Terrifying new generation of ‘cybernative’ ISIS terrorists could target ‘Facebook and West’s energy grids’ in a bid to cause mass panic and mayhem
Such attacks would be aimed at disrupting rather than demolishing 'symbols' of the West, it is claimed
A NEW generation of "cybernative" terrorists have begun targeting vital infrastructure in a bid to sow mayhem and mass panic, a former US intelligence chief warns.
Their likely targets include huge multinational corporations, national energy grids or even social media sites such as Facebook.
It marks a shift away from traditional attacks aimed at racking up mass casualties, according to Mathew Burrows, a former CIA analyst and the director of the Atlantic Council's Strategic Foresight Initiative.
Dr Burrows told The Sun Online such attacks are part of a new wave of terror coordinated by a younger generation of jihadis raised and trained in digital warfare.
Labelled "cybernatives", Dr Burrows said infrastructure they consider to be a "symbol" of America or the West would have a similar appeal to traditional targets of destruction, such as the Twin Towers.
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"Instead of taking down buildings, disabling infrastructure, there's already been attacks on energy grids. You could see them disrupting society in a big way instead of demolishing them.
"Obviously there's multiple ways that you can undertake cyber attacks and a huge array of different targets because the infrastructure is quite extensive. The disruption could potentially be more widespread.
"All the terrorist (leaders) we know of have been beyond 30 - 35, so maybe the cybernatives could bring down Facebook for an extended period of time. I think they're always after prestige, and that's why they tend to rack up or have been trying to rack up more killings or deaths to prove they're a big terrorist operation.
"But this could cause, as I said, societal disruption in certain instances even panic, so it could have long lasting effects."
British hacker Junaid Hussain famously headed up ISIS's digital war unit until he was killed by a US drone strike last year.
According to court documents, he ordered a fanatic under his spell to behead a US soldier whose address Junaid had attained by hacking. The plot was foiled before being carried out.
Dr Burrows warned we were already beginning to see the start of digital terrorism.
"According to the cyber experts it would be very hard for terrorists or even states to take down for an extended period of time targets like the energy grid, but their ability to do damage is certainly worrying the energy industry.
"They're putting a lot of money into protecting against such attacks, so I don't think we'll have to wait until 2035 to see some of this.
"There are other devices as well. Dirty bombs as well, could have a panic but not cause a lot of deaths, certain bio (weapons), they could cause panic - even if it caused a lot of deaths it could cause panic."
Last week The Sun Online revealed scientists in Texas were working to develop a vaccine for the PLAGUE amid fears terrorists could use it as a bio-weapon against Western soldiers.
US leaders have long feared ISIS could use dirty bombs attached to hobby drones to kill thousands in heavily populated cities.
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