As the US and the Western world accused the governments of Libya, Iran, Syria, Iraq… etc as potential sponsors of terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was not mentioned, despite several of its charity organizations are supporting the radicals under the cover of humanitarian assistance. Saudi Arabian officials show down has tried to break the chains of terrorism and condemned Al-Qaeda’s actions against the United States. The alleged Al Qaeda attacks of November 9, 2001, have dramatically distorted the political environment between the Muslim and the Western world. In the Muslim world, religion, politics, and culture are intertwined in complicated ways.
The implications of jihadists’ activities in the Middle East/Persian Gulf region are much worrying. The war in Iraq has inflamed the violent acts that have dramatically increased. Today, the time to access to the technologies for the production of chemical weapons is likely to become easy. The development of “micro reactors,” or machines, only a bit larger than an average desktop computer, that are designed for pharmaceutical industries will allow chemical companies to produce chemicals in smaller quantities on short order.
After the dramatic 9/11 tragedy, the Bush Administration came out along with a bundle of strategies and advocated to democratize the Arab world. The main strategy and rationale behind the US government security interest in promoting freedom and democracy is to reduce anti-American terrorism. According to their calculus, the more democracy promoted in the Middle East the less terrorist attack on the US targets take place.
Miami Beach, Florida October 30, 2009
Table of Contents
I. SAUDI ARABIA’S WAHHABISM
I.1. Wahabism: The Core Ideology Of Saudi Arabia
I.2. The Tawhid Philosophy
I.3. The Driving Force of Radicalism
I.4. Radical Movements in Saudi Arabia
I.5. The Shia Revolts and Juhayman al- Utaybi
I.6. Regional Salafism and the Emergence of Al-Qaeda
I.7. Enhanced Islamist Activism during the Gulf War I
I.8. Opposition from the Awakening Preachers
I.9. The Rise of Young Islamist Professionals
II. DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE ARAB WORLD
II.1. Principal Basis of Individual and Group Identity
II.2. The Vast Growth of Radical Islam
II.3. Alliances and Divisions
III. AL-QAEDA’S EAST AFRICA NETWORKS
III.1. The Formative Years of Islamic Radicalism in Yemen
III.1.1. Terrorism and Islamic Radicalism
III.1.2. Curtailing State Capacity
III.1.3. Current Situation in Yemen
III.1.4. The U.S. Foreign Policy and Relations with Yemen
III.2. Terrorism and Radical Groups in Sudan
III.2.1. The Bin Laden –Al-Turabi Alliance
III.2.2. The Humanitarian Crisis and Genocide in Darfur.
III.2.3. U.S. Policy toward Sudan
III.3. Terrorism and Radical Groups in Somalia
III.3.1. AL Qaeda and Al Itad Al Islamia Networks
III.3.2. US Foreign Policy toward Somalia.
III.4. Terrorism and Radical Groups in Eritrea
III.4.1. Response by the Government
III.4.2. U.S. Policy toward Eritrea
III.5. Al-Qaeda Operations in Weak African States
III.5.1. Corruption and Weak Law Enforcement in East Africa
III.5.2. Trans-national Terrorism In Kenya
IV. AL-QAEDA NORTH WEST AFRICAN AXIS
IV.1. The New Terrorism Axis in the Sahel Region
IV.1.1. Al Qaeda-GSPC Networks
IV.1.2. GSPC and Europeans of North African origin
IV.1.3. Fundraising and Recruitment through Crimes
IV.1.4. Iraq-North Africa Terror Axis
IV.1.5. Massive Challenges to the Regimes
V. INTER-CONTINENTAL JIHADI STRATEGIES
V.1. WMD Productions in Failed, Corrupted and Rouge States?
V.1.1. The Sout-East Asia Axis
V.1.2. Al Qaeda’s Desire to Produce WMD in Pakistan
V.1.3. Misusing Frustrated Russian Scientists and Rogue States
VI. US- DEMOCRATIZATION EFFORTS – A DREAM?
VI.1. The Reality and Practices
VI.2. The Strategy of Legalizing Islamic Parties
VI.3. Recent Experiences
VII. THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN TERRORISM AT SEA
VII.1. The Background
VII.1.1. Somali Piracy at the Horn of Africa
VII.1.2. The Piracy Profile of Somalia
VII.1.3. Somali Pirates and their Tactics
VII.1.4. The Economy and Profitability of Piracy
VII.1.5. Financing Islamic Radicalism through a Ransom
VII.2. The Global Economic Costs of Piracy
VII.2.1. Recent Developments
VII.2.2. Global Response
VII.2.3. Global Agenda on Piracy
VII.2.4. Millions of Dollars Rain for Somali Pirates
VII.2.5. China sends Special Forces to fight Somali Piracy
VII.2.6. Pursuing Somali Pirates on Land
Objectives & Themes
This work aims to analyze the political and religious dynamics driving Islamic radicalism across the Middle East and Africa, specifically examining how ideologies, regional state conflicts, and shifting socio-political environments facilitate the emergence and expansion of terrorist networks. The primary research goal is to outline the geopolitical and structural factors that enable these groups to pose a threat to international and U.S. security interests.
- The role of Saudi Wahhabism and its global influence on radical movements.
- The impact of post-9/11 U.S. foreign policy and democratization efforts in the Arab world.
- The proliferation of radical networks in East and North Africa, including Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea.
- The intersection of modern terrorism with maritime piracy and the pursuit of WMD capabilities.
Excerpt from the Book
I. SAUDI ARABIA’S WAHHABISM
As the US and the Western world accused the governments of Libya, Iran, Syria, Iraq… etc as potential sponsors of terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was not mentioned, despite several of its charity organizations are supporting the radicals under the cover of humanitarian assistance.
Saudi Arabian officials show down has tried to break the chains of terrorism and condemned Al-Qaeda’s actions against the United States. They made a hard move towards terrorism and have captured and arrested more than 600 activists (mostly suspected foreigners), claimed to have killed several terrorists, allegedly destroyed their bases and almost all financial resources. They even went so far and forced the leading ideological master-minders from the cleric to renounce their radical views live on television. About 1,400 imams were recalled who were well known about their deviating opinions, and took a variety of measures to strengthen the security with additional spies all over the government agencies, offices, super markets residential and air port areas.
Chapter Summaries
I. SAUDI ARABIA’S WAHHABISM: Examines the core ideology behind Saudi Islamism and how the state attempts to manage its radical elements while dealing with domestic and foreign pressures.
II. DRAMATIC CHANGES IN THE ARAB WORLD: Analyzes the political-religious shifts in the Middle East, focusing on the Sunni-Shia divide and the failure of traditional policies to curb radical growth.
III. AL-QAEDA’S EAST AFRICA NETWORKS: Investigates how fragile states in Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, and Eritrea have become hubs for transnational terrorist activity.
IV. AL-QAEDA NORTH WEST AFRICAN AXIS: Explores the activities of the GSPC and the evolution of the North African front of Al-Qaeda.
V. INTER-CONTINENTAL JIHADI STRATEGIES: Discusses the global nature of jihadist threats, including the acquisition of WMD and the involvement of frustrated scientists.
VI. US- DEMOCRATIZATION EFFORTS – A DREAM?: Critically evaluates the effectiveness of U.S. democracy promotion in the Arab world and its impact on the rise of Islamist political actors.
VII. THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN TERRORISM AT SEA: Explores the rise of modern maritime piracy, its link to failed states, and the economic challenges it poses to global shipping.
Key Words
Islamic radicalism, Al-Qaeda, Wahhabism, Terrorism, Middle East, Africa, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Jihad, WMD, Piracy, Democratization, U.S. Foreign Policy, Political Islam.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The book provides a comprehensive analysis of the rise of Islamic radicalism, focusing on its ideological origins in Saudi Arabia, its spread through failed states in Africa, and its adaptation into new frontiers like maritime piracy.
What are the central thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the political influence of Wahhabism, the role of sectarian conflict in Iraq, the use of failed states as safe havens, the pursuit of unconventional weapons, and the analysis of U.S. democratization strategies.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to provide policymakers and researchers with an outline of current radical trends and the failure of past Western strategies to effectively mitigate these threats.
Which scientific methodology is primarily applied?
The work utilizes a descriptive and qualitative historical-political analysis, supported by research reports, academic journals, and media accounts of events from 2006 to 2009.
What topics are discussed in the main section of the book?
The main part details the ideological roots of the movement, the expansion of terrorist networks in the Horn of Africa, the emergence of a North African axis, and the tactical development of maritime terrorism.
What keywords characterize the work?
The work is defined by terms such as Al-Qaeda, radicalization, geopolitics, Wahhabism, and state failure.
How does the author characterize the impact of Wahhabism?
The author argues that Wahhabism provides the foundational ideology for Saudi-originated radicalism and that its global dissemination has normalized extremist viewpoints within some Sunni populations.
What is the author's conclusion on U.S. democratization efforts?
The author contends that the U.S. strategy to democratize the Arab world as a means to reduce terrorism has failed, as there is no clear correlation between regime type and the prevalence of terrorism.
- Citation du texte
- Professor. Dr. Girma Yohannes Iyassu Menelik (Auteur), 2009, The Emergence and Impacts of Islamic Radicalists, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/136057
