Militancy may be controlled within the country but it’s believed that radicals are active in the dark web. Also, they are using different apps and websites to send/receive protective text.
But the law enforcers and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, BTRC, does not have the wherewithal to completely stop the web based communication of extremists.
Police say, with some logistical support, this can also be stopped for good.
Members of Ansar al Islam and Neo JMB are active in the dark web.
Dark web is the net based murky world behind the surface web; most of us use the latter where all information is open.
Usually, the dark side is used by intelligence organisations, criminals and traders of porn.
IT expert Tanvir Hossain Zoha says: “a special browser is needed to enter the dark web.”
Once radicals were active on social media platforms but due to regular vigilance of law enforcers, they now operate in the dark network.
Monitoring the dark side is difficult and the militants can protect their identity, added Tanvir.
By installing a TOR browser and other uncommon soft-wares, identity can be concealed.
In the dark net, militant organisations have their sites along with directions and instructions.
Police say that though militants are often not educated, they are IT literate and given in-depth training to operate all digital equipment.
Protective text is used along with self-designed applications, the police believe.
One official of the Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime, says: “militants also have soft-wares to erase all their communication if caught by the law.”
In the Holey Artisan attack, militants used the mobile of one of the hostages, Hasnat Karim, and sent out photos using Wicker app.
IT specialist Tanvir says that if the ‘Nightmare’ software is used then all information from a phone can be wiped out.
More and more radicals are using the dark web; this can be stopped but efforts have to be made by BTRC, he added.