Former Islamic Extremist: Radical Islam Similar to Marxism, Soviet Union

By Guest Column —— Bio and Archives July 11, 2008

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Matt Purple, Townhall.com A former leader of a radical Islamic organization told Congress extreme Muslims are motivated by an ideology similar to Marxism and that Islamism has much in common with the former Soviet Union.

Maajid Nawaz, a native of England and once prominent figure in the London-based extremist group Hizb ut-Tharir, testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that the root cause of Islamic terrorism was its fanatical ideology, not poverty or discrimination. “There is a common misconception on the left in the UK that only grievances can lead to Islamism,” he said. Nawaz drew parallels between socialist Marxism and Islamism, contending that both movements see everything as a global ideological power struggle. He said Islamists wished for the world to be ruled under a single caliphate state, “like the Soviet bloc.” Townhall.com