The Ministry of Interior received 26 U.S. government-provided laptops and other equipment in a handover ceremony with U.S. Embassy Regional Security Officer Mark Richardson and Ministry of Interior Financial and Economic Support Office Director Ruslan Balmanov. These new laptops were used during a Social Media Investigations Course July 31-August 4, in which 12 law enforcement and security officers from across the Kyrgyz Republic gained skills to detect, deter, and prevent terrorist activities on social media.
Organized by the U.S. State Department Antiterrorism Assistance Program, in coordination with the Kyrgyz Republic’s Ministry of the Interior, the Social Media Investigations Course focused on how terrorists and terrorist organizations utilize social media for operations, including recruiting, dissemination of propaganda, and coordination of activities. This knowledge will be integrated into work of local law enforcement officers to detect, deter, and prevent terrorism in the Kyrgyz Republic. In addition, participants were introduced to globally available software that can be utilized in social media investigations.
One of the course participants noted: “The course introduced contemporary approaches to social media investigations and information gathering. This knowledge uncovered many aspects that need attention in our daily work. The fact that each participant was provided with a laptop to instantly apply new knowledge in practice made a tremendous impact, as we were able to practice, ask questions, and test new skills on spot.”
Social Media Investigations is one of two courses that occurred in the Kyrgyz Republic in August. The U.S. State Department Antiterrorism Assistance Program also organized the course “Introduction to Digital Forensics Investigations” for local law enforcement and security personnel.
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Established in 1983, the Department of State’s Antiterrorism Assistance program is the U.S. Government’s premier counterterrorism training and equipment provider for foreign law enforcement agencies. All Antiterrorism Assistance programming is delivered within a rule-of-law framework that promotes respect for human rights and fosters development of a self-sustaining capability through best practices such as embedded mentors and train-the-trainer programs.
