Moscow concert hall attack: Why is ISIL targeting Russia?

Al-Jazeera ^ | March 23, 2024 | Kevin Doyle

[canuck_conservative]

ISIL’s Afghan branch – also known as the Islamic State in Khorasan Province, ISKP (ISIS-K) – has claimed responsibility for the attack...

“Russian foreign policy has been one big red flag for ISIS [ISIL],” Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Washington-based Wilson Center told Al Jazeera. “The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Russian actions in Chechnya, Moscow’s close relationships with the Syrian and Iranian governments, and especially the military campaigns that Russia has waged against ISIS fighters in Syria and — through Wagner Group mercenaries – in parts of Africa.”

“ISK [ISKP] has consistently demonstrated its ambition to evolve into a formidable regional entity … By directing its aggression towards nations such as Iran and Russia, ISK not only confronts regional heavyweights but also underscores its political relevance and operational reach on the global stage,” Jadoon said.

Kabir Taneja, a fellow at the Strategic Studies Programme of the Observer Research Foundation – a think tank based in New Delhi, India – told Al Jazeera that Russia is seen by ISIL and its affiliates as “a crusading power against Muslims”...

“The most compelling current motivation for ISIS-K to attack Russia is the Taliban factor. The Taliban is a bitter rival of ISIS, and ISIS views Russia as a friend of the Taliban,” said Kugelman...

More attacks are possible in Russia and elsewhere, he added, given the key role that ISIL recruits of Central Asian origin – particularly Tajiks – played when the group held territory in Syria. They have now returned to the Central Asia region and their intent to carry out attacks has now materialised in capability, Basit said...

[The Sons of Liberty]

Moscow concert hall attack: Why is ISIL targeting Russia?

A better question is: "Why did we warn the russkies that an attack was likely?" Was it on orders from Comrade Joe?

[JadeEmperor]

>> The Putin promoters, the Jew haters, the genocidists, the
>> America-haters have been beyond hysterical tonight. Glad I
>> slept through it.

There are more than a few Russian trolls/operatives but also demoralized Westerners who are tuning in to a foreign despot because he put on a sheep’s skin of a “defender of social conservatism and defender of Tradition.”

The Russian operatives are tapping into the Great White Resentment and the growing belief that Conservatism has failed to conserve (even the ladies room for ladies use, in the words of Milo Yanopoulis) and has been losing the culture war since the 1960’s.

“In a sort of ghastly simplicity we remove the organ and demand the function. We make men without chests and expect of them virtue and enterprise. We laugh at honour and are shocked to find traitors in our midst. We castrate and bid the geldings be fruitful.” C.S. Lewis

All this beating down on the Straigh White Male for the past 50 years and we want them to rise and to defend the West and the elites who openly sneer at them?

We are in for some hard times if this continues.

[JadeEmperor]

>> The Russians were influenced by the Mongols. And they areOrthodox Christians.
>> Plus they were never influenced by the Enlightenment.

>> So that’s why I don’t view them as part of the West.

You are not wrong, but countries like Greece are viewed as part of the West, same with the Orthodox Christian countries fo Central Europe.

Russia had its westernizers, like Tsar Peter and Alexander II (who’s assasination IMO set history on the wrong path).

If they had stayed out of WWI or dropped out after the February revolution they might have slowly become more capitalist and democratic.

Russia’s western heritage is unfortunatly of the worst kind, i.e. Byzantine emprire legacy with its caesaropapism. Couple that with Mongol influence and you get what you get. Put a German princess at the head of it and yikes, there goes half of Poland.

[ConservativeMind]

“The U.S., Britain, and Russia all guaranteed, in writing, Ukraine's security in the Budapest Memorandum of 1994 in exchange for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons.”

LOL! No, they didn't. They merely said the following:

“Ukraine, The Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and The United States of America will consult in the event a situation arises which raises a question concerning these commitments.”

There is absolutely NOTHING in your foundational document to support anything assuring any sort of security for Ukraine. All the US did was say if things looked less than ideal, the US would hold talks. That's it.

Reading comprehension is a sign of intelligence.

[taxesareforever]

Muslim terrorists blow themselves up before getting captured. These guys made no attempt to kill themselves. Matter of fact they looked for a way out. They were faker ISIS to throw everyone off their track.

[tlozo]

Muslim terrorists blow themselves up before getting captured. These guys made no attempt to kill themselves. Matter of fact they looked for a way out. They were faker ISIS to throw everyone off their track.

There are currently thousands of ISIS fighters in jail in Syria, who did not fight to the death/or kill themselves, but surrendered.

[Chad C. Mulligan]

There are more than a few Russian trolls/operatives but also demoralized Westerners who are tuning in to a foreign despot because he put on a sheep’s skin of a “defender of social conservatism and defender of Tradition.

Very perceptive post, JadeEmperor. Well said and thank you.

The situation here strikes me as all too similar to the pro-Nazi propaganda expressed by the radical wing of the America First movement in 1939. We know where that led.

[Organic Panic]

Islam has been at war since its inception. It is a war plan against anything and everything.

[Timber Rattler]

It seems his assignment on this attack is try to deflect-away the now-confirmed Ukrainian involvement.

Link please (and not from some fringy vblog on Youtube or Russian State media like TASS, Sputnik, or Russia Today).

[libertarian66]

1) Russia today is not Nazi Germany, not even close. Britain is a near-fascist state itself in 2024, not the heroic Albion of 1940.

2) Russia poses no threat to British allies as Germany did in 1940. Russia wants parts of Ukraine, nothing more. Ukraine is not a British ally, it’s not even part of the West.

3) Had Britain not fought Germany, peace may have been obtained. Though Europe would be under German rule. The Holcaust of course would have been unstoppable BUT Russia is not commiting anything remotely close.

The comparison just doesn’t stand scrutiny. And there was zero chance then of a nuclear holcaust.

[USA-FRANCE]

...now-confirmed Ukrainian involvement...

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Saying that Ukraine is in anyway involved in the Moscow terror attack, is absolute disinformation.However, it’s “information” if you work for the Kremlin deep-state propaganda machine...

Those few here on FR supporting the Kremlin and Iran on this non-sense, should be suspended from FR, for being complicit with America’s traditional enemy : The Russia-Iran/Hamas-North Korea alliance.

ISIS has admitted (with proof) the attack they did on Moscow. Period.
End of discussion. Forget your obsession to frame Ukraine for everything.
Ukraine! Ukraine! Ukraine! Stop your Ukraine hysteria.

[JadeEmperor]

>> The situation here strikes me as all too similar to the pro-Nazi propaganda
>> expressed by the radical wing of the America First movement in 1939. We
>>. know where that

And the only reason those voices were muted is because of Pearl Harbor, and Germany declaring war on the US soon after US declared war against imperial Japan.

There were pro-Nazi demonstrations up until Dec 7 1941.

[Timber Rattler]

1) Russia today is not Nazi Germany, not even close.

OK, so it's more like the Soviet Union of 1940.

2) Russia poses no threat to British allies as Germany did in 1940.

So the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia, all NATO members, are not allies of NATO member Great Britain?

Russia wants parts of Ukraine, nothing more.

Just like Hitler wanted Austria and the Sudetenland and Stalin wanted Poland and the Baltics and Balkans?

Ukraine is not a British ally, it’s not even part of the West.

Think so?

Flashback to May 15, 2008: President Yushchenko and Prime Minister Brown sign a Joint Statement

3) Had Britain not fought Germany, peace may have been obtained.

Oh, do tell? Please explain how that would have happened?

Though Europe would be under German rule.

And you would be A-OK with that, I presume.

The Holcaust of course would have been unstoppable...

Oh really? You actually believe that?

BUT Russia is not committing anything remotely close.

Nah, just leveling countless towns and cities and slaughtering thousands of Ukrainian civilians.

The comparison just doesn’t stand scrutiny.

Riggght...

[Stepan12]

Al Jaazera won't tell you but Islam seeks to dominate the entire globe and the globe will be part of its caliphate.

But lets ignore that and keep bashing us Jews in Israel and elsewhere because it is so much sadistic fun /s

[BobL]

Nice try at DEFLECTION!

[MeganC]

“I had one of his threads pulled yesterday”

Mortals tremble at the awesomeness of your godlike power.

[BobL]

Statement from the FSB via RT - which has FAR BETTER CREDIBILITY on this war than any Western Media outlet. If you choose not to believe, that’s your problem.

By the way, how’s that Greatest Offensive going, you know, the one that all of Western Media PROMISED would ‘punch through’ Russian lines to the Sea of Azov?

“The criminals intended to cross the Russia-Ukraine border and had relevant contacts on the Ukrainian side”

[Timber Rattler]

Yeah, the FSB (i.e. the KGB) and Russia Times (under Putin mouthpiece Margarita Simonyan), totally believable.

Do better.

[MeganC]

Rather novel that the same people who claim that “Them Nazis!” justifies Russia’s war to conquer and annex Ukraine are also openly promoting Naziism as a viable alternative to what we have in the West.

[BobL]

“Do better”

Perhaps CNN is your choice of news sources?

By the way, how’s that Greatest Offensive going, you know, the one that all of Western Media PROMISED would ‘punch through’ Russian lines to the Sea of Azov?