Petroplex News

Rep. August Pfluger, who chairs the House Committee on Homeland Security's Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, has put forward new legislation and announced a hearing to address how foreign terrorist organizations are leveraging the internet and emerging technologies for recruitment and radicalization.

The proposed "Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act" would mandate the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct annual evaluations of terrorism threats posed by groups such as ISIS and al Qaeda. These assessments would focus on the use of generative artificial intelligence applications in terroristic activities.

The subcommittee will hold a hearing titled "The Digital Battlefield: How Terrorists Use the Internet and Online Networks for Recruitment and Radicalization" on March 4, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET. Witnesses for this hearing have yet to be announced.

Chairman Pfluger expressed concerns about the resurgence of terrorist organizations across various regions using technology as a weapon. He stated, "With a resurgence of emboldened terrorist organizations across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia, emerging technology serves as a potent weapon in their arsenal." He also highlighted the tragic incident involving Shamsud-Din Jabbar in New Orleans as an example of the impact of terrorist propaganda.

Pfluger reintroduced another piece of legislation earlier this year—the "Countering Online Radicalization and Terrorism Act." This act requires DHS to assess annually terrorism threats from organizations like ISIS, al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, among others that utilize cloud-based messaging applications such as Telegram.

Emerging technologies like generative AI can produce diverse content when prompted by users. Foreign terrorist organizations are exploring ways to exploit these technologies for extremist tactics. For instance, last year saw an al Qaeda-affiliated group conducting workshops on AI usage.

Platforms like TikTok and Telegram have been identified as spaces where radical extremism thrives. Groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, ISIS, and al Qaeda frequently use these platforms for recruitment and coordination activities. Instances include ISIS urging supporters to connect via Telegram for discussions related to attacks against Americans.

In 2023 alone, videos promoting Osama bin Laden’s "Letter to America" were viewed by millions on TikTok. Pro-ISIS accounts celebrated recent violent incidents in Paris through similar platforms.

Homeland Republicans continue emphasizing heightened threats from homegrown extremists inspired by foreign entities like ISIS. A briefing earlier this year confirmed that an attacker in New Orleans was inspired by ISIS ideology but acted independently without direct orders from any foreign actors.

An updated "Terror Threat Snapshot" assessment was released following this attack highlighting persistent terror threats within America between April 2021 - January 2025 with over fifty prosecuted cases related to Jihadist extremism reported during this period.

Additionally,"Syria Terrorism Threat Assessment Act," cosponsored by Chairman Pfluger alongside Rep Morgan Luttrell aims at requiring DHS evaluation concerning individuals based out Syria linked either directly or indirectly towards Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organizations (SDGT).