Gilles Kepel, professor at the Institut d’Études Politiques in Paris, quoted by Lawrence Wright: “The Internet is the key issue. It erases the frontiers between the dar al-Islam and the dar al-Kufr. It allows the propagation of a universal norm, with an Internet Sharia and fatwa system Anyone can seek a ruling from his favorite sheikh in Mecca. In the old days, one sought a fatwa from the sheikh who had the best knowledge. Now it is sought from the one with the best Web site”
The article is half about the terrorist bombings in Madrid on March 11th of this year as well as the political fallout and half about the use of the Internet by terrorist groups to communicate both plans and reactions to attacks around the world. The first half is a little more compelling, since it is more interested in telling the story of the attack, while the second half is a cautionary tale of the costs of using an open and accessible medium.
Post new comment