David Cameron’s comment on the relationship between Islam and horrific recent events in Nairobi doesn’t seem to make full sense:
“These appalling terrorist attacks that take place where the perpetrators claim they do it in the name of a religion – they don’t,” he said.
Although of course it is is entirely reasonable to argue that such terrorists’ understanding of their religion is horribly perverted, and that Muslims should certainly not in any way be held collectively responsible for such attacks, it seems clear that these people are acting in the name of religion. Given the very precise and chilling details of the role played by religion in determining the fate of hostages, it seems bizarre to brush that fact aside. Mehdi Hasan is somewhat defensive on this issue, but concedes there was a religious dimension to the attacks.
This Times leader (£) offers a balanced, account, fully acknowledging the religious dimension of al-Shabab, but making it clear that many Muslims completely oppose them.
In fact, ordinary Somalians, who are predominantly Sufi Muslims, have grown to regard al-Shabab as a foreign force in itself thanks to its large foreign component and strict Wahabi evangelism.
At the other end of the sanity spectrum, you will find some commentators claiming that the slaughter in Nairobi (and the horrific murder of so many Christians in Pakistan) is a Zionist plot, and that the images of people with severe injuries have been faked. I won’t link.
There were no mad, vengeful Muslims rampaging through that mall, senselessly murdering people, specifically targeting non-Muslims. This was done by the enemies of Islaam, the Zionists, whether real or fabricated.
In fact there is a plethora of evidence to indicate that this event, like so many others, was cleverly staged by Zionist operatives, who live in Kenya by the hundreds of thousands. In this regard it is important to note that when those original assessments were made of the creation of a Jewish homeland Kenya was top of the list, even over Palestine.
There is a real Israeli link to this story, of a quite different kind. The Mall is part Israeli-owned and it has been reported that Israeli advisors or commandos are assisting the Kenyan authorities.