John A. Turner, Religious Ideology and the Roots of the Global Jihad Salafi Jihadism and International Order

Abstract

John A Turner‘s book ―Religious Ideology and the Roots of the Global Jihad, Salafi Jihadism and International Order‖ discusses the phenomena of global jihad, with focus on Salafi Jihadism which is in conflict with the US and Western interests generally. The author is an independent scholar and his interests focus on ‘jihadism‘and political Islam. Prior to 9/11, Islamic fundamentalism was not unknown to the world. Events like the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadaat, bombing of US Marine barracks in Lebanon had happened. Also, the Islamic factions, Salafists, Khomeinists, Wahabists did exist. However, the attacks on the World Trade Centre by al Qaeda gave a new dimension to the Islamists‘ fight against the West. The attacks irrevocably changed the security landscape of the world, and the conflict between the Salafi Jihadists and the West was exposed (p.1-47). The attacks also revealed the Islamic political violence outreach to the Western world, beyond the confines of the Islamic sphere, and the US vulnerability to non-traditional security threats.