The last ISIS-family suicide bombings in Surabaya is a sign for the government to remain vigilant towards the imminent threat of terrorism which targets women and children as potential actors.
Children
Female and children combatants of the different terrorist groups operating in the Philippines possess a myriad of skills. For women, this includes identifying safe havens for fighters, while children help provide surveillance activities of the police and military units in the area.
Since terrorist and violent extremist groups tend to flourish in marginalized areas, no sector in today’s world is at greater risk and remains severely understudied as the stateless women and children targeted for recruitment and radicalization by terrorist organizations.
Women and children aligned with terrorist groups leverage gender and age dynamics for their benefit by claiming ignorance of terrorist acts so as to minimize their culpability.
Indonesian children face an increased risk of online radicalization during COVID-19. This commentary discusses the challenges to prevent such radicalization while proposing how the involvements of social influencers may be a step forward.