Deviant ideology behind Charlie Hebdo killings

The militants responsible for the Charlie Hebdo massacre targeted cartoonists who denigrated Islam. However, it has been mentioned that other religions were not spared by the satirical newspaper. (“Charlie Hebdo attack was against free speech”; Jan 15)

In a 2010 issue, Pope Benedict XVI was portrayed holding a condom over his head; there were no acts of vengeance. Why then do these militants have so little abhorrence of committing murder to avenge a perceived wrong?

Why was the killing of Charlie Hebdo staff so deliberate? There was no attempt to maximise civilian casualties or bomb a symbolic, historical landmark, which would have been consistent with previous attacks.

Such violence appears to stem from extreme interpretations of jihad; the Charlie Hebdo murderers intended to convey a message straight out of jihadist propaganda.

Radicals have been conditioned by deviant ideologies, so they may cite so-called permissible reasons for armed jihad.

Apart from deviant interpretations of the Quran, propaganda campaigns by terrorist organisations have convinced militants of the legitimacy of killing in the name of religion.

In 2013, Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula released its English-language magazine, Inspire, with a “wanted poster” encouraging jihadists to kill 11 people, including Charlie Hebdo editor-in-chief Stephane Charbonnier.

It was part of a campaign to portray jihadists as the true defenders of the Prophet’s legacy. The head of Al Qaeda, Ayman Al Zawahiri, and other important jihadist figures exploit this theme routinely to incite extremist elements.

Many recruits become suicide bombers in the belief that martyrs are highly regarded by jihadist organisations, and these deviant versions of jihad should be put to the sword swiftly.