The rise of the internet as a central feature of the contemporary international jihadist movement has reduced the influence of organisations and enhanced the individuality of the movement. Where previously the internet was almost exclusively used by groups pursuing their own strategic objectives, now the usage of the internet has grown to the point of being the key mechanism in the dissolution of jihad. The potency of the internet resides in its inherent potential for facilitating immediate, anonymous and qualitative contact between disparate and otherwise disconnected individuals. Through an expansive web of participants, the internet has become a sounding board, library, discussion forum and battle space within the international jihadist movement. The internet, as an inclusive mechanism, has effectively provided the means through which leaders are now able to incorporate and engage with geographically disbursed individuals in the movement's operations.
Compelled by the need to reach a broader resource pool and advocated by numerous prominent strategists, the internet has significantly enhanced the capabilities and proficiency of the movement. Although this shift from organisational to individualised jihad was not brought about by an executive mandate, the movement as a whole has adapted its strategies and procedures to include this potent tool.
As the movement continues to evolve and as strategies that emphasise the critical nature of the internet are published by jihadist thinkers such as Abu Musab al-Suri and Muhammed Khalil al-Hakaymah, the internet will increasingly serve as the primary vehicle for the atomisation of the global jihadist movement.
To meet many of the needs of a diversifying movement, jihadist leaders have looked to the internet as an efficient tool that can be used in multiple ways to meet core mission requirements such as recruitment, communication and the dissemination of strategic guidance and orders.
The critical feature of the internet that has made it such an indispensable tool is its inherent capacity for communication. Radical individuals, some of whom maintain senior positions in militant organisations, use the relative anonymity of the internet to interact with one another and to expand their network via web postings, e-mail and internet fora. Prime examples of this have been seen over the last two years, where several jihadist sympathisers based in Europe have been detained and charged with allegedly providing online support to the propaganda efforts of Al-Qaeda in Iraq and other foreign networks. These individuals, whose alleged activities were in some cases exclusively internet-based, quickly became nodes of an alleged broad network of actively militant individuals scattered throughout the West (court proceedings remain active against these individuals, and hence the specifics of their cases cannot be discussed). These cases suggest the prior necessity of strong organisational bonds has been mitigated to some degree by the ability for geographically disparate individuals and leaders to establish substantive links through the internet.
A more recent example is that of the administrators of a pro-jihadist internet forum, who on 27 April 2007, used an internet chatroom to facilitate a live interview with a purported Palestinian member of the Islamic State of Iraq, Abu Adam al-Maqdisi. Forum participants were able to ask Maqdisi questions about the progress of the conflict in Iraq, including how they could hijra (emigrate) to join the fighting, or whether there was any assistance they could provide the group from their current locations. Maqdisi provided much useful insight into the activities of foreign fighter networks in Iraq, including their current need for recruits specifically willing to engage in so-called 'martyrdom' operations. However, clearly aware of the need for operational security, he was careful to avoid divulging too much information of potential use to any counter-terrorism forces who may have infiltrated the meeting.