THE Covid-19 pandemic has affected all of us in different ways, from the way we work to how we socialise. It has brought home to us the people and places that are important in our lives and forced us to rethink how we will live our future.
But while lockdown has taken its toll on us, separating us from friends and family, it has also had an impact on some vulnerable Muslims who have sought refuge in their religion – but instead found the propaganda of hate.
Sadly, but perhaps not surprisingly, Islamist extremists have used Covid-19 as a recruiting sergeant.
According to a recent Europol report, the EU’s law enforcement agency, mental health is an important issue in relation to terrorism and violent extremism.
It believes that, in addition to already radicalised Islamists, Covid-19 will have been another stress factor for potentially vulnerable individuals.
Europol notes that in 2020 there were 57 completed, failed and foiled terrorist attacks in the European Union, all committed by lone wolf perpetrators – in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
Searching online, extremists do seem to have become more active during the pandemic, taking advantage of lockdowns and isolation to influence receptive minds. There’s little doubt we are seeing increased effort by extremists to assert a radical version of Muslim identity and support extremist organisations such as ISIS.
Last year in the EU, terrorist attacks killed 21 people and some 450 people were arrested on suspicion of terrorism-related offences. Some of those Islamist attacks were motivated by, for example, the republication of Prophet Muhammad cartoons, and in response to growing Islamophobia.
Another contributing factor will be the recent EU court ruling on religious dress and its perceived targeting of Muslim women.
Europol also says the pandemic has contributed to right and left-wing extremism. Last year also saw left wing anarchist attacks, particularly in Italy which saw 24 such attacks.
Muslim leaders nationally and locally must do more to counter an agenda of hate and division.
I strongly believe much more should be done within Muslim communities to identify people who may have been badly affected by isolation and whose patterns of behaviour may have changed.
The mental health impact of the pandemic has left some people susceptible to radicalisation and, as Muslims, we must do everything we can to confront, refute and oppose all forms of extremism – and to identify and help those who may have been influenced.
What some misguided Muslims believe and what the Quran actually says are two different things. The Quran only speaks of tolerance and inclusion, never of violence, and we need those peaceful and powerful messages to be heard loud and clear, now more than ever.
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