Abstract
This paper discusses how Lawrence Wright's "The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 "contains a wealth of information and gives some real insight into just what on earth caused the horrifying terrorist attack of 9/11. The paper looks at how the book includes key themes such as the origins of the extremist Islamist ideology that would fuel Al-Qaeda, and the way it was fanned into extremism by the horrors of torture in Egyptian jails in the 1980s. The paper also examines how the book describes how it was possible for American intelligence to fail so utterly to foresee or prevent the disaster.

From the Paper
"Wright traces the origins of Al-Qaeda all the way back to Egypt, beginning in 1948 in Alexandria with Sayyid Qutb, foreign student in the USA - who would later write some of the books that would inspire and inflame those Muslim radicals who were turning to Takfir (the mirror image of Islam, which purports to be orthodox, while at the same time encouraging murder). Geographically his extensive background spans universities in Egypt, building construction sites in Saudi Arabia, the war in Afghanistan, the rise of the Taliban, the setting up of radical Muslim cells in Pakistan - not to mention Qutb's happy days in Greeley, Colorado."

Tags:bin, laden, cia, terrorism, radicals

Abstract
The paper looks at how Lawrence Wright in his work "The Looming Tower" explores the origins of the Islamic fundamentalist movement and its relationship to Osama bin Laden. The paper posits that Wright makes the terrorists more real to us and makes the complicated world of terrorism easy to understand.

From the Paper
"In Chapters 1 through 11, Wright make the complex workings of al-Qaeda easy to comprehend. The first half of the book traces the history of al-Qaeda back to post World War II, where the ideas of a jihad were but seeds of thought in Sayyid Qutb's mind. Wright does well to explore the main players' characters religious and political involvement. Political ideas coupled with religious persuasions help us to understand the aspirations of these men that help form the underground movement that we would later come to know as the Islamic fundamentalist movement."

Tags:Qutb, al-Qaeda, jihad, radicalism, bin, Laden

Abstract
In this paper, the author argues that the rapid changes in society have allowed power to shift to "non-state" actors. The most notorious among them is the Al-Qaeda terror network. In this paper, the organization of Al-Qaeda is evaluated and its international connections are considered the reason for Al-Qaeda's continued operations. The author also examines Al-Qaeda's financing and the shared religious beliefs among its members. The September 11th attacks are also discussed.

Outline:
Research Questions
Introduction
Loose Network of People Connections
Case 1: Bombings in Istanbul
Solid Structured Organization
Finances
Case 2: September 11, 2001
Leads of the Al-Qaeda
The Al-Qaeda Today
Case 3: The Madrid Train Bombing
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Al-Qaeda, the largest international terrorist network, is a distributed, roaming and non-territorial network. It functions as a hybrid peer-to-peer network through its combined use of advanced information technologies and traditional halawa exchanges, in which a central source triggers the actions that are carried out by individual nodes. It is organized in self-contained nodes that function autonomously and its responsibility and authority is devolved down to the lowest possible level. This networked structure of authority and accountability is most evident in al-Qaeda operations, as cells planned and carried out operations with considerable and independence."

Tags:Bin, Laden, Al-Qaeda, terrorism, 9/11

Abstract
This paper examines the ideology of al Qaeda terrorism. In particular, the paper attempts to understand why al Qaeda is particularly successful at attracting well-educated people in the Muslim world. The paper studies the appeal of radical Islamist terrorism, how it differs from terrorism of the 1970s and 1980s, and the emergence of the al-Qaeda movement. The paper then examines the theology of the al-Qaeda movement that glorifies death and the implications of radical religious based religious movements for the modern world. The paper concludes with an examination of the careers of the two top leaders of al-Qaeda: Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Tags:osama bin laden ayman al-zawahri, sayyid qutb al-qaeda alienation Terrorism

Abstract
The following paper will pick a terrorist group - Al-Qaeda - and discuss whether or not that group has been successful or unsuccessful in attaining its stated goals. In general, Al-Qaeda wants to drive out American influence from the Middle East, wants to topple the Saudi Arabian government, wants to topple any pro-western regimes in the region, seeks the end of Israel, and wants its own fundamentalist state - and the terrible thing is that Al-Qaeda may well end up getting some or all of these things.

From the Paper
Has Al-Qaeda been successful in reaching its stated goals? The following paper will pick a terrorist group - Al-Qaeda - and discuss whether or not that group has been successful or unsuccessful in attaining its stated goals. In general, Al-Qaeda wants to drive out American influence from the Middle East, wants to topple the Saudi Arabian government, wants to topple any pro-western regimes in the region, seeks the end of Israel, and wants its own fundamentalist state - and the terrible thing is that Al-Qaeda may well end up getting some or all of these things. To get things underway, one must have an appreciation of the ideology and

Tags:al, qaeda, stated, successful

Abstract
This paper discusses whether al-Qaeda is still a threat to the world community. It outlines history of al-Qaeda and its ideology, which differs fundamentally from "traditional" terrorist organizations with specific political causes. The author argues that al-Qaeda has "metastized" from an organization into an ideology and cause.

From the Paper
"On a Monday morning in the late summer this writer got a phone call from a friend telling him to turn on CNN. "Buddy, we're under attack," the friend said. What the writer and millions of other Americans saw in the ..."

Tags:al-qaeda, osama, bin, laden, terrorism

Abstract
This paper relates that terrorist activities can be examined as features of a general structural process, but it should be noted that al Qaeda's AGIL process is often distorted by factors not commonly faced by other organizations. The author explains that, in applying the AGIL process to the terrorist organization known as al Qaeda, factors such as adaptation, goal attainment, integration and latency are evident. The paper points out that these factors operate in al Qaeda to a more limited degree than they do in more traditional and mainstream organizations.

From the Paper
"In applying the AGIL process to the terrorist organization known as al Qaeda, it is evident that factors such as adaptation, goal attainment, integration, and latency continue to al Qaeda, but to a more limited degree than they do in more traditional and mainstream organizations. Terrorist activities can be examined as features of a general structural process, but it should be noted that al Qaeda's AGIL process is often distorted by factors not commonly faced by other organizations. For example, many of al Qaeda's functions are in conflict more often and are "on" or "off" more frequently and unexpectedly because of the global war on terror, which compels al Qaeda leaders, strategists, financiers, and cell members to be reactive much more often than they can be proactive."

Tags:al, qaeda, analysis

Abstract
The paper looks at the emergence of Al-Qaeda, the historical context within which it came to prominence, its ideological commitments, its impact upon the world and the threat it constitutes to western society. The paper illustrates how Al-Qaeda is a ruthless organization driven by nationalistic and socio-political objectives - and its danger to the western world lies in the fact that it is amorphous, de-centralized, highly-motivated, and international in scope.

From the Paper
"The following paper will look at the emergence of Al-Qaeda, the historical context within which it came to prominence, its ideological commitments, and its impact upon the world and the threat it constitutes to western society. In the final analysis, Al-Qaeda is a ruthless organization driven by nationalistic and socio-political objectives - and its danger to the western world lies in the fact that it is amorphous, de-centralized, highly-motivated, and international in scope. Experts who have followed the tangled, twisting history of Al-Qaeda point..."

Tags:al, qaeda, impact, ideology

Abstract
This paper describes al Qaeda. The author points out al Qaeda's current goals as a terrorist organization. The paper examines the difficulties involved in locating operatives and in gathering information because members form small groups called cells.

From the Paper
"According to Benjamin Wittes writing in "Atlantic Monthly", al-Qaeda is not a traditional uniformed military force. In fact it's not a geographically distinct military force at all. Rather, the organization is composed of cells scattered worldwide whose members seek to blend into the societies they wish to destroy. The organization's very nature makes distinguishing between combatants and noncombatants extremely difficult. When captured al-Qaeda, operatives often deny their affiliation. However, it is known that al-Qaeda has a specific set of goals. Furthermore there seems to be no ... '

Tags:Al Qaeda, terrorists, September 11, Madrid, suicide bomber, terrorism

Abstract
The paper looks at Al-Qaeda's historical background, ideology, motivation, support base, tactics and strategies, past activities and future threat potential and possible targets. Due to the seamless and fluid nature of Al-Qaeda, the author stresses, it is difficult to predict its potential targets and the extent of threat posed by Al-Qaeda. The paper concludes that, after the disruptions of Al-Qaeda because of the actions of the U.S. and other countries following 9/11, the organization serves more as a symbolic source of inspiration for dangerous Islamic terrorist splinter groups around the world rather than being involved directly in major terrorist plans. However, the global community cannot afford to be complacent and let its guard down.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Historical Background and Al-Qaeda's Origins
Al-Qaeda's Ideology, Motivation, and Goals
Ideological, International and Religious Support
Relationship with the United States/ Other Countries
Tactics and Strategies Used by Al-Qaeda
Selection of Victims and Targets
Past Terrorist Activities: Successes and Failures
Future Threat/ Potential Targets
My Own Analysis/ Opinion of the Terrorist Group

From the Paper
"The suicide bombings also have other inherent advantages: it is simple and inexpensive; it almost certainly guarantees mass casualties and extensive damage; there are no chances of post-attack fears of interrogation since the attacker is dead; and it has a powerful effect on the public and the media because of the horror such an attack generates. The only problem is to find people who are willing to sacrifice themselves, and due to the fanatical nature of its teachings, al-Qaeda seems to have no dearth of such people in its ranks."

Tags:mujahedeen, maktab al-khadamat, civilian infidels, smuggle symbolic