The rise of ISIS and the recent terrorist attacks in Europe have raised a collective alertness for a potential terrorist attack. The presence of jihadist networks in the Netherlands, and the... Show moreThe rise of ISIS and the recent terrorist attacks in Europe have raised a collective alertness for a potential terrorist attack. The presence of jihadist networks in the Netherlands, and the significant outflow of young people to conflict areas in the Middle East to join the jihad, have greatly enhanced this anxiety. But how are these networks organized and how do they prepare their jihad? How do people get involved in jihadist networks and how important is ideology in that regard? Answering such questions will help to understand how jihadist networks operate, which can be useful knowledge for policy makers and practitioners who aim to counter terrorist threats. Using unique data from police files, interviews, and trial observations, while utilizing different analytical methods, this study provides an in-depth insight into the modus operandi of jihadist networks in the Netherlands. The findings show how jihadist networks have changed over the years and how this development has affected the way jihadists operate. Show less
Zürcher, Erik-Jan; Buskens, Léon; Lüdke, Tilman et al. 2016
The proclamation of Jihad by the Sultan-Caliph in Constantinople, after the Ottoman Empire’s entry into World War I, made the headlines. This book investigates the background and nature of the... Show moreThe proclamation of Jihad by the Sultan-Caliph in Constantinople, after the Ottoman Empire’s entry into World War I, made the headlines. This book investigates the background and nature of the Ottoman Jihad proclamation in addition to its effects in the wider Middle East − both among the Arabs and the Turks, and among Sunni Muslims as well as Shi’ites. It brings to light the German hopes for and British fears of a worldwide uprising of Muslims in the colonial empires at that time. Moreover, it scrutinises the fierce academic debates caused by the Jihad proclamation, in which the 1915 manifesto of Leiden Islam scholar Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje (“Holy War Made in Germany”) played a key role. Show less
Jihad is often perceived as an expression of religious fanaticism and is mostly associated with the outrageous act of irrational, insane individuals inspired by their firm belief in radical... Show moreJihad is often perceived as an expression of religious fanaticism and is mostly associated with the outrageous act of irrational, insane individuals inspired by their firm belief in radical religious doctrines. Although there is some plausibility in this perception, it fails to uncover the deeper meaning of jihad. Jihad is also a language of protest that can be used by marginalized individuals to construct their identity and thereby their position in the public sphere. For them, jihad is a message conveyed to display attempts to transform and empower their marginalization and break out of their own sense of frustration. Through its public display of violence the Indonesian Salafi movement, Laskar Jihad, illustrates this particular use of jihad. Show less
