The enemy within

The Sunday Times (U.K.) ^ | 08/13/06 | the editors

[Pokey78]

Few can have failed to shudder at the thought of a plot to blow up nine passenger planes and the intended mass murder of thousands of innocent people over the Atlantic. Whatever the outcome of the police investigation into a conspiracy that seems to have been stopped just in time, we should praise the alertness of Britain’s often criticised and overstretched intelligence services. Peter Clarke, deputy assistant commissioner at Scotland Yard, says at least three other serious plots by home-grown terrorists have been disrupted since last year’s July 7 attacks on the London Underground. The danger seems ever present.

It is now self-evident that there is an enemy within Britain who wants to destroy our way of life. Most of this relatively small group of fanatics are British-born Muslims who have been educated here and brought up within our tolerant democracy. Those looking for the outward signs that identify them as full of hatred would be hard-pressed to find them. Many seem all too ordinary, perhaps enthusiastic about football and cricket and living “normal” westernised existences in neat terraced houses. They work, study or run small businesses. Most show little indication that they have signed up to the distorted ideology of radical Islam, with its millennial ideology of bringing destruction to the corrupt West. As “sleepers”, they are perfect.

Why is Britain such a breeding ground for these young men, for that is what most of them are? Much can be ascribed to timidity on behalf of the authorities, wedded as they are to a multiculturalism that isolates many young men in ghettos and a reluctance to espouse British values through our schools and institutions. That appeasement was epitomised by the sanctuary offered to extremist Islamic groups in Britain — “Londonistan” — in the pathetic hope that it might offer some form of immunity from violence. The United States, with its intolerant attitude to those preaching hate, has been far more successful in integrating its Muslim citizens, offering them the ideals of patriotism and progress. Even France, which has a bigger Muslim population than Britain and has had its share of troubles with disaffected youth, has not seen the scale of Islamist treachery that we are experiencing here. MI5 believes up to 400,000 people in Britain are sympathetic to violent “jihad” around the world and that as many as 1,200 are involved in terrorist networks.

These extremists are drawn both from our educated classes and the Muslim underclass. The first alienated group seems susceptible to radical recruiters on university campuses, the latter to firebrands they meet in mosques or in prison. There they are fed the lines that the West is evil and corrupt. They are urged to look at a culture of binge drinking, reckless hedonism, moral laxity and materialism. They see little of the advantages to our society of freedom of choice, of religion, of individualism and of equality. Nor is it good enough to claim that extremism is fostered by poverty. Although Pakistanis and Bangladeshis are struggling to do as well as some other second or third-generation immigrant groups, many of the recruits are from relatively privileged backgrounds. It is more a matter of a battle for minds rather than pockets. Add to this the internet, the finishing school of global terror, and a legal system that appears to be inflexible about deporting foreign jihadists, and you have the ingredients for an explosive clash of cultures.

When an undercover reporter from The Sunday Times visited Beeston in Nottinghamshire, where three of the July 7 bombers came from, he found either a denial that they had been involved or, perhaps more alarmingly, respect for them as Muslim martyrs. It is this potent mix of self- delusion — witness all the absurd theories about 9/11 and 7/7 — and a sneaking admiration for jihad even among seemingly sensible Muslims.

The great challenge for Britain is how to stop this and minimise the future risks. Nobody should underestimate the scale of the problem or the time needed. We already have a generation of disaffected Muslims who see any excuse, whether it is war in Iraq, Afghanistan or Lebanon, as a reason for killing their fellow citizens. The government has commissioned studies on combatting the problem, so far with little tangible impact. Tony Blair has been wooing Muslim leaders, too often the radicals rather than the moderates, although this policy seems to lie in shreds as they moan about wars in the Middle East inflaming Islamic youth. They are perfectly entitled to be angry about these conflicts, but that anger should be expressed through the democratic processes of demonstrations and elections.

That is not to say that the government is not right to try to win over Muslim opinion. If terror is to be defeated, you have first to drain the swamp. Muslims have to be persuaded that we are on the same side, that there is no witch-hunt against Islam and that the wars involving British troops are about stopping Islamists and the corruption of their religion. This means Muslims being alert to extremists in their ranks and being prepared to identify them to the police. It means Muslims becoming intolerant of radical mullahs and hounding them out of their mosques. Equally the authorities have a responsibility to crack down on extremists in universities and in prisons, to close internet sites and bookshops that spread hatred and violence, and to take all reasonable measures to protect their citizens.

At times this may seem unjust. Muslims who visit Pakistan will have to be more closely scrutinised and it may seem that they are being systematically targeted. But Muslims will have to understand that it is their co-religionists who are bent on bombing trains and planes and that requires extraordinary measures. A mature Muslim response will be to co-operate and help to eradicate extremists in their midst. It requires the vast majority of Muslims to believe that their future is tied to Britain, a country in which their religion can be respected and freely practised. If the radicals succeed, it will foster only hatred and intolerance.

This low-level war is going to take a huge effort of will and courage. It is going to mean applying what may seem illiberal measures in order to save lives. In return, the state must exercise massive restraint and not abuse that responsibility. But the real key is for Muslims to realise that their future lies here and to embrace British values and reject violent Islamist theology. The country may indeed be in its greatest danger since the second world war, as John Reid, the home secretary, said last week. But as Britain prevailed then, so it will again.

[ladyinred]

They should not be lulled to sleep with the false statement that is only a few among them. They are so wrong.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

"...witness all the absurd theories about 9/11 and 7/7..."

I hadn't heard the conspiracy theories about 7-7, as opposed to 9-11. Anyone have a link to such URLs? Just curious...

[EagleUSA]

It is amazing. These socialist-driven countries let them in, then whine about it. What in the heck did they expect?? And there will be more, around the globe, as long as these radical Islamo-freaks are allowed to function in the countries they hate....

[Lurker]

None are so blind as those that will not see.

L

[Rocko]

Here's a link

[PGalt]

The country may indeed be in its greatest danger since the second world war, as John Reid, the home secretary, said last week. But as Britain prevailed then, so it will again.

We are witnessing the most formidable anti-truth, anti-freedom, anti-life collective in the history of mankind.

[familyop]

"Most of this relatively small group of fanatics are British-born Muslims who have been educated here and brought up within our tolerant democracy."

There are over 1 1/2 million Muslims in that small country.

From the CIA World Factbook:

Population:

60,609,153 (July 2006 est.)

Religions:

Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)

[EdReform]

Indeed. Moderate Muslims are a Tiny Minority.

[umgud]

I'm sure glad the USA version of islam is a religion of peace.

[familyop]

"Why is Britain such a breeding ground for these young men, for that is what most of them are?"

Here's the answer as excerpted from the YouGov poll of British people:


YOUGOV / DAILY TELEGRAPH RESULTS
Sample: 1,633; fieldwork: July 24-26, 2006

As you probably know, the recent violence followed the kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers, one in Gaza and two in southern Lebanon. Which of the following statements comes closer to your own view?
Israel has the right to defend itself and the Israeli attacks in Gaza and the Lebanon have been an appropriate and proportionate response to the kidnappings	17
Israel has the right to defend itself but the Israeli attacks in Gaza and the Lebanon have been an inappropriate and disproportionate response	63
Neither/Don't Know	20
Some people say the Israelis have brought the present violence on themselves by refusing to withdraw behind their original borders and by taking over Palestinian land in the West Bank. Do you think the Israelis have, to any extent, brought the present violence on themselves?
Yes, there would be fewer attacks and a real chance for peace if Israel withdrew behind its original borders	40
No, the opponents of Israel will always attack Israel and try to destroy it, no matter where its borders are	35
Don't know	25
How would you rate the American administration's performance in the current crisis?
Excellent	1
Good	4
Fair	18
Poor	32
Very Poor	27
Don't Know	18
Which of the following statements comes closer to your own view?
Tony Blair in the current crisis gives the impression of making up his own mind and taking his own line	15
Tony Blair in the current crisis gives the impression of siding with the Americans, whatever the Americans say	64
Don't know	21

...and an older survey.


ICM (Poll of British people)

ICM Research interviewed a random sample of 1,000 adults aged 18+ by telephone on 20-21st April, 2002. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to the profile of all adults.
. . .
"Q3. In the dispute in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians, from what you have seen and heard about the conflict which of the two do you sympathise with more, Israel or the Palestinians?"

Israel           14%
Palestine      28%
Both            14%
Neither         23%
Don't know   20%

[Man50D]

I'm sure glad the USA version of islam is a religion of peace.

It especially comforting after reading the following article:

Islamic Scholar Warns U.S. of 'Two-Faced' Muslims

[Former Proud Canadian]

While the Times wrings its hands, the answers are fairly simple.

1. Suspend civil liberties for Muslims.

2. Stop all immigration Muslim immigration.

3. Arrest all imams who preach hate.

4. Round up the 1500 "most likely" suspects and hold them until we can decide what to do with them.

5. Do not let them travel on airplanes or any other form of public transportation until they have been throughly vetted by the security services. This might take some time, too bad.

If they continue their terrorist activities, close all the mosques. These measures may sound harsh and undemocratic, even un-politically correct but we are at war and if we are going to win, we are going to have to push back, hard and fast.

[livius]

The Brits are, as usual, blaming themselves. The US, with its "intolerant" policies, has actually not been that much more successful in discouraging Muslim killers; we have just been more successful in catching them before they do any real damage. But our Muslim inhabitants, including native and foreign born and converts, have certainly been trying.

It's probably going to take a few more attacks for Britain to learn the only history lesson worth learning: Islam is a cult built on violent conquest, and there is no way of dealing with it other than opposing it head-on and defeating it.

Muslims make good citizens of non-Muslim countries only when they think Islam is powerless to conquer those countries. But even then they don't stop trying. Some Muslims, mostly poor laborers and farmers, had been permitted to stay in Spain after the expulsion of the Jews and Muslims in 1492, but in about 50 years, they were all deported - after having wiped out some Christian villages on the Mediterranean coast, torturing the priests to death, and then being caught receiving weapons smuggled in from Muslims in the Middle East.

[LisaMalia]

Muslims have to be persuaded that we are on the same side, that there is no witch-hunt against Islam and that the wars involving British troops are about stopping Islamists and the corruption of their religion.

Bull! Although I agree with some of the thoughts in this article, why do we, as Americans, have to "persuade" Muslims of anything?

They are obviously in our country, as well as the UK for a reason.

The Muslim communities should be showing their support for our troops, and kissing the FREE ground that they walk on everyday.

We have bent over backwards to cater to their religion, in the name of "tolerance". At the school my daughter formerly taught, there was a "prayer" room for the students during ramadan, yet Christian students DARE not pray on school premises.

Someone tell me what's wrong with this picture.

[butternut_squash_bisque]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, R.

[Rca2000]

Probably not for much longer........The truth will set in sooner or later.

I just hope it doesn't take a mushroom cloud over Manhattan to drive the truth home.

[Gritty]

Instead of wringing our collective hands about the unfairness and difficulty of it all, I have a better idea. It works. It has been done before in recent history. It just takes some determination and guts. But it also takes throwing out the toxic PC bilgewater we are all drowning in.

When international Communism and subversion was a deadly threat, we banned the Communist Party. So, ban the Muslim party. If they don't like it, they can go back to wherever they came from before they turn our countries into clones of the hell holes from which they came!

[Deo volente]

They just can't figure it out.

The problem is not that their policies facilitate the growth of the jihadists.

The problem is Islam. It has been on the attack against the West since its inception.
Every time it is pushed back, it regroups and comes at us again, seeking to destroy. There's no other goal for a truly devout Muslim than to help establish a world wide caliphate, and kill any infidels who get in the way.

That's what the "religion" is all about.

[SirJohnBarleycorn]

When voices spoke up opposing the radical change in British immigration policy in the 1960s, arguing that the multiculturalism being thus imposed was without parallel in a thousand years of British history and portended a serious danger of violent conflict, they were branded as racists and their objections were declared outside the bounds of legitimate debate.

Because the enlightened liberals who controlled British policy had no strong attachment to Christianity or British culture, they did not and do not comprehend the strength and depth of commitment to Islam and their native culture that the muslim communities have. Ironically, we see this more in the second generation immigrant than the first; the first generation at least voluntarily chose to come settle in Britain, whereas the second generation had no choice in the matter, and is proving a more fertile ground for Islamofascism.