Abstract
“But actual ‘popular support from the Muslim masses’ depends on a community’s conviction that the extremists are the only people who can protect its economic, social and cultural well-being. This was made much easier if the communities believed they were facing an existential threat which the militants were uniquely qualified to counter.”
Jason Burke’s travels in Muslim world, his accessibility to militant groups, his journalistic background and extensive research make him one of the authentic voices on Islamic militancy. He is the South Asia Correspondent for the Guardian newspaper and has been working on Islamic militancy for decades. Besides The New Threat From Islamic Militancy, his latest book, Burke has authored three books: Al-Qaeda: The True Story of Radical Islam, On the Road to Kandahar: Travels Through the Conflict in Islamic World and 9/11 Wars.
Deconstructing certain myths and misconceptions regarding militant organizations, which reduce them to monolithic entities with static approaches, Burke’s main thesis is that Islamic militancy is a dynamic phenomenon, adapting to changing circumstances. In order to neutralize and ultimately defeat radical Islamic groups, it is incumbent on policy makers and security and intelligence authorities to acknowledge this fact and understand the social, political and ideological causes that motivate individuals and groups to commit terrorist acts.