This shows again the appeal of the concept of the caliphate. It also yet again reveals the falsity of the mainstream analysis that the various manifestations of jihad around the world are actually separate and distinct nationalist insurgencies that have nothing to do with each other. “How a Libyan City Joined the Islamic State Group,” […]
Friends of US aid worker held by Islamic State call for his release: he’s now Muslim
The fact that Abdul-Rahman Kassig has converted to Islam is not news: his parents revealed it several weeks ago. What is noteworthy here is that Amjad al-Moghrabi says: “We are demanding the Islamic State releases him, if they know Islam. He is a Muslim and has not participated in what his country is doing.” Al-Moghrabi […]
Daily Beast: Why are jihad groups so strong? Because of Israel
Bruce Riedel rightly faults the U.S. for not meeting the ideological challenge that groups like al-Qaeda and the Islamic State pose, but then he advocates nothing new. Instead, he offers essentially what mainstream analysts on both the Left and the Right have advocated for years: establishing a State of Palestine, supporting “reform and justice” in […]
“Too many Muslims have a group loyalty and inflamed sense of victimhood”
Clearly, Muslims in Australia are working from the same playbook that Muslims in the U.S. are using: claims that anti-terror measures unfairly target Muslims and were the real problem, complaints about the freedom of speech, exaggerated claims of victimhood, etc. Who is coordinating all this? In any case, it is good to see that at […]
Somalia: Muslim questions death penalty for apostasy, gets death threats
Muhammad said: “Whoever changed his Islamic religion, then kill him” (Bukhari 9.84.57). The death penalty for apostasy is part of Islamic law according to all the schools of Islamic jurisprudence. Yet Muslim spokesmen such as Harris Zafar, Mustafa Akyol, Salam al-Marayati, M. Cherif Bassiouni, and Ali Eteraz (among many others) have assured us that Islam […]
Islamic State murders five journalists in Mosul
If they’re angry about the coverage they’re getting, perhaps we should send some of our large coterie of pro-jihad journalists over to the Islamic State. Christiane Amanpour, Spencer Ackerman, Niraj Warikoo, Jennifer Fermino, Corinne Lestch, Bob Smietana — what a wonderful time they would have, and we would be treated to a series of puff […]
Turkey’s Deputy PM denounces “Islamophobia,” says Islam is religion of peace
“Islam is a religion of peace and soundness, not a religion that creates terror between people.” Oh, good. Glad he cleared that up. All those Muslims creating terror among non-Muslims — the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, Hamas, and all the rest? Pay no attention! Islam is a religion of peace and soundness! “Turkey’s Deputy […]
NY Daily News: Islamic State’s rise has fueled “Islamophobia”
There is no free press in the U.S. Since the Islamic State began to make headlines, there has not been a single article about how Muslims are instituting programs to convince young Muslims that the Islamic State’s understanding of Islam is wrong. There has not been a single rally of any significant size of Muslims […]
Chairman of Joint Chiefs praises Israel, Obama State Dept contradicts him
General Martin Dempsey pointed out that Israel had gone to “extraordinary lengths” to avoid civilian casualties among the “Palestinians.” Instead of agreeing with him or just letting it pass without comment, the State Department’s Jen Psaki actually contradicted Dempsey. As Pamela Geller points out, “Gen. Dempsey’s opinion echoes another authoritative opinion by British Colonel Richard […]
Berkeley Muslim students defend their attempt to get Bill Maher canceled
This controversy has largely died down now, and this article is five days old, but it is worth noting again because of the final line of the article: “‘To them,’ Takruri said, ‘it’s clearly a matter of silencing hate speech, not free speech.’” This free speech/hate speech distinction is increasingly common. I encountered it last […]