SPY EYES

By Yousaf Alamgirian

Terrorist attacks in Norway must be an eye opener for those European and the western countries which blame Islam for extremism. Extremism has no religion. Extremists are enemies of the humanity. Two deadly attacks in Norway that killed at least 91 people is a sad knick-knack that domestic extremism remains a serious threat across the world. The world must feel the critical consequences of the terrorism which has entangled South Asia. The super powers instead playing gimmicks in the garb of war on terrorism must join hands to help this part of the world to save them from the terrorism menace. They must realize that if they continue using this war for their vested interests soon they are going to become the victims of the same. Islam, Christianity or any other religion never teaches its followers to go for extremism. It is the set mindset of the individuals, international conspirators to defame and destabilize any of the nation or a state.

No one in the world can appreciate what the 32 years Norwegian has done. It is not only a criminal act but depicts an approach to impose someone’s ideas. It may have provided pleasure to mentally sick people who could be hailing form any of the society. During the last ten years of war on terrorism European and western leadership and its media is on the same pace to malign Islam and the Muslims by using terms like ‘Islamic extremists’. India also plays the ‘frontline state’ role to defame Pakistan and impose blame of each and every incident of terrorism on it. Only the responsibility of recent bomb explosions of Mumbai has not been imposed on Pakistan as Indian government got the strong linkage of Hindu extremists in the incident.

Soon after the news of twin terror attacks in Norway it was speculated that the western and European lobby may try to link it with any of the extremists’ network of South Asia. But Norwegian law enforcing agencies seems so honest and professional that they sort out the issue immediately after the attacks that the attacker was a local citizen who doesn’t have to do anything with the world extremist networks. The news agencies have reported that “Preliminary investigations indicate the suspect, a 32-year-old Norwegian man, has nothing to do with international terrorist groups, while local media said the horrific carnage, which deprived many families of their young children, appears to be the crazy act of a local extremist who wanted revenge on society”. Extremists are obviously the real enemies of the humanity which even don’t spare their country mates or the people from the same society. They are only bothered about their own beliefs and consider others as nonbelievers.

Few months back an American citizen and a priest Terry Jones set on fire the holy book ‘Quran’ and that too in religious place like a Church. That delivered a very wrong message. His act not only created unrest among the Muslims but also among the sensible religious segments of different religions including Christianity. Radicalization is not something pertaining to act upon beliefs and preaching of certain religion but is a mindset and move to adopt means of insulting the faith and emotions of same as well as of the other religions and instigate them to the extent in a way which could be formed as ‘extremism’. This is what the West is doing with Muslims. The Muslims have never thought of burning a Bible and Torah. For Muslims these are sacred books and must be respected in true spirit.

Religious extremism strengthens its roots during Russian invasion in Afghanistan. America joins hands with this part of the Muslim countries to oust Russian forces from Afghanistan and then left these forces being trained during the course of war in aloofness. Then it was Pakistan alone to take care of the breed being flourished. So the trained lot scattered all over the country to settle themselves according to their own choice and style. Things were not controlled and the state level as there would have been proper employment opportunities for them to get them acquainted with the routine life. So they joined different factions and of course the political as well.

Extremism is not a phenomenon which is linked to physical actions but the rays it ejects in kind of intolerance, prejudice and ethnocentrism. People who are religious or the political are so possessive towards their school of thoughts that they don’t let any option differing to their perception to pour into their minds. Radicalization is based on radical philosophy supporting certain factions to be intolerant to any of the ideology or thought process which differs with them. A 32-year-old Norwegian man is quite a relevant example of the mindset narrated above. He must be of 22 years of age when American and allied forces attacked Iraq and Afghanistan. Western and European media has shown ‘embedded coverage’ of terrorist attacks and had tried to establish Muslims as terrorists. So their youth is permanent viewer of the news stories, documentaries and video packages which were mainly shown to malign Muslims and Islam. They were obviously not shown for the information purpose. Their youth could have got influenced from the same to practice it in their respective societies.

This incident has exposed that there could be very deep roots of extremism in Norwegian society. Few years back a Norwegian newspaper published blasphemous sketches of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which caused severe mental torture for the Muslims world over. It seems the network (that may not be connected with the international extremists networks) of the people having intentions to sermonize their side of the memo.

This is really alarming for the societies which believe in peace, love and harmony. They must set their houses in order and review their policies to help the societies entangled in extremism to make the world and their own territory worth living for the humans.