OSCE workshop in Serbia seeks to prevent terrorist use of the Internet

BELGRADE, 25 February 2009 - A national expert workshop on combating terrorist use of the Internet and comprehensively enhancing cyber-security started in Serbia today.

Participants in the two-day workshop, organized by the OSCE's Action against Terrorism Unit (ATU) include more than 60 national representatives and decision-makers as well as 20 internationally recognised experts in this field, from the public and private sector.

"Just as all of us rely on the Internet in our daily lives, the Internet has become a strategic device and a tactical facilitator for terrorists," said Raphael Perl, the Head of the ATU.

"It is used for a variety of purposes such as identifying, recruiting and training new members, collecting and transferring funds, organizing terrorist acts and inciting terrorist violence. The use of computer systems and the Internet as weapons for cyber-attacks is also a growing concern."

George Sadowsky, Executive Director of the Global Internet Policy Initiative, stressed that "security is too important to be left only to security experts. Internet security must become everyone's business".

Kenneth Geers, U.S. Representative to the Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia, added: "The ubiquitous, unpredictable and amplifying nature of the Internet means that battles fought there can be just as important - if not more so - than events taking place on the ground."

The event is the first in a series of planned OSCE workshops focusing on cyber-security in a comprehensive manner, addressing topics such as terrorist use of the Internet, cyber-attacks by terrorist groups and cyber-crime as well as other threats, including those to critical infrastructures.

The meeting intends to find ways to strengthen cyber-security and raise awareness about the effects of potential attacks. It also aims to showcase preventive measures, including the sharing of experiences and best practices.