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A decade has passed since the arrests of Singapore branch members of the regional terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). Since then, several more JI members and their affiliates as well as self-radicalised individuals have been detained. Over the years, quite a number of them have been released after undergoing religious counselling and rehabilitation.
Recently, one of them, Abdul Basheer Abdul Kader, was re-arrested. A former lawyer and polytechnic lecturer, he is one of several Muslim individuals radicalised by what he read on the Internet. He was first arrested in February 2007 and released three years later in February 2010. After two-and-a-half years, he was re-arrested in September last year following investigations that he intended to undertake militant jihad abroad.
Abdul Basheer’s re-arrest underlines the persuasive appeal of terrorist propaganda on the Internet. This is indeed one of the challenges confronting counter-ideological work.
Traditionally, extremist views were passed down to followers by charismatic leaders and also through publications, videos and cassettes. Today, the Internet, especially social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, has become the principal means of propagation.
PREACHING BEYOND BORDERS
To technology-savvy terror networks and extremist groups, the Internet provides a convenient yet powerful means of propagating their extremist views. It empowers them to expand their reach beyond national borders to their targeted audiences, especially the younger generation.
For example, terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and extremist ideologues like Abu Muhammad Al Maqdisi have leveraged on the Internet to communicate and propagandise. Their websites provide videos and information on terrorist attacks and bombings to enthuse other young Muslim men to join the cause and take up arms.
The unwary or ill-informed who visit these websites may be influenced by the attractive packaging of terrorist propaganda and the dramatisation of conflict zones, such as Afghanistan and Palestine, to evoke sympathy and action.
More crucial is the terrorists’ exploitation of religious precepts and injunctions to lend “credibility” and “authenticity” to the terrorist ideology being propagated. This involves misinterpretation of the Quran and Hadith and distortion of religious concepts to justify terrorist attacks. The most significant doctrine in the terrorist textbook is armed jihad, which entails various forms of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombing, assassinations and armed attacks against civilian, government and military targets.
The exhortation to violence poses a serious challenge to peace and religious harmony. What Abdul Basheer and others who visit terrorist and extremist websites need to be reminded of is the correct interpretation of jihad. It is important to understand the various meanings of jihad, its context and its proper application.
Other extremist ideas, such as suicide bombing and takfirism (denouncing others as apostate), also need to be refuted. Terrorist doctrines either have no religious foundation or are at variance with the correct interpretations of mainstream religious scholars and jurists. They go against the fundamental principles of Islam, which advocate peace, harmony, tolerance, respect and moderation. Anything that contradicts these long established and cherished principles will have to be rejected.
MOST SERIOUS CHALLENGE IN ISLAM’S HISTORY
Extremist interpretations of religious texts and injunctions are not new. Many have surfaced over the centuries and have been marginalised and swept to the religious fringe or discarded for good.
But compared to the past, the terrorist ideology being purveyed today by Al Qaeda is probably one of the most serious and challenging in Islamic history. Unlike before, terrorist ideology is now able to spread far and wide beyond state borders and at astounding speed thanks to modern technology, the Internet and social media.
Terrorist leaders with inadequate knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and the sacred texts and who are not qualified to pronounce fatwas and religious edicts have surfaced and arrogated to themselves the role of spokesmen and leaders of Islam.
The harm and damage terrorist ideology has caused today is also incalculable. Terrorists have perpetrated numerous attacks in the name of religion with modern arms and weaponry and improvisations that have led to thousands of deaths. These attacks have, in turn, tarnished the image of Islam and undermined its message of peace and harmony in a way that has never happened before. In countries with plural societies, terrorism poses the added threat of inter-racial and inter-religious discord.
To check terrorist violence and ensure that terrorist ideology do not take root, more needs to be done at the ideological front to expose the misinterpretations and distortions of sacred texts and their exploitation for political ends.
GUIDING THE COMMUNITY
It is imperative that mainstream religious scholars and jurists amplify further Islam’s message of peace and harmony. They must continue to dominate the Islamic discourse and marginalise the errant teachings and misconceptions purveyed by extremists.
In this respect, as a body that is responsible for Islamic affairs in Singapore, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has played an important role in guiding the community. It has condemned terrorism and organised many talks and programmes to promote moderation in Islam and to underline the importance of racial and religious harmony.
Under MUIS, the Asatizah Recognition Scheme was introduced to help Muslims obtain reliable religious knowledge from accredited religious teachers. Other Muslim scholars and organisations have also played a positive role in enhancing the resilience of the community against extremist ideas. Muslim bodies, such as the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association, published a book entitled Moderation in Islam in 2006 to counter extremist and terrorist views.
A most significant initiative of the Singaporean Muslim community in responding to the ideological threat of JI is the formation of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG). Formed in April 2003, the RRG is a voluntary group of Muslim scholars who provide religious counselling to detainees involved in terrorism-related activities, as well as to their families. Since 2005, the RRG has expanded its activities beyond counselling to include public education. The objective is to highlight the dangers of terrorist ideology and promote moderation, peace and harmony.
The continuing threat of terrorism and the easy access to terrorist ideology on the Internet mean that efforts to promote harmony between the different racial and religious communities must be sustained and enhanced. The ideological threat posed by extremists is a long-term threat that will have to be countered vigorously with the active propagation of Islam’s message of peace and harmony.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ustaz Dr Mohamed Bin Ali is Associate Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and a Member of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).
He will be speaking at the International Conference on Terrorist Rehabilitation and Community Resilience on March 26-27, held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the RRG.
Recently, one of them, Abdul Basheer Abdul Kader, was re-arrested. A former lawyer and polytechnic lecturer, he is one of several Muslim individuals radicalised by what he read on the Internet. He was first arrested in February 2007 and released three years later in February 2010. After two-and-a-half years, he was re-arrested in September last year following investigations that he intended to undertake militant jihad abroad.
Abdul Basheer’s re-arrest underlines the persuasive appeal of terrorist propaganda on the Internet. This is indeed one of the challenges confronting counter-ideological work.
Traditionally, extremist views were passed down to followers by charismatic leaders and also through publications, videos and cassettes. Today, the Internet, especially social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, has become the principal means of propagation.
PREACHING BEYOND BORDERS
To technology-savvy terror networks and extremist groups, the Internet provides a convenient yet powerful means of propagating their extremist views. It empowers them to expand their reach beyond national borders to their targeted audiences, especially the younger generation.
For example, terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and extremist ideologues like Abu Muhammad Al Maqdisi have leveraged on the Internet to communicate and propagandise. Their websites provide videos and information on terrorist attacks and bombings to enthuse other young Muslim men to join the cause and take up arms.
The unwary or ill-informed who visit these websites may be influenced by the attractive packaging of terrorist propaganda and the dramatisation of conflict zones, such as Afghanistan and Palestine, to evoke sympathy and action.
More crucial is the terrorists’ exploitation of religious precepts and injunctions to lend “credibility” and “authenticity” to the terrorist ideology being propagated. This involves misinterpretation of the Quran and Hadith and distortion of religious concepts to justify terrorist attacks. The most significant doctrine in the terrorist textbook is armed jihad, which entails various forms of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombing, assassinations and armed attacks against civilian, government and military targets.
The exhortation to violence poses a serious challenge to peace and religious harmony. What Abdul Basheer and others who visit terrorist and extremist websites need to be reminded of is the correct interpretation of jihad. It is important to understand the various meanings of jihad, its context and its proper application.
Other extremist ideas, such as suicide bombing and takfirism (denouncing others as apostate), also need to be refuted. Terrorist doctrines either have no religious foundation or are at variance with the correct interpretations of mainstream religious scholars and jurists. They go against the fundamental principles of Islam, which advocate peace, harmony, tolerance, respect and moderation. Anything that contradicts these long established and cherished principles will have to be rejected.
MOST SERIOUS CHALLENGE IN ISLAM’S HISTORY
Extremist interpretations of religious texts and injunctions are not new. Many have surfaced over the centuries and have been marginalised and swept to the religious fringe or discarded for good.
But compared to the past, the terrorist ideology being purveyed today by Al Qaeda is probably one of the most serious and challenging in Islamic history. Unlike before, terrorist ideology is now able to spread far and wide beyond state borders and at astounding speed thanks to modern technology, the Internet and social media.
Terrorist leaders with inadequate knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence and the sacred texts and who are not qualified to pronounce fatwas and religious edicts have surfaced and arrogated to themselves the role of spokesmen and leaders of Islam.
The harm and damage terrorist ideology has caused today is also incalculable. Terrorists have perpetrated numerous attacks in the name of religion with modern arms and weaponry and improvisations that have led to thousands of deaths. These attacks have, in turn, tarnished the image of Islam and undermined its message of peace and harmony in a way that has never happened before. In countries with plural societies, terrorism poses the added threat of inter-racial and inter-religious discord.
To check terrorist violence and ensure that terrorist ideology do not take root, more needs to be done at the ideological front to expose the misinterpretations and distortions of sacred texts and their exploitation for political ends.
GUIDING THE COMMUNITY
It is imperative that mainstream religious scholars and jurists amplify further Islam’s message of peace and harmony. They must continue to dominate the Islamic discourse and marginalise the errant teachings and misconceptions purveyed by extremists.
In this respect, as a body that is responsible for Islamic affairs in Singapore, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has played an important role in guiding the community. It has condemned terrorism and organised many talks and programmes to promote moderation in Islam and to underline the importance of racial and religious harmony.
Under MUIS, the Asatizah Recognition Scheme was introduced to help Muslims obtain reliable religious knowledge from accredited religious teachers. Other Muslim scholars and organisations have also played a positive role in enhancing the resilience of the community against extremist ideas. Muslim bodies, such as the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association, published a book entitled Moderation in Islam in 2006 to counter extremist and terrorist views.
A most significant initiative of the Singaporean Muslim community in responding to the ideological threat of JI is the formation of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG). Formed in April 2003, the RRG is a voluntary group of Muslim scholars who provide religious counselling to detainees involved in terrorism-related activities, as well as to their families. Since 2005, the RRG has expanded its activities beyond counselling to include public education. The objective is to highlight the dangers of terrorist ideology and promote moderation, peace and harmony.
The continuing threat of terrorism and the easy access to terrorist ideology on the Internet mean that efforts to promote harmony between the different racial and religious communities must be sustained and enhanced. The ideological threat posed by extremists is a long-term threat that will have to be countered vigorously with the active propagation of Islam’s message of peace and harmony.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ustaz Dr Mohamed Bin Ali is Associate Research Fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies and a Member of the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).
He will be speaking at the International Conference on Terrorist Rehabilitation and Community Resilience on March 26-27, held in conjunction with the 10th anniversary of the RRG.
