Firstly, Jihad means 'struggle' - it's the act of committing yourself to the cause of Islam and if necessary, fighting to protect it. Though I could never agree with extremism and murder, it's important to understand that Jihad is a fundamental part of Islam, and that most other faiths have their own versions. It's about making sacrifice to bring yourself closer to faith -- and is not a term used to describe the massacring of innocent people. It's human reaction to defend oneself.