The so-called mainstream media’s approach to and apologias for Islamic terrorism have become as predictable as they are farcical. In a recent piece titled, “A Mysterious Act of Mercy by the Subway Bombing Suspect,” the New York Times’ Jeffrey Gettleman portrays would-be suicide bomber Akayed Ullah—whose foiled attempt at Times Square subway last month could have massacred countless Americans—as just another Muslim youth angered at and responding to the mistreatment of Muslims, that is, a Muslim with legitimate “grievances.” This is clear from the opening sentences:
Before Akayed Ullah returned home to New York from his native Bangladesh … he had one last thing to do — an all-night bus ride by himself to help Rohingya refugees [Muslims]. After visiting relatives here in the capital city, Dhaka, he traveled across the country, slept in a mosque and under a tree, and passed out a few hundred dollars of medicine in the crowded refugee camps. “When he left [America], he seemed happy,” said his mother-in-law, Mahfuza Akhter. “But when he returned, he was so upset. He said those people were living in hell, each and every minute.”
“That lonely trip across Bangladesh in September remains a mystery,” Gettleman goes on to opine, wondering whether Ullah was “following his own heart, reflecting some sort of inner struggle as he headed toward his first known act of violence and self-destruction.” Gettleman claims to base this “tragic hero” image of the would-be Muslim suicide bomber on “extensive interviews with more than a dozen friends, relatives and acquaintances,” all of whom (opportunistically?) say that Ullah was “outraged by injustices inflicted on Muslims. He was also described by several people who know him well as loving and giving.” According to Gettleman, such claims “still leave a hole as to why Mr. Ullah did this.”
And so it goes. To anyone paying attention, the NYT’s portrayal of Ullah is virtually boilerplate; the duplicate structure of the portrayals of all Islamic terrorists who strike at the United States. Recall, for instance, when Abdul Razak Ali Artan—an 18-year-old Muslim refugee from Somalia, who was receiving aid from Catholic charities—rammed his car into a building at Ohio State University, then got out and stabbed people with a butcher knife, hospitalizing some 13 people. CNN, NBC, the Washington Post and many others sought to rationalize away Artan’s violence by citing one of his Facebook posts where he wrote, “Seeing my fellow Muslims being tortured, raped and killed in Burma led to a boiling point. I can’t take it anymore.”
The problem with both Ullah’s and Artan’s supposed “grievances” is twofold. First, the obvious: how, exactly, does terrorizing and slaughtering Americans make up for the plight of Rohingya Muslims in Burma/Myanmar? If Ullah and Artan were primarily motivated by the suffering of the Rohingya, shouldn’t they have sought to terrorize and kill Burmese—not Americans?
Secondly, while media and other “experts” routinely portray such Muslim terrorists as being motivated by the “love” they feel for fellow Muslims—as when former CIA Michael Scheuer described Osama bin Laden as a man of love, comparing him to Robin Hood—this “love” is itself another reflection of Islamic supremacism and the flipside to the Islamic doctrine of Loyalty and Enmity: just as Muslims are obligated to hate and fight non-Muslims, so are they “obligated to befriend a believer—even if he is oppressive and violent toward you—while he [the Muslim] must be hostile to the infidel—even if he is liberal and kind to you” (The Al Qaeda Reader, p. 64 ). Or as the Koran (48:29) more succinctly puts it, Muslims “are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves.”
Simply put, Ullah’s terror attempt is a byproduct of Islamic teachings that make the non-Muslim enemy number one, regardless of any real or imagined “grievances.” The reason Ullah struck the U.S. as opposed to Myanmar is probably because the latter has more “draconian” security measures that made America an easier target. Ironically, Bangladeshi authorities, who said Ullah “was closely following several jihadist websites,” come closer to the mark: “He seemed to have this hatred for America,” said Monirul Islam, the chief of Bangladesh’s counterterrorism police operations. “We’re not exactly sure where it came from.”
While the answer is self-evident—the hatred came from jihadi websites that preach hate for all infidels 24/7—at least Bangladeshi authorities do not offer silly and sappy motivations such as “grievances,” which is more than can be said for so-called mainstream Western media and their nonstop efforts to portray Islamic aggressors as “tragic heroes.”
The Rohingyas’ problems in Myanmar are of their own making, based on their belief that they have the right to attack and kill any and all non-Muslims; the Myanmar Buddhists took exception to that notion, not an unreasonable or unexpected response on their parts. If Islam would learn to live at peace with others of different beliefs, which I grant is unlikely given their ideology, THEY wouldn’t have others ire directed toward them nearly so often. But no one likes or trusts another, who holds the belief it’s his right to kill without provocation or cause. That they fail to grasp that simple fact, is to their own hurt. If they don’t like it, it’s incumbent upon THEM, the Muslims, to change themselves, not others.
Absolutely correct, I think it is this lot that bury wives alive when Muslim husband dies used to be called Sutti. Any raping that went on was done by Muslims and as usual the Muslims lied through their teeth, you could see the kids had been induced to lie about the attacks on them. Just like the pally’s train their brats to kill Jews in Israel.
Could be; used to be the practice in India to toss the wife on the funeral pyre with the dead hubby. So it wouldn’t surprise me, although that’s not a common practice among Muslims in general. Raping and murdering, on the other hand, are likely what brought the Buddhists down on them with a vengeance.
Muslims are human beings who are created in the image of God like everyone else, and there is nothing that they or anyone else can do to change that. It’s the ideology of Islamic Jihad that drives certain Muslims to commit terrorist attacks against non-Muslims, and apparently they do so in the firm belief that if they die in the process of making war against non-Muslims, they will immediately be admitted to paradise. The doctrine of salvation by jihad is so foreign and counter-intuitive to Western theology and values, that it is no surprise that almost everyone in the West is confused by it. Gradually, we are learning, but it is a very slow process. Nevertheless, the ideology of Islamic Jihad is what it is, and even if the entirety of the non-Muslim world someday comes to regard Islamic terrorists as seriously deluded individuals who are sacrificing their own lives and the lives of others for a false ideology, there is almost no question that Muslims who die in the process of attacking non-Muslims will always regard themselves as “heroes” of Islam.
There is no G-d in islam only satan in my view. However, both good an evil evolved together, even amid the universe there is matter and anti-matter the difference a mere 1% extra of matter and thus anti-matter is balanced out although this is not to say it doesn’t have an effect. The Quran is what writers refer to as plagiarism of another two religions. Nothing in the Quran is original apart from the Satanic verses which make up most of the Quran. Further more this load of crap was written by others most of it written after Muhammad had died in sin you might say. Muhammad could neither read nor write. I have already said this I cannot respect or take Islam seriously it is a load of trash coming from the mind who was virtually insane.
There have been other religions in the history of the world that sought to motivate young men to engage in suicide attacks with promises of divine rewards for sacrificing their lives, and it is not at all clear that Islam is any different than the rest of them.
As an American patriot, there is nothing you say that makes Islam look less vile than other religions. Islam is above all the worst and in my opinion is not a religion but a cult initiated by a schizophrenic dwarf who received his messages from a cave beneath volcanic cones. The gases as in Olympia cause hallucinations and in particular if you starve yourself for days on end. Lack of sleep food and normality would have us all dreaming up fake religions. No other religion promotes a brothel in paradise and just to qualify my point Richard Dawkins a well known atheist defines Islam as a form of brainwashing or insanity.
St. Thomas Aquinas proclaimed the primitive nature of Islamic theology in his time. His comments are valid and descriptive today.
You are absolutely right a wise man indeed was St. Thomas Aquinas pity the Pope doesn’t make it his business to read the venerable Saint.
Yes, but we are not all trapped in the Middle Ages. I assume you are speaking about the Crusades.
We need the crusades and we need them today.
Upon closer examination of the history of mankind, I think you will find that there is nothing at all unusual about the so-called “warrior cults” that combine war and religion to achieve a certain political result.
https://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Cults-Mystical-Murderous-Organizations/dp/0713727292
Warrior Cults: A History of Magical, Mystical and Murderous Organizations Paperback by Paul Elliott
Today’s terrorists are not new. Terror, murder, and stealth have always flourished in close-knit, blindly obedient cults. In fact, the very word “assassin” has its origins in a medieval warrior cult of the Middle East, while the original Thugs were a secret band who terrorized India in the 19th century. Here is the whole gruesome history of groups that have used loyalty to commit murder and spread terror. Start with the mystery cults of ancient Greece and the secret Roman religion of Mithras with its bloody initiations. Follow the sinister Knights Templar, the Japanese Ninja and Triad clans, and the Chinese Boxer cult that led the famous uprising against the British. Each of these warrior cults had its own strict codes and rituals, yet its motivations may seem strange to modern minds. Today it’s more urgent than ever to try to understand, as we attempt to protect ourselves against today’s versions, made far more dangerous with the possession of biological, and even nuclear, weapons.
Problem with this analogy: KT, Boxers etc. were a tiny, secretive minority compared to their co-religionists or co-nationals, while offensive jihad–the duty for able Muslims to wage war against all states ruled by non-Muslims and bring them under Islamic rule is NORMATIVE in traditional Islam–taught by the majority of Muslim ulema.
The concept is the same or very similar, but the scale is much larger.
Good article Raymond Ibrahim. Keep them coming.
The surprising thing is when you see so many people falling for the media hogwash.
The reasons why Westerners are confused by Islam is that they do not know the genuine God from the fake Muslim one. Too many of them, especially the snake media who defend jihad, have rejected God and no longer have eyes to see or ears to hear the Truth. They therefore cannot, nor want to know that the teachings of the Bible are in direct opposition to that of the Koran.
We hear more sympathy for and defence of murderous Muslims than we do about the victims, especially Christians and other minorities they so brutally persecute and murder.
For Westerners to acknowledge the truth of islam is to accept responibility for its actions permitted here in the West. This is too painful, especially if these actions occur in someone else’s neighborhood/community.
As always brilliant and enlightening, although I must say I have always known what a sham Islam is. Hero’s my fanny aunt!!! These savages are just looking for a way to get into the brothel of paradise quicker and the whole of the world is suffering as a result. Women Mogherini, Merkel, May, Wallestrom, one male Macron are too stupid to know the facts. All of them seem to think the wheels of capitalism will just keep on turning regardless, wrong wrong, these people will bankrupt us all with their dependence on welfare, all of them are illiterate apart from a tiny minority. Let us hope Iran starts a revolution against Islam. DPRK has never been that much of a threat, just a young man who believes the world is against him, he has a lot of growing up to do. Amazing how the kudos of DPRK taking part in the Winter Olympics appeals to his vanity, strikes me he will learn a lot from this.
We must all back Iran and hope free Iranians win, and annihilate the Mullahs and this vile religion. Who gives a toss about Saudi. Brian if you’re Irish the Saudi’s bribed Ahern to sell Ireland’s gas to the Arabs via Shell International of which Arabs own 60% & the Brits 40%, you can bet the Brits only own the hard ware to draw the gas out of the ocean. As I landed at Knock Airport Shell Intl Engineers were on the same flight, it was all I could do to control my anger!
Ireland is not free, as have huge foreign debts, since our country’s bankruptcy by our corrupt politicians.The huge multinationals of oil etc control the world and we are happy if these multinationals gives us some jobs to feed us. We have to try and elect honest politicians to lead the country; with the threat of Brexit and Trump we face trials. I value freedom even if this means very simple living, without a migrant Muslim invasion as is planned by European Protestant nations like Germany etc who have historical links to Turkey and the Ottoman Empire.Seemingly there will be a “religious” genocidal war in Europe like the Armenian genocide where Germany facilitated Islamic Turkey with military hardware etc This Euro Protestant alliance with Turkey is already happening.
You are right on the whole we are not free. Aherne is blameworthy for our bankruptcy – in 2008 Ireland’s gas was sold out to Shell International owned 60% by the Saudi’s. The crash of 2008 made matters worse. Aherne sold Ireland down the river. At the time I yelled at an MP – member of Sein Fein. What’s the deal selling off Ireland’s gas to already wealthy Arabs? His answer was “we get Royalties” yeah well I don’t see any difference in our balance of payments! Ireland has enough engineers and Oil men to have brought Ireland’s gas on shore without hiring Shell International. Our biggest market would have been the UK bearing in mind Scottish Oil is drying up. So we import Oil from Norway at 30% above the going rate? Ireland would have been better off doing a deal with Bechtel {US private Oil drilling company whose reputation goes before it} I personally worked on the Balikpapan Oil field for Frank Wyskiel and his co director was Gerry Lenihan {couldn’t get more Irish} As well as nuclear power station Sizewell A & B Suffolk UK. With all this Irish expertise we don’t need the damn EU or her sodding muslim immigrants. By the way the creep in jail in Egypt 4 years is definitely a member of the Muslim Brotherhood along with the rest of his family -the father {Imam} is active I learned from a reliable source yesterday. The brat denied this to the Irish press. Who the heck was this creeps legal representative? You are right we just need some tough politicians with a brain and frankly I don’t approve of Varadakar not because he is Gay but because he is just too soft. Ireland aught to come out of the EU who have loaned us so much money for infrastructure we are still paying back, a trap to blackmail us. Instead of investing in so much empty property now owned by even more Saudi’s including the damn mosques in Dublin and elsewhere – we would have been better developing our gas fields, focusing on our prize beef and pharmaceutical industry. The world considers Ireland a nation of fools and bumpkins and like you I am heartily sick of it. This is not my country of birth but I have come to respect the people of Ireland she has been as persecuted as we Jews in as many ways. The ‘niggers of Europe’ as many were want to refer to both Jews & Irish. May I say it was a pleasure to read your comment let us hope 2018 will bring us a better year. Viv
Hi Viv: thanks for your interesting email; u are more informed than me; the problem really is about getting trustworthy clever politicians who will try to safeguard the interests of the country they represent. Ireland was a colony of England for 750 years and the genocidal oppression affected the Irish psyche to have no self belief or confidence. Emigration was the only survival and in England, signs were on guest house windows saying “no dogs, no niggers, no Irish” and this was similar in America. Ireland is improving now. We had many good Jewish politicians and I think Alan Shatter was mistreated. Our P.M is too soft, but he might be o.k.The person in jail in Egypt must have been guilty, but we are too soft with foreigners always, our Christian tradition.These mosques are springing up around the country; I hope we do not end up like England or E.U. which seem set on a path of self destruction with hordes of migrant fanatic Muslims. I am not qualified about discussing an Irish E.U exit as we are possibly tied down with ECB loans, but we may have to reconsider if Brexit or EU facilitates too many migrant welfare seekers as our debts must be repaid. Brian
“I am not qualified about discussing an Irish E.U exit as we are
possibly tied down with ECB loans, but we may have to reconsider if
Brexit or EU facilitates too many migrant welfare seekers as our debts
must be repaid. Brian”
Exactly how the EU has blackmailed Ireland and Aherne just made matters worse as did Anglo Irish Bank,the amount this lot are on trial for should have gone toward indebtedness to EU. As Mr. Ibrahim points out the last thing any of us need is to be slaughtered by Muslims as they were wont to do around 750 years ago. Ireland’s beautiful women are the epitome of 72 virgins paradise! Fair skinned, light eyes blue black hair, white blonde or natural rich red of such a depth. Apart from this how could Ireland possibly meet EU fees on her own? Her population is less than 5 million the rest are just freeloaders. Out of the working population which are actually paying taxes the % is very small, the last thing Ireland needs is damn idle Muslims and Saudi money to build their damnable mosques. Ireland must find her fighting spirit of 1916 and fight – she won then and must again. And Varadker needs to go, he is worse than useless. I am proud of the one time Jewish PM Shatter, of Ireland, Herzog was another. Ireland is very much a Christian nation, and Irish people still honor their faith, and regularly attend mass all through the week, as I note where I am living. Ordinary Jewish folks {not the likes of certain Rothschilds are good people who understand where Ireland is coming from}. Nor have Jews ever imposed any of their religious doctrine or practices on the people of Ireland, rather they practice quietly and observe Irish law at all times. Ireland has natural resources which should be hers, her beef is raised on grass not fake crap, her farmers are virtually organic, I note the pharmaceuticals in Ireland produce some of the most up to date medication for many modern sicknesses, another little known fact. We must all fight Islam and Mr. Ibrahim is a great spokesman for us all.
Liberals are a bunch of twats born to the Flower power generation, just look at them, they might just as well all be dancing to the signature tune “If you go to Sanfrancisco” great music but ridiculous libretto and these morons are still acting this crap out today as well as John Lennon’s contribution ‘Peace’ yet he married a Japanese woman a nation who were once anything but peaceful. Took the bomb to stop the military from destroying all, the military were warned but they did not back down. I don’t think too many people are aware of this. The US had no choice at the time.
Stupid is what leftists DO; kind of like change is what climate does. And just as we can’t change or stop the latter, neither can we the former, it appears.
Hero’s lmao go smoke more meth and crack in la la with our pm jihadist Justin and his club turd for shit head retarded terrorist for joints hugs coffee rehab hero’s go fuck yourself
Thank you so much. I’m so sick of Islamist victimhood piggies constantly throwing violent tantrums worldwide.
If it’s legitimate to blow up oneself and kill others around because of “grievances”, than nobody will be left alive on the planet…Because grievance is everywhere….So i can blow myself up and kill Muslims around because my fellow Copts in Egypt are massacred by Muslims.
They are neither Terrorists or Tragic Heroes, they are enemy combatants (soldiers), Islam is at war with the rest of the non-Muslim world, always has been. Its time they where treated as such.
another excellent piece authored by mr. ibrahim.
thank you, sir.