‘Terrorists recruiting teenagers online’

JEDDAH: Terrorist organizations are increasingly using social media to recruit teenagers, experts have warned.
Young people are also being socialized into becoming violent because of the content of computer games, the experts were quoted as saying in a local publication recently.
Manal Al-Soumali, a social worker at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah, said terrorist organizations are targeting teenagers because they are vulnerable and more easily influenced.
Al-Soumali said terrorists use religious arguments to convince youngsters that they can enter Paradise if they sacrifice themselves. Most of those recruited are young people who do not have stable family lives, she said.
She said video games are also to blame for making teenagers believe that they are “superheroes.” In addition, these games often promote various forms of violence include murder, rape and torture, which makes them susceptible to adopting this behavior for real.
Al-Soumali said the best way to tackle this problem is for parents to speak regularly with their children, to warn them of the dangers of these organizations.
Suad Afif, professor of sociology at King Abdul Aziz University, said parents can play a major role in protecting their children from extremism. “They should monitor their behavior, get to know their friends and peers, and supervise their use of the Internet.”
Afif said teenagers are not aware of the dangers and methods used by terrorists to lure them into their ranks. There should be a concerted effort made by “society at large” to involve young people in community activities and voluntary work, she said.
Umm Imad said she keeps a close eye on her teenage son, and does not use violence to discipline him. “Mothers should show more sympathy and tenderness toward their teenage sons,” she said.
Umm Sami agreed: “The best way to prevent teenagers from getting mixed up with bad people, and to keep them away from the Internet, is to involve them in family life, chores and running errands. Mothers, in particular, can use these methods to get their children more attached to them.”