05/07/2011
Ángel Rabasa: “Al-Qaeda’s global Jihadism differs from other Jihads in that the latter ones are generally inspired by Islamist ideology but they are not addressed against local opponents or objectives. Al-Qaeda, however, represents the purest type of global Jihadism as it covets universal ambitions such as creating a global caliphate”
“Massive attacks against civil targets represent Al-Qaeda’s weakening showing the movement is no longer capable of attacking strategic military targets”
“Before 9/11, Al-Qaeda acted as a conventional Jihadist organisation. But after losing its operations base in Afghanistan it became an ideological movement using affiliated groups. The latter commit themselves to global Jihad while keeping their own regional interests”
“Even though the violent demonstrations of global Jihadism are spreading around the world, Al-Qaeda is losing in the ideological front. Contributing to this is the fact that the main clerics of Islam have challenged its precepts more than ever”
“Al-Qaeda’s most important strategic relationship is with the Taliban and other independent groups collaborating with them in Afghanistan and Pakistan: while the former represents its main operations field, the latter is one of Al-Qaeda’s sanctuaries and a platform to spread Jihadism to other regions”
“The Arab Spring represents a danger for Europe, but much more for Al-Qaeda, as even if the worst case scenario comes true and authoritarianism returns or radical Islamism spreads, on the long run, democracy could clip the wings to the Jihadist movement”
“I don’t believe in self-radicalisation. Terrorist networks are key to keeping constant violence campaigns. These are nurtured by ideology, an ideology essential for creating and keeping an Islamist view of the world”
“Bin Laden’s death is a political and strategic triumph for the countries that fight Jihadism, besides being a symbolical and psychological blow on radical Islamism. Removing Al-Qaeda’s leader will have tactical consequences resulting from the great amount of information found by the American soldiers”