Whereas these groups have a territorial base and are preoccupied with national aims, Islamic terrorism appears to be the work of a very small number of individuals who seek to avenge the centuries-long “humiliation” of the Muslim world, brought about by colonization, absence of economic development, and political weakness. The goal of Islamic terrorists is nothing less than the destruction of the “hegemonic” Western world, despite most Muslim nations’ desire to live in peace within the international community and to cooperate in crafting effective development strategies.
将伊斯兰恐怖主义与巴斯克人的“埃塔”组织（ETA）、斯里兰卡的泰米尔猛虎组织或爱尔兰共和军混为一谈也是错误的。这些组织都有一个地区性的基地，并专注于民族目标的实现，而伊斯兰恐怖主义却似乎是由一小撮试图为穆斯林世界在若干世纪以来由于殖民化、经济发展缺失和政治羸弱所造成的“屈辱”实施报复而来。伊斯兰恐怖分子的目标无外乎就是摧毁西方世界的“霸权”。尽管许多穆斯林国家都希望与国际社会和平共处并在缔造有效的发展战略方面进行合作。