Washington, Feb 6 (NationPress) The rise of online radicalisation by ISIS and its affiliates is becoming an increasing threat in Southeast Asia, particularly in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, according to a recent report. It highlights that high internet penetration and the widespread use of social media are amplifying risks, enabling radical ideologies to proliferate quickly and resulting in new security challenges for the nations in this region.

"The ‘Southeast Asia angle’ in the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia underscores a troubling trend of localised radicalisation with regional networks, linked to the broader Islamic State (IS) in what is termed the post-caliphate era. Investigators found that the two attackers had previously visited Mindanao, a region in the Philippines known for its history of Islamic insurgency movements," wrote Rahul Mishra and Prisie L Patnayak in Eurasia Review.

"Although Filipino officials dismissed claims that the attackers received training in Mindanao, the Bondi incident is a stark reminder of the presence of IS and radical factions within Southeast Asia," the report asserted.

This case illustrates a key aspect of the post-caliphate era. While organised terror groups have weakened and major attacks have diminished in Southeast Asia, the threat has transitioned to online channels.

Following the territorial decline of IS, extremists have adopted cyber strategies. These terrorist networks leverage online platforms to disseminate propaganda, gather funds, and coordinate activities. Encrypted messaging applications like Telegram and WhatsApp enable extremists to communicate covertly. By using meme formats, commentary reels, and local dialects, terrorists can reach a broader audience with their propaganda.

According to media reports, 54% of cases in Malaysia involve support for ISIS members through internet platforms. ISIS-K, an affiliate known as Islamic State in Khorasan Province, primarily operating in Afghanistan-Pakistan and Central Asia, has exploited Malaysia’s digital landscape to spread radical ideologies throughout Southeast Asia. In Indonesia, the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) reported over 180,000 pieces of extremist content circulating online throughout 2024," wrote Rahul Mishra and Prisie L Patnayak in Eurasia Review.

Pro-IS networks such as the At-Tamkin Malay Media Foundation are also employing similar strategies. They utilize online media platforms to incite violence and recruit followers. In February 2024, the Al-Aan Foundation released a recruitment video urging Malaysians to migrate and ‘rise up’ for oppressed Muslims.

Approximately 181 terror-related non-profit organisations have been identified as having sent funds to these factions in Indonesia. Groups like ISIS are capitalizing on events such as the war in Gaza on social media, specifically targeting youths as young as 12 years through platforms like TikTok and Facebook, as per findings in the Eurasia Review article.

Algorithms on online platforms further propagate radical content, which can lead to self-radicalisation, birthing ‘lone wolf’ actors. These individuals engage in political violence without direct backing from established terrorist organisations. The report identifies self-radicalisation as a primary contributor to the terrorism threat in Southeast Asia.

Between 2013 and 2022, Indonesian courts handled 721 terrorism-related cases, with 360 involving individuals radicalised through online platforms. In the last decade, 17 youths have faced action under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Singapore, with two-thirds found in the past five years, the majority having been radicalised via internet platforms.