Encrypted Messaging Platform WhatsApp’s Role in U.S. Terror Cases

(New York, NY) -- The investigation into the recent London terror attack has focused in part on the attacker’s possible use of encrypted application WhatsApp.

Terror organizations often use encrypted messaging applications to communicate and plan attacks. The U.K. government wants WhatsApp to give security authorities access to encrypted messages that Khalid Masood may have sent over WhatsApp just minutes before carrying out the March 22 Westminster attack that left three pedestrians and one police officer dead and dozens more wounded.

The Counter Extremism Project (CEP) has found that WhatsApp has played a role in a number of U.S. terrorism cases, including:  

CEP CEO Ambassador Mark D. Wallace highlighted the challenges posed by encryption in a Washington Post editorial in December 2015.

Daily Dose

Extremists: Their Words. Their Actions.

In Their Own Words:

We reiterate once again that the brigades will directly target US bases across the region in case the US enemy commits a folly and decides to strike our resistance fighters and their camps [in Iraq].

Abu Ali al-Askari, Kata’ib Hezbollah (KH) Security Official Mar. 2023
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