Tech Against Terrorism

Youth radicalisation is changing. Young people today are increasingly being drawn into extremist movements through online platforms, social networks, and gaming environments. But these pathways look very different from previous generations, shaped by technology, social dynamics, and evolving ideologies.In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Jacob Ware, research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and DeSales University. Together, they explore how young people are being radicalised online, the role of emerging platforms and algorithms, and what can be done to prevent this worrying trend of youth extremism. 🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ How youth radicalisation today differs from previous generations➡︎ The role of online platforms and gaming environments in recruitment➡︎ Whether algorithmic recommendation systems are amplifying extremist content➡︎ About the complexity of social or psychological needs VS ideology➡︎ Recommendations for effective interventions 📱Connect with Jacob Ware.⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production. 

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have long been a weapon of choice for terrorist organisations. They’re cheap, adaptable, and devastatingly effective. But as technology evolves, so too do the tactics and tools used to build and deploy these weapons.In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Austin Doctor, political scientist, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE). Together, they explore how emerging technologies - from drones to 3D printing - are reshaping the global threat landscape, and how governments can respond to this rapidly evolving challenge.🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ How terrorist groups are adapting IED tactics using emerging technologies➡︎ The growing role of drones and dual-use tools in attack planning➡︎ The rise of DIY manuals and online knowledge-sharing around explosives➡︎ How younger people are increasingly being drawn into IED making and assembly➡︎ Strategies to mitigate these evolving threats📱Connect with Austin Doctor.⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production. 

As political uncertainty continues to rise across Europe, increasing polarisation is creating a breeding ground for radicalisation. More than ever, extremist groups are exploiting online platforms and social networks - using them as virtual planning hubs, spaces to share extremist propaganda and recruit young people. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Nicolas Stockhammer, a political scientist and Director of the Research Cluster "Counter-Terrorism, CVE and Intelligence" at Danube-University Krems in Austria. They explore the online trends emerging across Europe, and what these developments mean for counter-terrorism efforts.🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ How terrorist groups are exploiting social media and online communities➡︎ The role of online propaganda in radicalising young people➡︎ How virtual spaces are used for training and operational planning➡︎ The impact of political instability on extremist influence online📱Connect with Dr Nicolas Stockhammer.⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production. 

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 disengage from violent groups, and what local civil society initiatives are doing to counter extremism.🎧 Listen to learn:➡︎ How social bonds play a central role in radicalisation➡︎ The growing trend of youth and women in extremist networks in South East Asia➡︎ What drives militants to leave terrorist groups➡︎ The role of locally led deradicalisation efforts➡︎ What the world can learn from Southeast Asia's experience📱Connect with Julie Chernov Hwang.⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.  🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production. 

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 current capabilities, the group’s strategic recalibration following the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack, and why he believes a directed Al-Qaeda attack may not be far off.🎧 Listen to learn: ➡︎ How serious a threat Al-Qaeda currently poses on the global stage ➡︎ Why the group is ramping up recruitment and training ➡︎ What indicators suggest a directed attack on the West could be imminent📱Connect with Edmund Fitton-Brown. ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.