Episodes
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Hezbollah is one of the most powerful and complex militant organisations in the world today - operating simultaneously as a political party, armed militia, and social movement. But how did the group evolve, how does it maintain influence today and what impact has the October 7th attack had on the group?
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by American political scientist and leading expert on Hezbollah, Matthew Levitt. Together, they explore the group’s ideological origins, its sophisticated propaganda operations, and how Hezbollah is adapting its strategy and technology amid ongoing regional conflict.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How Hezbollah’s 1985 founding document still shapes its ideology
➡︎ Why Hezbollah was an early leader in propaganda and media strategy
➡︎ What Hezbollah learned from earlier groups and taught those that followed
➡︎ How Hezbollah has reacted to and exploited the aftermath of October 7, 2023
➡︎ How the conflict has impacted Hezbollah’s current capabilities
➡︎ Why Hezbollah’s use of emerging technologies is a growing concern
📱Connect with Matthew Levitt.
🗺️Check out The Washington Institute’s interactive map tracking Hezbollah activities
🎧Listen to Matthew’s podcast Breaking Hezbollah's Golden Rule here.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Youth radicalisation is changing. Young people today are increasingly being drawn into extremist movements through online platforms, social networks, and gaming environments. But these pathways look very different from previous generations, shaped by technology, social dynamics, and evolving ideologies.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Jacob Ware, research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and DeSales University. Together, they explore how young people are being radicalised online, the role of emerging platforms and algorithms, and what can be done to prevent this worrying trend of youth extremism.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How youth radicalisation today differs from previous generations
➡︎ The role of online platforms and gaming environments in recruitment
➡︎ Whether algorithmic recommendation systems are amplifying extremist content
➡︎ About the complexity of social or psychological needs VS ideology
➡︎ Recommendations for effective interventions
📱Connect with Jacob Ware.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Episodes manquant?
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Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have long been a weapon of choice for terrorist organisations. They’re cheap, adaptable, and devastatingly effective. But as technology evolves, so too do the tactics and tools used to build and deploy these weapons.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Austin Doctor, political scientist, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE). Together, they explore how emerging technologies - from drones to 3D printing - are reshaping the global threat landscape, and how governments can respond to this rapidly evolving challenge.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How terrorist groups are adapting IED tactics using emerging technologies
➡︎ The growing role of drones and dual-use tools in attack planning
➡︎ The rise of DIY manuals and online knowledge-sharing around explosives
➡︎ How younger people are increasingly being drawn into IED making and assembly
➡︎ Strategies to mitigate these evolving threats
📱Connect with Austin Doctor.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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As political uncertainty continues to rise across Europe, increasing polarisation is creating a breeding ground for radicalisation. More than ever, extremist groups are exploiting online platforms and social networks - using them as virtual planning hubs, spaces to share extremist propaganda and recruit young people.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Nicolas Stockhammer, a political scientist and Director of the Research Cluster "Counter-Terrorism, CVE and Intelligence" at Danube-University Krems in Austria. They explore the online trends emerging across Europe, and what these developments mean for counter-terrorism efforts.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How terrorist groups are exploiting social media and online communities
➡︎ The role of online propaganda in radicalising young people
➡︎ How virtual spaces are used for training and operational planning
➡︎ The impact of political instability on extremist influence online
📱Connect with Dr Nicolas Stockhammer.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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From online propaganda targeting youth, to the gendered dynamics of extremist groups, Southeast Asia faces a unique set of terrorism challenges that are often overlooked by the international community.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Julie Chernov Hwang - Associate Professor at Goucher College, Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, and an expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia. Together, they explore the key drivers of radicalisation in the region, how individuals disengage from violent groups, and what local civil society initiatives are doing to counter extremism.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How social bonds play a central role in radicalisation
➡︎ The growing trend of youth and women in extremist networks in South East Asia
➡︎ What drives militants to leave terrorist groups
➡︎ The role of locally led deradicalisation efforts
➡︎ What the world can learn from Southeast Asia's experience
📱Connect with Julie Chernov Hwang.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Founded by Osama bin Laden in the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda is best known for orchestrating the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, which killed nearly 3,000 people. But what kind of threat does the violent Islamist organisation pose in 2025?
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British diplomat and former Coordinator of the United Nations’ Monitoring Team, and an expert on Al-Qaeda. Edmund shares unique insights into Al-Qaeda’s current capabilities, the group’s strategic recalibration following the October 7th, 2023 Hamas attack, and why he believes a directed Al-Qaeda attack may not be far off.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How serious a threat Al-Qaeda currently poses on the global stage
➡︎ Why the group is ramping up recruitment and training
➡︎ What indicators suggest a directed attack on the West could be imminent
📱Connect with Edmund Fitton-Brown.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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The Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) is fighting for the independence of Balochistan, a resource-rich but politically marginalised region in Pakistan. In pursuit of that goal, the group have evolved both their offline and online strategies, from suicide bombings to increasingly sophisticated online propaganda. Now, experts are warning the BLA could represent the most significant internal threat Pakistan faces.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Riccardo Valle, a researcher specialising in jihadism, armed groups, and regional politics in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Together, they unpack the rise of the BLA, its growing presence on social media and messaging platforms, and the unique role women play in the group’s operations.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ The origins of the BLA
➡︎ About their sophisticated online media campaign
➡︎ About the group’s female suicide bombers
➡︎ How Pakistan is responding to the BLA’s threat
➡︎ How the group has become Pakistan's biggest internal threat
📱Connect with Riccardo Valle.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Accelerationism is no longer a fringe theory - it’s become a dangerous ideological driver behind a growing number of real-world terrorist attacks. Rooted in the belief that societal collapse should be sped up to bring new world order, this radical worldview has been adopted by extremists across the spectrum - from the far-right to violent anarchists.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Ben Makuch, national security reporter and contributor to The Guardian and Peter Smith, an independent researcher and journalist with the Canadian Anti Hate Network. They unpack where accelerationist narratives started, and how the rise of the digital age has helped spread them. They also examine why this ideology appeals to violent actors - and the challenges law enforcement faces in countering the threat.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ What accelerationism is, and how it has evolved over time.
➡︎ How extremist communities are using this ideology to justify real-world violence.➡︎ The role of memes, manifestos, and online subcultures in spreading
accelerationist ideas.
➡︎ The challenges in tackling the threat of accelerationism.📱Connect with Ben Makuch and Peter Smith.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Once a revolutionary manufacturing innovation, 3D printing has become a double-edged sword. While the technology is driving progress across sectors like medicine and aerospace, it’s also being exploited to produce untraceable, homemade firearms.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Yannick Veilleux-Lepage, Assistant Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and a leading expert on the intersection of terrorism and emerging technologies. Together, they explore how 3D-printed weapons are being used by extremist actors, how online communities are spreading firearm blueprints, and why policymakers are struggling to respond to this growing security challenge.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ Why 3D printing has become so attractive to extremists.
➡︎ How online communities are facilitating the global spread of 3D-printed firearm designs.
➡︎ The different types of 3D-printed weapons in circulation.
➡︎ What governments and platforms can do to mitigate this evolving threat.📱Connect with Yannick Veilleux-Lepage.
📚Read Yannick’s latest research Printing Terror: An Empirical Overview of the Use of 3D-Printed Firearms by Right-Wing Extremists
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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The Islamic State, once a local insurgency rooted in Iraq and Syria, has transformed into a global network with far-reaching influence. In this episode of the podcast, we chart how its operations have expanded beyond the Middle East, as the group leveraged technology, propaganda, and local affiliates to spread its ideology across borders.
Host Lucas Webber is joined by Aaron Zelin, a Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and founder of the widely acclaimed website, Jihadology. Aaron explains how The General Directorate of Provinces, a global hierarchy structure responsible for overseeing and coordinating Islamic State’s global affiliates, is central to much of the group's expansion.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How The General Directorate of Provinces has helped IS integrate more globally.
➡︎ The implications of The General Directorate of Provinces for global security.
➡︎ How current political instability in Syria affects the operational capabilities of IS.
➡︎ Strategies which could mitigate the Islamic State’s influence globally.
📱Connect with Aaron Zelin.
📚Learn more about jihadology.net here.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Unmanned aerial vehicles - better known as drones - are transforming modern warfare. As the technology becomes more accessible to the general public, it also becomes easier for bad actors to exploit.
From surveillance and reconnaissance to weaponised drone attacks, extremist groups are increasingly using this technology to enhance their operational capabilities.
In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber speaks to Don Rassler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy at West Point. Together, they discuss how drones are being leveraged by terrorist organisations, the evolving threat landscape, and the countermeasures being developed to mitigate these risks.
The views expressed by the guest in this podcast are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How terrorist groups are acquiring and adapting drone technology
➡︎ The tactical advantages drones offer to extremist organisations
➡︎ How governments are responding to this emerging threat
➡︎ The future of drone warfare in terrorist operations
📱 Connect with Don Rassler.
📚Learn more about the Combating Terrorism Center here.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Video games are increasingly being leveraged as powerful tools in the fight against extremism. Counter-terrorism practitioners are using these "serious games" to enhance critical thinking and decision-making by immersing participants in realistic scenarios that mirror real-world security challenges.
In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Founder & CEO of Valens Games and an internationally recognised expert on political violence, alongside Eleanor Ross, Director of Game Design at Valens Games. Together, they discuss how immersive wargames and AI-driven narrative simulations are shaping the future of intelligence and counter-terrorism training.
🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ About the intersection of gaming and counter-terrorism
➡︎ How Valens Games develops simulations for practitioners
➡︎ The real-world applications of video game technology in security strategy
➡︎ The Challenges and risks associated with gamifying counter-terrorism training
➡︎ The role of AI and interactive storytelling in security simulations
📱Connect with Daveed Gartenstein-Ross and Eleanor Ross.
📚Learn more about Valens Games here.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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Emerging technologies like 3D printing, drones, and artificial intelligence are reshaping the threat landscape, giving terrorists new tools to carry out attacks, spread propaganda, and fund their operations. But the risks don’t stop there. On the horizon are technologies like quantum computing and more, which experts warn could be the next frontier for exploitation.
Join Lucas Webber as he explores more about these emerging technologies with internationally renowned terrorism expert Colin Clarke, Director of Research at The Soufan Center. And Clara Broekaert, a Research Fellow at The Soufan Center.
🎧 Listen to find out:
➡︎ How terrorists are using 3D printers to manufacture weapons
➡︎ Why quantum computing poses an underestimated risk
➡︎ The truth about artificial intelligence misuse by terrorists
➡︎ What’s behind the rise in youth extremism
➡︎ The unique challenges governments, regulators, and tech platforms face in combating these threats
📱Connect with Colin Clarke and Clara Broekaert.
📚Learn more about The Soufan Center here.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website💬Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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From buying weapons to funding attacks and recruiting new members, terrorist organisations need money to carry out their activities. But how do they raise, store and transfer finances? And what lessons can counter-terrorism teams learn from tracking terrorist money?
Join Lucas Webber as he discusses all this and more with internationally renowned terrorism finance expert Dr. Jessica Davis, president and principal consultant at Insight Threat Intelligence.
🎧 Listen to find out:
➡︎ What money can tell us about a potential attack plot
➡︎ What methods terrorists use to raise funds
➡︎ How terrorists leverage criminal activity
➡︎ The role of cryptocurrency
➡︎ How women are involved in terrorism financing
📱Connect with Dr. Jessica Davis.
📚Learn more about Insight Threat Intelligence here.
⚡️ Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn.
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber.
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.
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In this week’s episode we’re looking at how IS and al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist groups in Southeast Asia continue to exploit online platforms to disseminate propaganda, even as attacks in the region decline. We explore the history of militant Islamist activities in the region, as well as the key players; Why and how these groups and their supporters focus so much of their energy on online propaganda; And why we should care when terrorist content stays online.
A note: we recorded this episode before the announcement by leaders of the Jemaah Islamiyah, or JI, of the group’s disbandment. It’s one of the main groups we explore in this episode.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Dr. Judith Jacob. She is the director of Geopolitical Risk and Security Intelligence at Forward Global, a corporate intelligence and influence group. She also holds a PhD on Ideology, Terrorism, and Militant Islamism.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.
Resources:
Dr. Judith Jacob’s research at LSE -
In this week’s episode, we’re returning to the topic of incels to explore the online spaces aiming to help individuals leave this violent misogynistic community. We start by providing a refresher on incel ideology, but if you want a deep dive we recommend first listening to the episode linked below. This time, we focus on tools for deradicalisation, the benefits and limitations of support-focused Reddit forums like r/inceltears and r/incelexit, and consider why it is so difficult to leave the incelosphere.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Allysa Czerwinsky, a PhD candidate at the University of Manchester, who specialises in male supremacist communities online.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.
Resources:
Allysa Czerwinsky’s researchTAT Podcast: Incels, Online Misogyny and Gender-Based Violence -
In this week’s episode we’re looking at the spread and normalisation of anti-LGBTQ+ hate online, and its dramatic, real-life consequences. The hysteria promoted by extremists around a so-called gay or trans agenda has led to a societal and legislative backlash for LGBTQ+ people in the US. And the hate has festered in the most mainstream of online spaces. We discuss some of the conspiracy theories against LGBTQ+ people, the link between online and offline violence, and what tech companies can do to protect this marginalised community.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Sarah Moore, the senior manager of news and research at GLAAD, a non-profit LGBTQ+ advocacy organisation, based in the US.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.
Resources:
GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index -
There has been a lot of concern about how cryptocurrencies are used by terrorist groups to finance their operations, especially since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th. So in this week’s episode, we’re investigating that question – do terrorist groups actually use cryptocurrency? We discuss what is known about terrorist financing, where the hysteria around cryptocurrency comes from, and the challenges around adopting more effective international countermeasures.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Stephen Reimer, an Associate Fellow with the Centre for Finance and Security at the Royal United Services Institute's (RUSI). He is also an Adjunct Professor at the SciencesPo Paris School of International Affairs, where he lectures on financial intelligence and security.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.
Resources:
Stephen Reimer’s research at RUSITAT Podcast: Islamic State Khorasan (IS-K): A Growing Threat?TAT Podcast: Media Jihad: Islamic State's Resurgent Propaganda Network -
In this week’s episode, we’re getting unique insights into the state of the far-right in the UK. The advocacy and research organisation HOPE Not Hate is known for its tireless work countering extremism and hate through research, intelligence, campaigning and community engagement. This work has involved infiltrating and exposing extremist movements and even terrorist groups. HOPE Not Hate recently published their State of Hate 2024 report, which we discuss in detail in the episode.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Patrik Hermansson, a senior researcher from HOPE Not Hate. We learn what it’s like to go undercover in an extremist group, and the risks associated with it. We explore how far-right extremism has evolved over the years, the role of social media, and the wider societal drivers of hate.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic.
Resources:
HOPE Not Hate’s State of Hate 2024 reportPatrik’s research feature on Active ClubsTAT Podcast: Active Clubs: Fitness, Fraternity, and FascismTAT Podcast: What is the #tradwives Movement? -
In this week’s episode, we’re delving into the key trends of the past three years in how online users disseminate far-right terrorist propaganda online. From gamification to Generative AI, we’ll be sharing findings from our upcoming report – TCAP Insights: Mapping Far-Right Terrorist Propaganda Online.
Archie Macfarlane is joined by Adam Donald, TCAP Manager at Tech Against Terrorism, who was part of the team working on our latest TCAP research report. We discuss the distribution of terrorist content online using TCAP statistics, which terrorist entities are most proficient, and which platforms are most heavily exploited. We also cover how gamification and sanctification of far-right propaganda is leading to a larger audience reach for this content, even on mainstream platforms. Finally, we offer policy recommendations for platforms to counter these trends.
Sign up to join the webinar launching the full report here.
You can read a transcript of this episode here.
If you want to find out more about Tech Against Terrorism and our work, visit techagainstterrorism.org or follow us on X, where you can find resources on this topic. - Montre plus
