The Religious and Political Narrative that feeds Extreme Right-Wing Terrorism

Just a couple of months ago the Norwegian Security Services concluded that there was little threat of terrorism from those associated with the far right. The British government in its revised Prevent Strategy also arrived at a similar conclusion. In the wake of the terror in Norway, we need to question whether Western Governments have taken the far right threat seriously enough or indeed understood it. The UK Home Office seem to have overlooked the fact that it was violent provocation by extreme ring wing activists in 2001 that was the cause of the worst disturbances in this country since the early 1980s, with appalling consequences for community relations. Somehow thanks to policy makers, the narrative became one of Muslim separate lives and segregation instead of right wing political provocation and violence. Muslim communities were too weak to challenge this narrative. There have also been 17 convictions for terrorism in the UK of those with extreme right-wing views, and others under the explosives legislation. The extent of explosives and ammunition found in some of these cases should have been of much more concern to the police and intelligence services than it currently is. Equally, the threatening, abusive language and incitement that takes place at many extreme right-wing events and demonstrations, with Police officers in attendance seems to be of little concern. No Muslim would be able to get away with such provocation (some have been prosecuted for much less). Whilst Muslim websites and organisations are monitored those of the far right appear to be overlooked. There seems to be some surprise that the attacks in Norway were not the work of Muslims. There should not be. The Annual Europol reports on terrorism consistently show that Muslims are not responsible for the majority of terrorism cases in Europe. In the United States most acts of terrorism since the 1980s have emanated from extreme rightwing militias rather than Muslims. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PR9yjl4paQ In the USA there are some 70 million Zionist Christians; many belong to right-wing militias and extreme groups and have access to military hardware and training. It is this Zionist Christian movement, militantly pro-Israel and anti-Muslim that has spawned neo-con ideology. So when the key suspect in the Norway attacks is described as having far right views, being anti-government, a Christian fundamentalist, and anti-Muslim this might seem at first an odd mix; but it is precisely this worldview that comes out of the neocon handbook. The narrative of the neo-cons and their Muslim cheerleaders is not that different to those extreme right-wing individuals that go on to commit acts of terrorism. A view that, Government policy towards immigrants and Muslims, has allowed the emergence of a Islamic threat to takeover Europe. That state policies of multi-culturalism are allowing an alien, non-Christian culture to erode traditional British or European values and must be reversed. That Islam is incompatible with Christian and European values, breeds violence and must be made to adhere to indigenous values. That Muslims are segregating themselves and creating Eurabia, Londonistan, and the Islamisation of Europe.

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This worldview is churned out week after week, crudely in the tabloids, and other media outlets. The quality papers and neo-con think tanks churn out more of this argument presented as sophisticated political debate. These arguments and views have been reinforced by politicians and in State policies over the last decade. So when David Cameron pointed his finger at Muslims and multi-culturalism in Munich earlier this year, he might as well have been addressing an EDL demonstration. Except that those on the far right see Governments as the problem. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-livid-after-multiculturalism-speechcomes-under-fire-2206343.html Sadly some Zionist Jews have been an integral part of this neo-con propaganda, and unfortunately part of organisations like the EDL. http://thejc.com/news/uk-news/45704/edl-dismisses-jewisharm-too-extreme-0 They and we should all know better. Didnt the Third Reich also give offensive titles to Jewish areas? Didnt the Nazis propagate that Jewish values were alien to Christian Europe and were infecting Europe. Didnt they talk of the Jews and Jewish conspiracies taking over countries and Europe? They also claimed that Jewish men were taking advantage of nonJewish women and raping them, and polluting their pure blood (note the current debate that Muslims consider English women to be easy meat and where this argument is heading)? Didnt Nazi propagandists include political, academic and cultural personalities? And wasnt Adolf Hilter claiming to be a devout Christian who was ridding Europe of a people with alien values to Christian Europe. Over the last decade European politicians and intelligence services have been concentrating on the threat of attacks from Muslims. That threat exists purely as a reaction to Western interference in the political affairs of Muslim states, and will come to an end when Western involvement ends. However, whilst we have been looking the other way, a much more familiar and dangerous threat has been brewing. Its time we all took the far right terror threat to Europe more seriously, rather than viewing it as acts of loners or madmen. There is an ideology at work here, it starts with neocon think tanks, is popularized by neo-con media outlets, legitimized by neo-con inspired politicians and commentators and ends up as racism and fascism in the hands of far right organisations. This inspires some to violence and others deciding to take unilateral action believing it can affect change, as in Norway. We all need to deconstruct this neo-con ideology for what it is; a conveyor belt to right wing terror and the rise of racism and fascism in Europe once more. The real threat to Europe is the rise of its old enemy fascism, not Islam.

Jahangir Mohammed
Director, Centre for Muslim Affairs cenmua@gmail.com 24th July 2011

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