initiati...

5 months ago

40 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Game On: How Simulations are Enhancing Counter-Terrorism Responses

Video games are increasingly being leveraged as powerful tools in the fight against extremism. Counter-terrorism practitioners are using these "serious games" to enhance critical thinking and decision-making by immersing participants in realistic scenarios that mirror real-world security challenges. In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Founder & CEO of Valens Games and an internationally recognised expert on politic...

6 months ago

33 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

The Rise of Jihadism in Central Asia

Terrorist activity in Central Asia traces its roots back to the Soviet era - but following the collapse of the USSR in the 1990s, suppressed religious movements evolved into underground Islamist networks, fuelling the rise of jihadist groups in the region. Today, Central Asia faces an increasingly complex terrorism landscape. In this episode of the podcast, Lucas Webber speaks to Bruce Pannier, a Central Asia Fellow at the Eurasia Program at the Foreign Policy Research Institute and a v...

6 months ago

33 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

How New Technologies Are Fueling Terrorism

Emerging technologies like 3D printing, drones, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the threat landscape, giving terrorists new tools to carry out attacks, spread propaganda, and fund their operations. But the risks don’t stop there. On the horizon are technologies like quantum computing and more, which experts warn could be the next frontier for exploitation.Join Lucas Webber as he explores more about these emerging technologies with internationally renowned terrorism expert Colin Clar...

7 months ago

31 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Disrupting Terrorist Financing in the Digital Age

From buying weapons to funding attacks and recruiting new members, terrorist organisations need money to carry out their activities. But how do they raise, store and transfer finances? And what lessons can counter-terrorism teams learn from tracking terrorist money? Join Lucas Webber as he discusses all this and more with internationally renowned terrorism finance expert Dr. Jessica Davis, president and principal consultant at Insight Threat Intelligence.🎧 Listen to find out:➡︎ What mon...

7 months ago

34 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

The Persistence of Pro-IS Propaganda in Southeast Asia

In this week’s episode we’re looking at how IS and al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist groups in Southeast Asia continue to exploit online platforms to disseminate propaganda, even as attacks in the region decline. We explore the history of militant Islamist activities in the region, as well as the key players; Why and how these groups and their supporters focus so much of their energy on online propaganda; And why we should care when terrorist content stays online.A note: we recorded this episode ...

1 year ago

40 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Escaping the Incelosphere

In this week’s episode, we’re returning to the topic of incels to explore the online spaces aiming to help individuals leave this violent misogynistic community. We start by providing a refresher on incel ideology, but if you want a deep dive we recommend first listening to the episode linked below. This time, we focus on tools for deradicalisation, the benefits and limitations of support-focused Reddit forums like r/inceltears and r/incelexit, and consider why it is so difficult to leave the...

1 year ago

39 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Online Anti-LGBTQ+ Hate and its Offline Consequences

In this week’s episode we’re looking at the spread and normalisation of anti-LGBTQ+ hate online, and its dramatic, real-life consequences. The hysteria promoted by extremists around a so-called gay or trans agenda has led to a societal and legislative backlash for LGBTQ+ people in the US. And the hate has festered in the most mainstream of online spaces. We discuss some of the conspiracy theories against LGBTQ+ people, the link between online and offline violence, and what tech companies can ...

1 year ago

32 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Is Terrorist Use of Cryptocurrencies Overblown?

There has been a lot of concern about how cryptocurrencies are used by terrorist groups to finance their operations, especially since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th. So in this week’s episode, we’re investigating that question – do terrorist groups actually use cryptocurrency? We discuss what is known about terrorist financing, where the hysteria around cryptocurrency comes from, and the challenges around adopting more effective international countermeasures.Archie Macfarlane is join...

1 year ago

31 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

HOPE Not Hate: Insights from Inside the Far-Right

In this week’s episode, we’re getting unique insights into the state of the far-right in the UK. The advocacy and research organisation HOPE Not Hate is known for its tireless work countering extremism and hate through research, intelligence, campaigning and community engagement. This work has involved infiltrating and exposing extremist movements and even terrorist groups. HOPE Not Hate recently published their State of Hate 2024 report, which we discuss in detail in the episode. Archie...

1 year ago

35 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Mapping Far-Right Terrorist Propaganda Online

In this week’s episode, we’re delving into the key trends of the past three years in how online users disseminate far-right terrorist propaganda online. From gamification to Generative AI, we’ll be sharing findings from our upcoming report – TCAP Insights: Mapping Far-Right Terrorist Propaganda Online. Archie Macfarlane is joined by Adam Donald, TCAP Manager at Tech Against Terrorism, who was part of the team working on our latest TCAP research report. We discuss the distribution of terrorist...

1 year ago

35 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Foiled Plots in the UK: How Terrorists Fail

Since 2017, the UK has seen fifteen terrorist attacks – from the Manchester Arena bombing to the Dover firebomb attack. But during that time, more than twice as many attacks have also been foiled. So in this week’s episode, we’re looking at terror plotters in the UK. We are delving into the case studies of two very young plotters who were largely radicalised online, trying to understand what led them down their violent pathways and what can be done by stakeholders to prevent similar cases in ...

1 year ago

38 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Active Clubs: Fitness, Fraternity, and Fascism

In this week’s episode, we’re introducing you to a new kind of far-right group – Active Clubs. Their unique pitch combines fitness, fraternity and fascism. We map out the origins and rapid growth of the movement, how they have utilised social media to create chapters globally, and their appealing offer to younger men in particular. Archie Macfarlane is joined by Brody McDonald, director of the Oxford Disinformation and Extremism Lab, and Associate Fellow at King’s College London. You can...

1 year ago

28 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

Media Jihad: Islamic State's Resurgent Propaganda Network

In this week’s episode, we are delving into Islamic State’s global propaganda network. We map the group’s media apparatus, unpacking the term “media Jihad” to understand the role of pro-IS online networks in waging its propaganda war. We highlight the centrality of Islamic State Khorasan Province, also known as ISKP, in reinvigorating IS’s propaganda machine. Note: this episode was recorded prior to the terrorist attack on the Crocus City concert hall in Moscow on 22 March 2024, which ha...

1 year ago

38 minutes

Tech Against Terrorism

God, Guns and Sedition: Far-Right Terrorism in America

In this week’s episode, we look at how the far-right threat has intersected with their exploitation of technology over the past 40 years or so. We trace the far-right's experimentation with technology back to white supremacists in 1980s America, discuss the revolutionary effect of social media on far-right terrorism , and explore the risks of violence in the upcoming US elections.This time, Archie Macfarlane is joined by Bruce Hoffman, senior fellow for counterterrorism and homeland security ...

1 year ago

38 minutes