Islam Radicalization in Modern Europe and Georgia

Tengiz Simashvili

Peculiarities of Islam Radicalization in Modern Europe and Georgia

 (Problems and Perspectives)

In 2005 “European Center of Strategic Researches in Intelligence Service and Security Spheres” published the report – The Radicalization of Muslim youth in Europe: The reality and the scale of the threat”. In this report it is underlined, that in the universities of European countries there exist initial groups of different radical Islam Organizations or Terrorist Movement. [1]

Indeed nowadays, more and more young European Muslims’ amalgamation in Terrorist Organizations European Branches having Radical Islamic ideology, such as “Hezbollah”, “Hamas”, “Brothers Muslims”, Algerian, Egyptian, Turkish and also present standard-bearer of international Islamic Terrorism – Terrorist Organizations connected with “Al-Qaida” goes with a fast rate.

From analysis of activity of modern “Al-Qaida” we see, that it acts not as centralized Terrorist Organization, but as the Movement at preset time. From one side it has centralized and at the same time autonomous acting structures. From the other side, its tactics is used in many countries of the world, including Terrorist Organizations, associated or fully independent battle groups scattered in Europe. Ideological base of “Al-Qaida” Movement is based on radical process Wahhabis of Sunni Islam. [2] On modern stage main forces of this movement are thrown in Iraq, and Arabian countries where now is destabilized situation and but in case of beginning military campaign against Iran by America, to our mind in favor of the newest technologies, directing new objects for stroke in European countries for followers and members of “Al-Qaida” will be fast. Analysis of “Al-Qaida” movement’s activity in last period gives us means to draw such kind of conclusion. After entering ally forces in Iraq, “Al-Qaida” movement tried to influence active on the governments of European countries. For example, in March of 2004 in Spain, explosion of train, so called “Terrorist Attack of Madrid” arranged by the representatives of this movement was followed by death of more than 200 people. In result, the government was resigned and Spain withdrew soldiers from Iraq. Taking Italian journalist woman as a hostage by Sunni Terrorist Organization in Iraq made a provocation of pressure on the government of Italy from the population. In result, Italian troops were withdrawn from Iraq.

According to the part of analysts, in modern world countries where Muslim population exceeds or will exceed to 30-50% of population, problems start. They set Lebanon as an example, which was strong economically, stable country not so long ago. [3] Accordingly it should be taken into consideration in the same context, that in west countries – England, Germany, France, Holland, Belgium, Spain and others – amount of Muslim population grows with great speed. At the same time, in the population, who recognizes different directions of Islam and lives there, radicalization of Islam goes with fast rates. For example, in London 2002 in result of local press inquiries carried out among local and emigrant Muslim population living in England, minimum their 10% supported terrorist attacks by Muslim terrorists in west countries.

According to the information of Internal Intelligence Service of France, from six million Muslims living in the country three hundred thousand is radicals. [4] After terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 ant state speeches of the representatives of radical Islamic processes were increased sharply in France. At the beginning of 2004 France was covered by protest wave of Muslim population about dress ban on Pharanj by Muslim girls in school. At a glance this peaceful demonstrations were followed by ethno-religious upsets began almost simultaneously in the cities of France in November 2005. Just France citizens and emigrant young Muslims were participated in them actively. Upsets showed to west countries clearly, that their praised democracy was powerless against radical speeches of Muslim population. Only by using of force methods was able to suppress them and it made religious-ethnic confrontations existed in the country deeper.

We should designate, that a great problem for West Europe countries became their active enrollment in events of Yugoslavia in 1990ies and help of Muslims living there. First, many Muslim volunteers, including envoys of “Al-Qaida” and “Mujahedeen” went to the territory of Yugoslavia for participating in current conflicts; from the other side, after ending the mentioned conflicts, local or came Muslims went to Europe countries. Even more, in December 2001 representatives of American non-governmental organization “Global Relief Foundation” were arrested in Kosovo with the charge of connection and financing of “Al-Qaida”. Activity of his organization was prohibited in Bosnia, also in Herzegovina. Headquarters of this organization located in Chicago, and the branch was in Brussels. It appeared that in representatives of “Global Relief Foundation” in Europe and in some other humanitarian missions worked Muslim Mujahedeen’s’ who were fought on Bosnian Serbians’ side in 1992-1995 years. [5] They got even citizenship of this country with the recommendations of different state and non-governmental organizations.

It is presumable, that in future Islam radicalization and Muslim populations’ processes will reinforce in European countries. Reinforcement of Islam Radical Movements in European countries, their penetration and radicalization of multimillion Muslim “Uma” (community) will be supported by refugees came from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. By the way, members of radical Islamic organizations existed in European universities basically are refugees came from Islamic countries. It is conditioned by the fact, that first of all many of them participated in different kinds of conflicts in their homeland, or was a member of any armed formation, Radical Islamic Organization. The second, a great part of Muslims having different ethnic origin and living in European countries or came there as refugees, can’t integrate with local population, society. Different culture, values force them to find refuge in familiar, close environment and became the members of radical Islamic courses. For example, on the basis of Wahhabis ideology acting in Terrorist Organizations, because of coincidence of Muslims general Islamic values and international nature of religious-ideological course of Wahhabis.

Both basic courses of Islamic religion – Shia Islam and Sunni Islam preach the values which were existed in the life of predictor Mohamed. “Sharia” laws are based on the relations system typical for tribal-communal regime about 14 hundred years ago. Accordingly, cultural, religious, political values of Muslim world or civilization are cardinally different from the west values. Nowadays delivery of west cultural or political values with the form of pressure in Islamic society becomes easy by the fastest development of scientific-technical progress in the modern world. And Muslim society ad especially youth has painful response on it. That’s why, it is presumable that amount of Muslim youth living on European territory will increase in Radical Islamic ideological organizations.

In addition, increasing the amount of Muslims in European countries, their activation, active terrorist activity of the representatives of Radical Islamic courses, cause response reaction of local population. It is not casual that from 1990ies began reinforcement of Radical Right-Wing and Nationalist Organizations in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Austria and other European countries.

“FRONT NATIONAL” does not arranges terrorist actions itself, but members of several small organizations under its influence systematically attack emigrants and first of all Muslims. Almost such kind of tactic has Belgium Nationalist Organization “VLAAMS BLOK”. It participates in political life of the country, and the members of “VLAAMSE MILITANTE ORDE” connected to it, attack and physically assault to emigrant Muslims. [6] In fact we see – from one side existence of ideological centers in the form of different Nationalist Parties, which have wide ideological, propagandist activities in these countries without violating existed legislation and try to gain political power. From the other side, organizations under their ideological, propagandist influence realize violent actions which support destabilization of these countries. There is violent escalation from the both sides and it excludes its prevention on an initial stage.

On the following stage of these processes for beginning violent facts, such as – burning cars, raiding shops, robbery, basic accent was made their deprivation with violent methods by state bodies. And violence is followed by violence always; a good example of it is Muslims’ processes repeated in France not so long ago. Former Minister of Internal Affairs came in the government on the stage of suppression of Muslim youths’ processes in 2005 and current president of France Nicolas Sarkozy tries their prevention with violent methods again. It is shown on France’s example well, that usage of police type measures by the state in purpose of settle religious and ethnic problems don’t cause their solving. These problems remain and Muslims’ processes repeat permanently; and participants address more and more radical measures. And such situation creates profitable conditions for nationalist type parties existed not only in France, but in other European countries as well, to come in government easily.

For instance, in one of the most developed countries, Switzerland in parliament elections carried out a few years ago victory was gained by right-wing Public Party. This party in its pre-election program promised its electors that in case of victory it would reinforce dependence towards emigrants. At the same time it opposites increasing the amount of Muslims, building mosques and others in the country.

In that way, it is presumable that in future, coming parties having these type nationalist ideologists in the government of European countries will cause increasing usage of violent methods against emigrants and Muslims. And it will make existed confrontations deeper between local population and refugees, emigrant or Muslims having citizenship of this country. Even more, in European countries, having democratic management system, don’t exist good result legal mechanisms for stopping their quantitative growth.

Modern Radical Courses of Islam are quite problematic for Caucasus region and of course Georgia as well. According to the last statistic data, from three hundred thousand to half of million Muslims live in Georgia. Accordingly, danger of spreading different Radical Islamic Courses in them really exists. Especially danger is their spread on the territories, which are not controlled by Georgian state yet. One of the most aggressive and danger from these courses is just Wahhabis.

In 1990ies religious organizations of Wahhabis course for the reason of helping refugees, poor population were able to come and find some positions in Pankisi Gorge. (In Pankisi gorge live Muslim people, ethnic Chechen - Kists, they became in Georgia in 18-19^th century from Chechnya) Their amount was especially increased in 1994-1999 years, when a great amount of refugees came from Chechnya were followed by humanitarian missions of different Islamic countries, also independent religious-political organizations, Islamic international funds. They were helping population actively materially and at the same time spreading their doctrine with different ways. Namely, organizations having Wahhabis ideology built Mosque in Pankisi Gorge, opened several primary religious colleges, they were spreading Koran and other Islamic religious literature with Radical Islamic literature.

Very soon Wahhabis “Jamaat” was created; its members basically became youth – ethnically Kist people inhabited in the gorge, also a small amount of Ossetia’s people and Georgian. In result of analyzing information gained by us we cleared out, that they joined “Jamaat” with different reasons. First of all, religious motive and Wahhabis’ wonderful tactic of winning over played a great role and also, hardness of patrimonial relations which was characterized for Traditions Islam and was reinforced by catastrophic deterioration of population’s material condition in 1990ies. Accordingly, from the very beginning in their rows appeared people who – had no money, property, what is quite important element in Islamic society for determining human’s social status; had no land, or other normal, civil means of keeping themselves; he couldn’t integrate in local Traditional Islamic community, society; he was representative of social class having secondary status, non-authoritative community, not autochthonic nationality.

Its’ role played Russia-Chechnya War, which woke desire in Kist people of helping fellow Chechen’s. Formations and groupings in Chechnya acting under Wahhabis ideology, especially in 1998-1999 years, became the most organized and strongest military force. Also reinforced political pressure on Islamic states in Islamic countries and generally in Muslim population by America and west countries conditioned growth of anti-west course. Muslims living in Georgia were not exceptions. Its negative role played the fact, that there was not existed right policy of integration of this people with newly independent Georgian state and Georgian society.

Although, in the conditions of modern economic globalization, when people are not identified with national state, try to identify with wider scales. In our case Muslim population in the form of Kist people tried to make identification with Islamic world, Islamic civilization as they counted that basic of their identification is religious in general, not state in which they live, not existed political reality or language, or origin. That’s why it is obvious, that a great roe played the environment which Islamic Courses’ missioners were able to begin propaganda-agitation and establishing connections. And one of the problems was Wahhabis.

Initially Wahhabis used matrimonial customs characterized population living in Caucasus Mountains well. According to Wahhabis doctrine, “Jamaat” should change tradition of unity to its members with the members of blood relative surname. Ideas were inculcated in them, that they are united with stronger factor with their like-minded people – general religious idea. And their “Jamaat” is the full right part of the world Muslim community. “Jamaat” protects its members physically as well.[7]

Accordingly, for Kist and not only for Kist, but part of Ossetia’s and Georgians in Pankisi Gorge, motivation of entering in Wahhabis’ “Jamaat” was quite pragmatic. The amount of crimes was very increased in the gorge left without control from central authority. And criminals could not touch Wahhabis as “Jamaat” strictly punished people who destroyed life and property of its members. Also Wahhabis “Jamaat” helped materially and helps even today to the poorest population.

Above mentioned events characterize even today for Pankisi Gorge partially. There youth is still separated from participation of social-political processes. And local government makes accent on support of influential representatives of old generation, strong traditional guilds. But situation is cardinally changed. Kist youth of Pankisi Gorge can’t adapt secondary role in social-political processes any more, their ignoring in local management structures. Also they could not get appropriate education in our high educational establishments; it would give those means to make integration in Georgian society, which has accent on democratic values. That’s why youth far from high education, basic changes realized in social life of the country, unemployed, fulfills the rows of local Wahhabis. Some of them depart in religious educational establishments existed in different Islamic states for getting religious education with support and finance of Islamic Funds.

There is a stable situation in Europe and Georgia nowadays, but what will bring us growth of amount of followers of Radical Islamic doctrine in case of crisis period is not very hard to understand. That’s why it is necessary to lead prevention measures against their spread.

One of the main measures will be opening of doors of Georgian high educational establishments widely for Muslim youth living in Georgia and getting multicultural education. We should take gained experience into consideration and we should work out right programs for Muslim students’ integration in Georgian society, in order not to repeat mistakes already made.

Also it is necessary to learn, use and teach Muslim and non Muslim populations’ rules, relation forms, and norms of the tradition which supported their peaceful co-existence, formed during decades of their cohabitation. We should analyze and exchange information and development of proper scientific-research activity.

Literature and Source

1.      http://www.investigativeproject.org/documents/testimony/302.pdf

2.      T. Simashvili“International Islamic Terrorizm and ,,al-Kaeda“, 2007,Tbilisi

3.      “THE FEDERATION COUNCILFEDERAL MEETING OF THE RUSSIAN 

FEDERATIONRUSSIA IN THE NEW CENTURY: FOREIGN POLICY 

MEASUREMENT” Materials of sessions of Advisory council Committee of the 

Federation Council on the international affairs2002; http://senat.netda.ru/kmd-

sf_itog2002/expert072.htm(on Russian)

4.      http://www.agentura.ru/?p=150&col=1&id=1096980900

5.      “The Washington Post” 03.31. 2005

6.      ‘’Nazism and extreme  nationalism in Europe’’  SEARCHLIGHT&HUMANIST 1994

7.      T. Simashvili “International Islamic Terrorizm and ,,al-Kaeda“, 2007, Tbilisi