Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai Politics Talk

Perception is not reality. Due to the right wing’s influence and propaganda, people mistakenly think that
Islamic terrorism is the greatest threat to the Western world. It is even a commonly held belief that Islamic terrorism poses an existential threat–that the very survival of the Western world is at stake. Of course, the reality is that there are other groups that engage in terrorism on a much larger scale, yet these terrorist incidents are minimized. Acts of terrorism committed by Muslims are purposefully sensationalized and focused upon, culminating in the idea that “(nearly) all terrorists are Muslims.”

Terrorism from Islamic extremists is certainly a cause for concern, but it need not be an issue that creates mass hysteria. Nor should it be allowed to be such a critical issue that we are willing to sacrifice our ideals or civil rights for fear of it. Neither should we be reduced to a status of absolute sissitude. We have analyzed data from America and Europe (a good portion of the entire Western world), and the threat from Islamic terrorism is much more minimal than commonly assumed; in the U.S., it accounts for 6% of terrorist attacks, and in Europe not even half of a percent.

It is only through sensationalism and fear mongering that the topic of Islamic terrorism is allowed to be used to demonize a religious community that happens to be a minority in the West. When confronted by such lunacy, we ought to respond with the facts and the truth.

shafique wrote:Cables vs Statistics listing the attacks and a clear conclusion.

You're right though - one of them is wrong.

Cheers,
Shafique

shafique wrote:One of them is wrong.

I've no evidence that the statistics are missing loads of Islamist terror attacks that were kept secret, or that they invented the real bomb blasts carried out by ETA etc.

When in doubt, I trust the evidence over the perceptions/marketing/hype. But that is just me.

It won't be the first time in recent (and ancient) history that diplomats have spun the facts to sensationalise the latest 'fashionable' risk. WMD in Iraq for example.

Herve - provide me with actual evidence that the risk isn't being sensationalised, and I will (I promise) change my view. I don't think I can be fairer than that.

Cheers,
Shafique

Altogether 498 terrorist attacks were committed
in the EU in 2006.The vast majority of
them resulted in limited material damage
and were not intended to kill. However, the
failed attack in Germany demonstrates that
Islamist terrorists also aim at mass casualties.

Investigations into Islamist terrorism are
clearly a priority for Member States’ law enforcement
as demonstrated by the number of arrested
suspects reported by Member States.

During 2008, 359 individuals were tried on terrorism
charges in the member states in a total of
187 proceedings. Of 384 verdicts which were
pronounced in 2008, 50 percent were related to
Islamist terrorism, and 39 percent to separatist
terrorism.

In the UK, Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands,
the vast majority of verdicts were linked to
Islamist terrorism

Court proceedings in relation to Islamist terrorism had, as in 2007, the highest acquittal rate (34 percent)

Of the 1009 persons that, according to information from the member states, were arrested in the EU in 2008 on suspicion of involvement in terrorism, 187 were arrested in relation to Islamist terrorism.T

However, two thirds of the individuals arrested on suspicion of involvement in Islamist terrorism could not be linked to terrorist organisations known to the authorities.

Separatist terrorism remains the area of terrorism which affects the EU most. Four persons died in attacks committed by ETA in 2008.

■ A total of 397 separatist terrorist attacks were perpetrated; 501 suspects were arrested. The number of attacks decreased in 2008 by 25 percent in comparison to 2007, thereby reaching the level of 2006