The Threat To Europe And The United States From Islamic Terrorism Is Serious And Growing

06/13/2014ICALeave a commentGo to comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 Votes

Revelation 13:4, “And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’”

By Soeren Kern, Gatestone Institute – “The threat to Europe and the United States from Islamic terrorism is serious and growing, and new attacks with unexpected targets and timings are increasingly likely, according to two new reports that provide insights and predictions about the threats posed by al-Qaeda and other Salafi-jihadist groups.

The reports — one by the US-based RAND Corporation and another by the EU-based Europol — show that al-Qaeda and related jihadist groups are evolving, splintering and morphing, and that the number of Islamic militants, especially from Western countries, is growing apace.

Taken together, the two reports thoroughly dispute claims by members of the Obama Administration and other policymakers that al-Qaeda has been severely weakened and no longer poses a major threat to the West.

The first report, entitled, ‘A Persistent Threat: The Evolution of al-Qaeda and Other Salafi Jihadists,’ was prepared for the U.S. Defense Department and published on June 4 by the RAND Corporation, a public policy think tank based in California.

As the title implies, the report focuses on the Salafi-jihadist movement, a particular strand of militant Sunni Islamism which emphasizes the importance of returning to a ‘pure’ Islam: that of the Salaf (an Arabic term which means ‘ancestors’ or ‘predecessors’ and refers to the first three generations of Muslims, including Mohammed and his companions and followers).

Salafi-jihadist groups are actively seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate — a theocratic Muslim empire governed by Islamic sharia law — to bring about the unification of the entire Muslim world, and, according to their writings, ultimately the subjugation of the entire globe. These groups believe that violent jihad to achieve this objective is a personal religious duty for every Muslim.

The report documents how the broader Salafi-jihadist movement has become more decentralized among four tiers: 1) core al-Qaeda in Pakistan; 2) formal affiliates that have sworn allegiance to al-Qaeda; 3) Salafi-jihadist groups that have not sworn allegiance to al-Qaeda, but are committed to establishing an extremist Islamic emirate; and 4) inspired individuals and networks.

Between 2010 and 2013, the report says, the number of al-Qaeda-sympathizing Salafi-jihadist groups has increased to 49 from 31; the number of jihadist fighters has doubled to 100,000; and the number of attacks by al-Qaeda affiliates has tripled to roughly 1,000 from 392.

The most significant threat to the United States, the report warns, comes from terrorist groups operating in North Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Iraq and Syria, the location that has seen the greatest growth in the numbers of jihadist groups and militants.” Read more.

Flashback: Boston Bomber: Muslims Are Rising, ‘You Are Fighting Men Who Look Into The Barrel Of Your Gun And See Heaven’ – “‘[Muslims] are beginning to rise. … Know you are fighting men who look into the barrel of your gun and see heaven, how can you complete with that? We are promised victory and we will surely get it,’ a report says Tsarnaev wrote. ‘Tsarnaev reaffirmed his commitment to jihad and expressed hope that his actions would inspire others to engage in violent jihad …’”” Read more.

Flashback: ‘Islam Is Coming’: Jihadist Leader Warns U.S. That Foreign Fighting In Syria Could Be In America Next – “During a radio interview Sunday, a representative of al-Qaida in the Gaza Strip sent a message to the United States: ‘Islam is coming and there is no other choice.’ That sentiment was expressed by Abu Saqer, leader of Jihadiya Salafiya in the Gaza Strip, speaking on ‘Aaron Klein Investigative Radio’ on New York’s WABC Radio. Jihadiya Salafiya represents al-Qaida in the Gaza Strip. Saqer further stated that after battling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the thousands of foreign jihadists currently in Syria could turn their ire on what he called the many other ‘enemies of Islam,’ including Israel and the United States.” Read more.