Articles Index

Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman
Just how explosive the mix of Islamism and violence can be is demonstrated in the example of Omar Abdel Rahman, a blind sheik who is currently in prison in the United States because of his role in the bomb plots in New York City. What most people do not know about him, however, is that he is considered a spiritual leader and role model by Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants.

Osama bin Laden's Goals
What does Osama bin Laden want, and why does he want it? These questions can best be answered by studying the development of this tradition of Islamic extremism in the Middle East, especially since World War II. Although these fundamentalist groups preach a theology which values the earliest traditions of Islam, it remains nevertheless a very modern movement which has achieved broad popularity, especially among like-minded thinkers who have created what has become known as Islamism.

Profile and Biography Hassan al-Turabi
Origins of Islamic Extremism: Hassan al-Turabi, once the speaker of Sudan's parliament and the ideological power behind its Islamist revolution, was kicked out of office in May 2000 and is now in prison, held by the military powers which once supported him. But where does he fit into the puzzle of Al-Qaeda's origins and the development of Osama bin Laden's ideas about Islam?

Sayyid Qutb: Father of Modern Islamic Extremism
Sayyid Qutb, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood who promoted the idea of violent revolution against non-Muslim rulers, created a new way for modern Muslims, dissatisfied with their condition, to look at society. He provided an ideological framework to the use principles of Islam, rather than Western categories like capitlaism, socialism, democracy, in order to fight against unjust government.