Inside the Revolution

We—with God’s help—call on every Muslim who believes in God and wishes to be rewarded to comply with God’s order to kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it. We also call on Muslim [nations], leaders, youths, and soldiers to launch the raid on Satan’s U.S. troops and the devil’s supporters allying with them, and to displace those who are behind them so that they may learn a lesson.196

Bashir readily agreed, and for years, bin Laden and many of his top advisors actually lived in Sudan.

December 29, 1992, al Qaeda launched its first terrorist attack, bombing two hotels in Aden. No Americans were actually killed in the operation, but the Navy did stop making port visits there for a while. Bin Laden considered it a small but important first victory. The Americans, he concluded, were weaker than most Muslims thought.

The most honorable death is to be killed in the way of Allah.195

apostate Arab leaders such as those in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

Azzam had helped create Hamas,

We are certain that we shall—with the grace of Allah—prevail over the Americans and over the Jews, as the Messenger of Allah promised us in an authentic prophetic tradition when he said the Hour of Resurrection shall not come before Muslims fight Jews and before Jews hide behind trees and behind rocks.”188

Violent jihad was the way. And now was the time.

Islam was the answer, he concluded, and jihad was the way.

Only if the Arabs purified themselves, turned wholly and completely to following the teachings of the Qur’an, and engaged in holy war against the Jews and the Muslim apostates could they ever regain Allah’s favor and the glory that was once theirs.