Short Takes
Norway attack: What does it mean for us?
The terror attack in Norway has blasted quite a few myths about terrorism and its perpetrators. It has also distinguished the attitude of media and world leaders to acts of terror perpetrated by different groups.
One myth that it has blasted is that Internet sites purported to be propagating “Jehadism” are run by Muslims.
Soon after the terrible attack, media worldwide began the familiar chorus of “jehadi violence”. A website supposedly run by Ansar-al-Jihad-al-Islami announced that it had staged the attack on Oslo in revenge against its anti-Muslim policies.
Within minutes came the angry response of heads of states and governments of the US, UK, France and Germany. When it became evident that the attack was carried out by a Norwegian, these leaders went into an embarrassed-silence mode. That is, they would be angry only at so-called jehadi terror, not at others.
Another revelation: this man was driven by hate of Islam and Muslims. In short, it was not a Muslim who had done it, but someone driven mad by the hate of Islam and Muslims.
Yet another revelation: The man, full of praise and admiration for Hindutva, was inspired by Sangh-orchestrated hate campaigns and anti-Muslim violence in India, which shows that anti-Muslim people have been orchestrating terror attacks to defame Islam and Muslims, and there is a nexus between Hindutva terror and others worldwide conspiring to destabilise the world and blame it on Muslims.
A particular point that it established was, in fact, the vindication of the Muslim stand that most “jehadi” websites are run by anti-Muslim conspirators from non-Muslims countries. They work in tandem with persons like the Norwegian perpetrator and Hindutva terrorists. The moment an attack comes, these sites come alive with claims that they (feigned Muslim jehadists) have done it.
In a place like India, it invariably works and Muslim youth are rounded up in large numbers to be tortured for months in interrogation centres just because of these claims made by anti-Muslim conspirators. Had Oslo been Delhi, we are sure, it would have led to the torture of hundreds of Muslim youth while the real perpetrator would be gloating at the misery of victims (both of the attack and the resultant torture of innocent Muslim youth).
g
Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam