Dr. Umesh Sharma, Psychologist: Suicide Bombing or carrying corona virus in body is neither mindless nor senseless but only a very different mind-set. They die happily in the conviction that his death was a step towards the ultimatetriumph. Suicidal explosion on 14 February 2019, a convoy of vehicles carrying security personnel in Pulwama on the Jammu Srinagar, National Highway or Markatparticpants who spread all over India are the result of a long process of radicalization.
The transition into becoming a silent or active terrorist is rarely sudden and abrupt. A committer of violent extremism goes through several phases until he or she becomes determined to be a Mujahid or “fighter” and carries out an attack or spread virus. There are five phases one goes through before committing a deadly violent act. Each stage takes time, depending on a person’s level of contact to a violent dogma.
At first stage the feeling that most people have in common is one of suffering injustice. In the context of “Islamic terrorism”, they feel the international system oppresses Muslims. They often refer to Palestinian oppression by Israel,Rohingya Muslims being persecuted in Myanmar, and Kashmiri Muslim in Kashmir in particular and in India in general. Justifying this attack on the basis of provocations that Indian army are raping our women, killing our children. We will take revenge and also encouragechildren to support the attacks by pelting stones on corona warriors like doctors, nurses, police man and possible become bombers themselves. “You Muslims are sitting in your houses, watching whatever is happening here to your Muslim brothers in Kashmir. We want to be martyrs for Allah.”
Those who wish to find the perpetrators of the injustice enter the second phase.
In the third phase they try to find who’s behind the oppression of Muslims. Currently, they blame India, United States ,Spain and the democratic system. Therefore terrorist groups often target India and American interests and denounce the democratic system and call the state a demonic government. Therefore, they see law enforcers such as the army, police as enemies.
In the fourth phase, they start to agree to resist using all means, including suicide bombings or explosion. People who agree with what terrorist groups do may be in this stage.
In the fifth and final phase, they start to prepare to attack. Extremists deem the preparations (idad) before the attack (amaliyat) part of jihad, or holy battle. They do by preparing bombs, putting on the suicide bomb belt or fixing RDX in the vehicle and approaching the targets and detonate the bombs.
The seeds of extreme ideology are sown from a young age and it’s not an instant brainwashing process.Many of the motivating factors, such as revenge, religion and financial reward, can be strong, but normally not strong enough to induce a person to kill at the sacrifice of their own lives,Radicalization is a process through which people become increasingly motivated to use violent means. The individual, group and society level play a role in a process of radicalization and de-radicalization. Every extremist group is characterized by a strong sense of in-group identity and hatred towards out-group, which is held as responsible for the grievance of the in-group and as such is perceived as a legitimate target of violent attacks in order to achieve societal , political and religious changes. Importantly, people are able to resist the temptations of a radical ideology to the extent that they have a strong shield of resilience.Being part of a collectivist cause has always been a hallmark of people willing to undergo personal sacrifices.In a more global sense, a fear of cultural annihilation may help fuel terrorist sentiments.
De-radicalization: Now the question is how to soften the hearts and minds of terrorist. It can be at three levels:
- Intellectual: often involving moderate Muslim clerics who hold dialogues with youth about the Qu’ran’s true teachings on violence and jihad.
- Emotional:involving parents(mother)thatdefuses anger and frustration by showing authentic concern for their families.
- Social: that addresses the reality that they often re-enter societies that may rekindle their radical beliefs. Involving former militants who are now law-abiding.
Some of these efforts may show results. This requires a movement by religious and political leader in India at a very large scale.
