Islamic Radicalization Processes: an Assessment of their Effects on Muslim Youths in Isiolo County, Kenya

Abstract

The recent occurrence of radicalization as an ideological process involving socialization of individuals or groups and mostly youths to participate in non-state violent activities for political or other reasons had necessitated a multi-sectoral scrutiny yet with scarce empirical research so far. In fact, Islamic radicalization processes analyzed and discussed interchangeably throughout this study with religious radicalization and as a socialization into violent religious ideology had been obscured by a populist violent extremist approaches from stakeholders as governments, policy makers, media reports and multi-disciplinary approaches all of which in significant ways affected and interfered with objective scrutiny. Therefore, this study considered Islamic sources from global religious terror networks as the reason behind contemporary violence. Mainstreaming Islamic radicalization processes required that this research focus on Mosques, schools, prisons and the homes/villages in Isiolo county as avenues used by radicalizers and recruiters to lure youths into the violent religious ideologies which entrench homegrown radicalization through media and cell groups. The conceptual and theoretical knowledge underpinning Islamic radicalization processes included but not limited to violent religious extremism, jihadi terrorism and global radical networking. The centrality of McCauley and Moskalenko pyramid theory in this study was occasioned by the convincing and exhaustive use of mechanisms and levels of radicalization up to and including the place of religion in political violence. Triangulation designs and methods were used to unearth the extent, the processes, the characteristics and the assessable effects of Islamic radicalization on youths in Isiolo central sub county. The reliability and validity was attained through piloting of tools and instruments with research assistants most of whom were from the Muslim community. Eventually, a questionnaire and a measurement scale with small group discussion schedule was designed and administered to a purposive sample of respondents comprising of an array of respondents and informants including six (6) secondary schools and two (2) primary schools, key informants as government officials, police and intelligence agencies, military personnel, principals, head teachers, teachers, chaplains/religious leaders (Sheikhs/Imams/Maalims), NGOs directors and staff, community leaders/elders, National Counter Terrorism (NCTC) seminar delegates comprising of religious leaders from the upper Eastern region, staff members of the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and the general public were the primary subjects of the study. The ethical considerations included security fears by the subjects and the state due to the sensitivity of the area of study. Other ethical considerations were on the perceived sampling out of Muslims for the study and the historicity surrounding the Muslim community as perceived baseline terrorists in most contexts. Consequently, the study unearthed certain Islamic radicalization processes, the characteristics of radicalized youths and effects of the processes as indoctrination, recruitment, truancy, violence, psychological trauma, feelings of alienation and youths becoming holy warriors or jihadi terrorists, among others. Religious radicalization processes therefore can be intercepted through government and religious interventions to minimize the effects on youth. The study brought out new information in the identification of Islamic radicalization processes and their effects on youths which enabled key stakeholders to institute relevant interventions.