Social media offers terrorist groups a global marketing tool: US envoy

U.S. Ambassador to India, Richard Rahul Verma, has said the social media offers international terrorist groups a global marketing tool to reach around the world.

"In an interconnected world, it only takes the push of a button for a terrorist organization to reach an exponentially greater number of people," Verma said in his opening remarks at the workshop held to discuss countering terrorist internet use.

"This workshop has provided an opportunity for law enforcement and counterterrorism experts from India, the United States and Bangladesh to exchange experiences and expertise on this important and complex topic," he added.

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York, who was also present, said the social media offers international terrorist groups a global marketing tool to reach around the world.

"In an interconnected world, it only takes the push of a button for a terrorist organization to reach an exponentially greater number of people. This workshop has provided an opportunity for law enforcement and counterterrorism experts from India, the United States and Bangladesh to exchange experiences and expertise on this important and complex topic," he added.

U.S. Attorney Bharara said international terrorism is a threat to civilized society around the world.

"So, it is of critical importance for countries like ours, two great democracies, to work together in countering this global threat," he added.

In partnership with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Investigation Agency, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the FBI held a workshop with India's top counterterrorism investigators and prosecutors to discuss countering terrorist internet use.

The workshop, which took place in New Delhi over a two-day span, focused on the threat posed by international terrorists and the use of the internet, relevant case studies, methods of investigating terrorism cases involving the internet and social media, and countering online radicalization.

Organized by the DOJ's National Security Division; the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT); and the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi's FBI Office of Legal Attache, the event provided Indian prosecutors and investigators an opportunity to work with their DOJ and FBI counterparts and learn best practices for countering terrorist use of the internet.

The event also showcased some of the FBI's current investigative techniques used in counterterrorism cases involving the internet and social media.

The event also included officials and experts from Bangladesh, who participated in the discussions and gave presentations on the security situation in Southeast Asia.

The workshop on countering terrorist use of the internet is part of a greater effort by U.S. and Indian law enforcement officials to increase international cooperation in counterterrorism matters.