Abstract

The paper analyses, by using the content analysis method and historical-comparative method, the causes of the emergence and development of ‘Islamistic’ extremism. It compares the presence and the tendency in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, FY Republic of Macedonia

Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name (this note applies to any mention of the name FY Republic of Macedonia in this document).

and Serbia. It identifies the inspirers and those who spread extreme Islamist ideas, their activities, international sponsors and contacts, their active contribution to global jihad, assessing the abilities of above-mentioned Western Balkan societies to defend themselves against this danger threatening not only the lives and the property of their citizens, but also their democratic constitutional order. The research points at a significant strengthening of the number of Wahhabi believers, an increase of their aggressiveness, violent takeover of existing mosques as well as building a large number of new ones, an out of the reach of official Islamic communities in these societies. Dozens of Wahhabi settlements are built up, where sharia law is applied, out of control of the laws of the home State. A growing number of financiers some years ago contributed to the intensification of religious propaganda and to an increase of affection for Wahhabi ideas among the local Muslim population. This also resulted in the departure of about a thousand of fighters from the Balkans to join the terrorist organizations on the Middle East battlefields, with a now growing risk of their coming back home. The confrontation against this rising ‘Islamistic’ extremism in the Western Balkans is blocked by: lack of real and quality prevention, inexperience and poor results in the deradicalization of extremists, and in some areas, a lack of political will. All above-mentioned together implies not only the necessity of intensive cooperation between the police and other security structures of the Western Balkans' and surroundings countries, but also the urgent help of adequate institutions of the international community.