Thursday, 21 August 2014 - 09:36
Social media ISIS support investigated
The glorification of violence on social media is something that worries the Public Prosecution Authority (OM) in The Netherlands. The OM is monitoring the internet for signs of this, as well as calls to open violence or calls to jihad, but cannot yet take action against this, as there is no law to allow this, De Telegraaf reports.
Minister Ivo Opstelten of Security and Justice explained the limits in the law after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.
Motivation for this is the recent claim by IS that they captured and beheaded 40-year-old American journalist James Foley, who was held in Iraq for two years. The terrorist organization recorded the brutal execution and posted it online as "A Message To America." IS now claims they will do the same to TIME journalist Steven Sotloff, who has reportedly been missing since last year.
Minister Opstelten says that action can be taken against posts or websites calling for open violence, as they are taken off the internet. It is then determined whether expressions can be punished by law.
The Netherlands Intelligence Service (AIVD) has said before that they keep an eye on the social network and speaks to providers about prohibited expressions. If they do not remove these themselves, the Department of Justice can discuss measures.