Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 53
recognize and live within the strategic limitations of reality. Like Aum, al Qaeda expressed a
strong interest in acquiring weapons of mass destruction. In fact, bin Laden has called the
acquisition of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) a ―religious duty.‖xxxiv Ayman al
Zawahiri, a senior leader in al Qaeda and leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), expands
bin Laden‘s views by stating that the objective of the global jihad against the United States
and its allies is to:
1. To inflict maximum casualties against the opponent.
2. To concentrate on the method of martyrdom operations as the most successful way
of inflicting damage against the opponent and the least costly to the Mujahedin in
terms of casualties.
3. Targets as well as the type and method of weapons used must be chosen to have an
impact on the structure of the enemy.
4. To reiterate that focusing on the domestic enemy alone will not be feasible at this
stage.xxxv
Like Aum, Al Qaeda demonstrated its intent and at least limited capacity to self-develop a
WMD capability. In fact, al-Qaeda devoted an entire volume of their 5,000-page
Encyclopedia of Jihad to methods by which chemical and biological weapons may be
developed and constructed.xxxvi During operations in Afghanistan in August 2002, US led
coalition forces discovered traces of ricin and anthrax at five or six sites.xxxvii Additionally,
evidence and videotapes were discovered demonstrating the group‘s interest in bubonic
plague, cyanide, and botulinum toxin. The tapes included video-training manuals for
terrorists instructing them on how to assemble explosive devices. The tapes also showed
chemical tests being performed on three dogs. In one scene, a group of unidentified men
are seen leaving an enclosure in which the dogs are penned. A few moments later, a white
gas appears to seep in from the left, when, after a few seconds, the dogs begin to display
physical reactions.xxxviii
According to a report prepared by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, on January 5,
2003, seven men were arrested in London, UK for producing ricin in an apartment. British
authorities indicated that at least one of the individuals arrested had attended an al-Qaeda
training camp in Afghanistan. It was later discovered that the remaining individuals had
undergone similar training in Chechnya and Georgia. Within a week, five more men and one
woman were taken into custody for involvement in the plot.xxxix Additionally, Abu Khabab
who was a known al-Qaeda operative was identified as the man responsible for training
members of the plot in London.xl
In April 2004, Jordanian authorities arrested six individuals and killed four in a raid to pre-
empt a pending attack by a small cell linked to Abu Musa al-Zarqawi, who allegedly
provided $170,000 through messengers from Syria.xli According to a witness‘s testimony,
suspects were found with instructions on preparing germ and conventional weapons.xlii The
cell‘s plan was to conduct a suicide attack using trucks filled with 20 tons of industrial
chemicals and explosives to crash into the Jordanian intelligence agency headquarters in the
country‘s capital of Amman. The original plan called for simultaneous attacks against the
U.S. Embassy as well as the prime minister‘s office. The estimated number of casualties
were anywhere from as low as 20,000 up to 80,000 lives.xliii
Finally, in August 2004, eight men were arrested in the UK and charged with ―conspiracy to
use weapons of mass destruction, providing material support and resources to terrorists,
and conspiracy to damage and destroy buildings used in interstate and foreign
commerce.‖xliv They were discovered with information on chemicals, explosives, and
radiological materials. Their plans were to target U.S. financial institutions, including the
Citigroup Building in New York, the New York Stock Exchange, the Prudential Building in
recognize and live within the strategic limitations of reality. Like Aum, al Qaeda expressed a
strong interest in acquiring weapons of mass destruction. In fact, bin Laden has called the
acquisition of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) a ―religious duty.‖xxxiv Ayman al
Zawahiri, a senior leader in al Qaeda and leader of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ), expands
bin Laden‘s views by stating that the objective of the global jihad against the United States
and its allies is to:
1. To inflict maximum casualties against the opponent.
2. To concentrate on the method of martyrdom operations as the most successful way
of inflicting damage against the opponent and the least costly to the Mujahedin in
terms of casualties.
3. Targets as well as the type and method of weapons used must be chosen to have an
impact on the structure of the enemy.
4. To reiterate that focusing on the domestic enemy alone will not be feasible at this
stage.xxxv
Like Aum, Al Qaeda demonstrated its intent and at least limited capacity to self-develop a
WMD capability. In fact, al-Qaeda devoted an entire volume of their 5,000-page
Encyclopedia of Jihad to methods by which chemical and biological weapons may be
developed and constructed.xxxvi During operations in Afghanistan in August 2002, US led
coalition forces discovered traces of ricin and anthrax at five or six sites.xxxvii Additionally,
evidence and videotapes were discovered demonstrating the group‘s interest in bubonic
plague, cyanide, and botulinum toxin. The tapes included video-training manuals for
terrorists instructing them on how to assemble explosive devices. The tapes also showed
chemical tests being performed on three dogs. In one scene, a group of unidentified men
are seen leaving an enclosure in which the dogs are penned. A few moments later, a white
gas appears to seep in from the left, when, after a few seconds, the dogs begin to display
physical reactions.xxxviii
According to a report prepared by the Center for Nonproliferation Studies, on January 5,
2003, seven men were arrested in London, UK for producing ricin in an apartment. British
authorities indicated that at least one of the individuals arrested had attended an al-Qaeda
training camp in Afghanistan. It was later discovered that the remaining individuals had
undergone similar training in Chechnya and Georgia. Within a week, five more men and one
woman were taken into custody for involvement in the plot.xxxix Additionally, Abu Khabab
who was a known al-Qaeda operative was identified as the man responsible for training
members of the plot in London.xl
In April 2004, Jordanian authorities arrested six individuals and killed four in a raid to pre-
empt a pending attack by a small cell linked to Abu Musa al-Zarqawi, who allegedly
provided $170,000 through messengers from Syria.xli According to a witness‘s testimony,
suspects were found with instructions on preparing germ and conventional weapons.xlii The
cell‘s plan was to conduct a suicide attack using trucks filled with 20 tons of industrial
chemicals and explosives to crash into the Jordanian intelligence agency headquarters in the
country‘s capital of Amman. The original plan called for simultaneous attacks against the
U.S. Embassy as well as the prime minister‘s office. The estimated number of casualties
were anywhere from as low as 20,000 up to 80,000 lives.xliii
Finally, in August 2004, eight men were arrested in the UK and charged with ―conspiracy to
use weapons of mass destruction, providing material support and resources to terrorists,
and conspiracy to damage and destroy buildings used in interstate and foreign
commerce.‖xliv They were discovered with information on chemicals, explosives, and
radiological materials. Their plans were to target U.S. financial institutions, including the
Citigroup Building in New York, the New York Stock Exchange, the Prudential Building in
