From Islamic Nationalism to Transnational Jihad

210 Pages·2012·1.38 MB·English

by  Gray, Simon

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thesis.
‘The National, Regional & Global Phases of Jihadism’

THE IDEOLOGICAL EVOLUTION & GEOPOLITICAL
TRANSFORMATION OF ISLAMIST MILITANT TERRORISM
IN THE MIDDLE EAST & SOUTHEAST ASIA

A thesis
submitted in fulfilment
of the requirements for the Degree
of
Master of Arts in International Relations & Security Studies
at the
University of Waikato
by
SIMON REECE GRAY

University of Waikato
2012
Abstract
Since September 11th 2001 (9/11), substantial research has been conducted
and published on the phenomenon of Islamist motivated militant terrorism; notably
on the contemporary phenomenon of ‘global Jihadism’ and its growing threat to
nations and the wider international community. However, little has analysed the
different phases of ‘ideological evolution’ and ‘geopolitical transformation’
manifested within the wider phenomenon itself. As a result, Islamist militant
terrorist organisations are often lumped together and defined, or identified, as
belonging to a single ideological and geopolitical homogenous movement.
This study endeavours to highlight that not only is this notion incorrect, but
that the phenomenon is threefold consisting of three fundamentally different
ideological and geopolitical phases of Islamist militant terrorism and thus
categories of Islamist militant terrorist organisations in the Middle East and
Southeast Asia. The three phases and categories of Islamist militant terrorist
organisations are identified in the study as ‘National’, ‘Regional’ and ‘Global’.
Each comprises and represents different ideological contours and geopolitical
ambitions.
Collectively, these three phases and categories of organisations make up
this study’s hypothesis that there have been three ideological and geopolitical
sequential shifts in the phenomenon. The study’s sequential shift paradigm tracks
the trajectory of the phenomenon beginning with the manifestation of National
Islamist militant terrorist organisations, developing into Regional Islamist militant
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terrorist organisations and, finally, into Global Islamist militant terrorist
organisations.
The hypothesis is tested through an examination of Islamist militant
terrorist organisations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Here, the considered
organisations are measured against the sequential shift paradigm, which provides
key insight into their ideological and geopolitical contours. In turn, this helps to
identify and categorise the National, Regional and Global phases and categories of
Islamist militant terrorist organisations in the two considered regions and, therefore,
further advances support for the study’s hypothesis. The analysis presented in this
thesis on the phenomenon of Islamist militant terrorism finds that the study’s
hypothesis applies and is analytically accurate in the context of the Middle East. In
the context of Southeast Asia the analysis supports that there has been a shift from
National to Regional Islamist militant terrorism but, however, that the third and
hence Global phase of the phenomenon has thus far, although active in the region,
failed to fully manifest. Therefore, the analysis presented in this thesis supports that
the phenomenon of Islamist militant terrorism in Southeast Asia has not undergone
a decisive ideological evolution or geopolitical transformation into Global Islamist
militant terrorism.

iii
Dedicated to my Grandparents, Great Uncle, Uncle, &
Farther & Mother

Thomas (Tom) & Rosalie Edwards and Reginald (Mick) & Patience Gray
*
Reginald Randall
*
Reece Gray
*
John & Geraldine Gray

iv
Acknowledgments
This thesis was made possible with the supervision, guidance and support
given by a collection of people and institutions. First and foremost, I would like to
acknowledge and thank both of my supervisors, Dr. Mark Rolls and Professor Dov
Bing, for their advice, insight, professionalism and patience throughout the
duration of the research process. I would also like to acknowledge the International
Institute for Counter-Terrorism for the expertise and wide range of interdisciplinary
materials on the research topic available to me during this endeavour. I would like
to thank those academics, experts and government officials in the field that I met
during this undertaking, notably at the 2010 World Summit on Counter-Terrorism,
who provided additional insight and advice on my research and the wider topic. I

am truly grateful and you have helped me gain a more informed understanding.
In addition, I would like thank the Gallagher Group Ltd for its generous
sponsorship in support of my attendance at the 2010 World Summit on Counter-
Terrorism, I am very grateful. Furthermore, I must say thank you to those
University of Waikato Political Science and Religious Studies Ph.D candidates and
visiting fellows who have provided additional insight and constructive feedback on
my research topic through the many hours of invaluable group discussion. I must
also thank my family for their love and support throughout this research endeavour.

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Table of Contents
Abstract ii
Acknowledgments v
Table of Contents vi
List of Diagrams viii
List of Abbreviations ix
Chapter One: Introduction 1
Chapter Two: Methodology & Theoretical Framework 8
2.1. Introduction 8
2.2. Methodology 8
2.3. Theoretical Framework 10
Chapter Three: Review of Literature 13
3.1. Introduction 13
3.2. The Expanse of Scholarly Literature Produced on Islamist Ideologies,
Movements & Militant Terrorist Organisations 15
3.3. The Three Key Scholarly Approaches Applied to the Literature
Published on the Study of Islamist Ideologies, Movements &
Militant Terrorist Organisations 18
Chapter Four: Terminology & Definitions 23
4.1. Introduction 23
4.2. Terminologies 24
4.3. Defining Militant Terrorism 29
4.4. Defining a Framework for the Geopolitical Categorisation of
National, Regional and Global Islamist Militant Terrorist Organisations 42
Chapter Five: Political-Islam, Islamism & the National, Regional &
Global Ideological Evolution of Jihadism 45
5.1. Introduction 45
5.2. Liberal Political-Islamic Ideology 48
vi
5.3. Conservative Political-Islamic Ideology 51
5.4. Islamist Political-Islamic Ideology 53
5.4.1. Missionary Islamist Ideology 62
5.4.2. Activist Islamist Ideology 64
5.4.3. Jihadist Islamist Ideology 66
5.5.1. National Jihadist Islamist Ideology 70
5.5.2. Regional Jihadist Islamist Ideology 76
5.5.3. Global Jihadist Islamist Ideology 83
Chapter Six: The National, Regional & Global Geopolitical
Transformation of Islamist Militant Terrorism in
the Middle East 94
6.1. Introduction 94
6.2. The Ascent of National Islamist Militant Terrorism in the Middle East 95
6.3. The Ascent of Regional Islamist Militant Terrorism in the Middle East 106
6.4. The Ascent of Global Islamist Militant Terrorism in the Middle East 118
Chapter Seven: The National, Regional & Global Geopolitical
Transformation of Islamist Militant Terrorism
in Southeast Asia 134
7.1. Introduction 134
7.2. The Ascent of National Islamist Militant Terrorism in Southeast Asia 135
7.3. The Ascent of Regional Islamist Militant Terrorism in Southeast Asia 149
7.4. The Ascent of Global Islamist Militant Terrorism in Southeast Asia 161
Chapter Eight: Conclusion 180
Bibliography 190

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List of Diagrams

Figure 1: Spectrum of the different levels of Asymmetric Warfare.
Figure 2: Spectrum of the different ideological levels of Political-Islam.
Figure 3: Spectrum of the different levels of Islamist Political-Islamic ideology.
Figure 4: Spectrum of the different levels of Jihadist Islamist ideology.
Figure 5: Diagram representing the quantified support base of Jihadist Islamist
ideologies and organisations in the Middle East and Southeast Asia since the 1970s.

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List of Abbreviations
AKP Justice and Development Party
APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
ARF ASEAN Regional Forum
ARMM Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
ASG Abu Sayyaf Group
AQAP al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
AQC al-Qaeda Central
AQI al-Qaeda in Iraq
AQIM al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations
BRN National Revolutionary Front
BNPT National Counter-Terrorism Agency
CIA Central Intelligence Agency
EIJ Egyptian Islamic Jihad
EU European Union
FAP Philippine Armed Forces
FATA Federally Administrated Tribal Areas
FIS Islamic Salvation Front
GAM Gerakan Aceh Merdeka
GIA Armed Islamic Group
GMIP Gerakan Mujahideen Islam Pattani
GSPC Salifist Group for Call and Combat
HAMAS Islamic Resistance Movement
IDF Israel Defence Forces
IMRO Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation
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