Al Qaeda's Young Extremists

[High_Gravity]

Al Qaeda's Young Extremists

LONDON -- Even before Osama bin Laden's death a month ago, a young generation of would-be terrorists had turned away from the al-Qaida leader toward a new breed of brash, charismatic ideologues.

For many of these extremists, the 54-year-old bin Laden was a man of decades past – aging, longwinded and increasingly out of touch as he remained in hiding. One former jihadist compared him to a grandfather, while others have little memory of the 9/11 attacks and no interest in his history in the Soviet-Afghan war.

"We respected him ... but ... no one has seen him as much of a figure for a long time," said a 28-year-old former extremist from east London, who insisted on anonymity because of fears of reprisals. He was 18 when he began associating with extremists, he said.

Young jihadists prefer the bluntly violent rhetoric of clerics like Abu Yahya al-Libi, a Libyan-born hard-liner and rising figure within al-Qaida, and newcomer Khalid bin Abd al-Rahman al-Husaynan, whose most famous video mocks President Barack Obama's "Yes We Can" campaign slogan. Investigators fear that the hardline tone of such videos, along with a tougher atmosphere in online forums, could increase the number of young people radicalized online.

Al-Qaida itself has recognized the need to promote new voices in place of leaders such as bin Laden and his closest deputy, 59-year-old Ayman al-Zawahri. In recent months, al-Qaida's media arm, As-Sahab, has heavily promoted al-Libi, in his late 40s, and al-Husaynan, whose age isn't known.

Both offer a bullish tone and uncompromising message. In contrast, bin Laden occasionally attempted to explain his group's actions and once, in a 2006 audiotape, even discussed a long-term truce with the United States.

"The younger ideological figures can relate much better to some of the younger guys," said Aaron Zelin, who runs the Jihadology website tracking extremist activity online. "For those who are 16 to 25 now, they've grown up with a different world view."

It is the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the plight of Muslims in Gaza that strike a chord with young extremists now, he said, just as the Soviet-Afghan war of the late 1970s and 1980s did for bin Laden's generation.

Al-Libi in particular is feted, not least for his audacious 2005 escape from custody at the U.S. Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. He is seen as bringing "youthful energy and a fresh perspective" to al-Qaida, said Jarret Brachman, a terrorism expert who has spent a decade monitoring al-Qaida's media operations and advises the U.S. government.

Al Qaeda's Young Extremists

 

[Ropey]

AL-QAEDA is secretly recruiting affluent, middle-class Muslims in British universities and colleges to carry out terrorist attacks in this country, leaked Whitehall documents reveal.

A network of “extremist recruiters” is circulating on campuses targeting people with “technical and professional qualifications”, particularly engineering and IT degrees.

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The Whitehall dossier, ordered by Tony Blair following last year’s train bombings in Madrid, says: “Extremists are known to target schools and colleges where young people may be very inquisitive but less challenging and more susceptible to extremist reasoning/ arguments.”

The confidential assessment, covering more than 100 pages of letters, papers and other documents, forms the basis of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, codenamed Operation Contest.

It paints a chilling picture of the scale of the task in tackling terrorism.

The dossier also estimates that 10,000 have attended extremist conferences. The security services believe that the number who are prepared to commit terrorist attacks may run into hundreds.

Leaked No 10 dossier reveals Al-Qaeda’s British recruits

 

[Jos]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsUtvOW6SR0&feature=player_embedded]YouTube - ‪Fake Al Qaeda Actors EXPOSED! Adam Gadahn & Yousef al-Khattab‬‏[/ame]

 

[High_Gravity]

So Adam Gadahn is a fake?

 

[Jos]

He is Jewish

 

[High_Gravity]

He is Jewish

Isn't he a Muslim now?

 

[Sunni Man]

I wouldn't be surprised if he is actually a CIA/Mossad operative..

 

[Ropey]

He is Jewish

Isn't he a Muslim now?

This is the kind of argument Jos and Sunni make?

LMAO

I thought a convert to Islam was not anything but a Muslim. He's not Jewish. He's Muslim by the very nature of the meaning of Islamic Apostasy and the penalties for such a conversion away from Islam.

 

[High_Gravity]

He is Jewish

Isn't he a Muslim now?

This is the kind of argument Jos and Sunni make?

LMAO

I thought a convert to Islam was not anything but a Muslim. He's not Jewish. He's Muslim by the very nature of the meaning of Islamic Apostasy and the penalties for such a conversion away from Islam.

I hope the CIA sends a drone missile up that clowns ass.

 

[Sunni Man]

Isn't he a Muslim now?

This is the kind of argument Jos and Sunni make?

LMAO

I thought a convert to Islam was not anything but a Muslim. He's not Jewish. He's Muslim by the very nature of the meaning of Islamic Apostasy and the penalties for such a conversion away from Islam.

I hope the CIA sends a drone missile up that clowns ass.

Why would they want to kill one of their fellow agents?

 

[High_Gravity]

This is the kind of argument Jos and Sunni make?

LMAO

I thought a convert to Islam was not anything but a Muslim. He's not Jewish. He's Muslim by the very nature of the meaning of Islamic Apostasy and the penalties for such a conversion away from Islam.

I hope the CIA sends a drone missile up that clowns ass.

Why would they want to kill one of their fellow agents?

Last time I checked Adam Gadahn was a follower of Al Qaeda, not the CIA. Unless you are saying he is a double agent?

 

[Sunni Man]

When it comes to anything involving the middle east.

Truth is an illusion; and facts are a mirage

 

[Ropey]

When it comes to anything involving the middle east.

Truth is an illusion; and facts are a mirage

Considering that >93% of the Middle East is Muslim...

Answers.com - How many Muslims live in the Middle East

 

[Sunni Man]

He is Jewish

Isn't he a Muslim now?

I personally know several Jewish people who have converted to Islam.

And yes, we consider them Muslims.

 

[Ropey]

Consider?

Are they or are they not Muslims? You say "We" and "Consider". Does Allah say they are Muslims or not?

Does Allah say anything about this? He has converted. In the eyes of your Allah is he a Muslim?

If so, why do you just consider him one and not say he is one? I consider you a Stormfront troll Sunni Man.

That doesn't mean you are one. Context and syntax are important here.

 

[Sunni Man]

Only Allah/G-d knows the heart of a man and his intentions.

 

[Ropey]

Only Allah/G-d knows the heart of a man and his intentions.

That's not what I asked. What does Allah say about converting to Islam? Does Allah consider the convert the same?

I'm not asking what Allah knows about the hearts and minds of the man. I'm asking if Allah allows a convert to be considered the same as a born and practicing Muslim.

Or are they just 'raised higher' than the dhimmi? If you don't know, just say so. Kalam likely will.

 

[Sunni Man]

Any person who says in Arabic. With the correct intention in their heart.

" There is no other god but God"

" And Mohammed is the prophet of God"

Is now a Muslim.

 

[Ropey]

Any person who says in Arabic. With the correct intention in their heart.

" There is no other god but God"

" And Mohammed is the prophet of God"

Is now a Muslim.

I wasn't sure with the syntax. Thank you for clarifying.

 

[High_Gravity]

They must have young forces which can continue with their work.

Of course they do.