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1 ISIS Cubs Ashbal al Khilafa

2 Socialization Process for Children into ISIS Cubs

6. Stationing Role assignment 5. Specialization Fostering expertise, specialized training 4. Subjugation Isolation from family; brutalization, military training 3. Selection Screening for aptitude, special attention, “grooming” and preparation for training 2. Schooling Direct exposure to personnel, intensive teachings, religious indoctrination 1. Seduction Learning about the Islamic State’s ideas, practices via peripheral exposure

3 Life Cycle of Ashbal Cub - From bystander to fully committed insider

“The Furqan Foundation in the “Race Towards Good,” Al-Hayat Media Center, “Uncovering an Enemy Within,” Company of a Migrant Family,” The November 22, 2014. Al-Hayat Media Center, January Furqan Foundation, October 14, 2013. 13, 2015.

4 Analysis of ISIS Social Media

5 Project 2: “Documenting the Virtual ” Monitoring Official Channels & Chat Rooms

6 7 8 9 10 Children’s Roles in VEOs INFORMAL (Peaceful) Protestor Human shield Student Rock thrower Youth club First-aid

Apprence

Cook Porter

SUPPORT COMBAT

Courier Arllery operator Scout Spy Anaircra gunman Youth mentor Guard Patrol Prison guard Sniper Foot-soldier Recruiter Murabit Bomb-maker Execuoner Propagandist Bodyguard FORMAL Inghimasi Suicide bomber

11 Image via ‘TheIraqWitness v 3’

12 Children as recruiters

13 14 15 16 Children and Inghimasi Operations

17 18 Contrast between Children in Propaganda &Children on the Front-Lines

May 2016 “Sang Pour Sang” Video

19 August 26, 2016 Video

20 Fityan al Islam

Banser, the youth wing of Indonesia’s Nahdlatul Ulama

21 Free Uses Children Extensively …But they do not Travel Far

22 Children &Youth Deaths in (by Group) 35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

TOTAL FSA SAA YPG/J IS NDF HIZBULLAH JN SSNP OTHER

23 sources Picture of sources for each group

24 Examples of Distance to Crime Studies

25 D2C study of Children’s Deaths

Hasakah Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

26 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

27 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

28 Hasakah AleppoAleppo IdlibIdlib 97% Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Homs Hama

Hama Homs

Damascus

Daraa

29 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

30 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

31 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus 95%

Daraa

32 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

33 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

34 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa 92%

35 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

36 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

37 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama 73% Homs

Damascus

Daraa

38 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama Homs

Damascus

Daraa

39 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama Homs

Damascus

Daraa

40 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama Homs 53%

Damascus

Daraa

41 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

42 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

43 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa

Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama Homs 83%

Damascus

Daraa

44 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

45 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa Lattakia Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

46 Hasakah Aleppo Idlib Raqqa Lattakia 74% Deir ez-Zor Hama

Homs

Damascus

Daraa

47 Think Again Turn Away 3 September 2014

48 49 Future Directions of the Projects

Year 2: Expand study to other groups, e.g. Boko Haram, (Pakistan and ), Houthis etc. Show how FTO’s formalize children’s involvement through institutions Psychological Effects of Trauma on Children How to create children specific DDR programs for youth exposed to/involved In violent extremism (as witnesses or as participants)

Year 3: Formulate Counter Narratives that will resonate with communities Ascertain whether we can objectively determine when, & under what conditions, we get to a “hurting stalemate.” What does post conflict Justice look like? Analysis of Future Trends

50 Students Trained

PhD Students (6): • Chelsea Daymon (GSU) • Sinem Dilan Basaran (GSU) • Wojciech Kazkowski (GSU) • Tracy Hipp (GSU) • Shaun Walsh (UML) • Elizabeth Nimmons (BCH) Post Docs (1) • Emma Cardeli (BCH) Consultants (2): • Tanya Zayed • Hassan Hassan

51 Publications and Op-Eds • Bloom, M. and Horgan, J., Small Arms: Children and Terrorism. Cornell University Press, Roger M. Haydon editor, forthcoming 2017 • Bloom, M. M. (2016). How Islamic State Recruits and Coerces Children. Washington Post August 25, 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/08/25/how-the-islamic-state-recruits-and-coerces-children/?utm_term=.e40859c32a75 • Horgan, J., Taylor, M., Bloom, M. and Winter, C., “From Cubs to Lions: A Community of Practice Perspective on Child Socialization into the Islamic State.” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. • Elliott, I., and Bloom, M., “Grooming for Violent Extremism: A self-regulation approach to the grooming of children for violent extremism.” [Under review at American Psychologist] • Bloom, M. M. (2016). Was the Nice Attacker Really an ISIS ‘Lone Wolf’? The Wire. http://thewire.in/author/mia-bloom/ • Bloom, M. M. (2016). Are Bystanders to Blame for Terrorism. Daily Beast June 14, 2016 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/06/14/terrorism-s-bystander-effect.html. • Bloom, M. M. (2016). Brussels Terrorist Brothers: Why Does Run in the Family? Daily Beast March 24, 2016. http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/ 2016/03/24/brussels-terrorist-brothers-why-does-jihad-run-in-the-family.html. • Bloom, M. (2015) “Cubs of the Caliphate: Children of ISIS.” Foreign Affairs July 21, 2015, https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2015-07-21/cubs-caliphate • Bloom, M. and Horgan, J. (2015). “Rise of the Child Terrorist.” Foreign Affairs, February 9, http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/143020 Outreach • Bloom, M. (2015) “Six Things You Need to Know About ISIS and Women.” Washington Post, Monkey Cage, June 4, 2015 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2015/06/04/six-things-you-need-to-know-about-women-and-isis/ • Bloom, M. (2015) “Exploit Schisms Already Hurting ISIS.” New York Times, June 1, 2015. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/01/can-victory-over- isis-be-more-than-a-mirage/exploit-schisms-that-are-already-hurting-isis • Bloom, M. (2014). “How the Islamic State is Recruiting Western Teens.” October 5, 2014, Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/10/09/how-the-islamic-state-is-recruiting-western-teen-girls/ • Bloom, M. (2014). “Armed and Innocent?” Washington Post, Monkey Cage, September 11, 2014 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/09/11/armed-and-innocent/ • Bloom, M. & Horgan, J. (2014). “New Terror Weapon: Little Girls?” CNN Opinion, January 7, 2014, http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/07/opinion/bloom-horgan-afghanistan-girl/

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Thank you. Office of Naval Research Sponsored Grants: Grooming the Next Generation: Children & VEO’s # N000014-16-1-2693 Georgia State University

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