Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 76
The United States is very circumspect about monitoring religious movements. The
Constitution makes faith an individual choice not subject to government scrutiny.
Consequently the intelligence community does not monitor religious movements, nor would
it be feasible to do so. It monitors terrorist groups and calls them such only when they
enact violence. Americans cannot expect their government to detect potentially violent
religious movements early in their development.
The academic community might, however, be well positioned to warn the government when
a religious or ethnic movement is moving toward violent action. Based upon al Qaeda, I
would propose at least seven indicators:
When there is no time in the argument—the wrongs of past generations are
justifications for acts today. This was evident in al Qaeda, and is present in some
proto-political/Christian movements in the United States, such as the Neo-
Confederate movement.
When the political arena becomes the cosmic battleground for good and evil. This is
again evident with al Qaeda and with the domestic Christian terrorist group, The
Army of God.
When violence is justified as an act of fulfilling God‘s Will.
When military heroes of the past are raised or formed into religious icons. Islamists,
for example, often refer to Saladin and Mohammed‘s military exploits.
When paramilitary or military training is emphasized within a religious movement.
When the terrorist group can depend upon sufficient support from non-members to
maintain cells and strike units. This means the group must reflect some social
viewpoint considered laudable. Again, both al Qaeda and Army of God have this
similar attribute.
When the organization acquires a visionary but violent leader, example, or
spokesman.
I leave it to my academic counterparts, those much more conversant with diagnostic tools
than I, to evaluate the utility of such a list.
References
Addario, Lynsey. (2001, October 21) ―Jihad‘s Women.‖ The New York Times Magazine, pp.
38-42
Al Fouzan, Shaikh Saalih bin (1997). Al-Walaa‘ wal-Baraa‘: Allegiance and Association with
the People of Islaam and Eeman and Disassociation and Enmity with the People of
Falsehood and Disbelief in Islaam. Suffolk: Jam‘ita Ihyaa‘ Minhaaj Al-Sunnah.
Al-Hamid, Ali Hasan Abd (1997). Paradise: Its Blessings and How to Get There. Beirut: Dar
Ibn Hazm.
The Al-Qaeda Manual (Not Dated). Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants.
Retrieved November 10, 2002 from http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/manualpart1_1.pdf.
The manual is attributed to Bin Laden. Several versions of widely differing sizes
exist.
―Al-Qa‘ida (the Base)‖ (Not dated). The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism
(ICT), Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel. Retrieved 12 December 2002 from
http://www.ict.org.il/.
Baaz, Shaykh Abdul Azeez bin, (Not dated). Middlesex, England: Message of Islam. The
actual quotation may be that of the translator, Abu Aaliyah Surkheel ibn Anwar
Sharif, but the text was endorsed by Baaz. Baaz was Grand-Muftee, the official
expounder of Islamic Law of Saudi Arabia. He also declared the world to be flat in
The United States is very circumspect about monitoring religious movements. The
Constitution makes faith an individual choice not subject to government scrutiny.
Consequently the intelligence community does not monitor religious movements, nor would
it be feasible to do so. It monitors terrorist groups and calls them such only when they
enact violence. Americans cannot expect their government to detect potentially violent
religious movements early in their development.
The academic community might, however, be well positioned to warn the government when
a religious or ethnic movement is moving toward violent action. Based upon al Qaeda, I
would propose at least seven indicators:
When there is no time in the argument—the wrongs of past generations are
justifications for acts today. This was evident in al Qaeda, and is present in some
proto-political/Christian movements in the United States, such as the Neo-
Confederate movement.
When the political arena becomes the cosmic battleground for good and evil. This is
again evident with al Qaeda and with the domestic Christian terrorist group, The
Army of God.
When violence is justified as an act of fulfilling God‘s Will.
When military heroes of the past are raised or formed into religious icons. Islamists,
for example, often refer to Saladin and Mohammed‘s military exploits.
When paramilitary or military training is emphasized within a religious movement.
When the terrorist group can depend upon sufficient support from non-members to
maintain cells and strike units. This means the group must reflect some social
viewpoint considered laudable. Again, both al Qaeda and Army of God have this
similar attribute.
When the organization acquires a visionary but violent leader, example, or
spokesman.
I leave it to my academic counterparts, those much more conversant with diagnostic tools
than I, to evaluate the utility of such a list.
References
Addario, Lynsey. (2001, October 21) ―Jihad‘s Women.‖ The New York Times Magazine, pp.
38-42
Al Fouzan, Shaikh Saalih bin (1997). Al-Walaa‘ wal-Baraa‘: Allegiance and Association with
the People of Islaam and Eeman and Disassociation and Enmity with the People of
Falsehood and Disbelief in Islaam. Suffolk: Jam‘ita Ihyaa‘ Minhaaj Al-Sunnah.
Al-Hamid, Ali Hasan Abd (1997). Paradise: Its Blessings and How to Get There. Beirut: Dar
Ibn Hazm.
The Al-Qaeda Manual (Not Dated). Military Studies in the Jihad Against the Tyrants.
Retrieved November 10, 2002 from http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/manualpart1_1.pdf.
The manual is attributed to Bin Laden. Several versions of widely differing sizes
exist.
―Al-Qa‘ida (the Base)‖ (Not dated). The International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism
(ICT), Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, Israel. Retrieved 12 December 2002 from
http://www.ict.org.il/.
Baaz, Shaykh Abdul Azeez bin, (Not dated). Middlesex, England: Message of Islam. The
actual quotation may be that of the translator, Abu Aaliyah Surkheel ibn Anwar
Sharif, but the text was endorsed by Baaz. Baaz was Grand-Muftee, the official
expounder of Islamic Law of Saudi Arabia. He also declared the world to be flat in
