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C O R P O R A T I O N

Promoting Online Voices for Countering Violent ExtremismTodd C. Helmus, Erin York, Peter Chalk

Key Findings• AmericanMuslimsareincreasinglyusingtheWeb

andsocialmediatohelpcounterviolentextremism.DiscussionswithanumberofMuslimleadersactiveinsocialmediasuggestthatitispossibletoexpandsucheffortsevenfurther,anddoingsoisamajorobjectiveoftheAugust2011WhiteHousestrategytocounterviolentextremism.

• WhileMuslimAmericansplayanactiveroleincounteringextremism,severalfactorsmayworktounderminehigher-levelengagement,including:lowradicalizationratesamongAmericanMuslims,nega-tiveperceptionsofU.S.counterterrorismpolicies,alimitedreservoirofleadershipcapacityandCVEfunding(whichpreventseffectiveoutreach),andbeingviewedassell-outstothosemostsympathetictojihadicauses.

• Insomecases,theFirstAmendmentmaylimitU.S.governmentattemptstofundCVEprogramsofanideologicalbent,butthisrestrictioncouldultimatelybenefitCVEdiscourseasitfreesMuslimgroupsofthetaintofgovernmentfundingandpreventsthegovern-mentfromhavingto“choosesides”inintra-Muslimdiscourseanddebate.

• BoththeU.S.StateDepartmentandthe“think-dotank”GoogleIdeashaveinitiatedinsightfulprogramsthatseektobuildcapacityandotherwisepromotecredibleMuslimvoices.

• Recommendationsincludedesecuritizingeffortstocounterviolentextremism,addressingsourcesofmistrustwithintheMuslimcommunity,focusingengagementsandCVEeducationonsocialmediainfluencers,buildingleadershipandsocialmediacapacityintheMuslimcommunity,enhancingprivatesectorfundingandengagement,andfindingavenuestoenhancegovernmentfunding.

Al-Qa’idaanditsadherentshavesoughttopromotetheirvisionofmilitantjihadthroughanincreasingpropagandacampaignontheInternet.Theyhaveusedchatroomsandmessageboardstocreateandfoster

communitiesofradicalinterest.1Theyhavepublishedradicale-magazinesandthousandsofextremistYouTubevideos.2SomehavealsoembarkedoncampaignsusingTwitterandFacebook.3ThiscontentincreasinglytargetsWesternaudiences,seekstoarguethattheWestisatwaragainstIslam,offersreligiousandideologicaljustificationsforviolence,andexhortsfollowerstotakeupthecauseandact.

ItistruethatthiscampaignhasproducedanextremelylowyieldofrecruitsintheUnitedStatesandthatvastmajori-tiesofAmericanMuslimsholdnosympathiesforal-Qa’ida’sdistortedvision,buteventherarestsuccesscanhavedisastrousconsequences.4

Individualsjointhejihadistcauseforavarietyofreasons,includingthebeliefthatthejihadistcauserepresentsathrillingcalltoaction,thesocialbondsoffriendsandpeergroupsthatgalvanizethewilltoact,amisinformedviewofscripturaltenets,andadesiretodefendagainstaperceivedwaragainstIslam.Extremistnarra-tivesontheInternetseektoexploitallofthesefactors.5

Consequently,theAugust2011WhiteHousestrategyforcounteringviolentextremism(CVE)hastakenafocusoncoun-teringextremistnarrativesontheInternet.6TheWhiteHouserecognizesthatsomeofthemosteffective,potent,andcrediblemessagesagainstal-Qa’idaandotherMuslimextremistgroupswillrisefromwithintheAmericanMuslimcommunity.Theseindividualshavefargreatercredibilityamongkeyconstituentsandareabletoaddressthornyandcomplexissuesofreligiousideology.TheycanpromotecallsforreligioustoleranceandcounterperceptionsthattheWestisatwarwithIslam.Suchvoicescanalsoundercuttheviewthatmilitantjihadisanexcit-ingandworthwhileendeavorandprovidepositiverolemodelsforconstructivepoliticaldebate.Importantly,withtheboundlessnatureoftheInternet,thesevoicesnotonlyinfluenceAmericansathomebutcanprovideaneffectivecounternarrativeabroad.7

TheWhiteHousestrategyseekstoencourageandempowercredible,authentic,andconstructiveonlineMuslimvoiceswhowillinturnplayaleadingroleinhelpingtocounteral-Qa’ida’s

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attemptstorecruithome-grownAmericans.Consequently,thepurposeofthecurrentstudyistounderstandhowtheU.S.govern-ment,aswellascivicinstitutions,canhelppromoteandempowerthiscadreofcredibleMuslimvoicesontheWebandinsocialmedia.AswiththeWhiteHousestrategy,thegoalisthatsuchvoiceswillhelpundercutsupportforterrorism,reducethelikeli-hoodthatyoungAmericanswillheedthecalltoviolentjihad,anddisruptrecruitmenttoviolentmilitantgroups.Weshouldnotethatcrediblevoicesdonotrequirefameorhighesteem,butthosecon-sideringthepathofjihadwillbefarmorelikelytolistentothosesharingsomesemblanceoffaithandtradition.

Wehaveconductedinterviewswith31academicexperts,governmentanalysts,andAmericanMuslimandcivicandreli-giousleaders,includingthosewhohavetakentoblogsandthesocialmediaairwaves.Wehavealsoconductedareviewofrelevantpublishedliterature.Thegoalistounderstandbarriersthatmaylimitthemotivation,effectivereach,andinfluenceofsuchvoices;understandlessonslearnedinpromotingonlinevoicesthatcounterextremism;andidentifyrecommendationsthatwillbepertinenttoboththeU.S.governmentandtheprivateandnonprofitsector.

Key Issues and Challenges in Empowering Constructive Muslim VoicesAmericanMuslimshaveplayedanimportantroleinhelpingtocounterextremismandsupportforal-Qa’ida,andwebeginthissectionwithabriefsurveyoftheirCVEefforts.Tobetterunderstandhowthenumberandreachofthesevoicescanbeincreased,wethenidentifykeybarriersthatmaylimitonlineengagement.Finally,wereviewprominentexamplesofsocialmediacapacity-building.

Existing CVE in the United StatesExistingCVEeffortsintheUnitedStatesincorporateavarietyofapproachesthattakeplacebothinpersonandonline.Thissectionisintendedprimarilytoaddresstheonlineeffortsandthepotentialcapacityofsocialmediaeffortstoexpandthem.How-ever,anoverviewofofflineeffortsprovidesadditionalinsightregardingthespectrumofCVEworkandhelpstoinformtheextentofpossibilitiesforsocialmedia-focusedefforts.

Offline CVE in the United StatesOfflineCVEtypicallyoccursviapersonalinteractionswithlocalimams,conferences,orworkshopsputforthbyfounda-tions,Muslimcommunitygroups,interfaithefforts,and—ofcourse—everydayinteractionswithfamilyandfriends.Onapersonallevel,localimamsprovidedailysupportandcounselingtotheircommunities.Oneimamwespokewithhasanopen-doorpolicyforhiscongregationandhassuccessfullycounseledthreeindividualsawayfromthoughtsofmilitantjihad.Onesuchindividualnowsayshis“jihadistofeedthehomeless.”8

Morebroadly,nationalorganizationssuchastheCouncilonAmerican-IslamicRelations(CAIR)holdyouthconferencesthataddressthe“mythsandrealities”ofradicalizationandpro-

videyoungMuslimswithaforumtoopenlydiscussgrievancesortheirperceivedroleinAmericansociety.9InterfaitheffortsincludeworkdonebytheWorldOrganizationforResourceDevelopmentandEducation(WORDE)Foundation,anorgani-zationaimedatdevelopinganunderstandingbetweenMuslimsandnon-Muslims,tobringyouthfromdifferentfaithstogetherfordialogueandcooperativecommunityvolunteeringandto“humanizeothercommunitiesthathavebeendemonized.”10Forexample,theyrunaprogramcalled“YouthAgainstHunger”thatbringsyoungpeopletogetherfromdifferentfaithstomakesand-wichesanddistributethemtohomelessshelters.TheyalsohostpancakebreakfastswithChristianpastorsandMuslimleaderstotalkaboutwhatitmeanstobreakbreadtogether.11

Similarinitiativesarelocalizedinothercommunities:WithintheBostonarea,theGreaterBostonInterfaithOrga-nizationbringstogethermembersoftheMuslim,Jewish,andChristiancommunities.12Forexample,bridgingthegapbetweenthevirtualandthetangibleareawarenesstrainingsonInternetsafetyforMuslimcommunities.Organizationspartnerwithlocalmosquestohostworkshopsdirectedprimarilyatparents,designedtocoverthe“spectrumofdangers”ontheInternetthatincludesnotonlyradicalextremismbutalsopornographyandcyberbullying.13Theseeventsarebeneficialforgettingthebroadercommunityinterestedinwhatisviewedasanexception-allylow-probabilityissue.

Online CountermessagingThemostdirectformofonlineCVEisbasedoncounteringthemessagingofextremistgroups,typicallyviaonlinehateforums,socialmedianetworks,orindependentwebsites.14Sucheffortsarechieflyintendedforpartiallyradicalized“fence-sitters”—thosewhoaresympathetictotheextremistnarrativeandsomewhatengagedintheonlineradicalcommunity,butnotyetmotivatedtoactintheirownviolentjihad.Tobeactiveinthiskindofcountermessaging,anindividualrequirestheologicalexpertiseandskillsinpersuasivearguments:Thegoalisto“usethepowerofscripture”todelegitimizetheradicalnarrative.15

OnesmallandanonymousMuslimorganizationcreatesonlineprofilestoengageinextremist-orientedchatroomsandprovidemorepositivecounternarratives.Theyalsooperateunat-tributedTwitteraccountsthatcriticizeextremistarguments.16Thesuccessoftheseeffortsismeasuredbytheamountofatten-tiontheyreceivefromthecommunitybeingtargeted;agoodaccountmayevenbe“followed”onTwitterbyknownradicals.

Othersocialmedia–basedmessagingutilizesvideocontenttodiscredittheextremistnarrative.TheMuslimPublicAffairsCouncil(MPAC),forexample,producesoriginalvideocontentthatisthendistributedviaYouTube.Thise-dawah,oronlineout-reach,includesaseriesofprograms,including“InjusticeCannotDefeatInjustice,”ashortvideoshowingseveralpopularAmeri-canimamscondemningviolenceinthenameofIslam.17

Finally,somegroupsandindividualshaveestablishedwebsitesthatdirectlyconfrontargumentsformilitantjihad.Oneexampleis

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asitecalled“TheJWord”runbyconservativeclericYasirQadhi.18Anotherwebsite,“FatwaonTerrorism,”isanonlineplatformforthedistributionofafatwacondemningterrorismwrittenbyaPakistaniimam.19Thewebsiteofferstranslationsofthetextandpublicizesrelevantarticlesandevents.Thesewebsitesareone-waydistributorsofcontentandoffernoopportunityforinteraction;usersmayviewordownloadinformationbutcannotrespondtoit.

Online Resources for the American MuslimAlessdirectkindofonlineCVEoccursviaanumberofpopu-larMuslimwebsitescateringmorebroadlytothemainstreamMuslimpopulation.

Thesewebsites,whichinclude“virtualmosques”suchasSuhaibwebb.comaswellasblogssuchastheMuslimChannelonPatheos.com,arenotfocusedonissuesofcounterradicalization;rather,contentrelatedtoCVEisintegratedintoabodyofmaterialaddressingrelevantissuesforMuslimsinAmerica.ThisculturalrelevanceallowssuchwebsitestovastlyoutstripmoredirectCVEeffortsinpopularity:WhiletheaforementionedMPACvideohasupwardof30,000hitsonYouTube,20Suhaibwebb.compullsinapproximately70,000hitsdaily.21AnotherpopularsiteisMus-limmatters.org,runbySalaficlericYasirQadhi,whichpublishesdailyarticlescoveringtopicsrangingfromthepoliticaltothequotidian.22Thesitehasbeeneffectiveinemployingsocialmediatoincreaseexposure;postsarepublicizedviaaFacebookpagethathasmorethan50,000“likes”andanactivebodyofcommenters.

Whilethemajorityofcontentonthesesitesdoesnotdirectlyaddressissuesofjihad,somearticlesdealwithrelevantCVEtopicssuchasInternetsafetyorjihadoftheself( jihad al-nafs).23Furthermore,followingtheMuslimprotestselicitedbytheanti-Muslimfilm“InnocenceofMuslims”inSeptember2012,Muslimmatters.orgwasveryactiveinFacebookpostscallingfortoleranceandforbearance.Postedmessagesincludedanarticleentitled“5ExamplesofSupremeMuslimTolerance,”amessagepublicizingthepeacefulMuslimprotestsinCasablanca,andvari-ousscripturalmessagesurgingrestraint.24

Othersites,suchaseShaykh.com,offeramoreinteractiveuserexperiencethataddressesthesameissuesoffaithindailylife.Thesite,aninitiativeoftheIslamicSupremeCouncilofAmerica,offersuserstheopportunitytosubmitquestionsoffaithtoagroupofIslamicscholarsforconsiderationandresponse.Amongthethousandsofquestionsonthesitearequeriesrelatedtodoctrine,technologyandIslam,andassociationwithpeopleofotherfaiths.

Inadditiontooperatingwebsites,individualimamshavealsoemployedsocialmediatodevelopbroadnetworksoffollow-ers,enablingthemtoengagewithalargecommunitybeyondtheirowngeographicalsphere.These“rockstar”imamspossessbothgenerationalawarenessandreligiouscredibilitythatallowthemtoamassthousandsoffollowersonsocialnetworkingsites.25SheikhHamzaYusuf,afounderofZaytunaCollegeinCalifornia,isonesuchleader:HisTwitteraccounthasmorethan28,000followers,andhisactiveFacebookpagehasmorethan70,000“likes.”26

Muchlikeimamsoffline,thevirtuallyconnectedimamsneedtoactas“personalcounselors”aswellasspiritualadvisorswhenfollowersreachouttothemdirectlyviasocialmedia.Thepopularityoftheseindividualscomesinpartbecauseoftheirabilitytoconnectwiththeyoungeraudienceandaddress“whatitmeanstobeaMusliminAmerica.”27BymakingthemselvesavailabletothebroadpopulationofInternetusers,theyprovideyouthwitharesourcetoobtainrelevantanswerstotheissuesthataffectthemintheirdailylives.

Challenges Confronting Online CVE ActivismBasedonconversationswithMuslimsocialmediaexpertsandCVEstakeholders,itappearsthatseveralbarrierslimitthelevelofMuslimCVEengagementonline—andtheylikelyalsoapplytoofflineCVEefforts.

Perceptions that Radicalization Is Not a ProblemSomebelievethatviolentradicalizationisnotaproblemsignifi-cantenoughtoaddress.AccordingtoaPewResearchCentersur-vey,64percentofAmericanMuslimssaidsupportforextremismamongMuslimsintheUnitedStatesisverylow.28Thisisunder-standableonseverallevels.First,asRANDscholarBrianJenkinshasdemonstrated,the192MuslimsintheUnitedStatesarrestedonterrorismchargesbetweenSept.11,2001,andtheendof2011representonlyatinyfractionofanestimated3millionAmericanMuslims.29Furthermore,manyindividualswhoradicalizedosoapartfromactiveMuslimcommunitiesandcongregations.30AsMuslimplaywrightandsocialmediaactivistWajahatAlinotes,“Themajority[ofMuslimAmericans]donothangoutwiththeseviolentextremists....IfyouaskmostAmericanMuslimswhatyouaredoingtostopextremism,theywillsaytheydon’tknowthisguy.”31AnotherinterlocutorwhoseekstopromoteMuslimengagementinCVEissueslikewisenotedthatbecausethethreatseemssosmall,“it’shardtoconvincepeoplethatthisshouldbeaprioritywithincommunities.”32

Alienation and Lack of TrustTheU.S.approachtocounterterrorismisafrequentlycitedcom-plaintinMuslimcommunities.ManyopposetheU.S.interven-tioninAfghanistanandwereopposedtotheU.S.presenceinIraq.Domestically,morethanhalfofAmericanMuslimsreportthatgovernmentantiterrorismpoliciessingleoutAmericanMus-limswithincreasedsurveillanceandmonitoring.33Specialareasofconcernaretheuseofinformantsandstingoperations,whichsomefearhelpfacilitatetheradicalizationofthosetheyintendtotarget.34Forexample,in2010,theFederalBureauofInvestiga-tion(FBI)infiltratedtheIslamicCenterofIrvine,California.35Inanefforttouncoversympathiesforal-Qa’ida,theinformanttalkedupviolentjihadsomuchthatcongregantsgrewfrightenedandobtainedarestrainingorderagainsthim.MuchcontroversyandnegativemediacoveragehavebeengeneratedoutoftheNewYorkPoliceDepartment(NYPD)’screationofanintelligencedivisionthatmonitoredpopularcafes,Muslimcollegestu-

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dents,andevenkeyMuslimpartnersinthecity’sCVEefforts.36AlthoughtheNYPD’sactionshavebeendefendedaslegalandprudent,thecontroversyhasbeencitedbysomeintheMuslimcommunityasamajorconcern.37

Perceptionsofagrowinglevelofanti-MuslimrhetoricinmainstreamAmericansocietyisalsoanissue.APewForumonReligionandPublicLifereportssurveyresultssuggestingthatnearly40percentofAmeri-cansholdanunfavorableviewofIslam.38Thesenega-tiveviewshaveappearedtomanifestthemselvesinvary-ingwaysandhavebeencon-veyedbyanincreasingarrayofrancorousvoices.39Therewerebroadandpublicpro-teststothedevelopmentofaMuslimcommunitycenteradjacenttoGroundZeroinNewYorkCity.Threestateshavealreadypassedlegisla-tionbanningSharialaw,andsuchlegislationisundercon-siderationin21otherstates.Therewasalsothestrangefurorassociatedwiththerealityshow“AllAmericanMuslim”onTheLearningChannel,whichdepictedtheordinarylivesoffiveMuslimAmericanfamilies.Follow-inganonlinecampaigninwhichtheFloridaFamilyAssociationchargedthattheshowwaspropagandaforMuslims,numerouscorporatesponsors,includingKayakandLowes,pulledadvertis-ingthatinturnledtotheshow’scancellation.40

TheremayalsobeaperceptionthatbothmediaandthegovernmentunfairlyfocusontherisksposedbyMuslimterror-ismwhilegivinglesscredencetothreatsposedbyotherU.S.-basedextremistgroups,includingright-wingextremistssuchaswhitesupremacygroups,skinheads,andantigovernmentmilitias.AccordingtoaninterimreportbytheNationalConsortiumfortheStudyofTerrorism,right-wingextremistskilled168indi-vidualsin144lethalattacksbetween1990and2010,excludingtheOklahomaCitybombing.41Thiscontrastswith23individu-alskilledinlessthan25Muslim-perpetratedattacks,excludingthe2,977killedonSeptember11,2001.42Further,thenumberofright-winghategroupshasrisenby69percentsince2000andnowtotals1,018.43Despitethesethreats,mediaattentiononthisissueseemsscant.Further,HouseHomelandSecurityCommit-teehearingsondomesticterroristthreatsfocusalmostsolelyonMuslimradicalization.

SeveralcommentatorshavearguedthattheseissuesriskalienatingMuslimAmericansandcouldlimittheircoopera-

tionwithlawenforcement.44Iftrue,theywouldalsounderminecommunitywillingnesstospeakoutmoreactivelyagainstviolentextremism.Regardless,anti-MuslimattitudesandlegislationhavebecomeafocalpointofAmericanMuslimcivicactivityandhavedivertedattentionawayfromcounterradicalizationissues.

Somesaythatcounterradicalizationactivitiesmayexposethemtogreaterattentionfromlawenforcement.Forexample,

ImamAbdullahAntepliofDukeUniversityseesvalueinhavinglegitimateMuslimscholarssuchashimselfenteringextremistchat-roomstoprovideanalternativemessage,buthefearshewouldbemarkedbytheFBIforsuspiciousactivity.45Anotheractivistagrees,sayingthat“peopleareveryhesitanttoengageinthisbecausetheyknowtheywillbewatched”bytheFBI.46Ithasalsobeensuggestedthatsev-eralprominentscholar-runwebsitesrefusetopublishtheirresponsestoquestionsaboutthelegitimacyofjihadoutoffearthattheywouldgetblacklistedbythegovernment.47

Theissueoftrustandalien-ationmayimpedethemotivationofotherMuslimswhomightaddressradicalizationmoreforce-fullyonsocialmedia.Foranyissuetobeworthyofsomeone’ssoapbox,itmustbesomethingthatelicits

excitementandzeal,acauseworthfightingfor.Whereoneperceivesthethreattobeexaggeratedorfeelsunderminedbythestateandbroadersociety,thatzealiseasilylost.WajahatAlireportsthatmistrustofthegovernmenthasa“chillingeffect”andcreatesatrustdeficitwithAmericanMuslimcommuni-ties.Heassertsthat,“Thisisaffectinghowwecaneffectivelycounterviolentextremismatlocallevelsandusingsocialmedia.Thatiswhereweareatrightnow.Thatisanunderlyingproblemthatneedstobeaddressed.”48ImamAbdullahAntepliagrees:“Thereisageneralsenseofintimidation.[Muslims]don’tfeelencouragedbytheU.S.tocombatIslamicextremismorthepervertedversionof‘jihad’.”49

Poor Leadership CapacityMostMuslimcommunityreligiousinstitutionssuchasmosqueslackboththetimeandcapacityforsocialmediaoutreach.MosquesintheUnitedStatesfrequentlylackimamsandapaidstaff,andmanythatdohaveimamshirethemfromoverseas.50TheseimamsattimeshavelimitedcommandofEnglish,arefrequentlyslowtoconnectwithyoungparishioners,anddonotimmediatelyunderstandandusesophisticatedsocialmediatools.51AsRabiaChaudry,presidentoftheSafeNationCollab-

“Newmediaisthelanguageofanewgeneration...andtechnologyischanginghowwe

interact,shareinformationandsharenews.IcanputupaYouTubepostthatgoesglobalandafriendinIndonesiacanlikeitandputitonhisblog....Ialwaysthoughtnewmediaisatoolandatoolcanbeben-eficialorworsedependingwhousesit.Ourenemies,violentextremists,arespeakingthislanguagetopropa-gatetheirmessagebutalsoforrecruitment.Al-Qa’idahascreatedthousandsofYouTubevideosthatarewellproduced.We’veseenBinLadeninhiscaveandhevideorecordsamessage,postsitanditgoesglobal.Thewaytheyhaverecruitedtheloneradicalisprimarilyusingnewmedia,chatgroups,emailmessages,boardsandsuch.Sothequestionis,howdoweuseitforgood?Thisisthemillion-dollarquestion.” —Wajahat Ali

Muslim playwright, activist

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orative,noted,“Forwebpresenceyouneedpeopleon[mosque]boardswhoknowthatthatisimportant.Itellthem,‘youcanuseFacebookforfundraising,’buttheydon’tlikeit.”52

TheselimitationsalsoapplytoMuslimcivilsocietyleader-ship.BrieLoskotaandNadiaRoumaniarguethatthereisa“dearthofcivilsocietyandpublicleaderswhoarebothrootedintheirIslamicfaithandabletoaddressissuesofrelevancetotheirowncommunitiesandthebroaderpublic.”Manyofthosethatdoexistare“burningout”duetohighworkloadsandalackofresources.53ThesameissaidofMuslimchaplainswhoserveonaburgeoningnumberofcollegecampuses.54Theseindividualsareenormouslyinfluential;theyaretrainedandcredibleIslamicscholars,directlyserveyoungcadresofMuslims,promoteapositivevisionofIslamtothebroaderstudentbody,anddirectlybenefitfromavibrantandmulticulturalcommunity.55However,asMuslimscholarHaroonMoghulnotes:

Mostofthesemenandwomenaresooverworkedanddirectingtimeandattentiontostudentsthattheydon’thaveTwitteraccounts,can’tputsermonsonlineandtheycan’tlinkupwithplatformstomediainmosteffectivewaypossible.Thatisnotwhattheyaretrainedtodo.56

Limited Funding for Muslim CVE ProgramsThechallengeoffundingimpedescounterradicalizationactivi-ties.MPAChassoughttoholdanimamsummittodiscussCVEissuesandotherthings,butalackofmoneyisamajorbar-rier.57Likewise,WORDEFoundationhasappliedforfundingtotrainMuslimleadersinsocialmediapractices—butuntilitcomes,theirlevelofoutreachislimited.58FundingalsoremainsthecorelimitationfortheMuslim-runorganizationthatrunscounterextremistTwitteraccountsandpromotescounternarra-tivesinextremistchatrooms.Fundingisespeciallyimportantforthisorganizationasitssuccessdemands“consistency”ofengagement.59

TheU.S.governmentmightbeoneresourceforfundingcommunityandonlineCVEefforts,butFirstAmendmentrestrictionsonlawsrespectinganestablishmentofreligionposealimitingfactor.SomeCVEbattlescenterontheappro-priatebeliefsofIslamtoincludethemeaningofjihadandtheresponsibilitiesofMuslimslivinginanon-Muslimstate.Theseandmanyothersaretheologicalmatterswherethestateislargelyrestrictedfromdirectlytakingsides.However,thisismuchmoreofablessingthanacurse:NearlyeveryindividualinterviewedforthisstudyarguedthatgovernmentsponsorshipofMuslimvoicescouldunderminelegitimacy.Asonescholarputit,“Atthispointintime,theAmericangovernmentissimplyviewedasthekissofdeath.IftheAmericangovernmentgetsinvolved,thentheconstituencyyouwanttoreach,theywillnever,everlistentothatpersonagain.”60 ThisisoneofthekeylessonslearnedfromthePreventprograminBritain.Fol-lowingtheJuly7,2005,attacksinLondon,theBritishgovern-

mentsoughttodirectlyfundcounterextremistvoices,includ-ingQuilliam,athink-dotankrunbyprominentex-Islamists.Unfortunately,governmentsponsorshipultimatelyunderminedtheorganization’scredibilityamongtheaudiencestheyweretryingtoreach.61AsterrorismscholarPeterNeumannnotes,“Thankstotheestablishmentclause,Americanofficialswillneverfindthemselvesinapositionwheretheyhaveto‘pickwinners’or‘adjudicateinintrareligiousaffairs’.”62

Privatefoundationsareobviouslynotsoconstrainedasthegovernment.Wealthydonors,establishedfoundations,andcommunitydonationshavebeenakeyresourceforavarietyofcommunityandwebCVEinitiatives.Otherorganizations,includingadvertisingandtechnologyfirmssuchasGoogle,havelentexpertisetotrainingandcapacity-building.Butreservationsremainasfarasmoreactivelyfundingsuchinitiatives.SomeMuslimfoundationsarereluctanttowadeintotheCVEarenaforfearthattheremightbeabacklashamongkeyconstituents.63Secularinstitutionsarealsohesitant.LeadershipintheDepart-mentofHomelandSecurityreportedlymetwiththeheadsoftwoleadingfoundationsanddirectlyaskediftheywouldbewillingtofundprogramsandactivitiesthatcounteredextremism.Theresponsewasanoutrightno,withthestatedreasoningthattheydonotwadeintomattersofideology.64

Credibility, Stigma, and the Oversecuritized Approach to CVEAnotherissuetoconsideristhatofcredibilityandthefrequentlysecuritizedapproachthegovernmenttakestoengagementwiththeMuslimcommunity.AnumberofcommentatorshavenotedthatwhenthegovernmentreachesouttotheMuslimcommu-nity,itoftendoessosolelytoaddressthethreatofterrorism.This,inturn,leavestheimpressionthatthegovernment’sonlyconcernisthatMuslimsmaybecomeviolent.65Likewise,itseemsthatsomeoftheseconcernstranslatetoMuslim-initiatedCVEefforts.

Asnoted,therearegenuineconcernsthatmanyMuslimsdonotseeradicalizationasasufficientlyprominentproblem.AsmallnumberofMuslimscontactedforthisstudydemurred,seeminglybecauseofresentmentthattheywereentreatedtoaddressaproblemthatonlyfurtherstheextremiststereotype.Otherswhodidspeakwithusechoedthisconcern.Oneinter-locutorobservedthat“Muslimsarenotjustaproblemthatneedstobefixed.”66Anothernoted,“Ifyouframe[CVEissues]inasecuritizedway,youenduppushingpeopleaway;youstigmatizetheverycommunityyouaretryingtoreachoutandhelp.”67Also,individualswhotaketosocialmediaseektoaddressissuesthatconcernthemandtheiraudience.Asalocalimampointsout,mostyoungMuslimstodayarelessconcernedwithmilitantjihadandmorefocusedonobtaining“studentloansandgettingmar-ried”and“understandingandtryingtotranslatemodernityinthebackdropofmaintainingspirituality.”68

Thecredibilityofthemessengerandmessagecanalsobeatrisk.ThereisatleastaminorityofMuslimswhomayviewan

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excessivefocusonCVEassellingouttogovernmentinfluence.Itwasnotedthatnationalizedorganizationstakingastrongstanceonradicalization,aswellasotherardentcounterextremistvoices,arequicklyseenasselloutsandlosecredibilityamidthosemostsympathetictojihadicauses.69OnepragmaticfactorhereisareluctanceofsometoactivelyseekoutCVE-brandedcontent.MainstreamMuslimsmoreconcernedwithlivingdailyliveswillnotperceiveCVEissuesassomethingthatconcernsthem.Otherindividualswhobecomemoresympathetictojihadicausesareunlikelytoseekoutcontentthatprovidesaforegoneconclusion.

Manyofthosewespokewithtalkedof“reframing”theissue.AlejandroBeutal,aformergovernmentanalystatMPAC,arguesthat“framingiskey.”Whenamosqueandsynagogueconductaninterfaithevent,itshouldnotbeframedasacounterradicalizationissue,itshouldsimplyfocusonbuild-inginterfaithrelationshipsbecausethatis“therightthingtodo.”70SomeofthemosteffectivevoicesaddressingradicalismtodaydosobymakingCVEonlyasmallpartoftheirmission,orbyaddressingCVEonlyindirectly.MuslimMatters.organdSuhaibwebb.comareblogsthatspeaktoavarietyofcontempo-raryissuesfacedbyMuslimstodayandsohavecultivatedlargeandfaithfulfollowers.Theyprovidearticlesandothercontentaddressingtheissueofradicalizationonlyonoccasion.Themessagegetsoutandleveragesthebroad-basedcredibilityoftheblogwithoutmakingCVEtheprimaryissueorstigmatiz-ingtheaudience.TheapproachofnothavingallCVE,allthetimealsohelpsmaintaintherelevanceoftheblogandthuskeepsreadersreturning.

AnotheralternativeistopromoteabroadarrayofMuslimvoicesthat,whiletheymightnotaddressCVEissuesdirectly,canhaveaprofoundandpositiveeffectonreligiousdiscoursewithinandbeyondthecommunity.MuslimscholarMoghulpointsoutthatsuchvoicescanachieveseveralimportanteffects.71First,thereisvalueinpromotingvoicesthatcanserveasMuslimconduitstomainstreammedia.Thosewhocreatea“brandandidentity”onthewebcancircumventthetraditionalwayofbecominganexpertandcanpositivelyrepresentIslamtosociety.ThesevoicescanalsoserveasrolemodelsforMuslimyouthwhoarereluctanttoreachouttoimamsorparents.AsMoghulsays,“Iwouldratherfeeltheyshouldtalktome,ratherthanachat-room.Socialmediaiskeybecauseyoucanamplifyintelligentvoicessotherecanbesomeoneyoungfolkscanturnto.”72

Socialmediacanalsopromotemainstreamreligiousteach-ings.WhenMoghulledtheMuslimStudentAssociationatNewYorkUniversity,heandhisfellowstudentsmadeapointofplacingsermonsontheInternetandquicklyfoundthattheaudiencegreatlyexpandedbeyondtheconfinesoftheuniversity,with10,000to15,000downloadsmonthly.ThesermonsreachedMuslimsinIndiaandRussia,andIslamicschoolsinthePersianGulfstates.AsMoghulstates,socialmedia“putsvoicesoutthereandbuildsthiskindoffollowingandthathascredibility.Whenyoubuildcapacityandhelppeoplethinkstrategically,theywill

answerquestionsintheCVEworldwithoutmakingthosethecentralquestion.”73

Inaddition,socialmediacanhelpfillthevoidofcommunityinyoungMuslims’lives.Withmanymosquesrunbyforeign-bornandoldermembership(affectionatelyreferredtoasthe“uncles”and“aunties”),arisinggenerationgapexistswithyoungAmericanmembersfeelingdisconnectedandalienated.Partici-pationinanactiveandhealthyfaithcommunityhasbeensaidtohelpprotectindividualsfromtherisksofradicalization.74Aspreviouslynoted,somerisingstars,suchasImamSuhaibWebbandSheikhHamzaYusuf,arefillingthisgapwitheffectiveweboutreach.Othersareturningtoonlineprayergroupsandsocialmediacommunitiesofinterest.75

Finally,socialmediacanprovideanalternativeoutletforthoseinthecommunitytoexpresstheirconcernsandgrievances.MoghulprovidestheexampleofBosniaduringthe1990s,wherethousandsofMuslimswerekilledordisplacedinacampaignofethniccleansing.Muslimsworldwideweretraumatizedbytheeventsandsearchedforwaystorespond.Some,seekingtheonlyrecoursetheyknew,wenttoBosniatofight.ThishasalsobeenanunfortunateoutletformanyangryabouttheU.S.warsinIraqandAfghanistan.ForthisandavarietyofotherissuesimportanttosomeMuslims,thewebcanamplifyvoicesofprotestandgalvanizeamorehealthyresponse.

Case Studies of Capacity BuildingBoththeU.S.StateDepartmentandthe“think-dotank”GoogleIdeashaveinitiatedinsightfulprogramsthatseektobuildcapac-ityandotherwisepromotecredibleMuslimvoices.Theyoffervaluablelessonspertinenttoourrecommendations.

U.S. State Department Capacity Building Program TheU.S.StateDepartmenthasrecentlyworkedwithsocialmediaexperts,includingplaywrightAli,toprovidesocialmediatrainingtokeyMusliminfluencersabroad.TrainingsessionsthatranapproximatelytwoandahalfdayswereheldinPakistan,thePhilippines,Singapore,Malaysia,andJakarta.Individu-alswereintroducedtosocialmediatoolssuchasFacebook,Twitter,LinkedIn,andmore,withaspecialemphasisonusingthesetoolstoconquerhateandextremismandtobuildbridgesbetweencommunities.Individualsweretaughtthebasicsofhowtosuccessfullygetamessageout,theartofstorytelling,andthecreationofviralmessages.Basedonparticipants’enthusiasticreception,theprogramwasjudgedasuccess.Insummarizingtheoverallgoaloftheprogram,Alinoted:

Theideaistoempowertheseleadersandchangeagentsandgivethemtheskillsandresourcesandcapacitytoengageinproactiveworkthathelpstheircommunities.AndtheU.S.interestinthisistoensureahealthiernarrativeemergesthatisproactiveandnonreactive;onethatpromotespositivesocialchangeandattractsteen-

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agers,andinsteadofthemgoingtoal-Qa’idatheywillgotothesepeopleinstead.Thatisthelong-termgoal.76

Google Ideas’ Counterradicalization InitiativeGoogleIdeaswasfoundedin2010andhasthegoalofusingtechnologytohelpaddresscomplexandintractableproblems.Initsfirstproject,GoogleIdeassoughttotackletheissueofradical-izationbycreatinganetworkofrenouncedreligiousextremists,gangmembersandneo-Nazis(referredtoasFormers),andsur-vivorsofattacks(i.e.,Survivors),nongovernmentalorganizationsandbusinesspartners.

Inexploringwaystodeveloptheircounternarrative,GoogleIdeasfirstthoughtitmightmakesensetoputtogetheracam-paignthatincorporatedeverythingfrombillboardstobrandedwristbands.ButthisideametstiffresistancefromfocusgroupsofFormersandSurvivors.AccordingtoYasminDolatabadi,prin-cipalatGoogleIdeas,“Theseguysareallactivistsalready—theyhavetheirownbrandandoperationandtheyarenotlookingforanumbrellabrand.Fromthatmomenton,theorganizersknewthattheywerebestsuitedtoplaytheroleofenabler”ratherthanimposingsomethingfromGoogle.77

GoogleIdeashasplayedthisroleofenablerthroughanumberofinitiativesthatseektoconnectFormersandSurvivorswithkeypartners.TogetherwiththeCouncilonForeignRelationsandtheTribecaFilmFestival,GoogleIdeashosteda2011conferencecalledtheSummitAgainstViolentExtremism(SAVE).HeldinDublin,Ireland,theeventconvenedavariedconsortiumofformergangmembers,neo-Nazis,andreligiousextremistsaswellasnon-governmentalorganizationworkersandattackvictims.78Thecon-ferencehelpedidentifythecommonthreadsoftheformerextrem-istexperienceandhelpedconnecttheseactivistswithpotentialfunders.Theycommissionedresearchthatultimatelyhighlightedhowrolemodelsandpositivepersonalrelationshipscankeepindividualsfromenteringextremistgroupsandcanfacilitatetheirdeparture.79TheyalsoworkedwiththeLondon-basedInstituteforStrategicDialoguetodevelopawebplatformwhereFormersandSurvivorscanconnectwithotherindividualsandhelpthemavoidthepitfallsofextremismorexitfromradicalgroups.Thewebsite,builtwiththeprobonohelpofRehabstudio,alsoallowsFormersandSurvivorstocraftsocialnetworkswithoneanotherandsolicitprojectfundingfrompotentialsponsors.80

GoogleIdeas’effortstoplaytheroleofconvenerandenablerhaveproducedseveralotherkeypartnerships.TheTribecaFilmInstitutehelpedcosponsortheDublineventandinFebruary2012itlaunchedTribecaTeachesLosAngeles,anafter-schooldigitalstorytellingprograminagang-infestedsuburbofLosAngeles.The18-weekprogramtrainsmiddle-schoolstudentsintheartoffilmmakingandseekstohelptheseyoungpeopletelltheirownpersonalstoryandtobecriticalconsumersofmedia.81Inaddition,thefirmeBoostpitchedinbycreatingawebsitethatoffersclearandbasicadviceonthefundamentalsofcraftingastrategy,developingandsustaininganonprofit,usingsocialmediaforoutreach,andmeasuringprogramsuccesswithGoogle

Analytics.82TherearealsoeffortstoenlistprivatesectorsocialmediafirmstohelpincreasethesocialmediacapacityoftheAgainstViolentExtremismnetwork.Forexample,BuzzMouthdonated$100,000worthofprobonoservicesintheformofsocialmediaconsulting.83

RecommendationsThefollowingrecommendationsaredesignedtoincreasethenumber,reach,andeffectivenessofconstructiveMuslimvoicesontheInternetandsocialmedia.

Appreciate that CVE Takes Many FormsEffortsthatachievetheobjectivesofCVEstakeholderscancomeinallshapesandsizes.SomeapproachCVEheadon,includingthosethatdirectlycountermilitantideology,undermine“jihadicool,”andemphasizethenegativeimpactofciviliancasualties.Butindirectmethodsalsohavevalue,suchasprogramsthatfos-terinterfaithrelationshipsorhelpyoungMuslimsbridgethegapbetweenfaithandasecularsociety.

ThereisalsobenefitinsocialmediathatpromotesawideassortmentofmainstreamMuslimvoices,evenifsuchvoicesnevermakeCVEacentralmission.Sermonsandotherreligiouscommentarypostedonlinecanhelpcreateauthenticvoicesthatareechoedinthemainstreammedia,creatingnewrolemodelsthathelpyouthmakemeaningfulconnectionswiththeirfaithandpromotingmainstreamreligiousteachingsthatprovideasubtlecounterweighttojihadinarrativesbyfosteringapositiveandnormativevisionofIslam.Socialmediamayalsohelpindi-vidualschannelgrievancesintomeaningfulpoliticalactionandcanhelpalienatedyouthconnectwithhealthyonlinecommuni-tiesandprayergroups.Theoptionsandpotentialbenefitsaremany,butthekeyisthateffortsplacinglessemphasisCVEandsecurityaspectswillgainbettertractionandresonanceamongmanyimportantaudiencemembersandpromoteparticipationfromabroadercadreofinfluencers.

Address Sources of Mistrust in the Muslim CommunityAspreviouslynoted,thereexistsalevelofmistrustbetweenpoten-tiallykeyvoicesandtheirgovernmentandbroadersociety,basedonconcernsaboutU.S.foreignpolicy,domesticcounterterrorismpoliciesthatintheviewofmanystakeholdersunfairlytargettheMuslimcommunity,andavocalnumberofAmericanswhoseanti-MuslimprotestationsalienatemanyAmericanMuslims.

TheU.S.governmentshouldseektoaddressthesepolicyconcernsasopportunitiesarise.U.S.approachesinthisregardwerenotfullyexploredforthisreportandnumerousotherauthorspro-videfocusonthistopic.84Still,variousdepartmentsandagenciesofthefederalgovernment,suchastheDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS),theJusticeDepartment,FBI,andNationalCoun-terterrorismCenter(NCTC),haveengagementprogramsthatseektobuildrelationshipswithMuslimcommunitiesandallowindividualstheopportunitytoairgrievances.85Clearly,itwillbeimportanttocontinueandexpandthiseffortasitmaybevitalto

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enhancingthereservoirofactiveandcredibleMuslimvoices.Bothtoneandempathyarekeyinsuchefforts.BoilerplateresponsestoMuslimconcernsarenotinorderandofficialsatalllevelsshouldconveythattheyunderstandandappreciateMuslimconcernsandareatleastfactoringthemintopolicydecisions.Officialsshouldalsoacknowledgemistakeswhentheyaremade.86Informantswillcontinuetoplayanimportantroleinidentifyinganddisrupt-ingfutureterroristthreats,buttheUnitedStatesshouldcarefullyweightheiruse,applythemsparinglyandensurethattheiractionsdonotunnecessarilyantagonizeorevenradicalizepotentialtar-gets.87AsnotedbyDavidSchanzerandcolleagues,thegovernmentshoulddevelopclearpoliciesforwheninformantscanbeusedandshouldcommunicatetheseopenlytocommunityleaders.88

Relatedtothis,U.S.governmentagenciescouldalsodirectlyusesocialmediaasameanstopublicizeoutreach.Whilesomeeventsshouldremainprivateandunpublicized,audienceandimpactcanbegreatlyexpandedthroughvideotapedengagementsplacedonYouTube,liveTwitterfeeds,orblogs.Sucheventsshouldobviouslynotbecontrived.FishmanandLebovichargueforcreat-inga“safespace”forintra-MuslimdiscourseondifficultpoliticalquestionssuchasthepresenceofU.S.troopsinIraqandAfghani-stan.MuslimAmericansshouldnotfeelconstrainedinspeakingoutontheseissuesfor“fearofbeinglabeledterroristsympathiz-ers.”89Byallowingandpublicizinganactiveandhonestnationaldiscourse,U.S.governmentagencyrepresentativescancommuni-cateawillingnesstolistenandpromotehealthypoliticaldiscourseamongakeyMuslimconstituency.

ItisclearthatU.S.leadersfromacrossthepoliticalspectrummustactivelyworktocounterthegrowingrancorinthepublicdiscourseonIslam.PresidentBarackObamahaspubliclycalledforinterfaithengagementandtoleranceandhasbeenclearthatthenationisnotengagedinawaragainstIslam.90Thissentimentshouldbeloudlyechoedbyleadershipfromacrossthepoliticallandscape.Inaddition,leadersfromallpartiesshouldspeakoutimmediatelyandforcefullyagainstanystatementsfromtheirmembersorconstituentsthatmayappearbigotedorthatservetopromotefalsestereotypes.IfAmericansocietyexpectsMuslimstotakeastandagainstextremism,itisincumbentuponpoliticalandcivicleaderstospeakoutpubliclyagainstIslamophobia.Programsthatenableinterfaithengagementareparticularlyimportant.TypicallyseenasanantidotetoIslamicextremism,theyalsohelpcounteranti-Muslimintoleranceamongotherreligiousgroups.91

Finally,whiletheU.S.needstoaddresstherisksofMuslimextremism,itisimportanttoproperlybalancethisneedwitheffortstoaddressotherdomesticthreatssuchasright-wingextrem-ism.FailuretodosoonlycastsunduesuspiciononMuslimgroupsandlimitsopportunitiestodetectandthwartright-wingattacks.

Enhance Education on the Threats and Risks Posed by ExtremistsTheU.S.shouldcarefullyuseitscommunityengagementstoeducateAmericanMuslimsabouttheeffortsofal-Qa’idaandotherextremistgroupstorecruitandradicalizeU.S.citizens—doingso

inawaythatdoesnotoverstatetheriskorsuggestMuslimsareathreatinandofthemselves.OnesuchtoolistheCommunityAwarenessBriefingdevelopedbyNCTCanddesignedtohelpinformthepublicaboutal-Qa’idaeffortstorecruitandradical-izeAmericans.IthighlightsrecruitingvideosandexamplesofpropagandaandtheeasewithwhichthiscontentisavailableontheInternet,andseekstoeducateindividualsonwhatgovernmentsandcommunitiescandotocounterthisthreat.92

Focus Engagements and CVE Education on Social Media InfluencersBroad-basedengagementprogramsareimportantbutthereisparticularvalueinreachingouttoadiversearrayofMuslimsocialmediainfluencers.Theseindividuals,alwayseagerfornewcontentandstorylines,canechotheengagementstoamuchbroaderrangeofpeople.Furthermore,bydemonstrat-ingU.S.governmentconcernsandredresses,thereisagreaterchancethatanynegativeopinionsofthegovernmentcanbesoftenedormollified.Likewise,theU.S.governmentshouldalsohelpsocialmedialeadersunderstandtheimportanceofCVE-relatedissues,andtheCommunityAwarenessBriefingisobviouslyaready-madetooltodoso.U.S.officialsshouldidentifybothestablishedandup-and-comingsocialmediapersonalitiesandincorporatetheseindividualsintointeragencyengagementstrategies.

Build Leadership and Social Media CapacityEnhancingthesuccessandreachofpositivevoicesintheMuslimcommunity,especiallythosewillingtodirectlycounteral-Qa’ida’soutreachefforts,willrequirebuildingtherequisitecapacityofAmericanMuslimleadersandinstitutions.Thiscapacitybuildingwillneedtofocusonbuildinggeneralinsti-tutionalcapacities,leadershipskills,andsocialmediaexper-tise,alongwithevenbroaderskillsinthearts.EffortstobuildnetworksofMuslimleadersandempowerthemwithinformationandresearcharealsorequired.

Build Institutional and Leadership CapacityInstitutionalcapacityandleadershiptrainingareanimportantandfoundationalsteptoenhancingthenumberandpowerofcredibleMuslimvoices.Oneissueishelpingtodevelopreligiousleaderswhohavescholarlycredentials,understandandareabletoworkinanAmericancontext,andcanspeaktoyoungAmerican-bornMuslimswhomayfeeldisenfranchisedfromlocalreligiousinstitutions.ThereisalsoaneedtohelpbuildMuslimcivilsoci-etyactorsandfaith-basedorganizations.Emergingleadersandtheirinstitutionswillneedknowledgeinorganizationalmanage-ment,thecreationofnonprofitstructuresandfoundations,andtheabilitytocompeteforfoundationgrants.93

AnumberofMusliminstitutionshavestartedtobuildthiscapacity.Forexample,HartfordSeminaryhelpstrainAmericanMuslimchaplainstoworkinuniversities,hospitals,andmosques,andtheAmericanMuslimCivilLeadershipInstitute(AMCLI)

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andMPACbothofferleadershiptrainingtoadiversearrayofup-and-comingMuslimleaderswiththegoalofenhancingtheirskillsforcivicengagement.94Fundingfromfoundationsandnonprofitsarekeyforsuchprogramsandshouldbeenhancedwherepossible.

Build Capacity for Social Media OutreachThevalueofsocialmediatrainingwasechoedbyanumberofthoseinterviewed.AsMoghulnoted,“Youcanfigureitoutonyourownbutitdoesn’tmeanyouwill.[Training]savestimeandenergy.Thosewithmostvaluablecontributionsdon’thavetimetofigureitout.”95Anotherindividualobservedthat,“Youdon’thavetoteacha20-year-oldhowtotweet,butyoucanteachthemhowtotweetwell.”96Representativesofonemarketingfirmthatprovidessuchinstructionagree,observingthattrainingcanhelpindividualsknowwhotheyaretargeting,howtotargetthemandhowto,forexample,crafteffectivemessagesonTwitterwitha140-characterlimit.97Ultimately,individualsandinstitu-tionsshouldbeabletodevelopapropersocialmediastrategy,utilizeanalyticsthathelpdeterminethereachandeffectivenessofoutreachcampaigns,andimproveexecution.TrainersshouldprovideguidanceontechniquesthatcanhelpwebcontentriseinGooglesearchrankings,andhelpreligiousscholarsandinstitu-tionsunderstandtheimportanceofpropersoundbitesthatcanplaywellonTwitterandFacebook.98Helpingindividualsandinstitutionsdevelopsubstantivecontentisalsoimportant,associalmediaissimplyatooltoconveyameaningfulmessage.SupporttotheologicaltrainingsuchasthatfosteredbyHartfordSeminaryandZaytunaCollegeisrecommended.

Inpromotingthistraining,itwillbeimportanttoidentifyup-and-comingleaderswhocanmostbenefitfromtheeduca-tion.Asthecasestudiessuggest,oneapproachistoworkwithCVEstakeholderswhoareintentontakingupthemantleofcounteringviolentextremismandrelatedcausessuchasbuildinginterfaithrelations.Socialmediatrainingshouldalsopiggybackonothercivicandreligiouscapacity-buildingprogramssuchasthosebytheHartfordSeminary,ZaytunaCollege,AMCLI,andMPAC.Itwouldalsobehelpfultoprovidethistrainingtomem-bersoftheNationalAssociationofMuslimChaplainsandtheMuslimStudentAssociation.Manysuchprogramsalreadyincor-porateasocialmediaelementtotheirtraining,butenhancedpri-vatesectorfundingandpartnershipswithtechnologyandsocialmediafirmsmaywellincreasethevalueandeffectivenessofthistraining.Inadditiontoin-persontraining,aneasy-usemanualorwebsiteonbestpracticesforusingsocialmediaforreligiousengagementwouldalsobehelpful.Suchamanualwouldprovehelpfulforlocalcommunityandreligiousleaders.

Work with ArtistsArtists,includingthoseworkinginfilm,music,andmore,areimportantbecausetheyhavethecapabilitytoprovidecontentbeyondthatofscholars,religiousleaders,andsocial-religiouscommentators.Theycanweavestoriesthattellameaningfulandengagingtale,craftvideosthathavethecapacitytogoviral

onYouTube,anddraftscreenplaysthatallowtelevisionandthesilverscreentoserveasimportantvectors.99TheseartistscanplayacriticalroleinthecounterradicalizationdebatebothintheUnitedStatesandabroad.Programsthatseektobuildartisticandsocialmediaskillsetswhileexplainingbarriersthatlimitreachandinfluencecouldproveenormouslyhelpful.

Empower Influential Voices with Research and InformationAnotherkeyaspecttobuildingcapacityistoempowerkeypartieswithinformationthatwillexpandtheeffectivenessandreachoftheiractivities.Thisresearchcantakeavarietyofforms.MirahmadiandFarooqoftheWORDEFoundationargueforenhancedresearchonMuslimpublicopiniontobetterunder-standMuslimattitudes.Theyspecificallyrecommendresearchonthe“challengesandthreatsthatfaceMuslimcommunities,thereconciliationofIslamicandAmericanvalues,MuslimidentityissuesinAmerica,andbarrierstointegratingintomainstreamAmericansociety.”100Oneimamagreesandarguesthat,“Foun-dationsshouldgetintunewithwhatisgoingoninmindsofyoungMuslims...findoutwhatintereststhemand[learn]theirstruggles.”101Classicmarketingresearchcanalsobehelpful.FocusgroupswerecertainlypivotalasGoogleIdeasundertookitscounterradicalizationprogram,andthistypeofresearchwouldalsoprovebeneficialtoabroaderarrayofactivists.TherearealsoTechnographicsurveys,whichhelpsocialmediastrategistsplanoutreacheffortsbyhelpingthemtounderstandhowaudiencesvaryintermsoftheirparticipationinsocialmedia.102

Build Social Networks of CVE ActivistsCVEactivists,leadersintheMuslimcommunity,artists,privatefoundations,governmentrepresentatives,andtechnologyfirmsshouldbeconnectedviaabroadrangeofnetworks.Conferencesandworkshopsareimportantastheyprovideavenuewhereindi-vidualscanlearncommunityneeds,supportandencouragenewandexistingefforts,sharetipsandexpertise,andbuildrelation-ships.AccordingtoMoghul,“Themostprofoundimplicationshappenaftertheeventandpeoplearesocializing;thatiswhenpeopleprocessandaskthequestionsthattheyareuncomfort-ableaskinginapublicsetting.Youtakesmartervoicesinthecommunityandintroducethemtomentors.”103DolatabadiofGoogleIdeasnotes,“Oneparticipantcameto[theSAVEconfer-ence]withhisbusinesshatonbuthesaidhewenthomeandcried[becausehehad]madegreatfriendships...”104 Ultimately,networkingisbeststartedinpersonthroughavarietyofconfer-ences,workshops,andretreatsbutcanquicklygoonlineandthenspreadthroughFacebookgroupsandotherwebvenues.

Understand the Important Role of Nonviolent IslamistsForthoseseekingtopartnerwithorsupportMuslimvoices,onepressingquestionis:Whichareappropriatevoicestosupport?ScholarLorenzoVidinoprovidesanexcellentdescriptionofthisissueinareportpublishedbytheU.S.InstituteofPeace(USIP).105MuslimcommunitiesintheUnitedStatesarehighlydiverse,vary-

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ingconsiderablyalongsectarianandpoliticallines.VidinoweighstheprosandconsofworkingwithnonviolentIslamists,someofwhomholdhighlyconservativeviewsonwomenandspeakwithapalpableangeragainstU.S.foreignpolicy.

Theriskinworkingwiththeseindividualsisthattheirideol-ogymayfunctionasa“conveyorbelt”forradicalizationandmaylaytheideologicalgroundworkforsubsequentviolence.However,asVidinopointsout,thosewhospeakoutagainstviolenceare“inauniquepositiontoinfluencethosemostlikelytoengageinviolence.”Theyalsohavehighlevelsofcredibilityamongpopula-tionsmostatriskofradicalization.106Someofthoseinterviewedforthisstudyconcurwiththerisks,butmanyothersarguedthatsuchvoicesarecriticalinthecounterradicalizationdebate.Asoneintervieweesuggested,thisrubricof“goodMuslim—badMuslim”is“damaging.”ThenonviolentIslamistsaretheones“youwanttobeanallybecausethosewhofollowthemaretheonesyouwanttoinoculate....Byeliminating[thesevoices]youarelosingtheaudi-enceyouwanttotarget.”107

AsVidinopointsout,thereisnoclearanswertothedilemma.Wesuggestthatfoundationsandprivatesponsorsareinthebestpositiontoweighthesefactors.Theywillbeunencumberedbythevastbureaucracythatsaddlesgovernmentagencies,andsomayhavemoreabilitytoconsideranyrequestsforfundingorcapacity-buildingassistanceonacase-by-casebasis.Theymayalsobeabletomonitortheimpactoftheireffortsandcontinueordiscontinueassistanceasthesituationwarrants,andtheyareinapositiontoside-stepthornyissuesofideologybybasingassistanceonspecificanddefinedprogramobjectivessuchasderadicalizingindividualsalreadyontheextremistpath,providingonlinesafetytraining,orfosteringinterfaithrelations.Theseareworthwhilegoalsregardlessofagroup’sideology.

Twootherissuesareworthpointingout.First,suchIslamistgroupsareaminorityintheMuslimAmericanlandscape.AccordingtoasurveyofAmericanmosques,only1percentofcongregationsidentifythemselveswiththeSalafitradition.108Suchgroupsarealsomorelikelytoeschewfundingandassistancefrommoderateorsecularorganizations.Consequently,theissueislikelylessadilemmathanitmightotherwisebe.Second,thevalueofprovidingappropriatecapacity-buildingprogramsamongabroadcross-sectionofgroupsandindividualsmayoutweightherisksofprovidingnoassistanceatall.

Enhance Private-Sector Funding and EngagementAnumberoffoundations,nonprofits,andtechnologyandmediafirmshavehelpedsupportavarietyofvoicesandinitiativesimpor-tanttocounteringal-Qa’ida’sonlinepresence.Werecommendthatprivatesectorinstitutionsconsidernewopportunitiesforenhancedfunding.WealsourgethattheU.S.governmentplaytheroleofconveneranduseitsfundsandinfluencetofacilitatenetworksofcredibleMuslimvoices,promotefundingandassistancefromnonprofits,foundationsandthink-tanks,andinvitepublicrela-tionsfirmsandtechnologyoutfitstobuildwebandsocialmediacapacity.Sucharecommendationhasbeenofferedbyanumber

ofcommentators,includingBritishscholarPeterNeumannandtheWORDEFoundation.109IthasalsobeenacknowledgedintheWhiteHouse’sStrategicImplementationPlan.110

Find Avenues to Enhance Government Funding WhilethegovernmenthaslimitedabilitytofundAmericanMuslimsocialmediaoutreachefforts,thereareseverallinesoffundingthatshouldnotprovecontroversial.First,theWhiteHouse’sOfficeofFaith-BasedandNeighborhoodPartnershipsactivelyfundsprogramsthathelppromoteinterfaithdialogueandcooperation.111Itwouldnotbeastretchtohelplocalfaith-basedorganizationsusesocialmediatocreateonlineplatformsthatcanmaximizetheimpactofin-personevents.112

TheremayalsobearolefortheNationalEndowmentfortheArts(NEA),whichawardsmatchinggrantstonot-for-profitorganizations.Itseeksinparttousethesegrantsforstrengthen-inglocalcommunitiesandrecognizesthatart“worksonaudi-encestochange,confront,challenge,andinspire”Americana.113TheNEAhasvariousgrantmechanismsthatmaybesuitabletoassistaspiringAmericanMuslimartistsinenhancingskillsetsandcreatingworkthatcountersextremism.Thisneednot“choosesides”inMuslimideologicaldebatesbutcouldhelpfundworksthatpromotetoleranceandinterfaithengagement,counternotionsof“jihadicool,”andemphasizenonviolentapproachestoconflict.AcceptingNEAfundingislesslikelytostigmatizeanartistthewayfundingfromanovertlysecurity-focusedagencysuchasDHSorNCTCmight.114

AnalternativeisthatthegovernmentcouldworkthroughtheUSIPoranongovernmentalthink-tanktohelpadministeragrantprocesstofundsmallinitiatives,includingcapacity-buildingefforts,forAmericanMuslimartistsorotherswhosimilarlyproposeeffortsofanonideologicalnature.TimStevensandPeterNeumannhaveproposedsuchaprogramfortheBrit-ishgovernment,sayingamajorbenefitofworkingthroughanintermediaryisthatitwouldhelpavoidaccusationsofgovern-ment“meddlingandmanipulation.”115

ConclusionItisworthconcludingthisreportbyemphasizinganimportantandundergirdingmessage:TheU.S.governmentandprivatefundersmustplaytheroleoffacilitatorratherthanorchestrator.ThisisthekeylessonlearnedfromtheGoogleIdeasinitiative,whereorchestratorsquicklyabandonedacentrallydirectedmediacampaignandinsteadplayedtheroleofenablerbybuildingskills,facilitatingfunding,andhelpingactivistsforgenewconnections.Ultimately,themessagebelongedsolelytotheindividualactivists.ThisapproachentailssomeriskasactivistswillcriticizepoliciesoftheU.S.governmentoradvocateviewsthatseeminglydivergefromthemainstream.Thechallengecomesinappreciatingthatsuchauthenticityandcriticismonlyservetoempowerwhatishopedtobeacoremessageofpeaceandtolerance.Ultimately,theU.S.governmentandprivatesponsorsmustallowcredibleMuslimvoicestoreachtheirownconclusionsandfindtheirownmessage.

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Endnotes1U.S.SenateCommitteeonHomelandSecurityandGovernmentalAffairs,Violent Islamist Extremism, the Internet, and the Homegrown Terrorist Threat,Washington,D.C.,May8,2008.2ChristopherBoucek,U.S. Strategy for Countering Jihadist Websites: Testimony to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade,CarnegieEndowment,September29,1010.3NationalCoordinatorforCounterterrorism,Jihadists and the Internet: 2009 Update,May2010;IssamAhmed,“NewestFriendsonFacebook?PakistanMilitants,”Christian Science Monitor,July8,2010.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2010/0708/Newest-friends-on-Facebook-Pakistan-militants.4BrianMichaelJenkins,Stray Dogs and Virtual Armies: Radicalization and Recruitment to Jihadist Terrorism in the United States Since 9/11,SantaMonica,Calif.:RANDCorporation,OP-343-RC,2011.AsofDecember13,2012:http://www.rand.org/pubs/occasional_papers/OP343.htmlSeealsoBrianMichaelJenkins,“GettingtheThreatRight,”CATO Unbound,Washington,D.C.,June12,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.cato-unbound.org/2012/06/12/brian-michael-jenkins/getting-the-threat-right/5Helmus,Todd,“WhyandHowSomePeopleBecomeTerrorists,”inPaulK.DavisandKimCragin,eds.,Social Science for Counterterrorism: Putting the Pieces Together,SantaMonica,Calif.:RANDCorporation,MG-849-OSD,2008,pp.71–112.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG849.html6ExecutiveOfficeofthePresidentoftheUnitedStates,“EmpoweringLocalPartnerstoPreventViolentExtremismintheUnitedStates,”August2011;ExecutiveOfficeofthePresidentoftheUnitedStates,“StrategicImplementationPlanforEmpoweringLocalPartnerstoPreventViolentExtremismintheUnitedStates,”December2011.7ThispositiveinfluenceabroadisespeciallyimportantasgovernmentcensorshipandpressurefromformalreligiousgroupslimitfreeandopenreligiousdialogueinmanypartsoftheMiddleEast.TheUnitedStatesprovidesanimportantspacewheresuchdialogueislegallyprotectedandculturallysupported.8Interviewwithimam,April24,2012(namewithheldonrequest).9CoreyP.Saylor,Written Statement of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on the Extent of Radicalization in the American Muslim Community and that Community’s Response,CouncilonAmerican-IslamicRelations.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.cair.com/ActionCenter/PeterKingHearings.aspx10Imaminterview,2012.11InterviewwithDr.HediehMirahmadi,WORDEpresident,MontgomeryVillage,Md.,May21,2012.12GreaterBostonInterfaithOrganizationhomepage,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.gbio.org/13InterviewwithMuslimmediaactivist,April12,2012(namewithheldonrequest).14Theforumsreferredtoherearenotorganization-specificchatrooms,butratherunaffiliatedradicalforums.Gainingaccesstoanofficialal-Qa’idawebforum,forexample,isnotpracticalforCVEmessagingduetothestrictmoderationofsuchforumsandcarefulvettingofparticipants.Mediaactivistinterview,2012.15InterviewwithImamAbdullahAntepli,DukeUniversitychaplain,Durham,N.C.,April4,2012.16Mediaactivistinterview,2012.17MuslimPublicAffairsCouncil,“CyberExtremism”memorandum,September14,2011;LaurieGoodstein,“AmericanMuslimsMakeVideotoRebutMilitants,”New York Times,July31,2010.Non-Muslimswerealsoanimportantdemographictargetforthisvideo.18AndreaElliott,“WhyYasirQadhiWantstoTalkAboutJihad,”New York Times,March17,2011.Seealso“TheJWord”website,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://thejword.org/19DominicCasciani,“IslamicScholarTahirul-QadriIssuesTerrorismFatwa,”BBC News,March2,2010.AsofNovember27,2012:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8544531.stm20MuslimPublicAffairsCouncil,“InjusticeCannotDefeatInjustice,”YouTubevideo,July12,2010.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IofpsHOosE21Imaminterview,2012.22Someexamplesoftheofferings:Muslimmatters.org,“MakingSenseoftheEgyptianElections:APoliticalAnalysis,”June28,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://muslimmatters.org/2012/06/28/making-sense-of-the-egyptian-elections-a-political-analysis/andQadhi,Yasir,“HowtoSpendYourSummerVacation,”Muslimmatters.org,June4,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://muslimmatters.org/2012/06/04/muslimmatters-treasures-how-to-spend-your-summer-vacation-yasir-qadhi/

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23Islam and the Internet,nine-partseries,Suhaibwebb.com2011.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.suhaibwebb.com/miscellaneous/announcements/launching-islam-the-internet-series/AbuAaliyah,Jihad al-Nafs: The Greater Struggle,Muslimmatters.org,November23,2007.AsofNovember27,2012:http://muslimmatters.org/2007/11/23/jihad-al-nafs-the-greater-struggle/24MuhammadWajidAkhter,5 Examples of Supreme Muslim Tolerance,Muslimmatters.org,September20,2012;Muslimmatters.orgFacebookpage,April2007.AsofNovember27,2012:https://www.facebook.com/MuslimMatters25NadiaS.Mohammed,“RiseoftheAmericanRock-StarImam,”Elan The Magazine,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://elanthemag.com/the-rise-of-the-‘rockstar’-imams/26HamzaYusuf ’sFacebookpage,February17,2008.AsofNovember27,2012:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hamza-Yusuf/805840654327Mohammed,undated.28PewResearchCenter,Muslim Americans: No Signs of Growth in Alienation or Support for Extremism,August30,2011.29Jenkins,2011;SeealsoJenkins,2012.30DavidSchanzer,CharlesKurzman,andEbrahimMoosa,Anti-Terror Lessons of Muslim-Americans,Washington,D.C.:U.S.DepartmentofJustice,January6,2010.31Aliinterview,2012.32Mediaactivistinterview,2012.33PewResearchCenter,2011.34PeterBergen,AndrewLebovich,MatthewReed,etal.,“Post–9/11JihadistTerrorismCasesInvolvingU.S.CitizensandResidents,”NewAmericaFoundation,2011.Accordingtoarelatedstudy,informantswereusedin69of191terrorismcasesandundercoveragentsusedin21cases.NewAmericaFoundationandSyracuseUniversity’sMaxwellSchoolofPublicPolicy,“RoleofInformantsandUndercoverAgents,”The Homegrown Threat,2011.AsofDecember14,2012:http://homegrown.newamerica.net/about/role-informants-and-undercover-agents35JerryMarkon,“TensionGrowsBetweenCaliforniaMuslims,FBIafterInformantInfiltratesMosque,”Washington Post,December5,2010.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/04/AR2010120403710.html36MattApuzzoandAdamGoldman,“InsidetheSpyUnitthatNYPDSaysDoesn’tExist,”Associated Press,Aug.31,2011.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.ap.org/Content/AP-In-The-News/2011/Inside-the-spy-unit-that-NYPD-says-doesnt-existChrisHawleyandMattApuzzo,“NYPDInfiltrationofCollegesRaisesPrivacyFears,”Associated Press,October11,2011.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.ap.org/Content/AP-In-The-News/2011/NYPD-infiltration-of-colleges-raises-privacy-fearsAdamGoldmanandMattApuzzo,“NYPDBuiltSecretFilesonMosquesOutsideNewYork,”Associated Press,February22,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.ap.org/Content/AP-In-The-News/2012/NYPD-built-secret-files-on-mosques-outside-NYEileenSullivan,“NYPDSpiedonCity’sMuslimAnti-TerrorPartners,”Associated Press,October6,2011.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.ap.org/Content/AP-In-The-News/2011/NYPD-spied-on-citys-Muslim-anti-terror-partners37TinaMoore,RoccoParascandola,andCorkySiemaszko,“BloombergDefendsNYPDSpying,”Daily News,February24,2012.38PewResearchCenter,Public Remains Conflicted over Islam,August24,2010.39WajahatAli,EliClifton,MatthewDuss,LeeFang,ScottKeys,andFaizShakir,Fear,Inc.,The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America,CenterforAmericanProgress,August26,2011.40LisaDeMoraes,“TameRealityof‘All-AmericanMuslim’LeadstoCancellation,”Washington Post,March7,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/tame-reality-of-all-american-muslim-leads-to-cancellation/2012/03/07/gIQAXSOoxR_print.html41NationalConsortiumfortheStudyofTerrorismandResponsestoTerrorism,Far Right Violence in the United States: 1990–2010,August2012.42“TheBenefitsofHindsight,”The Economist,August18–24,2012,p.33.43SouthernPovertyLawCenter,“SPLCTestifiestoU.S.SenateaboutRisingExtremistThreat,UrgesVigilance,”September19,2012.44HediehMirahmadiandMehreenFarooq,A Community-Based Approach to Countering Radicalization: A Partnership for America,WORDEFounda-tion,December2010;BrianFishmanandAndrewLebovich,Countering Domestic Radicalization: Lessons for Intelligence Collection and Community Outreach,NewAmericaFoundation,June2011.Oneconcern,forexample,isthatreportingpotentiallyradicalizedMuslimstoauthoritiescreatesariskthatlawenforcementwilluseundercoveragentstofomenttheprocessfurtherasakindofcontrolleddetonation,ratherthaninterveningtostoptheradicalizationprocessinitstracks.

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45Antepliinterview,2012.46Activistinterview,2012.47PhoneinterviewwithMuslimsocialmediaexpert,May5,2012.48Aliinterview,2012.49Antepliinterview,2012.50IhsanBagby,The American Mosque 2011: Activities, Administration, and Vitality of the American Mosque,CAIR,ReportNo2,May2012.51Mohammed,undated;InterviewwithRabiaChaudry,Washington,D.C.,April9,2012.52Chaudryinterview,2012.53BrieLoskotaandNadiaRoumani,Enhancing Impact in the Public Square: Building Capacity and Developing Leadership among American Muslims and Their Organizations,BrookingsInstitution,August2011.54MatthewDaneman,“MoreU.S.CollegesAddingMuslimChaplains,”USA Today,March24,2011.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2011-03-24-muslimchaplains24_ST_N.htm55PhoneinterviewwithMoghul,NewAmericaFoundation,June8,2012.56Moghulinterview,2012.57PhoneinterviewwithAlejandroBeutel,formergovernmentandpolicyanalystattheMuslimPublicAffairsCouncil,May22,2012.58Mirahmadiinterview,2012.59Mediaactivistinterview,2012.60PhoneinterviewwithIslamicscholar,March30,2012(namewithheldonrequest).61H.A.Hellyer,Pursuant to Prevent: British Community Counterterrorism Strategy: Past, Present, and Future,InstituteforSocialPolicyandUnderstand-ing,2011.62PeterNeumann,Preventing Violent Radicalization in America,NationalSecurityPreparednessGroup,June2011.63SuchabacklashmayoccurbecauseofperceptionsthatCVEisnotasignificantissueorbecauseitmaybeviewedaskowtowingtogovernmentsecu-rityprograms.64Mediaactivistinterview,2012.65FishmanandLebovich,2011,p.21;ImamMohamedMagidandHumeraKhan,The Roles of Muslim-Majority and Muslim-Minority Communities in a Global Context,SabanCenter,BrookingsInstitution,August,2011;MirahmadiandFarooq,2010.66PhoneinterviewwithMuslimchaplain,February24,2012(namewithheldonrequest).67Beutelinterview,201268Imaminterview,2012.69Socialmediaexpertinterview,2012.70Beutelinterview,201271Moghulinterview,2012.72Moghulinterview,2012.73Moghulinterview,2012.74Schanzer,Kurzman,andMoosa,2010.75Chaudryinterview,2012.76Aliinterview,2012.77PhoneinterviewwithDolatabadi,June8,2012.78JasonWalsh,“GoogleIdeas’sNew‘Think-Do’TankTakesonViolentExtremism,”Christian Science Monitor,June29,2011.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2011/0629/Google-Ideas-s-new-think-do-tank-takes-on-violent-extremism79JaredCohenandBrendanBallou,SAVE Supporting Document: Becoming a Former: Identity, Ideology, and Counterradicalization,CouncilonForeignRelations,March2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.cfr.org/united-states/save-supporting-document-becoming-former/p27056

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80InterviewwithAlexStrugnell,InstituteforStrategicDialogue,March9,2012;OliviaSolon,“FormerTerroristsandNeo-NazisGetTheirOwnSocialNetwork,”Wired.com,April25,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/04/wiredcouk-nazi-social-net/81TribecaFilmInstitute,“TribecaTeachesExpandstoLosAngeles,”February6,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.tribecafilminstitute.org/youth/news/138791639.html“TribecaTeaches:LennoxMiddleSchool,”Vimeovideo,April24,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://vimeo.com/4096453682eBoost4SProgramhomepage,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.4sprogram.org/index.html83Dolatabadiinterview,2012.84FishmanandLebovich,2011;MirahmadiandFarooq,2010.85Neumann,2011.Forexample,DHShastheOfficeforCivilRightsandCivilLiberties,whichholdstownhallandcommunityroundtableeventswhereindividualscanvoicegrievancesandenableDHStopromoteunderstandingofissuesrelatedtoviolentextremism.TheDepartmentofJustice’sCommunityRelationsServiceworkswithMuslimAmericansandotherminorities.U.S.attorneyshavebeentoldtofosterengagementwithcommuni-tiesonissuesofviolentextremism.TheFBIconductsengagementprograms,asdoestheNCTC.86Moghulinterview,2012.Asanotherindividualnoted,“Whycan’twehavethePresidentsay,‘WeunderstandMuslimshavelegitimateissueswithPalestinianIsraeliconflict’...Actuallymakethesedisenfranchisedpeoplefeelapartoftheprocessbynotalienatingthemfurther...”PhoneinterviewwithanonymousIslamicscholar,March30,2012.87Foranexcellentdiscussiononthisissue,seeFishmanandLebovich,2011.88Schanzer,Kurzman,andMoosa,2010.89FishmanandLebovich,2011,p.23.90PresidentBarackObama,“RemarksbythePresidentonaNewBeginning,”June4,2009.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/remarks-president-cairo-university-6-04-0991Importantly,interfaithengagementsoughtnotpresupposethatfundamentaldifferencesintheologydonotexistamongparticipantsfromdifferentreligiousbackgrounds.Instead,interfaithengagementsshouldseektohelpparticipantsunderstandthesedifferencesandcreateanatmospherewhereinterfaithfriendshipscantakeroot.Suchwasthecaseinaneventcalled“BuildingHope:Muslims,ChristiansandJewsSeekingtheCommonGood.”Theten-dayeventheldinJune2011broughttogetherinfluential,conservative,anddevoutChristians,Muslims,andJewsinordertodiscussissuesofcommonconcern.Theevent’sunusuallengthallowedtimeforparticipantstosharepersonalconvictions,wrestlewithandappreciatekeydifferencesintheology,andbuildmutualfriendships.SeeYaleCenterforFaithandCulture,ReconciliationProgramwebsite.92ExecutiveOfficeofthePresidentoftheUnitedStates,“StrategicImplementationPlanforEmpoweringLocalPartnerstoPreventViolentExtremismintheUnitedStates,”December2011.93LoskotaandRoumani,2011;Mirahmadiinterview,201294AmericanMuslimCivilLeadershipInstitutewebsite;phoneinterviewwithNadiaRoumani,AMCLIdirector,May31,2012;Beutelinterview,2012.95Moghulinterview,2012.96Mediaactivistinterview,2012.97InterviewwithRebeccaBouchebel,QorvisCommunications,May31,2012.98Onecommonlycitedfatwaagainstterrorism,forexample,is600pages,fartoocumbersometoplaywellinsocialmedia.99RANDhasexaminedhowArabiclanguageworksofartcanpositivelycounterextremisminthebroaderMiddleEastandhasconsideredsomeofthebarriersfacedbyMiddleEasternartists.LowellSchwartz,ToddHelmus,DaliaDassaKaye,andNadiaOweidat,Barriers to the Broad Dissemination of Creative Works in the Arab World,SantaMonica,Calif.:RANDCorporation,MG-879-OSD,2009.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG879.html100MirahmadiandFarooq,2010.101Imaminterview,2012.102Forexample,thesurveysidentifytheprevalenceof“creators”whopublishblogsanduploadvideos,“conversationalists”whopostTwitterupdatesandupdatetheirFacebookstatus,“joiners”whovisitsocialnetworkingsitesandmaintainprofiles,aswellasmere“spectators”and“inactives.”SeeCharleneLiandJoshBernoff,Groundswell, Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies,ForresterResearch,Inc.,2011,p.63.103Moghulinterview,2012104Dolatabadiinterview,2012.105LorenzoVidino,Countering Radicalization in America: Lessons From Europe,UnitedStatesInstituteofPeace,SpecialReport262,November2010.

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106Vidino,2010,p.7.107InterviewwithMuslimsocialmediaexpert(namewithheldonrequest).108IhsanBagby,The American Mosque 2011: Basic Characteristics of the American Mosque; Attitudes of Mosque Leaders,CAIR,ReportNo1,January2011.109Neumann,2011;MirahmadiandFarooq,2010;Beutelinterview,2012.110ExecutiveOfficeofthePresidentoftheUnitedStates,“StrategicImplementationPlanforEmpoweringLocalPartnerstoPreventViolentExtremismintheUnitedStates,”December2011.111TheWhiteHouse,Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ofbnp112InterviewwithAliDialo,June15,2012.113NationalEndowmentfortheArts,“2012Guide,”2012,p.1.114InterviewwithTawfikHamid,M.D.,Arlington,Va.,March3,2012.115TimStevensandPeterR.Neumann,Countering Online Radicalisation: A Strategy for Action,TheInternationalCentrefortheStudyofRadicalisationandPoliticalViolence,2009;interviewwithPeterNeumann,KingsCollege,March5,2012.

Additional ReferencesAmerican-ArabAnti-DiscriminationCommittee,Bridges,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.adcmichigan.org/content/bridges

AmericanMuslimCivilLeadershipInstitutehomepage,undated.AsofNovember27,2012:http://crcc.usc.edu/initiatives/amcli/

Bagby,Ihsan,The American Mosque 2011: Basic Characteristics of the American Mosque; Attitudes of Mosque Leaders,CAIR,ReportNo.1,January2011.

DeMoraes,Lisa,“TameRealityofAll-AmericanMuslimLeadstoCancellation,”Washington Post,March7,2012.AsofNovember27,2012:http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/tame-reality-of-all-american-muslim-leads-to-cancellation/2012/03/07/gIQAXSOoxR_print.html

Gray,David,andAlbonHead,“TheImportanceoftheInternettothePost-ModernTerroristandItsRoleasaFormofSafeHaven,”European Journal of Scientific Research,Vol.25,No.3,2009,pp.396–404.

InstituteforStrategicDialogue,Radicalisation: The Role of the Internet, A Working Paper of the PPN,undated.

Li,Charlene,andJoshBernoff,Groundswell, Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies,ForresterResearch,Inc.,2011,p.63.

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About This ReportTheAugust2011WhiteHousestrategytoempowerlocalpartnerstopreventviolentextremismseekstopromotecommunity-ledcounterextremismactivities,particularlythosepromulgatedontheInternetandsocialmedia.ThisreportseekstoidentifywaystoempowerpositiveandcredibleMuslimvoicestocounteral-Qa’ida’sgrowingInternetpropagandacampaign.ThefindingsfromthisreportwillbeofinterestnotonlytotheU.S.governmentbutalsoprivatefoundations,nonprofitgroups,andtheprivatesector,whosesupportiscriticaltothesuccessofthenewWhiteHousestrategy.

Theauthorswishtothankthemanyindividualswhocontributedtothisresearchreport.Firstandforemost,wethankallofthosewhograciouslylenttheirtimeforinterviews.Itistheirinsightfulcommentsthatmakethesubstanceofthisreport.WearealsogratefultoFranciscoWalter,whohelpedpreparethisdocumentandlentaninvaluablehandtoallfacetsoftheresearchprocess.BothOmaral-ShaheryandWasifSyedprovidedhelpfulreviewsofdraftmanuscript.WealsothankJenniferBrysonandBrianJenkins,whoprovidedexpertreviewandcarefullyconsideredcritiquesofourreport.Anyerrorsremainthesoleresponsibilityoftheauthors.

The RAND Homeland Security and Defense CenterThisresearchwasconductedwithintheRANDHomelandSecurityandDefenseCenter,ajointcenterofRANDJustice,Infrastructure,andEnvironmentandtheRANDNationalDefenseResearchInstitute,afeder-allyfundedresearchanddevelopmentcentersponsoredbytheOfficeoftheSecretaryofDefense,theJointStaff,theUnifiedCombatantCommands,theNavy,theMarineCorps,thedefenseagencies,andthedefenseIntel-ligenceCommunity.

FormoreinformationontheRANDHomelandSecurityandDefenseCenter,seehttp://www.rand.org/multi/homeland-security-and-defense.html.