Extremists recruit children through online games, experts warn
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) issued a similar warning, saying that the agency has outlined measures to address this threat.
JAKARTA - Terrorist groups are increasingly using online games to radicalise children worldwide, including in Indonesia, raising alarms over a growing wave of digital extremism, counter-terrorism experts have warned.
During a recent visit to Jakarta, Abu Dhabi-based Hedayah chairman Dr Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi stressed that children often see games as harmless entertainment, making them particularly vulnerable to extremist messaging.
"Terrorism is a global issue, a global threat. Violent ideological groups once recruited through direct contact or social media; now, terrorist groups are recruiting fighters through online games,” he said.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s National Counter Terrorism Agency (BNPT) issued a similar warning, saying that the agency has outlined measures to address this threat.
"We’ve seen local terrorist networks recruiting young people through social media and online games, and we’ve taken steps to counter this,” BNPT chief Eddy Hartono said in a statement on Friday.
The agency’s Peace Ambassador programme encourages youth to promote messages of peace online, aiming to counter extremist narratives.
Hedayah, an international centre of excellence for countering violent extremism, includes representatives from 12 countries under the Global Counterterrorism Forum, which consists of Canada, Egypt, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, the United States and Turkiye. - BERNAMA
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