Even after 9/11, US failed to fully gauge impact of radical Islam eating into vitals of its social fabric, posing an existential threat
Vinod Kumar Shukla
Come September 11, global communities vividly recall Islamic terrorists attack on World Trade Centre (WTC) and Pentagon in US which claimed around 3000 lives.
Almost the entire world in some way or other is a victim of Islamist terrorism. But, instead of dealing with the menace with an iron fist, it is being justified in many ways by narratives that stand to scrutiny.
Bharat is a victim of such offense for decades in continuum and has been subjected to propaganda warfare. When Bharat was suffering from wounds inflicted by Islamist terrorists, the global community either went deaf or bracketed Bharat with perpetrator of terror ideology.
But then the western folly got thoroughly exposed after 9/11 happened in which Twin Tower of WTC was attacked by Al Qaida terrorists and sane elements world over sat up in disbelief.
But as always, instead of applying balm on wounds, Islamists rubbed salt by proposing to build Islamic Community Centre (ICC) comprising a mosque close to Ground Zero where the Twin Towers stood before Al Qaida terrorists turned them into dust.
This proposal was backed with contentions that it would help boost interfaith relations. Our western friends were not ready to say no to a mosque.
With no scope for ambiguity, one section from Islamists harmed the society and damaged social fabric by violent means while another came up with shallow, shameless and pompous displays of hyperbolic goals like peace, unity and promoting interfaith dialogue.
Interestingly, when some expressed their reservations on the mosque proposal, they were branded communal, Islamophobic and their action as undemocratic and against plural ethos.
ICC project was initially christened Cordoba House that was inspired by victory of Islamists over Spaniard Christians resulting in conversion of Cordoba church into a mosque. But, later the project was renamed as Park51 in reference to the street address on Park Place. Attempt to name the project as Cordoba was an attempt to fathom resentment or anger it could generate.
What this signifies is that Islamic world will not easily forget a mosque even if it was repurposed. They want to keep it alive in the minds of people. In Bharat, many such radicals say that when they gain majority, a mosque may replace Ram Temple in Ayodhya whose pran pratishta happened in January this year. They have not come to terms with it and say it will be remembered till doomsday.Mohammad Iqbal’s interesting poem on Cordoba Mosque bemoans the waning of Islam in Europe.
When the idea of ICC was floated, a section in the US decried it as an attempt to insult victims of jihadist terrorists attack. It’s rather repulsive to even think of naming the peace project that signifies Islamic conquest and consolidation. Voices from all across started coming in that Americans must realize mosques are not Islamic counterparts to Christian churches rather symbols of domination and centres of radicalization.
Opposition to the project was associated with belief that Islamists build mosques on conquered territory. Several such illegal occupations in Bharat where over 40,000 temples, from Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi, Dhar to innumerable others were replaced with mosques during Islamic conquests. Dispute over Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and Hagia Sophia cathedral in Turkey still persist as they too were converted into mosques from shrines of other faiths.
Talking about Cordoba House was win-win situation for Islamists. If their proposal was to be accepted, it would be an everyday humiliation and if not the propaganda of Islamophobia were to be pedalled. The building itself would serve as a ‘victory memorial’ to Islamists.
Moreover, its proximity to 9/11 attack site, its scale and sources of funding and proposed name were intended as reference to eighth century Umayyad conquest of Córdoba. Then there was a very interesting argument that Islamic radicals were responsible for 9/11 not the Islam, if so then what was the need for any interfaith dialogue. There were sermons that argued in support of Cordoba Project which would give opportunity to Muslims to demonstrate peaceful Islamic values and for Americans to reassert their commitment to tolerance and diversity. The property acquired for the purpose was reportedly paid in cash to build a condominium complex but Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf (Egyptian-American Maulana) convinced the property owner for ICC with a prayer space.
For proponents of interfaith dialogue, Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Shahi Idgah in Mathura and Gyanvapi Jyotirlinga in Varanasi are non-negotiable. Hagia Sophia, a Christian cathedral, has been turned into a mosque after being museum till recently. Apparently, to buy peace for Hindus, even Supreme Court of India granted five acres of land to Muslims for a mosque in Ayodhya despite every effort made to claim the original land of Ram Janmabhoomi. It was proved beyond arguments that the disputed structure was erected at birthplace of Bhagwan Ram. Muslims claimed that the mosque was martyred and for them it would always remain a mosque. Now in Ayodhya, there is a magnificent Ram Temple and a mosque would come up in the name of Prophet in a Hindu Holy city.
To execute their plans, they work on three-pronged strategy where a section of radicals would perpetuate violent attacks; second chunk would come up with weird ideas like Islamic Community Centre close to such as 9/11 Ground Zero and third group playing victimhood citing various attacks on second largest global majority with 180 billion followers citing Islamophobia.
Bharat offers itself as case study to understand their phenomenon of attack and simultaneously portraying the attacker as victim; Jammu and Kashmir is suffering since 1989 when three CRPF personnel were killed in July. First political killing in August was when Tika Lal Taploo, the first Kashmiri Hindu killed in September this year. Girija Tickoo was chopped into two pieces with an electric saw while she was still alive. Calls were made from mosques in the Valley for Kashmiri Hindus — Raliv, Galiv ya Chaliv which means convert, die or leave but no one came to their rescue. These hindus were forced to live in refugee camps in their own country.
How does the propaganda machinery work? US was so ruthless on terrorism after 9/11 that Indian Bollywood producers under global influence had to invest huge resources to set the narrative with a film called “My Name is Khan” which has very famous line, “My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist”. This is how the case of victimhood is played out.
One of the most horrific but recent global terrorist attacks happened on October 7, 2023 when Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis and terrorists were still holding hostage over 100 men, women, and children in their captivity. They were killing one by one brutally and the Western media was reporting as if a hostage died not butchered. The social media narrative, ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ was predominant but none talked about people in captivity of Islamist terrorists.
The fall out of Islamic terrorism is not just mass killing of innocent people but its aftermath is even more horrific. The entire society has to grapple with such terrorist activities and radicalised society because the impact of the incident on emergency responders was reported to be profound. Hundreds of firefighters from New York City Fire Department (FDNY) died in September 11 incident. They had suffered from conditions linked to toxic contaminants and trauma of attacks.
WTC Health Program documented that nearly 80,000 people have been diagnosed with health issues resulting from exposure to the dust, debris, and emotional trauma of 9/11. A terrorist act has snatched away from victims the dignified last rite as the process of identifying remains of victims has been complex and extensive. Approximately 40 per cent of the victims i.e., about 1,103 people still remain unidentified. The effort to identify victims remains the largest and most complex forensic investigation in US history. The problem is that unless terrorist attacks are criticised lock, stock and barrel from the community itself and a check is made, it is here to flourish with no dearth of funds and radicalised manpower.
The victimhood narrative which is frequently used by attackers, conceals genuine nature of conflict and that is what Islamophobia is. These stories, examples and data are not isolated events; they serve as valuable lessons for communities and governments seeking genuine peace.
What begins as physical acts of hostility quickly evolves into a planned play of victimization, altering public perception. This skilfully crafted propaganda helps to deflect blame and obfuscate the facts of violence. For a peaceful community to maintain its peace, it must understand these methods and respond with clarity, alertness, and an uncompromising dedication to truth above distorted stories.
(Author is a senior journalist and associated with Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies, a non-partisan think-tank based in New Delhi)
CIHS - Centre for Integrated and Holistic Studies 