In recent months, four separate terrorist attacks, two of which succeeded and two of which did not, have provided us with fascinating, although incomplete, insights into the dynamics of terror, recruitment and radicalisation.
In November, Major Nidal Hassan, a psychiatrist of Palestinian descent who was working for the US military, opened fire at the Fort Hood army base in Texas, killing 13 people. Hassan, who was slated to be deployed to Iraq, seems to have had only tenuous connections to either al Qa'eda central or a franchise. He was in touch with a fundamentalist Yemeni imam, Anwar al Awlaki, and had espoused radical views, but he had not received indoctrination or training abroad. Importantly, Hassan struggled with how to reconcile his views as a Muslim and his revulsion for the Iraq war with his duties as an American serviceman.
The question is whether he acted alone out of anger, perhaps after his imam or someone else planted the seeds, or whether he received prompting or even orders from an as-yet unknown party. His choice of targets is telling: the soldiers he attacked were also due to be deployed to Iraq and, in his mind, perpetuate the occupation there. In any case, Hassan is the best example of a terrorist "lone wolf" to date.
Then on Christmas Day, Umar Abdulmutallab, a young Nigerian man from an affluent family who had studied engineering in London, attempted to blow up an airplane carrying 290 people over Detroit. Fortunately, he proved incompetent. According to people who know him, he is religiously conservative and socially introverted but showed no sign of radicalisation until recently. Investigators and journalists are busy retracing his path and determining when, why and how he espoused radical views and who incited him to act. In fact, he had travelled to Yemen where he may also have contacted al Awlaki.
A week later, a Somali man who had gained asylum in Denmark broke into the apartment of Kurt Westergaard, a Danish cartoonist who drew one of the controversial depictions of the Prophet Mohammed three years ago. The would-be assassin, who was not named by Danish authorities, may claim he was fulfilling his religious duty, but he was not a freelancer. He has deep connections to the Al Shabaab movement, an al Qa'eda-linked Islamist group fighting the Somali government.
Then there is the case of Humam Abu Mulal al Balawi, the Jordanian doctor-cum-jihadi who blew himself up at a CIA station in Afghanistan in late December, killing seven US agents and his Jordanian handler. The man had served as a physician in Palestinian refugee camps, was outraged by the Israeli war on Gaza and had links to Arab militants who had fought the US military in Iraq. In a video broadcast after the attack, he claimed that he was conducting the operation to avenge the August 2009 killing of Baitullah Mehsud, a leader of the Pakistani Taliban, by a US air strike. Clearly, in al Balawi's mind, there was continuity between these theatres in the form of US aggression.
In fact, an unpleasant truth is that terrorism is often a reaction. A few years ago, the US political scientist Robert Pape published a study of hundreds of suicide attacks and concluded that most were conducted with the strategic intent of forcing the target - in this case combat forces operating in foreign countries - to withdraw. Pape made a direct link between occupation and martyrdom operations. In a way, Hassan and al Balawi fit that model, identifying with Muslim nations they perceived to be under occupation even if they were not citizens of those countries.
But Pape's framework leaves a lot unanswered about modern terror. In Abdulmutallab's case, did occupation really led to radicalisation? Hassan had few links to Palestine and none to Iraq, so does a sense of alienation not also explain his killing spree? Is al Qa'eda's agenda by nature defensive, or is it not also ambitious and expansive, as argues the French scholar Olivier Roy? And to what extent do religious justifications of terrorism, however outside the mainstream, facilitate the jump from anger to action?
The scholarly work on radicalisation and recruitment since the attacks of September 11, 2001 has produced fascinating findings, including exposing the flimsy correlation between poverty and terrorism. Terrorists often come from middle class backgrounds, and are often idealists who see themselves as acting for the greater good of the community or losers seeking a sense of purpose and belonging in radical groups or on the internet.
To be sure, these four men represent only a fraction of the terrorist spectrum as it stands today. Attacks happening daily in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere have perpetrators who won't achieve the same fame, and thus won't invite the same scrutiny. But for policymakers and security professionals, it is deeply troubling that, taken together, these men represent the new, globalised face of al Qa'eda.
Once believed to be decisively weakened, al Qa'eda has reinvented itself as a franchise that is diversifying its threats, establishing new bases in failing states and recruiting operatives who undergo radicalisation in Europe or the US, travel to these states for training and go back to create mayhem.
Unsurprisingly, the international response will range from stricter airport security to more drone attacks. But the past eight years have taught us that the most effective way to weaken al Qa'eda's appeal is a sustained counter-radicalisation strategy that undermines its storyline. Community outreach and co-operation with religious authorities to empower moderate Islam and emphasising extremists' crimes against civilians, mostly innocent Muslims, can discredit the romantic narrative of resistance and martyrdom.
@Email:ehokayem@thenational.ae
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Khalid%20Fahad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Shaima%20Al%20Tayeb%2C%20Wafa%20Muhamad%2C%20Hamss%20Bandar%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sour%20Grapes
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War
Director: Siddharth Anand
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor
Rating: Two out of five stars
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Hoopla%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMarch%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jacqueline%20Perrottet%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2010%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPre-seed%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20required%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%24500%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
BIOSAFETY LABS SECURITY LEVELS
Biosafety Level 1
The lowest safety level. These labs work with viruses that are minimal risk to humans.
Hand washing is required on entry and exit and potentially infectious material decontaminated with bleach before thrown away.
Must have a lock. Access limited. Lab does not need to be isolated from other buildings.
Used as teaching spaces.
Study microorganisms such as Staphylococcus which causes food poisoning.
Biosafety Level 2
These labs deal with pathogens that can be harmful to people and the environment such as Hepatitis, HIV and salmonella.
Working in Level 2 requires special training in handling pathogenic agents.
Extra safety and security precautions are taken in addition to those at Level 1
Biosafety Level 3
These labs contain material that can be lethal if inhaled. This includes SARS coronavirus, MERS, and yellow fever.
Significant extra precautions are taken with staff given specific immunisations when dealing with certain diseases.
Infectious material is examined in a biological safety cabinet.
Personnel must wear protective gowns that must be discarded or decontaminated after use.
Strict safety and handling procedures are in place. There must be double entrances to the building and they must contain self-closing doors to reduce risk of pathogen aerosols escaping.
Windows must be sealed. Air from must be filtered before it can be recirculated.
Biosafety Level 4
The highest level for biosafety precautions. Scientist work with highly dangerous diseases that have no vaccine or cure.
All material must be decontaminated.
Personnel must wear a positive pressure suit for protection. On leaving the lab this must pass through decontamination shower before they have a personal shower.
Entry is severely restricted to trained and authorised personnel. All entries are recorded.
Entrance must be via airlocks.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJustine%20Triet%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESandra%20Huller%2C%20Swann%20Arlaud%2C%20Milo%20Machado-Graner%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Haircare resolutions 2021
From Beirut and Amman to London and now Dubai, hairstylist George Massoud has seen the same mistakes made by customers all over the world. In the chair or at-home hair care, here are the resolutions he wishes his customers would make for the year ahead.
1. 'I will seek consultation from professionals'
You may know what you want, but are you sure it’s going to suit you? Haircare professionals can tell you what will work best with your skin tone, hair texture and lifestyle.
2. 'I will tell my hairdresser when I’m not happy'
Massoud says it’s better to offer constructive criticism to work on in the future. Your hairdresser will learn, and you may discover how to communicate exactly what you want more effectively the next time.
3. ‘I will treat my hair better out of the chair’
Damage control is a big part of most hairstylists’ work right now, but it can be avoided. Steer clear of over-colouring at home, try and pursue one hair brand at a time and never, ever use a straightener on still drying hair, pleads Massoud.
Company%20Profile
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Company%20Profile
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to turn your property into a holiday home
- Ensure decoration and styling – and portal photography – quality is high to achieve maximum rates.
- Research equivalent Airbnb homes in your location to ensure competitiveness.
- Post on all relevant platforms to reach the widest audience; whether you let personally or via an agency know your potential guest profile – aiming for the wrong demographic may leave your property empty.
- Factor in costs when working out if holiday letting is beneficial. The annual DCTM fee runs from Dh370 for a one-bedroom flat to Dh1,200. Tourism tax is Dh10-15 per bedroom, per night.
- Check your management company has a physical office, a valid DTCM licence and is licencing your property and paying tourism taxes. For transparency, regularly view your booking calendar.