Radical Islam in Britain: Implications for the War on Terrorism

Abstract

This study analyzes how the rise of radical Islam has led to a significant terrorist threat in Britain. This terrorist threat is embedded in a rapidly growing Muslim subculture that has developed throughout Britain, but especially in London. As opposed to the terrorists who attacked the United States in September 2001, the perpetrators of the London transit bombings in July 2005 were born and raised in the country which they attacked. By studying how and why this situation developed in Britain, Americans can learn lessons and take actions to ensure a similar threat does not develop within the United States. This effort must be a significant part of the Global War on Terrorism, and will require political, economic, law enforcement, and informational components applied over many years. If U.S. leaders do not take these necessary steps, they may find themselves trying to identify American-born terrorists from within Muslim communities inside the U.S. instead of focusing primarily on foreigners, thus making the Global War on Terrorism last even longer while requiring Americans to make even greater sacrifices.

USAWC Strategy Research Project