Al-Qaeda Operatives Are an Ignorant Lot, Say Former Members

Arab News ^ | Oct. 3, 2004 | Mahmoud Ahmad

[FairOpinion]

Looks like they are scraping the bottom of the barrell for recruits.

I think there are multi-tiers in AQ, based on what we know: The "top-tier", 75% of whom we killed or captured, the middle tier ( many of whom are educated, such as Atta), then the "muscle", most of whom are ignorant. I think the author is talking about this last group.

Not to underestimate the terrorists and Al Qaeda, but I think that in the past 3 years we did make serious dent in their operations and membership.

[Graybeard58]

It's the nature of extremist groups that they will grow more and more extreme until everyone except their own group members are the enemy and even individual members of the group are suspect.

[eeriegeno]

About 95 percent of Al-Qaeda operatives in the Kingdom are ignorant and most of them do not observe basic Islamic teachings, according to new confessions by Abdul Rahman Al-Rashoud and Khaled Al-Farraj, former members of the terror network.

No thit? Dumb you say? Geez, and I always thought that they were smart and brave for strapping explosives around themselves and blowing themselves to kingdom come? Hmm, guess I was wrong????????

[gilliam]

It's the nature of extremist groups that they will grow more and more extreme until everyone except their own group members are the enemy and even individual members of the group are suspect.

That is especially true if you keep the pressure on them like Bush has been doing.

[rbg81]

95% seems like a high number, but this organization seems to require a lot of cannon fodder. After all, being smart is not an essential qualification for a suicide bomber. The truth is that 19:1 is not a bad follower to leader ratio. Its the other 5% we need to worry about.

[LasVegasMac]

About 95 percent of Al-Qaeda operatives in the Kingdom are ignorant and most of them do not observe basic Islamic teachings...

LOL!

Your Moma wears combat boots.

And eats Spicy Pork Rinds when you ain't around!

I very much agree that they are ignorant.

Do not agree with the "bottom of the barrel" assumption.

I'm more inclined to think that there is a never ending supply of ignorant people.

LVM

[demkicker]

Looks like they are scraping the bottom of the barrell for recruits.

Oh, but Al Jazerra will advertise for free the Al Quaeda plea that ALL Muslims join in their slaughter! Why in the hell can't we permanently jam Al Jazerra?

[Edgerunner]

Good post
There is hope for this man

[roaddog727]

Suicide bombers are a self-correcting problem.

Each time one blows hmself up, the net intelligence of the human race increases.

Darwin at his finest.

Truly a shame that innocents die, though.

[Ex-Dem]

Interesting view. Seems that the guy have seen the true side of AQ, However, I have no doubt that this guy approves of the goals of AQ to some extent, even though he might have become disillusioned with their methods. Otherwise, he wouldn't have joined in the first place.

[billhilly]

This is the typical life cycle of hate groups. Here in America we spawn many of them as well. Some have visibility, such as DU. Their hatred overwhelms their logical functions.

[SauronOfMordor]

What I got from what he was saying, is that he thought the AQ's were ignorant of proper Islamic theology (ie, what HE thought proper practice was) rather than thinking the world is flat. Something like the standard Leftist response to somebody disagreeing with them "Ok, he's just ignorant"

Also notice, he's only upset over AQ killing fellow Muslims, not a peep over killing infidels

[txhurl]

czech this out

[VOA]

bump

[coconutt2000]

We can always set up "suicide bomber practice camps" where they can perfect the art of pushing the button, culminating in their graduation... with live explosives in a controlled environment (aka empty field).

[roaddog727]

BOOM!

((dead soul thinking))

Hey! That wasn't a practice charge like they told me it was gonna be.......

[Kurt_D]

A decent, well-balanced, rational person would never become a terrorist. And let's not forget, that Al-Qaida operatives are all Muslims that have been exposed to the hateful propaganda of Muslim clerics.

[True Capitalist]

“I can tell you that 95 percent of the cell’s members are ignorant,” Al-Farraj said. “They are even more ignorant than the uneducated.

...but are they even more ignorant than those in the al-Kerry brigade blindly embracing the jihad against Bush-Chenney-Haliburton?

[dr_who_2]

If arabs actually read these sorts of Arab News articles, there is some hope left for them.