Interpol said the operation also generated leads linked to terrorist financing and online radicalisation. The Interpol launched a first-of-its-kind digital counter-terrorism operation called Operation Shams II to identify 126 Foreign Terrorist Fighters from images extracted from jihadist content online. According to the Interpol, the operation used artificial intelligence and facial recognition during the five-day operation, conducted in Tunis, Tunisia, from June 1 to 5. It brought together 28 specialised officers and experts from 11 countries to target terrorist networks operating in the digital domain. Interpol has revealed that investigators extracted 108,076 facial images from visual material published by jihadist groups, while AI agents and AI-generated scripts were then used to automate parts of the collection process, remove duplicate images and conduct quality checks, reducing the dataset to 6,362 unique, high-quality facial images for processing through Interpol's Facial Recognition System. One aspect the Interpol made clear was that the AI-generated output was not used without human oversight. Trained officers and analysts reviewed and verified the results in accordance with the organisation's Rules on the Processing of Data before the facial matches were incorporated into the investigation. Additional intelligence was provided by Interpol's National Central Bureau in Baghdad, Iraq, including a large terrorism-related dataset containing hundreds of further images. Investigators used that material alongside imagery collected from online platforms to expand the pool available for comparison. Investigative leads from the operation are already supporting judicial procedures in participating countries. Interpol said one such case involves two suspected Foreign Terrorist Fighters who are currently detained, while thousands of additional images remain to be processed. The operation also moved beyond identifying individuals and examined the financial networks that can support terrorist activity. Investigators used cryptocurrency tools to trace suspected illicit funding, resulting in three urgent requests to a Virtual Asset Service Provider for customer information. The requests were aimed at helping authorities identify and disrupt suspected terrorist financing flows. The financial investigation adds another layer to Operation Shams II, linking digital identification work with efforts to follow the money behind terrorist networks. Participating countries also engaged representatives from the online gaming industry over concerns surrounding youth radicalisation in digital environments. Interpol said the discussions strengthened cooperation between law enforcement and the private sector while identifying opportunities to improve information sharing. María Carmen Muñoz González, Interpol's Director of Counter-Terrorism, said the operation demonstrated the value of combining international law-enforcement cooperation with responsible AI-assisted analysis. “The success of Operation Shams II demonstrates the value of combining international law enforcement cooperation with responsible AI-assisted analytical capabilities.” She said the operational model could provide a foundation for future international law-enforcement cooperation targeting criminal actors around the world. Yuvraj Tyagi is a Senior Copy Editor, specializing in security, national, international and defense affairs. With extensive experience covering the Ka... View More