User Clip: Sarah Sewall on the role religion plays in extremist violence in Africa

“Al-Shabaab and Boko Haram, for example, both justify their brutality in twisted interpretations of Salafism. Many Al-Shabaab leaders were indoctrinated in ultra-conservative religious schools in the Middle East. The LRA's purported faith entails a warped version of the Ten Commandments that it seeks to impose on others. So when these groups repeatedly invoke religion to spill blood and inspire followers, we can't pretend that religion has no role. But obviously … our analysis cannot stop there because the story is far more complex…”— Sarah Sewall Undersecretary, Department of State (AUGUST 1, 2016) close