A new form of online radicalization is causing serious concern among security authorities, sitting at the intersection of unfulfilled longing, toxic ideals of masculinity and Islamist ideology.
The phenomenon centres on so-called "Mincels", a portmanteau of the words Muslim and "incel", short for "involuntary celibate", a recent state intelligence report in Germany outlines.
"The movement appeals in particular to young, male Muslims who want a partner but cannot find one and live in involuntary celibacy," said Beate Bube, head of the domestic intelligence agency in the state of Baden-Württemberg. These individuals are radicalising online, she said.
Islamist values are being linked in these online communities to questions of sexuality and the role of women in society, the intelligence officials say. Toxic ideals of masculinity, conspiracy theories and misogynistic views are spreading online.
"It is claimed that men have a fundamental right to sex, or that women have excessive freedoms," the July report states.
Influencers are spreading narratives suggesting that a return to strict Islamic-Salafist rules, combined with appropriate personal grooming, could help "to appear more attractive to women," Bube said. This serves to spread Islamist propaganda, she said. At the same time, Salafism is being used as a tool to justify a misogynistic agenda.
The "incel" subculture is primarily associated with far-right extremism, according to the state's intelligence officials. However, misogyny serves as a bridging narrative that is also found in Islamism.
"Typically, women in Islamism are marginalised and restricted in their right to self-determination, as shown for example by the fact that they are subject to certain restrictive dress codes," the report states.
Many Islamists take the view that women must be subservient to them. Based on these "ideals", young men are increasingly radicalising online, the report says.
"What unites 'incels' is the desire for a romantic relationship with sexual fulfilment," according to the report.
There are, however, differences: unlike "incels", "Mincels" want to marry as quickly as possible in order to live in a relationship that conforms to Islamic principles, the intelligence officials say.
"Virginity in this context is interpreted as a sign of strength of one's own Islamic faith and therefore carries no negative connotation," the report states.
