I despise extremists just as much as you do.
But you have to look at the problem in a more complex way. There are Muslims followers and there are religious hooligans. The religious hooligans are always out for a fight. The religion is just a handy way of getting there. Also do not forget that people with rigid thinking patterns or with a paranoid mind are most likely the most orthodox believers in any kind of faith : Christian, Catholic, Hindi, Jewish, Islam... I am sure that that there are even Buddhists extremists.
If you dissect any group of people with a given religion, you will always find that there is a small specific group that ignites the whole problem. These are usually also the people that like to be in power. Funny thing is that in religions, often there is warned about false prophets (false messengers are the same). Yet, how often do we not see Imams or priests or Rabbi with extreme views. When presenting these views and finding followers, gives them power. How often is it not the case that psychopaths stir up a group of people who have been indoctrinated all their life to think in a certain way ? Their prophet is important and is their source of hope and a guide in an often difficult life. It does not help that a mediocre way of life and the usual political and geological issues shape the thought of a given group of people together with someone stirring up the mass.
You can also see this with demonstrations or small groups of people looking for trouble. There will always be a central person (maybe 2 or three) that is the one that ignites the whole escalation.
Have i not written often that the first thing religious extremists do is to take away any form of enjoyment or education from the people to ensure to keep them under control, to prevent them from rioting while the extremist religious leaders enjoy a luxury life filled with lust and sex and extreme luxury ? While they themselves tell their followers "Do what i say" and forget to mention : "Do not do what i do" .As we can see often ?
I am amazed that all these people kill an American ambassador because of some offensive movie made in the USA. While i do not see those same people in the street when it becomes known that there is mass scale rape going on going on with young innocent Muslim girls and women. Where are those angry men on the streets in all those Islamic countries now ? Where are the demonstrations and where is the outrage ?
I can give you a clue : Imams...