Mon, May 12 2008
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Published April 26, 2008 08:08 pm - PITTSBURG, Kan. — A presentation by a Pittsburg State University professor will be used by a United Nations group to develop counterterrorism policy. PSU professor says terrorism largely misunderstood By Roger McKinney rmckinney@joplinglobe.com PITTSBURG, Kan. — A presentation by a local professor was given to a United Nations group working to develop counterterrorism policy. Steve Harmon, Pittsburg State University history professor, was one of about 20 international presenters April 17 and 18 at the workshop in Turin, Italy, sponsored by the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute. Harmon’s presentation centered on the factors that push Muslim extremists to become terrorists. Harmon on Thursday said a small minority of Muslims are radicals and a much smaller minority pursue violence. He said his talk included a review of what he called the global Salafi jihad. Salafi refers to Sunni Muslims who follow the teachings of what are known as the pious or righteous ancestors of Muhammad, what followers consider to be pure, unadulterated Islam. He said there is a split in the global Salafi jihad between those who want to pursue their near enemy — their own Muslim dictators — or their far enemy — Israel and its primary backer, the United States. Harmon discussed the factors that cause extremists to become terrorists. “First of all, there is a sense of anger and outrage over what they see as the slaughter of innocent Muslims by its enemies,” he said. He credits academic Louise Richardson in describing the motivations of revenge, renown and reaction. He said the revenge is for the deaths of innocent Muslims. Renown is glory in the community, including garlanded posters of suicide bombers and prestige for their families. Harmon said reaction might include conciliatory reaction such as the U.S. withdrawing troops from Somalia in the 1990s or Lebanon in the 1980s. Extremists also are motivated to become terrorists by overreaction, including military force that is disproportionate to the initial attack, resulting in the deaths of more innocent Muslims. Some extremists are pushed over the edge by what Harmon called “relative deprivation” — a failure to achieve hoped-for goals. The Internet is another factor. “Residing on the Internet is what some scholars call the virtual jihad, where radical Muslims can communicate anonymously,” Harmon said. “The Internet is not a direct factor, but a facilitator of other factors.” He said terrorism usually has little connection with religion. “Islamic doctrine and scripture plays a relatively minor role in all this,” Harmon said. “Most terrorism is not motivated by religion, but by nationalism.” 
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