Islamnet: Global Digital Jihad

Jihad comes in on many different cat-feet: the sword, the pen, the word, the law, the mind, the spirit.  A newcomer on the stage is now the computer, or more properly the internet.  We know how Islamists effectively use the internet for recruiting and ptropagandizing, yet how deeply the doctrine of Islam is embedded in the digital world is, for most people not well understood. 

I was reading this article in the latest American Thinker from Pamela Geller, freedom fighter extraordinaire and creator of the excellent website Atlas Shrugs and it struck me: more creeping sharia and "jihad by the word".

The organization tasked with doling out internet domain identities, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN) recently approved changes affecting it's operation.  Originally ICANN had ten board seats, all of which were taken by US and European designates.  Now, this has been halved, with US and European interests taking just five chairs, the other five now go to Islamic countries.

Not a big deal, you say?  Why not let Arab countries have a say in the 'net and how it operates, you say? Well, the same time ICANN re-arranged the deck chairs they also took the brilliantly misguided step of eliminating the word "terrorism" from its application guidebook.  Muslim groups complained the word was offensive, thus its removal.  With that self-censorship ICANN has cut off its face to spite its nose.

Now with the UN cutting its internet control ties with the US and letting our enemies such as the Organization of Islamic Conference take a prominent role in the internet, the influence of Islamic doctrine through sharia will grow unchecked, and censorship against any criticism of Islam will become stromger.

The infulence of Islam regarding their approach to Western ideals, particularly free speech has been well documented by David Littman at the UN, he has constantly pointed out the depths to which Islamic countries, through the OIC will go to control speech on Islam.  As recently as October of this year the media has discussed openly how the internet is being gradually taken over by Islamic speech constraints and jihad recruiting.

The Oct 5 issue of The Times of India writes about the number of jihadist websites and their explosive growth "...in recent years, politicians and global law enforcement agencies have spoken of their fears that militant groups were using the Internet to radicalise and recruit people to their cause."

The internet is a very powerful tool to get your word out.  Look at this blog, and it is easy to see how an idea, a concept can spread with all the fury of a Kansas wildfire.  Our enemies, and those who wish us nothing but harm are using the invention of American sweat and ingenuity to remove the right to criticize the "religion of peace".

Sites like this, or ones like Jihad Watch, or Faith Freedom, or Atlas Shrugs, or any internet site which speaks in less than glowing terms of Islam is now in the cross-hairs.  Do we let them slowly but inevitably erode our rights to speak, and become the dhimmis they want us to be?  ICANN  has decided for us, with the help of governments who are not our friends, and an administration here in Washington which clearly shows it has Muslim sensibilites as a higher ideal than American values.