I concur with the idea that this tape is meant for Zawahiri's fellow islamists - specifically al Qaeda supporters and fans. He's just summarizing current events and putting his own political spin on them.
I concur with the idea that this tape is meant for Zawahiri's fellow islamists - specifically al Qaeda supporters and fans. He's just summarizing current events and putting his own political spin on them.
Sorry. This is part of a very elaborate information campaign, aimed at the broadest possible Muslim population as well as western audiences. There are both exhortations to the faithful and warnings (veiled and otherwise) to the broader audience. We are in a war of ideas, religious and otherwise, and this is a major part of the campaign plan.
The very contemporary references, as opposed to the dated references in previous tapes, show that Z-man is in close contact with the technological base.
Regarding AQ opening a Palestinian franchise: say hello!
The men belong to a new militant Islamic organization called Fatah al Islam, whose leader, a fugitive Palestinian named Shakir al-Abssi, has set up operations in a refugee camp here where he trains fighters and spreads the ideology of Al Qaeda.
He has solid terrorist credentials. A former associate of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of Al Qaeda of Mesopotamia who was killed last summer, Mr. Abssi was sentenced to death in absentia along with Mr. Zarqawi in the 2002 assassination of an American diplomat in Jordan, Laurence Foley. Just four months after arriving here from Syria, Mr. Abssi has a militia that intelligence officials estimate at 150 men and an arsenal of explosives, rockets and even an antiaircraft gun.
Thank you for the link, tequila. But... AQ in Palestine said "hello" back in July 2006. Some said they heard about it even in 2005. Question is how big and influential are they since Palestinians have such nationalistic feelings (which Dr.Z and AQ don't like at all).Originally Posted by tequila
Well this is not really "Palestinian" AQ, as it is based in refugee camps in Lebanon and appears to be mostly made up of Saudis right now. However, it does appear to have a good recruiting base in the camps and the Lebanese are apparently in no hurry to root them out. We'll see how this develops.
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