The Voice Of Al Qaeda

Essay from the year 2007 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: International Organisations, grade: 1,7, LMU Munich (Geschwister Scholl Institut für politische Wissenschaft), course: Seminar: Introduction into Terrorism Research, language: English, abstract: Speaking about terrorism in a scientific way, it is inevitable to take into account the relationship between media and terrorism. As this essay wants to outline the main characteristics of how and why the transnational terror network Al Qaeda is designing its public appearance, a brief introduction into the general discussion on terrorism and the media is given in the following. The relationship between these two actors is often described as symbiotic or even one of "considerable mutual benefit." On the one hand the mass media can profit from the coverage of terrorist attacks because they can increase their circulation or viewing figures. On the other hand, terrorists achieve the wanted attention, convey the propaganda of the deed and inflict great fear on their target group(s). If successful, they can even mobilize wider support and influence political decisions of their enemies, in the way that they contribute to the desired escalation-spiral. This connection probably led former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to the famous words 'oxygen of publicity': A comparison, which illustrates the absolute need for terrorists to be covered in the media; for them it is as important as the air they breathe. Some theorists are sharing the opinion, that terrorism only becomes what it is through the media coverage: "Without the media aspect, terrorism remains one more cause of death, one of many, and not necessarily the most important or most dangerous one." But despite the recognition of the so-called amplification effect, censorship is neither desirable nor realizable in open western societies. So it is often said, that we are here caught in a dilemma and the only thing, media can do is to wei

Essay from the year 2007 in the subject Politics - Topic: International Organisations, grade: 1,7, LMU Munich (Geschwister Scholl Institut für politische Wissenschaft), course: Seminar: Introduction into Terrorism Research, language: English, abstract: Speaking about terrorism in a scientific way, it is inevitable to take into account the relationship between media and terrorism. As this essay wants to outline the main characteristics of how and why the transnational terror network Al Qaeda is designing its public appearance, a brief introduction into the general discussion on terrorism and the media is given in the following. The relationship between these two actors is often described as symbiotic or even one of “considerable mutual benefit.” On the one hand the mass media can profit from the coverage of terrorist attacks because they can increase their circulation or viewing figures. On the other hand, terrorists achieve the wanted attention, convey the propaganda of the deed and inflict great fear on their target group(s). If successful, they can even mobilize wider support and influence political decisions of their enemies, in the way that they contribute to the desired escalation-spiral. This connection probably led former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to the famous words ‘oxygen of publicity’: A comparison, which illustrates the absolute need for terrorists to be covered in the media; for them it is as important as the air they breathe. Some theorists are sharing the opinion, that terrorism only becomes what it is through the media coverage: “Without the media aspect, terrorism remains one more cause of death, one of many, and not necessarily the most important or most dangerous one.” But despite the recognition of the so-called amplification effect, censorship is neither desirable nor realizable in open western societies. So it is often said, that we are here caught in a dilemma and the only thing, media can do is to weigh carefully, which incidents to show and to what extent. Furthermore they should regard it as their self-evident duty to foster the awareness of civilians and to provide a forum for reasonable discussion. This essay shall portray one of the most prominent and surely most actual terrorist groups: Al Qaeda. It will give an overview about its media strategies, but as well will not forget the propaganda management, which tries to efficiently recruit new members and foster support for the group. At first, there will be given a brief oversight and explanation of the ‘metamorphosis of war’, a central condition for Al Qaeda’s engagement in propaganda, and how the terrorist group correlates with it.

Osama bin Laden has haunted the popular psyche and stymied the world's mightiest military for the last five years. Despite President Bush's declaration that he wanted bin Laden "dead or alive," despite being one of the world's most notorious men, and despite the barrage of coverage surrounding him, Osama bin Laden remains at large -- and shrouded in a fog of anecdote and myth, rumor and fact. Peter Bergen, author of the bestselling book Holy War, Inc., offers an astounding, unparalleled portrait of bin Laden, comprised of Bergen's own interviews with more than fifty people who have known bin Laden personally, from his brother-in-law to his high school English teacher to former members of al Qaeda. The resulting collage of voices and memories affords an unprecedented glimpse into the life and the true nature of the man directly responsible for the largest terror attack in history. No journalist knows more about Osama bin Laden than Peter Bergen. In 1997, well before bin Laden became a household name, Bergen met with him, and has since followed his activities closely. After an insightful introduction -- in which Bergen recounts how, at their meeting, bin Laden "presented himself as a soft-spoken cleric, rather than as the firebreathing leader of a global terrorist organization" -- Bergen stands aside to make way for the voices of dozens of people with firsthand, sometimes intimate experience with the al Qaeda leader. Current conventional wisdom seems to be that bin Laden and his organization have faded in importance, but Bergen argues urgently that that perspective is far from accurate -- indeed, each day that bin Laden remains free adds to al Qaeda's public relations triumph, for his legend only grows among his supporters. More concretely, he continues to provide broad strategic guidance for jihadists -- his many statements released on video or audio tape since 9/11, for instance, have exerted direct influence on terrorists' actions. In 2003 the world suffered more significant terror attacks than had occurred in a single year during the previous two decades -- and in 2004, the number of attacks doubled over 2003. In 2004, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, Iraq's most ferocious insurgent leader, pledged his allegiance to bin Laden, a sign of the continued importance of al Qaeda's leader. How did Osama bin Laden transform himself from a shy, polite, middle-of-his-class schoolboy to commander of the world's most formidable terrorist organization? Where was bin Laden on 9/11, and what was his reaction to it? How did he escape from Tora Bora? Is al Qaeda a top-down organization or a loose ideological alliance? What is it about this man that draws hundreds of thousands of followers, and makes men willing to fly airplanes into buildings at his command? This definitive and engaging portrait gives the American public its first true, enduring insight into a man who has declared us his greatest enemy.

An gripping look inside international violence and terrorism.

This book presents the actual statements and writings of jihadis expressing their views on virtually every subject relevant to their cause. It is not about Islam as it is practiced in its many varieties in Muslim communities throughout the world, nor is it about Islamic fundamentalism or the various Islamist political movements. Rather, it is about a small group of Muslims who carry out and promote terrorism in the name of Islam. Because the jihadis' statements are often more appalling and more profoundly revealing than the accounts that have been written about jihadi terrorism, this book provides unfiltered access to a broad range of the stories, rationales, ideas, and arguments of jihadi terrorists and those who support them. Introductory and contextual material is also included, to provide the background and origins of what the jihadis are saying?to each other and to the world. It is hoped that this will provide greater insights into the motives, plans, and participants in jihadi terrorism, as well as the nature of the threat they pose. Not all of the quotations are from prominent jihadis. Some have been selected because they are representative, others because they are contradictory, and still others because they provide a unique insight into the jihadi mentality.

Al-Qaeda and Sacrifice is a pioneering critical intervention into the study of terrorism. Challenging the commonly held idea that "suicide-bombings" are motivated by a nihilistic hatred of life, Melissa Finn argues that it is more honest and helpful to examine such violent agency through the concept of "sacrifice." The book provides a unique look at the way "sacrifice" is used in the Arabic language and in the writings of Islamists and jihadis. Finn offers penetrating insights into jihadi thought on its own terms, arguing that it constitutes a political theory which can be usefully compared and related to western political theorists, from Machiavelli and von Clausewitz to Hannah Arendt, Julia Kristeva and Judith Butler. She critically examines the strategy of "sacrifice" in martyrdom operations and ultimately concludes that the heedless certainty of such violence undermines attempts to redress political grievances. Al-Qaeda and Sacrifice is a unique contribution which goes beyond simplistic or apologetic explanations of terrorism and allows the authentic jihadi voice to speak for itself.

The events of September 11, 2001, forever changed the world as we knew it. In their wake, the quest for international order has prompted a reshuffling of global aims and priorities. In a fresh approach, Gilles Kepel focuses on the Middle East as a nexus of international disorder and decodes the complex language of war, propaganda, and terrorism that holds the region in its thrall. The breakdown of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in 2000 was the first turn in a downward spiral of violence and retribution. Meanwhile, a neo-conservative revolution in Washington unsettled U.S. Mideast policy, which traditionally rested on the twin pillars of Israeli security and access to Gulf oil. In Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan, a transformation of the radical Islamist doctrine of Bin Laden and Zawahiri relocated the arena of terrorist action from Muslim lands to the West; Islamist radicals proclaimed jihad against their enemies worldwide. Kepel examines the impact of global terrorism and the ensuing military operations to stem its tide. He questions the United States' ability to address the Middle East challenge with Cold War rhetoric, while revealing the fault lines in terrorist ideology and tactics. Finally, he proposes the way out of the Middle East quagmire that triangulates the interests of Islamists, the West, and the Arab and Muslim ruling elites. Kepel delineates the conditions for the acceptance of Israel, for the democratization of Islamist and Arab societies, and for winning the minds and hearts of Muslims in the West.

Path of Blood tells the gripping and horrifying true story of the underground army which Osama Bin Laden created in order to attack his number one target: his home country, Saudi Publishing in paperback to coincide with the documentary film release, Path of Blood tells the horrifying true story of the underground army which Osama Bin Laden created in order to attack his number one target: his home country, Saudi Arabia. His aim was to conquer the land of the Two Holy Mosques, the birthplace of Islam and, from there, to re-establish a Muslim Empire that could take on the West and win. Thomas Small and Jonathan Hacker use new insider evidence to expose the real story behind the Al Qaeda. Far from the image of single-minded holy warriors they presented to the world, the bands of soldiers are shown to be riven by infighting and lack of discipline. Yet the threat they posed was unquestionable. Ill-disciplined or not, these were men who killed with impunity, and who tried to acquire a nuclear bomb. Drawing on unprecedented access to Saudi government archives, interviews with top intelligence officials in the Middle East and in the West, as well as with captured Al Qaeda militants, and with access to exclusive captured video footage from Al Qaeda cells, Path of Blood tells the full story of the terrorist campaign and the desperate attempt by Saudi Arabia's internal security services to put a stop to it.