Extremists Numbers Increasing?

A leaked government intelligence report notes that there are ‘thousands’ of extremists active in the UK ‘principally engaged in spreading their extremist message, training, fund raising and procuring non-lethal military equipment to support the Jihads in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq, and sending recruits to the conflicts.’

This document re-confirms the fact that the ideological message of Islamist groups such as Al Qaeda is having an effect on young men living in this country to such an extent that they are prepared to indiscriminately kill as many people as possible. Often Muslims cite the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as the main reasons why they think some Muslim men are attracted to extremism. While these reasons may be contributing factors, Muslims need to accept that there is an overriding ideological reason as espoused by Al Qaeda and its like whose followers believe in the indiscriminate killing of people as a way of furthering their cause. This ideology whose supporters we have recently seen in places such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan and other African and Middle Eastern states has no qualms about killing Muslims if they are seen to support the West let alone non-Muslims. This extremist ideology is spread using the Internet, university campuses, small study circles and other similar methods to brainwash young men into believing this ideology is the only way forward and must be followed.

Muslims in this country need to be vigilant especially parents of teenagers to ensure young men who may be angry at world events do not allow this anger to be channeled towards a path of destruction by extremists who are extremely professional and dedicated to their cause. Blaming foreign policy is not an answer, the Islamist ideology must be tackled head on.