Which other group of people in our modern times other than the muslims, evoke such fear?
Tier 1 equivalents : Militant white supremacists? Militant Zionists?
Tier 2 equivalents : Authoritarian governments? (see NK or China if Falungong for ex)
Tier 3 equivalents : Drug Cartels? Yakuza? Mafia? Triads? (no not the local small fry)
I may have missed a few...
There is actually a theory to be distilled from the above equivalents. If I may, it is :
Any group of people who hold a common belief that they and their beliefs alone are the "chosen" or "the right people" to decide for everyone else what is right and wrong. Dissent and disagreement are not to be tolerated and are to be met with force until either compliance is assured or the opposing view/interest is totally eliminated.