Srinagar, Apr 15: National Investigation Agency (NIA) organised a two day Brazil, Russia , India, China & South Africa (BRICS) Seminar (through virtual mode) on “Misuse of Internet for Terrorist Purposes and Role of Digital Forensics in Terrorist Investigations” on April 13 and 14.
In a statement to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the NIA said that thIs two day seminar was inaugurated by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla April 13.
“BRICS member states in 3rd Counter Terrorism Working Group (CTWG) at White River, South Africa had agreed to establish five sub working groups dedicated to enhance debates over specific challenges on counter-terrorism front.
Thereafter, in 4th CTWG meeting at Brasilia, India was given the Presidency of the sub-working group on “Misuse of Internet for Terrorist Purposes” for one year,” the statement said, adding,
“NIA organised this two day seminar while India is holding the Chairship of the BRICS for the year 2021”
The statement said that in the seminar, 40 experts from the five member countries deliberated upon technical sessions including ‘Exploitation of Social Media as an Arsenal ’, ‘Dark web and Anonymizers’, ‘Emerging Technologies and Artificial Intelligence’, ‘Cryptocurrency and Virtual Assets: Vulnerability of Privacy and Online Stealth’, Equipping Law Enforcement Agencies: CT Investigations and Digital Forensics to deal with such challenges. In addition, two panel discussions on engaging multiple stakeholders from both public and private sectors to tackle the misuse of internet and enhancing international co-operation to effectively tackle the exploitation of the Internet by terrorists for their nefarious activities, were also held.
“The delegates of the seminar appreciated the fact that in the current milieu of breakneck technological innovations and ever evolving digital landscape, the challenges pertaining to prevention , control and prosecution of the terrorist misuse of internet are immense,” the statement said. “It was emphasised that it is only through expedient international co-operation and seamless sharing of good practices in tackling this menace that we can create a safer and secure environment for the citizens of BRICS member states as well as the whole world—(KNO)
