How do we tackle the problem of radical Islam?

[HelloPuppyPie]

Most Muslims are ‘normal’ people, I live in an area with a high Muslim population most are just normal people going about their everyday business.

BUT clearly there is a problem somewhere. When was the last violent attack by Christians, Jews Hindus or any other religion?

It does feel like this is a problem that cannot be widely discussed for fear of being called Islamophobic. But there’s clearly a problem in the religion.

How many more people have to die before something more significant is done - and what could that even be?

Christchurch mosque shootings - Wikipedia https://share.google/kINfupSDkfQiXA6B0

Manhattan Shooter:

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=abcnews.go.com/US/shane-devon-tamura-suspect-midtown-manhattan-shooting/story%3Fid%3D124159125&ved=2ahUKEwiA_vWu88CRAxUvWkEAHUnrGQkQxfQBKAB6BAgGEAE&usg=AOvVaw1-pMi5vLKKwPwCVszhFOOK

Liverpool Parade attacker:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjg9vprx4eo

Sweden Mass Shooting:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-06/sweden-mourns-victims-of-deadliest-gun-attack-suspect-named/10
4903402

Thank God someone mentioned Christchurch. The scenes this week in Australia tore my heart out the same as watching very similar scenes in my country 6 years ago. People targeted for massacre at worship because of faith and race. Children who did not go home to their families in 2019, and now in 2025 across the ditch. All of it is wrong. All of it.

And yet somehow - it is fashionable to either be antisemitic on the one hand, or islamophobic / anti-immigrant on the other - or white supremacist and against both. Definitely less voice (seemingly) decrying all violence with equal fervour. And the idea that (white) Australians would never do this ... despite the fact one of them did do just that, 6 short years ago. 51 souls gone then, 15 this week. For what? When are we going to address the issue of male violence, no matter how or where it shows up?

That said - I'm aware these events attract mass bot and troll attacks so I hold out hope most of humanity are decent. I light a candle for ALL the victims of religious hatred, racial hatred, political hatred, and bigotry. They are us. ALL of them.

Ah, the Great Replacement conspiracy theory. Interestingly one of the influences and belief systems behind the Christchurch terrorist. I can see these same radicalization efforts targeted at my white teen son, unfortunately not just Muslims in the crosshairs but Jews and women too, all using similar language and fear to stoke division and violence. Fun times for all.

For what it's worth I remember first hearing this theory within a Pentecostal Christian church after 9/11, alongside sermons glorifying the old testament violent purges of the ungodly from the holy lands and the stoking fear of a takeover from which we needed to protect ourselves. Have had family members openly support torture of innocents to "protect their way of life". Not much of a hop, skip and jump to Christchurch really.

Violence lives in all humanity, we all must choose differently. Boys in our community aren't joining IS, but they are joining gangs and causing violent havoc on others. "Christian" men are ramping up violent attacks on gay people and drag queens in my community. Similar reasons behind it all I suspect - backgrounds of trauma, problems with emotional regulation, breaking down of social fabric and community connection, a driving need to belong and feel important, anger at not having those needs met. I think we should start there, rather than deciding which religion is now a "cancer" - keeping in mind Jews were and still are feared as such too, wrongly so, and around the world such beliefs and anger/fear against other groups have led to terrible things.

This thread won’t last long . People aren’t allowed to say what they really think .

Unfortunately, I have to agree with hattie43, hence I am not willing to write what I really think.

Me neither.

I work in a very multicultural team and have, I think, friends in the team
I am being careful with words. Some, from one particular country, are fairly open in their dislike of Jews. They are also more demanding in terms of making changes to accommodate their beliefs. One or two are the most outspoken and justify any incidents that happen in this country or world wide
The Muslim team members who are from a different country are more accepting and relaxed

The question is framed wrong. Instead it should read, what do we do to tackle radicalism? It isn’t exclusively related to Islam, people of all faiths or no faiths commit acts of terror. One could argue what happened in Liverpool last year is an example.

I’m half Jewish and have heard a lot of antisemitism over the years. People don’t know I’m part Jewish so feel free to spout off. I also pass as a white person so again, they feel comfortable to spout racist views. It’s quite eye opening. I imagine the same people would be silent if they knew my race/cultural heritage.

My best friend actually knows my family are Jewish and has spouted some seriously antisemitic tripe over the years. He doesn’t see it that way. It’s just bollocks he’s watched on YouTube. Jews run the world, run the banks, run Hollywood, run AI, run social media, basically control everything.

Stop deflecting .

Lol people on MN frequently say what they really think, someone will always agree or disagree with you so might as well state your opinion if you have taken the time to comment.

BUT clearly there is a problem somewhere. When was the last violent attack by Christians, Jews Hindus or any other religion?

I mean this mass stabbing was only a few weeks ago?
https://news.sky.com/story/two-people-in-life-threatening-condition-after-train-mass-stabbing-as-police-give-update-on-arrests-13462246

I think everyone has a duty to report anyone they are close to that they believe is being radicalised and also to do what they can to reduce it.

Then the authorities also need to act (and have the funding to do so).

And of course gun laws so that radicalised people have less access to firearms where they can do more damage.

Radical islam is a massive problem in majority-Islam countries too. Saudi, for example, has the equivalent of a Prevent programme in place, promotes an "official" moderate Islamic doctrine and cracks down hard on insurgencies. Their brand of Islam is both widespread and oppressive so it says a lot that they have extremists. One of the things we don't see much of in the west is examples of everyday islam - it only gets highlighted when you hear about terrorism or immigration.

Turkey can point to similar struggles, despite being a secular country and holds elections. It's something we have to guard against and since you can see the same trends crop up in Christianity, Hinduism and even Buddhism (check out Sri Lanka), it says more about human nature than the specific religion. Having said that, Islam does appear to be more susceptible to terrorism, possibly because it's such a big believer base in very unstable regions. I'd love to read a study about the key drivers behind radicalism.

What does disturb me is the increase in British anti sematism. I've never understood why it's such a viralent form of racism in the UK in the first place, but the Gazan war has made it much worse. We need more outspoken support for our Jewish community.

Yep. To start with acknowledge the issue.

The deflection and mental gymnastics much of the left have to work through when something like this happens is so amusing.

When it was going round the hero who disarmed the gunman was also Muslim, the absolute glee you saw across social media like it was a Gotcha moment was psychotic. Why does it matter was religion the guy was? He obviously isn’t part of the problem of radical Islam is he? I think the guy is ended up being Christian anyway!

Anyway, every time another attack like this happened in the past I thought there would finally be a common understanding and things would finally change. I’ve stopped being so naive. This will happen again and again and we’ll still be in the ludicrous position where a good swathe of our country can’t and won’t admit it’s a problem because it goes against their precious world view.
I honestly don’t know what else has to happen anymore, I’ve lost all hope in our society.

@HelloPuppyPie @hattie43 but it’s not deflecting. It’s stating a fact which is according to police statistics on terrorist attacks which have been planned and foiled, a third were right-wing, ie: non-muslim. To deal with the problem we have to start with the facts.

If we’re talking specifically about Islamic terrorism in the UK which is statistically the biggest terror threat in the UK (right now - in my memory it was Irish terrorism not that long ago which was a far greater risk), thenPrevent programme should be better funded and more work should be done with communities. They’ve been very successful at stopping extremism in Denmark for example. Our government could learn a thing or two from what they’ve done. Not least better town and school planning to force more integration, not these pockets of people who are all from one group and don’t need to integrate.

If you’re saying this is a global problem - there are Hindu extremist terror attacks in India, there are Christian extremist terror attacks in places in Africa. There are extremists of all creeds and colours and religions all over.

Well if what they think breaks the law, then no they're not. Which is fair enough, don't you think?

What's your point? Do we know the attackers religion? Or is Christian the default for not Muslim or Jewish? This bloke might be an atheist for all you know.

I don’t know anyone who says islamic extremism isn’t a threat. What we would say is it’s not the ‘only’ threat. And when people say ‘it’s always the muslims, that deserves correction. Because it isn’t always. Anders Brevik, Christchurch, multiple right-wing plots on mosques and synagogues.

Again that’s not saying it’s not a threat.

That’s not mental gymnastics, it’s just stating facts. And when facts (it is mostly islamic extremism thats a threat) become racism (it’s always muslims / all muslims) that’s ok to draw the line.

The prevent programme is primarily focussed in budget on Muslim communities. So the challenge isn’t ignored. Again, that’s just another fact.

The culture of our times is such that people are seen as bigoted if they question issues relating to race, religion, sex and gender.
This has resulted in further division because frustration, fear and anger builds in silence.
How can we ever come together for the benefit of society unless we can discuss concerns from all sides without constant whataboutery, name calling, cancelling and threats of violence?

The attacks on Gaza are pretty violet op.