INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Image copyrightGetty ImagesThe Islamic State group (IS) has lost its short-lived caliphate in the Middle East, with hundreds - possibly
thousands - of would-be international jihadists stuck in limbo, and tempted to return home despite fears of arrest and imprisonment
Yet the scourge of violent jihad - where extremists attack those they perceive to be enemies of Islam - has not gone away
The hotel attack in Nairobi two weeks ago by the al-Qaeda-affiliated militant group al-Shabab was an uncomfortable reminder
Large swathes of north-west Africa are now vulnerable to attack by marauding jihadists
Somalia, Yemen and Afghanistan remain ideal refuges for jihadists
So just what is the enduring appeal of violent jihad for certain people around the world Peer pressureThe decision to leave behind a normal,
law-abiding life, often abandoning family and loved ones to embark on what is frequently a short, dangerous career is a personal one
Jihadist recruiters will play on the notion of victimhood, sacrifice and rallying to a higher cause in the name of religion
For nearly 20 years now the internet has been awash with gruesome propaganda videos, some portraying the collective suffering of Muslims in
various parts of the world, others depicting revenge attacks and punishments inflicted on perceived enemies
The first is intended to arouse sympathy and even shame, that the viewer should be watching comfortably at home on his or her laptop while
"your brothers and sisters are being murdered" - in say, Syria, Chechnya or the Palestinian Territories
Image:Last September the TheIndianSubcontinent spoke to two British extremists who have lived and fought in Syria for yearsThe revenge
videos appeal particularly to those of a sadistic nature, often attracting those with a violent criminal record.Peer pressure can be the
trigger that tips an individual over from being simply angry about events in the world to taking violent action
In Jordan I interviewed a convict in prison who had been persuaded by his best friend from school to come and join him in Syria with IS
He did, then regretted it, escaped back to Jordan and was then sentenced to five years in prison
Those who are especially vulnerable to recruitment are young men and women who have grown apart from their families or their societies
For them, belonging to a secret, illegal organisation that appears to value them can be an attractive alternative
Even if it ends with them being told to strap on a suicide vest and blow themselves up in a market place
Bad or absent governanceThere is a reason why the Middle East has long been a primary source of global jihadism
Corrupt, undemocratic and often oppressive regimes tend to drive peaceful political dissent underground
In the early 21st Century Syria has been the most glaring example of this
After nearly eight years of civil war, with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad largely victorious against the rebels, the vast numbers of
citizens who have disappeared into his jails provide a source of recruitment for extremist groups.In Iraq, a country turned upside-down by
the ill-fated US-led invasion of 2003, secular discrimination has played a major part in the rise of al-Qaida and then IS
For eight years the oppression of the Sunni minority by the Shia-led government was so profound that IS (a Sunni militancy) was able to
present itself as "the protector of Iraq's Sunnis" and easily take over much of the country
It is widely predicted that IS will look to exploit any future grievances
Yemen, Afghanistan, Somalia and the Sahel (Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania) all contain large areas of ungoverned or
conflict-riven space where jihadists have been able to recruit, train and plan attacks
In Afghanistan billions of dollars in international aid have failed to deliver the level of governance needed to stem the Taliban-led
Corruption is endemic and the police are seen by many as untrustworthy
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Some people turn to extremism in areas where basic governance, such as food
availability, fail
The International Crisis Group (ICG) says state institutions there are so fragile, they are unable to
"deliver basic services to the majority of the population"
In remote, rural areas many Afghans prefer the draconian justice and rule meted out by the Taliban to that of the government.Desperate
poverty, lack of employment opportunities and poor or absent governance have all combined to make the Sahel countries bordering the Sahara
fertile ground for jihadist groups
Many recruits join up, not out of ideology, but simply because they see it as the only alternative to destitution.Religious dutyRecruiters
for al-Qaida, IS, the Taliban and others have long been able to exploit religious obedience to draw young men and women into their ranks
Extremism expert Dr Erin Saltman says extremist groups often promote "a narrative of struggle, heroic sacrifice and spiritual obligation in
order to establish legitimacy and connect with potential recruits".It is notable that after al-Shabab carried out its attack on the Nairobi
hotel it gave as its justification the decision by President Trump to move the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the third
most sacred site in Islam after Mecca and Medina
Image copyrightReutersImage caption
More than 20 people were killed in the Nairobi attack on 15 January
Jerusalem has been an emotional touchstone for many people in the Middle East and al-Shabab may be trying to broaden its appeal beyond
The ideology behind violent jihad is likely to endure for some time yet, even though it is not shared by the vast majority of peaceful
Al-Qaeda has survived the death of Osama Bin Laden and still has its regional franchises in Asia and Africa
IS still has its followers, including in the UK, although since it is now deprived of a physical space to call its caliphate it may well
struggle to attract recruits in such numbers
On a global scale, containing and reducing violent jihad will require more than just good intelligence and police work
It will require far better and fairer governance, removing the drivers that spur people towards the violence that ruins so many lives.
