Published on the Counter Terrorist Magazine
In 2005 Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern read the following statement in relation to the security threat from Islamic extremists in Ireland:
I ndeed, gures released by EUROPOL in 2008 and 2009 showed that this trend appeared to continue (there were no arrests leading to successful prosecutions of individuals on charges relating to Islamic-related terrorism in the Republic of Ireland during 2008–2009).
In March 2010, however, the situation in Ireland changed. For the rst time, a large-scale operation was launched by the security services to disrupt and arrest several Muslim extremists. It later transpired that those arrested were actively involved in planning an operation to assassinate the Swedish Cartoonist Lars Vilks. Among the seven arrested were several naturalized Irish citizens, many of whom had been living legally in Ireland for up to 10 years.1 Although charges against some of those involved in the plot were later dropped, the Vilks plot, as it became known, sent shock waves throughout Irish society.
For the rst time, what had been an accepted reality within security circles nally became public knowledge. For many, the realization that extremist Swedish artist Lars Vilks. Photo: OlofE elements were living and moving freely through Irish society quite literally came as a shock. e Waterford [County] arrests were viewed by many within the Islamic community as a watershed moment; what had previously been rumor and suspicion had now become a reality. One concerned Muslim quoted in a Sunday Times article said, “ ese are people who admire Osama bin Laden, they shouldn’t be allowed to preach anywhere, publically or in private… they Are moving and living in the other cities away from Dublin, where it is quieter, we feel they may be planning something big, maybe not in Ireland, but de nitely planned from Ireland.” 2 Many people asked, “Why would they come here, why Ireland?” Unfortunately, the appeal of Ireland for extremists soon became obvious.
Unlike many other European countries, Ireland makes an ideal training area—it is an open, democratic, and relatively liberal society. e security environment is comparatively benign, it has a generous and easily accessible welfare system, and historically its security forces are primarily focused on addressing a threat from traditional nationalist/loyalist terrorist groups such as the Irish Republican Army, Irish National Liberation Army, Ulster Volunteer Force, and Red Hand Commando.3 Other factors, such as the Common Travel Area (between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland),4 have also presented unique challenges. Because movement through the Common Travel Area is relatively straightforward, known extremists,Such as Ibirhim Bouasir and Cha q Ayaydi, can move throughout both states relatively unimpeded. Currently, both Bousair and Ayadi are on UN/ INTERPOL5 watch lists on suspicion of providing logistical and nancial support to al-Qaeda operations in Europe.
Relative to its population,6 incidents that can be attributed to Islamic extremists have risen dramatically in recent years within the Republic of Ireland; whether they can be attributed to an increasingly radicalized community is hard to tell. But as with other forms of terrorism, establishing the causal factors and motivations of Islamic radicalization is becoming increasingly di cult to determine. Despite the lack of empirical evidence concerning cells or clusters of Extremists, there is documented evidence indicating that individual members of the Islamic community have traveled to Iraq to ght in jihad. In May 2004 Abu Hafs al-Libi, a Libyan asylum seeker who lived in Ireland from 1996 to 2003, was killed in the U.S. military assault on Fallujah, Iraq. During his time in Ireland, Hafs al-Libi was the subject of intense surveillance. During an interview, one former National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) o cer conceded:
Hafs was a person we were concerned about. When he turned up in Iraq, it wasn’t really a surprise. We knew he linked up with the Al-Zarqawi group, and that he may have been involved in at least one beheading. He used to attend the SCR (Mosque) with a few other radicals. But he would disappear every now and then and we would end up tracking him down, usually with a slightly di erent name.7
A FLUID BORDER?
Prior to 2005 there were few incidents attributed to Islamist activity within the state; however, since then the rate of incidents has risen sharply. While actual arrests may not have occurred within the state, for whatever reason a signi cant number of individuals have been arrested immediately after leaving Irish jurisdiction. One such individual is Abbas Boutrabb. Before eeing the state, the Algerian national had already come to the attention of both the Special Detective Unit (SDU)8 and NSIS.9
Numerous concerns and inaccuracies concerning his claim for asylum marked Boutrabb out for attention by the security forces.10 Later, when arrested in Northern Ireland, he was found to be in possession of articles that “suggested that they could have been designed to allow a person to assemble a bomb on-board an airplane.” e charges against Boutrabb stated that:
tHe defendant is charged with possession of articles for a purpose connected with terrorism, contrary to Section 57(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000. e particulars of o ences are that on 14 April 2003 he had 25 computer discs which contained text, photographs and diagrams in his possession in circumstances giving rise to a reasonable suspicion that the items were in his possession for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism.12
As a result of the charges, Boutrabb was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and was extradited back to Algeria in 2008 on completion of his term. It was later revealed that Boutrabb was a close associate of Kafeel Ahmed, whom he had met in Belfast in 2001.11 Ahmed later gained notoriety as one of two extremists who launched a failed car bomb attack on Glasgow Airport in 2007. In an interview with the author, one former SDU o cer con rmed:
It suits us if somebody is picked up across the border, we have very good relations with our counterparts in the UK, while its not o cial policy, if someone can be encouraged to leave the jurisdiction, well then that suits us as well, Boutrabb wasn’t the rst and he sure as hell won’t be the last, we know that the lads are here (extremists) but we are heavily dependent on grasses (informers) in trying to weed them out.12
Incidents such as the Waterford arrests, the presence of known extremists, and the public debate concerning the activities of “ rebrand” imams can occur in any country. ey are not unique to Ireland. ey grab the attention of the public partly because the community is small and under the microscope. But are they simply isolated events or are they the beginning of a slide toward extremism?
When we compare the Irish community to the UK model, we can see some diFFerences in scale. In using the year 2008 as a snapshot of extremist activity, the UK achieved fty-three convictions on Islamist-related charges, whereas in Ireland there were zero convictions.But the question still remains, given the frequently recurring episodes of individual extremist activity, has radical Islam gained a foothold within the Irish Muslim community? I would argue that currently Ireland is at a crossroads with regard to its Muslim community.Are predisposed toward fundamentalist behavior, it does not necessarily follow that they will become radicalized. Indeed, if Irish history has shown us anything, the lessons learned from the wrongful arrest and imprisonment of innocent individuals on paramilitary charges should be heeded.
If young Muslims are experiencing a crisis of faith, then they may well be vulnerable to radical versions of Islam. It would be naive to suggest that Ireland is immune To the threat posed by Islamic extremists; however, if such issues can be addressed, then that risk may be minimized.
Where NoW?
Today, Islam is the fastest growing religion in Ireland. With an expected population of almost 60,000 by the end of 2011, it has grown faster than any other sociological group within the country.Information is not readily available to confirm whether prison conversions occur at rates as high as in the USA and elsewhere, but Ireland is experiencing difficulties regarding integration into the host community similar to other countries. However, the fact that the Irish Muslim community is now primarily second generation means that any issues have to be addressed in a national context and can only be properly addressed by adequate governmental policy. At the moment, this is not happening.
During my research, it quickly became apparent that although there are radicalized elements within the state, they appear to have operated primarily in isolation. But anti-integration groups, such as Glor Mosalmach and MPAC Ireland,13 have found a resonance with some members of the Islamic community,And in several cases they have acted as a unifying force for disaffected Muslims.Having briefly examined the physical and sociological factors in Ireland, it appears that many of those that exist in other states (UK, Spain, and France) now exist in Ireland. Issues such as unemployment, education, and the influence of extremist elements within the community need to be constantly examined. But Ireland needs to tread carefully. Radical Islam has few friends and official naivety concerning the presence of extremists within the state must always be challenged; simply ignoring the problem or passing it across the border is not acceptable.
In 2006, while participating at a public debate, Islamic supremacist Anjem Choudary made the following statement concerning Irish government complicity in Afghanistan and Iraq, and it would be foolish to ignore the content:
I think what you have in Ireland is dynamite and the government are holding the matches, If you’re living in Iraq or Afghanistan and you see American planes stopping off in Ireland on their way to bombing raids in Muslim countries, there is no reason why no one Would not see you as accomplices, I am not saying that Ireland is a legitimate target, but you have to wake up to the reality, it’s not a threat, it’s not a warning, it’s just an understanding of the reality and unless you wake up to that reality, then you are all going to suffer. 14
About the Author
Mr. Finucane is a former member of the National Security Intelligence Section (NSIS). His operational experience includes work conducted in: Ireland, Lebanon, Kosovo, and Chad. Mr. Finucane is a Ph.D. candidate at Dublin City University studying the growth of Islamic radicalization in Ireland.
endnotes
1‘Seven Arrests over Vilks Plot’ – article by David Sharrock accessed 02/14/11: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/ world/europe/article7055282.ece
2 “The Enemy Within” Sunday Times article by Mark Tighe, accessed 02/14/11: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/ world/ireland/article7061014.ece
3 IRA – Irish Republican Army, INLA – Irish National Liberation Army (both Republican Terrorist Groups) UVF – Ulster Volunteer Force, RHC –Red Hand Commandos (both Loyalist Terrorist Groups) as accessed on http:// www.cdi.org/terrorism/terrorist-groups. cfm on 02/12/11.
4 The Common Travel Area (CTA) refers to the area between the Republic of Ireland and that of Northern Ireland.Because of the limited border restrictions between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, it is relatively easy to transit between the two States. As accessed on 02/01/11: http://www.Common-travel-area.co.tv/
5 Buwiser and Ayadi placed on Interpol Watch List – As accessed on 03/12/11: http://www.interpol. int/public/Data/NoticesUN/Notices/ Data/2000/64/2000_49964.asp
6 2006 Central Statistic figures for Muslims in Ireland, accessed 02/02/11: http://www.cso.ie/newsevents/pr_ census2006Religion.htm
7 Authors interview with Police and Military specialists 02/12/11.
8 SDU – The Special Detective Unit is a subunit of the Crime and Security Branch of An Garda Siochanna (Irish Police Force). They are responsible for the investigation of threats both on a national and international front. Accessed 01/12/11. Http://www.garda.ie/Controller. aspx?Page=40.
9 NSIS – National Security Intelligence Section is a subunit of the Directorate of Intelligence (Irish Army).NSIS deal specifically with identifying, monitoring any threat to the State posed by terrorist actors. Accessed http://www.Contemporarysecuritypolicy.org/archive/ volume28_issue2.shtml
10 Abbas Boutrab and his links with Glasgow Airport attack, accessed 01/19/11: http://www.guardian.co.uk/ uk/2007/jul/08/terrorism.world
11 Examining the link between Boutrabb and Glasgow. As accessed on 02/10/11: www.gulf-times.com/mritems/ streams/2007/7/9/2_160104_1_255.pdf
12 Authors interview with SDU personnel: 01/03/11
13 MPAC Ireland is an antiintegration, pro sharia group that was formed in Jan 2009, accessed 01/01/11 http://www.dialogueireland.wordpress. com/2010/02/10/front-man-for-mpacireland- is-one-liam-eganor-mujaahidpreviously- a-christian-pastor
14 UK Extremist warns Irish public over its complicity in Iraq and Afghanistan, accessed 02/19/11: http:// www.independent.ie/national-news/ choudary-in-new-warning-over-ustroops- at-shannon-105763.html
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