A new generation of Salafists is driving radicalization extremely quickly – and is building extremist centers away from major cities.
Berlin – Their names are El Azzazi or Asanov: bearded young men who explain to their viewers in short clips why “the West is godless”. Salafist hate preachers have found new ways to radicalize young people even faster. The consequences: The danger that individual perpetrators will commit terrorist acts more and more often, as recently happened in Solingen or Munich, is increasing.
Solingen attack and Islamist incident in Munich: “New generation of Salafists”
“One can definitely speak of a new generation of Islamists, especially radical Salafists,” says Mahmoud Jaraba in an interview with IPPEN.MEDIAThe political scientist works at the Research Center for Islam and Law in Erlangen on Salafism and radicalization. And he observes that the new generation differs significantly from earlier movements, both in their approach and in their ideology. Especially since the Middle East war following the Hamas-Attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the hate preachers relied on emotionalization: “The narratives of ‘Western oppression’ and the crises in Islamic countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine provide these groups with a strong emotional basis to gain new followers,” explains Jaraba.
The radicals use the techniques of influencers, are highly digitally savvy and use social media to recruit followers and normalize radical ideas. The backyard mosques of the past no longer play such a big role, although local radical Salafist groups are still active in mosques. A conscious and controlled process, explains expert Jaraba: “Both the local presence and the use of social media play an essential role in the radicalization process. It is not an either/or, but a complement in which traditional and digital methods intertwine.”
Radical Salafists have “significant advantage compared to state measures”
The new Salafists are extremely agile – and often one step ahead of state authorities. “They are constantly working to circumvent state controls,” says Mahmoud Jaraba. “In many cases, I would say that they are even much more active and confident in their work than the state’s efforts to prevent and combat this phenomenon.” A high degree of flexibility and adaptability gives the radical Salafists “a considerable advantage compared to the often slower state measures,” says the expert.
Meanwhile, the police are observing that extremist Salafists are no longer only active in large cities such as Berlin, Bremen, Cologne or the Ruhr region, but increasingly also in more rural regions, for example in East Westphalia-Lippe or in areas near Aachen. There, the preachers are well connected with radical Salafist groups in Belgium and the Netherlands. “This development can be observed in many federal states,” says Jaraba. It is wrong to view radicalization exclusively as a problem of large cities or certain city centers.
Radical Salafists lure young people via TikTok and Istagram
The Salafists can reach their target groups via platforms such as TikTok, Telegram or Instagram – usually under the radar of security aut
horities. This makes it even easier for the radical groups to build their networks outside of the digital space in rural regions. “There they are often less controlled and monitored than in larger cities, where the security authorities focus more on certain mosques. This allows them to establish structures relatively undisturbed, especially in rural areas, which further increases the potential for extremism there,” says Jaraba.
But why do some people respond to radicalization attempts in the first place? There are various reasons why young men become radicalized in Salafist society, explains Jaraba. “Some experience social marginalization, discrimination or a lack of economic prospects, which can cause feelings of anger, frustration and disorientation.” In such situations, radical Salafism can appear as a kind of refuge that offers structure, meaning and a purpose in life.
“In addition, the ongoing wars and deep crises in various Islamic countries play a central role,” says the expert. “The young men see the destruction and suffering in countries such as Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine and often believe that the only way to change the situation is through violence and militant resistance.”
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