Countering Radicalisation through removing victimization

Frankfurt Airport 2nd March 2011 : Uka a young man, walked up to a waiting airman, asked him for a cigarette, and asked whether the airmen were bound for Afghanistan. After hearing a positive reply, Uka waited for the airman to turn away and then shot him in the back of the head, killing him. Shouting “Allahu Akbar” Uka then entered the bus, shooting and killing the driver, and continued to fire three shots at two other airmen, wounding them.

This was shocking as was the first terrorist attack in Germany. World was surprised at what would have led to this young man in early 20s to attack American soldiers who were bound for Afghanistan. It later turned out that he was watching radical content since some time and what motivated him to kill american solders was a video of American soldiers raping Muslim women. Later on investigation revealed that it was actually a clip from Redacted an American anti-war film. Uka, on learning later that he has been conned, cried with tears and said “If only i would have known, my life would have been saved”. However his tears were of no avail and he will spend rest of his life in prison.

The case of Uka is a case of self radicalisation where person was radicalised only after watching youtube vidoes and no direct training was involved. Very recently in America, a  couple who were described as peaceful and nice by friends,  invited people and later killed them to seek revenge for perceived crimes against muslims. It is opined that they too didnt had any link with some terrorist organisation but committed the task on their own.

Once i was enroute to Berlin and by chance our bus developed a problem and we waited for next one, this offered co-passangers opportunity to interact and noticing a young man of asian origin i approached him. He was from Pakistan and after some discussions, he bemoaned young childrens being radicalised with hate by terrorists. Their pliant minds make them easy targets to be radicalised and are some end up being suicide bombers to even target people of other sects. Sadly many terror attacks in Shia mosques of Pakistan have happened and were conducted by children.

In all the cases radicalisation happened either online or offline but ended up having the same effect. The sense of victimhood was used as a bait to attract and later on this sense was maximised by a series of false stories. True incidents were presented in a manner to promote radicalisation. For e.x a lot of people believe that America 9/11 twin tower attacks, was an inside job done by America itself to be able to attack Afghanistan. Another one is that, ISIS has been created by Israel. These are created with a view to promote victimhood amongst muslims.

Something similar has happened in India too, While most remain free from this false propoganda but for the sake of politics sense of victimhood is being promoted by political parties. I believe they are playing with fire by doing this. In 2002 when some terrorists burned a train bogey a false story was planted that this was done after a girl was mistreated.  Investigation later proved that it was a well planned attack and petrol was procured last night. Similarily when political program of current PM of India suffered a terrorist attack in Bihar, it was claimed by certain groups that it was done by PM aspirant himself to blame terrorists. Again both above stories had an agenda to promote victimhood.

Wars are created in the minds of Individual and in a tensed atmosphere even a small incident may later become incendiary fire. Ist WW was started when a small duke was murdered and almost all Europe was soon under conflagration of war. The democratic civilized world would do well to identify misinformation campaign through knowledge and should ensure that all radicalisation efforts be monitored and  countered through proper channel. It should also be tracked that places of worship do not end up being used as indoctrination centres.

I strongly believe that if only indoctrination of young pliant minds are stopped and misinformation replaced by correct and reliable information, lone wolf attacks will come down by as much as 90% and sympathetic support to these groups will decrease drastically. Under victimhood person refuses to see the truths and begins to justify the unjustifiable and is easy target for indoctrination. Kajakhstan incensed at increasing radicalisation within its borders has banned all teens from entering mosques as they fear it is being used for radicalisation. The world while effect of London attacks is still in air. should shed political correctness and state the problem. Monitoring what children are being taught and fighting misinformation are really low hanging fruits and small prices to pay for ensuring that our children inherit a peaceful earth.

Asato  Ma Sadgamaya : Lets move from darkness of misinfomation to Light of reason.