The West stopped finding bombs. That’s when the conquest began

The article argues that Western governments have focused on Islamist violence as expressed through bombings, while overlooking the possibility of influence spreading through preaching and ideology. It presents this shift in focus as important because movements or figures describing themselves as moderate may still hold views that support political violence.

It cites Muslim Brotherhood cleric Yusuf al Qaradawi, who predicted Islam’s return to Europe through “preaching and ideology” rather than force. The article says he called his doctrine wasatiyya, or a moderate middle way, but also quotes a 2003 statement in which he rejected defining suicide attacks against the “Zionist occupation” as terrorism; it lists attacks in Madrid, London, Paris and Barcelona as examples of the bomb-focused threat assessment.