A glimpse into the minds of the hostage takers?

Found this page on jihadunspun attempting to give an explanation of the justification of taking hostages and guidelines for their treatment. I know this is from a fundamentalist website but the hostage takers are fundamentalists so I figure this may be the sort of reasoning they use to justify their actions.

In times of war, Islamic law permits the taking of hostages from the enemy camp and they can be: released, ransomed or punished appropriately. Ideally, the choice exercised should be taken in the interest of Islam and the concerns of the immediate community. However, the Muslims will be constrained and influenced by two external factors. First of all, the behaviour of the enemies with regards to how they are treating the Muslim prisoners and conducting the war in general; secondly, the military capability of the Muslims in comparison to their enemies.

www.jihadunspun.net.../home.php&


This has made me doubt whether cutting off their publicity in such incidents will make any kind of difference to them at all as this article seems to imply that this is a legitimate tactic in war.

The article goes on to say that hostage taking and the killing of hostages is justified as long as the muslim forces are weaker than their enemies or until the enemy has been defeated. Since neither of these two conditions are likely to happen in the near (or far) future, while we are in Iraq (and for the record I believe we should stay until the job is complete) this will be something we will have to get used to.

Do you think the average muslim in the ME also sees things this way or is this just a fundamentalist view?

Originally posted by Chris McGee

Do you think the average muslim in the ME also sees things this way or is this just a fundamentalist view?

That is a VERY good question. I would hope they see it as inhuman and uncivilized. They can claim a great civilization with good merit, but these acts do nothing to further that view....

It just made me wonder, what with the reports of DVDs of the beheadings being sold in Baghdad. I know many muslims in this country and to a man they condemn these barbaric acts for what they are but i don't know if there's a different mindset in the ME or if the british muslims i know have become westernised. You hear reports of what is being taught in the madrassas (sp) but to be honest i don't know what to make of it.