ABSTRACT
With the emergence of Islamic fundamentalism as a key dimension of Islamic politics in the twentieth century, it has been argued that an intimate link to violence and more, specifically, terrorism has also been established. The militant political manifestation of fundamentalist groups, movements, thinkers and states based on a jihad agenda would have significant consequences for the international order. Islam and terrorism have become synonymous and part of the modern discourse on global politics. Muslim fundamentalist violence has been in evidence as part of social and political coercion within states, between states, and as part of new resistance and terrorist movements. Throughout the 1990s, Muslim fundamentalist violence was found in India, Afghanistan, Yemen, Israel, Kashmir, Pakistan, Algeria, the Philippines, Chechnya, Bosnia, Lebanon, Egypt, Kenya, Sudan and the United States of America. Muslim fundamentalist violence has been directed against Muslim women, against Muslim police officers and soldiers, against Western tourists and workers, and Western targets including Jewish institutions and individuals. Muslim violence and terrorism are blamed, in countries like India, Israel, Bali, the United States of America and Russia, for the worst ever terror attacks in contemporary history. Muslim fundamentalist violence, it is believed, is the primary expression of international terrorism and terror networks in the postCold War era.
