The advantage of Thomas’s (2002) study is that it has provided an extensive overview on how internet facilities can be used by terrorists, thus allowing one to identify their operations. Thomas found that the internet can be used as a tool for the terrorists to acquire important information that can be used against businesses as well as governments.  Arquilla and Ronfeldt (1997) agreed, stating that non-state actors – both in terrorist camps as well as their intended victims – play an ever-increasing role in the information terrorism field.  They argue that public responses must account for both state and private concerns.

Another factor involved in information terrorism that occurs outside of state concern is the fact that terrorists are involved in budget activities through the internet by such endeavors as “manipulating stock options” or instructing victims to “head to a certain bank and deposit their money on a provided bank account” (Thomas, p. 33).  Such financial transfers of information allow for globalized operations to move quickly.  In this regard, states must work with financial institutions to control the fund-raising efforts of terrorists.

The internet also makes it easier for disparate extremist groups to schedule and conduct meeting operations that can take only seconds to communicate.  Arquilla and Ronfeldt argue that “odd alliances” occur in information terrorism and these may not be readily apparent to government watchdog groups (p. 3).  Unlike in previous eras when communications took a great deal of time, communication access to certain contacts is almost immediate in the information age.