Islamic terrorism

== Tactics ==
{{Main|Tactics of terrorism}}

=== Suicide attacks ===
{{See also|Suicide attack}}

[[Hezbollah]] were the first to use suicide bombers in the Middle East.<ref name=":4" /> An increasingly popular tactic used by terrorists is suicide bombing.<ref>{{cite web|title= The_MIPT_Terrorism_Annual|url=http://www.tkb.org/documents/Downloads/2006-MIPT-Terrorism-Annual.pdf|publisher=tkb.org|access-date=6 February 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071129192403/http://www.tkb.org/documents/Downloads/2006-MIPT-Terrorism-Annual.pdf |archive-date = 29 November 2007}}</ref> This tactic is used against civilians, soldiers, and government officials of the regimes the terrorists oppose. A recent clerical ruling declares terrorism and suicide bombing as forbidden by Islam.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8544531.stm | work=BBC News | first=Dominic | last=Casciani | title=Muslim scholar condemns terrorism | date=2 March 2010}}</ref> However, groups who support its use often refer to such attacks as "[[Istishhad|martyrdom operations]]" and the suicide-bombers who commit them as "[[martyr]]s" (Arabic: shuhada, plural of "shahid"). The bombers, and their sympathizers often believe that suicide bombers, as martyrs ([[Shahid|shaheed]]) to the cause of jihad against the enemy, will receive the rewards of [[Jannah|paradise]] for their actions.

=== Hijackings ===
Islamic terrorism sometimes employs the hijacking of passenger vehicles. The most infamous were the [[September 11 attacks|"9/11"]] attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people on a single day in 2001, effectively ending the era of [[aircraft hijacking]].

=== Hostage taking, kidnappings and executions ===
{{Main|Beheading in Islamism}}
{{See also|Beheading video|ISIL beheading incidents}}

Along with bombings and hijackings, Islamic terrorists have made extensive use of highly publicised kidnappings and executions (i.e. ritualized murders), often circulating videos of the acts for use as propaganda. A frequent form of execution by these groups is [[decapitation]], another is shooting. In the 1980s, a [[Lebanon hostage crisis|series of abductions of American citizens]] by Hezbollah during the [[Lebanese Civil War]] resulted in the 1986 [[Iran–Contra affair]]. During the chaos of the [[Iraq War]], more than 200 kidnappings [[Foreign hostages in Iraq|foreign hostages]] (for various reasons and by various groups, including purely criminal) gained great international notoriety, even as the great majority (thousands) of victims were Iraqis. In 2007, the [[kidnapping of Alan Johnston]] by [[Army of Islam (Gaza Strip)|Army of Islam]] resulted in the British government meeting a Hamas member for the first time.
;Motivations
[[Islamism|Islamist]] militants, including [[Boko Haram]], [[Hamas]], [[al-Qaeda]] and the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIS]], have used [[kidnapping]] as a method of fundraising, as a means of bargaining for political concessions, and as a way of intimidating potential opponents.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Shay|first1=Shaul|title=Global Jihad and the Tactic of Terror Abduction: A Comprehensive Review of Islamic Terrorist Organizations|date=December 2013|publisher=Sussex Academic Press|isbn=978-1-84519-611-0}}</ref>

==== As political tactic ====
An example of political kidnapping occurred in September 2014, in the Philippines. The German Foreign Ministry reported that the Islamist militant group [[Abu Sayyaf]] had kidnapped two German nationals and was threatening to kill them unless the German government withdraw its support for the war against [[ISIS]] and also pay a large ransom.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thomas|first=Andrea|title=Germany Confirms Kidnapping of Two Citizens by Islamist Group in Philippines|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/germany-confirms-kidnapping-of-two-citizens-by-islamist-terror-group-1411564496|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=24 September 2014|access-date=7 October 2014|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In September 2014 an Islamist militant group kidnapped a French national in Algeria and threatened to kill the hostage unless the government of France withdrew its support for the war against ISIS.<ref>{{cite news|last=Willsher|first=Kim|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/22/algerian-islamists-threaten-to-execute-french-hostage-unless-france-halts-isis-attacks|title=Algerian Islamists threaten to execute hostage unless France halts Isis attacks|newspaper=The Guardian|date=23 September 2014|access-date=4 August 2016}}</ref>

===== Islamist self-justifications =====
According to the [[International Business Times]], in October 2014 the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL)]] released a five-point justification of its right to take non-Muslims hostage, and decapitate, ransom or enslave them.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Johnlee|first1=Varghese|title=ISIS Lists Out 5 Islamic Reasons to Justify Beheading Alan Henning and other Captives|url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/isis-lists-out-5-islamic-reasons-justify-beheading-alan-henning-other-captives-610585|access-date=13 October 2014|newspaper=International Business Times|date=6 October 2014}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=June 2022}} British Muslim cleric [[Anjem Choudary]] told [[The Clarion Project]] that kidnapping and even [[Beheading in Islamism|beheading]] hostages is justified by Islam.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Mauro|first1=Ryan|title=UK's Anjem Choudary Justifies Beheading of James Foley|url=http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/uks-anjem-choudary-justifies-beheading-james-foley|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903003801/http://www.clarionproject.org/analysis/uks-anjem-choudary-justifies-beheading-james-foley|archive-date=3 September 2014|access-date=4 February 2022|website=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

ISIL also published an article entitled, 'The revival (of) slavery before the Hour (of Judgement Day)', in its online magazine, "Dabiq", justifying its kidnapping of  [[Yazidi]] women and forcing them to become sex slaves or concubines:  "One should remember that enslaving the families of the kuffar—the infidels—and taking their women as concubines is a firmly established aspect of the Shariah, or Islamic law."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Abdelaziz|first1=Salma|title=ISIS states its justification for the enslavement of women|url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/12/world/meast/isis-justification-slavery/|access-date=13 October 2014|publisher=CNN|date=13 October 2014}}</ref>

[[Abubakar Shekau]], the leader of the Nigerian extremist group [[Boko Haram]], said in a 2014 interview claiming responsibility for the [[2014 Chibok kidnapping]] of 270+ schoolgirls, "Slavery is allowed in my religion, and I shall capture people and make them slaves".<ref name=CNNEssenceTerror>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/06/world/africa/nigeria-boko-haram-analysis/ |publisher=CNN |title=Boko Haram: The essence of terror |last=Lister |first=Tim |date=5 June 2015 |access-date=13 May 2014}}</ref>

==== Kidnapping as revenue ====
[[Nasir al-Wuhayshi]] leader of the [[Islamist]] militant group [[Al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula]] describes kidnapped hostages as "an easy spoil... which I may describe as a profitable trade and a precious treasure."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|last1=Callimachi|first1=Rukmini Maria|title=Paying Ransoms, Europe Bankrolls Qaeda Terror|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/30/world/africa/ransoming-citizens-europe-becomes-al-qaedas-patron.html|access-date=4 September 2014|newspaper=The New York Times|date=29 July 2014}}</ref>

A 2014 investigation, by journalist [[Rukmini Maria Callimachi]] published in ''[[The New York Times]]'' demonstrated that between 2008 and 2014, Al Qaeda and groups directly affiliated with al-Qaeda took in over US$125 million from kidnapping, with $66 million of that total paid in 2013 alone. The article showed that from a somewhat haphazard beginning in 2003, kidnapping grew into the group's main fundraising strategy, with targeted, professional kidnapping of civilians from wealthy European countries—principally France, Spain and Switzerland—willing to pay huge ransoms. US and UK nationals are less commonly targeted since these governments have shown an unwillingness to pay ransom.<ref name="nytimes1" />

[[Boko Haram]] kidnapped Europeans for the Ransom their governments would pay in the early 2010s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/boko-haram-the-chibok-abductions-and-nigerias-counterterrorism-strategy|title=Boko Haram, the Chibok Abductions and Nigeria's Counterterrorism Strategy|website=Combating Terrorism Center|publisher=West Point Military Academy|last1=Hill|first1=J.N.C.|date=30 July 2014|access-date=4 September 2014|archive-date=4 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904160609/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/boko-haram-the-chibok-abductions-and-nigerias-counterterrorism-strategy|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kington|first=Tom|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/11/nigerian-kidnappers-paid-part-of-ransom|title=Nigerian kidnappers 'received ransom downpayment'|newspaper=The Guardian|date=10 March 2012|access-date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140905003658/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/11/nigerian-kidnappers-paid-part-of-ransom|archive-date=5 September 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=BBCnigeria|title=Italian Abducted in Nigeria Freed|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18305746|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=BBC|date=1 June 2012}}</ref> For example, in the spring of 2013, Boko Haram kidnapped and within 2 months released a French family of 7 and 9 other hostages in exchange for a payment by the French government of $3.15 million.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Caulderwood|first1=Kathleen|title=Fake Charities, Drug Cartels, Ransom and Extortion: Where Islamist Group Boko Haram Gets Its Cash|url=http://www.ibtimes.com/fake-charities-drug-cartels-ransom-extortion-where-islamist-group-boko-haram-gets-its-cash-1585743|access-date=29 September 2014|newspaper=International Business Times|date=16 May 2014}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=June 2022}}

According to [[Yochi Dreazen]] writing in ''[[Foreign Policy]]'', although ISIS received funding from Qatar, Kuwait and other Gulf oil states, "traditional criminal techniques like kidnapping", are a key funding source for ISIS.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Dreazen|first=Yochi|author-link=Yochi Dreazen|url=http://complex.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/06/16/isis_uses_mafia_tactics_to_fund_its_own_operations_without_help_from_persian_gulf_d|title=ISIS Uses Mafia Tactics to Fund Its Own Operations Without Help From Persian Gulf Donors|magazine=Foreign Policy|access-date=4 September 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140617074156/http://complex.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2014/06/16/isis_uses_mafia_tactics_to_fund_its_own_operations_without_help_from_persian_gulf_d|archive-date=17 June 2014}}</ref> [[Armin Rosen]] writing in [[Business Insider]], kidnapping was a "crucial early source" of funds as ISIS expanded rapidly in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/isiss-history-of-hostage-taking-2014-8|title=ISIS Has Been Taking Foreign Hostages Since The Very Beginning – And Getting Paid For Them|date=20 August 2014|website=Business Insider|last1=Rosen|first1=Armin|access-date=4 September 2014}}</ref>  In March, upon receiving payment from the government of Spain, ISIS released 2 Spanish hostages working for the newspaper [[El Mundo (Spain)|El Mundo]], correspondent Javier Espinosa and photographer [[Ricardo Garcia Vilanova]], who had been held since September 2013.<ref>{{cite news|last1=BBCMarch|title=Syria crisis: Spanish journalists freed after ISIS kidnapping|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-26807207|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=BC|date=30 March 2014}}</ref> [[Philip Balboni]], CEO of [[GlobalPost]] told the press that he had spent "millions" in efforts to ransom journalist [[James Foley (journalist)|James Foley]], and an American official told the [[Associated Press]] that demand from ISIS was for 100 million ($132.5).<ref>{{cite news|last1=CBSNews|title=Multiple kidnappings for ransom funding ISIS, source says|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/multiple-kidnappings-for-ransom-funding-isis-source-says/|access-date=4 September 2014|publisher=CBS News|date=21 August 2014}}</ref>  In September 2014, following the release of ISIS [[Beheading video]]s of journalists James Foley and [[Steven Sotloff]], British Prime Minister [[David Cameron]] appealed to members of the [[G7]] to abide by their pledges not to pay ransom "in the case of terrorist kidnap".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Elliott |first1=Francis |title=European allies shamed over ransom payments |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/european-allies-shamed-over-ransom-payments-d66g7qg0rds |access-date=7 May 2021 |work=The Times |date=5 September 2014}}</ref>

Holding foreign journalists as hostages is so valuable to ISIS that Rami Jarrah, a Syrian who has acted as go-between in efforts to ransom foreign hostages, told the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' that ISIS had "made it known" to other militant groups that they "would pay" for kidnapped journalists.<ref name="autogenerated5">{{cite news|last1=Malas|first1=Nour|title=Hostage-Taking Central to Islamic State Strategy in Syria|url=https://online.wsj.com/articles/hostage-taking-central-to-islamic-state-strategy-in-syria-1408711183|access-date=4 September 2014|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=22 August 2014}}</ref> ISIS has also kidnapped foreign-aid workers and Syrians who work for foreign-funded groups and reconstruction projects in Syria.<ref name="autogenerated5" />  By mid-2014, ISIS was holding assets valued at US$2 billion.<ref>{{cite news|last=Chulov|first=Martin|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/15/iraq-isis-arrest-jihadists-wealth-power|title=Iraq arrest that exposed wealth and power of Isis jihadists|newspaper=The Guardian|date=16 June 2014|access-date=17 June 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140616091317/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jun/15/iraq-isis-arrest-jihadists-wealth-power|archive-date=16 June 2014}}</ref>

===== Kidnapping as psychological warfare =====
Boko Haram has been described as using kidnapping as a means of intimidating the civilian population into non-resistance.<ref name="ctc.usma.edu">{{cite journal|date=30 July 2014|title=Boko Haram, the Chibok Abductions and Nigeria's Counterterrorism Strategy|url=https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/boko-haram-the-chibok-abductions-and-nigerias-counterterrorism-strategy|journal=Combating Terrorism Center at West Point|last1=Hill|first1=Jonathan N.C.|access-date=4 September 2014|archive-date=4 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904160609/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/boko-haram-the-chibok-abductions-and-nigerias-counterterrorism-strategy|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Marina Lazreg 2009 p. 47">Marina Lazreg, "Consequences of Political Liberalisation and Sociocultural Mobilisation for Women in Algeria, Egypt and Jordan", in Anne-Marie Goetz, Governing Women: Women's Political Effectiveness in Contexts of Democratisation and Governance Reform (New York: Routledge/UNRISD, 2009), p. 47.</ref>

According to psychologist [[Irwin Mansdorf]], Hamas demonstrated effectiveness of kidnapping as a form of [[psychological warfare]] in the [[2006 Gaza cross-border raid|2006 capture]] of the Israeli soldier [[Gilad Shalit]] when public pressure forced the government of Israel to release 1027 prisoners, including 280 convicted of terrorism by Israel, in exchange for his release.<ref>{{cite news|first=Andreas|last=Gorzewski|url=http://www.dw.com/en/hamas-uses-kidnapping-as-a-strategic-tool/a-17799249|title=Hamas uses kidnapping as a strategic tool|publisher=Deutsche Welle|date=22 July 2014|access-date=4 August 2016}}</ref> According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', "Hamas has recognized the pull such incidents have over the Israeli psyche and clearly has moved to grab hostages in incidents such as the [[death and ransoming of Oron Shaul]]."<ref>{{cite news|last1=Kershner|first1=Isabel|author-link1=Isabel Kershner|author2=Jodi Rudoren|title=A Blast, a Fire and an Israeli Soldier Goes Missing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/23/world/middleeast/israel-gaza-conflict.html |work=The New York Times|date=22 July 2014|access-date=4 August 2016}}</ref>

=== Internet recruiting ===
{{Main|Terrorism and social media}}
In the beginning of the 21st century, emerged a worldwide network of hundreds of web sites that inspire, train, educate and recruit young Muslims to engage in jihad against the United States and other Western countries, taking less prominent roles in mosques and community centers that are under scrutiny.