Jihadism in Portugal: Grasping a Nebulous Reality

 

Although for the most part inconclusive, signs of possible Jihadist activity in Portugal suggest certain similarities with the risks present throughout Europe.

There are several reasons that justify Portugal’s lack of attention towards the Jihadist phenomenon. However, this is not to say that possible Jihadist activity is inexistent. In fact, apart from unclear situations that might conceal a Jihadist intent, there are a number of public cases where known Jihadists have arrived and spent time in Portugal. Still, no evidence of terrorist behaviour was ever discovered. Furthermore, it is not clear what the purpose of their permanence in the country was. Still, it is possible to detect in the few cases that occurred in Portugal some similarities with the Jihadist reality found in Europe.

France, Germany, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK are some of the European countries that are clearly in Jihadism’s sights. In fact, given the efforts made in the EU’s political spheres, Jihadism is addressed as a common strategic threat. However, and in spite of historical affinities, geographic proximity and freedom of circulation within the Schengen area, Portugal seems to have escaped the violence perpetrated in the name of Allah. There is no significant news of Jihadist activities in Portugal, nor does the general public perceive it as a threat. But does perception equal reality?

To answer this question, it is important to start by making a brief comment on the reasons accounting for the marginal threat perception, namely political discourse, the media and the national Muslim community. Secondly, it is also relevant to uncover possible signs that might call for alert –in other words, aspects that though not constituting a real threat might indicate or evolve into one–. Finally, the analysis of known cases should allow us to obtain additional information to grasp this poorly-addressed reality.

A Comment on Threat Perception

A proper analysis of the reasons behind the absence of a threat perception regarding Jihadism in Portugal would certainly require a quantitative and qualitative study. However, there are four reasons that would surely emerge as a result of such an analysis: (1) Portugal’s attitude towards security and defence issues; (2) media coverage; (3) political discourse; and (4) the specific characteristics of the Portuguese Muslim community.

It could be said that contemporary Portugal – as regards both institutions and civil society– has a relatively passive, even negligent, attitude towards security and defence issues. This somewhat culturally-based stance leads to the adoption of only reactive policies –instead of preventive policies based on prospective analysis– and is prevalent in many aspects of daily life, including the media.

Contrary to other European countries, information in open sources related to Islamist terrorism in Portugal is practically nonexistent. There are a considerable number of academic articles devoted to Jihadist movements in general and to the importance of Islam in Portuguese culture, but only a very few regarding Jihadism in Portugal itself. The media hardly ever publish any relevant information. Episodes of possible Jihadist activities have been reported in the media, although usually in a sporadic fashion and without being front-page news. Moreover, such cases have hardly ever brought to light any significant information and have never been followed up in any significant way.

A reason that often emerges in political and academic discourse in Portugal to support the idea that the country is immune to Jihadism is the country’s low international profile. In other words, given Portugal’s lack of leverage in world politics, the impact on the media that every terrorist attack aims for would be smaller than if perpetrated in a leading European country. Although a partly reasonable explanation, there are four considerations that limit its validity:

    While this may be true for a well-structured and internationally-connected Jihadist cell, it is a mistake to think that the same logic applies to self-startercells (self-reliant and self-recruited groups that have adopted al-Qaeda’s rhetoric but act of their accord). According to Europol, the number of these autonomous terrorist cells is on the rise and they are therefore an important concern regarding the Jihadist threat in Europe.
    The combination of Europe’s freedom of circulation with the efficiency of the counterterrorist policies implemented in countries such as Spain, France and Germany means that terrorist cells can elect to transfer their activities and, in this respect, Portugal could become increasingly attractive as a target. Mounting security pressure in several European member states could drive committed terrorist cells to search for other countries with less experience in dealing with this sort of threat. Given the enormous freedom of circulation that citizens have within the Schengen area, transferring terrorist activities from one European country to another is not a difficult task.
    Regardless of whether Portugal is – from the Jihadist’s point of view– a good target, it is a feasible base for logistic operations –just as Spain was during the 1980s and 90s.
    It ignores the fact that the European experience regarding the attraction of Jihadism generally relies on offering an identity and a sense of belonging to socially and spiritually alienated individuals. Thus, wherever there are socially disenfranchised fringes there is a potential radicalisation and recruitment ground.

The last of the four reasons explaining the absence of a perception of threat is the origin and structure of the Portuguese Muslim community, which dates from the African decolonisation process of the 1970s. The most significant groups came from Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, joining a small group of Muslims already in the country since the 1950s, who had come as students. Among Portuguese Muslims there are Sunnis, but also a notable number of Shiite Ismailias who mainly arrived from Mozambique but are – for the most part– originally from the former colonial cities of India (Goa, Damão and Diu), territories lost by Portugal in 1960

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DAESH: Seis "sintomas" e uma razão para a destruição do mundo ocidental

 

"É também com a 'necessidade de o homem sustentar a família' que o xeque David Munir justifica a norma da Sharia de que o homem 'tem direito ao dobro da herança' se um parente morrer, 'porque ele é obrigado a ajudar, e a mulher não". Trata-se apenas de um caso, entre muitos outros, que define bem a diferença entre a Sharia e a lei portuguesa. Neste exemplo, os processos de herança estão vinculados a uma igualdade entre herdeiros, legislação que consta do Código Civil Para além disso, a própria Constituição da República Portuguesa proíbe qualquer discriminação com base no sexo. Este pequeno excerto de uma longa reportagem do Público sobre o funcionamento de um tribunal islâmico na Mesquita de Lisboa mostra como se utiliza uma das seis razões táticas do combate do DAESH, o Estado Islâmico: a destruição da prevalência da legalidade constitucional e do secularismo, com a sua óbvia substituição pela Sharia.

Numa edição da revista de propaganda em inglês do DAESH, Dabiq, o grupo deixa clara a sua posição sobre o papel da política externa Ocidental no Médio Oriente: é um fator "secundário". Num artigo intitulado "Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You" (Porque Vos Odiamos e Porque Lutamos Contra Vocês), o grupo apresenta seis pontos de ordem prática que caracterizam os seus objectivos tácticos para a guerra contra o Ocidente. Menciona, por esta ordem, a descrença do Ocidente no Islão, a prevalência do secularismo, o ateísmo, as 'transgressões' contra o Islão, as operações militares e as incursões territoriais.

Embora este conjunto de orientações, por si só, demonstre o que o DAESH considera as razões mais significativas para as suas ações, o grupo insiste que é "importante compreender" que as "políticas externas" ocupam apenas uma posição secundária, de ordem meramente táctica. O objectivo estratégico do DAESH, como o artigo da Dabiq refere, é o domínio mundial do Islão. No texto afirma-se que, "mesmo que ("o Ocidente") parasse de nos bombardear, de nos prender, de nos torturar, de nos difamar e de usurpar as nossas terras, continuaríamos a odiar-vos porque a nossa razão principal para vos odiar não deixará de existir até que abracem o Islão."

A existência, em Portugal, de células da Irmandade Muçulmana e o crescente domínio dos Tablighi Jamaat na comunidade muçulmana, são dois detalhes importantes na análise da ameaça islâmica à organização do Estado. De salientar que a Irmandade Muçulmana tem como único objectivo a destruição das sociedades ocidentais e a implantação do Islamismo, através de uma discreta, silenciosa e gradual erosão dos valores seculares, de acordo com um relatório confidencial do Governo francês, revelado no princípio deste ano. O domínio de espaços públicos, por exemplo, denotando uma manifestação de força, é visível na concentração organizada no largo do Martim Moniz e na Alameda Afonso Henriques por grupos muçulmanos, para a última oração do Ramadão, ao longo dos últimos anos.

O movimento da Irmandade Muçulmana é uma "ameaça à coesão nacional" em França e devem ser tomadas medidas para travar a propagação do "islamismo político", de acordo com o citado relatório, apresentado ao Presidente Emmanuel Macron, no princípio deste ano. "A realidade desta ameaça, mesmo sendo a longo prazo e não implicando ações violentas, representa um risco de danos para o tecido social e para as instituições republicanas (...) e, de forma mais ampla, para a coesão nacional", referiu o jornal "Le Monde", a propósito do relatório.

A organização-mãe da Irmandade Muçulmana, fundada no Egito em 1928, opera em vários países europeus, normalmente através de organizações muçulmanas alegadamente bem integradas, que estabelecem relações discretas com o movimento e lhe permitem actuar sem ser detectado, junto da sociedade ocidental em que estão inseridos. Os principais países onde a Irmandade Muçulmana (ou os seus braços políticos) foi proibida ou designada como organização terrorista incluem o Egipto, a Arábia Saudita, os Emirados Árabes Unidos, o Bahrein e a Rússia. Na Síria, durante o regime de Assad, também foi proibida. Em vários países europeus, como a Itália e a Áustria, há a intenção de ilegalizar também a Irmandade Muçulmana.    

Quanto aos Tablighi Jamaat, o próprio filho de Abdul Karim Vakil, professor no King's College, alerta para o seu perigo. O  grupo "representa, por um lado, e incontestavelmente, a força de maior dinamização do Islão entre os muçulmanos em Portugal. Por outro, o seu rigoroso tradicionalismo, traduzido na prescrição do próprio vestuário, na estrita separação entre os sexos, numa atitude de distanciamento em relação à sociedade exterior, representa, como já referi, um factor de ruptura na tendência histórica para a integração na atitude dos muçulmanos em Portugal", afirma Abdool Karim Vakil (filho do ex-presidente da Comunidade Islâmica de Lisboa e investigador do prestigiado King'College em Londres) num estudo intitulado “Do Outro ao Diverso – Islão e Muçulmanos em Portugal: história, discursos, identidades."

 O "combate" entre o laicismo e a implantação de "guetos islâmicos" foi algo salientado, já em 2016, pelo antigo presidente da Comissão de Igualdade e Direitos Humanos (EHRC) do Reino Unido, Sir Trevor Phillips, que admitiu ter "errado em quase tudo" em relação à imigração, alegando que os muçulmanos estão a criar "nações dentro de nações" no Ocidente. Trevor Phillips afirma que os seguidores do Islão detêm valores muito diferentes do resto da sociedade e que muitos desejam levar vidas separadas. O ex-chefe da Comissão de Igualdade e Direitos Humanos do Reino Unido também defendeu a monitorização das populações de minorias étnicas em bairros sociais para evitar que se tornem "aldeias-gueto", de acordo com uma entrevista à "Newsweek".

Trevor Phillips sugeriu que as escolas poderiam ter de considerar um limite de 50% para alunos muçulmanos ou de outras minorias, para encorajar a integração social e afirmou que dados de inquéritos recentes apontam para um fosso crescente entre as atitudes de muitos muçulmanos britânicos e os seus compatriotas. Numa outra entrevista ao Daily Mail, também em 2016, Trevor Phillips alertou para a existência de 'guetos muçulmanos no Reino Unido' que o antigo responsável pela Comissão de Igualdade e Direitos Humanos classificou como "sendo a construção de nações dentro de uma nação". Trevor Phillips afirmou ainda que muitos muçulmanos detêm valores bastante diferentes do resto da sociedade e querem levar vidas separadas. "O mais preocupante é que aqueles com visões separatistas são muito mais propensos a apoiar o terrorismo", adiantou. 

Trevor Phillips alertou, na mesma entrevista, para uma "luta de vida ou morte pela alma do Islão britânico: A razão pela qual os nossos concidadãos britânicos parecem tão desalinhados com a opinião maioritária é que demasiados vivem num Reino Unido diferente do resto de nós."
 

 

 

In Their Own Words: Why ISIS Hates the West

 

In a issue of ISIS’ English-language propaganda magazine Dabiq, the group makes its position on the role of Western foreign policy in the Middle East abundantly clear: it is a “secondary” factor.

In a piece entitled “Why We Hate You & Why We Fight You,” the group sets out six points explaining the justifications for their hatred of the West. It mentions, in order, the West’s disbelief in Islam, the prevalence of secularism, atheism, ‘transgressions’ against Islam, military operations, and territorial incursions.

While this ordering alone spells out what ISIS considers the most significant reasons for its actions, the group insists it is “important to understand” that “foreign policies” occupy only a secondary position. “The fact is, even if you were to stop bombing us, imprisoning us, torturing us, vilifying us, and usurping our lands, we would continue to hate you because our primary reason for hating you will not cease to exist until you embrace Islam,” the article says. 

As such, even a complete withdrawal of troops, resources, advisers, and cutting support to allies in the region as a means of stopping the group would not be enough to stop the violence; ISIS’ principle objectives are driven by a desire for theological and ideological dominance. So long as the world remains opposed to ISIS’ worldview, and whether military action against the group is taken or not, ISIS will still have its sights on all of those that disagree with its vision and understanding of Islam.

Western foreign policy in the region is often presented as the root cause of the rise of ISIS in Syria and Iraq and for the increase in attacks linked to the group. Not only does this take agency and responsibility away from the group but, as this latest edition of Dabiq illustrates, it ignores the centrality of religious ideology to ISIS’ worldview. This emphasis on ideology is ever-present in ISIS’ propaganda, but the latest issue of its English-language magazine goes to great lengths, adopting a number of approaches, to spell out its disparagement of the West and of Christianity.

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Worshiping death, the destruction of infidels, and all the western countries

 

The act of raising infants symbolizes mothers' willingness to sacrifice their children for God and Imam Hussein, honoring the martyrdom of Ali Asghar. The ceremony originates from the Battle of Karbala, where Imam Hussein held his infant son aloft to request water, only for the baby to be killed by the enemy. 

Participants may display religious and political sentiments, such as chanting "death to America" and "death to Israel" and showing videos of Iran's missile program.The ceremony is held annually on the first Friday of the Islamic month. 

While centered in Iran, the "Hosseini Infants Gatherings" also take place in religious centers in 45 other countries. Mothers often dress their infants in special green and white clothing and headbands bearing the name of Ali al-Asghar, linking them to the historical martyr. 

 

Germany: Berlin’s Gender Chaos: Nearly 200 Minors ‘Changed Gender’

 

Since the Self-Determination Act came into force in November 2024, Berlin has seen 2,407 people officially change their gender or waive their gender registration, according to a report based on a parliamentary inquiry by the right-wing Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).

The new law sparked outrage as, on November 1st, 2024 protestors gathered at German embassies worldwide, with women in over 25 countries voicing opposition to the Self-Determination Act, arguing it endangers children and women’s rights by allowing gender changes as early as age five and imposing penalties for ‘misgendering.’

Since then, strikingly, 194 of these cases involve children and adolescents, including one four-year-old and 31 minors under 14.

Germany Makes Massive Change to Citizenship Rules to Cut Number of Migrants in Country

 

Germany’s parliament has repealed a fast-track citizenship programme for well-integrated migrants, highlighting the rapidly shifting mood on immigration in the country. The legislation allowed those who had “exceptionally well integrated” to apply for German citizenship after three years, rather than the usual five.

The rescinded law was only introduced by the previous centre-left SPD-led government in 2024 who argued the measure would attract more overseas workers to fill labour shortages in key industries. Proving hugely unpopular, the programme was used by a couple hundred applicants. However, Friedrich Merz who became Germany’s 10th Chancellor since World War 2 vowed to reverse the policy as part of its broader pledge to tighten immigration controls

 

Austria: Migrant Schoolboys ‘Gang Rape Teacher and Hold Her as Sex Slave’

 

A teacher was allegedly raped and abused by a gang of migrant youths who blackmailed her into letting them use her apartment for parties and forced her to pay for food, taxi rides, and tobacco. In a case heard at the Vienna Regional Court, in Austria, the female teacher’s sickening ordeal lasted from July 2024 until January this year.

It’s reported that the main male defendants, a 15-year-old Iraqi, a 17-year-old Romanian, and a 15-year-old Afghan, have all pleaded not guilty to the central charges, which include rape and sexual coercion. It’s alleged that the horrifying ordeal for the woman came to an end when the two 15-year-olds broke into her home when she was away and stole jewellery and watches before setting fire to the home.

"There are documented challenges of integration and social tensions between Muslim youth and Austrian society in general, with schools being one of the main focal points of the debate. In cities with a high concentration of immigrants, such as Vienna (where over 40% of compulsory school students identify as Muslim, according to recent data), schools are the place where these tensions manifest most clearly." 

 

France: Bus Drivers Strike After Brutal Attack on Colleague in Paris

 

Bus services across the western suburbs of Paris were severely disrupted on Thursday after drivers from the Keolis Argenteuil Boucles de Seine network went on strike to protest a violent assault on one of their colleagues in Le Vésinet.

The 49-year-old driver was attacked late Wednesday afternoon by two passengers and left bleeding inside his vehicle before being taken to the hospital, according to Le Parisien.

The incident occurred around 5 p.m. between the Vésinet—Le Pecq and Houilles—Carrières RER A stations. According to investigators, the confrontation began when the driver refused to make an unscheduled stop. The two passengers then attacked him before fleeing on foot through a nearby park. They were later arrested by police and taken into custody. Both suspects, aged 19 and 20, are residents of Val-d’Oise and were previously unknown to the authorities.