3. Pathways to home-grown jihadism in the Netherlands: The Hofstadgroup, 2002–2005
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Bart Schuurman
Abstract
Terrorist violence continues to be a prime security concern for nations across the globe. Underpinning the many different attempts to detect, prevent, and respond to this threat are assumptions about what drives individuals to become involved in terrorism. In a field beset by a long-standing scarcity of firsthand information on terrorists, gaining a detailed understanding of such motives continues to prove difficult. This chapter makes its own modest contribution to greater clarity on this issue. It does so by using a variety of primary sources to reconstruct how and why involvement in the home-grown jihadist ‘Hofstadgroup’ occurred. This group was active in the Netherlands between 2002 and 2005 and gained notoriety after one of its participants murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh in November 2004. Although an older case, its similarities to many contemporary jihadist groups and individuals allow useful insights to be drawn from it. Principally, the author argues for moving beyond the ‘radicalization’ concept and its problematic emphasis on linking radical beliefs to violent behaviour.
Abstract
Terrorist violence continues to be a prime security concern for nations across the globe. Underpinning the many different attempts to detect, prevent, and respond to this threat are assumptions about what drives individuals to become involved in terrorism. In a field beset by a long-standing scarcity of firsthand information on terrorists, gaining a detailed understanding of such motives continues to prove difficult. This chapter makes its own modest contribution to greater clarity on this issue. It does so by using a variety of primary sources to reconstruct how and why involvement in the home-grown jihadist ‘Hofstadgroup’ occurred. This group was active in the Netherlands between 2002 and 2005 and gained notoriety after one of its participants murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh in November 2004. Although an older case, its similarities to many contemporary jihadist groups and individuals allow useful insights to be drawn from it. Principally, the author argues for moving beyond the ‘radicalization’ concept and its problematic emphasis on linking radical beliefs to violent behaviour.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- 1. Introduction: Biographies of radicalization–hidden messages of social change 1
- 2. ‘The heavens have already burned’: Reflections on radicalism 15
- 3. Pathways to home-grown jihadism in the Netherlands: The Hofstadgroup, 2002–2005 25
- 4. How Muhammad al-Wali developed a radical definition of the unbeliever 39
- 5. The jihad of Sheikh Ahmet Ismael Bichara in Kouno: An example of an outbreak of extremism based on religion 51
- 6. Ruben Um Nyobe: Camerounian maquis, radical, and liberator, ca 1948–1958 65
- 7. ‘It’s the way we are moulded’ 85
- 8. Radicalization processes and trajectories in western Chad 103
- 9. Radicalization in northern Nigeria: Stories from Boko Haram 114
- 10. A rebel youth? Social media, charismatic leadership, and ‘radicalized’ youth in the 2015 Biafra protests 134
- 11. Hamadoun Koufa: Spearhead of radicalism in central Mali 152
- 12. Central Mali: Toward a Fulani question? 174
- 13. Central African refugee Mbororo nomads in Cameroon: Cultural hostages? 194
- 14. Islam and radicalization in Senegal: A response in female preaching 216
- 15. Legacies of political resistance in Congo-Brazzaville 230
- 16. ‘Give the Youth a Voice’: A reflection on the Rencontres V4T@Dakar, 15–18 November 2017 244
- List of Authors 256
- List of Abbreviations VII
- Acknowledgements IX
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Table of Contents V
- 1. Introduction: Biographies of radicalization–hidden messages of social change 1
- 2. ‘The heavens have already burned’: Reflections on radicalism 15
- 3. Pathways to home-grown jihadism in the Netherlands: The Hofstadgroup, 2002–2005 25
- 4. How Muhammad al-Wali developed a radical definition of the unbeliever 39
- 5. The jihad of Sheikh Ahmet Ismael Bichara in Kouno: An example of an outbreak of extremism based on religion 51
- 6. Ruben Um Nyobe: Camerounian maquis, radical, and liberator, ca 1948–1958 65
- 7. ‘It’s the way we are moulded’ 85
- 8. Radicalization processes and trajectories in western Chad 103
- 9. Radicalization in northern Nigeria: Stories from Boko Haram 114
- 10. A rebel youth? Social media, charismatic leadership, and ‘radicalized’ youth in the 2015 Biafra protests 134
- 11. Hamadoun Koufa: Spearhead of radicalism in central Mali 152
- 12. Central Mali: Toward a Fulani question? 174
- 13. Central African refugee Mbororo nomads in Cameroon: Cultural hostages? 194
- 14. Islam and radicalization in Senegal: A response in female preaching 216
- 15. Legacies of political resistance in Congo-Brazzaville 230
- 16. ‘Give the Youth a Voice’: A reflection on the Rencontres V4T@Dakar, 15–18 November 2017 244
- List of Authors 256
- List of Abbreviations VII
- Acknowledgements IX
