The Power of Social Media for Terrorists

A bomb exploded earlier today in Mogadishu as the Somali Prime Minister addressed guests during a ceremony at the National Theater. At least six people were reportedly killed, though the Prime Minister was not hurt. While officials claim the attack was carried out by a female suicide bomber, a Somali terrorist group denies this claim and says that they planted explosives in the venue prior to the event.

In fact, Al Shabaab - the Al Qaeda-linked terrorist group in Somalia - claimed responsibility for this bombing on Twitter.

Prior to the emergence of social media, terrorist groups were forced to claim responsibility through video, audio or written messages which they sent to media outlets, or more recently messages posted on jihadist message boards. The fact that terrorist groups can now tweet their claim of responsibility, and in turn supporters can "follow" a terrorist group while at the same time "following" their favorite comedian or sports team, breaks down the barriers that used to make terrorist groups so exclusive and elite. Twitter, along with Facebook and YouTube, have made inaccessible far-reaching terrorist groups feel as if they are in your backyard. Social media has allowed anyone to be a member of a terrorist group, without really being a member - once someone decides to retweet or repost a terrorist message, they can feel as if they are part of the movement, whether or not they have any actual contact with anyone else.

Al Shabaab in particular has been very successful at recruiting Westerners into their group - at least 40 Americans have traveled from the US to Somalia to join Al Shabaab since 2007. Their active use of Twitter - and tweeting in the English language - can only help their movement grow as more and more Westerners sympathize with their cause.