Author: Zachary Abuza
Publisher: Viva Books
Year: 2005
Language: English
Pages: 281
ISBN/UPC (if available): 817649867X
Description
Islamic Extremism in Southeast Asia has moved beyond a matter of local concern of Local concern to one of global significance-as the events of the past decade have so clearly demonstrated. Drawing on intensive on-the ground investigation and interviews with key militants, Zachary Abuza explains the emergence of radical Islamist groups in the region, examines Al-Qaida’s role as organizational catalyst, and explores individual and multilateral state responses to the growing-and increasingly violent-Islamic political consciousness.
Abuza also analyzes state strategies for combating, co-opting, or coping with militant Islamist groups. A key question here is whether state actors are tying to resolve the root causes of Muslim disaffection-or merely using the war on terrorism to suppress the symptoms.
Islam is Southeast Asia has always been defined by tolerance, Moderation, and pluralism. Most of the Muslim inhabitants of Southeast Asia support the secular state and eschew the violence and literal interpretations of Islam that have plagued their South Asian and Middle eastern co-religionist. Only a small minority advocates the establishment of Islamic regimes governed by sharia, law based on the Quran. There have always been Muslim militant in the region, but the conventional wisdom holds that these militants were focused on their own domestic agenda.
REVIEWS
Abuza’s chilling analysis explores the cultural and religious traditions and conflicts that have spawned a growing acceptance of radical ideologies and terrorist tactics in Southeast Asia; he masterfully details the origins of various terrorist cells and their connections to larger networks throughout the region and the Middle East.
-Paul J Smith, Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies
Abuza often risked his life to gain access to high-quality information-information at times unknown even to the intelligence community. He has written the standard text on violent Islamist groups in Southeast Asia.
-Rohan Gunaratna, University of St Andrews, UK
Showing an astonishing persistence in tying together the threads of the terrorist threat, Abuza has come up with a dazzling display of Al-Qaida at work. It is rare that a book comes out with so deep and thoughtful an analysis of a contemporary subject-this may well become the standard reference on everything happening in the Southeast Asian theater of the world terror crisis.
-W Scott Thompson, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy
A truly remarkable book, For anyone interested in Al-Qaida, Militant Islam in Southeast Asia is mandatory reading.
-Peter Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc
Contents
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Al-Qaida and Radical Islam in Southeast Asia
Islamic Politics, Grievances, and Militancy
From Parochial Jihadis to International Terrorist: Exploiting the Philippines
Jemaah Islamiya and Al-Qaida’s Expanding Network
State Responses to the War on Terror
Fighting Terrorism in Southeast Asia: The Future of Militant Islam
LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ABOUT THE BOOK