A most interesting read. Usama bin Laden indeed believes that he is the Mahadi, but, he cannot proclaim that himself. The Quran states that anyone who claims to be the Mahdi, is nothing but an imposter. bin Laden, in carefully orchestrating the psychology of his appearances and statemetns is fostering the public perception that he is indeed the Mahadi and that the forces of the black flag should rally to his cause. But, again, it has to be popular exultation and not his own proclaimations. The quandry for Usama bin Laden is that the spritual leader of the Taliban, Mullah Omar, cannot proclaim him Mahadi, becuase he is connected to bin Laden by marriage. Watch for a cleric, high ranking and respected in either the Sunni or Shiite sects to be the one to make the proclaimation. If a Wahabbi attempt it, it will just be drowned out as propaganda. It will have to come from a muslim cleric that is a "one-off" from the fighting. Only then will the black flags come out in force.
Forewarned is forarmed.
Watch for a cleric, high ranking and respected in either the Sunni or Shiite sects to be the one to make the proclaimation. If a Wahabbi attempt it, it will just be drowned out as propaganda. It will have to come from a muslim cleric that is a "one-off" from the fighting. Only then will the black flags come out in force.Not too sure he'll have to be all that "one-off."
The guy next to Osama at the 1998 Black Flag press conference might have the bonafides...
Dr. Hayman al-Zawahiri
Osama bin Laden's right hand man,
the reputed terrorist mastermind behind al Qaeda...
and the radical Moslem cleric
who ordered the assassanition of Anwar Sadat.
