BUFFALO, N.Y. – The criminal complaint filed against Arafat Nagi alleges he used social media, primarily Twitter, to promote and support ISIS. Social media has become a powerful tool for members of the terror group to reach people around the world, and it's also changing how law enforcement goes after potential terrorists.
For several months, investigators kept a close eye on a Twitter account they believe belonged to Nagi.
"Over several social media outlets he's expressed interest in joining ISIL and going over there to fight for ISIL," said FBI Assistant Special Agent In Charge Steve Lanser.
Nagi is not the only terror suspect accused of using social media. Mufid Elfgeeh of Rochester is believed to be the first American charged with helping the Islamic State. He was arrested last year and is accused of recruiting for ISIS using Facebook and Twitter. Just this week, a man from Florida was charged with plotting an ISIS-inspired attack. Authorities say they were alerted to the plot by what Harlem Suarez posted on Facebook.
"It's rather interesting and indeed dangerous that ISIS is using social media," says Dennis Vacco.
Vacco, a former New York State Attorney General, says social media has drastically changed how terror suspects are prosecuted.
"Fifteen years ago, Osama Bin Laden was recruiting people, you know, they gathered at training camps in Afghanistan or other places in the Middle East. Now, through social media the recruitment is much more secretive," he says.
But Vacco says the recruitment is secretive only until law enforcement gets tipped off.
"If your account is available to the public, an FBI agent using an alias can come on, join as a member, and get in the conversation and at least monitor the communication. So while it's easier for the terrorist groups to project internationally from their cave bases in, you know, faraway places, it's also easier in the end for law enforcement to track down who they're talking to," says Vacco.
Vacco says if the social media accounts are public, FBI agents aren't required to get a court order like they would if they wanted to wiretap someone's phone.
Source: http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/crime/2015/07/29/isis-turns-to-social-media-recruitment/30864427/