Why did bin Laden declare a fatwah, or religious decree,
against the United States?
U.S. intelligence officials believe bin Laden began to turn against
the United States in the mid-1980s a time when he still took aid
and training from the CIA, which was then helping bin Laden and
other Islamic groups fight the Soviet Army in Afghanistan. The CIA
funneled its aid through the Pakistani secret service, the ISI, to
various cells in Afghanistan, one of them known as the MAK. In
1984, bin Laden broke with the MAK and formed a separate, more
radical splinter group that espoused a harsh, fundamentalist
version of Islam that was dedicated to the liberation of Islamic
nations from any foreign influences, from Israel to the United
States to the Soviet Union. Particularly infuriating to him is
Americas coziness with the Saudi Royal family since the Gulf War.
But bin Ladens first public fatwah came only after the Gulf War.
Specifically, he railed against the presence of American and
European troops on the soil of the Arabian peninsula, site of
Islams holiest cities, Mecca and Medina. Since then, U.S.
intelligence officials say, bin Laden has been behind an
unprecedented campaign of attacks on U.S., European, Israeli,
Russian and other interests around the planet. In 1998, he
broadened his fatwah to specifically include civilian
targets:
The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies civilians and
military is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in
any country in which it is possible to do it, in order to liberate
the al-Asqa Mosque [in Jerusalem] and the holy mosque [in Mecca]
from their grip, and in order for their armies to move out of all
lands of Islam, defeated and unable to threaten any Muslim. This is
in accordance with the words of Almighty God, and with the pagans
all together as they fight you all together and fight them until
there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice
and faith in God.
It adds, We with Gods help call on every Muslim who believes in
God and wishes to be rewarded to comply with Gods order to kill
the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they
find it. We also call on Muslim ulema, leaders, youths and soldiers
to launch the raid on Satans U.S. troops and the devils
supporters allying with them, and to displace those who are behind
them so that they may learn a lesson.
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