Al qaeda ideology pdf

Kathleen hammerberg, alexander powell, zack gold, david knoll, and william rosenau, independent assessment of u. Ideologies, aims, beliefs and motivations introduction al qaeda arabic for the base is a loosely knit terrorist network that facilitates the activities of likeminded militant islamic groups in more than 60 countries around the globe. Isis the ruling to kill the americans and their allies civilians and military is an individual duty for every muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate the alaqsa mosque and the holy mosque mecca from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all the lands of islam, defeated and unable to threaten any muslim. The al qaeda manual the attached manual was located by the manchester england metropolitan police during a search of an al qaeda members home. While alqaeda conducted one major attack every year prior to 911, alqaeda and its associated groups have conducted one attack every three months since 911. Terrorism analysts believe that these campaigns have been designed to elicit psychological reactions and communicate. Isis people of discernment and knowledge among muslims know the extent of danger to islam of the 12er school of shiism. History, ideology, and infrastructure has been a meaningful journey, fusing my academic experiences in the fields of international relations and middle eastern studies. The attached manual was located by the manchester england. Shia, the iraqi and syrian regimes, and secular, pro. Sep 10, 2018 al qaedas ideology was islamist, but its techniques and ideas were western. From perceptions of madmen and religious hypocrites to wahhabis of the twentyfirst century and salafijihadists, what these approaches have in common is an outsidein perspective that assumes a concept of the underlying logic of al qaeda without.

As azzam explained in alqaeda alsulbah, an ideology without a vanguard to promote and propagate it would be stillborn, perishing before it sees light and life. It is no coincidence that the leader of alqaeda, ayman alzawahiri, recently has 1 other acronyms have been used to designate isis, such as isil islamic state of iraq and the levant. Pdf ideology as narrative the mythic discourse of al. Al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap is a sunni terrorist organization and al qaeda aq affiliate based in yemen. Two al qaeda affiliates, al qaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap, and al qaeda in the islamic maghreb aqim, quickly issued a joint statement eulogizing al masri. This analysis finds that through the shift of alqaeda from a terrorist group to a movement which is ideologically directed by alqaeda, the groups doctrine and ideology lack consistency.

New ideological tactics of alqaeda to revive its power. After the 911 attacks, osama bin ladens alqaeda had approximately 300 militants. This project began as an inquiry on changes in us counterterrorism. Protesters, often with women in the lead, took to the streets demanding greater dignity, opportunity and politi cal. Although it is the most hunted terrorist group in history, the campaign of holy war unleashed by al qaeda is likely to outlive itself and the current generation of islamists. To best describe the militant campaign of al qaeda and similar groups, the term, salafist jihad, is. Can we speak of an ideology behind bin ladens and alqaedas politics of violence. Paper prepared for the ecpr joint sessions of workshops, uppsala, april 2004. This article investigates the rationales of different explanatory models that have been utilized to explain the ideology of al qaeda. Al qaedas use of indiscriminate violence is supported by a compelling narrative that authorises its strategy, justifies its violent tactics, propagates its ideology and wins new recruits. The base, the foundation, alternatively spelled alqaida and alqaida is a transnational extremist salafist militant organization founded in 1988 by osama bin laden, abdullah azzam, and several other arab volunteers during the sovietafghan war. This widely acclaimed book fills this gap with a comprehensive analysis of al qaeda the origins, leadership, ideology, and strategy of the terrorist network that brought down the twin towers and continues to threaten us today.

Bin laden left his life of luxury in saudi arabia to become a guerrilla fighter in 1979, when the soviet union invaded afghanistan. Al qaedas ideology is expressed in its single narrative, a unifying. But isis and alqaeda remain the two major global brands. In the last decade, the question what could be an effective counternarrative to win the zbattle of ideas and reach the hearts and minds of those. This new jihadist terrorist organization focuses its attention on driving the infidels from. While al qaeda conducted one major attack every year prior to 911, al qaeda and its associated groups have conducted one attack every three months since 911.

Is theirs a coherent dogma or a fragmented and illthoughtout. Al qaedas leading thinkers are steeped in these reformerslong struggle against the establishment. This article examines a corpus of extremist islamist texts for the period from 2007 to 2012, including transcripts of audio and videos produced by alqaeda in the islamic maghrib aqim. Although it is the most hunted terrorist group in history, the campaign of holy war unleashed by alqaeda is likely to outlive itself and the current generation of islamists. Al qaeda is the first multinational terrorist group of the twentyfirst century and it confronts the world with a new kind of threat. Ideology and action serious threats to global order are said to emanate from al qaeda, exemplified by bombings and multiple deaths.

Ayman al zawahiri, the deputy to osama bin laden, was the leader of egyptian islamic jihad eij. Apr 29, 2015 yet even in its early days the group bickered with the al qaeda leadership. Alqaedas single narrative and attempts to develop counter. The purpose of this paper is to explore the origins, objectives, ideology, motivation, leadership structure, targets, strategies, tactics, and future of al qaeda.

Al qaeda and associated movements aqam has become an increasingly. Inside the jihadi mind understanding ideology and propaganda. Second, we explain the evolution of the group by phases, from its origins to the present day. It is a religious school based on excess and falsehood whose function is to accuse the companions of muhammad of heresy in a campaign against islam, in order to free the way for a group of those who call for a dialogue in the name of the hidden mahdi who. This study, the intellectual origin of alqaedas ideology in the twentieth century begins with an examination of hassan albanna. Al qaeda, its affiliated groups, associated groups, and adherents.

Government efforts against al qaeda, cna drm2017u015710final, august 2017. Alqaedas single narrative and attempts to develop counter narratives. The origins of al qaedas ideology central intelligence agency. The al qaeda network today also comprises semiautonomous or self radicalized actors, who often have only peripheral or ephemeral ties to either the core cadre in pakistan or affiliated groups elsewhere. Albanna is known for founding the muslim brothers and melding the rhetoric of islamic populism with the apparatus of a modern social movement. Aqap and aqim eulogize zawahiri deputy abu alkhayr almasri, site intelligence group, march 2, 2017. The aim is to bring together and synthesise current insights. The new ideological tactics of alqaeda proves the statement of the council on foreign relations of the us thatin recent years, alqaeda has been quietly rebuilding and fortifying its various branches, systematically implemented an ambitious strategy and discreetly consolidated its influence wherever the movement has a significant presence. The ideology of the mujahedin filling al qaedas ranks envisions repulsion of western influences and a return to early muslim values in order to revive the glory days of islam.

Two alqaeda affiliates, alqaeda in the arabian peninsula aqap, and alqaeda in the islamic maghreb aqim, quickly issued a joint statement eulogizing almasri. The ultimate goal of al qaeda ideology is to establish a jurisprudential rule rooted in salafi and wahhabi ideas, which would rule the whole world. Pdf al qaedas organizational structure and its evolution. Emerging from the 2009 merger of the yemeni and saudi arabian branches of al qaeda, aqap has claimed numerous attacks in yemen and has also targeted westerners at home and abroad. Al qaeda, trends in terrorism and future potentialities. Qaedas ideology and bring about its inevitable collapse. Al qaeda origins, ideology, goals and future 465 al qaeda. Gerges explains the shift in the is strategy from a focus on the near enemy. Such a religious government is the most important goal of al qaeda. He is considered by many to be the father of modern political. The competence and determination of the remaining al qaeda leadership cadre 6. Exposing islams new war on christians 20 and the al qaeda reader 2007. It began as a logistical network to support muslims fighting against the soviet union during the afghan war and transformed into the active terrorist organization known for. Mar, 2018 the new ideological tactics of alqaeda proves the statement of the council on foreign relations of the us thatin recent years, alqaeda has been quietly rebuilding and fortifying its various branches, systematically implemented an ambitious strategy and discreetly consolidated its influence wherever the movement has a significant presence.

It is no coincidence that the leader of alqaeda, ayman alzawahiri, recently has 1 other acronyms have been used to designate isis, such as isil islamic state of iraq and the levant isil or even its arabic acronym daesh. Protesters, often with women in the lead, took to the streets demanding greater dignity, opportunity and politi cal pluralism. This article examines a corpus of extremist islamist texts for the period from 2007 to 2012, including transcripts of audio and videos produced by al qaeda in the islamic maghrib aqim. Understanding alqaedas ideology for counternarrative work. Al qaeda has its roots in an organization that grew out of the mekhtab al khidemat the services office organization and from 1989 their name became al qaeda or in english the base or foundation pbs frontline, n. After the 1993 attack, the symbolism of the world trade center took on a significance far beyond itself. Statements released by osama bin laden and his deputy ayman al zawahiri since late 2004 have rekindled public debate in europe and the. Al qaeda ideologies, aims, beliefs and motivations. The objective of this thesis is to investigate al qaedas use of propaganda and to answer two major questions. Doctrines the islamic states brand of jihadisalafism. Al qaedas ideology was islamist, but its techniques and ideas were western.

Aqap and aqim eulogize zawahiri deputy abu al khayr al masri, site intelligence group, march 2, 2017. Al qaeda ideologies, aims, beliefs and motivations al qaeda. Since 20, al qaeda and isis have varied little in core ideology but have adopted diver. Pdf ideology as narrative the mythic discourse of alqaeda. Yet most people in the west know very little about it, or their view is clouded by misperceptions and half truths.

Abstract serious threats to global order are now said to emanate from various, often transnational, islamic fundamentalisms, with 9 11 as a. Understanding alqaedas ideology for counternarrative. Statements and evolving ideology summary al qaeda leaders and affiliates have conducted sophisticated public relations and media campaigns since the mid1990s. We have not seen the end of al qaeda, its associated movements, or its ideology. The past nearly two decades have seen the degrading, destruction, and dispersing of al. Why youth join alqaeda summary interviews and personal histories of 2,032 foreign fighters show that rather than be recruited, young men actively seek out alqaeda and its associated movements.

A comparative analysis of alqaeda and the islamic state is 3 globally. The ideology of global extremism can only be countered if it is first understood. Inside al qaeda examines the leadership, ideology, structure, strategies, and tactics of the most violent politicoreligious organization the world has ever seen. Syrian al qaeda affiliate jabhat al nusra poses one of the most significant longterm threats of any salafijihadi group. Alqaeda has sometimes capitalized on isis tacticsand made gains in unexpected ways. Abstract serious threats to global order are now said to emanate from various, often transnational, islamic fundamentalisms, with 9 11 as a key example, followed by. Al qaeda s leading thinkers are steeped in these reformerslong struggle against the establishment. The resiliency of al qaeda and the likelihood of a postbin laden al qaeda let us briefly consider each. The perspectives of the historian and the political scientist are both essential in understanding and addressing al qaeda, but they can lead to an underestimation of the phenomenon facing us. The teaching of the reformers has been heterodox and revolutionary. This article, based on a combination of wide ranging research and front line. The manual was found in a computer file described as the military series related to the declaration of jihad. In order to counter the process of radicalization, it is necessary to understand the attraction of the narrative or the messages of alqaeda and its inspired followers.

Terrorism analysts believe that these campaigns have been designed to elicit psychological reactions and communicate complex political messages to a global audience as well as to specific subpopulations in the islamic world, the united states, europe, and asia. Now, for the first time, the al qaeda reader gathers together the essential texts and documents that trace the origin, history, and evolution of the ideas of alqaeda founders ayman alzawahiri and osama bin laden. Al qaeda leaders and affiliates have conducted sophisticated public relations and media campaigns since the mid1990s. Like other totalitarian movements, the movements leaders have rationalized their brutality in a number of published treatises. This research paperseeks to map effort s to counter the attraction of alqaedas ideology. Notable exceptions, although not specifically addressing the question of ideology, are p. This al qaeda affiliate has established an expansive network of partnerships with local opposition groups that have grown either dependent on or fiercely loyal to the organization. This widely acclaimed book fills this gap with a comprehensive analysis of al qaedathe origins, leadership, ideology, and strategy of the terrorist network that brought down the twin towers and continues to threaten us today. Since 20, al qaeda and isis have varied little in core ideology but have adopted divergent strategies and tactics. First, does al qaeda follow the parameters set out by the theories of propaganda to wage a successful online propaganda campaign. Statements released following the july 2005 al qaedalinked suicide. The definitive work on al qaeda, this book is based on five years of research, including extensive interviews with its members.