AYMAN AL-ZAWAHIRI

This marked the shift to the United States and American interests as the target for Al Qaeda. Shortly thereafter, al-Zawahiri and Bin Laden hold a press conference declaring war against the U. S. and then issue a Fatwa stating that Muslims should kill Americans wherever they can in the world. Two American Embassies were bombed shortly thereafter.

After the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat hundreds of Egyptian religious fundamentalists were rounded up, jailed and tortured. al-Zawahiri broke under torture and revealed the names of some of his anti-government associates. Although he was not personally involved in the murder of Sadat, he served three additional years in jail. Motivated by has thirst for revenge at his torturers and his guilt at having been forced to betray his friend, he learned all he could about terrorism from the older Jihadists also in the same jail, and when he was released he elevated Islamic terrorism to another level by developing a strategy for the use of suicide bombers.

The Caliph in the past was the religious and secular leader of all Muslims. Many of the fundamentalist terrorists have as their objective, the reestablishment of the Caliphate which will unite all Islamic countries under one leader who is both the secular and religious supreme authority—a religious and a civil dictatorship. Most Muslims, like most people of all religions, are not terrorists and believe that much of terrorist activity violates many basic tenets of Islam. However, in order to function, the terrorist must have the tacit support of sufficient numbers of people so that they can function without being exposed. That is an important objective for Al-Qaeda: to enlist sufficient numbers of ordinary people who although they will not commit the terrorist acts, will support the objectives of the terrorists and provide money, shelter, and other services.

The Caliph in the past was the religious and secular leader of all Muslims. Many of the fundamentalist terrorists have as their objective, the reestablishment of the Caliphate which will unite all Islamic countries under one leader who is both the secular and religious supreme authority—a religious and a civil dictatorship. Most Muslims, like most people of all religions, are not terrorists and believe that much of terrorist activity violates many basic tenets of Islam. However, in order to function, the terrorist must have the tacit support of sufficient numbers of people so that they can function without being exposed. That is an important objective for Al-Qaeda: to enlist sufficient numbers of ordinary people who although they will not commit the terrorist acts, will support the objectives of the terrorists and provide money, shelter, and other services.

This marked the shift to the United States and American interests as the target for Al Qaeda. Shortly thereafter, al-Zawahiri and Bin Laden hold a press conference declaring war against the U. S. and then issue a Fatwa stating that Muslims should kill Americans wherever they can in the world. Two American Embassies were bombed shortly thereafter.

After the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat hundreds of Egyptian religious fundamentalists were rounded up, jailed and tortured. al-Zawahiri broke under torture and revealed the names of some of his anti-government associates. Although he was not personally involved in the murder of Sadat, he served three additional years in jail. Motivated by has thirst for revenge at his torturers and his guilt at having been forced to betray his friend, he learned all he could about terrorism from the older Jihadists also in the same jail, and when he was released he elevated Islamic terrorism to another level by developing a strategy for the use of suicide bombers.