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Militant Islam———233

OSAMA BIN LADEN In 1989, as the war wound down, bin Laden spun a
network out of these devoted militants. He called this
Subsequent militant Islamic attacks continued. In network Al Qaeda. While most of the mujahideen
October 1993, America was attacked by the forces returned home after the Soviet defeat, bin Laden kept
of militant Islam in Somalia. Two Army helicopters the network alive through the Internet, cell phones,
were shot down and a third crash-landed in a mission faxes, and other high-tech means.
intended to capture a militant Islamic leader. In that Bin Laden’s goals for Al Qaeda are threefold. First,
mission, 18 Americans died and 78 were injured by
the group advocates the overthrow of today’s secular
guerrilla forces trained by a relatively unknown group
Muslim states for forsaking shari’a. Accordingly, it
called Al Qaeda, run by the Saudi-born militant
seeks the overthrow the government of Saudi Arabia—
Osama bin Laden.
the home of the two holiest cities in Islam. Al Qaeda
In 1995, a suicide car-bomber attacked a military
derides the Saudi regime for its subservience to U.S.
training school in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, taking five
demands, particularly in allowing American soldiers
American lives. A year later, in June 1996, a truck
to remain after the 1991 Gulf War. Second, Al Qaeda
bomb destroyed part of a living quarters used by U.S.
views the United States as the foremost enemy of
Air Force personnel in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Islam, and seeks to destroy it. Third, the group seeks to
Nineteen servicemen were killed and 240 were injured.
bolster the efforts of jihad groups throughout the
The United States responded by imposing sanctions
world. This includes the efforts of militant groups in
against Sudan’s Islamist regime, where bin Laden had
Algeria, Chechnya, Eritrea, Somalia, and others.
found asylum.
Al Qaeda, today represents the single greatest mili-
In 1995, reports of brutal violence and human
tant Islamic threat to global stability. Indeed, the group
rights violations emerged from Afghanistan, as the
has become the least common denominator among
militant Islamic government known as the Taliban
radical groups worldwide—allowing them to pool
captured more than half of Afghanistan. The group
resources and personnel. But it was not until February
received increased notoriety when it took in the fugi-
23, 1998, and the creation of a front group called the
tive bin Laden in 1996. With bin Laden’s arrival
World Islamic Front for Jihad Against Jews and
in Afghanistan, Al Qaeda began to operate with
Crusaders that intelligence organizations began to truly
increased efficacy.
understand the magnitude of Al Qaeda. Indeed, the
Al Qaeda (literally, “The Base”) facilitates and
signatures of Al Qaeda’s “World Front” communiqué
orchestrates the operations of Islamic militants around
included leaders of the Egyptian Gama’a al-Islamiyya
the globe. Al Qaeda, in essence, is a network for
and Al Jihad, as well as the jihad movement in
terrorists, whereby information, plots, funds, and
Bangladesh, and many others.
human resources are connected and funneled through
In June 1999, bin Laden was added to the FBI’s
a hub. The organization’s roots are in the CIA-spon-
“most wanted” list for his leadership of Al Qaeda. One
sored Afghan war against the Soviets (1980–1989).
month later, U.S. president Bill Clinton imposed sanc-
During that time, with U.S. support, militant Muslims
tions on the Taliban for harboring bin Laden. U.S.
from all over the world came to Afghanistan in an
intelligence, recognizing the deep threat posed by
attempt to ward off Soviet occupation. Bin Laden, the
Al Qaeda, has since foiled many of the group’s plots,
son of a Saudi billionaire, was among them. He report-
including one designed to disrupt global millennium
edly won the hearts of his fellow mujahideen (jihad
celebrations in December 1999.
fighters) not only by fighting valiantly but also by
Nevertheless, the bombing in Yemen of the U.S.S.
financing a recruiting office for fighters.
Cole in 2000 and the September 11, 2001, attacks on
Bin Laden, with the help of a Palestinian militant
the Pentagon and World Trade Center are proof that
named Abdallah Azzam, opened Maktab al-Khidamat,
Al Qaeda can still reach America. Due to its clandes-
or the Services Office. During the course of the war,
tine modus operandi, Al Qaeda’s longevity is almost
bin Laden paid for the import of fresh fighters to
certainly assured. Accordingly, the prospect of a long
Afghanistan, and built training camps for them. In
and protracted war against militant Islam is effectively
addition, he imported experts to teach his men guerrilla
guaranteed.
tactics and terror warfare. During the war, thousands
trained at bin Laden’s camps. See also AL QAEDA; OSAMA BIN LADEN; JIHAD; MUJAHIDEEN