Global Issues:Terrorism - Most Terrorism has local roots?

Yestersday’s twin blasts in Moscow, attributed to Islamic Radicals possibly with links to the North Caucasus or possibly Chechen ‘Black Widows’ have caste terrorism firmly back into the spotlight - both as to its nature and its causes. To tie in with the Global Issues topic on ‘Terrorism’ here is a range of comment form today’s media on the Moscow attacks and also the apparent failure of ‘Anti-Terror Strategy’ in the UK.

A Guardian editorial [Moscow Bombings: Shared scourge, different causes] discusses the Moscow bombings by ‘Islamic Radicals’ – while other nations have offered solidarity, most terrorism has local roots, in this case, Russia’s bitter relationship with the Caucuses.

“Yesterday’s Moscow train bombings rightly attracted solidarity from countries that have suffered similar outrages: Britain, Spain and India. There are lessons to be shared, but it is important to remember that we do not face a common enemy, argues a Guardian editorial. Most terrorism has local roots; thus the solutions too are local. The Moscow bombings follow the pattern of previous attacks and the ruthless and occasionally incompetent response of Russia to them. This is in turn rooted in Russia’s bitter relationship with territories in the north Caucasus. These bombings bring Russia’s claims of quelling insurgencies in this region into question. The stability that exists there has come at the cost of massive human rights violations. The attacks come after Russia had the suspected leader behind the November Moscow-St Petersburg express train attack killed last month. Russia’s war is not over yet.”

The Telegraph also carries a useful article entitled “Moscow bombing: a new breed of Islamist rebel” - The double suicide bombing that brought terror to Moscow’s metro is the deadly echo of a guerrilla war the Kremlin cannot seem to win. Here is an exerpt:

“The Islamists they fear have little in common with the Chechen rebels who sprung to global prominence in the 1990s demanding independence from Moscow. The new breed of rebel wants to rid the entire North Caucasus region not just Chechnya of Kremlin control and is inspired by radical Islam rather than a secular desire for self-determination. Their aim is to establish an Islamist caliphate in the North Caucasus complete with Sharia law. It is a scenario that the Kremlin, whose credo is stability and unity, can never countenance.

Critics say the region’s grinding poverty, mass unemployment and the heavy-handed tactics employed by Russian-backed forces have made matters worse. Desperate and often brutalised young men and women are more susceptible to Islamist recruiters. In the meantime, Islamist fighters have been targeting any symbol of Russian power they can find.”

For more on the story:
Financial Times: Russia’s Bloody Backyard Battles
The Telegraph: Russia braced for new wave of terror attacks

On a more local note - there is the story that ANTI-TERROR PLANS ‘ALIENATE’. The government’s counter-terrorism strategy alienates and stigmatises moderate Muslims, MPs from the communities and local government committee have warned:

BBC: Anti-terror strategy ‘alienates’
Sky News: Anti-extremism strategy ‘backfires’
The Financial Times: Doubts cast on UK strategy to tackle terror

Also worth cross referencing with older posts on Terrorism focused on al-Qaeda’s recent activities:
THe Resurgence of Al-Qaeda [Economist]
Al-Qaeda a threat transformed [FT]