The tragedy at Ft. Hood, in which Maj. Nidal Hasan is accused of killing and wounding dozens of his fellow soldiers, is shining a light on websites that promote extremism and jihad. This Associated Press article, published in The Washington Post, reports that the extremist sites are shifting the language they use from Arabic to English. It cites Saudi Arabia’s Al-Sakina program, designed to monitor extremist sites, as one of the reasons that Arabic-language websites have declined from over 2,000 to just 50 now. But at the same time, English-language sites have grown from around 30 to 200.
While the language being used may be changing, the message is not: it is still religious extremism and intolerance.
The article is worth reading in full.
200 Web sites spread al-Qaida’s message in English
DONNA ABU-NASR and LEE KEATHRIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Increasing numbers of English-language Web sites are spreading al-Qaida’s message to Muslims in the West. They translate writings and sermons once largely out of reach of English readers and often feature charismatic clerics like Anwar al-Awlaki, who exchanged dozens of e-mails with the Army psychiatrist accused of the Fort Hood shootings.
The U.S.-born al-Awlaki has been an inspiration to several militants arrested in the United States and Canada in recent years, with his Web-based sermons often turning up on their computers.
“The point is you don’t have to be an official part of al-Qaida to spread hatred and sectarian views,” said Evan Kohlmann, a senior investigator for the New York-based NEFA Foundation, which researches Islamic militants.
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November:20:2009 - 09:56
Saudi Arabia set up its Assakeena program after authorities found that 70 percent of al-Qaida sympathizers were drawn to the group through the Internet. In the campaign, government-backed preachers monitor 400 radical Islamic web sites and inject a more moderate message on the sites. The campaigners also directly contact and dialogue with militants they encounter on the Web, conversations that can take weeks or months. Of 2,631 militants contacted by the group, 1,170 withdrew their support for radicals -
They get paid! Where do I sign up?
November:20:2009 - 09:56
This is to be expected. The global jihad movement has probably maxed out on the kind of people it can attract within the Arab world. Of course you still get local actors in Yemen, but the attraction for international mayhem seems a little less and I am sure the neighboring Arab states are tightening their own borders.
I doubt that either the UK bombers or the ones in Mumbai, were fluent in Arabic. Even the recent murderer at Ft. Hood was barely literate in Arabic (and I am assuming the news reports are accurate).
November:20:2009 - 09:56
There’s no shortage of disaffected young men anywhere in the world. Some can always be tempted into ‘doing something’ rather than just talking about it.
November:20:2009 - 09:56
John–good point. Of the Toronto 18 arrested in 2006, and mentioned in the article, most have been released without charges or had the charges tossed. They were (mis)lead by 2 RCMP Muslim Canadian plants (one paid $2m) who tried to train them into an active terrorist group(one of the plants had Canadian Forces training) with little success–too cold “up north” ie about 100km north of Toronto ie still Southern Ontario. Most if not all were South Asian as was at least one of the plants. Most of the arrested were middle class, good students, and no previous problems,ie naive, young, impressionable, and full of testosterone (most were age 17-19).
November:20:2009 - 09:56
They were (mis)lead by 2 RCMP Muslim Canadian plants (one paid $2m) who tried to train them into an active terrorist group -
Not even one of the kids called the authorities to report that they knew a terrorist group was being formed?
November:20:2009 - 09:56
Solomon2–good question! Not from what I’ve read, but if they had I assume the RCMP would have led them astray since they were really trying to get a solid case this time. The first “Toronto 18″ (give or take) were a group of Pakstani youth all arrested with great fanfare in the post-9/11 hysteria of winter 2001/2. They were all quietly released with no charges, but their reputations wrecked. So this lot they wanted concrete actions and evidence for; and then arrested them with SWAT teams and photo ops. Unfortunately they weren’t much into terrorism, the plans were vague and promoted by the plant, they had to be coaxed, and they wanted to spend their “training camp” time in the local Tim Hortons eating doughnuts and drinking coffee. In short a rather unenthusiastic lot. Even the plant testified on their behalf. Only 5 were charged, and about the same were found guilty of planning a fertilizing bomb for the Canadian Parliament buildings in Ottawa.
November:20:2009 - 09:56
Solomon2 ditto on where do I sign up!
Further, I would like to say to someone who may be seduced by such that, “There are many channels in which to wave your righteous wand but not through destruction. These MAD people are pissed off. Don’t join the pissed off group. Join the happy group”
Mostly
About
Destruction
November:20:2009 - 09:56
I needed to add this part too.
About the switching language bit…quite interesting:
1. I don’t believe they will be successful and if it is they will only attract the derelicts of society which will certainly do the “cause” good.
2. Sounds like desperation if you ask me! Bowing down to the English language hahahah.
So much better it would be if these people instead learned skills to take control of their lives and find true contentment through peace and understanding. Not what everyone is looking for obviously.