"Alison Pargeter examines how radical ideology travels from East to West and how the two contexts shape each other. She finds that, contrary to what some analysts have claimed, local rather than global concerns still preoccupy those involved in militant Islam, and national differences and rivalries dominate the scene. Middle Eastern power struggles are now being played out in the mosques of Birmingham, Paris and Milan. She shows how apparently spontaneous expressions of radicalism, such as the cartoon controversy, are in fact driven by political conflicts between different factions in the Middle East. Unravelling the networks behind events like Madrid, 7/7, and the French Metro bombings, she reveals some surprising connections and explores the reasons why young men in Europe are becoming tied up in the world of militant Islamism."--Jacket.