DOCSLIB.ORG

Excommunication, Apostasy, and the Islamic State” the Practice of Takfir in the Islamic State, an Analysis of the Propaganda Magazine Dabiq

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Excommunication, Apostasy, and the Islamic State” the Practice of Takfir in the Islamic State, an Analysis of the Propaganda Magazine Dabiq Excommunication, Apostasy, and the Islamic State The practice of Takfir in the Islamic State, an analysis of the propaganda magazine Dabiq. KURS: Bachelor Thesis in Global Studies,15 ECTS PROGRAM: International Work – Global Studies FÖRFATTARE: Jesper Bjelke, Edvard Lervik EXAMINATOR: Ann-Sofie Kall TERMIN: Spring 2020 JÖNKÖPING UNIVERSITY Bachelor Thesis 15 ECTS The School of Education and Communication Global Studies International Work Spring 2020 Abstract Jesper Bjelke & Edvard Lervik Number of pages: 33 “Excommunication, Apostasy, and the Islamic State” The practice of Takfir in the Islamic State, an analysis of the propaganda magazine Dabiq. The Islamic State (IS) infamously carried out brutal acts of terrorism against the west. These acts of terrorism in Europe and the USA does, however, not make up most of the violence instigated by the Islamic State. This majority of violence took place in Iraq and Syria, where the Islamic State conquered large territories. The forces that the IS battled in the Iraqi-Syrian theatre of war consisted largely of individuals identifying as Muslim. In some cases, the Islamic State fought other Islamist militias. In this context the concept of Takfir, i.e. excommunication within Islam, is central in the rhetoric of persecution. This paper analyses the Islamic State’s beliefs and practices on Takfir, as it is shown in the propaganda magazine Dabiq. Following a qualitative content analysis of Dabiq's articles relevant to Takfir and defining true Muslims, central themes were identified. The bulk of the apostasy arguments found in Dabiq is targeted against ethnicities and sects that the Islamic State is at war with. Several arguments for the apostasy of the IS's enemies are explored, and an internal logic is presented throughout Dabiq. Neither the criteria’s nor the process that leads to the proclamation of Takfir, outside fighting the Islamic State, are explained in Dabiq. While examples of such Takfiri declarations are found in Dabiq, they are considerably less common than war-aligned claims of apostasy. What motivates the Islamic State’s practice of Takfir is open ended, as it can be both considered a result of their religious doctrine and a justification for the conflicts which they have partaken in. Keywords: apostasy, takfir, excommunication, the islamic state, dabiq Acknowledgements Several people have been invaluable when writing this paper. First of all, we would like to thank Marco Nilsson, our thesis supervisor, who has been a constant source of guidance and deeper understanding of the context of this paper. Secondly, we would like to thank Anie Weidal and Nils Lervik, who both took the time to give us feedback that certainly improved this paper. Thank you for the support! Table of contents 1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 1 2. Purpose and Research Questions ............................................................ 2 3. Theory and Terminology ......................................................................... 2 3.1 Theory ....................................................................................................................... 2 3.1 Terminology .............................................................................................................. 2 4. Previous Research ..................................................................................... 4 4.1 The uses of Dabiq ..................................................................................................... 4 4.2 The Function and Effect of Takfir ............................................................................ 5 4.3 Ideological Discourse ................................................................................................ 6 4.4 Justifications for Takfir ............................................................................................. 7 5. Methodology .............................................................................................. 8 5.1 Choice of Method ...................................................................................................... 8 5.2 Material Selection ..................................................................................................... 8 5.3 Analysis of Data ........................................................................................................ 9 5.4 Validity and Reliability ............................................................................................. 9 5.5 Criticism of Qualitative Research ........................................................................... 10 5.6 Limitations .............................................................................................................. 10 6. Result and Analysis ................................................................................. 11 6.1 Process of Declaring Takfir .................................................................................... 11 6.2 Rationalization of Takfir ......................................................................................... 13 6.2.1 Apostasy ........................................................................................................................ 13 6.2.2 Crusader-backed ............................................................................................................ 14 6.2.3 Kufr ............................................................................................................................... 14 6.2.4 Hadiths and Scripture .................................................................................................... 15 6.3 Social Identity Theory and Takfir ........................................................................... 15 6.3.1 Categorizing In- and Out-groups .................................................................................. 16 6.3.2 The In-group ................................................................................................................. 16 6.3.3 The Out-group ............................................................................................................... 16 6.4 The Apostatized Factions ....................................................................................... 17 6.4.1 Al-Qaidah ...................................................................................................................... 17 6.4.2 The Rafidah ................................................................................................................... 18 6.4.3 The Tawaghit States ...................................................................................................... 19 6.4.4 Other Factions ............................................................................................................... 19 7. Discussion ................................................................................................ 20 8. Conclusion ............................................................................................... 22 9. References ................................................................................................ 24 10. Annex ..................................................................................................... 28 10.1 The Articles in Dabiq Identified as Relevant to Takfir......................................... 28 1. Introduction The Islamic State is arguably the most infamous terror organization in contemporary times. At the height of the organization’s territorial presence, the Islamic State controlled large areas in Iraq and Syria, and functioned as an unrecognized proto-state. In present time the IS is defeated as a territorial entity in both Iraq and Syria, however remnants of the terrorist organization is still active in the area alongside several affiliated organizations in other regions. The roots of the Islamic State is found as far back as 2002 in Iraq, at the time of which the force was led by Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Originally, the force was a local offshoot of al- Qaidah, referred to as AQ-I (al-Qaidah in Iraq). Following al-Zarqawi's death in 2006, the force adopted the name Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). Leadership of the organization passed to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in 2010 and by 2013 the organization had expanded and was conducting operations in Syria as well as Iraq. In early 2014, the Islamic State declared that it was not, nor had it ever been, an offshoot of al-Qaidah and that the IS therefore owed them neither obedience nor allegiance. June 2014 saw the declaration of the re-established Caliphate. Al-Baghdadi was declared Caliph and Imam, i.e. the leader to all Muslims globally. Following the declaration, the organization dropped the references to Iraq and Syria from its name, going from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria to the Islamic State (Blanchard & Humud, 2016). The Islamic State as a proto-state and an entity controlling territory collapsed during the conclusion of 2017. The Islamic State lost its de facto capital Raqqa, later Mosul fell as well (Clark, 2017). Presently, the Islamic State does not control any territories. At the height of its power, the Islamic State had large production of propaganda material. Al-Hayat Media Center was a part of the Islamic State propaganda machine, that focused on producing and distributing content aimed at a western audience of non-Arabic speakers. Al-Hayat put out videos, short films, articles, news reporters, and the magazine Dabiq. Dabiq is an English
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Do Internet Searches for Islamist Propaganda Precede Or Follow Islamist Terrorist Attacks?
    233 Carl E. Enomoto, Kiana Douglas ISSN 2071-789X RECENT ISSUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH Enomoto, C. E., & Douglas, K. (2019). Do Internet searches for Islamist propaganda precede or follow Islamist terrorist attacks?. Economics and Sociology, 12(1), 233-247. doi:10.14254/2071-789X.2019/12-1/13 DO INTERNET SEARCHES FOR ISLAMIST PROPAGANDA PRECEDE OR FOLLOW ISLAMIST TERRORIST ATTACKS? Carl E. Enomoto, ABSTRACT. Using a Vector-Autoregressive (VAR) model, this New Mexico State University, Las paper analyzes the relationship between Islamist terrorist Cruces, NM, U.S.A, attacks and Internet searches for the phrases such as “join E-mail: [email protected] Jihad” or “join ISIS.” It was found that Internet searches for “join Jihad” and “taghut” (Arabic word meaning “to rebel”) Kiana Douglas, preceded the Islamist terrorist attacks by three weeks over the New Mexico State University, Las period January 2014 to December 2016. Internet searches for Cruces, NM, U.S.A, “kufar” (the derogatory Arabic word for non-Muslims) E-mail: [email protected] preceded the attacks that resulted in deaths from the Islamist terrorist groups. Casualties, including those injured and killed by the Islamist groups, were also found to precede Internet searches for “join Jihad” and “ISIS websites.” Countermeasures Received: October, 2018 to the usage of social media for terrorist activity are also 1st Revision: December, 2018 discussed. As an example, if Internet searches for specific terms Accepted: February, 2019 can be identified that precede a terrorist attack, authorities can be on alert to possibly stop an impending attack. Chat rooms DOI: 10.14254/2071- and online discussion groups can also be used to disseminate 789X.2019/12-1/13 information to argue against terrorist propaganda that is being released.
    [Show full text]
  • In Their Own Words: Voices of Jihad
    THE ARTS This PDF document was made available from www.rand.org as CHILD POLICY a public service of the RAND Corporation. CIVIL JUSTICE EDUCATION Jump down to document ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT 6 HEALTH AND HEALTH CARE INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research NATIONAL SECURITY POPULATION AND AGING organization providing objective analysis and PUBLIC SAFETY effective solutions that address the challenges facing SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY the public and private sectors around the world. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TERRORISM AND HOMELAND SECURITY Support RAND TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Purchase this document WORKFORCE AND WORKPLACE Browse Books & Publications Make a charitable contribution For More Information Visit RAND at www.rand.org Learn more about the RAND Corporation View document details Limited Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law as indicated in a notice appearing later in this work. This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND monographs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. in their own words Voices of Jihad compilation and commentary David Aaron Approved for public release; distribution unlimited C O R P O R A T I O N This book results from the RAND Corporation's continuing program of self-initiated research.
    [Show full text]
  • Violent Jihad in the Netherlands
    Violent Jihad in the Netherlands Current trends in the Islamist terrorist threat Violent Jihad in the Netherlands Current trends in the Islamist terrorist threat 2 Contents Foreword 5 Introduction 7 The murder of Theo van Gogh: consequences and effects 7 General trends in the development of jihadism 9 Framework of terms and definitions 10 1 From exogenous threat to home-grown terrorism 13 1.1 What is a jihadist network? 13 1.2 Historical development of network formation 15 1.2.1 The traditional phase: migration of jihadists 15 1.2.2 The proliferation phase: recruitment 16 1.2.3 The ‘home-grown’ phase: radicalisation and jihadisation 17 1.3 Three types of jihadist networks 17 2 Decentralisation and local implantation of international jihad19 2.1Al-Qaeda: from ‘network of gynetworks’ 19 to trademark and ideolo 2.2 Ideology of global violent jihad 21 2.3 Decentralisation of international jihad 22 2.4 Local implantation of international jihad 26 3 Radicalisation and the emergence of local networks 29 3.1Radicalisation, recruitment and jihadisation 29 3.2 The religious context of radicalisation 30 3.3 The socio-political context of radicalisation 33 3.4 The cultural and socio-psychological context of radicalisation 35 3.5 Emergence of local autonomous cells and networks 37 3.6 Backgrounds and functioning of local autonomous networks 38 3.7 The significance of the Hofstad network 39 4 Virtualisation of jihad 43 4.1The Internet as a propulsion of the jihad movement 43 4.2 Al-Qaeda as a virtual database (top-down) 44 4.3 The virtual umma (grass
    [Show full text]
  • The Islamic Traditions of Cirebon
    the islamic traditions of cirebon Ibadat and adat among javanese muslims A. G. Muhaimin Department of Anthropology Division of Society and Environment Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies July 1995 Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] Web: http://epress.anu.edu.au National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Muhaimin, Abdul Ghoffir. The Islamic traditions of Cirebon : ibadat and adat among Javanese muslims. Bibliography. ISBN 1 920942 30 0 (pbk.) ISBN 1 920942 31 9 (online) 1. Islam - Indonesia - Cirebon - Rituals. 2. Muslims - Indonesia - Cirebon. 3. Rites and ceremonies - Indonesia - Cirebon. I. Title. 297.5095982 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. Cover design by Teresa Prowse Printed by University Printing Services, ANU This edition © 2006 ANU E Press the islamic traditions of cirebon Ibadat and adat among javanese muslims Islam in Southeast Asia Series Theses at The Australian National University are assessed by external examiners and students are expected to take into account the advice of their examiners before they submit to the University Library the final versions of their theses. For this series, this final version of the thesis has been used as the basis for publication, taking into account other changes that the author may have decided to undertake. In some cases, a few minor editorial revisions have made to the work. The acknowledgements in each of these publications provide information on the supervisors of the thesis and those who contributed to its development.
    [Show full text]
  • Should We Be Scared of All Salafists in Europe? a Dutch Case Study by Ineke Roex
    PERSPECTIVES ON TERRORISM Volume 8, Issue 3 Should we be Scared of all Salafists in Europe? A Dutch Case Study by Ineke Roex Abstract European governments consider the Salafi movement to be primarily a security threat. Yet developments in the Dutch Salafi movement reveal that quietist and political Salafists distance themselves from coercion and violence in the European context and also respect democratic authority. The movement manifests itself in very different ways worldwide. A more nuanced and contextual approach is necessary in order to assess and interpret potential threats. The peaceful branch of the movement should be understood as orthodox in nature, with the accompanying social and societal problems, but not by definition as a threat to the democratic rule of law. Keywords: Salafism, The Netherlands, Jihadism Introduction The Salafi movement is an orthodox Sunni Islamic movement. Like the Muslim Brotherhood, it has been rooting itself in Europe since the 1980s, due to the arrival of Islamic activists from the Middle East [1]. In the past decade, the movement has gained notoriety for acts of violence that are attributable to jihadist Salafism, a violent offshoot of the movement. Filmmaker Theo van Gogh was murdered in the Netherlands in 2004, and there were bombings in London (2005) and Madrid (2007) by Islamists. More recently, in 2012 and 2013, jihadists operating as individuals or in groups have carried out acts of violence in Belgium, France and England [2]. As a result, the Salafi movement as a whole is viewed as a security threat [3]. In this article, it will be shown that important sections of the Salafi movement distance themselves from violent extremism.
    [Show full text]
  • In the Supreme Court of India Islamic Religious Text on Mosque
    IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 10866-10867 OF 2010 IN THE MATTER OF: - M. Siddiq (D) Thr. Lrs. …Appellant VERSUS Mahant Suresh Das & Ors. etc. etc. …Respondents AND OTHER CONNECTED CIVIL APPEALS ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS TEXT ON MOSQUE [ADDITION TO DR. RAJEEV DHAVAN, SENIOR ADVOCATE’S SUBMISSION ON REFERENCE TO A LARGER BENCH OF SOME ASPECTS IN ISMAIL FARUQUI’S CASE] PAPER BOOK (PLEASE SEE INDEX INSIDE) COMPILED BY:- EJAZ MAQBOOL, ADVOCATE FOR THE APPELLANTS INDEX S. NO. PARTICULARS PAGES 1. Note on Islamic Religious Text on Mosque. 1 - 12 2. Relevant excerpts of the Holy Quran. 13 – 24 1 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION CIVIL APPEAL NOS. 10866-10867 OF 2010 IN THE MATTER OF: - M. Siddiq (D) Thr. Lrs. …Appellant VERSUS Mahant Suresh Das & Ors. etc. etc. …Respondents AND OTHER CONNECTED CIVIL APPEALS A. RELIGIOUS TEXT ON MOSQUE I. ESSENTIALITY AND IMPORTANCE OF MOSQUE IN ISLAM VERSES FROM HOLY QURAN: 1. Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Al Baqarah: Verse No.114 Who is more cruel than the one who prevents the mosques of Allah from His name being recited therein, and strives for their destruction? It was not for such men to enter them except in awe. For them there is disgrace in this world, and for them there is a mighty punishment in the other world. 2. Holy Quran Chapter 9 Surah Al Taubah: Verse No.18 In fact, the mosques of Allah are built-up only by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and those who establish Salah and pay Zakah and who fear none but Allah.
    [Show full text]
  • I Am a Salafi : a Study of the Actual and Imagined Identities of Salafis
    The Hashemite Kingdom Jordan The Deposit Number at The National Library (2014/5/2464) 251.541 Mohammad Abu Rumman I Am A Salafi A Study of The Actual And Imagined Identities of Salafis / by Mohammad Abu Rumman Amman:Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2014 Deposit No.:2014/5/2464 Descriptors://Islamic Groups//Islamic Movement Published in 2014 by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Jordan & Iraq FES Jordan & Iraq P.O. Box 941876 Amman 11194 Jordan Email: [email protected] Website: www.fes-jordan.org Not for sale © FES Jordan & Iraq All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the publishers. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the original author. They do not necessarily represent those of the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung or the editor. Translation: Dr. Hassan Barari Editing: Amy Henderson Cover: YADONIA Group Printing: Economic Printing Press ISBN: 978-9957-484-41-5 2nd Edition 2017 2 I AM A SALAFI A Study of the Actual and Imagined Identities of Salafis by Mohammad Abu Rumman 3 4 Dedication To my parents Hoping that this modest endeavor will be a reward for your efforts and dedication 5 Table of Contents DEDICATION ........................................................................................................ 5 FOREWORD .......................................................................................................... 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Trends in Southeast Asia
    ISSN 0219-3213 2016 no. 9 Trends in Southeast Asia THE EXTENSIVE SALAFIZATION OF MALAYSIAN ISLAM AHMAD FAUZI ABDUL HAMID TRS9/16s ISBN 978-981-4762-51-9 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119614 http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg 9 789814 762519 Trends in Southeast Asia 16-1461 01 Trends_2016-09.indd 1 29/6/16 4:52 PM The ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute (formerly Institute of Southeast Asian Studies) was established in 1968. It is an autonomous regional research centre for scholars and specialists concerned with modern Southeast Asia. The Institute’s research is structured under Regional Economic Studies (RES), Regional Social and Cultural Studies (RSCS) and Regional Strategic and Political Studies (RSPS), and through country- based programmes. It also houses the ASEAN Studies Centre (ASC), Singapore’s APEC Study Centre, as well as the Nalanda-Sriwijaya Centre (NSC) and its Archaeology Unit. 16-1461 01 Trends_2016-09.indd 2 29/6/16 4:52 PM 2016 no. 9 Trends in Southeast Asia THE EXTENSIVE SALAFIZATION OF MALAYSIAN ISLAM AHMAD FAUZI ABDUL HAMID 16-1461 01 Trends_2016-09.indd 3 29/6/16 4:52 PM Published by: ISEAS Publishing 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119614 [email protected] http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg © 2016 ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission. The author is wholly responsible for the views expressed in this book which do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.
    [Show full text]
  • Testimonies of Jewish Converts to Islam Introduction
    Testimonies of Jewish Converts To Islam Introduction Thousands of Jews convert to Islam, from Rabbis to reform Jews, as well as Jews for Jesus, each after research, study and comparison, discover the Truth and Beauty of Islam and how Islam completes our lives, fills our spirits, and brings us closer to God and on the path of Righteousness. Included here are the testimonies of a few of our fellow Jewish brothers and sisters who have accepted Islam as their religion, Allah as their God, and Muhammad as the final Prophet, ameen. 1. Rachel Singer 2. Rabbi of Makhachkala 3. Hajj Mustafa Ali (David Sterling) 4. Suleyman Ahmad 5. Jemima Goldsmith 6. Maryam Jameelah 7. Fouad 8. Michelle 9. Kari Ann Owen 10. Emad ud Deen 11. Michael Wolfe 12. Muhammad Asad 13. From Messiah to Muslim (Shabbetai Zevi) 14. Abdullah Ibn Sailam, the first Rabbi convert 15. Hasan from Yard Al Mukaddasa 16. Reform Jew convert to Islam 17. Rabbi from Morocco: Abdul Haqq Al-Islami 18. Moshe 19. Founder of Al Azhar 20. Muhammad Daniel (1) WHOMEVER HEARS, ANSWER! Rashida S. (Rachel Singer - USA) I came to Islam late, a daughter of a devout Roman Catholic mother/very devout Jewish father. By age 4 I knew of Allah and in 1991 I traveled to Egypt to read some of my writing. I had already spent almost 20 years among the most pious of Jews, had married, had children. When I heard the muezzin* before Fajr* his voice was like the arrow one dreams that a lover will shoot into the heart, it cut & held me unable to speak.
    [Show full text]
  • Al-Kufr Bit-Tāghūt
    تكفري املشركني وعﻻقته ابلكفر ابلطاغوت Takfīr on the mushrikūn and its relation to Al-Kufr Bit-Tāghūt By Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Umar Al-Hāzimī May Allāh preserve him Al-Aqeedah Takfīr upon the mushrikūn Shaykh Ahmad ibn ‘Umar Al-Hāzimī – may Allāh hasten his release – said when explaining declaring takfīr upon those who commit shirk with Allāh in the worship of Him the Exalted: “In the Name of Allāh the Most Merciful the Most Beneficent. All praise is due to Allāh, and may the peace and blessings of Allāh be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions. And thereafter: We point to an issue which is related to what have gone forth. And that is that it has been established many times that leaving shirk is included in al-kufr bit-tāghūt (the rejection of tāghūt). So whoever does not leave shirk (by not performing it) then he has not fulfilled al- kufr bit-tāghūt. And it is also included (in al-kufr bit-tāghūt) – just as we have mentioned yesterday many times – that the one who excuses the mushrik in his shirk; the one who does not judge him as being upon kufr – then he has also not fulfilled the description of al-kufr bit-tāghūt. And the description of whether a person has rejected tāghūt or not is built upon four things: - The belief in the invalidity of the worship of others than Allāh - Leaving (the worship of tāghūt) - And also the takfīr (of the one worshipping tāghūt) - And the hate and enmity. All these things are included in what is called al-kufr bit-tāghūt.
    [Show full text]
  • Takfiris in Tehran: the Sectarian Face of Iranian Counterterrorism by Mehdi Khalaji
    MENU Policy Analysis / PolicyWatch 2637 Takfiris in Tehran: The Sectarian Face of Iranian Counterterrorism by Mehdi Khalaji Jun 24, 2016 Also available in Arabic ABOUT THE AUTHORS Mehdi Khalaji Mehdi Khalaji, a Qom-trained Shiite theologian, is the Libitzky Family Fellow at The Washington Institute. Brief Analysis While the severity of the Sunni extremist threat inside Iran is debatable, the regime's recent operations against suspected terrorists highlight its pattern of exploiting sectarian sentiment to bolster its regional adventurism. n June 14, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence launched a series of operations leading to the arrest of ten O "Wahhabi takfiri terrorists" in Tehran and three other provinces. Following the initial announcement of the crackdown on June 19, Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi provided further details about the captured suspects two days later. According to him, "their plan was to attack several crowded spots using remote bombs and car bombs"; they had prepared a list of fifty targets in all. Agents also reportedly seized about one kilogram of explosive material and used "sophisticated measures" to prevent the delivery of two tons more to "terrorists." Video clips claiming to show the sting have been posted to the website of Fars News , a media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The actual scope and severity of this threat remain uncertain for now, but the rhetoric surrounding the regime's response holds clear domestic implications. In addition to treating terrorist infiltration as a political football in recent years, various officials have been using loaded words like "takfir" to rally the public behind Tehran's sectarian regional agenda.
    [Show full text]
  • Inside the Jihadi Mind Understanding Ideology and Propaganda
    Inside the Jihadi Mind Understanding Ideology and Propaganda EMMA EL-BADAWY MILO COMERFORD PETER WELBY 1 2 Contents Executive Summary 5 Policy Recommendations 9 Introduction 13 Framework for Analysis Values 23 Objectives 35 Conduct 45 Group Identity 53 Scripture and Scholarship How Jihadi Groups Use the Quran and Hadith 63 How Jihadi Groups Make Use of / Reject Scholarship 67 Appendices Methodology 70 Glossary 74 Acknowledgements 76 Note This report was first published in October 2015. The research was carried by the Centre on Religion & Geopolitics. The work of the Centre on Religion & Geopolitics is now carried out by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. 3 4 1.0 Executive Summary This report identifies what ideology is shared by ISIS, Jabhat al- Nusra, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninusla, as revealed in their propaganda, in order to inform effective counter-narratives. The ideology of global extremism can only be countered if it is first understood. This combination of theology and political objectives needs to be uprooted through rigorous scrutiny, and sustained intellectual confrontation. After the 9/11 attacks, Osama Bin Laden’s al- Qaeda had approximately 300 militants. ISIS alone has, at a low estimate, 31,000 fighters across Syria 55 and Iraq. Understanding how ideology has driven this Salafi-jihadism is a vital motivating force for extremist phenomenon is essential to containing and defeating violence, and therefore must be countered in order to violent extremism. curb the threat. But violent ideologies do not operate in a vacuum. AIM OF THE REPORT SUMMARY EXECUTIVE A fire requires oxygen to grow.
    [Show full text]