Burke is knowledgeable, fair, broad, deep, and occasionally eloquent. President obama may not have a strategy for defeating the islamic state, but the islamic state has a strategy for the u. Al qaeda is an international terrorist organization, which was formed in august 1988. Sep 06, 2003 to overcome al qaida one must erode its symbolic power. The awardwinning bbc documentary maker tells us what hes learned in 10 years investigating alqaeda, and suggests what we should read to understand where the group came from, and what its still trying to do. Apr, 2009 the new commander of al qaedas paramilitary forces that operate in pakistan and afghanistan laid out al qaeda and the talibans strategy to defeat the coalition and afghan government. This, says burke, will follow a single, substantial paradigmatic shift in the way the threat facing us all is currently understood and. Al qaeda has reorganized its notorious paramilitary formations that were devastated during the us invasion of afghanistan in 2001 and 2002. Al qaida chief in 911 speech calls for attacks on west ayman al zawahri called wednesday on muslims to attack u. This is an incomplete list of books about al qaeda. The unit has its roots in the 055 brigade, which fought conventional battles against the northern alliance and us forces in afghanistan. Alqaeda may have started as a small core, but an everexpanding force now fights in its name. This book examines alqaeda and its affiliate phenomenon, and attempts. Casting a shadow of terror by jason burke world news.
Now, for the first time, the al qaeda reader gathers together the essential texts and documents that trace the origin, history, and evolution of the ideas of alqaeda founders ayman alzawahiri and osama bin laden. In fact, that strategy is set out, in part, in an al qaeda manual. Al qaedas paramilitary shadow army pakistan defence. Pdf from jihad to alqaeda to islamic state researchgate.
The challenge now is to defeat this growing network of affiliates and cells what amounts to alqaedas armies. The base, the foundation, alternatively spelled alqaida and alqaida is a transnational extremist salafist militant organization founded in 1988 by osama bin laden, abdullah azzam, and several other arab volunteers during the sovietafghan war. This book examines alqaeda and its affiliate phenomenon, and attempts to provide an indepth look at several of the more active but. He was the first to interview leading commanders of al qaedas socalled shadow army, including siraj haqqani leader of the haqqani network, ilyas kashmiri leader of brigade 3, mullah nazir south waziristan, and qari ziaur rahman kunarnuristanbajaur, and countless others. Al qaedas shadow army commander outlines afghan strategy. The saudiborn islamic activist had little equipment, few followers and minimal local support. This book introduces and examines the new generation of alqaeda leaders who. Dec 26, 2016 there, i got to see the taliban, al qaeda, and other jihadi militants up close, confirming beyond any shadow of a doubt that these guys are scumbags. The lashkar alzil or shadow army is a paramilitary organization linked to alqaeda and descended from the 055 brigade. The shadow army has a clearcut military structure, a u. Jul 19, 2011 the haqqani network and al qaeda function as an interdependent system, and the seeds of global jihad were planted much earlier than previously thought and were nurtured just as much by the. Al qaedas paramilitary shadow army by bill roggiofebruary 9, 2009 1. This research paper is based on analyses in my book understanding al qaeda changing war and global politics and an april 2011 essay on the same topic in the periodical the muslim world.
The lashkar alzil or shadow army is a paramilitary organization linked to al qaeda and descended from the 055 brigade. This book is very good, i found it extremely entertaining. Al qaeda is now the most overused and misunderstood term in the media. In the west, it symbolises the greatest threat to global security. How al qaeda escaped afghanistan and lived to fight another day. Insurgencies in iraq, afghanistan, syria, yemen and elsewh. Syed saleem shahzad asia times online published some of the best and most insightful articles on terrorism in the past decade. On a hot summers day in 1996 a plane carrying osama bin laden and a few friends and family landed just outside the eastern afghan city of jalalabad. Al qaeda al qaeda training manual inside the terror.
Al qaeda is responsible for many attacks throughout the world with its extensive and effective networks. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. May 15, 2011 inside alqaeda and the taliban was written by saleem shehzad who was killed by unknown assailants in 2010. In the valley, the qaeda s shadow is longer than the qaeda. The best books on alqaeda recommended by peter taylor. Our friend bill roggio with the long war journal has a fantastic piece of breaking news and followup analysis on the regeneration of al qaeda s shocktroop unit dubbed the shadow army. The attached manual was located by the manchester england. May 30, 2018 insurgencies in iraq, afghanistan, syria, yemen and elsewherethe majority linked to al qaeda are in the news on an almost daily basis. Sep 08, 2011 and in fact, some 150,000 people have been murdered in the united states since 911. Al qaedas paramilitary shadow army fdds long war journal. Abdullah said, the commander of the lashkar al zil, or the shadow army, released a statement concerning the status of the fight in afghanistan. The best books on alqaeda five books expert recommendations. According to syed saleem shahzad, it comprises the pakistani taliban, 3 brigade, the afghan taliban, hezbeislami afghanistan and former iraqi republican guards. Jul 30, 2014 al qaeda guide to kidnapping july 29, 2014 a chapter from a book book published in 2004 by a qaeda operative, abdelaziz almuqrin of saudi arabia, in which he prescribes rules for how to carry out.
The alqaedaization of the taliban can be seen most distinctly in the increasing prominence of lashkaralzil, the elite shadow army comprising a mix of alqaeda foreigners and taliban natives that has carried out many recent successful attacks on nato forces and pakistani army units. Casting a shadow of terror, says we shouldnt blame ourselves for not spotting alqaeda sooner and reminds us that, despite fighting two wars in the middle east, we really dont know what alqaeda is. This organization is considered as a top threat for the world super power united states of america. Dec 08, 2017 in the warlords shadow tells the compelling story of sotfse and its successful counterinsurgency efforts to provide stability in uruzgan province. Casting a shadow of terror, the observers chief reporter, jason burke, looks at the true nature of bin ladens organisation and why the wests. Jul 12, 2003 in this extract from his new book, alqaeda.
The lashkar alzil or shadow army also known as jaish al usrah, or the army of the protective shield is a paramilitary organization linked to alqaeda and descended from the 055 brigade. Aug 12, 2003 jason burke, who has written a new book which is only available in the u. Burke writes with admirable lucidity and the benefit of his frontline reporting and. Al qaeda has reestablished the predominantly arab and asian paramilitary formation that was formerly known as brigade 055 into a larger, more effective fighting unit known as the lashkar al zil, or shadow army, a senior us intelligence official told the.
In arabic, it is simply an abstract noun, meaning resource, network or base. He was the first to interview leading commanders of al qaeda s socalled shadow army, including siraj haqqani leader of the haqqani network, ilyas kashmiri leader of brigade 3, mullah nazir south waziristan, and qari ziaur rahman kunarnuristanbajaur, and. The shadow army is al qaeda s elite paramilitary army see lwj report, al qaeda s paramilitary shadow army. But very little surfaces about a festering insurgency that has been on the go for six years in west africa under the acronym of aqim, or al qaeda in the islamic maghreb.
The manual was found in a computer file described as the military series related to the declaration of jihad. The awardwinning bbc documentary maker tells us what hes learned in 10 years investigating al qaeda, and suggests what we should read to understand where the group came from, and what its still trying to do buy all books. Al qaeda and the road to 911 by lawrence wright, the panther by nelson demille, the black banners. Casting a shadow of terror reprint by burke, jason isbn. The alqaedaization of the taliban can be seen most distinctly in the increasing prominence of lashkaralzil, the elite shadow army. The secret war that lies behind the cias recent intelligence disaster in afghanistan. The document, which has since been described by the fbi as the al qaeda training manual, was found in a computer file described as the military series related to the declaration of jihad. He was the first to interview leading commanders of al qaedas socalled shadow army, including siraj haqqani leader of the haqqani network, ilyas kashmiri leader of brigade 3, mullah nazir south waziristan, and qari ziaur rahman kunarnuristanbajaur, and. Which books should i read to understand the history of al. At least, it comes closest to the sense of alqaeda that ive arrived at after a lot of library research. The statement, which has been obtained by the long war journal, was issued by al fajr media center, an official outlet for al qaeda propaganda, and published on the islamic al fallujah forum.
The book is mainly based on the broader agenda of alqaeda, who in the eyes of the writer are trying to conceive a pure islamic kingdom on the earth based on the principles of islam. Inside alqaeda and the taliban, beyond bin laden and 911 by. The true story of radical islam 2rev ed by burke, jason isbn. After the 1993 attack, the symbolism of the world trade center took on a significance far beyond itself.
Insurgencies in iraq, afghanistan, syria, yemen and elsewhere the majority linked to al qaeda are in the news on an almost daily basis. It is a must read for policy makers and those desiring a better understanding of counterinsurgency warfare in afghanistan. The al qaeda manual the attached manual was located by the manchester england metropolitan police during a search of an al qaeda members home. As part of this, alqaedas elite unit, lashkarezil shadow army, lez, is likely to play a key role.