GARISSA, KENYA – They say there is no ‘fun’ in ‘fundamentalism’. This certainly applies to terrorists.
What is your new year’s tradition? Do you party hardy on New Year’s Eve joining other revelers in a drunken fest? Or do you spend it more sedately at home with friends and family? Perhaps you do do nothing: after all, not all calendars mark the beginning of a new year on January 1.
What about new year’s resolutions? Do you make them? I’d imagine we all promise to eat better, exercise more (health club memberships skyrocket every January) and become overall a better person.
Sometimes the latter may include being kinder to others or even dedicating some time and energy to the less fortunate. For some this may take on a religious hue, as many faiths do indeed call upon adherents to help those in need. This would apply to those described both as conservative and liberal in their beliefs.
Terrorists we would call religious would definitely be on the conservative side of the ledger. They hearken back to a perceived utopian past, one where their interpretation, the ‘right‘ interpretation, of their faith is the only valid one. And they try to impose it on everyone else.
On occasion they kill to make their point, especially against those who are ‘sinning‘ against _____ (fill in the blank with the name of the god of your choice). And their definition of ‘sin‘ is whatever they want it to be.
On this day in 2012
Terrorists believed to be part of the Somalia-based Al Shabaab (AS) sprayed bullets at New Year revellers in two bars in northeastern Kenya, killing five people. A further 28 were wounded.
The guys fired from the vehicle. They first shot the guard, and then shot more bullets at those who tried to leave and those who were at the entrance.
Eye witness
People having a good time at New Year’s is just the kind of activity that enrages jihadis. ‘Fun‘ is not part of their vocabulary.
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