What Al Qaeda Believes

Importance of Knowing your Enemy "If you do not know your enemies, you may unwittingly create more of them." Author unknown Consider how people whose history, culture, and body of beliefs are different from your own, are reacting to your policies and actions. Pay attention to what motivates your enemies, what they say and do. o Hitler wrote Mein Kampf his book on Germany and his views of the Jews, no one listened o

Recognizing Differences Between your Enemies Difference between a suicide bomber in Israel and an Algerian man who wants to blow up an American Embassy Goal of Hamas Terrorist is limited to destroying Israel and replacing it with a Palestinian State Al Qaeda aims to seize power in Muslim nations that are ruled by what Al Qaeda regards as corrupt and infidel leaders ( Unite all Muslim countries into one)

Al Qaeda Believes 1.Westerners hate Muslims and dominate their countries. o Beginning in the 18th century, Western Powers invaded Muslim lands, ruled them as colonies and treated their people as inferiors. England was in.... India, Pakistan France was in... Algeria, Tunisia o After WWI and the defeat of the Islamic Ottoman Empire, Western Powers took control over Muslim lands. o WWII - Western powers have either given up or have been driven out of the lands.

Al Qaeda Believes Al Qaeda still sees the West wanting to manipulate and control Muslim lands. o Israel relationship with the U.S  Double standard Israel, Iraq sanctions  Algerian election / Iran o America bribes Muslim Countries  2 billion to Egypt  Hundreds of millions to Pakistan War in Iraq o Number of casualties caused by the war in Iraq on civilians, 20,000 o Abu Ghraib prison scandal

Muslim Brotherhood Founded hospitals Built factories and schools Fought poverty and social injustices Offered Quaranic Living

Muslim Brotherhood Who are Hasan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutb 2. Al Qaeda looks to Hasan al-Banna and Sayyid Qutb for action Hasan al-Banna o Founded the Muslim Brotherhood  Go back to true Islam and follow the Quran which provides a total way of life o Believed Egypt should become an Islamic state  Only those rulers who opposed foreign colonial rule should be regarded as legitimate  Education and Economy should be based on religious principles  Females should be educated and allowed to work, but separated from males

Muslim Brotherhood Sayyid Qutb o Member of the Brotherhood o Had a more radical vision o Wanted to return to the origins of Islam o Against Western way of Life o Believed religion stood between the West and Islam Return to Islam o Drive out all oppressors and return to purely Islamic way of life  1980's Soviets driven out of Afghanistan  No true victory in Iraq

Do other Muslims share Al Qaeda's Beliefs? 1.3 billion Muslims worldwide Only a few thousand are considered Al Qaeda members Most Muslims are not terrorists and do not want to return to a medieval Muslim way of life Believe that the West still manipulates and bribes Muslim leaders

Questions 1.Do you think it is important to know something about " the history, culture, and body of beliefs" that motivate Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda terrorists? Why or why not? 2.Why does Al Qaeda and why do so many Muslims believe that the U.S wants to dominate their countries? 3.What is Al Qaeda's goal? How do most Muslims view this goal?