Al-Gama'a al-Islamiyya

THE LOOMING TOWER AL- QAEDA AND THE ROAD TO 9/11 CHAPTER 2 Ayman al- Zawahiri Goal in life: to put Qutb?s vision into action At age 15, he formed an underground cell devoted to overthrowing the government and establishing an Islamist state. 1967 war with Israel Israel captured all of the Sinai, Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Golan Heights It crushed the forces of the frontline Arab states This was a psychological turning point in the history of the modern Middle East War continued? Muslims not only lost their armies and their territories, but also their faith in their leaders, their countries, and in themselves. They began to say that God had turned against the Muslims The only way back to Him was to return to the pure religion: Islam is the solution Zawahiri?s goals