Title: Modern History of al-Qaeda and Terrorism against the USA
1Modern History of al-Qaeda and Terrorism against
the USA
2What is al-Qaeda?
- Al Qaeda is a stateless (meaning without a
country) terrorist organization. - It is led and financed by Osama bin Laden, a
radical Shia Muslim.
3When did al-Qaeda form?
- The beginnings of al-Qaeda go back to 1979 when
the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.
4- 1979 was during the Cold War, a time when the USA
was a rival to the Soviet Union. The USA wanted
to help Afghans fight the Soviets. - The CIA sent stinger missiles to Afghans to shoot
down Soviet helicopters.
5Bin Laden in Afghanistan
- Son of a wealthy Saudi Arabian family, Osama bin
Laden made lots of like-minded friends. - He learned that scantily-armed Muslims could
defeat a powerful Christian army - The Soviet army left in 1988.
6Bin Laden moves to Sudan
- Bin Laden and his friends, feeling powerful,
wanted to set up a base for future jihads. A
jihad is a Muslim word for holy war, usually
against Christians. He stays in Sudan about 5
years. Note Most Muslims dont feel that jihads
are about car bombs and plane hijackings.
7- In 1983, during the presidency of Ronald Regan, a
terrorist group bombed a Marine barracks in
Lebanon. Reagan did not retaliate. 283 killed.
8Desert Storm (Gulf War I)
- In 1990, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded the
tiny, oil-rich country of Kuwait. Kuwait owed
Iraq money, so Hussein wanted to secure Kuwaiti
oil fields.
9Operation Desert Storm
- The United States imports oil from Kuwait and
Saudi Arabia. If Saddam Hussein wanted to, he
could take his army into Saudi Arabia and seize
their oil fields too.
Iraqi tanks
10US and Saudi coalition
- The United States asked the Saudis for permission
to establish military bases in their country.
The Saudis have a tough choice to make. Do they
allow a Christian army into the holiest country
of Islam? Can the Saudis themselves stop Saddam
Hussein?
11Saudis choice
- Osama bin Laden was back home from Afghanistan.
He offered the Saudis the use of his soldiers to
fight the Iraqi army because once America
establishes a base, they wont leave. Christian
armies have no place in the land of Islam.
12Saudis chose the USA and snubbed bin Laden.
- President George H.W. Bush liberates Kuwait and
pushes the Iraqi army back into Iraq.
13Bin Laden
- Osama bin Laden overtly criticizes the Saudi
government. Saudi Arabia banishes him his
family disowns him (officially). - Bin Laden leaves Saudi Arabia for Sudan to
further build al Qaeda.
14USA in Somalia
- Dec. 4, 1992, George H.W. Bush sends 28,000
American troops to Somalia. - Bush wanted to help the Somali people since all
attempts to send food to them were intercepted by
war lords.
15Black Hawk Down!
- In 1993, 18 Americans died when their Black Hawk
helicopter was shot down over Mogadishu, Somalia.
16al Qaeda?
- We think al Qaeda operatives taught the Somalians
how to shoot down helicopters just like they did
in Afghanistan against the Soviets.
17Iraqi terrorism
- In 1993, agents working with the full support of
Saddam Hussein tried to kill former President
George H.W. Bush. - President Clinton responded by destroying their
intelligence center.
18World Trade Center bombing
- 9-11 was not the first terrorist attack on the
WTC. In 1993, a man rented a Ryder truck and
detonated a large bomb in one of the towers
hoping to knock it over onto the other tower.
19Ramzi Yousef
- He was a planner of the WTC bombing. He was a
member/leader of al Qaeda. - Yousef stated, "Yes, I am a terrorist, and proud
of it as long as it is against the U.S.
government." - Speaks 7 languages and has college degrees in
engineering and chemistry. - Currently serving a life sentence.
201993 WTC bombing
It killed 6 people and injured over 1000.
211995 Oklahoma City bombing
- Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols detonated a
large truck bomb at the Murrah federal building
in Oklahoma City.
22Oklahoma City
- 168 people died and many more were injured,
including children in the day care at the bottom.
23Conspiracy theorists will love this!
- Terry Nichols, Ramzi Yousef, and 9-11 mastermind
Khalid Sheik Muhammad were in the Philippine city
of Cebu on the same days. Is there a connection? - According to Richard Clarke, the main
counter-terrorism czar for Clinton and GW Bush,
Nicholss bombs worked only after he returned
from the Philippines
Khalid Sheik Muhhamad
Terry Nichols
241996 car bombing of Khobar Towers
- The Khobar Towers provided housing for American
military stationed in Saudi Arabia. 19 Americans
were killed and hundreds injured. Look familiar?
25Fatwa
- In August of 1998, Osama bin Laden and 4 of his
close associates sign and distribute a statement
declaring it is the individual duty for every
Muslim who can do it to kill Americans.
26Kenyan embassy bombings
- Two American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were
bombed simultaneously in 1998. 220 people were
killed.
27Clinton responds.
- President Clinton, risking Wag the Dog
criticism during the Lewinsky scandal, decided to
attack al Qaeda in response.
28US attacks al Qaeda training camps in Sudan and
Afghanistan with Tomahawk missiles. Camps were
destroyed. Osama lives.
29US responds. with Tomahawk missiles
Tomahawk missile.
30Millennium Attacks Foiled!
- Jordanian police halted 4 bombings that were to
happen January 1, 2000. 16 al Qaeda members were
arrested. - Four al Qaeda terrorists were arrested after one
tried to cross the Canadian border with
nitroglycerin in his spare tire. They set out to
bomb LA International Airport. - In Yemen, a boat with explosives tried to bomb a
navy ship but sank due to being overloaded!
31USS Cole attack Oct. 2000
- In Yemen, Al Qaeda operatives sent a suicide
bomber aboard a small ship near the USS Cole and
detonated its bomb, blowing a large hole in the
US Navy ship. 17 sailors killed.
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33Where is Sudan and Yemen?
34September 11, 2001
- Four airplanes were hijacked by al Qaeda
terrorists. - Two crashed into the 2 World Trade Center towers.
- One crashed into the Pentagon, the military
building of the US armed forces. - One crashed into a field in Pennsylvania, likely
because passengers forced the plane down.
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37- 2819 people were killed
- 343 firefighters and paramedics were killed
Khalid Sheik Muhhamad was the central Planner of
the 9/11. Most terrorists (at right) were from
Saudi Arabia.
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54Firemen going up before towers collapsed.
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56Shoes people left behind to run faster.
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58Looking for loved ones.
59Temporary memorial to WTC
60Pentagon
- A plane crashed into the Pentagon killing
hundreds. - It showed Americans that terrorism doesnt just
happen in New York and our most important
buildings are vulnerable.
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66 67Pentagon after attack
68Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania
Its target was possibly the White House or
Capitol building. We think the passengers
forced the plane down.
69Taliban
- Al Qaeda and the Taliban government of
Afghanistan were virtually one and the same. - President George W. Bush sent a small force into
Afghanistan to eliminate the government and
destroy al Qaeda. - This war is still going on.
- Many criticize President Bush for taking troops
out of Afghanistan to fight in Iraq.
70Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan
71Where is Afghanistan?
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73Tora Bora
- Famous battle in Afghanistan where al Qaeda
allegedly saved Osama bin Ladens life and snuck
him out of the area.
74Tora Bora
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76Today in Afghanistan
- In 08, more US troops die in Afghanistan than in
Iraq. US troops are still fighting Taliban and
Al Qaeda troops near the Pakistani border. - In 04 Afghanistan had its first election. The
people voted for Hamid Karzai - Despite terrorist attacks, daily
- life is better in Afghanistan.
77Where is Osama bin Laden now?
- Well, where do you think he is?
78As soon as we know. . .
79Unfortunately
- Bin Laden is very smart. He is probably hiding
inside the lawless region of Pakistan, near the
Afghan border. - Pakistan is a powerful Muslim country who has
cooperated with the USA for years. They have
nuclear weapons. - While the Pakistani government likes the USA, its
citizens dont.
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82Pakistan cont. . .
- If the Pakistani government goes after Osama bin
Laden and al Qaeda too strongly, the Muslim
people could overthrow the government and be the
first al Qaeda-dominated nuclear power. This is
what bin Laden wants!
83Review Quiz
84Review Quiz
- 1. Name 3 Al Qaeda leaders.
- 2. The Soviet Union invaded what country in 1979
where al Qaeda formed? - 3. In the first Gulf War, what was bin Ladens
objection regarding American troops in Saudi
Arabia? - 4.Was Osama bin Laden friends with Saddam Hussein
of Iraq? - 5. After the first Gulf War, what did Iraq try to
do to upset the USA? - 6. How was the WTC attacked in 1993?
- 7. What American embassies were bombed in 1998?
- 8. What Navy ship was bombed in 2000?
- 9. How many planes were hijacked on 9/11/2001?
- 10. Where could Osama bin Laden possibly be
hiding?
85Terrorism after 9/11
- In 2005, terrorists bombed a London subway.
- They were trying to get England out of Iraq.
86Richard Reid
- December 22, 2001
- Now known as the shoe bomber, tried to destroy
an airplane by igniting explosives hidden inside
his shoes. English mother, Jamaican father.
Converted to Islam in prison. Now in Colorado.
87Bali nightclub bombing Oct. 2002
88Where is Bali?
89Khalid Sheikh Mohammad
- September 2002, Pakistani officials arrested the
9/11 mastermind. - In reality, he was more dangerous than bin Laden.
90Abu Musab al-Zarqawi
- In Iraq there lived a terrorist named al-Zarqawi.
He was responsible for several car bombings,
suicide bombings, hostage killings after the US
invasion of Iraq. - He did have al Qaeda connections and began to
refer to his organization as al-Qaeda after the
US invasion. - He had no direct, known ties to Saddam Hussein.
- Was killed in 2006 by a US air strike.