Debates and Divisions within al-Qa’ida and its Periphery

[AdamG]

The Rebellion Within
An Al Qaeda mastermind questions terrorism.
by Lawrence Wright
June 2, 2008

Last May, a fax arrived at the London office of the Arabic newspaper Asharq Al Awsat from a shadowy figure in the radical Islamist movement who went by many names. Born Sayyid Imam al-Sharif, he was the former leader of the Egyptian terrorist group Al Jihad, and known to those in the underground mainly as Dr. Fadl. Members of Al Jihad became part of the original core of Al Qaeda; among them was Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden’s chief lieutenant. Fadl was one of the first members of Al Qaeda’s top council.

Twenty years ago, he wrote two of the most important books in modern Islamist discourse; Al Qaeda used them to indoctrinate recruits and justify killing. Now Fadl was announcing a new book, rejecting Al Qaeda’s violence. “We are prohibited from committing aggression, even if the enemies of Islam do that,” Fadl wrote in his fax, which was sent from Tora Prison, in Egypt.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...urrentPage=all

[120mm]

Seriously, the prospects for peaceful conversion I think are much better, long term, for "Jihad".

But as fast as Islam spreads through population exportation and conversion, "western contamination" will spread just as fast, or faster, which I think would be a greater threat to conservative/tribal Islam.

[Sarajevo071]

But as fast as Islam spreads through population exportation and conversion, "western contamination" will spread just as fast, or faster, which I think would be a greater threat to conservative/tribal Islam.

You never fail to crack me up!
thanx

[SWJED]

You never fail to crack me up!
thanx

... brings up a very valid point. Let loose the hounds of Hollywood, MTV and other icons of American pop culture. They are feared more by the so-called Islamic extremists than anything the US military can throw their way.