Page 76 - Cyber Terrorism and Extremism as Threat to Critical Infrastructure Protection

SECTION I: EXTREMISM, RADICALIZATION AND CYBER THREATS AS AN IMPORTANT
SECURITY FACTORS FOR COUNTERING TERRORISM PROCESSES

the nucleus of terrorist activity in BiH. This is confirmed by the fact that all terrorist attacks
carried out in BiH were perpetrated by members of these communities. Therefore, many in-
ternational authorities, local authorities in BiH, and court judgments pointed to the danger of
these radicalized communities. Moreover, not only has the problem not been resolved, but it
has escalated since 2012, resulting in a large number of BiH citizens travelling to Syria and
Iraq to join the Islamic State terrorist organization.

Thus, the aforementioned concept of radicalization in BiH is at its peak – the gradual and
long-term process of adopting extremist views and beliefs (cognitive radicalization), and the
manifestation of specific behaviours, including those which are violent in nature (behavioural
radicalization). Additionally, it is manifested through reverse radicalization in such a way
that radical behaviour led to the adoption of radical beliefs. The best examples of this are the
isolated Salafi communities, which, through the process of “socialization” of new members,
created and strengthened their belief in the correctness of their activities. Some of them went
a step further and carried out terrorist attacks or joined the Islamic State, thus contributing to
the achievement of their set goals.

5 References

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2. Bećirević, E. (2016). Salafism vs. Moderate Islam: a Rhetorical Fight for the Hearts and Minds
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atlantskainicijativa.org/bos/images/2015/dokumenti_i_publikacije/Salafism_vs._moderate_islam-
web.pdf
3. Bjelopera, J. (2013). American Jihadist Terrorism: Combating a Complex Threat, Congressional
Research Service. Retrieved February 19, 2020, from https://fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/R41416.pdf
4. Borum, R. (2012a). Rethinking Radicalization. Journal of Strategic Security 4(4), 1-6.
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els and Empirical Research. Journal of Strategic Security 4(4), 37-62. DOI: http://dx.doi.
org/10.5038/1944-0472.4.4.2
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from https://foreignpolicy.com/2009/10/27/think-again-al-qaeda-4/
8. Bunker, D., Dilegge, R. (2016). Global Radical Islamist Insurgency: Al Qaeda And Islamic State
Networks Focus: A Small Wars Journal Anthology. Retrieved February 14, 2020, from https://books.
google.ba/books?id=3HCdCwAAQBAJ&pg=PT652&dq=Al-Qaeda:+The+True+Story+of+Radica
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9. Byman, D. (2015). Al Qaeda, the Islamic State, and the Global Jihadist Movement: What Everyone
Needs to Know. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
10. Centar za istraživačko novinarstvo (Novembar 19, 2019). Terorista. Retrieved February 14, 2020,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JZBVuu_kug

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