The Story of How West Weaponized Islam #401

Ideological bigotry is at once the most potent and the most debilitating force. It takes away the ability to discern truth from falsehood and humanity from monstrosity.

Islamic forces have only one agenda - ruling over the world. And, in that, they have aligned with even the forces that they are fundamentally opposed to.

The saga of how Western intelligence agencies have infiltrated, controlled, and used the Jihadi/Islamist groups for the last century is remarkable.

Both, the Western establishments and the Islamists are terribly opposed to the pluralistic societies like India.

Any society that grows and wants to be independent becomes an automatic adversary to the goals that this alliance permits.

As outrageous as it may sound, the Jihadis and the Western Intelligence Agencies - like the MI-6 and the CIA - have always been together and will remain so in the foreseeable future.

MI-6, Nazis, and the CIA - Creation of a Monster

In 1928 in Egypt, a young Islamic scholar named Hassan Al-Banna started an organization that would change the course of the world and history in many continents. In "Devil's Game: How the United States helped unleash fundamentalist Islam," Robert Dreyfuss writes about how the Muslim Brotherhood was established with a grant from England's Suez Canal Company. And subsequently supported closely by the MI6. Haj Amin rose to prominence during the 1920s with backing from the British. He was Nazi-leaning anti-Semitic backed by MI6.

Meanwhile, the Nazis had their own dalliance with Islamic radicalism.

Gerhard von Mende, an expert in Turkic studies, served as the head of the Caucasus division at the Ostministerium, the office responsible for overseeing the Nazi-occupied eastern territories. He came up with the idea of weaponizing the “Oppressed peoples of the Soviet empire” like Tatars, Georgians, Chechens, Kazakhs, and Uzbeks. Creating a “fifth column”.

Mende believed that these non-Russians within the larger Soviet empire were the soft underbelly of the USSR.

During the middle of World War II, he recruited thousands of captured Soviet soldiers for the German army. All of them were Muslims.

When Hitler lost, Mende joined hands with the CIA and Bundesnachrichtendienst (Federal Intelligence Service) or BND - the official foreign intelligence agency of West Germany.

The Muslim ex-Soviet agents he recruited were used by the CIA for their Radio Liberty station out of Munich. The front organization to do this was the American Committee for Liberation from Bolshevism. Mende had his own ideas. He wanted to keep control of his "recruits".

A mosque was started in Munich in 1958.

An American CIA agent came to Munich and set up the stage for Said Ramadan to take over the mosque in Munich.

The secret cables in both the US State Department and the German Foreign Ministry were very clear about one thing - Get those Muslims under our control.

But Said Ramadan is probably a more influential figure in the history of political Islam. He was living in Geneva at this time. Around this time, the West Germans decided that they would try to bind the Muslims in Munich more closely to them by building a mosque. The cables in the State Department and the German Foreign Ministry, at least, were all very explicit: We need to build a mosque. We need to get these Muslims back under our control. This would be a way to do it, by showing how great we are by building them a mosque. So they set up a meeting. Said Ramadan was invited down, probably supported by Bob Dreher, who definitely supported other endeavors of Ramadan, paid for some of his conferences, for some of his travels around Europe at the time. Ramadan showed up at the meeting and immediately captivated everyone. He was a superstar of the political Islamic world, well-spoken, charming, debonair, a very well-educated person. In comparison to these poorly educated ex-soldiers, he was head and shoulders above them. The CIA began to realize that it would be much better if somebody like Ramadan could do work for them. He was more credible in the Middle East and better known around there. (Source: "A Mosque in Munich: Nazis, the CIA, and the Rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in the West" / Carnegie Council)

Islam became a tool and it was being recognized at the highest level within the Western establishments.

Eisenhower Brings Muslim Brotherhood to the Oval

US President Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to use Islam as a bulwark in the Cold War era by unleashing its radical and violent ways on unsuspecting societies across the world while controlling them. Here is the photograph from the morning of September 23, 1953, where Eisenhower is with the Muslim Brotherhood cadre. Said Ramadan is second from the right.

The US officials were preparing for a conference between the White House officials and the Muslim Brotherhood brass. The goal: to guide and promote the Islamic "Renaissance" with the most influential group being the Muslim Brotherhood.

We have talked about Said Ramadan here - in terms of his work not only in Egypt but also in Pakistan. We discussed how he was instrumental in shaping the Islamic character of the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent even when he was a CIA asset.

That is why one needs to understand who Said Ramadan was.

Potent Bedfellows: Egyptian Jihadis and Pakistan's Elite

Well for a start, he was the son-in-law of Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.

He went around the world promoting his ideology. One country he registered a strong presence was Pakistan. In collaboration with Mawdudi, Ramadan helped to shape the Islamic character of Pakistan in a decisive way.

Maulana Mawdudi was the father of Pakistani (and throughout the Indian subcontinent) Islamic and Jihadi ideological infrastructure. Mawdudi had a sponsor and a backer - Mohammad (Allama) Iqbal.

Ayesha Jalal writes in her book “Partisans of Allah” about who all have contributed to Jihadi terrorism in the most authoritative manner.  What is little known is that Muhammad Iqbal (also called Allama Iqbal) had personally chosen Maulana Mawdudi for writing the modern interpretation of Islam, which became the controversial, though popular Tafhimu'l-Qur'an.

It is something that Jalal also mentions in her chapter “Islam Subverted? Jihad as Terrorism” of her book “Partisans of Allah”.

The apologists have tried to distance Iqbal and Mawdudi,(read this article from Pak Tea House - a magazine by Raza Rumi in Pakistan, which had Drishtikone on its blogroll as well (Interesting!!) but their larger interests did converge.

Why is Maulana Mawdudi important for the Indian subcontinent?

Because he was the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami in August 1941 and wrote the interpretation of the Quran called Tafhimu'l-Qur'an, which is the basis for the understanding of the Quran in the Indian sub-continents madrasas and the Jihadi training camps.

Listen to this discussion on Tag TV, where Munir Sami (Full Video) discusses how jihadi organizations in Canada and the US like the Al-Huda to date depend on Mawdudi's Tafhimu'l-Qur'an to indoctrinate Muslims for violence and terrorism.

Maulana Mawdudi and his works are mandatory curricula for all terror indoctrination factories in the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora across the world.

Jihad - the rise of Islamic-Fascist Terror structure

It was during these times that Islamic-Fascism was started as its ideological basis was firmed up by Qutb and Mawdudi.

So what is this ideology we label Islamic-Fascism? What are its sources, theories, aims, and who are its proponents? The answers to many of these questions can be found in a collection of violent Islamic thought called Qutbism.⁸ Qutbism refers to the writings of Sayyid Qutb and other Islamic theoreticians, e.g., Abul Ala Maududi and Hassan al Banna, that provide the intellectual rationale underpinning Islamic-Fascism. Qutbism is not a structured body of thought from any single person (despite its name), source, time, or sect; rather it is a fusion of puritanical and intolerant Islamic orientations that include elements from both the Sunni and Shia sects of Islam that have been combined with broader Islamist goals and methodologies. Qutbism integrates the Islamist teachings of Maududi and al Banna with the arguments of Sayyid Qutb to justify armed jihad in the advance of Islam, and other violent methods utilized by twentieth century militants. Qutbism advocates violence and justifies terrorism against non-Muslims and apostates in an effort to bring about the reign of God. Others, i.e., Ayman Al-Zawahiri, Abdullah Azzam, and Osama bin Laden built terrorist organizations based on the principles of Qutbism and turned the ideology of Islamic-Fascism into a global action plan. (Source: "Qutbism: An Ideology of Islamic-Fascism" / Dale C. Eikmeier)

Hassan Al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood intellectual Sayyid Qutb, and Pakistani Islamic ideologue Maulana Mawdudi (with patronage of another Islamic idealogue, Mohammad Allama Iqbal) created the foundation of the modern Islamic terror ideological structure. The Muslim Brotherhood had given rise to the latter Islamist groups - Islamic Group and Egyptian Islamic Jihad - which came together with Osama Bin Laden's circle of Afghan Arabs under Ayman Al-Zawahiri to create the feared Al-Qaeda.

To anyone who has looked closely enough, Al Qaeda and its sister organizations plainly enjoy yet another strength, arguably the greatest strength of all, something truly imposing – though in the Western press this final strength has received very little attention. Bin Laden is a Saudi plutocrat with Yemeni ancestors, and most of the suicide warriors of Sept. 11 were likewise Saudis, and the provenance of those people has focused everyone's attention on the Arabian peninsula. But Al Qaeda has broader roots. The organization was created in the late 1980's by an affiliation of three armed factions – bin Laden's circle of ''Afghan'' Arabs, together with two factions from Egypt, the Islamic Group and Egyptian Islamic Jihad, the latter led by Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al Qaeda's top theoretician. The Egyptian factions emerged from an older current, a school of thought from within Egypt's fundamentalist movement, the Muslim Brotherhood, in the 1950's and 60's. And at the heart of that single school of thought stood, until his execution in 1966, a philosopher named Sayyid Qutb – the intellectual hero of every one of the groups that eventually went into Al Qaeda, their Karl Marx (to put it that way), their guide. Qutb (pronounced KUH-tahb) wrote a book called ''Milestones,'' and that book was cited at his trial, which gave it immense publicity, especially after its author was hanged. ''Milestones'' became a classic manifesto of the terrorist wing of Islamic fundamentalism. (Source: "The Philosopher of Islamic Terror" by Paul Berman / New York Times)

No matter what the organization within the larger expanse of the Islamist fold, the goals and aims converged into Islamic supremacy.

The Muslim Brotherhood: Pawn and Weapon of Western Intelligence Agencies

Robert Dreyfuss discusses the interesting history of the involvement of MI-6 in his book "Devil's Game".

The Muslim Brotherhood organization created its secret intelligence service and “terrorist-inclined” unit called the “Secret Apparatus”. This unit provided intelligence from military installations, foreign embassies, government offices, etc. - providing the basis for its violent ways. The organization used it to assassinate judges, police officers, and government personnel. They attacked Jewish businesses in Egypt and targeted labor unions and communists. In this part of their existence, they were aligned with the Egyptian king and openly used its paramilitary groups on his behalf to target his enemies.

When the King lost his control, the organization continued to maintain ties with the country’s military and strengthened its contacts with foreign intelligence agencies.

The anti-communist character of the Muslim Brotherhood remained intact.

It had two faces - the overt and the covert. Overt included Hassan al-Banna - people who would engage with the world leadership, while the covert group would effect the assassinations and undertake espionage.

The underlying agreement was that as long as their violence was targeting the Egyptian King’s and British enemies, no one would raise a finger. The Muslim Brotherhood also had the support of the Saudi King.

The structure of the organization and training was designed to not just indoctrinate but also embed its alumni in different organizations and societies pretending no ties to the Brotherhood.

The complex web of the Muslim Brotherhood and foreign intelligence agencies created a unique weapon during the Cold War period for espionage and violent purposes. What it ended up doing was creating a religious monster that would have far-reaching consequences.

The ideological cocktail of hate, violence, and bigotry set in motion by the MI-6, Nazis, and then the CIA became the bedrock of Islamic terror for the rest of the 20th century and beyond.

Even though Muslims thought that their religious identity was getting a boost and rejoiced in the entire exercise, the truth was that they were being used to achieve various geopolitical goals by the Western Intelligence agencies.

When in 1981, British PM Margaret Thatcher went in front of 1,500 Mujahideen being prepared in a camp on the Afghan-Pakistan border, she boldly announced:

"I want to say that the hearts of the free world are with you."

"Free World"? For Mujahideen?

It is awfully cute how these ruthless Western elites who go about subverting societies and setting into motion numerous genocides choose to assign themselves titles like "Free World."

What happened during the anti-Soviet jihadi terror decades was nothing short of tragic-comedy in play.

The claims and actions of the UK, US, and the rest of its allies look even more hypocritical and comic when one realizes that the Soviets were not pushed back by Hekmatyar or any of the US or CIA-backed warlords, but by sidelined and hounded warrior and legendary leader, Ahmed Shah Massoud.

Please read this detailed note to find all the information on how the Soviets were defeated and the man who did that.

Insightful newsletter of Drishtikone: Issue #318 - An Unending Betrayal of the Afghan

Afghanistan is a pot of extremism, death, evil and violence today. That is the result of decades and in some cases centuries of betrayals by different players. Let’s check.

DrishtikoneDesh Kapoor

Ultimately, when you look at how things unfolded, it is clear that all the shenanigans of the West in arming and weaponizing the Wahabi and radical Islamism did not amount to a lot in their fight against the Soviets. It was Ahmed Shah Massoud and his men who did the job on a shoestring! And, after the initial stint, the Pakistani intelligence ISI was always an adversary of Massoud's men.

But what the West created in the run-up to the defeat of the Soviets was a monster that has been used to sabotage any nation and society from within.

Radical Islam: the Sabotaging Trojan Horse of the West

When Islamic puppets of Western Intelligence were not even at the forefront of Soviet collapse despite the funding and backing, then why does the West continue to invest in and ally with Islamists as a continuing policy?

It is because the Islamist forces are used as a sabotaging trojan horse for any society to be targeted.

Islamic forces within any society render the society unable to function productively. The level of violence and subjugation of minorities and women increases. The pursuit of science, economics, and art spirals into the ground.

Whether it was Afghanistan, or Pakistan of today, Syria, Libya, Iraq etc, we have fundamentally unproductive, violent, and regressive societies there now. All these were thriving cultural - and even economic - centers not too long ago.

Once the target society is destroyed and unable to ever be a threat, the control that has been wielded within the Islamist organizations like the Muslim Brotherhood, Jamaat-e-Islami, and others, is then extended to those societies as well.

Over the last few years, the Muslim Brotherhood and its allied organizations have found refuge in another interesting set of bedfellows - the Wokes. These are ultra-left groups that channel the victimhood of people to gain strength and power. One of the 'protected' groups in their eyes is the Islamists.

So, what we are witnessing right in front of us is the thriving of the most interesting and inexplicable alliances - the Islamists and the Leftists. The Islamist organizations that we talked about were also rabidly anti-communist. But in recent years, they have now aligned with the left-liberals - who are neither left nor liberal.

Once the control is complete by the Islamic, and now Woke-Islamic forces then what is the next step for the Western Dominance?

Dismantle the terrorist Islamists and destroy those societies. Think Iraq. Think Afghanistan.

That is how the controlling game is played.

Bangladesh 2024 elections - a case study

This game of using radical Islamists by the US is currently in full public view in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has two main parties - the Awami League of Sheikh Hasina and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) with Khalida Zia as the head. BNP has been allied with Pakistan's ISI and jihadis within Bangladesh.

It was General Zia-ur-Rahman who not only killed the first Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman but also tied up with Jamaat-e-Islami to radicalize Bangladesh. Sheikh Hasina is Mujibur Rahman's daughter and Khalida Zia is Gen Zia-ur-Rahman's daughter.

As the next elections are coming in 2024 in Bangladesh, the US establishment is at its regular subversive actions there.

They are using the usual accusation of "undermining democracy" to target Sheikh Hasina's government.

India isn't very happy and they have even conveyed that to the Biden administration.

If Sheikh Hasina loses the elections, as the US establishment is pushing for, Bangladesh, and consequently, India will face the impact of renewed Jihadi violence.

Pressure is mounting on India to bail Bangladesh out from a US-imposed political crisis that is shrinking Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s space to manoeuvre and encouraging political opponents, particularly Islamist fundamentalist outfits, to put her in a corner in the run-up to the country’s parliamentary election scheduled for January 2024. (Source: "If Sheikh Hasina loses January election, Bangladesh could face prolonged political and economic instability" / Frontline)

One is not sure if Sheikh Hasina will win or not but one thing is clear - radical Islamism as a tool is still fresh and potent.

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Video Corner: Vivek Agnihotri School of Movie Marketing

The Kashmir Files changed the entire paradigm of movie marketing. Just think of the scenario:

1. A film on a topic and a perspective that the established elite calls "controversial"
2. Boycotts by trade reviewers and cinema outlets
3. Antagonism by the larger cinema world
4. Low budget

When the entire world is against you and you don't have enough money to fight back, what will you do?

You "do a Vivek Agnihotri".

Despite all the antagonism and the attacks, Vivek Agnihotri and his band of dedicated but part-time "mobile phone photo and videographers" set about marketing the movie.

They first launched selected reviews in the US and set up a buzz. The social media was abuzz. Once enough chatter had been generated, a similar campaign was run in India.

By now, the anticipation for the movie was quite high, and demand for it was inelastic. No matter what the prejudiced trade reviewers wrote in their rags, the folks who were anticipating the movie release did not get affected.

The movie was released and became a huge success. By the last count, the movie had done business close to INR 350 crores.

To achieve all that with a team of rag-tag but passionate chroniclers and marketers takes some chutzpah.

At some point, this new paradigm of movie marketing will hit the best of the world's business schools.

The VRA Movie Marketing strategy (let us call it that) continues with the latest movie "The Vaccine War".

This video is from the screening in Delhi of the latest movie "The Vaccine War" with the ICMR scientists on stage.

We have shared our review here on the movie.

The Vaccine War - A Remarkable Story of Many Unspoken Tales

‘The Vaccine War’ is a beautiful story of very complex times. Vivek Agnihotri has weaved together a masterpiece dealing with a subject very few would have touched. The pandemic and the triumph of India.

DrishtikoneDesh Kapoor

Please do watch this Delhi screening video because it shares the reactions of the women scientists who are depicted in the movie! This further builds the brand of this upcoming movie against the obvious line of antagonism that the movie is sure to face.