U.S. House Committee Hears Recommendations for Cyber Assaults against Terror Websites

The U.S. House of Representatives' Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing and Terrorism Risk Assessment Subcommittee recently held hearings where witnesses advised on the need to identify, understand and fight against websites supporting terror organizations.

"Rita Katz, director of the Search For International Terrorist Entities Institute, told lawmakers that the "jihadist movement" will continue to grow if the Internet remains a "safe haven" for terrorists. She said the challenge will not just be to monitor the online activities of terrorist suspects, but also to identify and exploit the online weaknesses of terrorist groups and mine for information that can help to defuse offline terrorist efforts.

"For as long as jihadists on the Internet can engage in terrorist activities unfettered and unmonitored," Katz said, "the U.S. will not be able to cause significant, lasting damage to the global jihadist movement."

Experts urge assault against terrorists' Web efforts