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Islamic terrorism

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Seconds after American Airlines Flight 11 crashes into the North Tower of the World Trade Center
File:Muslims.PNG
Marchers in London hold signs expressing Islamic extremist sentiments

Islamic extremist terrorism is terrorism done to further Islam as believed by its supporters and practitioners. Fred Halliday, a British academic specialist on the Middle East, argues that most Muslims consider these acts to be egregious violations of Islam's ethics[1].

Where such terrorists seek to establish an Islamic theocracy and impose religious law (Sharia), it is sometimes termed 'Islamist. Other widely used terms are Islamic terrorism and Islamic extremism.

According to statistics of the National Counterterrorism Center, a national government organization of the United States, Islamic extremism was responsible for approximately 57% of terrorist fatalities and 61% of woundings in 2004 and early 2005, where a terrorist perpetrator could be specified. Extremist acts have included airline hijacking, beheading, kidnapping, assassination, and suicide bombing. Terrorist threats have included fatwas and death threats. Both Muslims and non-Muslims have been among the targets and victims.

Some terrorist activities committed by Muslims may be confused with Islamic extremist terrorism and do not properly fall under that category. These include acts committed by nationalist and separatist organizations which derive inspiration from secular ideologies rather than Islamic beliefs.

Organizations

Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda is Islamic extremist group. Formed in the aftermath of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, it has committed a number of terrorist acts in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. It orchestrated the September 11, 2001 attacks against the United States. The group, under its leader Osama bin Laden, is opposed to the monarchy in Saudi Arabia, which it sees as insufficiently Islamic and too closely tied to America. Al-Qaeda claims it is engaged in a struggle against Zionism, Christianity, the secular West, and secular Muslim countries.[2][3][4]

Hamas

The charter of Hamas calls for the destruction of Israel, although its public spokespeople do not, and its "military wing" has claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in Israel. Hamas justifies these attacks as necessary in fighting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory, and as responses to Israeli attacks on Palestinian targets. The wider movement also serves as a charity organization and provides services to Palestinians. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist group by the European Union, Canada, the United States, Israel, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and Human Rights Watch.

Lashkar-e-Toiba

Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Toiba is a militant group active in the Kashmiri independence movement. It has committed mass militant actions against Indian troops.[5] The Lashkar leadership describes Indian and Israeli regimes as the main enemies of Islam, claiming India and Israel to be the main enemies of Pakistan.[6]. Lashkar-e-Toiba, along with Jaish-e-Mohammed, another militant group active in Kashmir are on the United States's foreign terrorist organizations list. They are also designated as terrorist groups by the UK[7], India, Australia[8]and Pakistan.[9]

Hezbollah

Main article: Hezbollah

Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political party in Lebanon, comprising a militia and extensive programs for social development. There is a wide disagreement about how Hezbollah violent acts, and thus the organization as a whole, should be characterized. Throughout most of the Arab and Muslim worlds Hezbollah is regarded as a legitimate resistance movement; resisting all of Israel.[10] Lebanone government also recognized it as a legitimate resistance against occupation of Lebanese land by Israel.[11] Some countries regard Hezbollah's violent acts to be terrorist attacks, and thus they consider Hezbollah a "terrorist" organization. The United States, Canada, Israel and the Netherlands consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization, while the United Kingdom and Australia consider only Hezbollah's external security organization to be a terrorist organization; for political reasons making a distinction between the organizations terrorist activities and its social activities. Russia,[12] the European Union,[13] and several other countries including the China, India, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico, Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia, among others, do not consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The European Union does not list Hezabollah or its constituent groups in its list of terrorist organizations, but does list Hezbollah's senior intelligence officer Imad Mugniyah.[14][15].

Tactics

Islamic extremist terrorism is best known for it's highly publicized acts of extreme brutality, often committed against civilians, such as bombings, hijackings, kidnappings, and summary executions. Many times the stated goal of these actions is to coerce governments into changing their domestic or foreign policies or to secure the release of captured militants. Some of these groups, such as Hamas and Hezbollah, have limited their acts to localized regions of the middle east, while others, notably Al-Qaeda, have committed terrorist acts against targets all over the world.

Bombings

The most widely utilized tactic by Islamic extremist terrorists is suicide bombing. This tactic is used against civilians, soldiers, and government officials of the regimes the terrorists oppose. The use of suicide bombers is seen by many Muslims as contradictory to Islam's teachings, however groups who support it's use often refer to such attacks as "martyrdom operations" and the suicide-bombers who commit them as "martyrs" (Arabic: shuhada, plural of "shahid"). The bombers, and their sympathisers often believe that suicide bombers, as martyrs to the cause of jihad against the enemy, will receive the rewards of paradise for their actions. In addition to suicide bombings, several groups have also utilized remote car bombings as well as timed explosions in public or government buildings.

Hijackings

The hijacking of passenger vehicles such as cars, buses, and planes has also become a hallmark of Islamic extremist terrorism, particularly as a result of the simultaneous hijacking of the four passenger jets utilized in the September 11th terrorist attacks as well as the hijacking of a Belgian airlines jet during the 1972 Munich Olympic Massacre.

Kidnappings and executions

Along with bombings and hijackings, Islamic extremist terrorists have made extensive use of kidnappings and executions, often circulating video of the killings for use as propaganda via the Internet. The most frequent form of execution by these groups has been decapitations, often committed while shouting the Islamic chant, "Allahu Akbar" (Arabic for God is greatest). Some victims of this form of terrorism have been Daniel Pearl, Paul Marshall Johnson, Jr., Eugene Armstrong, Jack Hensley, Kim Sun-il, Kenneth Bigley, Shosei Koda, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, Margaret Hassan, Seif Adnan Kanaan.

Ideology and theology

Islamist extremists sometimes claim they are defending Islam and the Muslim community, or that they are acting in retaliation for what they see as aggression against Muslims by Israel and by various western countries such as the United States. [citation needed]

The members of some groups are more likely to not see themselves as terrorists, as the political origins of such groups in the Palestinian Territories, Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation, Chechnya and most recently post-Saddam Iraq are often connected to demands for statehood and nationalist self-determination.

In an interview with The American Conservative magazine, Robert Pape, author of the book Dying to Win, said "The central fact is that overwhelmingly suicide-terrorist attacks are not driven by religion as much as they are by a clear strategic objective: to compel modern democracies to withdraw military forces from the territory that the terrorists view as their homeland. From Lebanon to Sri Lanka to Chechnya to Kashmir to the West Bank, every major suicide-terrorist campaign — over 95 percent of all the incidents — has had as its central objective to compel a democratic state to withdraw."[16]

Some supporters of Palestinian political violence have claimed that citizens of Israel are legitimate military targets because Jewish adolescents are required by law to serve in the country's military.[citation needed]

Islamist ideology

Main article: Neofascism and religion § Islam

Islamist ideology, specifically of the militant breed, often positions itself in opposition to Western society. The United States, specifically, is greatly opposed by most Islamist Jihadis, scholars, and leaders. In addition to criticizing the American Regime for what they see as immoral secularism, many Islamists claim that Western society is actively anti-Islamic. The cultural products of western societies, and specifically of the United States, are often criticized by Islamists for the same reasons.

The lack of authoritarian restrictions on the immoral free speech is a common Islamist criticism of western democracies. Islamists have claimed that such unrestricted free speech has led to the proliferation of pornography, immorality, secularism, homosexuality, feminism, and many other ideas that Islamists often oppose.

Islamists are often opposed to (the practitioners of) Christianity and Judaism. Some Islamists identify what they see as a historical struggle between Christianity and Islam, dating back as far as the Crusades, among other historical conflicts between practitioners of the two respective religions. Many of the existent violent Islamist groups use the name of Jihad to fight against Christians and Jews. An example is Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda, which is also known as 'International Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Zionists and Crusaders'. Most militant Islamists oppose Israel's policies, and often its existence.

Interpretations of the Qur'an

Main article: Criticism of the Qur'an § War and Violence

It has been stated by many Muslims that the Qur'an, Islam's sacred text, denounces killing, while others believe that some verses actually encourage it. Militant Islamists sometimes justify terrorism against fellow Muslims, in particular against regimes they consider non-Islamic, on the basis that their enemies are apostates [17]. Islamic law traditionally designates death as the penalty for apostasy (converting) from Islam. Opinions within the Muslim community vary as to the grounds on which an individual may be declared to have apostacised. The most common view among Muslim scholars is that a declaration of takfir (designation of a Muslim as an apostate) can only be made by an established religious authority. Mainstream Muslim scholars usually oppose recourse to takfir, except in rare instances. Takfir was used as justification for the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

Mohammed Reza Taheriazar wrote that the following Quranic verses and others are used by Islamic terrorists to justify their cause.Letters from a mujahid:a detailed Qur'anic justification for killing in Allah's name

"Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be the Fire: And evil is the home of the wrong-doers!" [Quran 3:151]
"How many a township have We destroyed! As a raid by night, or while they slept at noon, Our terror came unto them. No plea had they, when Our terror came unto them, save that they said: Lo! We were wrong-doers." [Quran 7:4-5]
"Remember thy Lord inspired the angels (with the message): 'I am with you: give firmness to the Believers: I will instil terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers: smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger-tips off them.'" [Quran 8:12]
"Against them make ready your strength to the utmost of your power, including steeds of war, to strike terror into (the hearts of) the enemies, of Allah and your enemies, and others besides, whom ye may not know, but whom Allah doth know. Whatever ye shall spend in the cause of Allah, shall be repaid unto you, and ye shall not be treated unjustly." [Quran 8:60]
"Lo! those who disbelieve spend their wealth in order that they may debar (men) from the way of Allah. They will spend it, then it will become an anguish for them, then they will be conquered. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto hell,"[Quran 8:36]
"But when the forbidden months are past, then fight and slay the Pagans wherever ye find them, an seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them in every stratagem (of war); but if they repent, and establish regular prayers and practise regular charity, then open the way for them: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful."[Quran 9:5]
"Fight those who believe not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued." [Quran 9:29]
"And the Jews say: Ezra is the son of Allah, and the Christians say: The Messiah is the son of Allah. That is their saying with their mouths. They imitate the saying of those who disbelieved of old. Allah (Himself) fighteth against them. How perverse are they!" [Quran 9:30]
"And the True Promise draweth nigh; then behold them, staring wide (in terror), the eyes of those who disbelieve! (They say): Alas for us! We (lived) in forgetfulness of this. Ah, but we were wrong-doers!" [Quran 21:97]
"He it is Who hath sent His messenger with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may make it conqueror of all religion however much idolaters may be averse."[Quran 61:9]
"On the Day when (some) faces will be whitened and (some) faces will be blackened; and as for those whose faces have been blackened, it will be said unto them: Disbelieved ye after your (profession of) belief ? Then taste the punishment for that ye disbelieved."[Quran 3:106]
"Lo! Those who disbelieve Our revelations, We shall expose them to the Fire. As often as their skins are consumed We shall exchange them for fresh skins that they may taste the torment. Lo! Allah is ever Mighty, Wise." [Quran 4:56]
"And fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah. But if they cease, then lo! Allah is Seer of what they do." [Quran 8:39]
"O Prophet! Exhort the believers to fight. If there be of you twenty steadfast they shall overcome two hundred, and if there be of you a hundred (steadfast) they shall overcome a thousand of those who disbelieve, because they (the disbelievers) are a folk without intelligence." [Quran 8:65]
"Lo! those who disbelieve, among the People of the Scripture and the idolaters, will abide in fire of hell. They are the worst of created beings."[Quran 98:6]
"Say: (It is) the truth from the Lord of you (all). Then whosoever will, let him believe, and whosoever will, let him disbelieve. Lo! We have prepared for disbelievers Fire. Its tent encloseth them. If they ask for showers, they will be showered with water like to molten lead which burneth the faces. Calamitous the drink and ill the resting-place!" [Quran 18:29]
"These twain (the believers and the disbelievers) are two opponents who contend concerning their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, garments of fire will be cut out for them; boiling fluid will be poured down on their heads,Whereby that which is in their bellies, and their skins too, will be melted;And for them are hooked rods of iron.Whenever, in their anguish, they would go forth from thence they are driven back therein and (it is said unto them): Taste the doom of burning." [Quran 22:19-22]
"And if ye do it not - and ye can never do it - then guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones." [Quran 2:24]
"They surely disbelieve who say: Lo! Allah is the third of three; when there is no God save the One God. If they desist not from so saying a painful doom will fall on those of them who disbelieve." [Quran 5:73]
"But as for those who deny Our revelations, torment will afflict them for that they used to disobey." [Quran 6:49]
"Say (O Muhammad) unto those who disbelieve: Ye shall be overcome and gathered unto Hell, an evil resting-place." [Quran 3:12]
"Lo! the riches and the progeny of those who disbelieve will not avail them aught against Allah; and such are rightful owners of the Fire." They will abide therein. [Quran 3:116]
"But as for those who disbelieve, for them is fire of hell; it taketh not complete effect upon them so that they can die, nor is its torment lightened for them. Thus We punish every ingrate.And they cry for help there, (saying): Our Lord! Release us; we will do right, not (the wrong) that we used to do. Did not We grant you a life long enough for him who reflected to reflect therein ? And the warner came unto you. Now taste (the flavour of your deeds), for evil-doers have no helper." [Quran 35:36-37]
"Then seized I those who disbelieved, and how intense was My abhorrence!" [Quran 35:26]
"Allah is the Protecting Guardian of those who believe. He bringeth them out of darkness into light. As for those who disbelieve, their patrons are false deities. They bring them out of light into darkness. Such are rightful owners of the Fire. They will abide therein." [Quran 2:257]
"And (make mention of) the day when the enemies of Allah are gathered unto the Fire, they are driven on.Till, when they reach it, their ears and their eyes and their skins testify against them as to what they used to do." [Quran 41:19-20]
"But verily We shall cause those who disbelieve to taste an awful doom, and verily We shall requite them the worst of what they used to do. That is the reward of Allah's enemies: the Fire. Therein is their immortal home, payment forasmuch as they denied Our revelations." [Quran 41:27-28]
"This is guidance. And those who disbelieve the revelations of their Lord, for them there is a painful doom of wrath." [Quran 45:11]

Muslim attitudes toward terrorism

Most Muslims, when asked their views on terrorism say that they oppose it.[citation needed] However, many see a distinct difference between actions such as the September 11th attacks on the US, which most denounce, and actions such as Hezbollah's rocket attacks in response to Israeli incursions into Lebanon, which many support and don't even regard as terrorism. Therefore, the fact that many Muslims support certain military actions by Islamic extremist groups that many non-Muslims consider terrorist attacks, has given many in the West the impression that a majority of Muslims support terrorism.

In parliamentary election of January 2006, 57% of Palestinians voted for Hamas[18], which is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, United States, Canada, and the European Union and responsible for a number of attacks against Israeli civilians. Observers are divided over whether the election results represent support for the organization's militia tactics, support for the organization's social programs, or dissatisfaction with the previous government which was widely seen as corrupt and incompetent. A public opinion survey released following the election, indicated that nearly three quarters of Palestinians believe that Hamas should change its policy regarding the destruction of Israel and 84% of Palestinians support a peace agreement with Israel. Among Hamas voters, 73% of respondents supported a peace agreement with Israel. However Hamas has ruled out removing the clause in its constitution which demands the destruction of Israel.[19]

A 2005 Pew Research study that involved 17,000 people in 17 countries showed support for terrorism was declining in the Muslim world along with a growing belief that Islamic extremism represents a threat to those countries.[20]A Daily Telegraph survey[21]showed that 6% of British Muslims fully supported the July 2005 bombings in the London Underground.

A 2004 Pew survey revealed that Osama bin Laden is viewed favorably by large percentages in Pakistan (65%), Jordan (55%) and Morocco (45%). In Turkey as many as 31% say that suicide attacks against Americans and other Westerners in Iraq are justifiable.[22][23].

The Free Muslims Coalition[24] rallied against terror, stating that they wanted to send "a message to radical Muslims and supporters of terrorism that we reject them and that we will defeat them."

Abdel Rahman al-Rashed, a Muslim and the general manager of Arab news channel, Al-Arabiya has said: "It is a certain fact that not all Muslims are terrorists, but it is equally certain, and exceptionally painful, that almost all terrorists are Muslims." Statistics compiled by the United States government's Counterterrorism Center present a more complicated picture: of known and specified terrorist incidents from the beginning of 2004 through the first quarter of 2005, slightly more than half of the fatalities were attributed to Islamic extremists but a majority of over-all incidents were considered of either "unknown/unspecified" or a secular political nature. The vast majority of the "unknown/unspecified" terrorism fatalities did however happen in Islamic regions such as Iraq and Afghanistan, or in regions where Islam is otherwise involved in conflicts such as the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, southern Thailand and Kashmir.The methodology employed by the Center is sometimes disputed.[25]

File:London2005Bus.jpg
Emergency services surround the wreckage of the number 30 bus in Tavistock Square.

Iranian Ayatollah Ozma Seyyed Yousef Sanei issued a fatwa (ruling) that suicide attacks against civilians are legitimate only in the context of war.[26]The ruling did not say whether other types of attacks against civilians are justified outside of the context of war, nor whether Jihad is included in Sanei's definition of war.

On the other hand, Fethullah Gulen, a prominent Turkish Islamic scholar, has claimed that "a real Muslim," who understood Islam in every aspect, could not be a terrorist. [27] [28] There are many other people with similar points of view such as Karen Armstrong [29], Prof. Ahmet Akgunduz [30], and Harun Yahya [31]

Examples of attacks

The outer skin of World Trade Center Tower Two that remained standing. An example of an Islamic terrorist attack

U.S. State Department list

See also

Further reading

References

  1. ^ Halliday, Fred: Islam and the Myth of Confrontation: Religion and Politics in the Middle East (New York: I.B. Tauris, 2003), 107
  2. ^ [net/NR/exeres/79C6AF22-98FB-4A1C-B21F-2BC36E87F61F.htm Complete English translation text of 2004 Osama bin Laden videotape on Al-Jazeera.
  3. ^ Michael, Maggie. Bin Laden, in statement to U.S. people, says he ordered Sept. 11 attacks. The Associated Press. October 29, 2004.
  4. ^ Excerpts from the BBC. October 29, 2004.
  5. ^ "Lashkar-e-Toiba". South Asia. dictionary.com. Retrieved 2006-08-27.
  6. ^ Mir, Amir (2005). "The jihad lives on". South Asia. Asia Times Online Ltd. Retrieved 2006-06-24.
  7. ^ "Speech by the Prime Minister the Rt Hon Tony Blair MP to the Confederation of Indian Industry Bangalore, India 5 January 2002". Indo-UK Relations. britishhighcommission.gov. Retrieved 2006-06-24.
  8. ^ Thompson, Geoff (2004). "Is Lashkar-e-Toiba still operating in Pakistan?". PM. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  9. ^ "current situation". wars and armed conflicts. Peace Pledge Union. 2002. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  10. ^ [1]
  11. ^ "Hezbollah disarmament unclear". CNN. May 7, 2005. Retrieved August 5, 2006.
  12. ^ "Hezbollah not on Russia's terrorist list". Associated Press. Retrieved 2006-08-10. {{cite news}}: Text "date-2006-07-28" ignored (help)
  13. ^ "EU won't label Hezbollah 'terrorist' group". United Press International. 2006-08-02.
  14. ^ "COUNCIL COMMON POSITION 2005/847/CFSP" (PDF). 29 November 2005. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publication= ignored (help)
  15. ^ European Union. "The EU's relations with Lebanon".
  16. ^ McConnell, Scott (2005). "The Logic of Suicide Terrorism". The American Conservative magazine. The American Conservative. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  17. ^ Abu Hamza Al-Muhajir: Al-Zarqawi's Death Will Not End the Jihad, MEMRI, Special Dispatch Series - No. 1188, June 20, 2006
  18. ^ "Hamas sweeps to election victory". Middle East news. BBC. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  19. ^ "Palestinians want Hamas reform - poll". News - Arab World. Aljazeera.Net. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  20. ^ "Islamic Extremism: Common Concern for Muslim and Western Publics". Pew Global Attitudes Project. Pew Research Center. 2005. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  21. ^ King, Anthony (2005). "One in four Muslims sympathises with motives of terrorists". News. Telegraph Group Limited. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  22. ^ "A Year After Iraq War - Mistrust of America in Europe Ever Higher, Muslim Anger Persists". Survey reports. The Pew Research Center. 2004. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  23. ^ "Bin Laden more popular with Nigerian Muslims than Bush". News. Daily Times of Pakistan. 2003. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  24. ^ Free Muslims Coalition
  25. ^ Glasser, Susan B. (2005). "Global Terrorism Statistics Debated". World news. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  26. ^ "Iran: Ayatollah Issues Fatwa Against Suicide Attacks". adn kronos international. adn kronos international. 2006. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  27. ^ "The terrorist attacks in London". Rumi Forum. 2005. Retrieved 2006-08-01.
  28. ^ "A Real Muslim cannot be a Terrorist". Interview with Nuriye Akman of Zaman Daily. Fethullah Gulen's Website. 2004. Retrieved 2006-08-01.
  29. ^ "The True, Peaceful Face Of Islam". Time. Time Inc. 2001. Retrieved 2006-08-01.
  30. ^ "A Muslim cannot be a Terrorist and a Terrorist cannot be a Muslim". Article. Fethulah Gulen's Website. 2002. Retrieved 2006-08-01.
  31. ^ "Islam Denounces Terrorism". Harun Yahya's Website. 2006. Retrieved 2006-08-01.
  32. ^ "Akshardham attack was planned in Riyadh". The Times of India. Times Internet Limited. 2003. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
  33. ^ "Akshardham attack "plotted in Riyadh"". India news. Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd. 2005. Retrieved 2006-06-25.
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