DOWNLOAD PDF JIHAD AGAINST JEWS AND CRUSADERS: ISSUED BY THE WORLD ISLAMIC FRONT, FEBRUARY 23, 1998

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1 Chapter 1 : Al-Qaeda - Wikipedia Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders World Islamic Front Statement. 23 February Shaykh Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Ladin Ayman al-zawahiri, amir of the Jihad Group in Egypt. Even the nature of the battle requires good preparation. It also trains members of terrorist organizations from such diverse countries as the Philippines, Algeria, and Eritrea. He sponsored and led a number of Arabs fighting in Afghanistan against the Soviets in the s. The MAK ultimately established recruitment centers around the world -- including in the U. It also organized and funded paramilitary training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Bin Ladin imported heavy equipment to cut roads and tunnels and to build hospitals and storage depots in Afghanistan. As many as 10, Arabs received training and combat experience in Afghanistan. Of these, nearly half were Saudis, with others including more than Algerians, Egyptians, and hundreds of others from Yemen, Sudan, Pakistan, Syria and other Muslim states. Bin Ladin split from Azzam in the late s to extend his campaign to all corners of the globe while Azzam remained focused only on support to Muslims waging military campaigns. This committee runs the Islamic Information Observatory center in London, which organizes media activity for these organizations, and the Advisory and Reformation Body which also has a bureau in London. In he relocated to the Sudan, and in he was stripped of his Saudi citizenship after Algeria, Saudi Arabia and Yemen accused him of supporting subversive groups. Many of these have remained loyal to and continue working with him today. Sudan harbors a number of terrorist groups, although in May it expelled Bin Laden and members of some terrorist groups under Saudi pressure, and in response to U. Bin Laden quickly returned to Afghanistan after leaving Sudan, where his support for and participation in Islamic extremist activities continued. Since departing Sudan he is said to have changed considerably, suspecting that there are plots to murder him, so he reportedly now only trusts only a narrow circle of people. He is reported to act on the premise that attack is the best line of defense, rather than efforts to unify extremist groups. Prior to the emergence of the Taleban he was functioning and moving around freely while Rabbani and Massood ruled in Kabul. Bin Laden was subsequently reported to be living in Taleban-held Jalalabad in Afghanistan with about 50 of his family members and bodyguards. A few months after his arrival in Afghanistan the Taleban gained control over Jalalabad and Kabul, and launched a campaign against the "Arab Afghans. But in early at least two large bombs were detonated in Jalalabad as part of attempts to assassinate Bin Ladin, including a 19 March explosion that destroy the police station, killing more than 50 and wounding Bin Ladin subsequently moved to Kandahar from his Jalalabad stronghold as a result of concerns for his personal safety. The Taleban Islamic State of Afghanistan claimed that they moved him to Kandahar to keep him under strict limitations [according to some reports he was under house arrest], and that he was no longer allowed to use Afghan soil to cause harm to any country, including Saudi Arabia. Most recently he was reportedly moving between four or five camps in Afghanistan which are the bases for about followers staying with him. He has financed and supported some or other people outside Afghanistan. Bin Laden is said to have established cells of supporters in Yemen, and as of late it was reported that an additional 2, "Afghans" were resident in Somalia and the Ogaden region, with relatively few actually in Afghanistan. Bin-Ladin provides money to humanitarian organizations and to Islamic publications and groups. He advocates the destruction of the United States, which he sees as the chief obstacle to reform in Muslim societies. Since, his anti-u. Bin-Ladin was involved in operations against the American forces in Somalia in In mid a meeting of various leaders convened by Bin Laden reached a consensus "to use force to confront all foreign forces stationed on Islamic land," and to form a planning committee; a financing, supply, and mobilization committee; and a higher military committee to oversee implementation of the plan. He admitted carrying out attacks on U. The Front declared its intention to attack Americans and our allies, including civilians, anywhere in the world. By at least February, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad had effectively merged with al Qaeda and joined with al Qaeda in targeting American civilians. In May, he stated at a press conference in Afghanistan that we would see the Page 1

2 results of his threats "in a few weeks. The majority of the casualties were Kenyan citizens. Twelve US citizens died, and six were injured in the attack. A group calling itself the "Islamic Army for the Liberation of the Holy Places" immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nairobi and a near-simultaneous explosion in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The other suspects remain at large. The Government of Kenya cooperated closely with the United States in the criminal investigation of the bombing. On 20 August, President Clinton amended Executive Order to add Usama Bin Ladin and his key associates to the list of terrorists, thus blocking their US assets-including property and bank accounts-and prohibiting all US financial transactions with them. Bin Laden remains in Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban, an ultra-conservative Islamic militia that controls most of that country. His investments in Sudan include construction and agricultural projects, with other commercial activities in Somalia, Switzerland, and Luxembourg. His European interests are managed by lawyers in Switzerland, which makes his financial dealings and support to terrorism difficult, but not impossible, to follow. Acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Security Council on 15 October demanded that the Afghan faction, known as the Taliban, turn over Usama bin Laden to appropriate authorities in a country where he would be brought to justice. In that context, it decided that on 14 November all States shall freeze funds and prohibit the take-off and landing of Taliban-owned aircraft unless or until the Taliban complies with that demand. Since the Taliban did not comply with this obligation, the measures of the resolution have entered into effect. Taliban representatives had stated that they were totally opposed to terrorism, but that Mr. At the same time, the official spokesman of Al-Qaida has stated that they have been supplying fighters to Chechnya. It seems that they are active not only in Chechnya, but have worried the other Central Asian republics, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and even Iran. They are certainly turning up in Kashmir, which is one of the important flash points in the world. In mid-december the Jordanian police arrested members of a cell planning attacks against western tourists. This cell was linked to Usama bin Laden. On 14 December Customs agents arrested an Algerian national smuggling almost 50 pounds of explosive materials and detonating devices into the United States. The other Algerians subsequently arrested in connection with this plot apparently were "Afghan alumni," trained with the mujahedin in Afghanistan and also linked to Usama bin Laden. He said that despite some disruptions, U. The US indictment was filed in New York City and superceded a previous indictment related to the bombing. The indictment brought to 17 the total number of persons charged, six of whom are in custody in the United States and three in the United Kingdom. Page 2

3 Chapter 2 : Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders blog.quintoapp.com The World Islamic Front led by Osama bin Laden issued a statement calling for a Jihad against Jews and Crusaders on February 23, Under the Ottoman Empire â ; a vast empire of southwest Asia through northeast Africa that was ruled mainly from Turkey and was heavily influenced by the Islamic religion, they had been forced to report to governors in the capital city of Constantinople. Instead, Great Britain and France divided the region into separate states and ruled them as if they were colonies. As the twentieth century progressed, these states all gained political independence. Still, many Arabs felt that their countries were unduly influenced by the demands of other countries, either in the West the United States, Great Britain, and France, for example or in the East the Soviet Union. Whether they admired Pan-Arabism a belief that Arab countries in the Middle East would be economically and politically stronger if they combined resources and functioned as a single country promoted by Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser â or took part in the Islamic Revolution achieved by Iran in, Arabs throughout the Middle East sought ways to limit outside influences and establish local control of their government and society. Unlike the West, where institutions of religion and government are set up to have unconnected roles in society, many countries in the Middle East are occupied by groups and individuals who want religion to directly influence governmental policy and law. Saudi Arabia, for example, has used Islamic religious law, or Sharia, as its legal system ever since its founding in, and Iran adopted Sharia after its revolution in where the Iranian people overthrew the secular, or non-religious, government and installed religious leaders as lawmakers. But many of the governments established in Middle Eastern countries did not fully incorporate Islamic holy law into their governments, preferring to remain secular. Beginning in the s, but gathering momentum especially after the s, many Muslims in these countries began to call for Islam to play a greater role in society. No one has been more vocal in those calls than the Saudi Arabian Osama bin Laden â. In the West, Osama bin Laden has been labeled as an Islamic fundamentalist someone who believes in a strict or literal interpretation of religious teachings and also as a terrorist someone who uses violence against civilian targets to accomplish a goal, often for political reason. He is known for the numerous attacks that his organization, Al Qaeda, has made, especially on American targets, such as the September 11,, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Yet to his followers, bin Laden is a hero. By expressing his hatred of Western influences, his desire to destroy the Jewish nation of Israel, and his goal of establishing Sharia as law in every predominantly Muslim nation, bin Laden has become a figurehead for those who would like to permanently rid the Middle East of non-islamic influences. In bin Laden joined with several other Muslim clerics to issue a statement declaring their principles. In the statement, reproduced below, the World Islamic Front tells Muslims that they have a duty to kill Americans. The statement was issued as a fatwa, a statement of religious law issued by an Islamic cleric and intended to instruct devout Muslims. Things to remember while reading the "Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders" Though Osama bin Laden, one of the heads of the World Islamic Front, is a member of a wealthy Saudi Arabian family, he has been banned from his native country since He lived for a time in Sudan, and went into hiding after the bombings of the World Trade Center and Pentagon in Al Qaeda has conducted attacks against U. Since the United States occupied Iraq in, many U. The other clerics who signed the statement are leaders of Islamic groups within their country. Praise be to Allah, who revealed the Book, controls the clouds, defeats factionalism, and says in His Book: I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but Allah is worshipped, Allah who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders. The Arabian Peninsula has neverâ since Allah made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seasâ been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged Page 3

4 to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone; we will list them, in order to remind everyone: First, for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizingits neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on Allah, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have throughout Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. Nothing is more sacred than belief except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life. The ruling to kill the Americans and their alliesâ civilians and militaryâ 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 in Mecca from their grip, and in order fortheir armies to move out of all the lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. 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. And know that Allah cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be gathered. Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things. For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith. Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda followed through on their threats to use violence against the United States wherever they could. Al Qaeda militants bombed a U. These attacks claimed more than three thousand American lives. The attacks, however, only increased the U. Bush â sent American troops to remove from power the Islamic government of Afghanistan, which had been harboring Osama bin Laden and thus supported the terrorist attacks. President Bush also ordered U. In this and various other pronouncements and fatwas, bin Laden tried to inspire Muslims to rise up against all Western influences, including Israel, in order to create an Islamic world free of outside interference and dedicated to Islamic values. The name for his approach is Islamism, and it became the dominant revolutionary ideology in the Middle Eastâ and in every country with a majority Muslim populationâ beginning in the s. Islamist groups challenged government power in Algeria, Sudan, and Nigeria in the s, and the Islamist Taliban group took power in Afghanistan in the late s. Many Western observers suspect Saudi Arabia, despite its political ties to the West, of secretly supporting Islamist causes. By the early s, it was still not clear how powerful the Islamist view would be in shaping events in the Middle East. To some, bin Laden and other Islamists represent an extremist fringe that will disappear once established Middle Eastern governments devoted themselves to removing terrorist groups from within their country. Others believe that these acts of terrorism will help Islamism gain a following, and that the Muslim peoples in the Middle East will eventually rise up in support of Islamist goals. One clear influence that Islamism has had is in providing support for the idea that Muslim terrorists are serving Allah when they participate in suicide attacks. In Palestinian attacks against Israel, in Iraqi rebel attacks against U. The Taliban, a strict Islamist group, held power in Afghanistan from to They banned all television and music in their country, restricted laughing in public, and used strict punishments such as cutting off hands and feet or stoning people to death to enforce government laws. Under Taliban rule, women could not obtain the same education as men, nor could they show their faces in public. In Turkey, an Islamist group called the Justice and Development Party has modified its views to try to bring Islamic religious values into a democratic political system. Saudi Arabia follows a version of Islam called Wahhabism, which urges its followers to live as the prophet Muhammad lived in the seventh century. Is there any way to justify such a command from a religious leader? Are there any other instances where religious or Page 4

5 political leaders have made such demands? Using the arguments put forth in the World Islamic Front statement, explain how the Islamist approach to Middle East politics offers solutions to the problems of the region. Then, consider whether there might be more moderate ways to solve those problems. Compare and contrast the World Islamic Front document to one or more of the other documents in this section of the book. How do these visions for the Middle East differ? Are they compatible or contrary to each other? To what extent do these visions still shape politics in the region? An Arab chief also spelled sheik. A ruler or commander in Islamic countries also spelled emir. The supreme being of Islam. Koran, the key Islamic holy book. People with little or no religion. The prophet of Islam, through whom it is said Allah spoke. American soldiers directly, but also the Christian soldiers, called crusaders, who fought against Muslims in the Middle Ages. A reference to Israel, which was formed by Zionists, who wanted to create a Jewish national homeland in Palestine. The community of Islamic scholars. Holy war waged on behalf of Islamic religious duty. The holiest site in Islam, found in Saudi Arabia. For More Information Bergen, Peter. Casting a Shadow of Terror. New York and London: The Making of a Terrorist. Periodicals World Islamic Front. Web Sites Burke, Jason. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Page 5

6 Chapter 3 : Osama Bin Laden Fatwa - The World Islamic Front is the organization that issued the World Islamic Front Statement of 23 February, "Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders", listing the actions of Americans that they claim conflict with "God's order", and stating that the Front's "ruling to kill the Americans and their alliesâ civilians and militaryâ is an individual. Atiyah Abd al-rahman was alleged to be second in command prior to his death on August 22, The group was estimated to consist of 20â 30 people. One such member is thought to have been Sayed Tayib al-madani. Al-Zawahiri replaced Saif al-adel, who had served as interim commander. The Military Committee, which is responsible for training operatives, acquiring weapons, and planning attacks. US-led efforts to eradicate the sources of terrorist financing [60] were most successful in the year immediately following the September 11 attacks. The Law Committee reviews Sharia law, and decides upon courses of action conform to it. Newscast and handled public relations. In, al-qaeda formed As-Sahab, a media production house, to supply its video and audio materials. Command structure Al-Qaeda is not operationally managed by Ayman al-zawahiri. Several operational groups exist, which consult with the leadership in situations where attacks are in preparation. Al-Qaeda is a way of working Curtis contended the name "al-qaeda" was first brought to the attention of the public in the trial of bin Laden and the four men accused of the US embassy bombings in East Africa. The reality was that bin Laden and Ayman al-zawahiri had become the focus of a loose association of disillusioned Islamist militants who were attracted by the new strategy. But there was no organization. These were militants who mostly planned their own operations and looked to bin Laden for funding and assistance. He was not their commander. There is also no evidence that bin Laden used the term "al-qaeda" to refer to the name of a group until after September 11 attacks, when he realized that this was the term the Americans had given it. The name of the organization and details of its structure were provided in the testimony of Jamal al-fadl, who said he was a founding member of the group and a former employee of bin Laden. I think he lied in a number of specific testimony about a unified image of what this organization was. It made al-qaeda the new Mafia or the new Communists. It made them identifiable as a group and therefore made it easier to prosecute any person associated with al-qaeda for any acts or statements made by bin Laden. The number of individuals in the group who have undergone proper military training, and are capable of commanding insurgent forces, is largely unknown. The lack of any significant numbers of convicted al-qaeda members, despite a large number of arrests on terrorism charges, was cited by the documentary as a reason to doubt whether a widespread entity that met the description of al-qaeda existed. The first, numbering in the tens of thousands, was "organized, trained, and equipped as insurgent combat forces" in the Sovietâ Afghan war. Many of these fighters went on to fight in Bosnia and Somalia for global jihad. Another group, which numbered 10, in, live in the West and have received rudimentary combat training. Qatar and state-sponsored terrorism and Qatar diplomatic crisis Several Qatari citizens have been accused of funding al-qaeda. Nuaimi was also accused of investing funds in the charity directed by Humayqani to ultimately fund AQAP. Arnaout revealed that Qatar Charity was cited by Bin Laden in as one of the charities used to channel financial support to al-qaeda operatives overseas. This accusation was publicly denied by Hamad bin Nasser al-thani. The funding is primarily channeled through kidnapping for ransom. Al-Nusra acknowledged a Qatar-sponsored campaign "as one of the preferred conduits for donations intended for the group". Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. Provoke the United States and the West into invading a Muslim country by staging a massive attack or string of attacks on US soil that results in massive civilian casualties. Incite local resistance to occupying forces. Expand the conflict to neighboring countries, and engage the US and its allies in a long war of attrition. Convert al-qaeda into an ideology and set of operating principles that can be loosely franchised in other countries without requiring direct command and control, and via these franchises incite attacks against the US and countries allied with the US until they withdraw from the conflict, as happened with the Madrid train bombings, but which did not have the same effect with the July 7, Page 6

7 London bombings. The US economy will finally collapse by the year, under the strain of multiple engagements in numerous places. This will lead to a collapse in the worldwide economic system, and lead to global political instability. This will lead to a global jihad led by al-qaeda, and a Wahhabi Caliphate will then be installed across the world. Atwan noted that, while the plan is unrealistic, "it is sobering to consider that this virtually describes the downfall of the Soviet Union. The goal of the phase is to provoke the United States to attack a Muslim country by executing an attack on US soil that kills many civilians. The goal of this phase was to recruit young men to the cause and to transform the al-qaeda group into a movement. Iraq was supposed to become the center of all operations with financial and military support for bases in other states. In this phase, al-qaeda wanted to execute additional attacks and focus their attention on Syria. Hussein believed that other countries in the Arabian Peninsula were also in danger. Al-Qaeda expected a steady growth among their ranks and territories due to the declining power of the regimes in the Arabian Peninsula. The main focus of attack in this phase was supposed to be on oil suppliers and cyberterrorism, targeting the US economy and military infrastructure. The declaration of an Islamic Caliphate, which was projected between and In this phase, al-qaeda expected the resistance from Israel to be heavily reduced. The declaration of an "Islamic Army" and a "fight between believers and non-believers", also called "total confrontation". According to the seven-phase strategy, the war is projected to last less than two years. According to Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute and Katherine Zimmerman of the American Enterprise Institute, the new model of al-qaeda is to "socialize communities" and build a broad territorial base of operations with the support of local communities, also gaining income independent of the funding of sheiks. The initial al- is the Arabic definite article "the", hence "the base". Page 7

8 Chapter 4 : Jihad - Wikipedia JIHAD AGAINST JEWS AND CRUSADERS World Islamic Front Statement 23 February Shaykh Usamah Bin-Muhammad Bin-Ladin Ayman al-zawahiri, amir of the Jihad Group in Egypt Abu-Yasir Rifa'i Ahmad Taha, Egyptian Islamic Group Shaykh Mir Hamzah, secretary of the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Pakistan Fazlur Rahman, amir of the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh. Get the word out to your fellow citizens. I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but God is worshipped, God who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders. The Arabian Peninsula has never -- since God made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seas -- been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone; we will list them, in order to remind everyone: First, for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on God, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have throughout Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. Nothing is more sacred than belief except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life. 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. This is in accordance with the words of Almighty God, "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 God. And know that God cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be gathered. Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For God hath power over all things. For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith. It is clear Tenet is refering to this particular sentence since it is the only sentence in the fatwa that mentions "civilians and military". But when Tenet refers to the sentence he quotes only part of it and avoids writting the reason why bin Laden targets American civilians and military. Looking at the sentence we can see that Tenet has left off the section highlighted in red below the part that explains "in order to Notice Tenet has focused only on the part highlighted here in gray: Page 8

9 Chapter 5 : al-qa'ida (The Base)- International Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders "Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders" Written by the World Islamic Front Published in Al-Quds al-arabi, February 23, "All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on Allah, his messenger, and Muslims.". Silvia Carenzi The Arabian Peninsula has never [â ] been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. It urged Muslims to attack Americans and their allies. The declaration- along with a like-minded statement circulated in â marks a key moment in the evolution of jihadism, at the juncture of past and present. First, it enshrines the ideology of the group al-qaeda as we know it. But what did the statement symbolize, and how did it affect the older ideological trail? And, not less important, how has the jihadist galaxy evolved since then? In this article, we will briefly answer these questions. The Significance of the Fatwa As noted, the fatwa and its underlying message did not emerge from a doctrinal vacuum. In fact, it can be considered a continuation of a long path, initiated by previous ideologues from the s onwards. These figures introduced key concepts which would strongly influence present-day jihadist groups, first and foremost al-qaeda. The word jihad too surfaced with great frequency in their writings, used with a violent connotation [3]. If these notions blazed the trail of militant Islamism, it must also be acknowledged that, over the following years, the phenomenon evolved further, absorbing new principles and experiencing some paradigm shifts. The statement embodies one of these turning points. The vision of al-qaeda manifested in the fatwa seems to overturn this hierarchy: However, by and large this stance was not espoused by militant Islamist groups and only a fraction of the jihadist galaxy decided to go global [9]. Jihadist Ideology After In the following years, the changing operational context resulted in a number of developments within the jihadist landscape, from an organizational as well as an ideological perspective. Calls for single-actor attacks, to be executed by autonomous individuals, became more and more common. This evolution had a tangible impact on the ideological sphere: In recent years, a development of critical importance was the ascent of a new player in the post-arab Spring environment â the self-proclaimed Islamic State IS. While developing their own worldview, IS and their predecessors blended contributions from a variety of figures, traditional and innovative jihadists alike: Back in, al-zarqawi pledged loyalty to bin Laden. However, doctrinal, tactical, and strategic differences were evident from the very beginning. How have jihadist ideology and the local-global nexus unfolded in this context? First of all, it must be remembered that the differentiation between a local and a global dimension, though native to jihadist thought, is an artificial one, and as such it has some limitations. Above all, we are not dealing with a clear-cut division between two mutually exclusive choices, but rather a flexible and blurred one. In the whole jihadist scene, local-oriented and global-oriented views alike are featured. Tellingly, a number of ideologues and militants couple local ambitions with far-ranging objectives in their own theories and strategies. The case of Abu Muhammad al-maqdisi is meaningful: In the second place, although the divide between local and global is inherently ambiguous, over the last decade it has become increasingly blurred [14], with more and more groups melding the two dimensions. Indeed, this leads us to the third point: IS and its predecessors provide a useful example in this respect. At first, they devoted their attention to the local arena, targeting Iraqi forces and inhabitants, as well as foreign troops [15]. However, over recent years the group did not shy away from plotting and executing attacks abroad, for instance in North America and in European countries. Finally, a new element has popped up within the far-versus-near-enemy debate: Apparently, this is the true novelty brought about by IS, directly inherited from al-zarqawi. Indeed, he deemed Shiites as the chief enemies, and by targeting them he intended to trigger a sectarian war [17]. It is a convenient label for diverse groups and individuals. Far from being a monolithic entity, it is comparable to a Page 9

10 heterogeneous galaxy, characterized by internal splits on the ideological, tactical, and strategic fronts. Moreover, it is not a static phenomenon, but rather an ever-changing one. Still, regardless of this diversity, we can spot a fil rouge linking the thought of Sayyid Qutb with the ideological framework devised by al-qaeda and IS. The jihadist landscape is thus marked by both continuity and change: The interplay between a local, a global, and a sectarian dimension, which each player readjusts and renews in its own peculiar fashion, is an example in that regard. In the jihadist realm, such innovations have often gone hand in hand with a process of fragmentation and differentiation. For instance, during the s, part of the jihadist galaxy adopted a global strategy, whereas others retained a local focus, or even relinquished their militant views. Similarly, across the s some players have championed a sectarian strategy. At present, a noteworthy development is the competition between al-qaeda and its former affiliate, IS. Despite sharing a number of beliefs, the relationship between the two groups â and especially between their respective leaders â is a strained one. Just think of al-qaeda â it is seen as the quintessential global actor, but in the last few years it has apparently focused on a more local strategy. Conversely, IS did not refrain from an international campaign, in spite of its traditionally local, sectarian-centered outlook. And this further proves how tricky and fluctuating the distinction between local and global jihadist ideology can be. This balance often depends on the actual operational circumstances -incidents, hindrances, and opportunities alike. Finally, fissures and fragmentation have had an impact not only on the wider jihadist scene, but also within single groups. There is no shortage of examples. A key question is how inter-group and intra-group differences and changes will unravel in the coming years [21]. Available in English at https: London and Washington, DC: Pinter Publishers, ; E. Yale University Press, ; G. Oxford University Press, ; S. Routledge, ; S. Maktabah Booksellers and Publishers, ; J. Jansen, The Neglected Duty: Thus, as early as, bin Laden opposed the presence of US troops in Saudi Arabia, calling for Muslims to repel the enemy. Jansen, The Neglected Duty, pp. Gerges, The Far Enemy: Cambridge University Press, A number of factors accounted for that move. His ideology, as well as some excerpts of his book, are analyzed in B. Lia, Architect of Global Jihad: RAND Corporation,, p. Inside the army of terror, rev. The state of terror New York: HarperCollins, ; C. Lister, The Syrian Jihad: Oxford University Press, ; A. Italian Institute for International Political Studies, Princeton University Press,, pp. Naji, The Management of Savagery: McCants with the support of John M. For an in-depth study of al-maqdisi and his ideology, see J. Wagemakers, A Quietist Jihadi. IS portrayed the attacks as a retaliation against European countries, since they joined the international coalition formed in September Yet, it must be remembered that the group apparently started to plot attacks well before, dispatching operatives to Europe as early as Entenmann, Fear Thy Neighbor: Radicalization and Jihadist Attacks in the West Milano: ISPI,, pp. For other contributions to the debate, see D. Page 10

11 Chapter 6 : Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders (World Islamic Front Statement) The Arabian Peninsula has never -. in a front-page blog.quintoapp.com OF FMWA URGINGJIHADAGAINSTAMERICANS London Al-Quds al-'arabi in Arabic 23 Feb 98 "Text of World Islamic Front's Statement Urging Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders" -. who revealed the Book. terrorizing its neighbors. and peace be upon our Prophet. The statement -- a magnificent piece of eloquent, at times even poetic Arabic prose -- reveals a version of history that most Westerners will find unfamiliar. What may be less familiar is the sequence and emphasis. For Muslims, as we in the West sometimes tend to forget but those familiar with Islamic history and literature know, the holy land par excellence is Arabia -- Mecca, where the Prophet was born; Medina, where he established the first Muslim state; and the Hijaz, whose people were the first to rally to the new faith and become its standard-bearers. Thereafter, except for a brief interlude in Syria, the center of the Islamic world and the scene of its major achievements was Iraq, the seat of the caliphate for half a millennium. For Muslims, no piece of land once added to the realm of Islam can ever be finally renounced, but none compares in significance with Arabia and Iraq. In, one of them even ceded Jerusalem to the Emperor Frederick II as part of a general compromise agreement between the Muslim ruler and the Crusaders. Jerusalem was retaken in after the Crusaders tried to make it a purely Christian city, then eventually became a minor provincial town. They should also know that for many -- perhaps most -- Muslims, the declaration is an equally grotesque travesty of the nature of Islam and even of its doctrine of jihad. The Arabian Peninsula has never -- since God made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seas -- been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone; we will list them, in order to remind everyone. First, for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on God, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have throughout Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. Nothing is more sacred than belief except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life. This is in accordance with the words of Almighty God, "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 God. Almighty God said "O ye who believe, give your response to God and His Apostle, when He calleth you to that which will give you life. And know that God cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be gathered. Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For God hath power over all things. For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith. Bin Laden has been involved in the declaration several "fatwas. According to the Islamic science called "Usul al-fiqh" Principles of Jurisprudence, a fatwa is binding when these four conditions are satisfied: Page 11

12 Chapter 7 : FatawÄ of Osama bin Laden - Wikipedia Text of World Islamic Front's Statement Urging Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders. by Osama bin Laden February 23, View the full document. Friday, September 28, at The following statement from Osama bin Laden and his associates purports to be a religious ruling fatwa requiring the killing of Americans, both civilian and military. This document is part of the evidence that links the bin Laden network to the September 11, terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but God is worshipped, God who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders. The Arabian Peninsula has never -- since God made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seas -- been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone; we will list them, in order to remind everyone: First, for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on God, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have throughout Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. Nothing is more sacred than belief except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life. 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. This is in accordance with the words of Almighty God, "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 God. And know that God cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be gathered. Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For God hath power over all things. For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith. We have achieved this task by opening training camps, Islamic education camps, and the preparation of necessary weapons and for this Holy purpose. After the people realize the area needs protection and the preservation of Islam, we must make a tough and holy stand against the blasphemous secularist political, social and cultural institutions. They are seeking to conquer and exploit the Muslims of Kurdistan, thus the dirty Jews and Christians seek the destruction of Islam in Kurdistan. Page 12

13 Chapter 8 : Understanding Jihad by David Cook - Paperback - University of California Press In February al-qaeda issued a statement entitled "The World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders," declaring that it was the duty of all Muslims to kill U.S. citizensâ civilian or militaryâ and their allies everywhere. I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but Allah is worshipped, Allah who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders. The Arab Peninsula has never--since Allah made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seas--been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading on it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone. We will list them in order to remind everyone: First, for over seven years, the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arab Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases on the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have, in the past, argued about the fact of the occupa- tion, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the Crusader-Zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million So, here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on Allah, His Messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have, throughout Islamic history, unan- imously agreed that the Jihad is an individual duty, if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. Nothing is more sacred than Belief, except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life. 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. This is in accordance with the words of the Almighty God, Allah: Fight in the cause of women and children, whose cry is: And know that Allah cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be gathered. Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things. For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith. Page 13

14 Chapter 9 : 9/11 Events The Conspiracy Wiki FANDOM powered by Wikia On February 23,, Al-Quds al-arabi, an Arabic newspaper published in London, printed the full text of a "Declaration of the World Islamic Front for Jihad against the Jews and the Crusaders.". Following is the full text of the statement. I have been sent with the sword between my hands to ensure that no one but Allah is worshipped, Allah who put my livelihood under the shadow of my spear and who inflicts humiliation and scorn on those who disobey my orders. The Arabian Peninsula has never -- since Allah made it flat, created its desert, and encircled it with seas -- been stormed by any forces like the crusader armies spreading in it like locusts, eating its riches and wiping out its plantations. All this is happening at a time in which nations are attacking Muslims like people fighting over a plate of food. In the light of the grave situation and the lack of support, we and you are obliged to discuss current events, and we should all agree on how to settle the matter. No one argues today about three facts that are known to everyone; we will list them, in order to remind everyone: First, for over seven years the United States has been occupying the lands of Islam in the holiest of places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its bases in the Peninsula into a spearhead through which to fight the neighboring Muslim peoples. If some people have in the past argued about the fact of the occupation, all the people of the Peninsula have now acknowledged it. Second, despite the great devastation inflicted on the Iraqi people by the crusader-zionist alliance, and despite the huge number of those killed, which has exceeded 1 million So here they come to annihilate what is left of this people and to humiliate their Muslim neighbors. All these crimes and sins committed by the Americans are a clear declaration of war on Allah, his messenger, and Muslims. And ulema have throughout Islamic history unanimously agreed that the jihad is an individual duty if the enemy destroys the Muslim countries. Nothing is more sacred than belief except repulsing an enemy who is attacking religion and life. 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. 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. And know that Allah cometh between a man and his heart, and that it is He to whom ye shall all be gathered. Do ye prefer the life of this world to the hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the hereafter. Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things. For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in faith. Page 14