Al-Qaeda

Al-Qaeda (, al-Q??idah; "the foundation" or "the base") is the name given to an international Islamic fundamentalist campaign comprised of independent and collaborative cells that all profess the same cause of reducing outside influence upon Islamic affairs. Though al-Qaeda is philosophically heterogeneous, prominent members of the movement are considered to have Salafi beliefs. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8524679

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The origins of al-Qaeda can be traced to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan when a cadre of Muslim fighters joined the largely United States and Pakistani-funded Afghan muj?hid?n resistance movement. Al-Qaeda was a leading fundraiser and recruitment agency for the Afghan cause in Muslim countries; it channelled Islamic fighters to the conflict, distributed money and provided logistical skills and resources. But before the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1992, al-Qaeda was already beginning to place itself in opposition to the United States and the United Kingdom, specifically in their sending troops to Saudi Arabia in preparedness for ending the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Al-Qaeda claims that both the U.S. and U.K. are oppressive toward Muslims, citing the invasion and occupation of Iraq, ("Iraq War"), the presence of military bases in several Islamic countries and U.S. support for Israel in the Arab-Israeli conflict, when attempting to recruit people to their cause.

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Al-Qaeda is widely regarded as responsible for the attacks of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center in New York City and The Pentagon in Arlington, and the campaign is believed to provide the inspiration for many other international attacks against military and civilian targets. Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri are senior members of al-Qaeda's shura council, and are believed to be in contact with some of al-Qaeda's other cells.

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Islamic fundamentalist: REDIRECT Islamic fundamentalism...

Islamic: REDIRECT Islam...

Salafi: A Salafi (Arabic سلفي referring to early Muslim), from the Arabic word Salafسلف (literally meaning predecessors or early generations), is an adherent of a contemporary movement in Sunni Islam that is sometimes called Salafism or Wahhabism. Salafis themselves...

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