Tech Against Terrorism

Accelerationism is no longer a fringe theory - it’s become a dangerous ideological driver behind a growing number of real-world terrorist attacks. Rooted in the belief that societal collapse should be sped up to bring new world order, this radical worldview has been adopted by extremists across the spectrum - from the far-right to violent anarchists. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Ben Makuch, national security reporter and contributor to The Guardian and Peter Smith, an independent researcher and journalist with the Canadian Anti Hate Network. They unpack where accelerationist narratives started, and how the rise of the digital age has helped spread them. They also examine why this ideology appeals to violent actors - and the challenges law enforcement faces in countering the threat. 🎧 Listen to learn:  ➡︎ What accelerationism is, and how it has evolved over time.  ➡︎ How extremist communities are using this ideology to justify real-world violence.  ➡︎ The role of memes, manifestos, and online subcultures in spreading  accelerationist ideas.  ➡︎ The challenges in tackling the threat of accelerationism.  📱Connect with Ben Makuch [https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-makuch-846ba2196/] and Peter Smith [https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-smith-555b92218/]. ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/techvsterrorism.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-against-terrorism/].  🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website [https://techagainstterrorism.org/home]. 💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-webber-4a8a60b3/].  📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here [https://share.descript.com/view/FwKldDw6Pu9].   🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd [https://www.ogpodcasts.co.uk/] production.

Once a revolutionary manufacturing innovation, 3D printing has become a double-edged sword. While the technology is driving progress across sectors like medicine and aerospace, it’s also being exploited to produce untraceable, homemade firearms. In this episode, host Lucas Webber is joined by Yannick Veilleux-Lepage, Assistant Professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and a leading expert on the intersection of terrorism and emerging technologies. Together, they explore how 3D-printed weapons are being used by extremist actors, how online communities are spreading firearm blueprints, and why policymakers are struggling to respond to this growing security challenge. 🎧 Listen to learn:  ➡︎ Why 3D printing has become so attractive to extremists.  ➡︎ How online communities are facilitating the global spread of 3D-printed firearm designs.  ➡︎ The different types of 3D-printed weapons in circulation.  ➡︎ What governments and platforms can do to mitigate this evolving threat. 📱Connect with Yannick Veilleux-Lepage [https://www.linkedin.com/in/yveilleuxlepage/?originalSubdomain=ca].  📚Read Yannick’s latest research Printing Terror: An Empirical Overview of the Use of 3D-Printed Firearms by Right-Wing Extremists [https://ctc.westpoint.edu/printing-terror-an-empirical-overview-of-the-use-of-3d-printed-firearms-by-right-wing-extremists/] ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/techvsterrorism.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-against-terrorism/].  🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website [https://techagainstterrorism.org/home]. 💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-webber-4a8a60b3/].  📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here [https://share.descript.com/view/8E3qQTkgauq].   🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd [https://www.ogpodcasts.co.uk/] production.

The Islamic State, once a local insurgency rooted in Iraq and Syria, has transformed into a global network with far-reaching influence. In this episode of the podcast, we chart how its operations have expanded beyond the Middle East, as the group leveraged technology, propaganda, and local affiliates to spread its ideology across borders.  Host Lucas Webber is joined by Aaron Zelin, a Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and founder of the widely acclaimed website, Jihadology [https://www.jihadology.net/]. Aaron explains how The General Directorate of Provinces, a global hierarchy structure responsible for overseeing and coordinating Islamic State’s global affiliates, is central to much of the group's expansion. 🎧 Listen to learn: ➡︎ How The General Directorate of Provinces has helped IS integrate more globally. ➡︎ The implications of The General Directorate of Provinces for global security.  ➡︎ How current political instability in Syria affects the operational capabilities of IS. ➡︎ Strategies which could mitigate the Islamic State’s influence globally. 📱Connect with Aaron Zelin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaronzelin/]. 📚Learn more about jihadology.net here [https://jihadology.net/].  ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/techvsterrorism.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-against-terrorism/].  🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website [https://techagainstterrorism.org/home]. 💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-webber-4a8a60b3/].  📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here [https://share.descript.com/view/N7TYHPFYuxW]. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd [https://www.ogpodcasts.co.uk/] production.

Unmanned aerial vehicles - better known as drones - are transforming modern warfare. As the technology becomes more accessible to the general public, it also becomes easier for bad actors to exploit.  From surveillance and reconnaissance to weaponised drone attacks, extremist groups are increasingly using this technology to enhance their operational capabilities. In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber speaks to Don Rassler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Combating Terrorism Center at the US Military Academy at West Point. Together, they discuss how drones are being leveraged by terrorist organisations, the evolving threat landscape, and the countermeasures being developed to mitigate these risks. The views expressed by the guest in this podcast are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the Combating Terrorism Center, United States Military Academy, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government. 🎧 Listen to learn: ➡︎ How terrorist groups are acquiring and adapting drone technology ➡︎ The tactical advantages drones offer to extremist organisations ➡︎ How governments are responding to this emerging threat ➡︎ The future of drone warfare in terrorist operations 📱 Connect with Don Rassler [https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-rassler-8a69473/]. 📚Learn more about the Combating Terrorism Center here [https://ctc.westpoint.edu/]. ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/techvsterrorism.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-against-terrorism/].  🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website [https://techagainstterrorism.org/home]. 💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-webber-4a8a60b3/].  📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here [https://share.descript.com/view/pwYMFzBz2wO]. 🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd [https://www.ogpodcasts.co.uk/] production.

Video games are increasingly being leveraged as powerful tools in the fight against extremism. Counter-terrorism practitioners are using these "serious games" to enhance critical thinking and decision-making by immersing participants in realistic scenarios that mirror real-world security challenges. In this episode of the Tech Against Terrorism podcast, host Lucas Webber is joined by Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, Founder & CEO of Valens Games and an internationally recognised expert on political violence, alongside Eleanor Ross, Director of Game Design at Valens Games. Together, they discuss how immersive wargames and AI-driven narrative simulations are shaping the future of intelligence and counter-terrorism training. 🎧 Listen to learn: ➡︎ About the intersection of gaming and counter-terrorism ➡︎ How Valens Games develops simulations for practitioners ➡︎ The real-world applications of video game technology in security strategy ➡︎ The Challenges and risks associated with gamifying counter-terrorism training ➡︎ The role of AI and interactive storytelling in security simulations 📱Connect with Daveed Gartenstein-Ross [https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveedgr/] and Eleanor Ross [https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-ross-35b65b203/].  📚Learn more about Valens Games here [https://valensgames.com/].  ⚡Follow Tech Against Terrorism on Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/techvsterrorism.bsky.social] and LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/tech-against-terrorism/].  🌐Check out the Tech Against Terrorism website [https://techagainstterrorism.org/home]. 💬 Connect with our host, Lucas Webber [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-webber-4a8a60b3/].  📄 Read a full transcript of this episode here [https://share.descript.com/view/dVGp2RYVk3P].  🎙️ An OG Podcasts Ltd [https://www.ogpodcasts.co.uk/] production.