Counterjihad: Fascism Reinvented

As the legal case against terrorist Anders Behring Breivik draws to a close in Oslo’s courthouse, his ideological relatives are approaching parliamentary power in several European countries.

Mr. Breivik has described in court how the ideology of counter-jihadism inspired him, and how his terrorist actions are to be understood as an exemplary soldier’s call to arms in a resistance against the “islamisation of Europe”. Those who inspired the terrorist obviously disagree with the mode of his operation and concede only reluctantly that they agree with Breivik on many political questions. Nevertheless, proponents of Islamophobia ideas stand by their words and often argue for the inevitability of a forthcoming civil war as a result of immigration.

Europe’s near future holds a “ragnarök”, and “we must prepare for it”, according to  counterjihadist ideologue Peder Jensen, known to the internet as “Fjordman”. “Ragnarök” is the Norse mythology’s equivalent to the apocalypse: the Gods will die in battle, and natural disasters will submerge the world, which then resurfaces anew and fertile. The surviving gods shall then repopulate the world through the two sole human survivors. In Mr. Jensen’s analogous vision, Europe will soon be submerged by Muslims, and only the chosen few – the prepared counter-jihadists – will be left of the “original European stock”. Their task, as they see it, is to “plant the seeds” that will enable the good values of Europe to remain after the Ragnarök strikes. In that task, counter-jihadists expect no help from democratically elected leaders, whom they see as controlled by an Arab agenda.

According to professor Roger Griffin of Oxford Brookes University, fascism is an ideology that seeks to mobilise a people through an elite, to conquer cultural hegemony and eventually save the nation from perceived decadence by bringing about its rebirth, where the traditional values once again will unite the (geographically or racially defined) nation. There could hardly be a more accurate description of the counter-jihadist agenda.

Yet Peder Jensen believes that there is a difference between preparing for an apocalypse and inciting violence. His essays refers only to the necessity of “someone” doing “the necessary actions”. As he writes, Europe must be reserved for “people of demographical European stock”. He does not spell out the consequences for the millions who would then have to leave, nor does he elaborate on how this racial purification would be achieved.

To state the obvious: Mr. Jensen does not share any guilt for the actions of Mr. Breivik. Still, the ideology he defends points towards the need of elitist violence on the behalf of “us” – whoever “we” are – to save “our” Europe.

While Mr. Jensen is not at all alone in spreading such fascist ideas through blogs and social media, their overt political influence appears negligible. There is no “new NSDAP” appearing on the political scene. But there is also no reason to believe that Islamophobia must parallel the rise of Nazi fascism. As the Occupy movement highlights, parliamentary politics are not objective measures of popular opinion or of the private convictions of elected representatives. The counter-jihadist agenda can exhibit its destructive influence outside the chambers of parliament as well, or influence the agenda of other right-wing parties throughout Europe.

The British ideologue Edward S. May is attempting to organise the counter-jihadist movement through his blog “Gates of Vienna”. His “counter-jihad manifesto” demands the deportation of muslims “unwilling to assimilate completely”. Since 2007, he has organized annual conferences for counter-jihadist ideologues, where prominent parliamentarians from the Swedish radical right-wing party Sweden Democrats (SD) have been in attendance and on the podium. The party serves as an example of how fascist leanings are indirectly linked to “serious” politics in well-educated, modern nation-states.

According to the current leadership, SD’s openly neo-nazi origins have long turned into severed ties. But today, they are aggressive counter-jihadists. In May 2012, the SD reached an all-time high in opinion polls, topping out at 8.7 percent and eyeing the possibility of becoming Sweden’s third largest party after the next parliamentary elections in 2014.

A recent report by the Norwegian “Centre against Racism” on right-wing extremists in Norway points out that this phenomenon is apparent elsewhere as well: groups and people formerly identifying themselves as neo-nazis (and later as anti-immigration activists) are now reinventing their image as “anti-Islam”. The biological racism of “old fascism” is no longer socially accepted, so the same politics of hate are now supported by different arguments: same shit, new wrapping.

Xenophobia, racism and fascism are constant undercurrents in European politics. Events such as 9/11 draw new cadres to simple explanations based on murky logic and historic myths. One such cadre is due to be sentenced to a long life behind bars. A few write anti-Muslim treatises as we speak. And some seek influence in parliaments once again.

By Sigve Indregard (@sigvei)