saffron update · 2017-04-30 · about saffron semantic analysis against foreign fighters...

Semantic Analysis against Foreign Fighters Recruitment Online Network

With the financial support of the Internal Security Fund of the European Union

SAFFRON UPDATEIssue N° 2/2017, April 2017

IN THIS ISSUE

THE SAFFRON CONSORTIUM ................... 2

ABOUT SAFFRON ..................................... 3

PROJECT’S DEVELOPMENT ...................... 4

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN ..................... 12

PREVIOUS EVENTS ................................. 14

UPCOMING EVENT ................................ 16

IMPRINT ................................................. 17

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www.saffron-project.eu

THE SAFFRON CONSORTIUM

VISEO is the lead partner of the consortium, which includes also Holmes Semantic Solutions another French enterprise; DIST, a leading joint structure of Politecnico and Università di Torino; Demetra SPV, an innovative Italian SME and “Mihai Viteazul” National Intelligence Academy, a higher education military institution, part of the Romanian Intelligence Service.

ABOUT SAFFRON

Semantic Analysis against Foreign Fighters Recruitment Online Network (SAFFRON) is a 2-year European project.

The aim of SAFFRON is to build a system able to support early detection of foreign fighters’ recruitment by terrorist groups in Europe, with a focus on ISIS and Al-Qaeda. It consists in studying recruitment communication strategies on social media (e.g. narrations, argumentative tropes and myths used), and their evolution in time, as well as identification of needs, values, cultural and social contexts of the target.

A specific “social media guide” will be developed in order to give detailed guidelines to the social media team for managing different communicative situations, user generated contributions and reactions. Furthermore, a “social media crisis protocol” will be identified in order to identify critical communicative situations and design correct interactions.

The main objectives of SAFFRON are:

• Objective 1: Deliver and test a tool to be used by all relevant players (which are also part of the consortium) to identify in a timely fashion both all internet activities of direct and indirect recruitment of Foreign Fighters and all signals (weak or strong) pointing at radicalization of single individuals

• Objective 2: Analyse the recent trends about recruitment of young European people by terrorist groups

• Objective 3: Analyse the online communication strategy of terrorist groups and develop a social media campaign to contrast their propaganda

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PROJECT’S DEVELOPMENT

WP 1 - Analysis of online foreign fighters recruitmentAlthough literature on foreign fighters’ phenomenon and online recruitment is fragmented, it has been possible to get an overview on it and to identify its main characteristics.One of the most interesting aspects of this plight is that a unique profile of European foreign fighters does not exist. They can have different professional and educational backgrounds; belong to a wide range of socio-economic conditions and to all age groups. As well, they can belong to both genders and come from various countries of origins. The lack of a single type of foreign fighters (and of radicalised individuals as well) is mainly due to the different motivations which bring them to start an individual radicalisation process. With regards to the use of Internet and social media for recruiting purposes, our study showed that terrorist organisations, mainly ISIS, use various communication means (such as social media, magazines, video, videogames, e-books, touristic brochures) for persuading young people towards a process of radicalisation which can have various results, including the recruitment as foreign fighters. Moreover, from this analysis emerged more clearly the way various people with different roles (for instance, disseminators or facilitators) are involved in the frame of the communication strategies run by the terrorist organisations in order to reach a very wide range of targets.

WP2 - Big Data & GUIActivity 2.1 – Big data compliant crawler

A set of big data compliant crawler was implemented between months1-9, aimed at extracting and storing textual data to be passed to the semantic engine from target sources which might contain relevant information. In Deliverable D.2.1, we analysed target sources identified by DIST and MVNIA in activity 5.1. We first concentrate on two major type of sources: Twitter and WordPress blogs. For each type, we implemented a dedicated crawler considering their characteristics and their specific structure.

As a result, two crawlers were implemented. The first one for Twitter accounts and the second one for the WordPress blogs.

For the Twitter crawler, Viseo made use of the Application Programming Interface (API) provided by Twitter for developers to interact with the data hosted by this platform. By default, Twitter accounts together with their messages are publicly available to anyone, but when accessing them through an application like in our case, certain limitations are imposed.

For Twitter, we developed two modules to extract data:

• The first module retrieves information about the user and as much of its old tweets as possible respecting the Twitter rate limits.

• The second module get in a live stream all new data. For these two modules, we used two complementary types of API that Twitter has made available to developers for requesting and posting data: Streaming and REST API.

For retrieving all needed information in WordPress blogs, first we had to crawl it in order to get all post links and then do scraping treatments to correspond textual data to java class model.

Given the amount of available data, we implement a big data compliant crawlers with an apache Strom architecture and a PostgreSQL and an Elastic Search databases.

Viseo, Holmes Semantic Solutions and Demetra also agreed on a set of semantic processing functions to be implement according to the needs and requirements defined by MVNIA (in activity 5.1) and DIST from both counterterrorist experts and practitioners within law enforcement agencies.

Activity 2.2 – Graphical user interfaceThis front end is provided to the operators in their everyday work. The SAFFRON platform focuses on final user needs (the practitioners and the academic researchers) for the visualization and analysis of information coming from different sources (twitter, blogs, ...) in order to detect online signals of radicalization/recruitment. Functional requirements for the GUI came out of the final user needs expressed by MVNIA (and detailed in the D.2.1) and DIST comments.

The GUI has two goals, first to provide statistics, based on information extracted by the semantic modules, second to provide data visualization which will support users understanding of data. It will also have a function of alerting, triggering a warning when practitioners sensitive information is detected.VISEO structured those requirements as a list of use cases and designed mockups to represent the final SAFFRON platform GUI described in Deliverable D.2.5. The mockups were validated by the different partners of the project.

VISEO structured those requirements as a list of use cases and designed mockups to represent the final SAFFRON platform GUI described in Deliverable D.2.5. The mockups were validated by the different partners of the project.

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WP 3 - Semantic AnalysisActivity 3.1 – Parametrize the Named Entity Extraction

The Named Entity extractor has been tuned to work with project data. 2 languages are handled: French and English.

Activity 3.2 – Terrorism risk classification systemSeveral tasks have been performed:

• A first version of text classification system has been developed with the aim of classifying tweets into different classes that may be first indicators of radicalization. These classes have been detected from data using topic modelling and take into account the motivations identified by DIST (drivers) during the focus groups. This is a work in progress, both the categories and the automatic classification system will be further developed to optimize the results;

• Word clusters (indicators) as defined by MVNIA have been integrated to the semantic analysis. This information is available in the GUI. It will enrich the classification system and will serve as input to the contextual grounding;

• Furthermore, we are conducting research about the automatic enrichment/ detection of clusters using distributional semantics.

Activity 3.3 – Simple GUI for text miningA platform based on ElasticSearch and Kibana has been deployed to allow partners to study the results of the semantic analysis and improve the obtained results. In this platform, the results of the modules presented above (Named Entity Recognition, Classification, Word Clusters) applied to the crawled data are shown. This platform is intended only for the partners in the sense it provides only raw data, and is not designed to answer to functional requirements which is the role of the interface build in Activity 2.4. This platform allows the partners to perform powerful searches, to study of the performance of the system and to analyse the actual results.

WP4 - InteroperabilityRegarding the Activity 4.1, Demetra has completed the DB Design for the interoperability.

During the remaining time of the project, Demetra will work with Holmes Semantic Solutions and Viseo in order to agree on a common set of feature that will be shared/distributed to all the LEAs.

Data proxy, which is part of Activity 2, has been completed. During the second consortium meeting, Demetra presented all the work done and some sample of standard activity: publishing information from the DB to the Open Data portal, exchange of information between internal (Server) and external (Client) sources.

As far as the Activity 4.3 is concerned, User and application interface has been completed. The Open Data portal, based over CKAN technology, has been fully customised to comply with the new SAFFRON-GUI.

WP5 Pilot Activity 5.1 – User requirements collectionUser requirements collection, analysis and transformation into functional specifications, carried out between months 1-6, aimed at identifying the different needs and requirements of counterterrorist experts and practitioners within law enforcement agencies with regard to the semantic analysis of online terrorist content that could be achieved by the SAFFRON tool.

An Internal Working Group (IWG) has been specially designed to offer support in carrying out the specific tasks 5.1 and 5.2. IWG reunited practitioners, experts and psychologists from the Romanian Intelligence Service. We also have to mention support received from a number of four partner services from the EU CTG (Counterterrorist Group) that contributed with own user requirements to the drafting of the current report.

Conceptual criteria were translated into a questionnaire type structured request for information, which was submitted to the IWG to obtain the requirements.

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Once collected, these requirements provided the starting point for an analysis and transformation process that lead to the design of the principal functional specifications of the SAFFRON tool. As a result, we managed to provide a set of the common denominators between the tool architecture and search options and the tool graphic interface functional requirements that have been identified as desirable by the experts and practitioners involved on a daily basis in the collection of information and semantic analysis with regard to online terrorist content.

Information collected through interaction with practitioners included:

• Propaganda sources, search engines, early indicators of radicalization, internetinteractive sources, needs for automatic collection, search options, filters, earlywarning needs;

• Tool architecture: credentials, saving options, visualization options, automaticsearch etc.

• Indicators, clusters of key words, relevant texts and contexts.

Activity 5.2 – Training and Activity 5.3 – TestsThese 2 activities have been carried together, they are ongoing and scheduled to be carried out until the end of the project.

The training in Saffron addresses the needs of practitioners in the field of counterterrorism, particular attention being placed on: informing users about the full set of functionalities, provide them with the necessary know-how on using the app, insure integration of the application into their current workflow via practical problem solving exercises and case studies, collecting feedback as to the performance of the app, etc.

During October – November 2016, MVNIA, in partnership with Viseo, organized and coordinated a workshop and a subsequent training session for practitioners involved in the prevention and countering of violent radicalization and terrorism. The main objective of the two formats was to present and test the features of the Saffapp beta version, as well as to collect feedback and support for the future developments of the tool.

The two formats – workshop and training - combined blended learning, practical work and testing. Both events were attended by some 15 participants: first line workers, practitioners, analysists and psychologists working with the Romanian Intelligence Service, actively involved in the prevention and countering of radicalization and terrorism.

The training sessions addressed the needs of practitioners, focusing on:

• providing the users with the necessary know-how on using the full set of functionalities of the app,

• ensuring integration of the application into their current workflow via practical problem solving exercises and case studies,

• collecting feedback about the performance of the app.

In the coming period, according to the development of the tool, other training and testing sessions shall also be organized in order to test the development of additional functionalities.

WP 6 – Online Media Activity 6.1 – Target profilingThe target profile was created through user scenario (academics working on the radicalisation issue), the analysis of literature on such topic, the consideration of narratives spread throughout social media and the comparative analysis of the social campaign already developed.

Activity 6.2 – Concept explorationThe concept of the campaign was explored setting up 7 focus groups in Italy and France with experts (as qualified testimonials) and young people (as potential target of ISIS propaganda) who should discuss and share ideas on the phenomenon and give suggestions for identifying contents and format of the campaign itself.

In total 17 experts, with different backgrounds, and 29 young people (10 females and 19 males, with the average age 22 years old) have been involved in the focus groups. The Italian sample of young people was composed of a majority of people from Maghreb, of Italian convert Muslims (3) and Italian students not Muslims (4). Instead, the French sample was composed by a majority of French young people with Algerian origins and by refugees from Chechenia (3).

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The goal of the focus groups was to analyse, using a participatory approach, different narratives and counter-narratives related to the phenomenon with regard to English and French on line contents such as Internet videos, social media profiles, blogs, etc. The focus groups findings were used for identifying the core issues to be addressed in the social media campaign.

Activity 6.3 – Media planningThe campaign was elaborated for spreading the contents in all EU countries.

Activity 6.4 – ConceptThe concept was elaborated and declined into a transmedia perspective which involves text in form of “post” and “comments” or “tweets” on the different social media environment, videos, images, links. Several social media environments (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube) are integrated into a consistent storyline communicative affordances and specific target.

Activity 6.5 – Editorial planThe editorial plan for 8 months long time campaign (entitled #heartofdarkness or #aucoeurdestenebres) envisages:

Each month a same narrative structured will be proposed, in order to create a recursive scheme which could contribute to augment the “stickness” to the content.

The monthly narration will be based on one main narrative content based on a short video episode. Each month from February through September 2017, a new video will be released on the campaign website, on YouTube and Facebook: each video will present the main hashtag - #heartofdarkness or #aucœurdestenebres – and it will deploy a narrative based on the different motivations we analysed in the focus groups workshops. In parallel with the video, the Facebook page will include other posts in order to contextualise the problem showed in the main video: posts from testimonials, experts, activist groups or other research institutions will present different perspectives and offer alternative narratives to the problem/motivation showed in the audiovisual content. Alongside all these materials, each month a video-interview (of experts or practitioners) will be released as an alternative answer to the issue presented in the related short video episode.

Activity 6.6 – Transmedia productionThe campaign is producing 8 videos episodes of 3 minutes each and 8 videos-interview for offering alternative perspectives, answers, interpretations. Also, other materials and documents (posts, photos, texts, links, etc.) will be arranged and published in the social media platforms mentioned above.

WP7 - Dissemination and exploitation of resultsActivity 7.1 – Dissemination planThe dissemination plan has been built and updated after the 1st steering committee. The advisory board has been defined and will meet during the mid-term workshop.

Advisory board members are:

• Alessandro Zanasi (chair) : Zanasi & Partners

• Elaine Pressman: Netherlands Institute of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology (NIFP) / International Center for Counter Terrorism (ICCT), the Hague / Canadian Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies (CCISS), Carleton University, Ottawa

• Julian Richards: Co-director, Centre for Security and Intelligence Studies (BUCSIS), University of Buckingham

• Ugo Pagallo: University of Turin

• Alexander Ritzman: Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security / European Foundation for Democracy

• Gérald Bronner: Professor of sociology at the University Paris Diderot / member of the Institut Universitaire de France / member of the French Academy of Technologies

• Bruno Halopeau: Europol, Counter Terrorism Unit

• Nico Prucha: VOX-Pol Research Fellow, International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation (ICSR), King’s College London

• Stephan Brunessaux: Senior Expert Data Analytics at Airbus Defence and Space

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We also initiated some contact with the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) which brings together practitioners from around Europe working on the prevention of radicalisation

Activity 7.2 – WebsiteThe website (http://www.saffron-project.eu) has been setup right after the beginning of the project. It is available in 4 languages (English, Italian, French and Romanian). The news is regularly updated to inform about the main activities around the project.

SAFFRON social media campaign #heartofdarkness

Saffron social media campaign is on line.

Starting from the main web site - http://heartofdarkness.eu/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/heartofdarkness2017/

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGZcL8WRlwAkrT1gRI3gi8Q .

It is possible to follow the social pages on:

Twitter - https://twitter.com/HeartofDark2017

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PREVIOUS EVENTInternational Conference Intelligence in the Knowledge SocietyFrédérique Segond, Nadia Derbas, Sara Monaci, Cristina Ivan, Teodora Dobre presented a paper in the International Conference Intelligence in the Knowledge Society (IKS 2016) the 13th October 2016. http://www.intelligencestudies.ro/

At the moment, it is uploaded a first video episode based on the “DISCRIMINATION”, issue which will be followed by a number of conversational posts on Facebook and Twitter.

It is also published an interview with Tommaso Pozzano, the representative of an Italian soccer association working with second and third generation immigrants.Moreover, it is possible to find the second episode, focused on MEDIA WAR and the connected interview to Roberto Beneduce, anthropologist and psychiatrist of Università di Torino, who speaks about “The normalization of violence”, in particular about the relation between individual violence and the images of violence in the “normalization of violence” process.

There is also charged the third episode titled “Take a Stand”, focused on the importance of making the difference and not becoming a foreign fighters.

International Congress “Mind over Technology”

Teodora Dobre presented Saffron project at the International Congress Mind over Technology, which was held in Bucharest on 26th-27th October 2016. http://mindovertechnology.ro/en/

Mid-term workshop

The mid-term workshop was held in Turin from 13th to 15th March 2017.During the event, it was also organized a public workshop, titled “Radicalization in Europe. Media, social and prevention narratives”, where between 30 and 40 people were present.

MakerFaireViseo Research participated to the MakerFaire, which took place on the weekend of March 18th and 19th in Grenoble where they presented a demo of Saffron. The Ma-kerFaire Hosted 6700 visitors for 2 days, 25% of them under 18 years old, an average visit time of between 2 and 3 hours, 300 000 visits to the event’s website.http://grenoble.makerfaire.com/intervenants-samedi-18-mars/#MakerPitch1

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Terrorism and Social Media ConferenceThe research team of the Saffron Project will present some results of the analysis included in the paper A methodology to identify extremist discourse strategy at The Terrorism and Social Media Conference - Swansea University Camp, 27/28 June 2017 - http://terrorismandsocialmedia.com/

WORKSHOP – Multi-agency Cooperation for Security and Defence: Scenari Emergenti e Nuove Frontiere dell’Innovazione TecnologicaGustavo Mastrobuoni will present the SAFFRON Interoperability pack during the Workshop “Multi-agency Cooperation for Security and Defence: Scenari Emergenti e Nuove Frontiere dell’Innovazione Tecnologica” which is organized on 3rd April 2017 in Rome at the Macro Area of Engineer.http://osdife.org/workshop-multi-agency-cooperation-for-security-and-defence-scenari-emergenti-nuove-frontiere-dellinnovazione-tecnologica/

Eurosint workshop on radicalisation in the Digital EraSara Monaci will present Saffron project at the Eurosint workshop on radicalisation in the Digital Era, which will be held on 6th and 7th April 2017 in Vienna.https://www.eurosint.eu/articles/eurosint-workshop-radicalisation-digital-era-6-7-april-2017-vienna-agenda-registration

IMPRINT

Novareckon srl

Via Bovio 6 – Novara – Italy

www.novareckon.it/en

Contacts:Christian Violi ([email protected])

Pictures:All the pictures are labelled for non-commercial resue.

The picture at pages 14 - 15 has been taken during meetings.

Co-funded by the Internal Security Fund of the European Union

saffron update · 2017-04-30 · about saffron semantic analysis against foreign fighters...

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