Twitter dubbed terrorist tool by US military

Twitter is already being used to promote extremism

A report by US military intelligence has claimed that the messaging application Twitter could be used by terrorists as an operational tool.

The report into the increasing security implications of mobile technology envisages terrorists using Twitter messages, or Tweets, to communicate and share images and locations of future terrorist attacks.

"Twitter is already used by some members to post and/or support extremist ideologies and perspectives," the report said.

"For example, there are multiple pro and anti Hezbollah Tweets. In addition, extremist and terrorist use of Twitter could evolve over time to reflect tactics that are already in use by 'hacktivists' and activists for surveillance. This could theoretically be combined with targeting."

The report notes that Twitter was used extensively by protestors at the recent Republican National Convention to identify the location of police and security guards in an effort to evade them.

The report envisages Twitter also being used to identify the location of targets. It cites Tweets from US troops stationed overseas that could be used as information for selective attacks.

"l'm in Bagram waiting for a flight to Camp Salemo by Kwost in the volatile east of Afghanistan near the Paki. border. Hot days cold nights," was one Tweet cited from an American soldier in Afghanistan that was posted on a publically available forum.