PAMUN XV POLITICAL COMMITTEE QUESTION OF PREVENTING INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT FROM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS

Transcription

1 PAMUN XV POLITICAL COMMITTEE QUESTION OF PREVENTING INTERNATIONAL RECRUITMENT FROM TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS Introduction of Topic In the years following the events of 9/11, an event widely considered as a major turning point in the field of terrorism, many militant and extremist groups have increased in popularity, successfully acquiring more and more followers. More importantly, these events along with the scapegoating of Islamic people, helped put an international spotlight onto extremist groups, emphasizing the importance and initiatives needed to put an end to them. That being said many extremist groups, more than a decade later continue to successfully grow in number of members. Using increasingly sophisticated methods, the number of recruited jihadist has grown exponentially. Over the past couple years terrorist organizations have been able to broaden and expand their playing field by recruiting people from all over the world. With the rise of social media, terrorist groups have been able to extend their outreach due to the international accessibility many platforms provide. Social media has given these groups a new means of spreading their views and propaganda in hopes of attracting younger members. Sites like YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter provide a fast, easy, and accessible way of passing on information; they are often used as a means to connect radicalized westerners to members within these groups. Social Media has enabled these groups to manipulate young peoples into subtly convincing them that radicalizing themselves, was their own idea. This has enabled them to easily and quickly spread their Islamic interpretations all over the globe. The use of social media has created an opening for people all over the world to connect with extremist organizations and consequently enlarge the enrollment of a new wave of people to these groups. In recent years recruitments rates have increased drastically, particularly within known groups like Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State. Continuously innovating and finding new ways to attract more people, these groups still pose a great threat to international security. This report will focus on the international recruitment of terrorist organizations. Because they are currently the largest importers of foreign Jihadists, this report will view recruitment through the lens of the ISIL. The report will focus on how the recruitment into extremists groups is done, and the necessary steps to put an end to this. Definition of Key Terms Research Report Page 1 of 8

2 ISIL Also known as ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) or the Islamic State, ISIL was at first an affiliate of Al-Qaeda. It has now developed into, what is considered an even more extremist group than Al- Qaeda. Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda is an Islamist Militant group based within the country of Pakistan. Al-Qaeda is most famously known for having ben responsible for the events of 9/11. Foreign Fighter A Foreign Fighter is essentially someone, in the case of terrorist groups, who comes from a country different to the extremist group s country of origin. In many cases people coming from Western countries are considered as Foreign Fighters as they are coming from another part of the world to take part in the extremist group s ways. Background Information As previously mentioned, using new techniques, specifically through social media, terrorist groups have been able to reach out to people all over the world. As the UN has recently stated, Jihadist fighters are now originating from more than half of all the countries in the world. Approximately 100 of the UN s member states have some of their citizens joining terrorist groups. With a recruitment rate growing 70% in the last nine months, the power that extremist groups have in enrolling people internationally is evident. It has been estimated that about 12,000 foreign fighters have come to join ISIL alone. ISIL have proven themselves as infamous pioneers in the world of recruiting through social media. Through various websites, predominantly Twitter in addition to a number of Jihadist Forums, the extremist group has been able to recruit members from all over the globe. According to a study made by the New York Times, about half of ISIL s members are foreign fighters, 4,000 of which are Westerners. ISIL has been able to make use of its radicalized westerners to recruit even more people. By doing so they have been able to capture the attention of the world and make a name for itself. By introducing people like Jihadi John, a British Muslim charged of decapitating Western journalists, into their propaganda videos, ISIL has been able to make their content more understandable/relevant for people as well as putting more of a spotlight onto the issue. Compared to groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIL has ultimately won in terms of terrorist recruitment through social media. Proving themselves to be more flexible in their ideologies, by including Westerners and their languages into their propaganda. ISIL has tried to match itself to its potential followers. Although still recruiting people locally, by following all these precautions they have been able to increase the number of its members coming internationally. Page 2 of 8 Research Report

3 Major Countries and Organizations Involved There are always two sides to the issue of international terrorist recruitment: the countries receiving recruits and the countries form which they are leaving. With most of the terrorist recruitment taking place in the Middle East, through groups like ISIL or Al-Qaeda, the list of countries receiving recruits will concentrate in that region. Contrarily, the list of nations from which they are leaving will be less regional compared to the countries receiving recruits, as people from all over are leaving their countries to join these extremist groups. Countries Receiving Recruits- Iraq, Syria, and Libya In the past decade Iraq, Syria and Libya have all experienced terrible atrocities, ranging from invasions to wars. Today, many still face the repercussions of these horrible events. Four years after the US retreated from Iraq, the country still feels the aftermath of the invasion. Currently living through a Civil War, the people of Syria and Libya are leaving by the thousands trying to escape their home for a better life. Unfortunately, the common tragedy these nations share benefits extremist groups and fosters the rise of their ideals. Countries From Which the Recruits are Leaving As it was previously explained, more than half of the world s countries have at least one of their citizens joining extremist groups like ISIL. The following countries have been categorized by region/continent and have been picked based on the most relevance to the topic. Considering there are so many countries from which people are leaving, organizing them this way enables to get a clearer global look at what is going on. Europe- France, UK, Belgium Several of the Western nations, within Europe, have unfortunately seen many of their people leaving to fight along extremist groups in Syria and Iraq. Approximately 500 people from the UK and 400 from France have left in hopes of joining these extremist groups. The same applies to the country of Belgium. With about 5% of its population following the Religion of Islam, Muslims are often considered as outsiders within the country. Seeking to escape this prejudice, several young Belgians have left their country thusly leaving between 300 and 400 Belgian recruits fighting for ISIL. Unfortunately, racism has been a recurring theme within many nations. Social and racial tensions have caused for the supposed alienation of some peoples, who consequently look to extremists groups to feel a sense of belonging somewhere. Asia- Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia Approximately 300 people have left from the Asian nations of the Philippines and Malaysia to go fight along the forces of ISIL. While 200 originating from Malaysia, and 100 originating from the Research Report Page 3 of 8

4 Philippines, Indonesia has also provided a substantial number of jihadist recruits. With a government report from the Indonesian government officially stating 60 recruits having left the country, it was later revealed in an unofficial report that around 200 Indonesians left to fight. North Africa- Tunisia, Morocco Tunisia has become one of, if not the largest contributor of foreign fighters to ISIL, with an astonishing number of approximately 3,000 people joining the militant group. Morocco has also supplied a considerable amount of foreign fighters, with nearly 1,500 Moroccans leaving to fight. Oceania- Australia Interestingly enough, according to a recent report, Australia has provided the highest number of foreign fighters, per capita, to ISIL. About 150 Australians have left their homeland to go and fight along ISIL in the conflicts in Iraq and Syria. (Graphic Showing Number of Foreign Fighters to Syria per country. Source: International Center for the Study of Radicalization and Political Violence) Timeline of Events Date Description of event September 11, 2001 Events of 9/ March, 2003 US invasion on Iraq 30 December, 2006 Death of Saddam Hussein Page 4 of 8 Research Report

5 15 February - 23 October 2011 First Libyan Civil War 15 March 2011 Beginning of Syrian Civil War 20 October 2011 Death of Muammar Gaddafi 18 December 2011 Final Troops Pulled out of Iraq 15 April 2014 Kidnapping of 200 School Girls by Militant Group Boko Haram 19 August 2014 ISIL beheading of journalist James Foley Currently Approximately 12,000 Foreign Fighters have joined ISIL to date. Relevant UN Treaties and Events The Treaty of Lisbon, 13 December 2007 Threats against the international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, 24 September 2014, SC/11580 Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, 28 September 2001, S/RES/1373 Measures to eliminate international terrorism, 9 December 1994, (A/RES/49/60) Main Issues When trying to find a solution to the issue of international terrorist recruitments, there are several significant issues that are essential to know. These have all contributed in some way to the recruitment of people into these groups and must be kept in mind to find plausible solutions. Accessibility In the case of ISIL, as it has been explained numerous times already, recruitments programs have become increasingly accessible to people all over the world. Through the use of tools like social media, extremist groups have found a quick and easy way to spread their propaganda to a large amount of people. The danger in this is the reach that social media has on the world. Since it is accessible from all over the world, anyone could be subject to extremist ideologies. The internet allows a worldwide spread of these ideals. Even though a long process awaits the people who choose to join after contact Research Report Page 5 of 8

6 through social media, the internet allows to make these ideals more public. Social Media only acts as a tool to draw people in. After that comes a long process involving contact with existing members, crossing international borders Also for accessibility, using once again the example of ISIL, joining an extremist group has become easier than it was in the past. Compared to Al-Qaeda for example, ISIL is willing to accept anyone to join them as long as they are Muslim. Al-Qaeda on the other hand requires a letter of recommendation from a current member and much more. Essentially, in the past couple years it has become increasingly easier to join these groups than it was a decade ago. Appeal Another issue which is drawing more and more Westerners to join extremists groups like ISIL, is the appeal that they provide. In the case of ISIL, they promise a nearly utopian way of life to young people. As it was explained in Belgium, many minorities feel prejudiced within Western countries. In light of this they decide to leave their countries to join extremists groups that promise a life of religious freedom. The extremist groups essentially tell the potential recruits what they want to hear and invite them into a world which seems to have no prejudice and no hatred. These groups work on the vulnerability of these people to attract more members. Social and Political Turmoil Often times through history, when times are tough and living conditions deteriorate, extremist groups tend to rise. Promising a new and better life, extremist groups grow in popularity through their numerous, often unrealistic, promises. In most cases this applies to the extremist groups we find today. Many of these groups are based in countries with political, economical, or social issues, and are consequently capable of growing in size and popularity. With the examples of Syria, Iraq, or even Libya, we have seen insurgency grow. Caused by the turmoil they live through due to Civil War, people seek to leave these issues and join extremist groups, where they are promised a better life. Poor conditions in countries have a direct connection to extremist groups as they can either lead to its growth and/or people wanting to join them. That being said, people have also left their homelands in hope for better leadership. Extremist groups provide them with an easy opportunity to have strong leadership. Whether it be the Civil Wars in Syria and Libya, or simply the recovery from war in Iraq, these countries have seen several of its people leave in hope for a better life and leadership by joining an extremist group. Economic Turmoil Building on the point previously made on Social and Political turmoil, when economic issues arise extremist groups once again seem to grow stronger and larger. As previously stated, extremist groups use propaganda to promote idealistic views of their societies. In doing so they essentially promise to put and end to most issues people leave their countries for. Economic turmoil can be a convincing factor in Page 6 of 8 Research Report

7 people joining extremist groups. It acts as a factor that pushes people away from their countries and straight into the hands of these groups. Interpretations of Islam Finally, the last and maybe most important issue, is Islamic Interpretation. This issue is only relevant to extremist groups who claim to follow an Islamist ideology. Groups like ISIL, Al-Qaeda, or Boko Haram who all believe to be living under the guidelines of Islam. It is crucial to understand that these groups follow an interpretation of Islam. The acts committed by these groups, apparently all in the name of Islam, have worsened the image of the religion to the public eye. Nowadays many people will associate real Islam with the interpretations that extremist groups follow. By preaching Islamic interpretations and being able to spread this propaganda all over, they are trying to persuade and convince people to follow these beliefs and essentially cause for them to come and join. So it is important to make a clear distinction between the religion of Islam and Islamic interpretations. Once that is understood then comes the time to fight against international recruitment. As U.S. President Obama said, it is important to discredit violent ideologies and once that is done then people who are considering joining these groups might no longer want to join. Possible Solutions When trying to solve the issue at hand there are numerous factors to keep in mind. Firstly, as suggested by US President Barack Obama it is vital to discredit violent ideologies. Essentially meaning, that it is necessary to discredit or prove false the ideologies of extremists groups. In doing so you are proving to people that the beliefs in the case of ISIL or Al-Qaeda for example are interpretations of Islam. Once that is understood then the recruitment rate may decrease. If people understand that what they are being told are simply interpretations or ideologies and not in fact reality/truth, then the whole point of, leaving ones country to join a utopian seeming society within the extremist groups, looses it entire purpose. Another viable solution would be finding a way to disrupt contact between people and terrorist organizations. As it has been previously explained with the use of social media it has become increasingly easier for people to get in contact with extremist groups and vice versa. By finding a way to disrupt the communication, the terrorist groups lose one of the major medias to recruit followers. It is also important to look at the root of the problem, to see how the issue can be solved from within. As previously mentioned for the nation of Belgium, some minorities within countries feel discriminated and prejudiced. Living in a society fueled with hate towards their race, religion causes for some of these people to seek refuge in extremists groups. It is important to put an end to this. Even though that is easier said than done, initiatives must be taken to make these people feel more at home and less discriminated. Also, this connects to a point made above, it is important to de-glorify extremist groups. In doing so there would be no incentive to join them. Research Report Page 7 of 8

8 Resources to Consider Provides a very nice graphic on the flow of Foreign fighters into Syria Not to be read entirely, some parts provide good explanation on the role of the internet, within extremist groups Not to be read entirely, but some parts are interesting to look at Bibliography Burke, Jason. "Islamist Fighters Drawn from Half the World's Countries, Says UN." The Guardian. N.p., 26 May Web. 6 July CFR.org Editors. "The Global Regime for Terrorism." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, 19 June Web. 06 July Eilperin, Juliet. "Obama Announces Initiatives to Curb Recruitment by Terrorist Groups." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 18 Feb Web. 05 July Jenkins, Nash. "You'll Never Guess Which Country Is the Biggest Per Capita Contributor of Foreign Jihadists to ISIS." Time. Time, 23 June Web. 06 July Roworth, Simone. "Foreign Fighters and Southeast Asia." The Strategist. N.p., 5 Sept Web. 7 July Sullivan, Kevin. "Tunisia, Struggling for Stability after Revolution, Is the Leading Source of Fighters Joining the Islamic State." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 28 Oct Web. 06 July Winsor, Ben. "Why So Many Jihadists Come From Belgium." Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc, 05 Sept Web. 08 July International Center for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence (ISCR), The Soufan Group, Gene Thorp, Julie Tate, and Swati Sharma. Foreign Fighters Flow to Syria. Digital image. Washington Post. N.p., 11 Oct Web. 13 Sept Mullen, Jethro. "What Is ISIS' Appeal for Young People?" CNN. Cable News Network, 25 Feb Web. 13 Sept Page 8 of 8 Research Report