By: Robert Amos

Violent Extremism and Its Impact on

Society.
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Table of contents

Definitions…………………………………………………………………………3

Significance………………………………………………………………………..4

Background ……………………………………………………………………….6

Expert ……………………………………………………………………………..7

Role of Control ……………………………………………………………………8

International Organizations ………………………………………………………10

Logic of Evil ……………………………………………………………………..11

Religion …………………………………………………………………………..14

Case studies …………………………………………………………………………

Al-Shabab ………………………………………………………………….16
Islamic State………………………………………………………………..19
The Taliban ………………………………………………………………..21

Canadian Connection ……………………………………………………………..24

Solutions ………………………………………………………………………….27

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Definition

A global issue is a predicament that adversely impacts the global community as a whole.

It does not just impact a particular group but rather everyone in our world. Violent extremism is

a term that has had its definition neglected by many organizations including the United Nations

and the European Union due to the complexity and broadness of this topic. Terrorism and

violent extremism are often used synonymously considering how similar they are. Extremism in

its broadest definition is the holding of extreme ideological, political, or religious views. Violent

extremism is the carrying out of acts of violence to preserve or expand these ideological,

political, or religious views. While the deaths due to violent extremism has been in decline since

2014, in 2017 there were over 18,000 deaths as a direct result of radical groups attempting to

push their ideologies and spread awareness of their presence (Global Terrorism Index, 2018).

That is 1,500 deaths a month, 49.3 deaths every day.

The issue of violent extremism is generally thought to only impact the people who are

harmed by these attacks of violence, however it has an impact on most everyone around the

world, whether it be directly or indirectly. People who live far away from the countries that are

typically impacted in the middle-east, are just as influenced. While the number of attacks and

deaths due to violent extremism are declining, due to globalization, the adverse effects of

terrorism are felt worldwide. In addition, globalization gives the terrorists a world stage to

spread hate and various ideologies.

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Significance

Violent extremism takes a toll on many people who are directly affected by it while also

impacting just about everyone indirectly. With 68 recognized terrorist groups being established

since 1997 (Sate.gov) this is a pressing issue faced around the globe which shows no signs of

going away soon. People born in regions susceptible to violent extremism are often

impoverished due to the situation they are in. Radical groups will often impose a “war tax” on

the land they operate in exchange for being ‘protected’. This is how these groups often get large

amounts of money which leads to people in these regions to struggle even more with money than

they previously were.

“In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and

conflict stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and

children are suffering.” -Malala Yousafzai

This quote is a very powerful quote by Malala Yousafzai. Malala is an activist for

education and women’s rights from Pakistan. She first spoke publicly in 2012 and was shot on

her way home from school one day for speaking out. She, first hand has experienced what

violent extremism can do to people. She was shot in an attempt to silence her simply because

her ideologies did not align with those of the extremists. Her unfortunate situation was felt

worldwide, and many people heard of it over the news and she helped raised awareness of the

horrors going on.

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The above quote touches on how many people (especially females) are deprived of their

right to education due to the conflicts and acts of terrorism in their home countries. It is a sad

reality that many people fear for their lives to the extent that they cannot walk to school. Under

article 26 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right

to education.” However, these people are sometimes displaced from schools by terror groups.

This is more prevalent in the female population as some radical groups, under religious or social

pretenses, believe that girls should not go to school. This contributes a great amount to the cycle

of poverty.

Along the topic of fear, the installation of fear amongst people is another issue that arises

when talking about violent extremism. This fear is often capitalized on by many people and not

just the radical groups themselves. Many politicians and other forms of authority take advantage

of the fear amongst people. They extort the fear and use it to either push their political agendas

or to even get into certain positions of authority. This is unjust and has an influence on anyone

who has access media seeing as how acts of violent extremism reach everyone worldwide.

People of authority can capitalise on it by appealing and taking advantage of people who are

fearful of radical groups by implementing anti-terror laws or promises of anti-terror laws.

Another reason this is a global issue is because of the tremendous death toll due to violent

extremism. In 2014 deaths due to terrorism reached their peak since 1970 at over 44,000 (Our

World in Data, Jan. 2018). With the rise in radical religions in the Middle East the deaths due to

terrorism have increased significantly. While the death toll has dropped since then the number of

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issues that have come along with violent extremism have remained the same. Society still deals

with the issues earlier stated in large amounts.

Background

Terrorism in its most preliminary stage is thought to have been traced back to the Graeco-

Roman world. The battle between oligarchy and democracy is what led to the first accounts of

terror. The Spartans were the first group to use terrorism as a method of war. During the

Peloponnesian War, the Spartans would attempt to install fear through acts of violence into the

minds of Athens and they did the same in return. These acts were used as a tactic however the

word terrorism had not been used yet. The word itself was first used in France during the “Reign

of Terror” (1793-1794) when the new government punished-usually by death-people who were

thought to be against the French revolution. (Webster Dictionary, n/a). The first major group to

use violent extremism was The Carbonari Society in the late 18th to early 17th centuries. They

were a leftist group based in Italy who advocated for major political change in Italy.

Modern violent extremist groups that are recognized by the U.S. Department of State

have only stated since 1997. Starting with Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), there are 67 recognized

terror groups that have started since then and are still currently active (U.S. Department of State,

n/a). A significant amount of these groups stem from the al Qaeda. Al Qaeda was founded in

1989 by Usama Bin Laden and Muhammad Atef under the name Mekhtab al Khidemat. They

switched their name to al Qaeda in 1991. They opposed the U.S. because they considered them

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an “infidel” because it was not governed the way that al Qaeda believed it should be.

Furthermore, they believed that the U.S. was funding other “infidel” groups and countries. This

led to many conflicts between the two groups ultimately ending in violent conflicts between the

two. Al Qaeda wanted the U.S. troops out of Syria and turned to violence as a means to scare

them out of the country. While the goal of al Qaeda was to drive out the U.S. most radical

groups are now motivated by religion and their goal is to either kill or conform others.

Expert

Ralph Premdas was a Professor of Public Policy at the University of West Indies in

Trinidad and Tobago. He works in the Department of Behavioral Studies. He has an extensive

knowledge of politics and has written many articles and books. His most recent book includes

Trinidad and Tobago: Ethnic Conflict, Inequality and Public Sector Governance. He studies

how different ethnic groups interact and the inequality of marginalized groups. He has written

two more books, one of which is Ethnic Conflict and Development: The case of Guyana. The

knowledge he has on conflict between different cultures and ethnicities is evident due to the

amount of writing he has done. With the amount of violent extremism stemming from ethnic

conflicts, Ralph demonstrates knowledge on religion and many other causes of violent

extremism.

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Role of Control

There are many people that have control over this issue. From the radicals that commit

these acts, to the politicians in positions that can change this issue, to the media, there are a lot of

people involved in this issue.

The media has a surprisingly significant influence on this issue. What these radical

groups want is to spread awareness of their ideologies. When the media shows what these

groups are doing to people, they give the groups exactly what they want. This leads to more

people being aware of the groups and their ideologies. People then become afraid of what these

groups can do. These groups achieve spreading their ideologies by installing fear amongst the

public. By glorifying these killings, the media subjects the public to the horrifying imagery of

what has happened. It is human to be impacted in the way they are by seeing these images and

therefore it is up to the media to control how they portray these acts of violence. “You are

entitled to know what’s going on the question is how much do we need to show of the horror and

the panic… the media will do is work with a story and inflate it quite largely. A little bit of

discipline would not hurt in the media… So, do not, for example, go up to the recently bereaved

and ask them how they feel. That sort of thing is really nasty, and it contributes nothing. But it

inflates the fear and the anger.” – Gwynne Dyer. Gwynne Dyer talks about how much control

the media does have as well as how they can fix these problems.

The governments around the world have a significant impact on this issue. Governments

ultimately have the most impact yet the most to lose. Governments have the ability to stop these

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powers but can also be overrun and corrupted by these radical groups. When it comes to

stopping them the governments that have the ability to fight back with military intervention, are

often the most powerful countries who these extremists tend to attack. Military intervention by

governments is normally good however it causes many conflicts between other governments and

puts soldiers of these countries at risk of losing their lives. While governments often have the

most impact, they tend to abuse this power and use it to push their political agenda. While they

have the ability to stop these groups they have also started and funded many of these groups

directly and indirectly. Indirectly, when governments intervene with military action the

government sometimes loses battles with these groups and when this happens, they have to leave

behind weaponry which is then seized by the radical groups. Directly, some governments see

violent extremists’ ideologies as the right ideologies and will sometimes fund them. With the

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al Qaeda, the U.S. government originally created and

funded them in 1970 to challenge the current government in Iran and the Soviet Union (Global

Research, Sept. 2014). These groups were originally not radical groups however they did

become just that, and the U.S. stopped funding them when they did.

Radical groups in themselves have an impact on this issue as well. They are the root of

this problem and without them there would be little to no violent extremism. They are the ones

that commit the acts of terror and create issues when they do.

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International Organizations

Many Counter Violent Extremism (CVE) organizations exist and they all have the

common goal of stopping terrorism. Some of them simply advocate for peace and some of them

have the goal of stopping the violence.

United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism:

The UN Office of Counter Terrorism was founded on June 15th, 2017. On June 21st,

2017 Vladimir Ivanovich Voronkov was appointed Under-Secretary-General.

“The Office of Counter-Terrorism has five main functions:

• (a) provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates entrusted to

the Secretary-General from across the United Nations system;
• (b) enhance coordination and coherence across the 38 Global Counter-Terrorism
Coordination Compact (former CTITF) Task Force entities to ensure the balanced
implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy;
• (c) strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building
assistance to Member States;
• (d) improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-
terrorism efforts; and
• (e) ensure that due priority is given to counterterrorism across the United Nations system
and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the
Strategy”. (UN.org, n/a)

The Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism:

This organization is run by the U.S. government. “The Bureau of Counterterrorism and

Countering Violent Extremism’s mission is to promote U.S. national security by taking a leading

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role in developing coordinated strategies and approaches to defeat terrorism abroad and securing

the counterterrorism cooperation of international partners.” (U.S. Department of State, n/a).

They currently have nine programs and initiatives in place. Antiterrorism Assistance Program

(APA), Foreign Emergency Support Team (FEST), Partnership for Regional East African

Counterterrorism (PREACT), and many more.

Counter Terrorism and National Security Committee:

The mandate of the Counter Terrorism and National Security Committee is to get all law

enforcements in Canada to work together to achieve a “global and integrated approach to

policing to identify, prevent, deter, invest and respond to criminal activities related to terrorism

and national security threats” (CACP, n/a)

Objectives:

1. Promote collaboration and integration among law enforcement agencies and with
appropriate public/private security and intelligence partners;
2. Improve the ability to operate in a cooperative and integrated manner with the view of
addressing emerging trends;
3. Develop processes and facilitate strong communication at all levels;
4. Recommend legislative reforms and;
5. Promote education and training in matters of counter-terrorism and national security.

Accomplishments:

• Established a Victim Services National Working Group to expand Canada’s capabilities

to respond to mass casualty incidents, and mass victimization or terrorist incidents.

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• They updated the Provincial/Territorial Counter Terrorism Guide to reflect the most up
to date information possible.

Logic of Evil

There are many reasons as to why people commit acts of violence to push an ideology

amongst other people. Some people just simply believe that their religion or way of living is

“superior” and believe that all people should convert to their way of life. This leads them to

install fear through violence. Some people were simply born and raised in extremist

environments and have known nothing else. Others commit acts of violent extremism and

understanding why people contribute to violent extremism is a major factor in identifying the

problem and solving the problem.

Unemployment is a major contributor as to why people join extremist groups. In a lot of

poverty ridden areas, people will find employment by joining terrorist groups. They pay for a

range of jobs from patrolling streets, cooking, and being a soldier. These jobs often require

minimal effort and pay enough money for these people to provide for themselves and in some

cases even their families. When interviewing 15 former members of al-Shabab between the ages

of 19 and 27, “Five of the 15 youth said that al-Shabab was a form of employment. According to

them, joining al-Shabab paid well, from $50-$150 monthly, depending on the work, yet requires

little effort.” (Hassan, 2012). One third of the people interviewed simply saw being an extremist

as a form of employment. These terrorist groups contribute to the poverty of these areas with

things such as “war taxes” which continues the poverty. This not only makes people more

impoverished however it leads them to join the extremist groups as a form of employment. This

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is a way for them to push people to join their groups. They are aware of this problem and

continue to purposefully capitalise on it.

Perhaps the largest factor is religion. Q 9:29 in the Quran states “Fight those who believe

not in Allah nor the Last Day, nor hold that forbidden which hath been forbidden by Allah and

His Messenger, nor acknowledge the religion of Truth, (even if they are) of the People of the

Book, until they pay the Jizya with willing submission, and feel themselves subdued.” In

numerous other occasions the Quran references violence and hatred. It tells you to “Fight those

who believe not in Allah” which speaks as to why we see many violent Islamic groups. The

basis of their religion, the holy book tells you to fight. This makes the extremist feel justified in

what they are doing because even Muhammad is involved in and even promotes violence.

Others who conform to extremism are forced into joining these groups out of fear of

being victimized. In these terrorist controlled areas it is the societal norm for people to join these

groups and they feel as though they have to join these groups out of fear of judgement and

ridicule. They feared being seen as weak by family and neighbours, so they join to seem tough.

If able bodied youth did not join, they were seen as supporting other groups and were punished

and sometimes even killed for this. There is an immense pressure to join and they feel as though

it is the only option to join. There is no other way.

Revenge is a powerful motivator and can often lead people to join terrorist groups. “To

exact revenge for yourself or your friends is not only a right, it's an absolute duty.” (Stieg

Larsson). Most people who have been wronged feel a duty to right what has been wronged. In

developing nations, people feel as though the government has failed them. They see terrorism as

a way to get revenge on the government and anybody else that may have wronged them.

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Extremism is a viable option for them to exact revenge which leads them to join groups such as

the Islamic State or al-Shabab. These groups will often tell people that they are “fighting Islam’s

enemies” and spread various propaganda to give these people an outlet for revenge.

The manipulation of the people by the extremist groups is how they get people to

join. They promote all the “good” things about joining their group and glorify what they are

doing. They often tell people they will have god on their side. They prey on people's religious

beliefs and portray it as though they are fulfilling god’s commands by doing what they are

doing. They convince people that joining these groups are your religious duty and that is what

the country requires of someone in this position. They falsely justify their actions in order to

recruit people. They also promote various other factors and eulogize them to make them seem

better than they are. In the case of al-Shabab Obtaining paradise as a reason for joining al-

Shabab stems from the belief that al-Shabab was conducting valid jihad in defense of God’s

religion. They convince the people that it is the purest way to guarantee meeting god.

Religion

Religion plays quite a significant role in violent extremism. Religious fundamentalism is

a term used to describe a group of people who use religion to strictly guide their everyday

lives. Religious fundamentalism can often lead to violence among the religion’s followers.

Religious fundamentalists believe in their god, prophet, or holy one, and none other, leading

them to force it upon others. When a religion is taken literally, or more importantly, multiple

religions are taken literally, this can lead to conflicts between the groups and result in violent

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extremism. The most prominent religious fundamentalist groups come from the Middle East

however there has been a new emergence of violent extremism of xenophobic nature in protest

of religions that often struggle with religious fundamentalism. As David A. Kunin has written:

“Religion is dangerous because, too often, its adherents make claims of absolute truth.

"We," they claim, "have the right and only answer about the nature of the divine, and

everyone else is wrong. We alone know what the divine wants for and from humanity."

This truth claim often becomes an excuse to kill, as it forms the basis for relations

between those who follow the ‘true and only revelation,' and those who do not. It

becomes the excuse for war as people use ‘divine promises' as the basis for claims about

land rights and national sovereignty.”

In this quote, Kunin talks about how most religious fundamentalist groups manipulate the

words of their prophet or holy person in order to push and justify their ideologies. According to

Simmel (1950), most religions have some level of unconditional acceptance of those who are

like-minded, and to the same extent, unconditional exclusion to those who are not like-minded.

For example, believers of the Islamic faith dichotomize all of humanity into two basic categories.

The “house of Islam” includes all Muslims where “Muslim law and faith prevail” (Kurtz, 1995,

p. 144). This category is all-inclusive for believers in the Islamic faith; however, the “house of

unbelief” is the category where all unbelievers are slotted (Kurtz, 1995, p. 144). Likewise, the

Christian faith also makes a distinction between believers and non-believers. In 2 Corinthians

chapter 6 verse 14, the Apostle Paul states “do not be unequally yoked together with

unbelievers”. Paul continues into verse 15 and states, “what part has a believer with an

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unbeliever?” In John chapter 3 verse 16, perhaps one of the most widely recited biblical

scriptures, John states that “for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten

Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”. Therefore, those

who do believe in Jesus are said to not perish (i.e. have eternal life) and are encouraged to not

have relationships with unbelievers.

Although many religions do not draw such a great distinction between believers and

unbelievers as Muslims and Christians, as in the case of Buddhists, there is still a sense of

honoring and strengthening one’s own religion. For instance, the Buddhist Indian Emperor

Ashoka’s Twelfth Rock Edict declares that by respecting other people’s different religious

beliefs an individual strengthens his own religion (Kurtz, 1995). This edict provides for religious

tolerance, but at the same time the propagation of Buddhism (Kurtz, 1995). In addition, the laity

of Buddhism is expected to follow most of the same rules as monks, including socializing their

children into the Buddhist faith (Kurtz, 1995). Thus, most religions have some tenet that divides

believers and non-believers by indicating to believers that non-believers are unlike them and not

part of the in-group (i.e. dissimilarity breeds division) (Kurtz, 1995). This extreme separation of

believers and non-believers can often lead to conflict, resulting in violent extremism.

Case study #1, Al-Shabab.

Al-Shabab, or “the Youth,” is an Islamist insurgent group based in Somalia. As one of

the most impoverished countries in the world, Somalia has seen militant groups come and go in

its decades of political cataclysm. Al-Shabab is a jihadist fundamentalist group that is also

based in East Africa. In 2012, it pledged allegiance to the militant Islamist organization Al-

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Qaeda. It once held sway over the capital of Mogadishu and large portions of the Somali

countryside, but in recent years an African Union–led military campaign has pushed it back from

major population centers. However, the thousands-strong insurgency remains the principal

security challenge in war-torn Somalia. It mounted its deadliest attack yet in late 2017.

Al-Shabaab was formed in December of 2006. They carried out their first attack on

March 26, 2007 when a man named Adam Salam Adam used a car bomb to conduct a suicide

attack against Ethiopian soldiers in Mogadishu. Al Shabab claimed responsibility for the

bombing, allegedly the city’s first suicide attack. 73 people were killed, and an unknown

number of people were injured. The group started to take shape in 2006 when Ethiopia, a

majority-Christian nation, invaded Somalia in December 2006 and ousted the Islamic Courts

Union (ICU) from Mogadishu with little resistance. The intervention, which came at the request

of Somalia’s transitional government, radicalized al-Shabab, analysts say. After much of the ICU

fled to neighboring countries, al-Shabab retreated to the south, where it began organizing

guerrilla assaults, including bombings and assassinations, on Ethiopian forces. Some experts say

it was during these years that the group morphed into a full-fledged insurgency, gaining control

over large pieces of territory in central and southern Somalia.

The Ethiopian occupation was responsible for “transforming the group from a small,

relatively unimportant part of a more moderate Islamic movement into the most powerful and

radical armed faction in the country,” writes Rob Wise, a counterterrorism expert. Addis Ababa

said the intervention was a “reluctant response” to calls by the ICU for jihad against Ethiopia and

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its renewed territorial claims against both Ethiopia and Kenya. It has stressed that the

intervention was supported by the United States and the African Union, among others.

New Islamist-nationalist fighters swelled al-Shabab’s ranks from around four hundred

into the thousands between 2006 and 2008. The group’s ties to al-Qaeda emerged during this

period. Al-Shabab leaders praised the terrorist network and condemned what they characterized

as U.S. crimes against Muslims worldwide. The State Department designated al-Shabab a

foreign terrorist organization in February 2008. Al-Shabab’s leadership declared allegiance to al-

Qaeda in 2012.

In an effort to counter Al-Shabaab, the UN Security Council authorized the African

Union to lead a peacekeeping force in Somalia, which is known by its acronym, AMISOM, in

early 2007. Its primary mandate was to protect the country’s transitional government, which was

set up in 2004 but had just returned to power in Mogadishu. Uganda was the first nation to send

forces into Somalia under AMISOM, and it maintains the largest contingent in the regional force,

at more than six thousand troops. Other military forces come from Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, and

Djibouti. In total, AMISOM comprises around twenty thousand troops.

Al-Shabab struck outside of Somalia for the first time in 2010, when coordinated suicide

bombings killed seventy-four people in the Ugandan capital of Kampala. “We are sending a

message to every country who is willing to send troops to Somalia that they will face attacks on

their territory,” said the group’s spokesman at the time.

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In 2013, al-Shabab fighters claimed responsibility for an attack on a Nairobi shopping

mall that killed 67 people, and in 2015 the group killed 148 in an attack on a university in the

city of Garissa. The latter was the deadliest attack in Kenya since the 1998 bombing of the U.S.

embassy in Nairobi, in which more than two hundred people died.

In late 2017, AMISOM withdrew a thousand troops as the first step in a gradual

drawdown. The UN Security Council later delayed reducing troop numbers further until 2019.

Some experts caution that the Somali government could face collapse if AMISOM pulls out

altogether.

Case study #2, Islamic State.

Also known in the Arab world as Daesh and by the acronyms ISIS and ISIL, Islamic

State has been the deadliest terrorist group in the world for the past three years. It has been

largely defeated in its home territory of Syria and Iraq, but it remains capable of launching

attacks in those countries and has also inspired individuals and affiliated groups to stage attacks

in other parts of the Middle East as well as Europe and Asia.

However, Islamic State’s powers now look to be on the wane. Last year it carried out

22% fewer attacks than the year before, with the number of deaths dropping from 9,150 in 2016

to 4,350 in 2017. The number of deaths per attack also dropped from eight in 2016 to 4.9 in

2017.

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It is arguable that ISIS poses a very big threat to the world. As people from different

countries become radicalized by ISIS, they join them in their fight. Their number of their fighters

will increase, and they will spread their activities targeting other countries. Cross section of the

world has been made in order to overcome terrorists’ activities and to defeat ISIS (Payne, 2014).

Some of these countries include USA, Russia, UK, Turkey, Syria, Iraq and most countries in

Europe.

The Islamic State has been capable to organize, direct or inspire its supporters to attack

its targets in around seventeen countries outside its stronghold in Iraq and Syria. The countries

which have been attacked include Afghanistan, Australia, Algeria, Bangladesh, Canada,

Denmark, Egypt, France, Indonesia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, United

States, Tunisia, Yemen, Turkey. In addition, ISIS has established or claimed territories or

Wilayats in around seventeen countries as part of its―five-year planǁ for world conquest.

Among these countries are Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Somalia, Tunisia, and Yemen.

Terrorists are not invisible spirits. They reside among men in various countries that exist

on this planet earth. Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) being a new form of terrorism in the

terrorist’s world order perpetuate its evil acts from those countries it has the interest in attacking

because it is somewhat being allowed some free hands to operate from there. This makes it

possible for these groups to take off, hit their targets, return and feel accommodated. Many

countries’ governmental regimes had in the past been indicted for abetting terrorists to operate

such act, tagged as ―state sponsored terrorism has never been received with ease by the United

nations because it could cause outbreak of crises and endanger the co—existence and mutual

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inter-relationships among the member states or nations. The fall-out of responsible government

in some nations like Iraq, and Syria prompted the alliance of this social migrant that formed the

deadly group called the ―ISIS. Their sole aim is to work together to weaken the effort of the

United Nations in achieving global peace and security. If all member states of the UN truly gear

up in oneness to this measure, a permanent solution to the menace is very likely to be

demystified. Thus, tackling any terrorist group like the ―ISIS is as workable as getting every

nation to root out terrorist groups operating in or from its enclave, even at the express

requirement of the already and standby assistance of the international community. Well, this text

is designed to address the issue of Islamic state of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and how such group

constitute a very big threat to peace and security of the world, but certain mention would be

made on other types of terrorists groups, how they are formed and funded coupled with how they

stand a big threat to global peace and security. They can easily invade into other European

territories and any other countries including the United States in order to make their bloody

movements a global threat to challenge peace and security in the entire world.

Case study #3, The Taliban.

The Afghan group has been waging a war of attrition with the U.S.-backed coalition since

2001 and has proven remarkably resilient. As of mid-2017, it controlled an estimated 11% of the

country and was contesting a further 29% of Afghanistan’s 398 districts. It is active in 70% of

Afghanistan’s provinces.

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In 2017, Taliban forces were responsible for 699 attacks, causing 3,571 deaths, with

armed assaults and bombings the most common form of attack. In addition, its affiliate in

neighbouring Pakistan, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, was responsible for a further 56 attacks and

233 deaths.

The Taliban's actions have become more deadly in the past year, killing an average of 5.1

people per attack in 2017 (up from 4.2 people the year before). The group has adjusted its tactics

in recent years, switching its focus away from attacks on civilian targets and towards police and

military personnel.

The Taliban killed 2,419 police and military personnel in 2017, up from 1,782 the year

before. The number of attacks on such targets also increased from 369 in 2016 to 386 in 2017. At

the same time, the number of civilian deaths caused by the Taliban fell to 548 in 2017, compared

to 1,223 in 2016.

The Taliban was formed in the early 1990s by an Afghan faction of mujahideen, Islamic

fighters who had resisted the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan (1979–89) with the covert

backing of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency and its Pakistani counterpart, the Inter-Services

Intelligence directorate (ISI). They were joined by younger Pashtun tribesmen who studied in

Pakistani madrassas, or seminaries; Taliban is Pashto for "students." Pashtuns comprise a

plurality in Afghanistan and are the predominant ethnic group in much of the country’s south and

east.

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The movement attracted popular support in the initial post-Soviet era by promising to

impose stability and rule of law after four years of conflict (1992–1996) among rival mujahideen

groups. Talibs entered Kandahar in November 1994 to pacify the crime-ridden southern city, and

by September 1996 seized the capital, Kabul, from President Burhan Uddin Rabbani, an ethnic

Tajik whom they viewed as anti-Pashtun and corrupt. The Taliban regime controlled some 90

percent of the country before its 2001 overthrow, analysts say.

The Taliban imposed its brand of justice as it consolidated territorial control. Taliban

jurisprudence was drawn from the Pashtuns’ pre-Islamic tribal code and interpretations of sharia

colored by the austere Wahhabi doctrines of the madrassas’ Saudi benefactors. The regime

neglected social services and other basic state functions even as its Ministry for the Promotion of

Virtue and Prevention of Vice enforced prohibitions on behavior the Taliban deemed un-Islamic,

requiring women to wear the head-to-toe burqa, or chadri; banning music and television; and

jailing men whose beards it deemed too short.

The regime was internationally isolated from its inception. Two UN Security Council resolutions

passed in 1998 urged the Taliban to end its abusive treatment of women. The following year the

council imposed sanctions on the regime for harboring al-Qaeda. Only Saudi Arabia, the United

Arab Emirates, and Pakistan recognized the government. Many analysts say Islamabad supported

the Taliban as a force that could unify and stabilize Afghanistan while staving off Indian,

Iranian, and Russian influence.

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Canadian Connection

The principal terrorist threat to Canada and Canadian interests continues to be that posed

by individuals or groups who are inspired by violent ideologies and terrorist groups, such as

Daesh or al-Qaida (AQ). At the same time, Canada also continues to face threats from

individuals inspired to commit violence based on other forms of extremism, including from

right-wing extremists, individuals who support terrorist groups such as Hizballah, and extremists

who support violent means to establish an independent state within India.

The risk of violence emanating from individuals inspired by these forms of extremism

currently poses a lower threat to Canada than that of Daesh or AQ inspired individuals or groups.

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees the right to protest, as well as the

rights of freedom of conscience and religion, expression, association and peaceful assembly. It is

the evolution from hate to serious acts of politically-motivated violence with the intention of

intimidating the public, or a segment of the public, in regard to its sense of security, that could be

considered a terrorism offence. In 2018, no terrorist attacks have been committed by terrorist

groups or their followers in Canada. In fact, the rate of terrorist attacks in the West has decreased

overall; statistics show a decline in the rate of terror attacks since early 2016, after having peaked

in late 2014 / early 2015. Canada’s National Terrorism Threat Level (NTTL) remains at

Medium. However, individuals in Canada continue to express both the intent and capability to

carry out violent acts of terrorism in Canada and against Canadian interests. In the past year,

attacks that were carried out by individuals who are not formally connected to any terrorist group

continued to occur. These individuals, often inspired by other attacks, adopt terrorist methods

when carrying out a violent act. Further, over the course of the last year, terrorist groups and

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their followers falsely claimed responsibility for attacks, when in fact they had no involvement

or foreknowledge of these acts. Canada is not immune to this phenomenon.

For example, in July 2018, 29-year-old Faisal Hussain opened fire in the busy Danforth

neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario. While law enforcement officials confirmed that there was no

terrorism nexus, Daesh falsely claimed responsibility for the attack soon after it occurred. Fewer

Canadians are seeking to travel abroad to support groups like Daesh or AQ. A small number of

individuals maintain intentions to travel and some have made attempts. When travel plans are

prevented, some individuals may turn their extreme intentions to the domestic environment.

Canada continues to be used for recruitment, fundraising and other activities that

facilitate violent extremist activity abroad. Social media also remains a key tool for individuals

in Canada and abroad who wish to communicate with other terrorists and violent extremist

actors. In July 2014, Daesh leaders incited followers to participate in conflicts abroad and called

on supporters to conduct attacks against the West. At the time, a number of Canadians amplified

the group’s call for violence within Canada, which also resulted in some travelling abroad to join

Daesh. Separately, two terrorist attacks occurred in Canada in October 2014. These incidents

were praised by Daesh supporters online at the time. In August 2018, Daesh’s leader released a

speech urging Daesh supporters in the West to remain defiant and follow examples of their

“brothers” in Canada and elsewhere and carry out attacks. Unlike in 2014, Canada has not yet

seen a response to these calls for attacks, however, Canada remains vigilant.

Although the majority of recent global terrorist attacks can be attributed to individuals

inspired by terrorist groups such as Daesh and AQ, other recent events around the world are

bringing attention to the threat of violence from individuals who harbour right-wing extremist

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views. Right-wing extremism (RWE) is traditionally driven by hatred and fear, and includes a

range of individuals, groups, often in online communities, that back a wide range of issues and

grievances, including, but not limited to: anti-government and anti-law enforcement sentiment,

advocacy of white nationalism and racial separation, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, anti-

immigration, male supremacy (misogyny) and homophobia. The threat of violence from any

individuals, including those holding extreme right-wing views, may manifest in terrorist activity

or other forms of criminal violence. However, while racism, bigotry, and misogyny may

undermine the fabric of Canadian society, ultimately, they do not usually result in criminal

behavior or threats to national security.

In Canada, individuals who hold extreme right-wing views are active online, leveraging

chat forums and online networks to exchange ideas, as opposed to openly promoting violence.

These individuals leverage online chats and forums in an attempt to create an online culture of

fear, hatred and mistrust by exploiting real or imagined concerns. Traditionally, in Canada,

violence linked to the far-right has been sporadic and opportunistic. However, attacks perpetrated

by individuals who hold extreme right-wing views and other lesser-known forms of ideological

extremism can occur. A recent example is the April 2018 van attack in Toronto, Ontario, which

resulted in the deaths of 10 people and alerted Canada to the dangers of the online Incel

movement. It may be difficult to assess, in the short term, to what extent a specific act was

ideologically-driven, or comment while investigations are ongoing, or cases are before the court.

Right-wing extremism is not unique to Canada. In fact, some European RWE groups have

established chapters in Canada.

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Solutions
First is the need to invest more in primary education, because attitudes and behaviors as

well as identity normally take shape during childhood. Childhood is also when parents are most

involved with their children’s schools. Normally in these early years, parents are more sensitive

to programs and initiatives that aim to involve them and establish links between their households

and schools. Clearly, building this kind of resilience requires strong ties between schools,

families, and other segments of society that influence and shape children’s attitudes and

behavior.

Schools are only one of the actors or entities that should be involved, however. If peers

can be determinant in influencing adolescents’ attitudes and behaviors, the family is the child’s

primary example and guide. Formal education should complement the education children

received in their households and immediate environments. However, no clear evidence of how

much depends on each has been found. Studies indicate that most young radicals were raised in

one single-parent family, suggesting that the lack of a traditional family context could increase

chances of supporting radical ideologies (Sieckelinck, Kaulingfreks, and Winter). Another recent

study on young people joining al-Shabaab reported that in most cases parents played a very

limited role in the political choice of their children, and 80 percent of the time did not even know

about their children’s involvement showing how little the parents are involved.

A second solution is to encourage critical thinking and unconventional perspectives. The

design of curricula and especially the content of history programs can be decisive in shaping

identities and feelings of ownership, especially in highly diversified communities. Critically

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discussing historical events; being confronted with responsibility; addressing issues such as

prejudice, racism, and exploitation are all important activities to stimulate dialogue and active

citizenship. The initiative Facing History and Ourselves has generated innovative and useful

toolkits to help teachers discuss contested historical events such as the Holocaust and the

Armenian genocide. Similar tools could be adapted, for example, to teach colonial history in

European countries, where children from former colonies often represent a large group.

The importance of understanding the past thorough education does not negate the need to

engage with topical issues. Media education is crucial both to analyze propaganda and to

appreciate freedom of speech and critique. At the same time, certain dangers are associated with

the use and content of journal articles and non-approved materials. It is essential that school

managers and teachers understand the complexity and nature of the issue before any method,

approach, or strategy can be implemented in the classrooms.

A third recommendation thus refers to the role of teachers, because these activities

should not be an occasional deviation from the program by open-minded educators, but should

rather become an institutionalized practice, because the risks of causing counterproductive

effects are significant. It is not a case that the Manifesto for Education—Empowering Educators

and Schools, published by the EU Radicalisation Awareness Network, opens by stating the need

to inform and train teachers as a first step to tackle radicalization (Euroclio). Governments,

especially in the UK, have already made considerable investments in initiatives and resources

that can help teachers and guardians understand the issue and adopt sensitive methodologies and

language when approaching such sensitive themes (UK Home Office). The recently published

UNESCO teacher guide on the prevention of violent extremism is a valuable related resource and

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a testament to the importance of adequate preparation to teachers and guardians, especially on

how to discuss themes related to extremism and violence (UNESCO).

More experimental activities should also be considered, but with caution and in the

context of a broader program to address radicalization as well as other social issues. For

example, during secondary education, initiatives that emphasize risks and consequences drown

from real-life experiences seem to have had important deterrent effects. Stijn Sieckelinck and

Marion van San suggest that, in the opinion of former radicals, direct confrontation with possible

consequences of this lifestyle would be more effective than trying to moralize the young (San).

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Works Cited

Ali, Ayaan Hirsi. “Islam Is a Religion of Violence.” Foreign Policy, Foreign Policy, 9 Nov. 2015,

foreignpolicy.com/2015/11/09/islam-is-a-religion-of-violence-ayaan-hirsi-ali-debate-islamic-

state/.

Cassman, Daniel. “Al Shabaab.” Al Shabaab | Mapping Militant Organizations,

web.stanford.edu/group/mappingmilitants/cgi-bin/groups/view/61#note1.

Kruglanski, Arie W., et al. “The Psychology of Radicalization and Deradicalization: How Significance

Quest Impacts Violent Extremism.” Political Psychology, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

(10.1111), 22 Jan. 2014, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pops.12163.

Nag, Oishimaya Sen. “What Is Religious Fundamentalism?” WorldAtlas, 8 Apr. 2016,

www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-is-religious-fundamentalism.html.

Pappas, Stephanie. “Psychology of Hate: What Motivates White Supremacists?” LiveScience, Purch,

17 Aug. 2017, www.livescience.com/60157-what-motivates-white-supremacists.html.

“Terrorism: Death Toll Worldwide 2006-2017 | Statistic.” Statista,

www.statista.com/statistics/202871/number-of-fatalities-by-terrorist-attacks-worldwide/.

“Understanding Drivers of Violent Extremism: The Case of Al-Shabab and Somali Youth – Combating

Terrorism Center at West Point.” Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, 15 Nov. 2017,

ctc.usma.edu/understanding-drivers-of-violent-extremism-the-case-of-al-shabab-and-somali-

youth/.

“Violent Extremism.” GSDRC, gsdrc.org/professional-dev/violent-extremism/.

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