The Truth About Terrorists

Responding to the political and religious ideology of al Qaeda and affiliates such as al Shabaab, splinter groups and their ideological fellow travellers seek to increase their appeal to potential recruits and supporters, civil society, state funders and the general public. Their terrorist violence aims for behaviour modification of targeted groups, states and other audiences, while their propaganda has the same aim. Both their violent acts and their online and offline communications are bound by a global political-religious ideology that is dynamically amended to suit local realities.

Al Shabaab has taken the global narrative and adjusted it to fit audiences in Kenya. Below, we outline their claims and respond showing why they are wrong, doomed to failure and offensive to all freedom and progress-loving peoples. 

These groups weaponise and misuse Islam, especially the fundamental theological concepts of Ummah, Sharia, Caliphate and Jihad, which they recruit into their ideological weaponry as follows:

1. Division, Absoluteness, Supremacism & Exclusivity (Misuse of Ummah)

2. Rejection of the Kenyan State, nation-states & the UN (Misuse of Khilafah)

3. Forced Islamisation of Kenya (Misuse of Shariah)

4. Murder, Barbarity and Terrorism justified by perverting religion (Misuse of Jihad)

O believers! Fulfil your covenants. – Qur’an 5:1

Whoever kills a person under covenant [i.e. with whom they have a treaty] will never smell the perfume of Paradise.

Establish prayer, give alms, shun evil and live wherever you wish in the land of your people. The land belongs to God; people are servants of God: so wherever you find goodness, settle there!

– The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him (571-632 CE)

NCTC

Call for Proposals: 2023 Stories on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the Local Level in Western Kenya

Champions of Peace-Kenya (CoP-K) , a Grass-root Non-Governmental Organization with presence in 14 counties in Kenya whose vision is to ensure Stable, Peaceful and Secure Communities. CoP-K works with Families, Communities, Government, Corporate entities and Non-State Actors in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism as well Peace Building efforts in ensuring the Country remains Stable, Peaceful and Secure.

Champions of Peace-Kenya through the coordination of National Counter Terrorism (NCTC) is inviting journalists and media practitioners in western Kenya to submit story ideas for grants of up to Sh30,000; Sh20,000 and Sh10,000 for positions 1-3 respectively in each thematic area listed below.

Thematic areas:

  1. Importance of police and community relationships in preventing and countering violent extremism.
  2. Leveraging on existing partnerships between civil society and religious organizations at the two levels of government to prevent and counter violent extremism.
  3. The place of drama and performing arts in preventing and countering violent extremism.
  4. The role of the education sector in preventing and countering violent extremism.
  5.  Citizen vigilance and reporting in preventing and countering violent extremism.

Eligibility : The grant is open to accredited journalists who present a story idea in a synopsis of not more than 700 words.

Award Criteria:  Grant award will be determined by the uniqueness and strength of the story idea highlighting why it matters and its potential impact to preventing and countering violent extremism. The proposal should also explain how the article differs from those already published on the same subject.

Grant: The grant amounts are from Sh10,000 to Sh30,000 based on ranking in each thematic area.

Grant Application Deadline: All applications MUST be submitted to info@cop-k.org by close of business on Friday, 17th February  2023.

Grant Indemnity: Kindly note that the decision of the proposal caller shall be final. Each Applicant is limited to one category

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