POLS120 - Terrorism Unit 2 Review Sheet

The 9/11 Attacks Spiritual Father By: Bruce Riedel

What is the Hamburg Cell? A meeting place for followers to watch Osama Bin
Laden's tapes. leaders from it are Mohammad Atta, Marwan al-Shehhi,

Ramzi bin al-Shibh

Who is Muhammad Atta? The leader of the Hamburg cell, he led his followers
to train at the terrorist camps of Osama Bin Laden.
What made Abdullah Azzam the spiritual godfather of the modern jihadist
movement? His writings

9/11 Commission Report Chapter 2

What is Bin Ladens worldview?
o to kill every American on earth
How does it compare to the attitudes of most Muslims?
other Muslims feel the same way, bin laden gained followers after the
9/11 attack.
One of Bin Ladens primary influences is Sayyid Qutb, an extremist
Egyptian thinker and author. What are the three big themes in
Qutbs writings?
o First, he claimed that the world was beset with barbarism, licentiousness,
and unbelief (a condition he called jahiliyya, the religious term for the
period of ignorance prior to the revelationsgiven to the Prophet
Mohammed). Qutb argued that humans canchoose only between Islam
and jahiliyya.
o Second, he warned that more people, including Muslims, were attracted to
jahiliyya and its material comforts than to his view of Islam; jahiliyya could
therefore triumph over Islam.
o Third, no middle ground exists in what Qutb conceived as a struggle
between God and Satan.All Muslimsas he defined themtherefore must
take up arms in this fight.Any Muslim who rejects his ideas is just one
more nonbeliever worthy of destruction.13
What are Bin Ladens specific grievances against the United States?
o Bin Ladin and al Qaeda have given answers to both these questions.To the
first, they say that America had attacked Islam; America is responsible for
all conflicts involving Muslims. Thus Americans are blamed when Israelis
fight with Palestinians, when Russians fight with Chechens, when Indians
fight with Kashmiri Muslims, and when the Philippine government fights
ethnic Muslims in its southern islands.America is also held responsible for
the governments of Muslim countries, derided by al Qaeda as your
agents.Bin Ladin has stated flatly,Our fight against these governments is
not separate from our fight against you.14 These charges found a ready
audience among millions of Arabs and Muslims angry at the United States
because of issues ranging from Iraq to Palestine to Americas support for
their countries repressive rulers.
What is the concept, takfiri, that is mentioned in this article?
o those who define other Muslims as unbelievers
What was going on in the 1980s in Afghanistan and why was it important for
Bin Ladens rise to power?

The soviet war, Bin Laden funded afghanistans to finght in the war and
afterwards they established al Queda so that it would not dissolve.

After Bin Laden returned to his home country of Saudi Arabia, what caused
him to leave for Sudan out of anger in the early 1990s?
o Saudi Arabia joined the US coalition, this allowed US military to be
based in the kingdom which led to Bin Laden's passport to be taken
away and his financial assets to be frozen. His citizenship was also
revoked.

By the mid-1990s, Bin Laden and his Al-Qaida organization were forced out of
Sudan and returned to Afghanistan. Who hosted them?
o Hassan al Turabi

In 1996, Osama bin Ladin announced what against America?

o declared war on America

In 1998, bin Laden announced another what against America?

o air strikes

Who was Ayman al-Zawahiri?

o an Egyptian who was within Bin Ladin's circle. Bin Ladin led many to
believe him as the deputy head of al Qaeda.

On August 7, 1998, Al-Qaida conducted terrorism of mass destruction in

Nairobi and Dar es Salaam.

PBS Video America at the Crossroads

Gain a general understanding for the ideas upon which groups like Al-Qaida
were based.
o osama bin ladens justification terror is the perversion of Islam
o literal meaning of jehad is striving or struggle
o
Understand what Usama bin Laden was hoping to accomplish
Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and
Implications for U.S. Policy John Rollins, Coordinator
Al-Qaida means: base or foundation
Review the rise of Al-Qaida after the end of the Soviet withdrawal from
Afghanistan through the 1990s. I wont ask any sneaky questions just trying
assess whether you understand that Bin

Laden went home to Saudi Arabia, left in the early 1990s for Sudan, stayed
there until he got kicked out and went to Afghanistan in the mid-1990s.
Where are Al-Qaidas other presences globally?
o Afghanistan, Pakistan, Arabian Peninsula, North Africa/Sahel, East
Aftica, Southeast Asia,
What is AQAP?
Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
o Why has it been a problem for the United States? What are its
organizational goals?
they target energy infrastructure and government officials
plans are to corrupt the people to turn on the government
officials and royal family members
Who is Anwar al-Awlaki? Why is he so important?
o Yemeni-American, mastermind behind the terrorist attacks directly or
indirectly
What is AQIM?
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb
o Has it been a problem for the United States?
not a threat
What is the Al-Qaida affiliate operating in Somalia?
Al Shabaab
o Why does it matter to the United States?
Al Shabaab merged with Ras Kamboni group. their goal is to
attack the Somalia Federal government
After the group broke up, some of the affiliates moved to
Minnesota, California, and Alabama. Some members have been
found and charged.

9/11 Commission Report: Chapter 4 RESPONSES TO AL QAEDAS INITIAL

ASSAULTS
I wont ask much from this article but Id ask that you understand generally
what the United States did (or didnt do) to respond to Al-Qaida. Why were
they not successful efforts?
o
What do they mean by wag the dog?
Lawrence Wright Lecture
What does he say are some of the reasons that 9/11 terrorists from Saudi
Arabia were angry?
Brachman Lecture / Watching the Watchers / CSIS Report on Homegrown
Radicalization?
What role has the Internet played on radicalizing Al-Qaida supporters?
o It allows the members to conceal their identity so they can post on
chats and discussion forums.
o promote Jihad beliefs
o form and communicate with groups around the world
What kind of Al-Qaida material can you find on the Internet?

o
o
o
What
o
What
o
What
o

Al Qaeda fan sites

discussion forums
kind of actions have radicalized Al-Qaida supporters in the West taken?
kind of trends do we see among homegrown radicals ?(CSIS report)
is the Inspire Magazine? And why does it matter? (CSIS report)

Know the basics about the two attacks in Canada that occurred during this
unit.