A couple of days ago FBI agents arrested seven men in North Carolina on charges that they were plotting to wage “violent jihad” overseas. These suspects were plucked from my home state, only a short distance from where I am sitting now. I am not about to give a lecture on the “importance of realizing that terrorism could happen anywhere and that we need to be prepared for it at all times.” That is overused rhetoric and it is way too alarmist for my taste. What struck me, though, was not only the proximity of these guys but the nature of the plot. This small episode might provide some much needed insight into Islamic terrorism in general. The fact that the ringleader, Daniel Patrick Boyd, is a white man who almost resembles Jeff Foxworthy is interesting in itself. His cohorts are Muslims of various ethnicities, all of Middle Eastern or Eastern European descent. Charles Kimball, in his excellent book When Religion Becomes Evil, discusses the appeal of charismatic individuals who lead religious movements. Jim Jones and David Koresh are two that come to mind quickly. This particular case strikes me as something of a small cult, if indeed the FBI is fair in its charges. Just as violent cult leaders tend to defect from mainstream society with their armies of followers, Boyd split from his mosque in Raleigh due to “ideological differences.”
Now, what can this minor case tell us about Islamic terrorism in general? In the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, terrorist cells usually operate with little connection to one another. Charismatic authorities such as Osama bin Laden or Hassan Nasrallah (Hezbollah) have similar goals in mind, but their differences are so great that they would have difficult conspiring together. This is actually true for terrorist organizations of all stripes. Charismatic leaders can be dangerous, but they are less so when they are not in control of millions of people. We are living in interesting times, but isn’t it nice to know that there are no Hitlers or Stalins out there? If Daniel Patrick Boyd and his henchmen are truly guilty of these grave charges, the FBI did its job. If not, has the paranoia gotten out of control?
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