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October 3, 2005
Iraq: Neo-Salafi Death Cult on the March
In an interesting article from this morning's Independent, Patrick Cockburn in Baghdad describes the recent growth of the "Neo-Salafi" movement. Salafism is, in essence, Wahabism, an orthodox Sunni following of the letter and the rule of Mohammed, the Sunnah and the Koran. Most Salafis claim to be peaceful, but some see their role as a violent jihad. For neo-Salafis, their role as warriors and jihadist is central. And in Iraq, as well as being against Western interests, particularly the issue of democracy, they are also against the Shia, who are seen as heretics or apostates.
These neo-Salafis are now thriving in the war-torn parts of Iraq. The phenomenon is not new. Under Saddam, there were attacks upon hairdressers in the city of Fallujah. Cockburn quotes from New Patterns in the Iraqi Insurgency: The War for a Civil War, in which the author, Anthony Cordesman from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, writes:
They see those who do not fit into their definition of piety as apostates. To some, particularly the group led by [Abu Musab] Zarqawi, all other Islamic sects like Shias and even other Sunnis, are effectively non-believers.After Thursday's bombing of Balad, local Shia complained of the "foreigners" who had invaded the country. The most famous "foreigner" is Zarqawi, and even though he does not lead the neo-Salafi, he is their figurehead.
The recent attacks upon Shia civilians in car bomb attacks are certainly the work of neo-Salafi insurgents.
The neo-Salafi groups, believing they are fighting in God's cause, will never negotiate and have no interest in seeking compromise. Their ferocity makes them difficult to uproot. In Fallujah last year they told 11 imams of mosques whom they considered hostile that they would kill their children in front of them if they did not stop preaching.Keywords: Salafi, Salafist, Salafism, neo-Salafi, neo-Salafist, neo-Salafism
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 3, 2005 2:51 PM
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Comments
Salafis--just more islamo-murdurers. Islam death-culters.Middle eastern trash. E-coli in the human race.
Posted by: el greco at October 3, 2005 3:17 PM
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