He’s wrong. They are a very good model for how you develop a sympathetic population that supports your goals. If AQ could have figured that out then they would be way ahead of the game in Iraq.
It has long been known that the money that backs al Qaeda doesn’t come from bin Laden’s fortune. It comes from wealthy donors in oil producing nations that donate to charities located throughout the Middle East. Billions are given. And behind one charity, Islamic group or business is yet another. Some of these millions eventually end up in the hands of the terrorists.