Page 83 - Encyclopedia Of Terrorism

A-Kushner.qxd 29-10-02 3:20 PM Page 56

56———Atef, Muhammad (c. 1944–2001)

operations carried out by a local population against an
occupying force. The aim of the guerrilla fighter is ATEF, MUHAMMAD (C. 1944–2001)
erosion of the enemy’s will to sustain the costs of aka Abu Hafs, Abu Hafs el-Masry el-Khabir,
continuing the war. Henry Kissinger observed that Taysir, Sheikh Taysir Abdullah, Abu Khadijah
“the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. The conven-
tional army loses if it does not win.”
Groups lacking the ability to take power either A former Egyptian police officer regarded as
militarily or politically may resort to terrorist being one of Osama bin Laden’s closest advisers,
attacks within the heart of the state. Terrorist attacks Muhammad Atef is said to have been a key planner of
in cities attract more media coverage than those in the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade
rural areas; car bombs, assassinations, bombs left in Center in New York City and the Pentagon near
crowded public places are common tactics in urban Washington, D.C. Atef, often described as the chief
terrorism. Asymmetry exists in the willingness of military commander of Al Qaeda, died on November
the opposing parties to use their resources. As long 15, 2001, during the U.S. bombings near Kabul,
as the survival of its state is not at risk, the nation Afghanistan.
under attack is politically unable to use its full Little is known about Atef’s early life; by the mid-
military power, and thus fights a limited war, while 1970s, he was a member of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad
terrorists commit themselves and their resources to and is said to have become top lieutenant. Ayman al-
a total war. Zawahiri, who would later become known as the
philosopher of Al Qaeda, commanded the group.
See also COUNTERTERRORISM; PERSIAN GULF WAR; Islamic Jihad, which supports strict Islamic governance
TERRORISM,DEFINITION AND HISTORY OF instead of secular government for Muslim nations, is
often described as a major influence on Al Qaeda.
After Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was assas-
Further Reading sinated in 1981 in a plot that al-Zawahiri was
Clausewitz, Carl von. Vom Kriege [English]. On War. involved in, Egypt cracked down on the Islamic
New York: Knopf, 1993. opposition. Egyptian security officials held suspects
Laqueur, Walter. Guerrilla Warfare: A Historical and without trial and tortured many of them. Members of
Critical Study. 2nd ed. New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Islamic Jihad fled Egypt in large numbers. Atef went
Publishers, 1998. to Afghanistan, where he joined the fight against
Mack, A. “Why Big Nations Lose Small Wars: The Politics the occupying forces of the Soviet Union. In
of Asymmetric Conflict.” World Politics, Vol. 27, No. 2, Afghanistan, Atef and his commander al-Zawahiri
January 1975, 175-200. joined with bin Laden. The three men would become
Matthews, Lloyd J., ed. Challenging the United States the dominant members of Al Qaeda in the mid-1990s,
Symmetrically and Asymmetrically: Can America Be
Defeated? Carlisle Barracks, PA: U.S. Army War when al-Zawahiri merged Islamic Jihad with it. Al
College, Strategic Studies Institute, 1998. http://carlisle- Qaeda, an Arabic word meaning “The Base,” is an
www.army.mil/usassi/ssipubs/pubs98/chalngng/ international terrorist network that uses force and
chalngng.pdf, April 27, 2002. violence to achieve its goal of driving the United
Metz, Stephen, and Douglas V. Johnson II.. Asymmetry and States from all Islamic countries, especially Saudi
U.S. Military Strategy: Definition, Background, and Arabia; it also serves as an umbrella group for other
Strategic Concepts, January 2001. http://carlisle-www. militant organizations. Al Qaeda carried out the
army.mil/usassi/ssipubs/pubs2001/asymetry/asymetry. September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade
pdf, April 27, 2002. Center and the Pentagon.
Paul, T. V. Asymmetric Conflicts: War Initiation by In the early 1990s,Atef followed bin Laden to Sudan.
Weaker Powers. New York: Cambridge University Press, U.S. officials have charged that while in Africa he and
1994.
Sun Tzu. Sunzi bing fa. [English]. The Art of War: A New other Al Qaeda members gave military training to
Translation. Translation, Essays and Commentary by Somali tribes that were opposed to the U.N. interven-
the Denma Translation Group. Boston: Shambhala tion. According to a U.S. indictment, tribe members
(distributed in the United States by Random House), trained by Atef were among those who attacked U.S. and
2001. U.N. troops serving in Somalia for Operation Rescue