Islamist radicalism is a threat that spans the globe, from tropical islands to major European cities. The experience of different countries and regions in fighting extremism illustrates the need for solutions well-tailored to local conditions. In late 2014, Mauritian intelligence services discovered that a handful of Mauritian Muslims had traveled to Syria and Iraq to fight for the self-proclaimed Islamic State. Many of those jihadi recruits were swayed and enabled by the Islamist radicalism of a small yet troubling network of ideologues in the tropical island nation, which is located in the Indian Ocean some 1,200 miles east of mainland Africa. Intelligence gathered by Mauritian field officers identified one individual in particular, a radical preacher named Javed Meetoo, as the network’s leader.
A daughter of Christian Medves kisses her father’s coffin during a ceremony for three victims of last week’s extremist gun rampage in Trebes, southern France, March 29, 2018
Since he emerged on their radar, Mauritian officials have closely followed Meetoo’s efforts to build his movement. In October 2015, Meetoo created his own educational society, Abu Faaris, which quickly established links with two Islamist social groups, Zam Zam and Al Huda Wan Noor society, both of which sympathize with Islamic State ideology. Since then, Meetoo’s public addresses promoting Shariah law have become more prominent and daring.
Meetoo’s group has insignificant support among the Mauritian population. Nonetheless, more signs are emerging that these radicalization efforts are bearing fruit, particularly among young people, among Mauritian Muslims, and among those swayed by financial or other incentives.
To learn more about the growing appeal of Islamist radicalism among young Mauritian Muslims, read Trouble in Paradise: Mauritius Tries to Ward Off Islamist Radicalization for FREE with your subscription to World Politics Review.
Islamist Radicalism Returns to Southeast Asia
While radicalization in Mauritius is mainly the product of a homegrown network founded by a single individual, the threat in Southeast Asia has its roots in the rise of the Islamic State in the Middle East. After a steady decline in Islamist radicalism in Southeast Asia over the past decade, during which the region shed its post-9/11 image as a possible second front for al-Qaida, the rise of the self-declared Islamic State (IS) has some governments fearing a new threat. In response, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore in particular are acting individually, bilaterally and regionally to stem recruitment, radicalization and the flow of foreign fighters.
Over 500 young Southeast Asians are returning home after fighting for IS. Given that over 40 percent of the population of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is Muslim, countries with sizable Muslim populations are worried that some of their citizens will grow to sympathize with IS and perhaps carry out attacks at home.
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