Extremists Establish Foothold in the Balkans

by Irfan Al-Alawi
September 24, 2012 at 3:00 am

A moderate interpretation of Islam and a respect for people who believe in other religions – for which Kosovo Muslims are known – may have persuaded agitators that Kosovo was in need of an "Islamic revival" of the kind Wahhabis, Deobandis and other extremists apparently deem necessary for the global Muslim community. The "Rahma (Mercy)" charity, operating out of Bolton and Leicester in the UK, and following the radical Deobandi sect that inspired the Taliban, wires funds there.

Peace TV, an enterprise directed from India, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai by a fu­­ndamentalist Islamist preacher, Zakir Naik, has established a 12-hour daily program in Kosovo, a country 90% Muslim.

Updates on Balkan Islamic extremism

Ioannis Michaletos
	29 Sep 2011
The Balkan Islamic extremism, although it is considered as a taboo theme by most of the mainstream media, is still an issue debated in high-level and sensitive discussions between policy makers across the world, due to importance of the region as a historical fault line between the West and the East, in parallel with the ongoing interstate competitions that are cantered around South-eastern Europe.