The Globalization of Terror

The Challenge of Al-Qaida and the Response of the International Community

Shaul Shay

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• eBook ISBN: 9781351482165
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: International Relations
• Index: Politics & International Relations

The terrorist destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 was the climax of a course plotted by Osama Bin Laden to bring about his apocalyptic vision of a decisive clash between the Western and Moslem worlds. This timely volume details the organizational workings and belief system of Bin Laden's brutal campaign. The authors explore the background and objectives of the attacks, the elaborate planning that went into them, and the process of their practical execution.In addition to its factual account, The Globalization of Terror makes a significant contribution to scholarly and theoretical research dealing with international terror. The book offers a unique analysis of the Afghan "alumni," who had previously fought the Soviets in the 1980s, within the overall tapestry related to modern international terror. The authors detail how their activities evolved from a movement of national self-defense to the militant worldview identified with radical Islam. The book reveals, as well, the organizational structure so carefully erected by Bin Laden and his associates, in order to realize the vision of a worldwide Islamic Caliphate in practical terms. The book is intended to work as a set of guidelines for newcomers to the world of international terrorism including anti-terror task forces, heads of security companies as well as professionals in the field.The importance of The Globalization of Terror lies in its clear presentation and precise analysis regarding the dimensions of the danger international terror poses to the free world, and in its recommendations for the necessary strategy to prevent the recurrence of acts of large-scale terror.

1 Islamic Fundamentalism and Bin-Laden

Islamic Fundamentalism—The Background

The origins of the expression “fundamentalism” are Christian Protestant. The word has been adopted by Western researchers, politicians, and the press as a term of reference for religious/ideological fanaticism; the term is also applied to the phenomenon of Islamic zealots.

Islamic fanatics regard the use of this term in reference to Islam as an expression of Western intellectual imperialism. The term that they use to refer to themselves is Islamayun—Islams or the faithful of Islam (in contrast to Muslimun, which means one whose religion is Islam, but whose lifestyle may be secular).¹

The semantic meaning of “fundamentalism” refers to a fervor for the principles of religious beliefs, a way of life that stems from the latter and includes adherence to all of its manifestations; adopting religious symbols in daily life; behaving according to the normative codes of Islam, or organization and activity to preserve all of these principles and their dissemination in society.²

By their very existence, Fundamentalist organizations, associations and movements embody the full scope of this phenomenon’s manifestations, signifying an ideology that facilitates its goals through the use of political means. The Fundamentalist movements are essentially ideological, and their worldview is based on the holy writings of the Islam.³ This type of ideology, which is rooted in “divine revelation,” is driven by a rejection of any other ideology, as the latter is the creation of human conception, which is inherently perceived as imperfect.

An expression of this type of rejection can be observed in various slogans such as “Islam is the solution” or “not east, not west,” which are widespread in the Fundamentalist propaganda. Those faithful to Islam believe that “the realization of Allah’s will on this earth,” meaning the establishment of an Islamic society and state, is the only solution to the maladies plaguing human society.⁴

Islamic Fundamentalism is not made up of one single approach. It contains major differences in the interpretation of Islamic history (Sunni, Shiite), as well as in the interpretation of commandments deriving from the principles of belief and the operative approach that best serves the ideology.⁵ The Fundamentalist movement may embody different characteristics, from violent activity patterns (jihad), severance of any connection with the infidels (hijra), or service in the form of an organization that regards an investment in education and indoctrination (Dawa) as its ultimate goal—each group adheres to its own approach.

The basic common denominator, shared by all of the movements, is the perception of Islam in its current state as a culture that is becoming extinct. This assessment feeds the sensation of emergency and pessimism, and constitutes one of the basic cultural-psychological motivations vis-à-vis their actions.

In the history of the development of Islamic Fundamentalism, several events and processes can be identified that have contributed to the crystallization of its approach and conceptions:

Encounter with the West. The expansion of Fundamentalism is thought to be rooted in this encounter, which also serves as momentum for its present escalated strength. The encounter with the West involves many facets: The military, technological, scientific and economic superiority of the West, cultural estrangement, the Imperialist “scheming,” a modernism which alongside its blessings instigates major changes in traditional lifestyles. The problematic issues triggered by this encounter, which rapidly evolve into confrontation, make it possible to define Fundamentalism as one of the forms of addressing this issue, or as the Islamic response to Western culture.⁶

Physical confrontation with the infidels. This stems from the overall experience of the encounter with the West, but it contains significant inherent influences both because of the emotionally charged aspect of these confrontations, and because of the pointed emphasis placed on the inferiority of the Islamic East vis-à-vis the West.⁷

Confrontation with the government. This includes experiences that sometimes have major impact on the direction taken by the Fundamentalist movements. Persecution and oppression against the Islamic faithful by various governments, particularly hardship and torture during incarceration, have generally led to “a temporary lowering of profile” but have instigated renewed activism and radicalism in the long term.⁸ The experiences during imprisonment have taught the Islamic faithful that their primary enemies are not the West, Imperialism and Zionism, but rather their own rulers. This conclusion clarified the need for activism and confrontation with the ruling government through political or forceful means in order to cause its downfall.

Thus, Fundamentalism represents a radical ideology, which negates the existing order and expresses an aspiration for a more just society. This constitutes a struggle for social and economic change as part of an overall battle to bring Islamic peoples back to their authentic roots. Fundamentalism combats a failing socioeconomic reality as well as modernism, which cannot meet the materialistic and social expectations that it arouses, and seeks a cure for the social maladies at the root of Islamic societies, according to traditional, authentic standards rather than foreign, Western and modern standards.

The basic foundations of the Fundamentalist worldview were already laid in the writings of Ibn Timia (1263-1328), which served as a source of inspiration for the Wahabian movement for renewal in the eighteenth century. Ibn Timia developed a theory that justified the de-legitimization of and rebellion against rulers who fail to adhere to the Sharia (like the Muslim-Mongolian rulers of his time).⁹

As noted above, Islamic Fundamentalism is not a new phenomenon, but it is customary to view the beginnings of the new Islamic era in the renewed encounter with Western culture, which apparently began at the time of Napoleon’s invasion of Europe at the end of the eighteenth century. Regardless of the above-mentioned theory, there are those who argue that the reawakening of Islam began even earlier with the rebellion of the Wahabis in the Arabian Peninsula, without any direct connection to Western influence.¹⁰

Muhammad Ibn-Wahib launched his activities in Mecca, preaching against the Ottoman rule and its supporters in the Arabian Peninsula. He argued that the Ottomans had neglected the sites sacred to Islam, violated the commandments of the Koran, and in his eyes had become idol worshippers. Ibn-Wahib called for the purification of religion and a return to untainted Islam, and declared a jihad against the Ottoman rulers at the head of a small group of supporters. He made an alliance with Muhammad Ibn-Saud, and after the former’s demise in 1787, Ibn-Saud continued the struggle against the Ottomans. He even succeeded in temporarily capturing Mecca, Medina and Karbala (a sacred city to the Shiites). In 1813, Ibn-Saud was defeated by the Ottomans, but the revolt was not completely suppressed, and the Saudi monarchy was finally founded in 1932.

The Wahabian revolt shook the foundations of the Muslim world, and inspired the establishment of small groups throughout the Muslim world that preached the adoption of Wahabian religious principles.

In any event, from the nineteenth century onward we witness a reawakening of the Muslim community in various parts of the world as a result of its encounter with Western culture. The above-mentioned religious principles were partially adopted by Fundamental-ist philosophers in the twentieth century, such as Hassan Al-Wahabi— founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Al-Mawdudi—one of the leading Islamic philosophers in India, Sayyid Qutb—one of the followers of Al-Bana in Egypt, and others.

Among the prominent reactions to the encounter with the West, one must take note of the Modernist movement, which aspired to adapt the values of Muslim heritage to the modern worldview, in its European mode. This movement is generally associated with the philosophy and activities of individuals such as Jamal A-Din Al-Afghani (who died in 1897) and Muhammad Abdu, the Chief Mufti of Egypt.¹¹

Muhammad Abdu preached absolute devotion to Islam and strict adherence to its commandments, but simultaneously permitted innovative interpretations of the Sharia, called for full equality for women, and demanded the abolishment of polygamy. Abdu was accused of heresy by religious zealots in Egypt and was forced into exile in France. From his place of exile, he founded a nationalist political movement that called for a renewed examination of the various aspects of Islam in order to turn the religion into a faith in the spirit of the modern era.

The Modernists tried in various ways to lead Islam into the adoption of Western lifestyles without deserting Islamic values. They experienced only partial and external success, as the adoption of Western lifestyle and technology did not serve as a satisfactory replacement for faith and the original values. As the direction taken by the Modernists did not provide an adequate solution for the challenges presented by the encounter with the West,¹² Sunni Islamic Fundamentalism started to grow simultaneously at several focal points in the Middle East (mainly Egypt) and in the Indian subcontinent. Despite the geographical distance, it is possible to find marked similarities in worldviews, when diagnosing the maladies of Muslim societies and the ways to correct them.

The main stepping-stone in the development of radical Islam was laid with the establishment of the Muslim Brotherhood (Al-ahwan al-muslimun) in 1929 by Hassan Al-Bana. Al-Bana sought to oust British control from Egypt, revise the secular constitution enacted in Egypt in 1923 under British influence, and to establish an Islamic state according to the spirit of the Sharia. He called for a return to Islamic orthodoxy while demanding that the government address social problems in the areas of education, economics and personal welfare, all in the name of Islam.¹³

A clear and candid definition of the worldview of the Muslim Brotherhood movement is found in a speech delivered by Hassan Al-Bana at the fifth conference of the Muslim Brotherhood held in Cairo in 1938:¹⁴

We believe that the laws and regulations of Islam are universal, and that they regulate human matters in this world and the next. Those who believe that these regulations apply only to the spiritual aspect of worshipping God are mistaken. Islam is both an ideology and the worship of God, the homeland and civics, religion and state, spiritualism and practice…Islam is the entire, all-encompassing meaning and it must be given hegemony over all matters of life which will be of Islamic character…. All its rules and regulations must be observed if the nation aspires to be truly Muslim.¹⁵

Regarding the approach of the “Brothers” to the government, AlBana declared:

The Islam in which the ‘Brothers’ believe regards government as one of its pillars. In our books of religious law, government is viewed as an ideological and fundamental element, and not a marginal or secondary religious edict. Islam is the governing authority and performance just as it is legislation and study, law and justice. The “Brothers” do not demand that they themselves govern, so that if anyone willing to undertake the responsibility of this duty can be found in the nation, and he will govern according to the Islamic way of the Koran, then the “Brothers” will serve as his dutiful and loyal soldiers; but if no one can be found, then government is part of the “Brothers’’ system and they will strive to extricate control from any government that does not observe God’s commands. ¹⁶

Al-Bana also defined the goal:

Firstly, liberation of the Islamic homeland from any foreign government. Secondly, a free Muslim state will be founded in the liberated homeland, which will act according to Islamic law and implement its social system…

The jihad is one of the three central principles in the perception of the Muslim Brotherhood’s movement; the other two are knowledge and education.

In an “Epistle about the Jihad,” Al-Bana made his message clear:

Oh, my Muslim brot...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• Author’s Note
• Introduction
• 1 Islamic Fundamentalism and Bin-Laden
• 2 The Terror of Afghan “Alumni” in the International Arena
• 3 Terror Attacks of Al-Qaida and the Islamic Front
• 4 The Campaign against Terror and Its Threats
• Epilogue
• Index