Al-qaeda and the nature of religious terrorism book

You are planning to update your book talking to terrorists because of bin ladens death. The literature on al qaeda, and terrorism in general, exploded after the 911 attacks. Understanding alqaedas ideology for counternarrative. It argues that a distinction must be made between the ultimate aims and the immediate objectives of. Aug 10, 2010 this article examines the nature of religious terrorism, principally with reference to alqaeda. The cambridge companion to religion and terrorism edited by james r. Jan 11, 2019 laqueur and wall show the structural features behind contemporary terrorism. Jul 03, 2018 in this fascinating audiobook, an expert on terrorism and an expert on counterterrorism answer the two questions everyone is asking about the rise of terrorism today. Easy enough for a layman yet definitely not watered down at all. The manual was found in a computer file described as the military series related to the declaration of jihad.

He looks at al qaeda especially, and he sets the stage for thinking about terrorism with new definitions and ways of thinking about it. I came away from it feeling i knew a lot more about al qaeda than i did before i opened it, which was the. In the wake of the september 11 attacks, president bush moved quickly to dismiss al qaeda operatives as part of the lunatic fringe, religious usurpers bent on misrepresenting and hijacking islam to serve terrorism. This article examines the nature of religious terrorism, principally with reference to alqaeda. Contrasting secular and religious terrorism middle east. Terrorism and political violence jerrold posts compelling mindof the terrorist is a comprehensive and informative account of the psychology of terrorists and how their history has shaped their motivations. Alqaedas 911 attacks was the deadliest ever on american soil, killing nearly 3,000 people. Fear alone provides no tools to combat the future of terrorism. It argues that a distinction must be made between the ultimate aims and. The questions that are often left without clear answers pertain to the unique characteristics of the regions that enable terrorism to flourish. Bin ladens life has received exhaustive scrutiny, as has al qaedas history. The essential texts of osama bin ladens terrorist organization. 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. 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.

It is used in this regard primarily to refer to violence during peacetime or in the context of war against noncombatants mostly civilians and neutral military personnel. Al qaeda is a religious group that conducts its terrorist activities using islam. Like other totalitarian movements, the movements leaders have rationalized their brutality in a number of published treatises. A brief summary of the soviet invasion of afghanistan in 1979, of the us invasion of iraq in 2003, and how these historic events were related to terrorism, and more specifically to alqaeda and the islamic state. 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. Specifically, al qaedas ideology derives from the particular antisemitism that was developed by the original ideologues of islamist terrorism, well before al qaeda was formed. The best books on terrorism a five books interview with. Defining and distinguishing secular and religious terrorism. 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 carrying out the september 11 attacks of 2001. Sedgwick, m alqaeda and the nature of religious terrorism.

This article examines the nature of religious terrorism, principally with reference to al qaeda. Mark juergensmeyer has cited the cave of the patriarchs massacre, 1994, in which baruch kappel goldstein shot and killed 39 muslims, and wounded another 150, as a case of jewish religious terrorism 10 yoel lerner attempted to blow up the dome of the rock and wanted to rebuild the temple mount site 45 mark juergensmeyer identified him as a jewish religious terrorist, writing that he. Selected literature on terrorism and religion universiteit leiden. It argues that a distinction must be made between the ultimate aims and the immediate objectives of religious terrorists, and that while the ultimate aims will be religiously formulated, the immediate objectives will often be found to be almost purely political. This is an exceptionally wellwritten book that makes a significant contribution to the field of counter terrorism. Despite its utopian nature, the global, universalist dimension of transnational. It is not only islam that fosters religious extremism, dr. Since the death of bin laden in 2011, isis has risen, al qaeda has expanded its reach, and rightwing extremists have surged in the united states for the same simple reason. Isis people of discernment and knowledge among muslims know the extent of danger to islam of the 12er school of shiism. Christopher wall an expert on terrorism and an expert on counter terrorism answer the two questions everyone is asking about the rise of terrorism today.

Since the fall of the taliban, alqaeda has established operations worldwide, including in syria, the gulf, north africa, west africa, east africa, and the indian subcontinent. These terrorist groups are looking for the recognition, power, territorial, and they look for concessions from their enemies. Al qaeda is an example of one of these religious terrorist groups. From war ii to the wars of national liberation 208 gerard chaliand and arnaud blin part iii terrorism since 1968. Al qaeda, broadbased militant islamist organization founded by osama bin laden in the late 1980s. It is commonly believed that religion is what motivates terrorist organizations such as alqaeda and its associated organizations, to perpetrate deadly attacks against civilians. The evolution of alqaedaism ideology, terrorists, and appeal. Mar 11, 2020 similar to alqaedas indoctrination of tehriketaliban ttp in pakistan and afghanistan and daesh in iraq and syria, boko haram also gained its terrorexpertise from alqaeda and became proficient in making ieds and veds improvised and vehicular explosive devises, was supplied with weapons and arranged transport fleet. Alqaeda, an islamist terrorist network striving to undermine u. Terrorism is, in the broadest sense, the use of intentional violence for political or religious purposes.

However, the fact that only a small minority of muslims around the world support or are actively involved in these kinds of attacks, raises questions of whether religion is the sole motivator behind terrorism, and. The role of religion in alqaedas violence chapter 11 the. The attached manual was located by the manchester england. 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 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. In qutbs view, the west was restoring jahaliyya to the muslim world. Terrorism winter 2008 meq receive the latest by email. I read this book because i saw jason burke on the adam curtiss bbc tv series the power of nightmares. Understanding alqaedas ideology for counternarrative work. Top 50 books on terrorism and counterterrorism sinai. Alqaeda and the nature of religious terrorism mark sedgwick department of history, american university in cairo, cairo, egypt this article examines the nature of religious terrorism, principally with reference to alqaeda. This was especially the case following september 2001, when alqaeda. In the west, it symbolises the greatest threat to global security.

He talks about the difference between religious and political terrorism and says that religious terrorism is far more dangerous and the terrorists are more likely to use extreme violence because there are not. Hizballahs lethality in the 1980s, for instance presented by hoffman 2006, pp. It is commonly believed that religion is what motivates terrorist organisations such as al qaeda and its associated organisations, to perpetrate deadly attacks against civilians. Religious aspects of terrorism, war on terrorism, 20012009, september 11 terrorist attacks, 2001, qaida organization, terrorists, islamic radicalism, scholarly. Now if the americans purposes behind these wars are religious and. As al qaeda expert lawrence wright told the new yorker, qutb divided the world into islam and jahaliyya, the muslim term for the time of ignorance before muhammad. How is the transnational ideological discourse of the alqaeda and the. Laqueur and wall show the structural features behind contemporary terrorism. The goals of these groups appear to be more political in nature though. According to this theology, the ideal man is the muslim holy warrior who is prepared to be martyred for the sake of god and the jews represent his opposite.

A condensed sketch of malatesta, from the book written by max nettlau new york. Al qaeda is now the most overused and misunderstood term in the media. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. It argues that a distinction must be made between the ultimate aims and the immediate objectives of religious terrorists, and that while the ultimate aims will be religiously formulated, the immediate objectives will often be found to be. Al qaeda and the nature of religious terrorism mark sedgwick department of history, american university in cairo, cairo, egypt this article examines the nature of religious terrorism, principally with reference to al qaeda. Al qaeda and the nature of religious terrorism request pdf. Al qaeda allies and affiliate groups, whose stories often proved integral to that of al qaeda and have now emerged as threats on their own, are also receiving the attention they. The best books on alqaeda five books expert recommendations. 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. The terrorist attacks of 911in which alqaeda operatives flew airplanes into the world trade center and the pentagon and attempted to crash an additional plane into the capitol building in washington, dchighlighted for many the role religion could play in terrorism. This is an incomplete list of books about al qaeda.

Constantly mutating nature of al qaeda, the flagship of modernday transborder terror, poses considerable challenges to the defense and security communities worldwide. In the wake of the september 11 attacks, president bush moved quickly to dismiss alqaeda operatives as part of the lunatic fringe, religious usurpers bent on misrepresenting and hijacking islam to serve terrorism. In the modern era, religious terrorism has increased in its frequency, scale of violence. When i read this book i thought it was a really, really important book, because it challenges many of the myths and stereotypes about terrorism in general, and alqaeda and bin laden in particular. The future of terrorism brings reason to a topic usually ruled by fear. What to read on bin laden and al qaeda foreign affairs. The true story of radical islam 2rev ed by burke, jason isbn. Religion defines several important aspects of alqaeda. It argues that a distinction must be made between the ultimate aims and the immediate objectives of religious terrorists, and that while the ultimate. Al qaeda shares this belief, and wants to remove the west from the islamic world and, preferably, from the earth. This trend comes in contrast with the greater lethality of religious terrorism in general and. Request pdf al qaeda and the nature of religious terrorism this article. Celso did a superb job in bringing together in a comprehensive way all the functional and regional transformations of al qaeda and its implications for the counterterrorist.

Al qaedas religious orientation is a reflection of osama bin ladens sectarian. 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. This is an exceptionally wellwritten book that makes a significant contribution to the field of counterterrorism. In arabic, it is simply an abstract noun, meaning resource, network or base. 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. Just like me, he was trying to understand the nature of the organisation, the kind of people involved, their background and motivation, and critically why they were doing what they were. Arabic meaning, the base is an islamist group founded sometime between august 1988 and late 1989early 1990 it operates as a network comprising both a multinational, stateless arm, and a fundamentalist sunni movement calling for al qaeda al sulbah a vanguard of the strong. Alqaeda, broadbased militant islamist organization founded by osama bin laden in the late 1980s.