PATRICK DUNLEAVY:TRAGEDY IN NORWAY: UNDERSTANDING THE THREAT
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/publications/id.10018/pub_detail.asp
On Friday morning the world was confronted with the evil madness of Anders Behring Breivik, the man accused of killing ninety three people in Norway.
The profile coming out now describes the man as a “right-wing Christian Fundamentalist.” He is also said to have posted a manifesto online decrying multiculturalism and Islamism in Europe and calling for a revolution to rid the world of Marxists and Muslims. What are we, who have spoken out against radical Islamic terrorist acts in the past, to make of this?
In June of this year I had the privilege to testify before the House Committee on Homeland Security, Chaired by Rep. Peter King of New York, on the topic of threat of Islamic radicalization in the U.S. prison system. During my testimony, I was asked by Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (D-Tex) a question regarding a letter she stated the committee received from an inmate who she described as a “Christian Militant”. That inmate was in prison for setting an explosive device at an abortion clinic. Rep. Lee asked if I thought that individual should be considered an terrorist and if I thought that “Christian Militants” were a threat to the security of the United States. I responded by stating that;
“I believe that anyone who kills (innocent) people in the name of God is an ideologue.”
When Rep. Lee was not satisfied with my answer she asked again if I would agree that “Christian Militants” pose the same threat as radical jihadists like Al Qaeda. I stated that I doubted that you would find foreign backing or financing for Christian militants, as is the case with radical Islamic jihadists.
I know of no country on this planet that provides safe haven for individuals like Anders Behring Breivik or organizations that would support his heinous act.
On the contrary, places like Afghanistan, Somalia, and Yemen have become Meccas for radical Islamists who continue to plot violent acts against innocent people in the name of Allah.
An honest analysis or risk assessment of the two distinct threats would reveal one as individualistic and the other as systemic in nature.
We condemn the despicable twisted acts of a lone individual such as Breivik and our sympathies go out to the survivors and families of the victims…but we understand that this was not supported by some shadow organization or government bent on ridding the world of infidels. Evil can take many forms; we must speak out against if wherever it is found.
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributor Patrick Dunleavy is the former Deputy Inspector General for New York State Department of Corrections. He is the author of the upcoming book, “The Fertile Soil of Jihad: Terrorism’s Prison Connection,” details of which can be found at his website, and he can be contacted at: mail@ptdassociates.com.
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