jihad - Khadijah Mosque

Jihadregion. This shift towards a more networkoriented structure is a concern for those taskedto manage threats as they are dealing with aloose network of terrorist organizations, whichoperate independently but share a commonideology. Hence, disrupting one terroristorganization is not likely to impact on theoperational capabilities of the others. In particular,counter-leadership strikes would be lesseffective against organizations lacking centralizedcommand and control procedures. Sharingdoctrines, strategies and technologies have alsoenabled allied militant groups to carry outattacks with a high level of coordination, like inthe case of the attacks in Manila and two citiesin the southern Philippines, resulting in the deathof 11 people and injured nearly 130 people.The Religious Rehabilitation Program shouldbe a continuous & ongoing effort, with a viewtowards sharing it with other nations in theregion. This is because unlike an ordinarydetainment procedure, the religious counselingcomponent of the programme strikes at the coreof the problem, that is the religious ideology ofthe JI members. These sessions aim to eradicatethe radical ideology based on a grossmisunderstanding of Islam and to replace it withcorrect Islamic teachings. It is partly due to thesuccess of these counseling sessions that ISDhad the confidence to release several detaineesand RO members. Extension of the counselingsessions to their families is hoped to break thecycle of indoctrination and prevent JIregeneration processes. It is also important thatthe Muslim community proactively focus onproviding the future generation with thecorrect understanding of Islam, so that theywould not fall victim to a deviant understandingof Islam and terrorists agendas.There is also an urgent need to engage theSingaporean Muslims in the war againstterrorism. One of the government concernsshould the build-up of resentment even amongmoderate Muslim communities everywhere overUS invasion. This resentment, could be easilytapped by the terrorist camp to campaign forfunds and recruits among the SingaporeanMuslims. The Singapore government has torealize these sensitivities and address theirconcerns accordingly.ConclusionAs the face of terrorism is changing and withnew threats and new technology, we need toadopt a multi-pronged response, multidimensional, multi-national and multi agencyresponse to fight this kind of new terrorism. Toreduce the threat effectively, Singapore needsto work overseas, unilaterally and with partnersto develop a comprehensive counter-terrorismstrategy. This strategy must be one that disruptsthe support base, ideology and appeal of theterrorist group. It is therefore important to beaware of the threat and to take intelligent andreasonable steps to protect governmentfacilities and the people.Its Singapore network may have been crippledbut JI will continue to present a long-termsecurity threat to Singapore. Though Singaporehas put into place multiple anti-terrorismmeasures, the real challenge is to sustain themomentum and level of activity in the long run.Furthermore, the evolutionary nature of someof these security measures means that it will needtime before their effectiveness can be proven.There is a pressing need to engage the public toreduce their complacency and heighten theirvigilance capabilities. Finally, there is an arsenalof increasingly sophisticated technologies to aidcounter terrorism work but we also need toemploy good common sense and logic to counterthe threat.(Footnotes)1Accessed from http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/09/20010920-8.html2Krasner Stephen D 1993 “Sovereignty, Regimes and HumanRights” in Regime Theory and International Relations3Moravcsik 19974Thomas et al 1987 Institutional Structure: Constituting State,Society and Individual5Risse Thomas et al 1999 The Power of Human Rights:International Norms and Domestic Change6Prologue Pg 20 Holy War Inc Peter L Bergen7Compilation of Usama Bin Laden Statements 1994– January 20048Al-Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology, CRS Reportfor Congress, November 16 20049General Mike Hayden, Interview with 60 minutes II,CBS,aired February 200110Steven Simon and Jeff Martini Terrorism: Denying Al-Qaeda its Popular Support accessed from http://www.twq.com/05winter/docs/05winter_simon.pdf.11War of Ideas by Frank Gaffney Jr, The Washington Timeshttp://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20031027-083105-4333r.htm12The Amman Initiative: A Theological Counter Attackagainst Terrorism Islamica Magazine Issue 14 200513Pew Global Attitudes Project, “Views of a Changing World,”June 2003, p. 3.14Robert Satloff The Battle of Ideas in the War onTerror:Eassays on US Public Diplomacy in the Middle East2004Masjid Khadijah 59