Sword of Islam Muslim Extremism from the Arab Conquest to the Attack on America by John F. Murphy Jr. (Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books, 2002. 424 pages.)

Abstract

This book presents itself as an academic work, with 14 pages of endnotes,
a 12-page bibliography, and a detailed 18-page index. While pretending to
distinguish between Islam as a religion and Muslims on the one hand, and
Islamic extremism on the other, these elements are mixed up throughout the
book. In addition, every instance of Arab or Muslim resistance to occupation
or oppression is put under the global category of “Muslim extremism,”
a term that has already acquired a connotation of violence due to the book’s
title.
The book is a collection of anecdotal evidence, personal opinions,
hearsay, and interviews and quotes from “anonymous sources” that are presumably available to the author, who is engaged in intelligence work.
Although filled with details about political violence and terrorism (without
distinguishing between the two terms) that can be found in the popular
press, it is, however, full of gross mistakes and errors. Thus, the information
found in it is unreliable. Moreover, the overall interpretation of events
reflects a deep ignorance of the meanings of historical events for the people
concerned. Some quotations will illustrate this brief assessment ...