Video: Investigating ISIS

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Jackson, Miss. (WCBI) — Law enforcement agencies like the F.B.I. are charged with a difficult task.

Their job is to keep our communities safe in an age when terrorists are using personal hobbies like social media to target vulnerable young adults.

It may seem innocent but scrolling through the endless tweets on Twitter is a tool terrorist groups like ISIS use to recruit people to their cause.

And after Muhammad Dakhalla and Jaelyn Young of Starkville were arrested for trying to join ISIS, this story hit home.

“No matter what state we’re in, rural or urban, that this could happen anywhere…”, said Mississippi F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway, “…that anywhere we have the internet connection, anywhere that a group like ISIS or similar groups can reach our youth and reach our population then recruitment is possible”.

Alway says the F.B.I. also uses Twitter to monitor the thousands of accounts ISIS uses and gain information on the keywords the group uses for recruitment.

“Our challenge [with using Twitter as a way to montior] is to make sure that…we balance the First Amendment, we balance people’s privacy and their right to have discussions, with the concern for public safety.”

Public Affairs Director for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Warren Strain says their relationship with the F-B-I is crucial to keeping the population safe.

“The line of communication is what’s key…”, said Strain, “…and sharing information, evaluating information as it comes in and if it’s a credible threat then passing that information along to all parties involved.

Strain, as well as the F-B-I, stressed the importance of community support when it comes to combating terrorism.

“Know your surroundings, know what’s going on in your neighborhood, know what’s going on in your community…”, advised Strain, “…if suspicious activity does arise, make sure you contact authorities and pass that information along.

Alway also said that this issue needs to be met head on by community leaders, church leaders, parents and friends to reach out to detached youth who could be vulnerable.

He also said that parents must be more proactive when it comes to their children’s social media accounts.

Always mentioned that although parents want to respect their children’s privacy, the best way to keep terrorist groups away from the youth is by monitoring social media use on computers and smartphones.

Categories: Local News

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