(LibertySociety.com) – When our US troops were pulling out of Afghanistan, they feared extremist groups might strike at any moment and prepared for such an attack. What they couldn’t foresee was that a fellow American might be among them. In July 2019, the federal government arrested Uber driver and US citizen Delowar Mohammed Hossain for attempting to support the Taliban. On October 11, a Manhattan federal court handed down a guilty verdict, and he now faces up to 35 years in prison.
N.Y. Uber driver who wanted to join Taliban convicted on terrorism-related charges https://t.co/Bb0MfJtTUa
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 9, 2021
Not only did Hossain want to kill US troops in the Middle East, he successfully recruited other Americans to join him. Luckily, one of them was a government informant, or the traitor may have made it to Afghanistan to “kill some kufars” (a derogatory term referring to non-believers of the Muslim faith). His actions highlight the dangers of religious extremism. It creates an environment of hate and non-acceptance, leading to intolerance and violence against those who don’t share the same belief system.
Yet, the dangers of radical religious views aren’t limited only to the Muslim faith. A look into history shows extremism leading to the Crusades, Ireland’s civil war, the rise of Nazi Germany, and the events of 9/11.
It’s one of the foundational reasons our founding fathers made religious freedom an inalienable right for every American so every citizen could practice their chosen religion in peace.
Copyright 2021, LibertySociety.com
