Al qaeda why

But in July , the Taliban announced that Mullah Omar had died two years prior. Embarrassingly, al-Zawahiri had offered allegiance to a dead man. Al-Zawahiri renewed his pledge to the new leader, Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, on 13 August , vowing to "wage jihad to liberate every inch of occupied Muslim land". Mansour quickly acknowledged the pledge from "the leader of the international jihadist organisation", an apparent endorsement of al-Qaeda's global jihadist agenda.

This is starkly is at odds with the Taliban's own messaging, which restricts the group to the implementation of Islamic rule in Afghanistan and normal relations with neighbouring states.

When current leader Hibatullah Akhundzada assumed leadership of the group after Mansour's death in a US air strike in May , the Taliban did not publicly acknowledge the renewed pledge from al-Zawahiri. This ambiguity over the current status of the pledge is at the heart of the ongoing uncertainty over the relationship between the two groups.

With their return to power, the Taliban are now being pulled in two directions. Their ties to al-Qaeda lend the Taliban credibility within hardline jihadist circles, and the historic loyalty towards al-Qaeda means they may not be keen to abandon their ally now they hold power.

But the Taliban also remain bound by their obligations under the US peace deal, and the pragmatic approach to governance they have espoused. Congratulatory messages from al-Qaeda and the group's regional affiliates have heaped praise on the Afghan group for their "victory" and reiterated Akhundzada's status as "commander of the faithful".

The Taliban have not publicly acknowledged these messages, despite doing so for other groups like the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. The new laws, however — above all, those pertaining to marriage and agrarian reform — were not well-received by the population, and any demonstration of opposition or dissatisfaction was brutally put down by the government COLL, COLL, Steve , Ghost wars: the secret history of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet invasion to September 10, New York: Penguin.

The year of was the stage for other important events in the Middle East as well. In November, an attempt to capture the Great Mosque of Mecca by groups opposed to the Al Saud monarchy marked the first big revolt against the Saudi government since its establishment.

The presence of a foreign power on Afghan soil was an important catalyst for the formation of a resistance. Despite the geopolitical interests involved in weakening the presence of the USSR in the region above all, the U. It had to do with a Communist state invading a Muslim country, providing airs of war to the defense of Islam.

One of the intellectual mentors of Osama bin Laden, he died after a car bomb in Peshawar, Pakistan, in Al-Qaeda had the purpose of channeling combatants and funds to the Afghan resistance but, after the withdrawal of Soviet troops, it began to accompany the struggles of Muslims around the world, including rebellions against regimes considered apostates BYMAN, a BYMAN, Daniel a , Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the global jihadist movement: what everyone needs to know.

Oxford: Oxford University Press. In traditional Islamic law, apostasy is considered the conscious abandonment of Islam by a Muslim by means of his words or actions. However, he found U. This was how his already-explicit opposition to the U. In Sudanese territory, bin Laden and al-Qaeda found the essential conditions to develop the group by means of an agreement with Sudan's government.

On the one hand, through his personal fortune, bin Laden contributed to the construction of infrastructure projects in Sudan. In: The history of terrorism: from antiquity to Al-Qaeda. Los Angeles: University of California Press. The honeymoon between Khartoum and al-Qaeda, however, did not last very long, because bin Laden's activities began to draw the attention of the Persian Gulf monarchies.

Therefore, Middle Eastern countries' pressure on Sudan increased, particularly for bin Laden's expulsion. Al-Qaeda's next destination was Afghanistan, at the time dominated by the Taliban regime. New York: Harper Collins. At the beginning of , the Taliban authorized the opening of training camps in Afghanistan for al-Qaeda's use. Accessed on January 29, In response to the regime's refusal to do so, Operation Enduring Freedom was launched on October 7, On November 13, , the Taliban fell, but neither its main leaders nor bin Laden were found.

However, even though its capacity to act was harmed, al-Qaeda played prominent roles in other terrorist attacks, particularly an attack on a synagogue in Tunisia, an explosion in a nightclub in Bali both in , explosions in train stations in Madrid in , and metro stations in London in Finally, in May , bin Laden was assassinated by U.

The origin contexts above synthesize evidence that the rise of al-Qaeda came from a turbulent relationship between the West and the Muslim world. As a result, the status quo that they intended to alter was one of asymmetry in which, from the perspective of contemporary militant Islamist groups, Islam was being continually and constantly attacked by Western countries, particularly by the interference of the U.

It was no coincidence that al-Qaeda proposed three main goals. First, it was to serve as a terrorist group in and of itself.

Second, it was to act as an organizer, recruiter, and logistical provider for other militant Muslims, incentivizing them to fight beyond Afghanistan. It is, however, important for us to avoid analyses that tend to understand Islamist militants, above all the most violent ones, as nothing more than contemporary expressions of obscurantisms whose primary target is Western modernity.

One can therefore argue that, at least since the 18 th century, the Muslim world has seen itself as being in decline, particularly in relation to European countries. Given this scenario, several thinkers have connected this situation to the deviations of Muslim governments from Muhammad's teachings. One of the most well-known movements coming from this juncture was Wahhabism, founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Basically, Wahhab proclaimed that the solution to the social and political problems of the time was a return to the eternal and infallible sources of Islam: the Qur'an and the Sunnah 11 11 The fundamental and canonical sources of Islam are the Qur'an and the Sunnah examples of Muhammad, brought together in collections of records of his words and feats.

For discussions about Muslim fundamentalism and political Islam, see Roy More recently, especially from the s and s on, we have the influence of Sayyid Qutb. Qutb became the main ideological leadership of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, articulating a vision of Muslim society divided between two distinct and irreconcilable fields: the believers and the unbelievers.

Consequently, it does not seem unreasonable to us to state that the political objectives of al-Qaeda reflect, to some degree, the political and ideological imagery coming from this complex context. They were certainly influenced by the ideas of Qutb, who considered the West to be a historical enemy of Islam, and that jihad 12 12 Jihad is a term with many possible meanings, usually divided between lesser and greater jihad.

Greater jihad refers to the effort or struggle of the believer to stay faithful to God's designs. Lesser jihad is a combination of external efforts to protect the community and the faith from external attacks NASSER, Bin Laden and his comrades saw government actors' deviations from Muslim teachings and foreign actors' interference as the causes of decadence in the Muslim world.

It is no coincidence that the U. In , al-Qaeda published a 'fatwa' 13 13 According to Roy , a 'fatwa' is a legal decision, issued by a religious authority, that discusses topics not mentioned in traditional Muslim sources. It also clarifies the most correct interpretation of Islamic norms.

In addition, in a 'fatwa' published in , it criticized Saudi Arabia and the U. In that same 'fatwa' , there were countless accusations against the Saudi regime, which in addition to having allowed infidels to enter the Holy Land — the most sacred places for Muslims, Mecca and Medina, are in Saudi Arabia — also suspended Islamic law, wasted the oil wealth of the country, and ignored the Palestinian cause, among other crimes BYMAN, a BYMAN, Daniel a , Al-Qaeda, the Islamic State and the global jihadist movement: what everyone needs to know.

Furthermore, it also declared al-Qaeda's support for the conflicts in Chechnya, Bosnia, and Palestine. However, for bin Laden, the first step was to defeat the U. The initial goal would be to concentrate efforts against the U. The next step would then be to overthrow the apostate regimes, creating the conditions for the emergence of authentic Muslim governments. The definition of the U. New York: Alpha. It is our framework that lets us define al-Qaeda as a terrorist group.

We then have the use of terror with the intention to alter the correlation of forces, but it is not expected that the terrorist act in itself will directly alter the result in favor of the group.

The statement above can be evaluated by looking at the concrete impacts of the terrorist attacks. Note, therefore, that significant damage was caused, but that the correlation of forces between the U. Besides, the statement cited above can also be evaluated through the prism of al-Qaeda's finances. Most of their resources are directed to carrying out terrorist attacks 14 14 According to data assembled by Byman a, p. The cost of the attacks on the London metro were somewhere around 8, GBP.

With relation to revenue, al-Qaeda seeks to not restrict itself to just one sponsor country. As a result, al-Qaeda had to diversify its sources of income. Studies in Conflict and Terrorism. Accessed on January 28, Despite these diverse sources of financing, this total would not sustain a direct confrontation with the U. We therefore have more important evidence that the link between the acts and al-Qaeda's political objective is indirect, which allows us to categorize al-Qaeda as a terrorist group in the terms we have proposed here.

Zarqawi even went to Afghanistan to fight against the Soviets, but returned to Jordan at the end of the conflict, ending up participating in groups opposed to the government. However, he was arrested in after batches of explosives were found in his possession. After leaving prison in , Zarqawi returned to Afghanistan, seeking the support of bin Laden in order to build his organization.

Furthermore, bin Laden and Zawahiri disagreed with the extremist views of Zarqawi, particularly with his emphasis on attacking Shiites, who the Jordanian accused of betrayal. Despite their differences, both groups managed to work together, above all because of the fact that Zarqawi operated in the Levant — a region that spans from Jordan to Syria — where al-Qaeda was fragile. The U. Chosen by then-President George W. Bush to command the provisional authority of Iraq, Paul Bremer took two decisions that contributed to increasing the destabilization of the country.

This is why the American people are not innocent. The American people are active members in all these crimes. Although portions of the text may reflect revised perspectives and the benefit of hindsight, its key statements of intent correspond to elements of prior statements by Osama Bin Laden and other Al Qaeda figures. It was crowned by the announcement of Bush Jr. Has Shaykh Usama Bin Ladin not informed you that you will not dream of security until we live it in reality in Palestine and before all infidel armies leave the land of Muhammad, may peace be upon him?

You however shed rivers of blood in our land so we exploded volcanoes of anger in your land Our message to you is crystal clear: Your salvation will only come in your withdrawal from our land, in stopping the robbing of our oil and resources, and in stopping your support for the corrupt and corrupting leaders. Bin Laden described the stakes of the confrontation between coalition and jihadist forces in Iraq in the following terms: "The whole world is watching this war and the two adversaries; the Islamic nation, on the one hand, and the United States and its allies on the other.

It is either victory and glory or misery and humiliation. The nation today has a very rare opportunity to come out of the subservience and enslavement to the West and to smash the chains with which the Crusaders have fettered it. Bin Laden: "The one who stays behind and fails to join the Mujahidin when Jihad becomes an individual duty commits a cardinal sin The most pressing duty after faith is repelling the aggressor enemy. This means that the nation should devote its resources, sons, and money to fight the infidels and drive them out of its lands.

See also the Quran-Al Tawbah, The brothers in the group there should heed his orders and obey him in all that which is good.

Bin Laden urged followers to " These are the most important operations. Bin Laden sanctioned cooperation with Baathists "despite our belief in the infidelity of socialists.

The Iraqi who joins this renegade government to fight against the Mujahidin, who resists occupation, is considered a renegade and one of the infidels, even if he were an Arab from Rabi'ah or Mudar tribes. Judging by statements made in the letter, Al Zawahiri largely shared Al Zarqawi's disdain for Shiite Muslims generally and Iraq's Shiite political groups in particular. He questions the timing of Al Zarqawi's anti-Shiite operations because in his opinion, a majority of the Sunni community Al Qaeda is trying to mobilize on a region-wide basis do not feel as strongly or as negatively about Shi'ism or the Shiite community in Iraq.

And similarly, the brothers in the Islamic State of Iraq must open their hearts to their brothers and listen to them and take what they throw them seriously, and at the same time, they must sincerely advise their brothers about the mistakes or shortcomings they see in them.

For example, Bin Laden has linked his opposition to insufficiently Islamic governance in Saudi Arabia to his view that under the Saudi monarchy, "absolute obedience and supremacy are given to the king and his laws, and not to God's religion. According to Bin Laden, Muslims have a right to participate in the selection of their rulers only under certain "conditions," namely the absence of occupying foreign powers and the presence of candidates willing to rule solely according to Islamic law.

Palestine is under occupation and its constitution is man-made and pagan, and Islam has nothing to do with it. Rights cannot be restored from a regime when the ruler becomes renegade or refuses to follow religion except by force. Al Zawahiri admits that he is "unable Be active and prevent them from reaching the oil, and mount your operations accordingly, particularly in Iraq and the Gulf for this is their fate. According to Bin Laden, "Islam is one unit that can not be divided Topic Areas About Donate.

Al Qaeda: Statements and Evolving Ideology February 4, — July 9, RL Al Qaeda leaders and affiliates have conducted sophisticated public relations and media campaigns since the mids.

Download PDF. Download EPUB. Topic areas Intelligence and National Security. Summary Al Qaeda leaders and affiliates have conducted sophisticated public relations and media campaigns since the mids.

Introduction Al Qaeda leaders and affiliates have conducted sophisticated public relations and media campaigns since the mids using a series of faxed statements, audio recordings, video appearances, and Internet postings. Al Qaeda: Statements Founding Principles Osama Bin Laden's experiences as a logistical coordinator and financier for the Afghan and Arab resistance to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan during the s are thought to have provided the backdrop for his belief that Muslims could take effective military action inspired by select Islamic principles.

Al Qaeda Statements in Outreach and "Truce" Proposals In and , Bin Laden personally addressed the governments and citizens of Europe and the United States directly in an effort to discourage further support for their respective foreign policies in the Islamic world.

Iraq and Al Qaeda's Ideology Strategic Perspectives In December , Bin Laden identified the conflict in Iraq as "a golden and unique opportunity" for jihadists to engage and defeat the United States, and he characterized the insurgency in Iraq as the central battle in a "Third World War, which the Crusader-Zionist coalition began against the Islamic nation.

Tactical Differences? Political Goals and Perspectives on Reform The Three Foundations The operations of Al Qaeda affiliates continue to be complemented by centrally-planned ideological outreach activities.

Secular government or "man-made" law is considered unacceptable and deemed contrary to Islamic faith. He criticized hereditary government and identified a need "to specify the power of the sharia based judiciary, and insure that no one can dispose of the people's rights, except in accordance with this judiciary. Strategic Framework Al Qaeda military commander Sayf al Adl concluded his May text with advice for Al Zarqawi and other affiliates that includes a detailed strategic framework for the jihadist movement.

A summary follows: Jihadist action must have a clear "thought or idea that outlines its means and objectives. The strategic objectives of the jihadist movement should be rooted in and motivated by what Al Adl refers to as "the clear banner of Islam—the banner of 'there is no deity but God and Muhammad is the messenger of God.

Detailed strategic and operational plans must be developed with short-term and long-term components. Al Adl links the failures of other "contemporary Islamic movements" to the fact that their "actions were mostly random. In a July statement, Al Zawahiri outlined "a near-term plan and a long-term plan" for achieving Al Qaeda objectives: The near-term plan consists of targeting Crusader-Jewish interests, as everyone who attacks the Muslim Ummah must pay the price, in our country and theirs, in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Somalia, and everywhere we are able to strike their interests Targeting Israel Variations in the intensity and prominence of Al Qaeda leaders' anti-Israeli rhetoric have fueled suggestions that Al Qaeda's commitment to the Palestinian cause waxes and wanes depending on the network's need for support—becoming more pronounced during periods when Al Qaeda's actions have alienated supporters or as part of a more outright ideological appeal.

Christina Hellmich does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Twenty years ago, the terrorist group al-Qaida carried out the deadliest attack on US soil the world had ever seen.

Overnight, al-Qaida founder Osama bin Laden became the most notorious terrorist to date. Their ultimate aim was to bring back the umma , the community of all Muslims once united by a political authority. Al-Qaida first appeared on the terrorism radar in when it carried out simultaneous bombings on the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing people and wounding more than 4, Instead of withdrawing military forces, the then US president, George W.