Religious terrorism
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Religious terrorism is terrorism by those whose motivations and aims have a predominant religious character or influence;[1] to be considered religious terrorism the perpetrators must use religious scriptures to justify or explain their violent acts or to gain recruits and there must be some sort of clerical figures involved in some leadership roles. Religious terrorism is the most common form and reason for terrorist acts across the world. [2]
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[edit] Christian
Organizations dedicated to Christian terrorism:
- Army of God: Christian paramilitary group that supports and involves itself in terrorist activity against abortion clinics and providers in the United States.
- Ku Klux Klan
- Nagaland Rebels: (1948–present) Active in predominantly Christian state in India. Involved in several bombings in 2004.
[edit] Islamic
Organizations involved in Islamic terrorism:
Sunni Groups:
- Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG): Separatist. Aims for the establishment of an Islamic state in the Southern Philippines.
- Al-Gama'at al-Islamiya (GI): The violent overthrow of the Egyptian Government and establishment of an Islamic state and the removal of Western influence from the Arab world.
- Al-Jihad: Aims for violent overthrow of the Egyptian government and the establishment of an Islamic state in Egypt, destruction of U.S. and Israeli interests.
- Al-Qaeda: Led by Osama bin Laden, its aims are the expulsion of Western forces from Saudi Arabia, overthrow of the House of Saud, and the destruction of Israel and governments that support Israeli foreign policy.
- Al-Qaeda in Iraq: Aims to create a Sunni Islamic state in Iraq.
- Ansar al-Islam(AI): Aims to create an Islamic state in Iraq; alleged link with Al-Qaeda.
- Armed Islamic Group (Groupe Islamique Armée) (GIA): The aim of the GIA is the violent overthrow of the Algerian government and the creation of an Islamic state in Algeria.
- Council on American Islamic Relations(CAIR): this Hamas front group has a number of terrorist connections[1][2][3], including financial, but is not known to be directly involved in bombings or other violence.
- Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ): The aim of the EIJ is to overthrow the Egyptian Government and replace it with an Islamic state, global Jihad against non-Muslims societies.
- Front Pembela Islam (FPI): An anarchic terrorist group growing in some parts of Indonesia. They have a primary agenda to force the government to implement the Islamic laws within the country.
- Hamas: Islamic organization based in Gaza City with the aim of the destruction of Israel and the creation of an Islamic state in its place. Considered to be terrorist by Israel, the United States and the EU.
- Islamic Army of Aden (IAA): The IAA's aim is to overthrow the Yemeni government and resist U.S. interests in the region.
- Islamic Jihad
- Jaish e Mohammed (JeM): JeM seeks separation of Kashmir from Indian control.
- Jeemah Islamiyah (JI): JI's aim is the creation of a unified Islamic state in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Southern Philippines.
- Lashkar e Tayyaba (LeT): LeT seeks an independent Kashmir and reestablishment of Islamic rule over India.
- Moro Islamic Liberation Front: Aims to create Islamic state in Mindanao, Philippines.
- Palestinian Army of Islam or Jaysh al Islam
- Salafist Group for Call and Combat (Groupe Salafiste pour la Predication et le Combat) (GSPC): Its aim is to create an Islamic state in Algeria.
| Religious discrimination and persecution |
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| By victimized group:
Anti-clericalism |
| By method:
Censorship · Desecration |
| Historical events
Dechristianisation in the French Revolution
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Shia Groups:
- Hezbollah: Considered a terrorist group by several states, it calls for the destruction of Israel the creation of an Islamic state in Lebanon although it has abandoned that goal.
- Mahdi Army
[edit] Jewish
There are currently no known active Jewish terrorist groups. The following groups were all started or branched off from those started by Meir Kahane in the 1970's. Kahanist groups are banned in Israel:
- Jewish Defense League: A "right-wing terrorist group" [4] according to the FBI. Although several members have been charged or convicted with offenses related to the handling of explosives, the group is not thought to have any current connection to terrorism. [5].
- Kach and Kahane Chai: (defunct) Israel and United States. Eden Natan-Zada was involved with Kahanism before killing 3 people in Shefa-'Amr, an act described by then prime minister Ariel Sharon as "a reprehensible act by a bloodthirsty Jewish terrorist".
- Gush Emunim Underground: (1979-1984) Sometimes called the (Jewish Terror Organization), formed by prominent members of Gush Emunim. [6]
[edit] Syncretic
[edit] Criticism of the concept of religious terrorism
Robert Pape of the University of Chicago has compiled the first complete database, reflecting a careful examination of every documented case of suicide bombing from 1980-2003. Pape's conclusions are contained in a his book, Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism.
Pape argues that the news reports about suicide terrorism are profoundly misleading. "There is little connection between suicide terrorism and Islamic fundamentalism, or any one of the world's religions," Pape reports. After studying 315 suicide attacks carried out over the last two decades, the political science professor concludes that suicide bombers' actions stem from political conflict, not religion.[3]
[edit] References
- ^ Hoffman, Bruce: Inside Terrorism, p. 90 (1999 Columbia University Press), ISBN 0231114699
- ^ RELIGION AND TERRORISM - Interview with Dr. Bruce Hoffman, Religioscope, February 22, 2002
- ^ Pape, Robert (2005). Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism. ISBN 1-4000-6317-5.
