This story underscores a fact that I have pointed out many times: radical Muslims “” that is, those who are willing to commit radical and violent acts for their faith “” are not a discredited fringe group that is sharply distinct from the Muslim community as a whole. They consider themselves simply to be Muslims, not “radicals,” not “Islamists,” or whatever other nomenclature you may favor. They mingle freely among Muslims worldwide, and make recruits from among “moderates” by appealing to Islamic theology and tradition “” the Qur’an and Sunnah “” in order to show that what they are doing is simply following the dictates of Allah and the Prophet Muhammad.
“Suspects in foiled US Embassy bombing go on trial,” from AP, with thanks to Nicolei:
The trial of six men accused of plotting to bomb the U.S. Embassy in Paris opened with testimony from the suspected ringleader.
Voluble French-Algerian Djamel Beghal, 39, told the Paris court on Monday that he had been kept in solitary confinement awaiting trial since his arrest in 2001. Terrorism suspects are sometimes detained alone for security reasons.
“I’ve not spoken for three years, so now I’m going to catch up,” he said.
He explained how he moved to France in his 20s, married, did odd jobs and found his Islamic faith, which became “one of my reasons for living.”
Asked if he considers himself a radical, he replied: “I am a Muslim and Muslim to the hilt.”