Al Qaeda Threat

Al Qaeda Leader Calls for Kidnapping of Westerners

         While reading the CNN website under World News, I came across a very disturbing article. Once again, my topic is focused on al Qaeda. As many are aware, al Qaeda has been the cause of much turmoil in the United States, and according to this article, it appears that we still have reason to fear them. 

Ayman al-Zawahiri is the current leader of al Qaeda. He was the second leader under Osama bin Laden, but following bin Laden’s death in 2011, al-Zawahiri took over bin Laden’s position. The event referred to in this article was the posting of a two part, two hour video that al-Zawahiri put on jihadist websites. In the video, al-Zawahiri instructs muslims to kidnap westerners. Al Qaeda currently has possession of Warren Weinstein, an American that was abducted from his home in Pakistan. Al-Zawahiri’s reasoning is to use these prisoners as a bargaining chip to free Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman from US custody. Abdel-Rahman is responsible for the World Trade Center bombing. 

Al-Zawahiri is one of the FBI’s most wanted terrorists. It is unknown where he is hiding or where this video took place, but it is suspected that he resides in Pakistan near the Afghanistan border. I chose this event because it is important for Americans to be aware of possible threats, especially when traveling. Al Qaeda has plagued America with fear for over a decade, and Americans need to stay updated and informed on these global issues. Additionally, al Qaeda is affecting more than the United States. They have been forcing Mali to follow the strict Sharia law, and in the video, al-Zawahiri wants the Sharia law to be instituted in Egypt as well.