The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan received 26 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, the U.S. Embassy reports. These laptops were used during a Social Media Investigations Course, which lasted from July 31 to August 4. 12 law enforcement and security officers from across Kyrgyzstan gained skills to detect, deter, and prevent terrorist activities on social media. The course was organized by the U.S. State Department Antiterrorism Assistance Program, in coordination with the Ministry of the Internal Affairs of Kyrgyzstan. It 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 country, the Embassy notes. In addition, participants were introduced to globally available software that can be utilized in social media investigations. 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.
Source: Central Asian News Service