:: IslamistBlog ::

:: Sunday, March 14, 2004 ::

Settling Old Scores

When you spend some quality time with the Islamist authors reprinted on IslamistWatch one of the things that sticks out is a bizarre obsession with centuries old battles between Christians and Muslims. In particular Osama Bin Laden's writings are FILLED with references to the past glories of the so-called Islamic Nation, which is the Nation for which Bin Laden is fighting, the Nation for which Bin Laden has begun to attack secular systems of government (largely Christian, but also India has had much trouble from Islamic militancy).

So the blasts in Spain seem to have Islamist origins, at least they are being claimed by the Islamist scourge, and now Muslims have been arrested for connection with the case. On the one hand the missives suggest that the attacks were done in retaliation for Spain's assistence in the invasion of Iraq. This is a patent maneuver to influence Spains elections. If I were Spanish and had planned to vote against Aznar's party, I would now change my vote to support Aznar's party. Why? Because whatever the militant Islamist wants to happen most is exactly what I would not have done. There is no cause that they support that can be to my benefit. They don't want Aznar's party in power because Aznar's party is giving the Islamist cause problems.

But of course the true underlying reason why the attacks were performed has not left out: retribution for the Moors being driven from Spain over 500 years ago. Let's quote from the Telegraph, UK:

A group close to bin Laden's al-Qa'eda network, the Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri, sent a message to a London-based Arabic newspaper explaining the reasons for attacking Spain.

"This is part of settling old accounts with Spain, the crusader and America's ally in its war against Islam," the statement said.

...

The year 1492, when Granada was ceded to Ferdinand and Isabella, is a talismanic date for some Islamist scholars who consider it as the beginning of the decline of the Muslim world which continues to this day.

...

Last year after a wait of more than 500 years, Spanish Muslims succeeded in building a mosque in the shadow of the Alhambra, once the symbol of Islamic power in Europe.

History points finger at revenge for lost Moor kingdom

I should note that the article above was written before the recent tape surfaced and is based on the note sent to a London based arabic newspaper.

The point I want to raise is that Bin Laden's writings and the writings of other Islamists make no bones about one of the goals of their movement being to reclaim ALL LANDS once or currently occupied by Muslims for the Islamic Nation. Spain, of all the western European powers, is one of the most glittering targets, for just before being driven from the Iberian penninsula in the 1490s, Muslims accounted for more than three quarters of the population.






:: Mullah 8:20 AM [+] ::
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