There's an article in the September 16th New Yorker on Ayman Al-Zawahiri, an
Egyptian doctor who, as the article puts it, is "The Man Behind bin Laden".
It's rather long, but in reading through it, the distinctions among Islamic
Jihad, Al Qaeda and the Taliban become somewhat more clear, though they
still remain confusing. All appear deeply rooted in Islamic fundamentalism,
strongly commited to applying that fundamentalism to secular affairs, and to
ridding the Islamic world of western influences. The Taliban, of course,
did so by governing Afghanistan. It would seem that Islamic Jihad, though
it blended with Al Qaeda at times, was firstly and foremostly concerned with
the creation of an Islamic state in Egypt, and ridding Egypt of American and
other foreign influences. Whether, at a particular time, it was blended
with Al Qaeda or not, it received substantial financial support from bin
Laden. Al Qaeda ("The Base"), as we know, is a widespread network of small
cells, many of which are potentially dangerous. They are supposedly
financed and to the extent possible, orchestrated, by bin Laden.
The New Yorker article, by Lawrence Wright, suggests that Ayman al-Zawahiri,
who may now be dead, was a stronger force in recent militant Islam than bin
Laden. Whether this was so or not, the impression you come away with from
the article is that these people, their movements and their cells are very
dangerous to the western world, and we have every reason to be concerned
about them.
Ed
Ed Weick
577 Melbourne Ave.
Ottawa, ON, K2A 1W7
Canada
Phone (613) 728 4630
Fax (613) 728 9382
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lawrence de Bivort" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Jan Matthieu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "futurework"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 10:31 PM
Subject: RE: one musician and 9 11
> Greetings, Jan,
>
> I think you may be confusing al-Qaida and the Taliban...
>
> Al-Qaida is not a 'sect', nor are any of the things you list 'forbidden'
by
> al-Qaida.
>
> Just what 'iconoclast sect' are you referring to?
>
> Lawry
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Jan Matthieu
> > Sent: Monday, September 16, 2002 3:20 PM
> > To: futurework
> > Subject: Re: one musician and 9 11
> >
> >
> > "There is no reason to think that those who did the Sept. 11 atrocities
> > didn't know and love music, perhaps even play an instrument, or sing,
> > around their campfires...."
> >
> >
> > There is a very good reason to think that: this iconoclast sect had
> > forbidden all song, music, instruments, pictures, etc.. the only movies
> > allowed were 'instructive' video's ..
> >
> > Jan
