The Motivational Influences on the Terrorist Group Al Qaeda - Essay Example

Introduction Al-Qaeda is an infamous terror organisation in the world. For the last two decades, the group has claimed responsibility of several terror attacks across the globe. The September 11 bombing in New York is one of the most destructive attacks in the recent history, in which the terror group admitted responsibility. In the last decade, the activities of al-Qaeda network have remained subdued, mainly because of the relentless war on global terrorism led by the United States. For a long time, Afghanistan under the leadership of the Taliban has been accused of harbouring the terror group (Philip, 2007). However, in the last decade, the county has been under occupation of NATO since the US led invasion in 2001 which resulted to the ouster of Taliban rule in 2001. During the period under NATO occupation, remarkable gains have been achieved in disabling the network including the killing of group’s leader, Osama bin Laden last year. This paper is factual and analytical evaluation of the al Qaeda network with focus on its idioelogies, motivations and organisational structure. According to NCTC (2006) al-Qaeda is “a movement comprising of many networks of Islamic groups sharing the same ideologies”. Mythens (2008, p59) defines al-Qaeda as a “network of networks” of various Islamic factions across the world. There are three critical elements that make up the al-Qaeda structure. They include the al-Qaeda nucleus or core, the networks linked to the terror organisation and finally, cell and al-Qaeda inspired networks (Gilles, 2002, pp65-76). Al-Qaeda core consists of senior inspirational leaders who define the ideologies of the organisation. Osama bin Laden was until his death in 2011 the senior most leader of the al-Qaeda. His deputy, Ayman Al Zawahiri is currently the senior most leaders of the organisation. Currently the global war on terrorism has disrupted its leadership structure significantly. The second important components of al-Qaida are several terror organisations, with direct link to the terror group. These networks share common ideologies with al-Qaeda besides having direct linkage with the group (Blanchard, 2007). Some of the current and active al-Qaida networks include the Alshabaab in Somalia, Eastern Africa. Finally, there exists factions or cells inspired by al-Qaida’s ideologies but do not have direct contact with the organization. Such groups exhibit autonomous stance from al Qaeda in their areas of operation. Examples include Jemaah Islaamiya in Indonesia that executed the Bali bombings in 2005. Other cells purported to share same ideologies with the al-Qaeda include the terror group responsible for train bombings in Madrid in 2004. In addition, Lashkar-i- Tayyiba a terror organization in Kashmir is alleged to share some al-Qaeda ideologies (Blanchard, 2007, p9) According to Blanchard (2007, p13), al-Qaeda terror group is founded on three fundamental political ideologies that became apparent in 2005 political audiotape released by the Ayman al Zawahiri, the second senior- most leader in the al Qaeda hierarchy then. The first ideology includes establishment of government based on the Quran. Al Qaeda terror group supports the formation of purely Islamic republic ruled by sharia law (Blanchard, 2007, p13). According to Amoore (2006, p83), the group vehemently opposes secular government because it is regarded as “anti Islamic and against the laws of the religion”. The second important foundation and ideology of the al Qaeda is to liberate the ancestral lands of the Muslims from western occupation (Blanchard, 2007, p14). These include liberation of Palestine from Israeli domination in the Middle East. Adherents of the organisation believe that reforms and democratic elections in Islamic countries cannot be achieved unless western interests are eliminated in the regions. In particular, western powers should withdraw from energy sector in all Islamic countries (Blanchard, 2007, p14). The third political ideology is “liberation of human being” from autocratic and oppressive leadership in Islamic countries (Brachman and William 2006, p38). It is the objective of the al-Qaeda network to ensure that rulers in Islamic states establish contractual and amicable social relationships with their Muslim citizens. Such relationship would facilitate free dialogue between the rulers and citizens without fear of victimisation and retribution from the government. The ideology of liberating human beings allows citizens to not only resist but overthrow leaders who breach Islamic laws and principles. In addition, the al-Qaida ideology opposes hereditary rule in the Islamic world. The organisations doctrine holds that Islamic law should reign supreme in the Arab world to ensure that the rights and interests of citizens are protected as stipulated by the sharia law (Brachman and William 2006). Al-Qaeda terror group has various objectives and according to Blanchard(2007, p 16) statement issued by its senior leaders, Al Zawahiri, Sayf al Adl and the late Al Zarqawi in May 2005 outlined the strategic objectives of the organisation. The first objective was launching jihad war with the primary goal of reintroducing Islamic culture and establishing the absolute Islamic state capable of addressing all the challenges facing the citizens in the Islamic world. To ensure sustenance of absolute Islamic state, al-Qaeda advocate for establishment of a powerful supporting arm in the government, comprising of virtuous men and scholars capable of formulating and propagating jihadist ideology in Islamic regions and states. In addition, Islamic outreach or da’wah would provide the scholars and the judicious men with additional support to promote advancement of jihad (Blanchard, 2007, pp16-17). Aradua and Munster (2007) argue that involvement of wide segment of society in spreading and formulating the jihadist ideology would attract many supporters, that would facilitate collective pooling of human resources and finances across the Islamic world and beyond to the benefit of the organisation. To attain the strategic goals of the jihadist movement, al-Qaeda is founded on the “clear banner of Islamic faith which is entrenched on the belief that there is only one God, Allah and Muhammad His true messenger” (Blanchard, 2007, p 16). According to Fishman (2006, p55) the considerable emphasis on the fundamentals of Islamic faith in spreading jihad signifies that the principle of unity between God and religion is a critical component of the organisation’s ideology. Al-Qaeda has both short term and long-term goals within its strategic plans. According to Fishman (2006), the importance of these time bound objectives is to avoid the shortcomings that lead to the failure of other modern Islamic movements especially in the last four decades in achieving their objectives. Structuring their plans in time bound manner enhances the organisation’s focus on accomplishing a particular goal at a time without falling into temptation of launching random actions that limit the group’s effectiveness and impact in the globe. In 2007 for instance, Blanchard (2007) noted that the short term plans of the organisation targeted American and Israeli interests in different parts of the world. The choice of the targets was not surprising because both countries had a history of targeting radical Islamic factions in different parts across the world. In particular, al-Qaeda planned to attack Israeli and American interests in Iraq, Somalia, Palestine and Afghanistan and other regions that presented good opportunities of attack. The choice of these countries as suitable areas for launching attacks against the “anti Islamic” states demonstrate the propensity of al-Qaida to operate in politically unstable countries (Blanchard, 2007, p19). Harmon(2001, p59) argues that the terror organisation could be playing a critical role in causing instability in these countries by sponsoring militant and radical Islamic groups to undermine the established authority. According to Blanchard (2007), the long term plans of the terror organization during the same period were divided into two broad objectives. The first objective targeted corrupt, dictatorial and oppressive regimes within the Arab world, with the purpose of overthrowing the leaders and replacing them with people and Islamic centred governments. The second objective is increasing the intensity of jihad or holy war in Iraq, Somalia and Afghanistan. This included establishing more cells and training fields to enhance the organisation’s capacity to fight and defeat the targeted American and Israeli interests in addition to preparing for a more intensive and widespread jihad across the world (Blanchard, 2007, p17) Analysis of al-Qaeda organisation From mid 1990’s, al-Qaeda terror group has consistently launched violent attacks, propaganda and activities resembling its core ideologies through various mediums. According to Hoffman (1998), the most common medium for launching media campaigns and propaganda includes audio recordings, postings on the internet and using fax in addition to video recordings. Experts in intelligence and terrorism contend that such posts are used to obtain psychological reactions from people across the world especially from the targeted “anti Islamic” countries (Furedi, 2007, p116). In addition, the communications are used to convey particular political and ideological information to specific regions or population in different regions across the world. The use of mass media to relay information is a clear indication that the organisation recognises the power of communication in spreading its ideologies and cause to the world (Hoffman, 1998). According to Mussab (2007, p4), al-Qaeda has a specialised communications department charged with the responsibility of releasing statements that highlight its operations, intentions and reactions to various political and economic events across the Arab world and other regions of interest. The release of the statements also serves the role of alerting al-Qaeda agents and sympathisers to prepare and launch terror attacks on a particular target (Hoffman, 1998). Before the killing of Osama bin Laden in 2011, the statements released from the terror organisation featured his image prominently. This indicates the high position that Osama bin Laden held in the organisations hierarchical order and his ideological importance to the advancement of the group’s jihadist ideologies. After September 11 attacks in New York and the intense anti terror campaigns in the world, release of public statements from the organisation declined drastically. Fishman (2006) argues that this phenomenon was caused by destabilisation of networks and cells associated with al-Qaeda, which eventually made Osama bin Laden lose control and leadership of the diverse networks associated with it. The ideological inclination of al-Qaida terror network plays a critical role in determination of the organisation’s strategy, target and techniques of executing its missions. From the early 1990’s, the organisation came into global attention by opposing United States presence in the Middle East during and after the first gulf war in Iraq. According to Gilles (2002, p120), the increased presence of western troops in Middle East countries especially in Saudi Arabia, which is regarded as the “cradle of Islamic faith”, was a direct affront to al-Qaeda’s objective of liberating Islamic lands from foreign occupation. Hence, al-Qaeda leadership considered the occupation and continuous presence of United States and other non Islamic military forces after the gulf war as motivation to warrant defensive jihad against the foreigners. Use of violence against its purported enemies became the most preferred technique of al- Qaeda operations (Fishman, 2006). Following the continuous foreign occupation in the Middle East, the terror organisation attacked both the Islamic countries hosting western forces and specific areas of interests belonging to the western powers. In Saudi Arabia, oil ventures owned by American government became attractive targets for the terror group. Blanchard (2007) argues that the attacks on these targets are of particular significance to the organisation’s ideologies. Besides use of force, al-Qaeda organisation issues statements threatening Islamic governments friendly to United States and other non Islamic countries of dire consequences if they persist with friendship. For instance, Osama bin Laden criticised the Saudi royal family for its close relations with the United States that led to establishment of military bases in the region. The al-Qaeda leadership argued that the occupation not only defiled the sanctity of Islam holy grounds but betrayed the Islamic faith across the world as well (Harmon, 2001, p37). The anti-American\western stance that the al-Qaeda network upholds is manifested within its organisational structure. As stated earlier, al-Qaeda consists of “extensive networks of networks” sharing the organisation’s beliefs and ideologies of spreading jihad across different parts of the world (Mythens, 2008, p89). The extensive network of likeminded factions demonstrates the organisation’s jihadist ideology of spreading the war in various parts of the world. This is demonstrated by the various attacks that have been launched by different terror organisations linked to al-Qaeda on various American and Israeli interests’ in different parts of the world. In several attacks on American interests such as the twin bombings on American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, al-Qaeda leadership under Osama bin laden did not admit direct responsibility but claimed that it had sanctioned the attacks (NCTC, 2007). Therefore the wide networks of different but ideologically similar Islamic factions enable the organisation to violently attack targeted enemy installations in different parts across the world. Invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan by American and allied forces provided an opportunity for the al-Qaeda terror organisation to intensify their ideology of liberating Islamic lands from western control. These two invasions came amidst the long standing conflict involving occupation of Palestinian territory by Israel. According to Mussab (2007), the invasions were not only a direct affront to the al-Qaeda’s stronghold but also to the fundamental ideologies that formed the basis of the organisation. Following the occupation, the organisation formulated different tactics and strategies to confront and force the invading western forces out of Afghanistan and Iraq territories. According to Blanchard (2007, p15), the leader of the terror organisation Osama bin Laden advocated the use of “martyrdom” or suicide attacks against American interests and western allies in Afghanistan and Iraq. Consequently the use of suicide bombs and improvised explosive devices intensified across the region. In order to amass the necessary political support for its intentions of forcing the invaders out of the Islamic countries, al-Qaeda factions in Iraq formed alliances with socialist groups such as Baathists. In addition, al-Qaeda leadership in Iraq advocated for unity among all Muslims in Iraq and beyond to oppose the coalition forces and the newly formed government in the Islamic republic. Other tactics employed to fight the foreign occupation in the region included use of violence targeting Islamic factions that cooperated with the United States and coalition forces in the region (Blanchard, 2007). In Iraq, the Shiite faction was particularly targeted leading to sectarian wars that almost brought the country on the verge of large-scale civil conflict (Philip, 2007). Conclusion The use of sectarian violence has proved divisive among the larger Muslim community, undermining the organisation’s objective of liberating and uniting the region from foreign occupation. In addition, use of violent and bloody tactics such as suicide bombings against American and western interests has caused heavy damages to other innocent parties. Consequently, the war against al-Qaeda operations has gained widespread support from many segments across different societies that have been victims of al-Qaeda’s atrocities. The overthrow of Taliban administration in Afghanistan and widespread war against terrorism in unstable countries such as Somalia has significantly undermined the influence of al-Qaeda in the Islamic world (Brachman and William, 2006). Therefore, in order to survive, the organisation should change its tact of violence and embrace non violence means. Non violence methods include preaching unity among the now divided Islamic community and taking direct control of oil, their major natural resource in bargaining for their interests in the international arena. Bibliography Amoore, L. (2006). Biometric borders: Governing mobilities in the war on terror. Political Geography. 25(3):pp330-348. Aradua,C., and Munster, R. (2007). Governing terrorism through risk: Taking precautions (un)knowing the future. European Journal of International Relations.13 (1):pp89-136. Blanchard, M. (2007). Al-Qaeda: statements and evolving ideology. CRS report for Congress. [Online]. Available from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/RL32759.pdf [Assessed on March, 10 2012]. Brachman, J., and William, M. (2006). Militant ideology atlas: executive report. New York: United States Military Academy, Combating Terrorism Centre. Fishman, B. (2006). Zarqawi’s Jihad. West Point: Combating Terrorism Centre, U.S, Military Academy. Furedi, F. (2007). 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