Counter-Radicalization: Tackling Emotions to Tackle Terrorism

Countering the call to British Muslims to jihad
By Caroline Wyatt, Religious affairs correspondent, BBC News, August 22, 2014

The Muslim Council of Britain has called on British Muslims to play their part in countering radicalisation and reject the barbarity of Islamic State militants.

The secretary general of the council, Dr Shuja Shafi, said British Muslims were "horrified at the abhorrent murder" of US journalist James Foley and urged them to report any wrongdoing to the police.

The statement came as the hunt went on in the UK for those who killed Mr Foley and uploaded footage of the murder earlier this week.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-28905772

Britain has raised the terror threat risk level from substantial to “severe,” meaning that a terrorist attack is considered “highly likely,” due to recent developments in Iraq and Syria.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Friday that extra security measures are now being enforced after the UK's terror threat level was raised to the second highest of five possible.

Cameron also said the ISIL Takfiri group is a direct threat to the security of Britain.

“What we are facing in Iraq now with ISIL is a greater and deeper threat to our security than we have known before,” said Cameron, noting that at least 500 British nationals have travelled from UK to fight in Syria and Iraq.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2014/08/29/377002/britain-raises-terror-threat-level/

I am wondering what those who join these radical groups see in it to attract them. To me, all I see is oppression and I don't understand the attraction.

Terrorism expert says isolation driving Calgarians to join ISIL
(BY MANISHA KRISHNAN, CALGARY HERALD, August 17, 2014)

Calgary jihadist Farah Mohamed Shirdon, in his 20s, was reportedly killed abroad after joining the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which now calls itself Islamic State. Shirdon’s death follows those of fellow Calgarians Salman Ashrafi, who also died fighting with ISIL in Iraq and Damaian Clairmont, 22, a member of an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group who was killed in Syria. The men are just two of an estimated 30 Calgarians that have been recruited by foreign terror groups, according to Calgary police.

The Herald asked Michael Zekulin, a political science professor and terrorism expert at University of Calgary, what causes Canadians to become radicalized and how to prevent it from happening.
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Terrorism+expert+says+isolation+driving+Calgarians+join+ISIL/10125070/story.html

British jihadists to be forced to attend deradicalisation programmes, says Cameron
(By Tom Whitehead, The Telegraph, September 1, 2014)

British jihadists returning from Iraq and Syria will be forced to attend “deradicalisation” programmes to reverse their warped brainwashing, David Cameron announced.

Dangerous fanatics made subject to court controls will be ordered to engage in anti-extremism schemes as part of a raft of new measures to combat the risk of British Islamists returning to the UK.

The move comes amid growing concern over the threat posed by Britons who have joined the terror group Isil in Syria and Iraq.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/11068878/British-jihadists-to-be-forced-to-attend-deradicalisation-programmes-says-Cameron.html

RCMP seeks to ID youth at risk of radicalization
(BY DOUGLAS QUAN, POSTMEDIA NEWS, September 5, 2014)

With more and more Canadians taking up arms in far-off conflict zones, the RCMP is embarking on an ambitious plan to try to identify young people at risk of becoming radicalized and exposing them to "positive influences."

"The signs could be they're not going to school, they're feeling isolated, their understanding of geopolitics is not what we would say is the standard. And that's where positive intervention could be, 'Let's get someone, (possibly) a political science university teacher, to maybe put things in context,' " Sgt. Renu Dash, acting director of the RCMP's federal policing public engagement team, said Thursday. Security experts said this week that authorities were wise to adopt one-on-one interventions as part of their counter-terrorism efforts, but they also had key questions and concerns: What criteria will be used to determine who is targeted for intervention? Will the RCMP get enough buy-in from community players, some of whom may be fearful of being labelled as "spies?" "This is key. If you do not have buy-in from the communities, your plan is dead in the water," said Mubin Shaikh, the former CSIS informant who helped to expose the Toronto-18 terrorism plot.
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/RCMP+seeks+youth+risk+radicalization/10176646/story.html

Details Emerge About Douglas McCain, American Jihadist Killed in Syria
(Voice of America News, August 27, 2014)

Douglas McAuthur McCain, the first known American to be killed while fighting alongside Islamic militants in Syria, was an undistinguished 33-year-old raised in Minnesota who most recently worked as a caregiver in California.

So what compelled him to leave for the Middle East this spring and to take up arms on behalf of religious extremists?

The U.S. National Security Council confirmed McCain's death on Tuesday. The State Department said U.S. officials had been in contact with McCain's family.

The issue of Americans joining radical forces in places like Syria, getting training and even indoctrination in terrorist ideology, has pushed to the forefront concern among U.S. officials, who fear one or more might try to return and commit terrorist acts on American soil.
http://www.voanews.com/content/us-man-suspected-of-fighting-alongside-militants-killed-in-syria/2429355.html

I know, for myself, I didn't know what else to say. Regardless of all the reasons listed, I still couldn't see the attraction to join such a oppressive violent group. I would feel the same for any other extremist violent political organization, mix in religion, and it would just be intolerable.

revelette2 wrote:

I know, for myself, I didn't know what else to say. Regardless of all the reasons listed, I still couldn't see the attraction to join such a oppressive violent group. I would feel the same for any other extremist violent political organization, mix in religion, and it would just be intolerable.

From the viewpoint of someone living in a stable liberal democracy with no concerns about meddling by foreign powers.

The West has had an uneasy relationship with Islam, from the Crusades through to 19th Century Imperialism, The Cold War and the 21st Century with Arab/Persian protesters complaining of American Hegemony in the Middle East.

Radical Islam, unlike other more moderate political movements, has been a consistent opponent of Crusades/Imperialism/Hegemony, and if you're an angry disillusioned young person, their absolute stance does have a certain romantic appeal.

What do you think happened in Iran?

With Jimmy Carter 's help,
the Moslems overthrew the Shah.