Most extremists draw on the philosophy of Wahhabism, the modern father of Radical Islam. This philosophy, born and developed in Saudi Arabia, legitimizes violence against Muslims that stand opposed to radical ideology.

Law enforcement agencies in the United States have recorded a considerable rise in cases of domestic violence directed at Muslim women, including honor killings.

Women are being murdered for seeking freedoms and liberties permitted in Western societies, seeking divorce from arranged marriages, or dating outside of acceptable religious norms.

Violence from Radical Muslims is local and global. Threats have been made to Muslim leaders and communities in countries including: Lebanon, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, and Turkey. In Lebanon, Hezbollah has a stronghold on Lebanese Muslims. In Iraq, police and many Sunnis are vilified as infidels because of their cooperation with Western forces.

Regional conflicts include extreme violence and massive death tolls in the Pakistan/Bangladesh War, the Iran/Iraq War, civil war in Afghanistan and numerous Shiite versus Sunni altercations during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Radical Muslims have targeted many respected national leaders. Turkish Prime Minister Mustafa Kemal Atatürk of Turkey has faced serious and life-threatening opposition for anti-radical policies. Sudanese politician Mahmoud Mohamed Taha was executed for trying to implement reform policies.

Many believe Muslims populations suffer most from the threats posed by Radical Islam.