With a budget?
Just like you and me ?
BS story.
I wonder what their “Secret Santa” is like?
No, the evil bastards are not normal, but cost-accounting can make any organization, good or evil, more effective. It must be remembered that evil is parasitic and cannot exist without the misuse of good to support it, so it seems that Al Qaeda counts costs to husband resources. (Spend too much on mustard and cake and there’s less for C4 and bullets.)
The facts of the matter are not B.S. This is apparently what they do. But you seem to be attributing to this story, something that is never said or even hinted - that the story is trying to make them appear to be just like you or me. I don’t see that being even hinted here.
First of all, it is VERY INTERESTING in and if itself. Secondly, it also shows (to me, at least) that the upper echelon is very much intent on staying in control of the organization and they are not going to let their members “go off on tangents” - and thus stay close to the directions given and the philosophy and goals of the organization. And it is an organization and one in which the leaders maintain control. It also makes sense, considering Osama bin Ladin’s background in running a business..