Silly Little Muslim Boys

There is a street gang in Brixton, south London, who refer to themselves as the Muslim Boys. They are an interesting group.

They share many common features with other street gangs across the country. They are drawn from the young black community of a socially deprived area. They have little, if any, parental control or guidance. I have blogged on such groups before in Rude Boys

What separates the Muslim Boys from your average firearm toting street yobs is the religious angle. How this particular group came to be followers of Islam is unclear, but most members seem to have converted whilst in prison.

Such institutions provide fertile hunting grounds for those that seek to brainwash. Angry young criminals are angry with society, and are looking for someone to blame for their situation. Without parental figures to guide them, they turn to peer groups or apparent role models. This is where the 'preachers' come in. Their twisted version of Islam provides reasons to the youth. No longer are they to blame for their own actions. Suddenly, if the ways of the preacher are followed, it all becomes clear. They gain a version of a religion that justifies their actions and provides an alternative support structure for their lives.

This story is familiar to those that follow the news both here and abroad. What sets the Brixton Muslim Boys apart is their deviation from the traditional route followed by the new convert to extremism. The bombers of 7th July are known to have been pious and traditional in their outward expression of Islam. They became more devout immediately prior to their deaths. Although no details have yet emerged, it is highly likely that these suicide bombers were set on their murderous trail by so-called religious leaders. These leaders will have been of the same ilk that converted the Brixton Muslim Boys. The Brixton version have continued with their violent criminality, becoming heavily involved in drug supply and firearms offences. They have also been linked to shootings and murders. There is no suggestion that the Muslim Boys are going to detonate themselves however.

This gang have more in common with the terrorist groups of Northern Ireland than the Islamist groups of tradition. These carried on acts of organised criminality under the umbrella of religion, much as the Muslim Boys do. It is clear that a leadership structure of some kind exists. The Muslim Boys have been set on a path that is different to the norm. Why?