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August 11, 2006
Two Of British Terrorists Were Muslim Converts
Topics: Understanding IslamTwo of the men arrested on suspicion of being involved in the terrorist plot to bomb transatlantic planes bound for the U.S. had converted to Islam. I'm sure that real Muslims would rather these guys had found some other crutch for their self pity, disillusion, and inability to cope, and are probably themselves wondering what is it with Muslim converts and their tendency to "go radical."
Ibrahim Savant, from Walthamstow, east London, changed his name from Oliver when he converted, according to neighbours."He's completely different now? You bet he is - now he houses terrorists, Islamic fascists hell-bent on killing plane loads of innocent people - all for Allah. Nice job of self improvement there, guy!The 25-year-old student, whose Muslim wife is reportedly pregnant, was arrested at his family home in Folkestone Road.
Another suspect, who was not named by police, converted to Islam just six months ago. He was arrested during a raid at a house in Hepplewhite Close, High Wycombe.
According to locals, the property belonged to a white man whose behaviour had altered when he took up the religion.
"He converted to Islam about six months ago and grew a full beard," an 18-year-old local resident, who asked not to be named, said.
"He used to smoke weed and drink a lot, but he is completely different now."
So, what is it that makes a Westerner convert to Islam and become a terrorist? Does it have something to do with the character of the person in the first place? Or, is it the influences they are subjected to during and after conversion? How about the juxtaposition of both? Here's what one Muslim convert has to say about Western converts to Islam and their tendency to gravitate toward extremism:
... let's first face the facts: many converts to Islam in the West are usually extremely unstable and estranged people looking for some kind of anti-Western cause or rigid discipline. Almost every time you hear one of them explaining why they converted, you hear things like, "Christianity didn't do it for me. You only have to go to Church once a week and you are ok. In Islam, you have to pray five times a day and it gives you a structure for the entire day, I was told exactly when and how to eat, when to wash my hands and how to wash them. . . " etc.Continue reading...I must admit, these explanations by converts to Islam always horrify me and cause me a lot of dissonance, as I have lived all my life trying to avoid rules. The less rules the better. That's another story, of course, but my point is that it appears that many of these people are out of control and need some kind of strong despotic authority that they can submit their individual will to; this new totality, stern father figure, will lead them, order them what to do, etc.
It isn't a big surprise, therefore, why these individuals often end up being extremists and involved in terror
Related:
Danial Pipes writes in, "Converts to Terrorism":
The growing prominence of converts to terrorism means that such counterterrorism tools as looking for Muslim names or excluding potential terrorists at the border do not suffice. Instead, it is now also critical to know exactly who converts to Islam and to watch converts to see which of them are radicalized.Even without becoming Muslims, some of the persons named above could have engaged in terrorism. But security in the West, the Philippines, and elsewhere requires coming to terms with a very awkward fact: Conversion to Islam substantially increases the probability of a person's involvement in terrorism. (More "Converts to Terrorism")
Other related:
Whites being lured into Islamic terror
Posted by Richard at August 11, 2006 8:39 AM
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