The end of World War II was a great blessing for mankind, but not for many Muslims despite the fact that they sided with the victors in the war. The Jews' convoluted design hatched in collusion with the British for creation of a Zionist state in the hub of Muslim world was up then for the final touch after half a century of intrigue and scheming (S. Alam DS 25/11). Soon after the war, the US, British and Soviet heads met at Yalta and endorsed the Jewish design. The West also manipulated the UN to legitimise it. By an impugned UN Partition Plan, the Jews were awarded 55 percent of the Palestinian land of which they owned barely 7 percent. The dispossessed Palestinians would not give in and resisted the unjust plan -- but they were crushed and dragooned, more land from them was captured by the Jews. Close to a million Palestinians were forced to leave their hearths and homes and flee to hostile territories and inhospitable terrains. The history following these events is one of remorseless violence, miseries and human tragedy.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, there was ethos of great optimism. The major players in the war, the US and the British, being democratic held out credible prospect for a better future, that of peace, justice and fairness around the world.

But then what occurred to these leaders of the free world? Why they chose to rob Peter and pay Paul? Why on earth they preferred a trouble spot to be created after so much devastations and tribulations of half a century? Was there no other place on earth to accommodate or rehabilitate those few millions of persecuted Jews? To encapsulate 'what lay in their cryptic design'?

The answer is still hard to find, but one thing became quite clear. The US and the British took hard look and a long view. They felt the need of an outpost in the bosom of the Muslim world. They foresaw the resurgence of Islamic nationalism and emergence of potent rivals on the playground of world politics. The Jews could provide necessary implements and muscle to deter such developments. They also expected the Jews to heel the west's policies as obeisant creatures. So the opportunity was worth grabbing without delay.

The uprooted Palestinians would not accept this cruel fate, nor their neighbours, nor anyone with a good conscience. They lived there for generations in relative calm and peaceful co-existence with minority Jews alongside. As a natural corollary, they now took up arms and triggered the cycle of violence. Situation there soon turned messy, explosive and heart rending. Every assault was met with harsher and inexorable reprisal. The US in particular, continued bolstering the Israelis with money, arms and political muscle. They pumped into Israel a minimum of two billion dollars a year in economic aid and shipped all kinds of sophisticated killing machines. In a war that precipitated after about twenty years, Palestinians and their helpers were utterly vanquished and humiliated grievously. They lost more land and every elite possession. Israel now had occupied 100 percent of Palestine (S Alam).

In the years that followed, Israel adamantly rejected peace overtures refusing to cede the booties. Several resolutions were tabled in the Security Council -- but US veto thwarted every move. Many other countries worked hard to finesse through it but the mighty brother wont budge.

Did the US monolithic stance serve peace? It did not but it did serve something else. It helped the Muslims to identify the real enemy, drive them to desperation and learn to die. The sequels that include 9/11 are climactic examples. Later events like Iraq war have added fuel to the unquenchable fire. In Iraq, according to British PM Galloway, more than hundred thousand ailing children and old people died due to war deprivation, besides another thirty thousand by direct confrontation.

So what one can expect from these suffering multitudes and their Muslim fraternities? This is how terrorism spawned and spread. The pundits here and everywhere tend to skirt around the core issue. Ben Haden and his cohorts are just trailblazers. Millions of Muslims there and everywhere have been chomping at the bit. So spread of terrorism like wildfire is not beyond any one's grasp.

In attempts to cover up, Islam is painted by some quarters as belligerent, even violent. Well informed people know Islam teaches peace. But dignity is also emphasised. The humanistic values and doctrines inherent in it helped to propagate the faith from the Atlantic east coast to the western rim of the pacific, a vast chunk of the planet inhabited by a billion souls of high ethics. Who can deny this prodigious entity? Civilisation spread from parts of Islamic world. And it revolves in cycle. In the current hiatus Muslims are in disadvantage -- but no one should harbour the design to stop their march again. This ego is probably the compelling factor for Muslims to rise against unfairness and injustice. Moreover, how a handful millions (of people) have been out weighed against a billion of the same species?

However, Muslims are taught to respect others' views and faiths. For centuries, the Jews and Christians lived peacefully in many places with the majority Muslims side by side. "There is no compulsion in religion" is an unambiguous verse in the Holy Quran. No Muslim can transgress a Quranic precept. Moreover the Prophets of Jews (Moses) and of Christianity (Jesus) are some of the greatest Prophets hallowed by Muslims and in the Quran as genuine messengers of God. Denying them means excommunication from Islam. So nobody is enemy to nobody, except the die-hard fools.

Now the ramifications. Besides acting against the big fool, the arch enemy, many disgruntled Muslims have directed attention against their home governments who have been dancing to the tune of the West and keeping mum against injustice. Muslim monocratic rulers lean on them for protective coverage, while others for morsels of doles. Ordinary Muslims think that such attitude have helped to trample the Islamic values or a sell-out of national dignity. Some cases in point are evident -- Abu Gharib and Guantanamo where even the Holy Quran was desecrated besides the many incarcerated and tortured victims. Hypocrisy in Islam is absolutely repugnant and forbidden. The West is voluble about human rights. As abusers they have now topped the list. The naive westerners who ask, 'why they hate us?' hopefully got the answer by now.

So indoctrination into terrorism has become a facile task. In Bangladesh 90 percent of 135 million people are Muslims. Presumably a half, quarter or so of them are counting days for entering the threshold of zannah (paradise), perhaps with all dubious or murky backgrounds. Many find the course of terrorism alluring-- a road paved well to reach the eternal destination. The Muslim clerics will not make any bones to assure them of this dream fulfilled if they embrace martyrdom. The criteria to qualify as martyr (shahid) are abstruse as expounded in the Holy Quran or Hadith. So the learned mullahs can take liberty to interpret with a slant. The gullible faithfuls are thus empowered enough to jettison misgivings about the heavenly prospect. Recruitment to terrorist outfit, therefore, poses little problem. If this goes on endlessly, it is hard to imagine how anyone will rein in a multitude of doctrinaire freaks.

There is no immediate solution in sight and no time to waste too. The canker has high potential to get out of hand leading to anarchy. The best the patriotic leaders can do at this juncture is to forget politics and partisan squabbles, and join hands to save the nation preferably seeking help from the prominent and accredited religious leaders. Unity must be forged among all citizens including the detractors and strayers. They should be convinced that their course is not Islamic nor productive in the present world, and that they are cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Before closing, a few words for the heavy weights. The humanity at large desires to live in peace. We are interdependent and must have interactions. Each of us should be tolerant, prudent and respectful to others' views. The powerful nations should shed the delusions of grandeur. The high and mighty is more honourable and respected through the virtue of magnanimity and humility -- not gunboat policy which only alienates and infuriates. Even a little child can destroy a big house just by striking a matchstick. There is no credit or gain in the power of destruction and killing.

Revise your age-old policies, and make amends for the past mistakes. Treat every life as dear and valuable as your own. Probably then the human creatures can co-exist peacefully in a shared blissful environment.

Mahboob Khan is a retired Professor, Nizampur College, Chittagong.