There are many myths surrounding Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda in the United States, many of them revolving around bin Laden’s motivations. Why would someone want to carry out terrorist attacks against the US? Actually, bin Laden made many public statements about his motives. This “fatwa,” or religious declaration, from 1996 describes why bin Laden encourages Muslims to attack the US.
- What is bin Laden’s purpose in calling for jihad? What are his motives?
- What is the significance of using the term “crusader?”
In the United States, there are many myths surrounding Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations, most of them revolving around motivations. Why would someone want to carry out terrorist attacks against the US? Actually, bin Laden made many public statements about his motives. His “fatwa,” or religious declaration, from 1996 describes why bin Laden encourages Muslims to attack the US.
However, the two articles you read also demonstrate other motivations at play. Some of them overlap with what bin Laden said; others don’t.
What are the motivations for terrorism listed in the three documents?
Do any of these motivations create an opening that Western nations might use to deradicalize terrorists?