PERSECU ION International Christian Concern | August 2013
The SUPRISING SPREAD of RADICAL ISLAM Like a cancer, radical Islam is metastasizing through numerous countries ISSUE 1/5
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The SURPRISNG SPREAD of RADICAL ISLAM BY J E F F K I N G
OVERVIEW
Dear Reader, Today I’d like to present you with a quiz. What do these disparate places all have in common: Boston, London, Turkey, Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, and Syria? Give up? They are all unexpected places where radical Islam has either arrived or where it’s opened a new front. The arrival of radical Islam at any one of these locationswould be cause for alarm. But when all of them light up at the same relative time, you should take pause and realize that there is trouble in Dodge. Islamic fundamentalism is metastasizing through countries at an alarming rate. ‘THE ISL AMISTS ARE COMING, THE ISL AMISTS ARE COMING’ I’m sure you don’t want to be reminded of the events in Boston where the Tsarnaev brothers planted improvised explosive devices at the Boston Marathon. Incredibly though, many U.S. citizens don’t know of their motive since the press and some politicians went to great lengths to avoid discussing their religious motivation and affiliation with radical Islam. As Dzhokhar hid in his boat hideout, he was scribbling messages like “[Expletive] America,” and “Praise Allah,” on the boat. He went on to explain that “when you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims.” He then explained that the victims in Boston were collateral damage from U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Finally, he said his older brother was a martyr who was now in paradise and that he would join him there.
Above: As Dzhokhar hid in his boat hideout, he scribbled notes, “[Expletive] America,” and “Praise Allah,” and said, “When you attack one Muslim, you attack all Muslims.”
I don’t know about you, but the only people I know who think they go to paradise after murdering and dismembering innocents, are Islamic radicals.
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OVERVIEW
Radical Islam Popping Up Everywhere
B R I TA I N • •
2013: After Islamists butcher a random man in the streets, Prime Minister Cameron promises to “drain the swamp” of radical elements. Tony Blair, former prime minister, says radical Islam “is profoundly dangerous.”
EGYPT
FRANCE • • • • • • •
2010: Playwright doused with gasoline and nearly set on fire by three Muslims angered by her negative portrayal of Muslims. 2010: Five Islamists arrested over plan to kill Paris’ leading Muslim cleric. 2012: Islamist murders three French soldiers and four people at a Jewish school. 2012: Two soldiers are shot to death in an al-Qaeda drive-by attack. 2012: Three Jewish men severely beaten with hammers by 10 Muslims. 2012: Islamist throws grenade into a Jewish store. 2013: A Muslim shouts, “Allah Akbar,” and stabs a police officer.
C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 T H E P O S T E R B OY O F T H E M O D E R AT E I S L A M I C S TAT E Recently, Turkey has been the scene of massive riots as the nation rebels against its increasingly radical Islamist government. Most Americans have no idea that Islamic fundamentalists are governing Turkey, a country that for decades represented the modern, moderate, secular Islamic State. IN THE LAND OF THE PYRAMIDS In Egypt, President Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood have hijacked a revolution that started as a democracy movement 4
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THE SOURCE At the core of the surprising spread of radical Islam stand the Saudis and Egyptians. The Saudis’ main contribution is money. They (the government and individuals) have probably spent close to $2 billion in the last 40 years exporting Wahabbi Islam via mosques, maddrassas, imams, political groups, and armed movements (with al-Qaeda the only one known to the massess due to 9/11). The Egyptians and the Muslim Brotherhood are the theological head and the thought leaders (strategy/intellectual leadership) of radical Islam.
between moderate Muslims, Christians, et al. Forget what you read in the press. This group believes in what al-Qaeda believes but they are more dangerous because they are strategic, patient, and politically savvy. SYRIA Finally, we have Syria. Bashar Assad’s rule was never a shining example of good government, but for Christians, it was a place of safety in the Middle East. Now though, alQaeda-styled groups are in control of the opposition seeking to overturn Assad. Incredibly, our government designated the lead group a terrorist group in December 2012 but has chosen to support them and give them weapons and financial
TURKEY • • • • •
SAUDI
• • •
Prime Minister (PM) Erdogan comes to power and quickly purges military that restrained radical Islam for decades. Numerous bishops, priests and Christians murdered in the last six years. New Islamist radio shows launch that rail against Christians and Jews. PM Erdogan limits freedoms of women/ minority groups. New Islamic restrictions on non Muslims. PM Erdogan restricts speech, charges individuals with “insulting Islam” or “insulting the State.” Erdogan has imposed severe restrictions on the press. PM Erdogan’s government has the largest number of imprisoned journalists in the world! Masses fed up with creeping Islamism.
TA N Z A N I A •
2012: Islamists burn at least eight churches to the ground 2013: Pastor beheaded. 2013: Priest murdered. 2013: Islamists shoot two pastors and throw grenade into a church. 2013: Pastor beheaded. 2013: Priest murdered. 2013: Church bombing. 2013: Possible assassination attempt of papal envoy. 2013: Attempted assassination of pastor.
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K E N YA SYRIA • •
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A priest murdered, among others. The U.S. is funding al-Qaeda-backed rebels in a move to topple the Assad regime.
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L I B YA
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Lybian dictator deposed with U.S. help; fundamentalist Islamists now in control.
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aid. In what universe this makes sense, we don’t know. The only seemingly plausible explanation is that the U.S. is using Syria as a fly trap for Islamist radicals (keep them busy and off U.S. soil). The strategy would be to give the rebels enough aid to weaken Assad and force him to break off with Iran, but not enough help to actually topple the regime. We can only hope that is the strategy because the U.S. has already handed southern Iraq, Libya and Egypt to Islamic radicals. Tunisia is probably headed the same way. Again, for the sake of brevity, we won’t do an article on Syria. THE JEWEL OF EAST AFRICA
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2006: Christian radio station attacked by Islamists—one killed and two injured. 2008: Islamists attack church, pelting worshippers with stones, injuring 10. 2010: Six Christian missionaries raped/tortured for three days by Islamists. 2010: Two parents torture and murder daughter for conversion to Christianity. 2011: Christian convert beaten unconscious by seven Muslims for apostasy. 2012: Islamists attack numerous churches with grenades. 2013: Islamists shoot two pastors and throw grenade into a church.
seriously injuring 60 people. The reason this attack is significant is that while Islamist radicalism is expected in Zanzibar (an island that is part of Tanzania and 99 percent Muslim), persecution of Christians on the mainland was unheard of until quite recently. L I O N S A N D T I G E R S A N D. . . Islamists recently killed two pastors and have been throwing grenades into churches. While these attacks are dramatic and deadly, there are many more mundane attacks and killings that signify that jihad has washed ashore in the land of safaris. For the sake of brevity, we won’t do an article on Kenya.
On May 5, Islamists threw a bomb into a church in Tanzania, You can help today! 800-ICC-5441
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OVERVIEW
Left: An Islamist in London who butchered a random man in the street for Allah explains his actions with his hands still covered in blood. Right: The press’ reaction? The dangers of “Islamophobia.”
WHERE IS THE PRESS?
name-call the Islamists only encourages the extremists and leads to more violence.
The amazing thing to watch in all this is the lack of media scrutiny, or worse yet, to watch how the press will take some egregious act from fundamentalists and THE REFUSAL TO then use it as a jumping off point for Islamophobia. CONFRONT ISLAM’S For example, Ham & High published an article: “Islamophobia: Camden’s success in tackling prejudice and hate,” in response to two Islamists publicly beheading a random citizen in the street to make a statement about Islam. The BBC aired a show (“Free Speech”) in response to the killing, asking the question, “Is Britain more racist and Islamophobic?”
MALIGNANT SIDE AND TO BASH AND NAME-CALL [ITS PRACTITIONERS] ONLY ENCOURAGES THE EXTREMISTS AND LEADS TO MORE VIOLENCE.
It’s laughable or maddening but the same type of coverage is seen around the world. Part of the problem is the whack-a-mole nature of radical Islam leading many to only see the tree and miss the forest. Also, many journalists tend to view Islam through a left/right political lens, thinking that since mainly the right brings up radical Islam as an issue, then criticism of Islam is viewed as suspect (“the enemy of my enemy is my friend” could be a rough approximation of the attitude of some). This refusal to confront Islam’s malignant side and bash or
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ISLAM IS A RELIGION OF PEACE? Islam has also managed to paint itself as a victim and as a peaceful religion, thanks to Bush, Obama, et al (“Islam is a religion of peace”). In light of Islam’s lengthening trail of oppression and bloody victims (there have been 21,000 Islamic attacks since 9/11), it is anybody’s guess how long the West will go on with the “Islam is a religion of peace” line.
To me, this line represents a failed strategy that came from either the intelligence community, the State Department, or both. It is part of an attempt to separate the radicals from the moderates and it recognizes a time-worn truth that if you hit Islam head on, the Sunnis and Shias will circle the wagons and violently attack the outside threat. In other words, I suspect the U.S. government has chosen this strategy in an attempt to keep Islam from lashing out in violence in reaction to any critique of Islam as a whole. We all can see how this strategy is working...it is a miserable failure. Incredibly, even Tony Blair, the former liberal prime minister of England, has come out and said there is a problem
J I H A D FA C T There have been 21,000 Islamic attacks since 9/11
= 1,000 attacks
Attacks have taken place in the following countries: Afghanistan Algeria Angola Argentina Australia Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belgium Bosnia Britain Bulgaria Cameroon Canada Chad Chechnya China Denmark East Timor Egypt Eritrea Ethiopia France Gaza Georgia Germany India Indonesia Iraq Israel Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kuwait Kosovo Lebanon Macedonia Maldives Mali Mauritania Morocco Nepal Netherlands Nigeria Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russia Saudi Arabia Scotland Somalia Spain Sudan Sweden Syria Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Tunisia Turkey Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United States Uzbekistan Yemen
within Islam. He has moved away from his earlier, “Islam is a religion of peace,” angle:
a simple truth that can be verified with very little study of Islamic texts. Yet strangely, very few leaders in the press or the government seem to be able to discover it. Hmmmmm.
“There is only one view of the murder of the British soldier Lee Rigby . . .but there are two views of its significance. One is The core mission of Islam is to bring the whole world under that it was an act by crazy people, submission (“Islam” means submotivated in this case by a permission) to Allah and his prophet, verted notion of Islam, but of no Muhammad. His adherents have ...THE OTHER VIEW [OF broader significance. Crazy peoalways been willing to use evanple do crazy things, so don’t overgelism to expand Islam, but it’s RADICAL ISLAM] IS THAT react. The other view is that the never worked very well in comTHE IDEOLOGY THAT ideology that inspired the murder parison to the violent methods of Rigby is profoundly dangerous. Muhammad prescribed (jihad). INSPIRED THE MURDER I am of the latter view.” OF RIGBY IS PROFOUNDLY -Tony Blair If you have not studied Islam DANGEROUS. I AM OF THE and understood this basic fact, Mr. Blair on the whole, though, then this article (and newsletLATTER VIEW. still has his head partially in the ter) may disturb your sensibilisand (at least publicly) in regards ties and sound hateful and bigto the nature of Islam. oted. Unfortunately, it is not. It is TONY BLAIR, FORMER PRIME merely a telling of truth without MINISTER OF BRITAIN any polishing or placing of rings U N D E R S TA N D I N G into snouts. ISLAM If I haven’t lost you already, read on and be alarmed at the The truth is that the followers of Islam use extreme violence number of moles popping up out of their holes around the to intimidate and confront non-Muslims because Muhammad world. The Saudis and Gulf States have been spreading radprescribed it as normal treatment for those he deemed his ical Islam around the globe for 40 years since the wealth foes. Islamists use violence because Muhammad told them of the world started to flow into the Gulf. Their faithful in(and still tells them via the Quran and Hadith) to use vio- vestment is bearing fruit. Unfortunately, that fruit is blood, lence to bring territory under submission to Islam. This is death, and totalitarianism.
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OVERVIEW
A N E W C O L D WA R ? There is a great parallel between current events and the Cold War. Two ideological foes are battling for control of nations. The foe is advancing everywhere, in spite of the fact that they are plainly evil. They are nimble and well-funded, and their evangelists are everywhere, advancing a false ideology and world paradigm that seduces many. Their opponents (Western governments) are slow and clumsy and seem to make one wrong move after another.
ICC DEFENDS AND BUILDS THE PERSECUTED CHURCH AROUND THE
The only thing more dangerous this time is that the battle involves religion, not just economics and worldview. Religion is a truly primal force in the heart of man.
WORLD. THE CHURCH STANDS IN THE WAY OF RADICAL ISLAM WHEREVER IT IS AT WORK AND SUFFERS FOR IT. THE PERSECUTED CHURCH IS TRULY THE PROVERBIAL “CANARY IN THE COAL MINE” SIGNALING THE SPREAD OF ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM. THEY ARE FIRST IN LINE TO BE ATTACKED AND KILLED BY ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS. THAT IS WHY WE SPEAK FORTHRIGHTLY IN RELATION TO RADICAL ISLAM.
T H E WAY F O R WA R D Natan Sharansky, the face of the dissidents in the old Soviet Union, spoke of being in the gulag when the prison guards allowed him to read Pravda’s denouncement of Reagan’s speech at the Berlin wall. At the wall, Reagan shouted to the world and to Gorbachev: “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” The dissidents all ecstatically started tapping in code to one another through the thick prison walls. Sharansky said, “Finally, the leader of the free world had spoken the truth, a truth that burned inside the heart of each and every one of us.” Once the West found its voice and called a spade a spade, Sharansky and his fellow dissidents knew with certainty it was only a matter of time before the Soviet Union would be defeated. They didn’t know when it would fall, but they knew the final direction of the battle. So it is with the main enemy of freedom and liberty today. As long as we play games in the West and refuse to boldly and forthrightly condemn the evil of radical Islam, our governments give them ideological cover and actually help them to expand. While we wait for the West to awake and find its voice, please pray for those in the path of radical Islam and support us in our work to build and bandage those in the fray. As always, we will use your gifts efficiently, ethically, and effectively. I promise! Jeff King
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TO UNDERSTAND ISLAM AS YOU NEVER HAVE BEFORE, PLEASE READ
“ISLAM UNCENSORED” BY ICC’S PRESIDENT, JEFF KING
“The word love is never mentioned in the Qur’an; it’s never promoted. The concept that God is love, or that God loves me is not part of Islam. There is no concept of redemption. In order for us to be guaranteed to go to heaven, we must die in the jihad against nonMuslims. The word jihad means only one thing: war with non-Muslims to extend Islam by a process of converting sinners. The concept of sin in Islam is being a nonMuslim; non-sin is being a Muslim.” -Nonie Darwish in “Islam Uncensored”
“A great read. Fourteen amazing interviews that span from Athiest to Christian to Muslim to Jew, Conservatives and Liberals alike. The underlying thread in all of the interviews is that Islam is not only a religion, but political and their goal is to rule the world through Sharia Law. This book is a MUST READ for every American citizen who values our freedom and our Republic and for anyone who wants to undertand why there is such a backlash against Islam.” -Reader review, Amazon.com
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