Johan Obdola: “It will be necessary to change the global geopolitical landscape, and the new wars will have hybrid terrorism as a key element.”

Geopolitics and Security Conference on Hybrid Terrorism (extract)

On May 6, 2022, Johan Obdola, an expert in drug trafficking and terrorism from Canadian and a researcher on drug cartels and narco-terrorism, was a keynote speaker at the Geopolitics and Security Conference organized by Universidad Isabel I. His presentation on hybrid terrorism revealed how the global landscape could change with the emergence of terrorist groups aiming to destabilize the current world order.

Johan spoke about hybrid terrorism, referring to hybrid threats, which involve actions carried out by both state and non-state actors. These threats aim to undermine or harm a target by influencing decision-making at local, regional, national, or institutional levels. The impact consists of coordinated and synchronized actions that deliberately target democratic institutions and states, operating in ways designed to remain undetected. Hybrid actors blur the traditional boundaries of international politics, maneuvering between domestic and foreign spheres, legality and illegality, peace and war.

Hybrid terrorism employs unconventional and irregular tactics, techniques, and procedures, blending terrorist acts, propaganda, and links to organized crime. It exploits economic, political, technological, and diplomatic vulnerabilities, destabilizing communities, political parties, electoral systems, and causing significant disruption in the energy sector. Hybrid terrorism manifests in cyberattacks, political interference, election meddling, and attacks on critical infrastructure.

The term hybrid threat became widely recognized after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Its primary objective is to achieve results without engaging in conventional warfare, instead turning societies against themselves rather than engaging military forces directly. Johan highlighted that cyberspace has become a key battleground due to technological advancements and media influence, which facilitate the spread of information and disinformation to destabilize international order.