C L O S E R

Protected: NRC Handelsblad – Binnenland: 'Moeite met moslims is uw eigen schuld'

Posted on May 21st, 2005 by martijn.
Categories: Islam in the Netherlands, Multiculti Issues.

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Protected: NRC Handelsblad – Binnenland: ‘Moeite met moslims is uw eigen schuld’

Posted on May 21st, 2005 by martijn.
Categories: Islam in the Netherlands, Multiculti Issues.

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The 'Virtual Hand' of Jihad

Posted on May 21st, 2005 by martijn.
Categories: International Terrorism, Religious and Political Radicalization.

In the Jamestown.org Terrorism Monitor an article on The ‘Virtual Hand’ of Jihad

The presidential commission on WMDs and the 9/11 commission have condemned the status quo mentality of the intelligence community, which they see as being preoccupied with today’s “current operations” and tactical requirements, and inattentive to tomorrow’s far-ranging problems and strategic solutions. Both commissions call for steps to improve analysis and encourage diversity, including routine critiques of finished intelligence and alternative assessments by outside experts. But the overriding emphasis in both commissions’ reports is on further vertically integrating intelligence collection, analysis, and operations. Such proposals to centralize intelligence and unify command and control are not promising given recent transformations in Jihadist networks in the wake of al-Qaeda’s operational demise.

[…]

But radicalization usually requires outside input from, and interaction with, the larger Jihadist community. Radicalization is proceeding apace with exponential growth in internet connections (in the last five years active Jihadist websites has increased from 14 to over 4000). Personal bonds formed without physical contact on the internet appear to generate solid reputations for trustworthiness [6] and all the deep commitment that physical intimacy does, but often faster and over a wider set of personal relations.

It is written by Scott Atran, director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, and Professor of anthropology and psychology at the University of Michigan.
(more…)

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The ‘Virtual Hand’ of Jihad

Posted on May 21st, 2005 by .
Categories: International Terrorism, Religious and Political Radicalization.

In the Jamestown.org Terrorism Monitor an article on The ‘Virtual Hand’ of Jihad

The presidential commission on WMDs and the 9/11 commission have condemned the status quo mentality of the intelligence community, which they see as being preoccupied with today’s “current operations” and tactical requirements, and inattentive to tomorrow’s far-ranging problems and strategic solutions. Both commissions call for steps to improve analysis and encourage diversity, including routine critiques of finished intelligence and alternative assessments by outside experts. But the overriding emphasis in both commissions’ reports is on further vertically integrating intelligence collection, analysis, and operations. Such proposals to centralize intelligence and unify command and control are not promising given recent transformations in Jihadist networks in the wake of al-Qaeda’s operational demise.

[…]

But radicalization usually requires outside input from, and interaction with, the larger Jihadist community. Radicalization is proceeding apace with exponential growth in internet connections (in the last five years active Jihadist websites has increased from 14 to over 4000). Personal bonds formed without physical contact on the internet appear to generate solid reputations for trustworthiness [6] and all the deep commitment that physical intimacy does, but often faster and over a wider set of personal relations.

It is written by Scott Atran, director of research at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, and Professor of anthropology and psychology at the University of Michigan.
(more…)

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The Islamist Movement in Morocco

Posted on May 21st, 2005 by .
Categories: International Terrorism, Morocco, Religious and Political Radicalization.

In the Terrorism monitor of Jamestown.org an article on The Islamist Movement in Morocco

Prior to the Casablanca attacks of May 2003, Morocco appeared to be relatively immune to the type of home grown Islamic militancy experienced by other North African countries. The Moroccan monarchy, which claims direct descent from the prophet, appeared to have successfully contained its political Islamists, either by co-opting them into the system or by limiting their space for manoeuvre. Traditionally Moroccans had prided themselves on being part of the moderate Maliki school of Islam embodied in the figure of the King as “Commander of the Faithful”. However, the Casablanca attacks, as well as those in Madrid in March 2004, were to shatter this image and to uncover a complex and diverse array of militant Islamist groups and ideologies that had been operating in the Kingdom for at least the past two decades.

[…]

It seems that all of these groups have no overarching formal structure as such. Instead these militant cells are made up from small numbers of individuals who have grouped around the teachings of a particular Sheikh and who may or may not have links and contacts with those in other cells both inside the country and abroad. Whether the Moroccan regime has succeeded in its recent campaign to eliminate these radical Islamist trends has yet to be seen. However, the underlying problems that gave rise to militancy in the first place continue to fester. This is something that the Moroccan authorities will not be able to blame on outside forces.

It is written by Alison Pargeter, a Research Fellow at the International Policy Institue, Kings College London.
(more…)

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