Headlines fuel Islamophobia

THE HAWKS have issued a statement that there is no evidence to link or suggest a conspiracy between the couple arrested and Islamic State (IS) or any other terrorist group.

The sensational nature with which this story and all speculation and innuendo were covered and presented gave the impression that there is a clear and present IS danger to South Africans from Muslim terrorist groups.

The same sensationalism and grandiose claims were made about al-Qaeda threats to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, as well as al-Qaeda training camps in the country. All turned out to be pure speculation.

Similarly, the British travel advisory is premature, disingenuous and contradicts what South African intelligence and state security agencies have found. The idea of IS recruitment material allegedly found on some of the suspects is so vague and loaded, without any clear indication of the nature of this material. Some people will call any Islamic or Arabic literature inflammatory or IS-linked.

The negative impact on tourism and investment of these of wild claims comes at a time when we need them desperately. There is also a huge and growing Muslim tourism demographic whose rand spend per capita is very high, and some will be discouraged from visiting our country if it is seen as either dangerous or unfriendly to Muslims.

The impact on local Muslims, the overwhelming majority of whom have nothing but disgust and abhorrence for the violence that has been carried out purportedly by IS, is growing Islamophobia and its subtle and overt effects.

This paves the way for Islamophobes to lobby for the type of “anti-terror” legislation and world view that pervades Western countries to be implemented in South Africa.

While there were a handful of South African Muslims who left for Syria a few years ago in the hope that it was some Islamic utopia, they returned once they realised what IS represented and that our utopia is right here in South Africa.

There is no support for the type of barbaric attacks on innocent bystanders and civilians that have been carried out all over the world – irrespective of the perpetrators’ religious affiliation. These attacks are simply un-Islamic and an affront to Almighty God, who has laid out clear guidelines and principles under which human life can be taken.

A real danger is that sensational headlines create an aversion to Islam and Muslims among local south Africans, and this can translate into distrust, suspicion and eventually a phobia against all things Muslim.

In fact, it would be very difficult for any terrorist organisation to gain a footprint among South African Muslims because there is no support for them. Nor will they be sheltered by the community.

We know that all manner of criminals and scoundrels have found their way into South Africa and I am sure it would be no different for individual terrorists to get in and hide. Online recruitment needs a fertile ground and Muslims who are ignorant about what Islam teaches and what is forbidden.

Most South African Muslims are not susceptible to this, thanks to the Islamic education system we have. While there is some sympathy and moral support for organisations fighting occupation and oppression – this does not extend to support for attacks such as those carried out in Europe.

Arrested couple not linked to IS or any other terror group, say Hawks

Chairperson, SA Muslim Network, Musgrave, KwaZulu-Natal