Osama bin Laden’s death will hit al-Qaida hard but not cripple the terrorist organization, according to a UC Davis scholar. Instead, the world’s most famous terrorist will morph into a martyr, one who continues to fuel a radical Islam focused on attacking the United States.

“A lot of people are saying al-Qaida is dead,” said Flagg Miller, a UC Davis associate professor of religious studies and the first academic researcher to analyze more than 1,500 new audiocassette tapes taken from bin Laden’s former residential compound in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2001, according to a UC Davis article.

Yes, Sunday’s attack by U.S. forces leaves the organization without its “most important figurehead.”

“It’s a major blow,” Miller added. “But that said, there’s a place for the martyr, very much an important place for remembering the martyr.”

Followers will use bin Laden as a rallying cry, Miller said.

“Militants will continue to cite him as justification for their attacks and get world headlines. Anytime you mention ‘bin Laden revenge attacks,’ it will be instantly picked up.”

Al-Qaida leaders did not put all their eggs in one basket. Instead, they created a set of radical arguments justifying attacks on the Judeo-Christian enemy — Israel, the United States and the West in general.

“Al-Qaida leaders set up a template for world transformation,” Miller said. “That template is still out there, and it’s available for militants should they need it.

“It’s not going to disappear anytime soon.”

— Reach Jonathan Edwards at [email protected] or (530) 747-8052.

miller

Flagg Miller, a UC Davis associate professor, is writing “Becoming Bin Laden,” a book based on Miller’s investigation of the contents of Osama bin Laden’s audiotape library, a collection of more than 1,500 tapes acquired from his residence in Kandahar, Afghanistan, by CNN. Courtesy photo

Flagg_Miller_workingW

Flagg Miller, a UC Davis associate professor who’s writing a book, “Becoming Bin Laden,” listens to one of the more than 1,500 audio tapes CNN found in Osama bin Laden’s former residence in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Courtesy photo

Comments

comments