Jihadist disputes

As a contribution to the assessment given by CIA Director Michael Hayden today about Al Qaeda's difficulties, see the analysis by MEMRI's Daniel Lav of two (verbal) attacks on Al Qaeda by prominent former jihadists.

The Egyptian Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiyya group has disagreed with the characterization, still held by Osama bin Laden, of Muslim leaders as apostates. Once these leaders are no longer apostates, there is no justification for jihad against them. As one of the Al-Gama'a Al-Islamiyya senior leaders put it, Al Qaeda's "goal is jihad, whereas our goal is Islam."

Sayyed Imam, the leader of the Egyptian Jihad group, has also attacked Al Qaeda. Essentially, he argues that jihad groups today should not wage jihad because they are too weak; e.g., they need to wait and fight another day.

Note that neither of these critics has censured Al Qaeda for attacking U.S., Israeli or Western targets.

I also wanted to amend my earlier entry, in which I argued that these disputes are arising as a result of Muslim casualties at the hand of jihadists. As Charles Krauthammer said tonight on Fox News, they also arise from Al Qaeda's defeat in Iraq and Saudi Arabia.