Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda is a pan-Islamist militant organization led by Sunni Jihadists who self-identify as a vanguard spearheading a global Islamist revolution to unite the Muslim world under a supra-national Islamic caliphate. Its membership is mostly composed of Arabs, but also includes people from other ethnic groups. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian, economic and military targets of the US and its allies; such as the 1998 US embassy bombings, the USS Cole bombing and the September 11 attacks. The organization is designated as a terrorist group by NATO, the UN Security Council, the European Union, and various countries around the world.
Some of the key events about Al-Qaeda
- 1988Established to resist Soviet occupation of Afghanistan
- 1996Declared war against foreign troops in Saudi Arabia
- 1998Issued fatwa calling for attacks on Americans
- 1998Bombed U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania
- 2000Attacked USS Cole in Yemen
- 2001Conducted attacks leading to U.S. withdrawal from Saudi Arabia
- 2001Carried out September 11 attacks in the United States
- 2002Bombed nightclubs in Bali, Indonesia
- 2003Opposed U.S. invasion of Iraq
- 2003Conducted suicide bombings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 2004Claimed responsibility for Madrid train bombings
- 2004Executed multiple terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia
- 2005Conducted bombings on London's public transport system
- 2005Bombed hotels in Amman, Jordan
- 2006Merged with several Algerian militant groups
- 2006Attempted to bomb transatlantic airliners
- 2008Attacked Islamabad Marriott Hotel in Pakistan
- 2009Expanded operations in Yemen and Somalia
- 2009Attempted to bomb Northwest Airlines Flight 253
- 2011Continued to inspire global jihadist movements
Disclaimer: This material is written based on information taken from open sources, including Wikipedia, news media, podcasts, and other public sources.
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