WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will establish a joint digital communications hub to fight violent extremist propaganda, US President Barack Obama said on Thursday.
“The United States is joining… with the UAE to create a new digital communications hub to work with religious and civil society and community leaders to counter terrorist propaganda,” Obama said at the Summit on Countering Violent Extremism in Washington, DC.
Obama stressed that the international community had to confront vicious ideologies promoted by extremist organizations like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, especially their attempt “to use Islam to justify their violence” and target Muslim youth in particular.
“Terrorists pray upon young impressionable minds, so let us bring our youth together to promote understanding and cooperation, that is what the United States will do with our virtual exchange program named after Ambassador Chris Stevens to connect 1 million young people from America and the Middle East and North Africa,” Obama said.
The White House is hosting the three-day summit aimed at preventing violent extremism from spreading domestically and globally.