Al-Qaeda’s Seven Point Plan

Der Spiegel (in English) reports on a new book by Jordanian journalist Fouad Hussein that details al-Qaeda’s millennarian fantasy for a world-wide caliphate. What makes this account especially interesting is that Hussein draws his information from interviews with al-Qaeda leaders, including Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, with whom he shared a prison cell.

Drawn from these interviews, Hussein details al-Qaeda’s 7-point plan to establish a universal caliphate:

# The First Phase Known as “the awakening” — this has already been carried out and was supposed to have lasted from 2000 to 2003, or more precisely from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 in New York and Washington to the fall of Baghdad in 2003. The aim of the attacks of 9/11 was to provoke the US into declaring war on the Islamic world and thereby “awakening” Muslims. “The first phase was judged by the strategists and masterminds behind al-Qaida as very successful,” writes Hussein. “The battle field was opened up and the Americans and their allies became a closer and easier target.” The terrorist network is also reported as being satisfied that its message can now be heard “everywhere.”

# The Second Phase “Opening Eyes” is, according to Hussein’s definition, the period we are now in and should last until 2006. Hussein says the terrorists hope to make the western conspiracy aware of the “Islamic community.” Hussein believes this is a phase in which al-Qaida wants an organization to develop into a movement. The network is banking on recruiting young men during this period. Iraq should become the center for all global operations, with an “army” set up there and bases established in other Arabic states.

# The Third Phase This is described as “Arising and Standing Up” and should last from 2007 to 2010. “There will be a focus on Syria,” prophesies Hussein, based on what his sources told him. The fighting cadres are supposedly already prepared and some are in Iraq. Attacks on Turkey and — even more explosive — in Israel are predicted. Al-Qaida’s masterminds hope that attacks on Israel will help the terrorist group become a recognized organization. The author also believes that countries neighboring Iraq, such as Jordan, are also in danger.

# The Fourth Phase Between 2010 and 2013, Hussein writes that al-Qaida will aim to bring about the collapse of the hated Arabic governments. The estimate is that “the creeping loss of the regimes’ power will lead to a steady growth in strength within al-Qaida.” At the same time attacks will be carried out against oil suppliers and the US economy will be targeted using cyber terrorism.

# The Fifth Phase This will be the point at which an Islamic state, or caliphate, can be declared. The plan is that by this time, between 2013 and 2016, Western influence in the Islamic world will be so reduced and Israel weakened so much, that resistance will not be feared. Al-Qaida hopes that by then the Islamic state will be able to bring about a new world order.

# The Sixth Phase Hussein believes that from 2016 onwards there will a period of “total confrontation.” As soon as the caliphate has been declared the “Islamic army” it will instigate the “fight between the believers and the non-believers” which has so often been predicted by Osama bin Laden.

# The Seventh Phase This final stage is described as “definitive victory.” Hussein writes that in the terrorists’ eyes, because the rest of the world will be so beaten down by the “one-and-a-half billion Muslims,” the caliphate will undoubtedly succeed. This phase should be completed by 2020, although the war shouldn’t last longer than two years.

The Spiegel writer expresses skepticism toward Hussein’s claims on the basis that they’re too idealistic, religious, and fantastic.

But that’s the whole point for totalitarian movements like al-Qaeda. I’ve documented this ideology in the past and have found the same motif going on: jihadists live in a secondary reality (or “fantasy ideology”, in Lee Harris’s words) (see here, here, here, and here).

I might point out that while the dates for these steps are unrealistic, that shouldn’t be a problem for ideologues warped by their imaginative fantasies. As with other millennarian leaders who see the dates of their prophecies pass without their prophecies coming to fulfilment, they simply change the dates. So whether things happen in 2006 or 2016, it doesn’t really matter.

I look forward to reading Hussein’s book.

UPDATE and REQUEST: I’m having difficulty finding a copy of Hussein’s book. The Spiegel article doesn’t specify whether it’s in Arabic or another language, though I’d guess it’s in Arabic. If anyone has found publication information for this book, either in Arabic or (preferably) English, please contact me.

Crossposted to Civitatensis.