The internet has become a powerful catalyst for international violent jihad, according to a new report from the Dutch security service AIVD.

The organisation says it expects online jihadism to become a ‘crucial factor’ in the threat to the Netherlands and to other Western countries over the next few years.
In particular, ‘core forums which form part of the so-called invisible web, a part of the world-wide web that cannot be found by readily accessible search engines’, are behind the spread of ideas, the report says.
These sites are built and secured by fanatics without any formal affiliations to organisations such as Al-Qaeda.
‘Jihadist cyberspace offers them a virtual marketplace. This is where experienced explosives experts in, for example, Pakistan can get in touch with and support young enthusiastic jihadist wannabes living on the other side of the world, eager to take violent action,’ the AIVD says.
Read the report