UN experts warn terror networks weaponise AI, crypto, encrypted apps
Counter-terrorism experts convened at the United Nations have issued stark warnings that militant networks are rapidly expanding their online operational footprint, leveraging artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency infrastructure, and encrypted messaging platforms to evade detection and finance activities.
The experts cautioned that the convergence of these technologies has materially lowered barriers for terrorist recruitment, propaganda dissemination, and cross-border financial transfers, complicating law enforcement and intelligence efforts globally. AI-generated content, they noted, is being used to personalise radicalisation campaigns at scale.
Cryptocurrency networks were singled out for enabling anonymous and borderless financing that bypasses conventional financial monitoring systems. Encrypted applications, widely used by the general public, are simultaneously being exploited by extremist cells for secure communications that are difficult to intercept.
The UN session heard calls for strengthened international regulatory frameworks, greater cooperation between governments and technology platforms, and enhanced capacity building in developing nations where monitoring infrastructure remains limited. Experts stressed that the threat is accelerating faster than institutional responses.
Similar Stories
Background and related coverage on this story.
Iran Strikes Kuwait Airport With Drones and Missiles
Iran launched a drone and missile attack targeting Kuwait's main international airport, the Kuwaiti state news agency reported on Wednesday, marking a dramatic and dangerous escalation of hostilities in the Gulf region. The strike represents a direct attack on the sovereign territory and civilian infrastructure of a Gulf Cooperation Council member state.
Tehran strikes US air base after American attacks on Iranian military sites
Iran launched a retaliatory strike against a United States air base on Monday after American forces attacked several Iranian military installations, marking a dramatic and dangerous escalation in tensions between the two nations. The exchange of strikes represents the most direct military confrontation between Washington and Tehran in years, raising fears of a broader regional conflict across the already volatile Middle East.
US Strikes Iranian Military Sites, Tehran Retaliates With Air Base Attack
The United States has confirmed it conducted strikes against Iranian military installations, in what marks one of the most significant direct military confrontations between the two countries in recent decades. Washington said the strikes targeted Iranian military sites, though full details of the scale, location, and objectives of the operation remained under official review at the time of reporting.
US Strikes Iran; Tehran Retaliates Against American Airbase
The United States has carried out fresh military strikes against Iran, triggering an immediate retaliatory attack by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards on an American military base in the Gulf region. The escalation comes after President Donald Trump publicly dismissed reports of a potential deal that would have kept the Strait of Hormuz open, removing a diplomatic off-ramp that analysts had considered a last-ditch mechanism to contain hostilities.
Russian Drone and Missile Assault on Ukraine Kills Ten
Russia launched a major combined drone and missile attack on Ukraine, killing at least ten people and wounding dozens more in one of the heaviest bombardments in recent weeks. Ukrainian emergency services reported strikes across multiple regions, with residential areas and infrastructure among the targets hit.
US Military Strikes Iran in Self-Defence Operations Over Weekend
The United States military carried out strikes against Iran over the weekend, characterising the operations as self-defence actions in response to what Washington described as provocations by Iranian forces or proxies. The strikes represent a significant escalation in the already volatile US-Iran confrontation and risk triggering a broader regional conflagration across the Middle East.