Grand Terror Auto: ISIS uses video game to recruit

Wannabe jihadis are being brainwashed through an Islamic State version of one of the world’s most popular video games, as extremist terror recruits get younger.

AN “Islamic state version” of Grand Theft Auto is being used to recruit the next generation of home grown jihadists, a counter-terror expert has revealed.

The popular video game is just one of a range of new platforms terrorists are using to prosthelytize young Aussies as security agencies crackdown on older systems like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp.

QLD terror: Push to keep terrorists locked up

Brisbane man charged with supporting terror

Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Dr Isaac Kfir revealed that terror recruits used to be older, in their 30s, while they have been increasingly getting younger, in their earlier 20s or teens.

Screen shot from Grand Theft Auto V. Terrorists are using an “Islamic state version” of the popular game to prosthelytize, a Parliamentary committee heard. Picture: Supplied

But he said the younger targets for recruitment were less dedicated to the cause and were brought on board with “the cliff notes” of extremist preaching. “It’s jihadi for stupid”.

Dr Kfir, speaking to Parliament’s security and intelligence committee, argued against cancelling citizenship for Aussie foreign fighters, saying they posed a greater risk to Australians being left to roam in unknown locations oversees, plotting and recruiting.

“I would emphasises that the worst terrorist attack against Australians took place overseas,” he said.

“I fear that if we have an Australian national that we have rejected and said you cannot come back here … that might have much more dire ramifications.

“We can’t simply say you are no longer Australian, therefore you are no longer our problem.

“There’s a senior Australian who now operates (Islamic State) propaganda. I would love to get him back. I don’t want him over there preaching against us.”

Dr Kfir said IS were very good and innovative with their propaganda.

“We talk on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. They’ve moved on from that. I can show you video games that they now use and create to prosthelytize,” he said.

“There used to be a video game called Quest for Saddam, they revamped it to Quest for Bush.

Grand Theft Auto has an Islamic State version.”

Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s Dr Isaac Kfir says Aussie foreign fighters for IS pose a greater risk overseas, than in Australia where they can be locked up or monitors. Picture: AP Photo/Mohamed sheik Nor

But he said as terror groups recruited younger targets, it also meant there was a greater chance to deradicalise would-be jihadis.

“The earlier core of individuals arrested here in Australia are much stronger ideologues than what we’re getting now days,” Dr Kfir said.

“Even with ISIL, with the foreign fighters who have gone there, you’re not always dealing with committed ideologues.

“For them, an al-Qaeda preacher and an Islamic State preacher, it’s the same.

“ISIL is described to me by one security official as ‘Jihadi for stupid’. It’s the cliff notes.

That gives us a lot more room to work with them and deradicalise them.”