Westerners who convert to Islam, why do they do it?

So what?s going on? The radicalisation of young Western Muslims is often blamed on the apparently powerful appeal of radical preachers. It is frequently suggested that young people become radicalised because they are brainwashed and manipulated by these formidable charismatic figures. No doubt committed jihadist leaders do their best to promote the appeal of their brand of ideology and recruit new followers. But while they do contribute to the radicalisation of Muslim youth they only play a minor part of the drama.

The real question is why radical Islamic ideals appeal to young people who are often the beneficiaries of a relatively comfortable and secure lifestyle. It is evident that their embrace of a new cause is coupled with rejection of the way of life of their parents and also of the communities they inhabit. Such a generational rebellion against the old ways is not confined to Muslim youth. When you to talk to young radical British Muslims it is obvious that they are motivated by impulses that are shared by many of their Western non-Muslim peers. Take their rejection of Western consumer society: ?Are you willing to sacrifice the fat job you?ve got, the big car you?ve got, the family you have,? asks Abdul Raqib Amin in his ISIL-sponsored video. His words, which draw on the anti-consumerist rhetoric of Western radicalism, would be shared by a significant section of European youth. It could just as easily be a statement made by a member of Occupy. But Amin is not just a radical protester and he reminds his audience that he also belongs to a distinct youth subculture by asking ?are you willing to sacrifice this, for the sake of Allah??

What security officials characterise as radicalisation should be understood as an expression of generational estrangement.

Young Muslims? estrangement from, and resentment towards, Western society is logically prior to any radicalising message that they might internalise. Many young people who find it difficult to gain meaning from their experience in western society react by rejecting it. Their Muslim peers sometimes express their alienation through the medium of a jihadist outlook. Unfortunately, unlike the typical manifestation of the generation gap the embrace of a jihadist subculture can have very destructive consequences.

Most young people who are attracted to jihadist websites are not searching for a new religious experience or world view. Their behaviour is not all that different to the numerous non-Muslim Westerners who visit nihilistic web sites and become fascinated by destructive themes and images. Jihadist social media, like some conventional internet sites, provides young people with an outlet to let off steam. Young people use these sites to express their frustration and alienation. They often use extravagant language and boast about their behaviour. The sites often offer a synthesis of Middle East symbols and angry Western rap music. Jihad is often presented not just as a religious duty but as an exciting adventure. For many these are ?cool? sites that allows their fantasies to flourish. For others ? a relatively small minority ? such sites provide a medium through which they can make sense of their life.

In western societies, the appeal of a jihadist youth culture represents the crystallisation of rejection of the cultural values of western society. What often appears as a sudden conversion to radical Islam by an impetuous or confused young man is usually preceded by the detachment of the individual from their communities. The really important question worth exploring is not what lures a young man from Wales to an ISIL training camp in Syria but why has he rejected his previous way of life?



Read more: The question we really need to answer about young jihadists | The National
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A country like India has over 100 million muslims but not much terrorism.