TERRORISM AND ITS TRUE COLOURS.. CAN ISLAM BE ABSOLVED OF THIS TAG?

TERRORISM AND ITS NEW COLOURS

Prof Dr Colonel (Retired) K Prabhakar Rao



The world has been witnessing anarchy in many countries and at present is in the grip of terrorism. In fact, terrorism is age old and existed in all centuries and in all parts of the world in some form or other. Terrorism in the modern sense is violence or other harmful acts committed (or threatened) against mostly innocent civilians for political or other ideological goals. Most definitions of terrorism include only those acts which are intended to create fear or "terror", are perpetrated for an ideological goal (as opposed to a lone attack), and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants.
Many definitions also include only acts of unlawful violence. As a form of unconventional warfare, terrorism is sometimes used when attempting to force political change by convincing a government or population to agree to demands to avoid future harm or fear of harm, destabilizing an existing government, motivating a disgruntled population to join an uprising, escalating a conflict in the hopes of disrupting the status quo, expressing a grievance, or drawing attention to a cause (1).
According to Walter Laqueur of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "the only general characteristic of terrorism generally agreed upon is that terrorism involves violence and the threat of violence."

Terrorism revolves around following:
1. Political purpose
2. Disguise
3. Psychological impact
4. Violence
5. Wanton killings
6. Fear
7. Instability in society
8. Reduced economical growth in the country
9. Destruction of property and lives
10.Division in society
11.Mutual suspicion and hatred

Most of the terrorist acts are the results of political( Religious too) unhappiness, frustrations and are aimed at achieving some desired changes, confusion, chaos, anarchy, destabilization and drawing attention too. These acts are conducted when the aggrieved party has no strength, militarily and financially and can not take up open hostilities as regular warfare. The acts are conducted to create panic and fear and psychological impact in the minds of people and the concerned government too as a tactics of blackmail. Invariably terrorists do not identify themselves as military men. Many acts are done in the garb of civilians. The acts of repression by armed forces or even police forces and para military forces on their own societies of a country go unnoticed and are not dubbed as terrorism.Under cover of lawful governing are treated as law and order problems This is state terrorism. Mass murders of Jews in concentration camps by Nazi Army and acts of repression by Pakistani Lt General Tikka Khan in former East Pakistan during 1970-71 are not usually considered as Terrorism.They were repressions. Similarly Chinese actions in Tibet after revolt and genocide at Tienanmen square are acts of state repression. Similarly shooting of innocents at Jalianwala Bagh( Amritsar) by troops of Brig Dyer on during prepartition days was the act of state terrorism and repression. Shooting of Police officer Saunders by Bhagat Singh and his associates Rajguru and Sukh Dev was the act of revenge for the death of Laala lajpat Rai ( Punjab lion) who was seriously injured in a brutal police Lathi charge when he was leading a demonstration against Simon commission in pre partition days.Same is the case of Shaheed Uddham singh who shot dead Michael O Dayyer former governor of Punjab in prepartition days at Coxton hall in London as a revenge against Jalianwallah massacre. Some might contest these views although the Govt actions were mere state terrorism and acts against lawlessness covered under law by a lawful state (2). Thus, the real definition of terrorism eludes. Lankan Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) waged guerilla war for liberation from Srilanka. Their operations can be viewed as acts of Terrorism akin to Palestine conflict while their sympathizers consider them freedom fighters that are waging war of liberation. LTTE killed Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Madras by engineering a suicide bomb as revenge for interfering in their struggle by sending peace keeping force that got involved in fighting. Suicide bombers are clad in civilian attire, mix with general public and blow themselves as planned causing panic and deaths of innocents around. In all acts of terrorism violence is essential. Without violence the acts have no impact. Assassination of MK Gandhi in 1948 by Nathuram Vinayak Godse was the result of Partition of Indian subcontinent and the minority appeasement policies of MK Gandhi before and after partition.Tempers were high. Passions rose up. This was not an act of terrorism , but a murder. Assassination of Mrs Indira Gandhi by Sikh body guards was an act of revenge as a result of military operation blue star by Indian army against Sikh Holy shrine Golden Temple in Amritsar. Killing of General Viadya ( retired) former Army Chief of India at Pune by Sikh Militants was the result of Operation blue star. Invariably a small numbers of terrorists hold large groups of people of various nations to a ransom by their unlawful acts. In all these acts described above, only a particular person was targeted and eliminated by a single person or a group of persons. They had no enmity with other people in society. As a Basic definition, terrorism is aimed at innocents to create panic and fear. Above acts were not aimed for such results. Thus, they do not fall under the acts of terrorism. They were simply planned murders in the eyes of law enforcing agencies while for a section of people these were the patriotic acts and are glorified too. The acts of Taliban in Pakistan and Afghansitan are truly terrorism.

Recently bomb blasts rocked the city of Oslo in Europe killing scores and injuring many innocents. The finger of suspicion initially was towards the Jihadi outfits. The New York Times quoted a terrorism expert as saying the terror group Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami, or the Helpers of the Global Jihad, issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack. The newspaper quoted Will McCants, a terrorism analyst at CNA, a research institute that studied terrorism, as saying the group called the attacks a response to Norwegian forces' presence in Afghanistan and to unspecified insults to the prophet Mohammed. The statement said, "There is more to come." The Times notes that the claim could not be confirmed (3). However the arrest of suspect Anders Behring Breivik proved that he had no links to such outfits. The Muslim world heaved a sigh of relief. Consequently certain sources ) started claiming that it was high time terrorism was delinked to Islam. Does it mean that there is a change in hearts of Jihadi outfits? It would probably never happen. This is because Politics in Islam is governed by religion.Staunch fundamentalist Islamists are of opinion that Allah made this world and thus every one has to be a Muslim and all non believers are required to be converted or put to sword.The atrocities committed by Mulsim armies in the world are based on this philosophy.

Although earlier, there were some acts of bombing by Irish republican Army in England. It was limited to United Kingdom. Unfortunately Lord Mountbatten the distinguished admiral of WW II and Last Governor General of India was killed in one of the mindless blasts. The actions of Irish republic army can be viewed as a guerilla war with limited aims. In the modern context, one of the tactics of Guerilla warfare also includes some acts of violence against specific targets. One of the basic principle of Guerilla warfare is not to alienate themselves from the people. They have to have a base among people. At times locals do not go against them for the fear of reprisals. Such actions are very common in Indian Maoist ( Naxalites) context. Maoists enjoy support of locals in the areas where they thrive. They almost run a parallel government. Such situation exists in the tribal belts of Indian states Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and in some areas of eastern Maharshtra and Andhra Pradesh. These Maoist outfits have not been dubbed as terrorists and are termed militant outfits. In fact at times the line of division is narrow.he Kashmiri militants have many sympathizers in the state of J and K and have sancturies in Pakistan. They carry out intrusion and commit terrorist acts in the state with the help of locals. They call it as a freedom struggle.India however dub it as mere acts of terrorism.Thus in modern times Guerilla warfare has degenerated into terrorism.

It is a fact that Islamic Jihadi outfits view the entire world as the creation of Allah and thus it belongs to him. They strongly advocate Islamization of entire world making it a Dar Ul Islam and waging Jihad as the primary responsibility of all Muslims. They view every one as the enemy of Islam who does not subscribe to their view. Wahabi cult in fact has engulfed such misguided men. They view Western world as the enemy No. 1 to Islam and cry loud that Muslim world and it’s youth are being adversely influenced by Western culture, thought way of living, style and habits. They bemoan that Islam is being polluted by West. All the persons who advocate modernization of Islam with progressive and scientific thought and outlook separating religion from politics ( Turkey is an example) as the staunch enemies of Islam. They aim at their destruction and elimination. Moderate rulers such as King of Saudi Arabia, President of Syria, Even Late Saddam Hussein, Late Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Late Shah Pehalwi of Iran, Late Sukarno of Indonesia were teamed as enemies of Islam. No other militant outfit has similar thoughts. No other religion has advocated similar thought and philosophy. Although crusades were fought between Christian world and followers of Islam in medieval period, these wars did not yield major results. World has been polarized as Islamic world and non Islamic world from the beginning.

Islamic countries remained backward, poor, with no scientific growth. Education of women received back seat.Taliban is a living example. In any society education of women plays very great role in molding the children and their out look. Muslims had to borrow technology from West. Most of the Islamic countries in modern ages were dominated by West particularly by Great Britain. After world War I, centuries old Caliphate was abolished and Muslim world lost its central authority and identity too. This has been a serious set back to Islamic world and it thus considered West as oppressors and deprivers. The hatred continues till date. The main grudge of Osama Bin Laden against West was based on this presumption. He saw West as the sole evil for all the evils that Islam faced in this world. Although Islamists claim Muslims to be the pioneers in science, it failed to scientifically grow. On this aspect, they seriously lagged behind. While West galloped with scientific inventions, modern thought, Islam badly lagged behind in these aspects. They confined themselves to theological studies based on Madrasa education.Fundamentalists grew. Result was that it seriously lagged behind. Consequently they were dominated by West in all aspects. It is also true that Islam is a major religion in world and they constitute sizeable proportion in every country including western nations including China and Indian sub continent. All the countries that have sizeable Muslims population are facing Jihadi threat. At present Jihad is not confined to only Non Islamic countries. It is equally threatening to other Islamic countries that are not towing the line of Wahabi thought in theory and practice. Pakistan and Afghanistan and Iraq are living examples. The terrorist monster is devouring these Islamic republics.

The contention that it is time to delink Islam from terrorism by certain quarters in view of Oslo bombings and shootings, is too premature. This is inview of repeated threats and actions by Jihadi outfits throughout the world. A list of major Islamic terrorist groups is given as under:-


Lebanon
1. Asbat al Ansar
2. Hezbollah a.k.a Islamic Jihad

Palestine
1.Islamic Jihad for liberation of Palestine
2.Palestine Islamic Jihad PIJ
3.HAMAS
4.Al aqsa Martyrs brigade
5. Democratic front for Liberation of Palestine DFLP

Pakistan
1.Harkat Ul Ansar HUA
2.Harkat Ul Mujahideen HUM
3.Jaish E Mohammed JEM
4.Lashkar E Tayyiba LET

India
1.Indian Mujahideen IM
2.Student Islamic movement of India SIMI
3.Dargah E shahdat DES
4.Al Ummah

Phillipines

1. Abu sayyaf group

USA
1.Jamaat ul Fuqra

Iran

1.Mujahideen E Khalq MEK
2.People Mujahideen of Iran

Egypt

1.Al Jihad a.ka..Islamic Jihad
2. Al gama a.al Islamia IG

Iraq

1.Abu Nidal Organization ANO

Algeria.

1.Salafist Group for call and combat

( There are many local lesser known terrorist groups in above countries and other places)

No changes have taken place in Islamic Jihadi thought even after the slaying of the most wanted international criminal Osama Bin Laden of Al Qaeda at the hands of American Special forces in Pakistan right under their nose. In fact, there were flurry of statements from al Qaeda and Taliban that USA would soon pay for the deed and that they would hit back in a very gruesome manner. These can not be taken as empty threats and the world can not lower the guard even for a minute. Recent bombings in Bombay are the reminders of the 26/11 blasts and killings in the same city. India has not learnt lessons although it has been fighting the terrorists for more than two decades. The parrot like statements by the Home minister and the PM Dr Man Mohan singh that they would take strong actions if the attacks took place again.These statements they repeat whenever attacks take place. Ironically the attacks took place again after 26/11 and the official machinery was caught with pants down. Jihad world wide continues as Wahabi thought and its inspired jihadis can not see reason and follow the religious dictums blindly still groping in medieval atmosphere. Therefore it is but natural that terrorist actions are invariably linked to Islamic Jihadists unless proved otherwise.Jihad, Terrorism, and Wahabi thought march hand in glove in all corners of the world and the world has no way except to put up a determined stiff fight against these criminals in all corners of the world without respite.





Bibliography


1. Terrorism, Wikepedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terrorism#Official_definitions

2. Dr K Prabhakar Rao, State terrorism , How cruel it is ? kuntamukkalprabhakar.blogspot.com,

3.Dead line, http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/07/blast-in-oslo-blows-out-government-office-building-windows/1

4. List of known terrorist organizations, http://www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist-groups.cfm