One country that is having some success in combating Islamic terrorism is Indonesia. Much of this progress is due to a former terrorist, Nasir Abas, who changed sides. 60 Minutes profiled him last Sunday and his story illustrates the point that the ultimate solution to the problem of Islamic terror comes not from military action, increased security, or changes in American foreign policy but rather from the struggle between moderates and radicals to define the meaning of Islam.

For Nasir Abas the impetus for change came in 2000 with a fatwa issued by Osama Bin Laden who is quoted by reporter Bob Simon as commanding that "It should be understood that killing Americans and Jews anywhere found are the highest act of worship and the highest form of good deeds in the eyes of Allah," However, Abas had been taught that murdering innocent civilians had nothing to do with holy war and was in fact prohibited. He therefore became an asset in the struggle against terrorism for religious reasons.

Abas now believes that educational settings are the most important battlegrounds and as CBS tells us“he is at the heart of the government’s de-radicalization program, which is all about persuasion, talking to university students, combating the dogma taught in religious schools, and most important, trying to turn terrorists in the prisons.”

Cross posted on The Trebach Report

Sudha Shenoy - 5/9/2007

The conflict over the 'correct' interpretation of Islam long predates the American awareness of this conflict. Islam is far, far older than US foreign policy of the early 21st century.

For instance: There was a civil war in western Sumatra in the early 19th century, between Wahhabi converts & local Muslim rulers. The Wahhabis wanted to introduce tribal Arab dress & customs; they condemned local customs (matrilineal) & leisure activities (cockfighting, opium smoking) as unIslamic. The Muslim rulers eventually won, but only after they enlisted the Dutch on their side. -- There are innumerable other instances of such conflict throughout Islamic history.