Terrorism Suspects Identified via Artificial Intelligence in Interpol Operation
In the Shams II operation coordinated by the international police organization Interpol, face images extracted from jihadist content were analyzed using artificial intelligence, identifying 126 suspects.
During Operation Shams II, carried out by Interpol in Tunis, thousands of facial images collected from digital content were processed using artificial intelligence-supported systems, and 126 terrorism suspects were identified.
Details and Scope of the Operation
Operation Shams II, implemented under Interpol coordination, took place in the Tunisian capital of Tunis between June 1 and June 5, 2026, with the participation of 28 expert officers from 11 countries.
Artificial Intelligence-Supported Image Processing
During the operation, over 108,000 facial images were extracted from visual content published by jihadist groups, filtered using artificial intelligence scripts, and prepared for Interpol's recognition system.
Identified Suspects and Intelligence
As a result of meticulous investigations conducted so far, the identities of 126 foreign terrorist fighters have been determined; the newly acquired data is being transferred to databases to monitor terrorist movements globally.
Tracking Illegal Financing
Within the scope of the operation, state-of-the-art cryptocurrency tools were used to prevent the financing of terrorism, and urgent customer data requests were made to virtual asset service providers.
Combating the Radicalization of Youth
Participating countries also met with representatives of the online gaming sector to prevent the radicalization of youth in online environments, discussing opportunities to strengthen information sharing.
International Cooperation and Project Support
Interpol Counter-Terrorism Director María Carmen Muñoz González stated that the operation demonstrates the importance of international law enforcement cooperation; the operation was conducted within the framework of the CT TECH+ Project.