Terror in Paris:
Over a period of three days 17 people were killed by militant Islamic extremists. In the first attack gunman shot dead 12 people at the Paris office of the French satirical magazine "Charlie Hebdo". The provocative magazine is known for publishing charged cartoons that satirize the Prophet Muhammad, most religions, the pope, and several world leaders. Four of the magazine's well-known cartoonists, including the editor were among those killed, as well as two police officers. The next day a French policewoman was gunned down. On the third day four hostages were killed when terrorists seized a Jewish grocery. The first attack is believed to be the deadliest attack in France since 1961, when right wingers who wanted to keep Algeria French bombed a train, killing 28 people.
About 1.5 million people and more than 40 heads of state, including French president Hollande, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas marched in Paris to show a unified voice in calling for an end to violent extremism, to support freedom of expression and to mourn the victims of the terrorist attacks. France is deploying 10,000 troops to Jewish schools, synagogues, and other locations.
Is this Islamic Jihad, the Holy War? Islamic Jihad has been going on for 1400 years. Not all members of Islam are extremist. Only a very small percentage resort to violence and terrorism. Their aim is to bring the whole world under the Sharia (Islamic) Law. In my view these extremists are nothing more than criminals using Islamic Jihad as a justification for their crimes. One well-known Muslim writer defines Jihad as "to surrender your properties and yourselves in the path of Allah"; the purpose of which is to "establish prayers, give zakat (alms), command good, and forbid evil."Jihad includes three ideas: the individual Muslim's inner striving to live up to the Law, social action in view of fulfilling Islamic ideals, and military action to protect and extend the Islamic community. This is not what the extremists are doing.
These militant extremists are not going anywhere soon. They have shown their willingness to use their violent and extreme methods. It is only a matter of where and when. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. In most cases, including the attack on the office of "Charlie Hebdo", warning is given before hand. It is incumbent upon governments to take these warnings seriously and take action. It is good to be "not afraid", but it is more important to prepared to thwart these attacks.
What do you think?
