Islamist Radicalisation In North Africa

In the current climate of political extremism and violence, much attention has been directed towards "radicalisation" as the reasons behind such courses of action, along with a conviction that those who are radicalised represent an irrational deviation from the conventionally accepted norms of social and political behaviour. This book focuses on the current issues and analytical approaches to the phenomenon of radicalisation in North Africa. Taking a comprehensive approach to the subject, it looks at the processes that lead to radicalisation, rather than the often violent outcomes. At the same time, chapters expand the discussion historically and conceptually beyond the preoccupations of recent years, in order to develop a more holistic understanding of a complex individual and collective process that has represented a permanent challenge to dominant political, social and, on occasion, economic norms. With contributions from academics and policy-makers within and outside the region, the book is a comprehensive investigation of Islamist Radicalisation. As such, it will be of great interest to academics and students investigating North Africa and terrorism, as well as specialists in radicalism and extremism.

Islamists in the Arab states of North Africa are having little success in gaining political power. This is due to repressive security measures and popular despair over the violence on both sides, especially in Algeria and Egypt. Islamists in Algeria lost the presidential election held in November 1995, and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt bowed to government tactics of arrests and a ban on political activity in elections held last fall. The governments of Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco have probably reached a plateau in their use of intimidation tactics against Islamist critics. They seem to lack the imagination or will to try new, less dire strategies for dealing with opponents. As long as coercion seems to work, they will have little incentive to reform. As the more violent Islamic radical movements lose momentum, the risk increases that they will carry their struggle abroad. Over the past year, Egyptian diplomats in Europe and South Asia have been the targets of terrorist attacks, and Algerian extremists have been responsible for terrorism in France.

This volume investigates the impact of a new brand of transnational terrorism and political violence produced by radical Islamist groups from the Maghreb on the regional security dynamics. It describes the causes of the problems and the strategies devised by European and North African states in order to address it and details the successes and failures of co-operation between states and society on both shores of the Mediterranean. Investigating the grand security strategies that have been devised for the Mediterranean after the Cold War and after 9/11, the contributors focus on the role of police and military apparati in securitizing the new threats that have become prominent after 9/11, and the unintended consequences of these strategies. In addition, the contributors analyze the relationship between Islamist groups, the state and society and highlight some key causes of political violence and radicalism. They outline how a better use of the law, migration, and intercultural dialogue might provide useful alternatives or complements to the mostly securitarian strategies that are currently dominant in the region.

According to the editors of this book, North Africa has become a hotbed of terrorist activity in recent years, as demonstrated by several events in the region. Representing, as it does, a potential threat to NATO's southern flank, this area can no longer be ignored, they say. This book presents the proceedings of the NATO Centre of Excellence, Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT) Advanced Research Workshop entitled 'The Terrorist Threat in North Africa from a NATO Perspective', held in Ankara, Turkey, in the November 2013. Subjects covered include the changing nature of North African terrorism; the rise of Al Qaeda in North Africa; financing terrorism in North Africa; the legal framework of military operations against terrorism in North Africa and the relationship between international terrorism and terrorism in North Africa, among others. Also included in the book is the keynote address given by Prof. Yonah Alexander of the Inter-University Center for Terrorism Studies and entitled 'Terrorism in North Africa and the Sahel: Threats and Responses' The book provides insights to further the understanding of terrorism in North Africa, and will be of interest to all those involved in the development of counterterrorism policies to combat this threat.

"This monograph explores the spread of extremist Islamic religious movements and ideologies that advocate violence in the face of both moderates and secularism in North Africa, mainly in Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Sudan and Libya. Aiming to promote an understanding of the regional, national and international factors that have led to extremism and violence, the contributors to this monograph interrogate the ideological tools used by Islamic thinkers and the contextual factors that shape them, as well as the historical and political contexts in which extremism and violence take root. The authors also analyse the current measures adopted by states and regional actors to combat extremism. Furthermore, Islamic networks of extremist movements and transnational relationships are examined in order to gain a better understanding of the factors leading to the convergence and growing inter-connectivity among extremist groups"--Introduction.

"Issues relating to political Islam continue to present challenges to European foreign policies in the Middle East and North Africa. In this volume, European and regional experts analyse trends driving the radicalisation of political Islam as well as the contrary trend of de-radicalisation observed in some countries where Islamist parties have secured democratic political participation. The question underlying the book is whether the ED should engage more specifically with the 'moderate' Islamist parties, and at least recognise radical Islamist movements that achieve democratic electoral success and legitimacy, such as the Palestinian Hamas. Current EU policies are largely negative on both accounts. The conclusions of the book argue for a change in this stance, with a three-dimensional approach: a) to put pressure on incumbent regimes to abandon the repression of moderate Islamist movements, b) to influence the legal and political frameworks regulating social and political participation in a more open way and c) to engage in dialogue with non-violent opposition forces - both Islamist and non-Islamist. In the absence of such policies, the EU risks contributing to a re-radicalisation of movements that have become disillusioned with the failure of their political moderation to produce results." --Book Jacket.

Building sustained national resilience that is intolerant of terrorists and extremists and effective against them, he says, can only be accomplished by linking hard security initiatives with a broader array of policies designed to promote political, social, and economic stability."--BOOK JACKET.