Tech Against Terrorism

Hezbollah is one of the most powerful and complex militant organisations in the world today -  operating simultaneously as a political party, armed militia, and social movement. But how did the group evolve, how does it maintain influence today and what impact has the October 7th attack had on the group?
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by American political scientist and leading expert on Hezbollah, Matthew Levitt. Together, they explore the group’s ideological origins, its sophisticated propaganda operations, and how Hezbollah is adapting its strategy and technology amid ongoing regional conflict.

🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How Hezbollah’s 1985 founding document still shapes its ideology
➡︎ Why Hezbollah was an early leader in propaganda and media strategy
➡︎ What Hezbollah learned from earlier groups and taught those that followed
➡︎ How Hezbollah has reacted to and exploited the aftermath of October 7, 2023
➡︎ How the conflict has impacted Hezbollah’s current capabilities
➡︎ Why Hezbollah’s use of emerging technologies is a growing concern

📱Connect with Matthew Levitt.
🗺️Check out The Washington Institute’s interactive map tracking Hezbollah activities 
🎧Listen to Matthew’s podcast Breaking Hezbollah's Golden Rule here. 
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn. 
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.  
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

Youth radicalisation is changing. Young people today are increasingly being drawn into extremist movements through online platforms, social networks, and gaming environments. But these pathways look very different from previous generations, shaped by technology, social dynamics, and evolving ideologies.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Jacob Ware, research fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and adjunct professor at Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and DeSales University. Together, they explore how young people are being radicalised online, the role of emerging platforms and algorithms, and what can be done to prevent this worrying trend of youth extremism. 

🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How youth radicalisation today differs from previous generations
➡︎ The role of online platforms and gaming environments in recruitment
➡︎ Whether algorithmic recommendation systems are amplifying extremist content
➡︎ About the complexity of social or psychological needs VS ideology
➡︎ Recommendations for effective interventions 

📱Connect with Jacob Ware.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn. 
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have long been a weapon of choice for terrorist organisations. They’re cheap, adaptable, and devastatingly effective. But as technology evolves, so too do the tactics and tools used to build and deploy these weapons.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Austin Doctor, political scientist, Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the National Counterterrorism Innovation, Technology, and Education Center (NCITE). Together, they explore how emerging technologies - from drones to 3D printing - are reshaping the global threat landscape, and how governments can respond to this rapidly evolving challenge.

🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How terrorist groups are adapting IED tactics using emerging technologies
➡︎ The growing role of drones and dual-use tools in attack planning
➡︎ The rise of DIY manuals and online knowledge-sharing around explosives
➡︎ How younger people are increasingly being drawn into IED making and assembly
➡︎ Strategies to mitigate these evolving threats

📱Connect with Austin Doctor.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on LinkedIn. 
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

As political uncertainty continues to rise across Europe, increasing polarisation is creating a breeding ground for radicalisation. More than ever, extremist groups are exploiting online platforms and social networks - using them as virtual planning hubs, spaces to share extremist propaganda and recruit young people. 
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Dr Nicolas Stockhammer, a political scientist and Director of the Research Cluster "Counter-Terrorism, CVE and Intelligence" at Danube-University Krems in Austria. They explore the online trends emerging across Europe, and what these developments mean for counter-terrorism efforts.

🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How terrorist groups are exploiting social media and online communities
➡︎ The role of online propaganda in radicalising young people
➡︎ How virtual spaces are used for training and operational planning
➡︎ The impact of political instability on extremist influence online

📱Connect with Dr Nicolas Stockhammer.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here. 
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.

From online propaganda targeting youth, to the gendered dynamics of extremist groups, Southeast Asia faces a unique set of terrorism challenges that are often overlooked by the international community.
In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Julie Chernov Hwang - Associate Professor at Goucher College, Senior Research Fellow at The Soufan Center, and an expert on terrorism in Southeast Asia. Together, they explore the key drivers of radicalisation in the region, how individuals disengage from violent groups, and what local civil society initiatives are doing to counter extremism.

🎧 Listen to learn:
➡︎ How social bonds play a central role in radicalisation
➡︎ The growing trend of youth and women in extremist networks in South East Asia
➡︎ What drives militants to leave terrorist groups
➡︎ The role of locally led deradicalisation efforts
➡︎ What the world can learn from Southeast Asia's experience

📱Connect with Julie Chernov Hwang.
⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky and LinkedIn. 
🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website.
💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber. 
📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here.  
🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd production.