The terrorist attacks in Paris, France that have claimed as of this writing 128 lives and injured 99 others are not the worst launched by the extremist group ISIS, but those are for now the worst attacks they launched in a First World country.
An investigation is ongoing to determine ISIS’s claim that it is behind the attacks, but a cursory examination of the background that led to what France’s President Francois Hollande called “an unprecedented terrorist attack” showed that it all started with the shooting on the Charlie Hebdo editorial offices that claimed 11 lives and injured 11 more on January 7 this year.
After having shot down the suspects, a national day of mourning and solidarity that saw 40 world leaders in attendance was held to denounce the attacks and show support to the victims’ families.
But the extremist attack on Charlie Hebdo that was linked to the Al Qaeda terror group would inspire the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), to pursue its single-minded goal of setting up a worldwide caliphate or one world government with religious violence as its tool.
Due to the sheer brutality and seemingly wanton, suicide-type violence of the attacks, they gave the impression that they were a spontaneous show of force from ISIS or ISIL, but analysts familiar with the group’s ways know better and see them as a coordinated assault on a country that sits atop their target list.
Aside from earning condemnation from world governments, the Paris attacks served to ratchet up security concerns for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Manila this week.
The rounds of condemnation from practically all across the world won’t discourage these fanatic militants from continuing their self-crusade to convert everyone into their path. On the contrary, it would likely feed their fanaticism even more.
Which is why the Muslim communities in the country and around the world need to stand and not only ventilate their denunciation of ISIS/ISIL but also work actively toward dismantling their ranks.
The fallout from the attacks will surely fan the flames of hate toward Islam and its adherents. Let’s not even discount the possibility that it will in some way affect the ongoing Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) negotiations in Congress.
For now, Filipinos need to count themselves in and stand in solidarity with the French people in condemning the terrorist attacks in Paris and work through social media and educational campaigns in promoting understanding with the Muslim communities who will surely be held suspect in the wake of the tragedy and violence.
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