281 Luis Miguel Sordo Estella Psychology of terrorism: brief notes The importance of the media in the spread of terror Let us not forget that the objective of terrorism is to spread terror among the popu-lation. This is a key component of terrorism: the propagation of fear and terror to the maximum amount of the civilian population is the best propaganda for a terrorist71, further than the death sought with the perpetrated attack. The observation of terror is more important than death itself, violence must be spread not only to those murdered but also to those who watch the crime. The use of information about terrorist actions is currently called into question because it serves the aim of terrorism: to shed light on the terrorist action and its consequences to spread fear and horror to the society. Thus, information and propaganda must be combined, always respecting an issue that seems essential: the integrity of the victims with the specific duty of informing. Rogelio Alonso, professor at the University «Rey Juan Carlos», establishes the pur-pose that the «terrorist logic» seeks in the media: it pursues being front page news, becoming social vanguard, mobilization, creating fracture between public opinion and the readers, questioning objective versions of its violence, showing the importan-ce of its challenge to the State, becoming a subject of negotiation72. Alonso feels that the responsibility of the media in the face of the terrorist phenomenon is to not give positive advertising to terrorism, not underestimate the criminal nature of terrorism, not confuse or distort or simplify causes and consequences of terrorism, not reprodu-ce terrorist propaganda, not legitimize terrorism, and work against the subculture of violence. «The expansion of the Internet has drastically changed the actions and develop-ment of the threat of global Islamic terrorism»73. With the emergence of social net-works, the message from Jihadist terrorism can be broadcast directly, disseminate its attacks, let itself be known, promote fear, or recruit followers. Through the mentioned networks, they transmit brutality (beheadings, and burning people alive) to show their supremacy and cause terror, victimize its followers and the Islamic community, as well terrorist organization (among the 25 most active ones) that headed the global list of terrorist actions carried out between 1970 and 2013, with over 8,000 assassinations and 19,000 wounded in its 17 years of existence. Europa Press, National, Madrid, 1 February, 2015, available at <http://www.europapress.es/ nacional/noticia-eta-ya-mas-vieja-3000-bandas-terroristas-existentes-mundo-delante-farc-eln-20150201121248. html> last viewed: 10 February, 2016. 71 «The Internet is, without a doubt, a place for socializing toward a new radical Islamic identity, and it also shows its strength in the western technological world» (TORRES, op. cit., pg.14). 72 ALONSO, Rogelio, «Propaganda or information. The role of the media». The new dimensions of global terrorism, Seminar on Terrorism, The Manuel Jiménez Abad Foundation and the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies, Saragossa, 18 November, 2015. 73 TAPIA, Mª Eugenia, «Analysis of the communication strategy of Jihadist terrorism: The role of social networks». Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies, Madrid, 4 January, 2016, pg.4. http://revista.ieee.es/index.php/ieee
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