Posted on by chas4

Al-Qaida Victims Are Overwhelmingly Muslim: Study

By Kevin Whitelaw

Al-Qaida leaders frequently claim they don't target Muslims, but the victims of the terrorist group's attacks have been overwhelmingly non-Western, according to a new study.

Between 2004 and 2008, only 15 percent of the 3,010 people killed in 313 confirmed al-Qaida attacks were Westerners, according to the report by the Combating Terrorism Center at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

The figures are even more striking in recent years — only 2 percent of the victims were Western between 2006 and 2008. The remaining 98 percent were inhabitants of Muslim-majority countries.

The report is squarely aimed at persuading Muslims around the world that al-Qaida's violence is indiscriminate. Researchers, for example, relied solely Arabic press accounts to assemble their data on casualties.

"This allows researchers to avoid accusations of bias associated with Western news outlets or U.S.-based datasets," the report says.

And at least some Arabic media outlets have already taken note. The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Jarida printed the study's findings under the headline "The Land of Islam is burned with the Terrorism Fire of al-Qaida Organization. Muslims Victims 98 % Foreigners 2%."

U.S. intelligence agencies believe that al-Qaida is still actively plotting to strike in Western countries, but it has become more difficult for them in recent years.

In 2004 and 2005, Al-Qaida did manage to stage attacks in London and Madrid that killed a number of Westerners. But more recently, it has struggled to strike outside of Muslim-dominated nations.

There were no Western fatalities from the group's attacks in 2006, while half of the 12 deaths in 2007 and 2008 came in an attack on a Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, according to the report.

"Al-Qaida has acknowledged that assailants should be patient and wait for the right time to carry out attacks (in martyr videos and announcements), but this report shows there is scant evidence of prudence or effort to limit violence," the report concludes. "Irrespective of al-Qaida's justifications, if history provides a glimpse into the future, the group and its associates will pose the greatest threat to fellow Muslims."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2009/12/alqaida_victims_are_overwhelmi.html

This is great news.

8 Replies to “Al-Qaida Victims Are Overwhelmingly Muslim: Study”

  1. Originally posted by Chas4:This is great news.Why is it great news ? Is it great that muslins are being killed and westerns aren’t ? Are we better than them ?It’s actually very sad and disturbing, because the same people that blame westerns from killing their own people, kill themselves and blame the westerns in the process. And then you get a cicle of violence and appeals to jihad. So, this is just part of Al-Qaeda’s recruiting process: spread hate and revenge feelings.

  2. It is great news because Muslims will start to report Al-Qaida members who are killing anyone who dislikes their way. Al-Qaida and its partners are responsible for 911 in the US. So it seems that Al-Qaida is only killing mostly Muslims and I don’t think the counties will like that there people are being killed by Al-Qaida (who may be guests in the country)So the anonymous tips should be surging reporting the Taliban and Al-Qaida, to the US and NATO forces so that they can get them and have the people of the countries do to them for the mass killings of the citizens

  3. honey,behind every religious group, it is somebody’s child , someones’ mother, or father, brother or sister that is killed…it is 🙁 sad that we have to see people as a religious group or as citizens of a Nation, and not as people.My late mom was Greek born,raised by a Jewish family when her own mom got killed by the Germans for not giving up the location she did hide her art work.As a child grown up I had two religions to practice BUT because my hometown is next to Turkey most of my friends were Muslim. Living now days in New York City where religion and color is all mixed, we call it the “mixing pot” I practice what I learned growing up.Respect people. No color, religion, sex orientation… at the end we are all children of God.Peace!

  4. I know it would be the citizens would be glad not to have to worry, It would be interesting to see some of the countries in the next World Cup in 2014 (Soccer)

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