Mojanoski: Even prominent people from North Macedonia are falling prey to radical Islam

University professor from Skopje, Cane Mojanoski, says that the radicalization of Islam has been present in the Balkans for many years and is mainly associated with marginalized and societal groups dissatisfied with the political system. However, individuals from higher or wealthier social classes also fall victim to the radicalization process. He points out that this was demonstrated by terrorist attacks in Europe in which "prominent people" from Macedonia were involved.

Mojanoski explains that it is crucial, first of all, to differentiate between Islam as a religion and Islam that promotes a set of values and its misuse for political and ideological purposes.

“This is called political Islam, and it has been present in the Balkans for a long time, more significantly after military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina when a group recruited from Arab and other Muslim countries stayed in that country to live. According to literature, the Dayton Agreement led many of them to be expelled or displaced to parts of the former Yugoslavia and Albania, where Muslim populations predominantly live. Considering that a significant group of Muslims lives in the Balkans as a result of the different ethnic, and especially religious, contexts in which the population resides, this is one of the risk groups that can be exploited for Islamic radicalism,” our interlocutor states.

The goals of Islamic radicalism usually pertain to global jihad, which, he explains, is more or less directed against everything that is not Muslim and calls for a holy war. They advocate for the rule of Islamic values worldwide, claiming that there is no distinction between Muslim identity and ethnic affiliation.

“It is somewhat similar to the Jewish concept where there is a unification between being a Muslim, which is both a religious and national identity. Hence, the abuse of Islam for political purposes and its imposition as a paradigm for grouping and encouraging individuals to carry out certain violent actions against non-Muslims and other populations is one of the dangers and risk zones imposed on the population of the Balkan region. This includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Sandzak - Serbia, Kosovo...” Mojanoski says.

He expresses hope that both in the EU and in the region, efforts will be made to promote the experiences that Islam and Islamic life have had in the Balkans, where, as he says, the so-called European Islam is known.

“In European Islam, there is a higher level of tolerance between Muslims, Christians, and Jews, and I hope that this cultural model or coexistence that manifests or is practiced in the Balkans will become a behavior model for all Muslims in the region,” he says.

When asked where the strongest footholds in the region are, he says that analyses suggest that Albania was a "Mecca" for a significant number of Islamic radicals at certain times, followed by Kosovo in the early 21st century.

“Some analyses mention Sandzak, particularly Bosnia and Herzegovina. In publicly broadcasted shows, separate centers like Gornja Maoca are mentioned, where a significant number of people practice this,” the professor from Skopje says.

Speaking about North Macedonia, he points out that in 2015, a group of ten Islamic fighters was suppressed, and in the last ten or more years, around 140 Macedonian citizens have participated in various conflicts in the Middle East.

“Of them, 68 returned to Macedonia, 38 were killed. In 2020, seven citizens who had been detained in Syria were returned and brought before their judicial authorities. One member of these radicalized groups was returned in 2021 from Turkey, and a trial was initiated. That same year, a three-member terrorist group operating from the position of Islamic radicalism was suppressed. In that year, 23 people were returned, including four men, five women, and 14 children who had been in Syria and Iraq,” he says.

He emphasizes that the primary strongholds are places where there is insufficient commitment to the social community and religious organizations, allowing for the infiltration of structures and individuals who misuse Islam and Islamic teachings for political purposes.

“These areas are mostly tied to socio-economic and other deficiencies, but essentially, it is about the lack of broader societal concern and orientation toward reducing the conditions and assumptions for the radicalization of individuals and groups in these areas,” Mojanoski assesses.

He points out that in literature or in practice, it can often be found that poorer, less educated people are more susceptible to radicalization. However, certain actions performed by shahids, or "martyrs of the faith," show that they do not necessarily belong to poor groups.

“For example, we can mention Blerim Heta, who carried out a suicide attack in Baghdad on March 24, 2014, killing 52 people. He was originally from Kosovo, from Urosevac, and did not belong to the poor. If we follow the media, some radicalized young men of Macedonian origin are mentioned, and they are prominent people in Macedonia. Radicalization is mostly associated with societal groups dissatisfied with the political system, poorly educated, or discriminated against. However, individuals from higher or wealthier classes also undergo the process of radicalization, often driven to commit violent acts as a result of their need for personal affirmation, etc.,” the professor says.

He explains that psychologists conduct analyses of the behavior of individuals in these radical groups, and their traits are most often associated with self-promotion, self-righteousness, or a general tendency towards authoritarian behavior and reduced critical distance or critical thinking.

“This profile cannot be reduced to just two elements and is very complex because the number of radicalized individuals is significant. The execution of actions often does not involve rational elements, which are typically dominant in decision-making for certain actions. It is a type of behavior that can be found in other areas, but here it is inspired by Islamic values – or rather, the abuse of Islamic values,” he concludes.