Islam is not terrorism


Numerous governments and security agencies are skeptical about the end the hostilities in Syria and the defeat of ISIS. The dissolution of the Islamic State army is causing fear related to the consequences of the return of terrorists to their homes. This fear is not about transferring a war to Europe or other regions, but regarding the way they will behave in the long run and the terrorist blows they may strike in the name of a religion.

The defeat of ISIS, that is losing ground, power and influence, makes its terrorist action even more dangerous. Using Islamic religion as a springboard for its action policy, the group drives public opinion into a controversy with a religion that does nothing more than reinforce terrorism.

The terrorist activity of the self-proclaimed Islamists began against their coreligionists across the entire Muslim world. It is wrong to forget, due to the introversion of the West, that the most victims because of the radicalisation of extremist groups have been the Muslims of this world. Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Algeria, Libya, Nigeria and other countries became the theater of civilian massacres and coreligionists by the terrorists. However, these massacres did not dominate by Western media, actually and practically leaving rampant terrorists play their communication game totally unbothered.

The Westerners do not have the capacity to manage and understand the role of “Islamic” terrorism. The marginalisation of Muslim populations against terrorism, radicalises oppressed populations by creating new terrorist cells.

The new potential flow of terrorists in the West after the defeat of ISIS should “wake up” western societies and marginalise terrorists rather than Muslims as a whole. The threat of terrorism is real and without borders.

It is necessary to distinguish between the religious and the radicalised. What should become common knowledge is that terrorists have nothing to do with the Muslim world and that they can hurt their coreligionists without any hesitation by targeting and killing them. Their only aim is to create instability with the ultimate goal of seizing power, for the sake of their own benefit and not for the benefit of the peoples. After all, there is tangible proof of how they behave to people they control by raping, killing them and by depriving them of their (sometimes even basic) freedoms.

The Balkans are on terrorists’ way. The attention of security forces should be focused on preventing terrorist cores and protecting healthy Muslim populations that are active in the Balkan societies.

Spiridon Sideris