Transcript File
AIM: How and why did Al Qaeda rise in popularity? DO NOW: What are the religious origins of Al Qaeda? www.history.com/topics/osama-bin-laden/videos What is Al-Qaeda? • Osama bin Laden- leader radical Islamic terrorists • Founded during Afghan resistance to USSR • Funded in part by the US • Why turn against the US? US support of Saudis and US troops in Saudi Arabia in Gulf War turned him against US Al Qaeda's World View • • • • • • Islam in mortal danger from the West jihad a duty Americans are the new Mongols U.S. creates Israel U.S. troops still in Saudi Arabia U.S. remains in Afghanistan Al Qaeda Thought • 12-12-2001 statement (Ayman al-Zawahiri) • “The need to inflict the maximum casualties against the opponent, for this is the language understood by the West, no matter how much time and effort such operations take.” • “Tracking down the Americans and Jews is not impossible. Killing them with a single bullet, a stab, or a device made up of a popular mix of explosives, or hitting them with an iron rod is not impossible. Burning down their property with Molotov cocktails is not difficult. With the available means, small groups could prove to be a frightening horror for the Americans and Jews.” “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 al-Aqsa 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.” World Islamic Front Statement 23 Feb 1998 Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders This is in accordance with the words of Almighty Allah, "and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together," and "fight them until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah." World Islamic Front Statement 23 Feb 1998 Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders World Trade Center Bombing, Febuary 26, 1993 • Kuwaiti man, Ramzi Yousef, and at least three other men • “car” bomb in the garage of the World Trade Center • blast would topple one tower into the other? • spread cyanide gas across town killing thousands. Kenya and Tanzania American Embassy Bombings August 7, 1998 • Suicide bomb attacks at two different embassies • hundreds of miles apart • within minutes of each other. Yemen Naval Port, Bombing of the U.S.S. Cole October 12, 2000 • Two men sailed a small boat full of explosives next to the U.S.S. Cole, detonating the bomb. • 20 x 40 foot hole in the side of the ship. • Rationale: Goal was to sink the ship and lower U.S. morale 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What are the main Themes of Bin Laden’s Rhetoric? The United States is the main enemy of Islam. Islam has been betrayed from within by Muslim governments who have been corrupted. The Jihad is self defense! Bin Laden is a motivator of all Muslims, not their leader. All weapons are on the table. Osama bin Laden Profile • Saudi born • One of 52 Sons and Daughters fathered by Mohammed bin Laden with 22 different wives • Heir to bin Laden construction company • Westernized until his teens Bin Laden’s War: Cold War Roots • 1979-Soviet forces arrive in Afghanistan to support communist forces • Resistance against the Soviet forces soon became a “ jihad” • Pakistan and Saudi Arabia were the largest backers of this jihad • Bin Laden joins the “jihad” ABC John Miller Interviews Bin Laden, May 1998