The Rise of the 'Lone Jihadist'

Published: July 22nd, 2016

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In response to recent terror attacks in Europe, Christian Concern's Director of Islamic Affairs, Tim Dieppe, comments on the rise of the 'lone jihadist'.

In recent weeks there has been a spate of terrorist attacks by ‘lone jihadists’. Last month, Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to Islamic State, shot dead 50 people and injured many more at a nightclub in Orlando. Islamic State claimed him as one of its fighters. Also last month, Larossi Abballa stabbed two police officers outside their home west of Paris. He broadcast the attack live on Facebook, declaring his allegiance to Islamic State. More recently, an Afghan migrant in Germany attacked people on a train with an axe, injuring five people while reportedly shouting "Allahu akbar." Islamic State has released a video of him claiming to be an Islamic State soldier, and an Islamic State flag was later found in his room. Further examples could be multiplied.

The shocking attack in Nice last week, leaving 84 people dead and dozens more injured, was carried out by a Tunisian delivery man Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, who was not previously known for terrorism. There is evidence that he recently became radicalised and sympathised with the Islamic State. He also had a previous history of violence and mental instability. French police have now charged five people in connection with the attack which means that he was not acting entirely alone. However, police also state that they have as yet found no evidence of any direct contact with Islamic State. Islamic State, though, has been quick to claim that the driver was acting on its behalf and has previously suggested carrying out terrorist attacks by running over people with a car.

Islamic State has purportedly issued a 64-page guide for ‘Lone Wolf’ terrorists. It contains practical advice on how not to get caught, suggesting attackers ‘pretend to be Christians’ in their dress, and explaining how to browse the web secretly. Europol has now warned of an increased risk of ‘lone wolf’ terrorist attacks in Europe, describing them as a "favoured tactic" for jihadist groups.

Lone wolf jihadists are hard to track and predict precisely because they are acting alone or in concert with a small group of collaborators. They are not responding to specific orders from a chain of command and have no personal connections with any terrorist organisation. There are no organisations or communications for the security services to infiltrate or intercept. They are radicalised online by watching videos and reading from the Qur’an. Often there is no history of terrorism or of association with terrorist organisations or individuals.

We know that the UK security services are monitoring over 3,000 homegrown Islamic extremists who are believed to be willing to carry out attacks in Britain. These are people with known connections and radical ideologies. How many more are there who the police do not know about, are not monitoring, but who have been radicalised on the internet and are without personal connections? Our security services cannot possibly monitor everyone who searches for information about radical Islam on the internet.

What the rise of the lone jihadists makes even clearer than it was before is that we are fighting a battle of ideologies. It is not helpful to describe us as being at war against terrorism. Saying it is a war against terrorism is a bit like saying it is a war against bombs, or a war against fighters. Terrorism is a tactic, not an ideology. We are not even at war against a particular organisation. The Islamic State is encouraging these attacks and claiming that they are carried out on its behalf, but these lone jihadists often have no personal connection with Islamic State beyond what they have seen on the internet. It is not so much the organisation of the Islamic State, as the ideology of radical Islam that it represents that motivates these jihadists. If Islamic State collapsed tomorrow, some other organisation would encourage similar attacks based on the same ideology.

It is also not helpful to say that we are fighting "extremism in all its forms" – a phrase deliberately designed to avoid mention of Islamic extremism. I don’t see the government fighting against extreme political correctness, or the extreme LGBT political agenda. It is violence and the promotion of violence that is unacceptable by any person of any ideology and this is what the government could helpfully say.

Fortunately, politicians are becoming more willing to talk about radical or fundamentalist Islam or Islamism. There is a continued and lively debate about what terminology to use. They are not willing to criticise Islam itself though, and are very careful to distinguish radical Islam from Islam, describing it as a perversion of Islam or in some similar manner. All agree, and I too agree, that we are certainly not at war against Muslims, the majority of whom do not support such attacks.

Radical Islam, though, views itself as being at war against the west. It encourages the use of terrorism as a means to perpetuate that war. Lone jihadist terrorism cannot be defeated with the usual means. No amount of intelligence or security measures can prevent people from acting on their own in the street, on a train or in a crowd. It can only be defeated by undermining and discrediting the ideology that is behind it.

It is important to realise that we can love Muslims and criticise Islam. In fact, it would be unloving to Muslims not to point out why we disagree with their religion. That would mean that we do not want them to experience the love of Christ. As Christians, we should be willing to do what the politicians are afraid to do, and that is to criticise Islam itself.

The government’s counter extremism measures have not been successful. The Prevent strategy is notorious in some of its absurd consequences and there have been calls for it to be abandoned. The government dares not establish a strategy that criticises Islam, and is desperate to appear ‘even-handed’ so that Christian schools are targeted by anti-extremist measures even though radical Christians have no track record of carrying out terrorist attacks.

It seems to me that radical Islam can only be defeated, and will only be defeated by radical Christians. Christians who have the boldness to stand up and criticise Islam and undermine the foundations of the ideology behind Islamic State and other terrorist organisations. Christians who love their Muslim neighbours enough to boldly state that Muhammad was a false prophet. Christians who will criticise the Qur’an and question the historical origins of Islam. Christians who will say that Islam is a false religion and that Muslims do not worship the same God as the Lord God of the Bible.

This, of course, means being willing to offend some people. The gospel is offensive, but also loving. Jesus and the apostles were unafraid of offending in the name of love. Offense is not the ultimate sin that our postmodern, pluralistic culture presents it as. Compromising the truth is sinful, as is being ashamed of the gospel. Many Muslims are turning to Christ in this generation. Many more will if their faith is challenged by the claims of Christianity. This ultimately comes down to you and me.

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:14-15

Will you be someone who is bold and brave enough to bring good news to your Muslim neighbour by challenging them about the truth claims of Christianity? This is the way to defeat radical Islam and bring in a harvest of Muslims for the Lord.

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The Rise of the 'Lone Jihadist'