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| 31-Jul-2010 15:51 |
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Is the Internet really the root cause? The seeds of radicalisation are sown offline, and that’s where counter-measures should focus Mohamed Abdul Saddiq O The common thread in the radicalisation of Muhammad Fadil and others such as Abdul Basheer Abdul Kader, Muhammad Zamri Abdullah and Maksham Mohd Shah before him who were detained under the ISA was the exposure and desire to address “injustices” towards Muslims in places such as Palestine, Chechnya, Afghanistan and Iraq through armed jihad. The two key questions that remain unanswered are: What role did the Internet play and what threat did these individuals pose to Singapore? It seemed that their desire for action was directed at overseas conflicts and theatres. However, the identification of individuals who were willing to fight overseas is the most powerful indicator that radicalisation is metastasising. As was seen in the United Kingdom, once a national demonstrates a desire to go abroad and fight, it may be only a matter of time before this radicalised individual considers conducting operations domestically. As such, it is important to stem radicalisation before it gets to this stage. Thus, while Singapore has at least a moral obligation to prevent terrorism from occurring anywhere if it can, there is a perception of a looming direct threat to Singapore, demonstrated by the continuing threat of radicalisation. Given the lack of a direct threat to life and property in Singapore, some may argue that the detention was an overreaction on the part of the authorities. However, from a security standpoint, it seems that it is always better to overcompensate on safety than fall short. The most important open question is this: Why does radicalisation still occur, given all the laudable counter radicalisation efforts and community engagement efforts? n April 4, Muhammad Fadil Abdul Hamid, a 20-year old Full-time National Serviceman in the Singapore Armed Forces, was detained for two years under Singapore’s Internal Security Act (ISA).MERELY REINFORCEMENT According to media reports and statements by the authorities, Fadil’s self-radicalisation was a result of his fervent search on the Internet for jihadist propaganda and videos. The threat of online radicalisation is taken as a given. But does the Internet serve as a cause or merely an accelerant for radicalisation? The emphasis on the concept of online radicalisation ostensibly removes the agency of individuals to make judgments independently, but instead casts them as mindless automatons readily susceptible to the unparalleled horrors that the Internet seems to pose. The apparent pervasiveness of websites espousing jihadist views, as hostile and aggressive as they appear, ultimately does not explain the radicalisation of an individual. Jihadist websites and the extreme rhetoric contained therein may be notable for spreading propaganda that aim to cast aspersions on Western hegemony, but they are not the engine of radicalisation. Rarely, if ever, do people alter their views after exposure to radical websites; more often than not, they tend to seek out information which serves to reinforce their original views. This is, arguably, why cases such as Fadil’s remain the exception rather than the norm, since the majority of Muslims are not of radical leanings and would not seek radical websites or pay any heed to such sites if they chance upon it while browsing the Internet. Some experts see Internet forums as more damaging than “passive websites” since people actually bounce ideas off each other, creating an “echo chamber” effect. This gives the illusion of strength in numbers as an affirmation of a radicalised individual’s beliefs. It remains unknown whether Fadil’s reported “contact with Awlaki” meant communication with the United States-born Anwar al Awlaki or exposure to Awlaki’s materials or videos. The former could have expedited Fadil’s radical fervour, but he arguably would not have gone searching for Awlaki if he had not had a radical bias in the first place. As mentioned, Fadil and the three detained before him were “outraged” by the apparent injustices suffered by fellow Muslims in conflict areas such as Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan among others. This anger is one of the major ingredients in the process of radicalisation — it is a sort of powder keg that begins offline. This powder keg may be ignited if this anger resonates with personal experiences, and be amplified by radical ideologies (as individuals) which could be reinforced through participation in a group such as an online forum. There is also the danger of confirmation bias. It was revealed that Fadil searched the Internet for jihadist propaganda and videos and was influenced by the ideas of radical Muslim clerics such as Awlaki. While there is undoubtedly a correlation between his Internet activity and his radicalisation, no causal connection has so far been found. SEED S OF RESISTANCE The distinction is important, because claiming a causal link leads to policy solutions. If the policy solutions fail to address the causes of radicalisation, they may misallocate counter-radicalisation resources. Following the announcement of the detentions, there were calls for stricter punitive legislative measures against online religious extremists and racial chauvinists. Such measures are, arguably, useful only on a superficial level as only the symptoms, not the cause, are being tackled. To address the root cause of the issue, other observers call for an increase in counter-ideology/narrative websites to compete with the already wildly proliferating radical Islamist materials. However, this would have limited success given the tendency for users to gravitate towards sites that conform to their original bias. Rather than online, these “counterideology” debates and dialogues should be propagated offline in a more prominent way, perhaps in open debates where the community at large can be educated. Instead of shielding the young and the community at large from radical ideology — which is at best a stop-gap measure in the vast World Wide Web — parents, religious and community leaders should discuss openly with their children and youth, much like how sexual education is now being approached, and thoroughly debunk these radical ideologies. The idea is to plant seeds of resistance offline against radical materials online and not let them make up their minds only after coming across such materials. The traditional media should also be utilised to constantly spread such counternarratives. The emphasis in countering radical ideas should therefore not only focus on online measures; it must begin offline — where the seeds of radicalisation are sown. The writer is a Research Analyst with the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University. |
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:40 |
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All the while i thought Radical is a good word. nOw it sEEms Radicalization is a "CRiME" ? ? ? ? Definitions of Radicalization on the Web:
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:27 |
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BP CEO: I'm a 'villain for doing the right thing' |
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:26 |
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Photographying Floods can be risky too
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A snip in time ... Letter from Simon Longman Director (Streetscape), National Parks Board WE REFER to Mr Tan’s letter, “To prevent more tree tragedies ...” (July 29). We are aware that recent incidences of fallen trees due to intense weather conditions can raise concerns about our tree care programmes. We want to assure the public that there is a structured approach to our tree care programmes, and these are continually reviewed to take into account the dynamic weather patterns. Trees are inspected regularly. Where necessary, the latest technology is used in such inspections to detect internal defects. If any is detected, we will carry out the appropriate treatment, which may include pruning the tree or even removing it if required. Inspection details are recorded in a computerised database, which enables us to identify trends and take preventive action s to minimise the risks of tree failure. Stringent programmes are in place for renewal of our roadside trees with hardy species. Regular tree pruning is also carried out to reduce the weight of foliage in the tree crown and improve stability. In the past two months, our staff and contractors have been stepping up tree inspection and pruning. In addition to our scheduled 15,000 tree inspections per month, we have inspected another 2,000 trees along expressways and major roads and done pruning to reduce the weight of their crowns. We will continue with this intensified maintenance regime. Our arborists are well-trained professionals. We benchmark our arboricultural expertise as a specialist skill against the best in the world, with 120 of our officers certified by the International Society of Arboriculture. In addition, there are another 170 certified arborists in Singapore, including those who are working for our contractors. We seek the public’s continued support as we are fully committed to our responsibility. Tree pruning, checks |
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:19 |
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:17 |
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:16 |
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Dow Jones Industrial Average
10465.94
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:09 |
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Bangladeshi police use batons to disperse protesters in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Friday, July 30 DHAKA, Bangladesh — Thousands of Bangladeshi garment workers took to the streets, burning cars and blocking traffic in the capital Dhaka on Friday to protest against a government-announced wage hike that fell far short of their demands. Police officers said security forces used tear gas and batons Friday to disperse the protesters in central Dhaka, where dozens of garment factories are located. The angry workers broke into shuttered buildings and set furniture on fire in the heart of Dhaka Friday, the BBC reported. Officers said several people were injured. The officers spoke on condition of anonymity, citing local briefing rules. After weeks of violent protests, Bangladesh nearly doubled the minimum monthly wage Thursday for millions of workers in the key export garment industry to 3,000 taka ($43) from 1,662 taka, but it fell far short of labor union demands of 5,000 taka. The increase will take effect on November 1, 2010. "We are rejecting what has been offered as increased wages because it is too inadequate to make ends meet," a worker told Reuters news agency. Bangladesh-based factories make clothes for international brands such JCPenney, Wal-Mart, H&M, Marks & Spencer, Zara and Carrefour. Garments are Bangladesh's biggest export, accounting for more than 80 percent of annual export earnings worth $16 billion as garment industry workers earn wages well below the poverty line. The garment sector is Bangladesh's second biggest employer after agriculture, with about 4,500 factories employing about 3.5 million workers, with many toiling in dangerous conditions. Dozens of workers were injured in clashes with police last month at protests over salaries and working conditions that disrupted production at several factories.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. |
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| 31-Jul-2010 15:05 |
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Swedish ex-police chief convicted of sex crimesSTOCKHOLM — A former Swedish police chief known for his lectures on gender equality and sexual harassment was convicted on Friday of rape and other sex crimes and sent to prison. In a case that shocked this Nordic nation, the court found Goran Lindberg, 64, guilty of "sadistic, sexual violence" for tying one of his victims to a bed before raping her. |
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| 31-Jul-2010 14:55 |
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BP CEO: I'm a 'villain for doing the right thing' |
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| 31-Jul-2010 14:52 |
Informatics
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Road to recovery in next 1-2 years
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| 31-Jul-2010 14:37 |
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DEATH PENALTY is 4 4 4 4 must nOt be DiScussed just EXECUTE |
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| 31-Jul-2010 14:35 |
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Shadrake won’t say he’s sorry Teo Xuanwei xuanwei@mediacorp.com.sg SINGAPORE But British author Alan Shadrake, whose recently-launched book discussing the death penalty in Singapore saw him fall afoul of the law, rejected Chief Counsel David Chong’s offer to him in the High Court on Friday. Mr Shadrake — the author of has vowed to fight all charges against him, even if it meant he could be jailed. He was arrested in his hotel room on July 18, a day after his book was launched. The Attorney-General’s Chambers alleged that Mr Shadrake’s book contained statements which called into question the impartiality, integrity and independence of the judiciary. Contempt of court offences are punishable by imprisonment and/or a fine. If charged and convicted of criminal defamation, he could be jailed for up to two years and/or fined. Seeking a one-month adjournment for the contempt of court hearing on Friday, Mr Shadrake’s lawyer, M Ravi, told the court he needed more time to prepare for the case. He added that he is seeking to obtain sworn affidavits from “various sources”, including the German and American government. Justice Quentin Loh granted Mr Shadrake two weeks to file his affidavit. Prosecutors will have one week to respond after that. The judge also told Mr Ravi he could apply to file more affidavits from other sources when he obtained them. Mr Shadrake, who is currently out on $10,000 police bail, is likely to return to court late next month. — Apologise to the Courts, and the contempt of court proceedings against him will be dropped.Once a Jolly Hangman: Singapore Justice in the Dock — |
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| 31-Jul-2010 14:14 |
Straits Times Index
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STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors
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CHEERS tO the pOOr ! BEST WAY to HELP the pOOr ? ? ? ? spIke the stI tO 3800 ? ? ? ? ALL the pOOr wIll be rIch ? ? ? ? |
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| 31-Jul-2010 14:10 |
Straits Times Index
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STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors
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An activist Government focused on helping the pOOr: Tharman Leong Wee Keat weekeat@mediacorp.com.sg SINGAPORE Instead, Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam felt activist states will be best equipped to tackle this issue. “Activist states which intervene with spirit to promote social mobility, especially amongst the pOOr, that promote opportunity for their people, that free up competition and that are able to sustain optimism in the future.” Speaking at the Economic Society of Singapore Annual Dinner — and on the topic of achieving inclusive growth — Mr Shanmugaratnam noted that growing income inequality has been a worldwide trend in the past two decades. Singapore, too, has not been spared. The Gini coefficient — a statistical measure of income inequality — has risen from 0.41 in 1990 to 0.48 currently, even with various Government assistance schemes to help the less well off. While the Government aims to increase median income by 30 per cent in real terms the next decade, Mr Shanmugaratnam said: “We are very serious in wanting to ensure that incomes for the bottom 20 per cent keep growing in real terms and it means providing opportunities across the board and investing in every Singaporean — their skills, their attitudes, their abilities to operate.” He outlined three strategies which the Government has undertaken and will continue to do. They are investing in education, making the labour market a safety net for workers and encouraging self-reliance among Singaporeans. Mr Shanmugaratnam said the Government will also look at further incentivising philanthropy and bringing wider community partners in to help build social cohesion. He added the Government would “keep evolving” and “avoid dogma” in its quest for inclusive growth. So, rather than merely focusing on social transfers, the Government will also look to improve Singaporeans’ skills and build up their assets that the market driven economy provides. “Not a small-minded government, but an activist Government — focused on helping the pOOr and building up their capability and assets, and always remaining pragmatic because we could never get it right for all time,” Mr Shanmugaratnam said.
We are very serious in wanting to ensure that incomes for the bottom 20 per cent keep growing in real terms (by) providing opportunities across the board and investing in every Singaporean. Finance Minister
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| 31-Jul-2010 13:16 |
Genting HK USD
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| 31-Jul-2010 13:11 |
Straits Times Index
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STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors
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| 31-Jul-2010 13:09 |
Straits Times Index
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STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors
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DBS is POLE-DANCiNG to SHAREHOLDERS and STi ? ? ? ?
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| 31-Jul-2010 13:06 |
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STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors
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mOre WRITE OFFs for DBS ? ? ? ? RECALL MM LEE's Banking Hint ? ? ? ? UOB to take over DBS and OCBC ? ? ? ? MERiTOCRACY WiNNER TAKES ALL
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| 30-Jul-2010 16:17 |
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STI to cross 3000 boosted by long-term investors
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