De-Legitimizing Terrorism: Creative Engagement and Understanding of the Psycho-Social and Political Processes Involved in Ideological Support for Terrorism

Abstract

In recent years the world has witnessed a proliferation of global terrorism much of it carried out by groups ideologically connected to each other by the common reliance on a shared (although individualistically and often nationalistically expressed) militant jihadist ideology which makes use of distorted tenets of Islam. This militant jihadist ideology claims that Islam is under attack and rallies its adherents to join the global jihad – a war in defense of Islam. It makes a global call to Muslims all over the world to place their religious allegiances above all other allegiances (i.e. familial, national, etc.) and to consider themselves as the “fictive kin” or “Muslim brothers” of all Muslims everywhere. Disturbing events in conflict zones (i.e. Palestine, Iraq, Chechnya, and Afghanistan) are offered by these groups as concrete and alarming examples for advancing their ideology with its core theme that Islam is under attack and that therefore extreme and violent methods are justified to defend Islam and Islamic people and values everywhere. Promising to address the suffering they call to their adherents attention, and to not only end this suffering but to bring about a new world order – one that promises social justice and moral living in accordance with the tenets of the Quran terror groups promote a militant jihadist ideology that rallies their forces, increases their pool of sympathizers, raises funds and operational support and most importantly motivates their members and new recruits to enact suicide terrorism – the most lethal of weapons in the terrorists’ arsenal.